UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (date of earliest
event reported)
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) | (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) | |
Republic of |
||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | |
(Commission File Number) | (Commission File Number) | |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
|
| |
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code) |
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code) | |
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code) | (Registrant’s telephone number, including area code) | |
None | None | |
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.) | (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.) |
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) | |
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) | |
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) | |
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
, Special Voting Share, GBP 1.00 par value and Trust Shares of beneficial interest in the P&O Princess Special Voting Trust | , Inc. | |||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrants are emerging growth companies as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2) of this chapter).
Emerging growth company
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 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 1.01. | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement |
The information required by Item 1.01 contained in Item 8.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K relating to the entry into the Supplemental Indenture (as defined below) is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 8.01. | Other Events. |
Carnival Corporation (the “Issuer”) and Carnival plc (together with the Issuer, the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) issued a press release announcing the early tender results of its previously announced cash tender offer (the “Tender Offer”) to purchase up to $2,004 million aggregate purchase price of the Issuer’s outstanding 11.500% First Priority Senior Secured Notes due 2023 (the “Notes”). A copy of the press release announcing the early tender results is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.
The Company announced that $2,406,791,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Notes were validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on July 19, 2021 (the “Early Tender/Consent Deadline”). Such Notes will be accepted for repurchase up to the Maximum Tender Amount, subject to proration, at a price of $1,142.50 per $1,000 of principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest from the last interest payment date on such purchased Notes up to, but not including, the Initial Settlement Date, as such term is defined in, and subject to the conditions set forth in, the Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement dated July 6, 2021 (the “Statement”). The Tender Offer is made upon the terms and conditions described in the Statement.
Because the aggregate principal amount of all Notes tendered as of the Early Tender/Consent Deadline exceeds the Maximum Tender Amount, the aggregate principal amount of a Holder’s validly tendered Notes accepted for purchase will be subject to proration. The Issuer will determine the aggregate principal amount of a Holder’s validly tendered Notes accepted for purchase on a pro rata basis based on the aggregate principal amount of Notes tendered in the Tender Offer, as further described in the attached press release. The Issuer will not accept for purchase any Notes tendered after the Early Tender/Consent Deadline.
The Company also announced the results of the Company’s previously announced solicitation of consents (the “Consents”) from holders of the Notes (the “Consent Solicitation”) to amend certain provisions of the indenture governing the Notes (the “Proposed Amendments”) so that such provisions more closely align and conform with those under our Term Loan Agreement, dated as of June 30, 2020, as amended by Amendment No. 1 dated December 3, 2020 and Amendment No. 2 dated June 30, 2021, and the indentures governing our other outstanding secured and unsecured notes. The Company announced that it has received 85.19% of the Consents. The Consent Solicitation is subject to the conditions set forth in the Statement. The Issuer may waive any of these conditions in its sole discretion. As of July 16, 2021, the requisite consents to effect the Proposed Amendments with respect to the Notes, as described in the Statement, were received. Accordingly, on July 16, 2021, the Issuer, Carnival plc, as a guarantor, the subsidiaries of the Issuer and Carnival plc party thereto (together with Carnival plc, the “Guarantors”) and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, principal paying agent, transfer agent and registrar (the “Trustee”) and as security agent (the “Security Agent”) executed and delivered a second supplemental indenture to the indenture governing the Notes (the “Supplemental Indenture”). The Supplemental Indenture became effective upon its execution and delivery by the Issuer, the Guarantors, the Trustee and the Security Agent, but provides that the Proposed Amendments will not become operative until the Issuer has accepted the Consents, has made arrangements to pay the Consent Payment and all conditions to the closing of a financing transaction that would satisfy the Financing Condition (other than the Proposed Amendments becoming operative) have been satisfied or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion.
The description of the Supplemental Indenture in this Current Report on Form 8-K is a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Supplemental Indenture, which is filed as Exhibit 4.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.
This Current Report on Form 8-K does not constitute an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any Notes in the Tender Offer. The Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation are only being made pursuant to the Statement. The Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation are not being made to Holders of Notes in any state or jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would be unlawful under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
2 |
Capitalized terms not defined herein have the meanings attributed to them in the Statement.
A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference into this Item 8.01.
Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit No. | Description |
4.1 | Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 16, 2021, among Carnival Corporation as issuer, Carnival plc, the other Guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank, National Association, as trustee and security agent, relating to the 11.500% First-Priority Senior Secured Notes due 2023. |
99.1 | Press Release issued by Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc on July 19, 2021. |
104 | Exhibit 104 Cover page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted Inline XBRL (included as Exhibit 101) |
3 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each of the registrants has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
CARNIVAL CORPORATION | CARNIVAL PLC | |||
By: | /s/ David Bernstein | By: | /s/ David Bernstein | |
Name: | David Bernstein | Name: | David Bernstein | |
Title: | Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer | Title: | Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer | |
Date: | July 19, 2021 |
Date: | July 19, 2021 |
4 |
EXHIBIT 4.1
CARNIVAL CORPORATION,
as Issuer
CARNIVAL PLC
AND THE OTHER GUARANTORS
NAMED ON THE SIGNATURE PAGES HERETO,
as Guarantors
AND
u.s. bANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee and Security Agent
SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
Dated as of July 16, 2021
TO THE INDENTURE
Dated as of April 8, 2020
As supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 18, 2020
11.500% First-Priority Senior Secured Notes due 2023
THIS SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE is dated as of July 16, 2021, among Carnival Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Republic of Panama, as issuer (the “Issuer”), Carnival plc, a company incorporated and registered under the laws of England and Wales (“Carnival plc” and, together with the Issuer, the “Company”), the other Guarantors listed on the signature pages hereto and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association organized under the laws of the United States of America, as trustee and security agent (the “Trustee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee executed and delivered an Indenture, dated as of April 8, 2020 and amended by that certain First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 18, 2020 (as so amended, the “Indenture”), to provide for the issuance by the Company of its 11.500% First-Priority Senior Secured Notes due 2023 (the “Notes”);
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.02 of the Indenture, the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee are authorized to amend the Indenture with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes);
WHEREAS, pursuant to the “Consent Solicitation” made under the Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement dated July 6, 2021 (the “Statement”), the Issuer has received the consents of Holders of more than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes currently outstanding (the “Consents”) to the “Proposed Amendments” (as defined in the Statement), which are to be made pursuant to Article II hereof; and
WHEREAS, the entry into this Second Supplemental Indenture by the parties hereto is in all respects authorized by the provisions of the Indenture.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties mutually covenant and agree for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.1 Capitalized Terms. Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
ARTICLE II
AMENDMENTS TO THE INDENTURE
Section 2.1 The Indenture is hereby amended and restated in its entirety in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto (the “Amendment and Restatement”), which Amendment and Restatement shall be effective immediately upon the execution of this Second Supplemental Indenture; provided that such Amendment and Restatement shall not become operative until the Operative Time (as defined below). For convenience and ease of reference, the amendments to the form of the Indenture in effect immediately prior to this Second Supplemental Indenture that are being made pursuant to the Amendment and Restatement are marked in Exhibit A hereto, with additions being indicated by bold, double-underline text and deletions being indicated by strikethrough text.
Section 2.2 “Operative Time” means the time, as set forth in a written notice from the Issuer to the Trustee specifying the Operative Time, at which (i) the Issuer has accepted the Consents, (ii) the Issuer has made arrangements to pay the “Consent Payment” (as defined in the Statement) and (iii) and all conditions to the closing of a financing transaction that would satisfy the “Financing Condition” (as defined in the Statement), other than the amendment and restatement of the Indenture pursuant to this Second Supplemental Indenture becoming operative, have been satisfied or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion.
ARTICLE III
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 3.1 Governing Law. THIS SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Section 3.2 Severability. In case any provision in this Second Supplemental Indenture shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 3.3 Ratification. Except as expressly amended hereby, the Indenture is in all respects ratified and confirmed and all the terms, conditions and provisions thereof shall remain in full force and effect. This Second Supplemental Indenture shall form a part of the Indenture for all purposes, and every Holder heretofore or hereafter shall be bound hereby. The Trustee makes no representation or warranty as to the validity or sufficiency of this Second Supplemental Indenture.
Section 3.4 Counterparts. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Second Supplemental Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. One signed copy is enough to prove this Second Supplemental Indenture. The exchange of copies of this Second Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Second Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.
Second Supplemental Indenture 2 |
Section 3.5 Effect of Headings. The headings herein are convenience of reference only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
Section 3.6 The Trustee. The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this Second Supplemental Indenture or for or in respect of the recitals contained herein.
Section 3.7 Successors. All agreements of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors in this Second Supplemental Indenture shall bind each of their successors, except as otherwise provided in this Second Supplemental Indenture. All agreements of the Trustee in this Second Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors.
[Signature Page Follows]
Second Supplemental Indenture 3 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Second Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
CARNIVAL CORPORATION | |||
as Issuer | |||
By: | /s/ Quinby Dobbins | ||
Name: | Quinby Dobbins | ||
Title: | Treasurer | ||
carnival plc | |||
as Guarantor | |||
By: | /s/ Quinby Dobbins | ||
Name: | Quinby Dobbins | ||
Title: | Treasurer | ||
gxi, llc | |||
as Guarantor | |||
By: | /s/ Arnaldo Perez | ||
Name: | Arnaldo Perez | ||
Title: | Company Secretary of Carnival Corporation, its sole Member |
[Signature Page to Second Supplemental Indenture] |
HAL ANTILLEN N.V. | |||
as Guarantor | |||
By: SSC Shipping and Air Services (Curacao) N.V., its sole Director | |||
/s/ Wilhelmus Langeveld | |||
Name: | Wilhelmus Langeveld | ||
Title: | Managing Director | ||
/s/ Rhona M.P. Mendez | |||
Name: | Rhona M.P. Mendez | ||
Title: | Attorney-in-Fact | ||
HOLLAND AMERICA LINE N.V. | |||
as Guarantor | |||
By: SSC Shipping and Air Services (Curacao) N.V., its sole Director | |||
/s/ Wilhelmus Langeveld | |||
Name: | Wilhelmus Langeveld | ||
Title: | Managing Director | ||
/s/ Rhona M.P. Mendez | |||
Name: | Rhona M.P. Mendez | ||
Title: | Attorney-in-Fact | ||
[Signature Page to Second Supplemental Indenture] |
Cruiseport curacao c.v. | |||
as Guarantor | |||
By: SSC Shipping and Air Services (Curacao) N.V., sole Director for | |||
Holland America Line N.V., General Partner | |||
/s/ Wilhelmus Langeveld | |||
Name: | Wilhelmus Langeveld | ||
Title: | Managing Director | ||
/s/ Rhona M.P. Mendez | |||
Name: | Rhona M.P. Mendez | ||
Title: | Attorney-in-Fact | ||
PRINCESS CRUISE LINES, LTD. | |||
as Guarantor | |||
By: | /s/ Janet Swartz | ||
Name: | Janet Swartz | ||
Title: | President |
[Signature Page to Second Supplemental Indenture] |
SEABOURN CRUISE LINE LIMITED | |||
as Guarantor | |||
By: SSC Shipping and Air Services (Curacao) N.V., | |||
its sole Director | |||
/s/ Wilhelmus Langeveld | |||
Name: | Wilhelmus Langeveld | ||
Title: | Managing Director | ||
/s/ Rhona M.P. Mendez | |||
Name: | Rhona M.P. Mendez | ||
Title: | Attorney-in-Fact | ||
COSTA CROCIERE S.P.A. | |||
as Guarantor | |||
By: | /s/ David Bernstein | ||
Name: | David Bernstein | ||
Title: | Director |
[Signature Page to Second Supplemental Indenture] |
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, | ||||
as Trustee and Security Agent | ||||
By: | /s/ Brandon Bonfig | |||
Name: | Brandon Bonfig | |||
Title: | Assistant Vice President |
[Signature Page to Second Supplemental Indenture] |
EXHIBIT A
Amendment and Restatement
[Attached]
CARNIVAL CORPORATION,
as Issuer,
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee, Principal Paying Agent, Transfer Agent, Registrar and Security Agent,
_____________________________
INDENTURE
Dated as of April 8, 2020
Conformed through the FirstSecond
Supplemental Indenture, dated November 18July 16,
20202021
_____________________________
11.500% FIRST-PRIORITY SENIOR SECURED NOTES DUE 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||
Article One | ||
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE | ||
Section 1.01. | Definitions | 1 |
Section 1.02. | Other Definitions | |
Section 1.03. | Rules of Construction | |
Article Two | ||
THE NOTES | ||
Section 2.01. | The Notes | |
Section 2.02. | Execution and Authentication | |
Section 2.03. | Registrar, Transfer Agent and Paying Agent | |
Section 2.04. | Paying Agent to Hold Money | |
Section 2.05. | Holder Lists | |
Section 2.06. | Transfer and Exchange | |
Section 2.07. | Replacement Notes | |
Section 2.08. | Outstanding Notes | |
Section 2.09. | Notes Held by Issuer | |
Section 2.10. | Definitive Registered Notes | |
Section 2.11. | Cancellation | |
Section 2.12. | Defaulted Interest | |
Section 2.13. | Computation of Interest | |
Section 2.14. | ISIN and CUSIP Numbers | |
Section 2.15. | Issuance of Additional Notes | |
Article Three | ||
REDEMPTION; OFFERS TO PURCHASE | ||
Section 3.01. | Right of Redemption | |
Section 3.02. | Notices to Trustee | |
Section 3.03. | Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed | |
Section 3.04. | Notice of Redemption | |
Section 3.05. | Deposit of Redemption Price |
i |
Section 3.06. | Special Mandatory Redemption | |
Section 3.07. | Payment of Notes Called for Redemption | |
Section 3.08. | Notes Redeemed in Part | |
Section 3.09. | Redemption for Changes in Taxes | |
Article Four | ||
COVENANTS | ||
Section 4.01. | Payment of Notes | |
Section 4.02. | Corporate Existence | |
Section 4.03. | Maintenance of Properties | |
Section 4.04. | Insurance | |
Section 4.05. | Statement as to Compliance | |
Section 4.06. | Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock | |
Section 4.07. | Liens | |
Section 4.08. | Restricted Payments | |
Section 4.09. | Asset Sales | |
Section 4.10. | Transactions with Affiliates | |
Section 4.11. | Purchase of Notes upon a Change of Control | |
Section 4.12. | Additional Amounts | |
Section 4.13. | Additional Intercreditor Agreements and Amendments to the Intercreditor Agreement | |
Section 4.14. | Note Guarantees and Security Interests | |
Section 4.15. | Limitation on Issuance of Guarantees of Indebtedness | |
Section 4.16. | Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries | |
Section 4.17. | Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries | |
Section 4.18. | Payment of Taxes and Other Claims | |
Section 4.19. | Reports to Holders | |
Section 4.20. | Further Assurances | |
Section 4.21. | Use of Proceeds | |
Section 4.22. | Impairment of Security Interest | |
Section 4.23. | After-Acquired Property | |
Section 4.24. | Re-flagging of Vessels |
ii |
Section 4.25. | Automatic Reduction of New Secured Debt Secured by the Collateral | |
Section 4.26. | Reduction of Other Secured Debt | |
Article Five | ||
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR SALE OF ASSETS | ||
Section 5.01. | Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets | |
Section 5.02. | Successor Substituted | |
Article Six | ||
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES | ||
Section 6.01. | Events of Default | |
Section 6.02. | Acceleration | |
Section 6.03. | Other Remedies | |
Section 6.04. | Waiver of Past Defaults | |
Section 6.05. | Control by Majority | |
Section 6.06. | Limitation on Suits | |
Section 6.07. | Unconditional Right of Holders to Bring Suit for Payment | |
Section 6.08. | Collection Suit by Trustee | |
Section 6.09. | Trustee May File Proofs of Claim | |
Section 6.10. | Application of Money Collected | |
Section 6.11. | Undertaking for Costs | |
Section 6.12. | Restoration of Rights and Remedies | |
Section 6.13. | Rights and Remedies Cumulative | |
Section 6.14. | Delay or Omission Not Waiver | |
Section 6.15. | Record Date | |
Section 6.16. | Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws | |
Article Seven | ||
TRUSTEE AND SECURITY AGENT | ||
Section 7.01. | Duties of Trustee and the Security Agent | |
Section 7.02. | Certain Rights of Trustee and the Security Agent | |
Section 7.03. | Individual Rights of Trustee and the Security Agent | |
Section 7.04. | Disclaimer of Trustee and Security Agent | |
Section 7.05. | Compensation and Indemnity |
iii |
Section 7.06. | Replacement of Trustee or Security Agent | |
Section 7.07. | Successor Trustee or Security Agent by Merger | |
Section 7.08. | Appointment of Security Agent and Supplemental Security Agents | |
Section 7.09. | Eligibility; Disqualification | |
Section 7.10. | Appointment of Co-Trustee | |
Section 7.11. | Resignation of Agents | |
Section 7.12. | Agents General Provisions | |
Article Eight | ||
DEFEASANCE; SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE | ||
Section 8.01. | Issuer’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance | |
Section 8.02. | Defeasance and Discharge | |
Section 8.03. | Covenant Defeasance | |
Section 8.04. | Conditions to Defeasance | |
Section 8.05. | Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture | |
Section 8.06. | Survival of Certain Obligations | |
Section 8.07. | Acknowledgment of Discharge by Trustee | |
Section 8.08. | Application of Trust Money | |
Section 8.09. | Repayment to Issuer | |
Section 8.10. | Indemnity for Government Securities | |
Section 8.11. | Reinstatement | |
Article Nine | ||
AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS | ||
Section 9.01. | Without Consent of Holders | |
Section 9.02. | With Consent of Holders | |
Section 9.03. | Effect of Supplemental Indentures | |
Section 9.04. | Notation on or Exchange of Notes | |
Section 9.05. | [Reserved] | |
Section 9.06. | Notice of Amendment or Waiver | |
Section 9.07. | Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc. | |
Section 9.08. | Additional Voting Terms; Calculation of Principal Amount | |
iv |
Article Ten | ||
GUARANTEE | ||
Section 10.01. | Note Guarantees | |
Section 10.02. | Subrogation | |
Section 10.03. | Release of Note Guarantees | |
Section 10.04. | Limitation and Effectiveness of Note Guarantees | |
Section 10.05. | Notation Not Required | |
Section 10.06. | Successors and Assigns | |
Section 10.07. | No Waiver | |
Section 10.08. | Modification | |
Section 10.09. | Limitation on the Italian Guarantor’s Liability | |
Article Eleven | ||
SECURITY | ||
Section 11.01. | Security; Security Documents | |
Section 11.02. | Authorization of Actions to Be Taken by the Security Agent Under the Security Documents | |
Section 11.03. | Authorization of Receipt of Funds by the Security Agent Under the Security Documents | |
Section 11.04. | Release of the Collateral | |
Article Twelve | ||
MISCELLANEOUS | ||
Section 12.01. | Notices | |
Section 12.02. | Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent | |
Section 12.03. | Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion | |
Section 12.04. | Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar | |
Section 12.05. | No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders | |
Section 12.06. | Legal Holidays | |
Section 12.07. | Governing Law | |
Section 12.08. | Jurisdiction | |
Section 12.09. | No Recourse Against Others | |
Section 12.10. | Successors |
v |
Section 12.11. | Counterparts | |
Section 12.12. | Table of Contents and Headings | |
Section 12.13. | Severability | |
Section 12.14. | Currency Indemnity |
vi |
Schedules
Schedule I – Subsidiary Guarantors
Schedule II – Security Documents
Schedule III – Agreed Security Principles
Schedule IV – Collateral Vessels
Exhibits
Exhibit A – Form of Note
Exhibit B – Form of Transfer Certificate for Transfer from Restricted Global Note to Regulation S Global Note
Exhibit C – Form of Transfer Certificate for Transfer from Regulation S Global Note to Restricted Global Note
Exhibit D – Form of Supplemental Indenture
vii |
INDENTURE, dated as of April 8, 2020, among Carnival Corporation, a Panamanian corporation (the “Issuer”), Carnival plc, a company incorporated and registered under the laws of England and Wales (“Carnival plc”), the other Guarantors party hereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”), as Principal Paying Agent, as Transfer Agent, as Registrar and as Security Agent.
RECITALS
The Issuer has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance of its 11.500% First-Priority Senior Secured Notes due 2023 issued on the date hereof (the “Original Notes”) and any additional senior secured notes (the “Additional Notes”) that may be issued after the Issue Date in compliance with this Indenture. The Original Notes and the Additional Notes together are referred to herein as the “Notes”. The Issuer has received good and valuable consideration for the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All necessary acts and things have been done to make (i) the Notes, when duly issued and executed by the Issuer and authenticated and delivered hereunder, the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Issuer and (ii) this Indenture a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Issuer in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.
NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:
For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders, as follows:
ARTICLE
ONE
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
SECTION 1.01 Definitions.
“2026 Second-Priority Note Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of July 20, 2020, among the Issuer, Carnival plc, the various guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee thereunder, as supplemented on November 18, 2020.
“2026 Second-Priority Secured Notes” means the 10.500% Second-Priority Senior Secured Notes due 2026 and the 10.125% Second-Priority Senior Secured Notes due 2026 of the Issuer (together, as in effect on the Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date, the “Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date 2026 Second-Priority Secured Notes”), issued pursuant to the 2026 Second-Priority Note Indenture, as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with the existing holders or lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced, supplemented, extended, expanded or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing, supplementing, extending, expanding or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreement or any successor, additional, supplemental or replacement agreement or agreements or increasing the amount loaned, whether under the same agreement or more than one agreement (in each case subject to compliance with the covenant described under Section 4.06) or altering
the maturity thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no instrument shall constitute a “2026 Second-Priority Secured Note” for purposes of the foregoing definition (other than the Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date 2026 Second-Priority Secured Notes) unless such instrument is designated to the Trustee in writing by the Issuer as constituting a “2026 Second-Priority Secured Note.”
“2026 Unsecured Note Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of November 25, 2020, among the Issuer, Carnival plc, the various guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee thereunder.
“2026 Unsecured Notes” means the U.S. dollar denominated 7.625% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2026 and the euro-denominated 7.625% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2026 of the Issuer (together, as in effect on the Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date, the “Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date 2026 Unsecured Notes”), issued pursuant to the 2026 Unsecured Note Indenture, as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with the existing holders or lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced, supplemented, extended, expanded or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing, supplementing, extending, expanding or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreement or any successor, additional, supplemental or replacement agreement or agreements or increasing the amount loaned, whether under the same agreement or more than one agreement (in each case subject to compliance with the covenant described under Section 4.06) or altering the maturity thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no instrument shall constitute a “2026 Unsecured Note” for purposes of the foregoing definition (other than the Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date 2026 Unsecured Notes) unless such instrument is designated to the Trustee in writing by the Issuer as constituting a “2026 Unsecured Note.”
“2027 First-Priority Note Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of October 23, 2000 (as supplemented on July 15, 2003 with respect to the 2027 First-Priority Secured Notes, and as further supplemented on December 1, 2003), among the Issuer, as issuer, Carnival plc, as guarantor, and The Bank of New York, as trustee thereunder.
“2027 First-Priority Secured Notes” means the 7.875% Debentures due 2027 of the Issuer (as in effect on the Issue Date, the “Issue Date 2027 First-Priority Secured Notes”), issued pursuant to the 2027 First-Priority Note Indenture, as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with the existing holders or lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced, supplemented, extended, expanded or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing, supplementing, extending, expanding or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreement or any successor, additional, supplemental or replacement agreement or agreements or increasing the amount loaned, whether under the same agreement or more than one agreement (in each case subject to compliance with the covenant described under Section 4.06) or altering the maturity thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no instrument shall constitute a
2 |
“2027 First-Priority Secured Note” for purposes of the foregoing definition (other than the Issue Date 2027 First-Priority Secured Notes) unless such instrument is designated to the Trustee in writing by the Issuer as constituting a “2027 First-Priority Secured Note.”
“2027 First-Priority Secured Notes Trustee” means The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee for the 2027 First-Priority Secured Notes.
“2027 Second-Priority Note Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of August 18, 2020, among the Issuer, Carnival plc, the various guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee thereunder, as supplemented on November 18, 2020.
“2027 Second-Priority Secured Notes” means the 9.875% Second-Priority Senior Secured Notes due 2027 of the Issuer (as in effect on the Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date, the “Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date 2027 Second-Priority Secured Notes”), issued pursuant to the 2027 Second-Priority Note Indenture, as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with the existing holders or lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced, supplemented, extended, expanded or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing, supplementing, extending, expanding or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreement or any successor, additional, supplemental or replacement agreement or agreements or increasing the amount loaned, whether under the same agreement or more than one agreement (in each case subject to compliance
3 |
with the covenant described under Section 4.06) or altering the maturity thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no instrument shall constitute a “2027 Second-Priority Secured Note” for purposes of the foregoing definition (other than the Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date 2027 Second-Priority Secured Notes) unless such instrument is designated to the Trustee in writing by the Issuer as constituting a “2027 Second-Priority Secured Note.”
“2027 Unsecured Note Indenture” means the Indenture, dated as of February 16, 2021, among the Issuer, Carnival plc, the various guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee thereunder.
“2027 Unsecured Notes” means the 5.750% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2027 of the Issuer (as in effect on the Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date, the “Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date 2027 Unsecured Notes”), issued pursuant to the 2027 Unsecured Note Indenture, as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with the existing holders or lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced, supplemented, extended, expanded or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing, supplementing, extending, expanding or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreement or any successor, additional, supplemental or replacement agreement or agreements or increasing the amount loaned, whether under the same agreement or more than one agreement (in each case subject to compliance with the covenant described under Section 4.06) or altering the maturity thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no instrument shall constitute a “2027 Unsecured Note” for purposes of the foregoing definition (other than the Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date 2027 Unsecured Notes) unless such instrument is designated to the Trustee in writing by the Issuer as constituting a “2027 Unsecured Note.”
“2028 First-Priority Note Indenture” means the Indenture, to be dated on or about July 26, 2021 (the issue date thereunder, the “2028 First-Priority Secured Notes Issue Date”), among the Issuer, Carnival plc, the various guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee thereunder.
“2028 First-Priority Secured Notes” means the first-priority senior secured notes due 2028 of the Issuer (as in effect on the 2028 First-Priority Secured Notes Issue Date, the “2028 First-Priority Secured Notes Issue Date 2028 First-Priority Secured Notes”), issued pursuant to the 2028 First-Priority Note Indenture, as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with the existing holders or lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced, supplemented, extended, expanded or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing, supplementing, extending, expanding or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreement or any successor, additional, supplemental or replacement agreement or agreements or increasing the amount loaned, whether under the same agreement or more than one agreement (in each case subject to compliance with the covenant described under Section 4.06) or altering the maturity thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no instrument shall constitute a “2028 First-Priority Secured Note” for purposes of the foregoing definition (other than the 2028 First-Priority Secured Notes Issue Date 2028 First-Priority Secured Notes) unless such instrument is designated to the Trustee in writing by the Issuer as constituting a “2028 First-Priority Secured Note.”
“Acquired Debt” means, with respect to any specified Person:
(1) Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time such other Person is merged with or into or became a Subsidiary of such specified Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person merging with or into, or becoming, a Restricted Subsidiary; and
(2) Indebtedness secured by a Lien encumbering any asset acquired by such specified Person.
“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,” as used with respect to any Person, means 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. For purposes of this definition, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with” have correlative meanings.
4 |
“After-Acquired Property”
means any property of the Issuer or any Guarantor acquired after the Issue Date pursuant to SectionSections
4.09(b)(2), (3) or (4) that constitutes Collateral (including, but not limited to, any Vessel which replaces a Vessel that was the subject
of an Event of Loss) and is of the same type as any of the Issuer’s or such Guarantor’s assets that were intended to be a
part of the Collateral as of the Issue Date.
“Agreed Security Principles” means the Agreed Security Principles as set forth on Schedule III hereto.
“Applicable Law” means any competent regulatory, prosecuting, Tax or governmental authority in any jurisdiction.
“Asset Sale” means:
(1) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of any assets by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole will be governed by Section 4.11 and/or Article Five and not by Section 4.09; and
(2) the issuance of Equity Interests by any Restricted Subsidiary or the sale by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Equity Interests in any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (in each case, other than directors’ qualifying shares and shares to be held by third parties to meet the applicable legal requirements).
Notwithstanding the preceding provisions, none of the following items will be deemed to be an Asset Sale:
(1) any single transaction or series of related transactions that involves assets or Equity Interests having a Fair Market Value of less than $250.0 million;
(2) a sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of assets or Equity Interests between or among the Company and any Restricted Subsidiary;
(3) an issuance of Equity Interests by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to a Restricted Subsidiary;
(4) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of inventory, insurance proceeds or other assets in the ordinary course of business and any sale or other disposition of damaged, worn-out or obsolete assets or assets that are no longer useful in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(5) licenses and sublicenses by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;
(6) any surrender or waiver of contract rights or settlement, release, recovery on or surrender of contract, tort or other claims in the ordinary course of business;
5 |
(7) any transfer, assignment or other disposition deemed to occur in connection with the creation or granting of Liens not prohibited under Section 4.07;
(8) the sale or other disposition of cash or Cash Equivalents;
(9) a Restricted Payment that does not violate Section 4.08 or a Permitted Investment;
(10) the disposition of receivables in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof in the ordinary course of business or in bankruptcy or similar proceedings and exclusive of factoring or similar arrangements;
(11) the foreclosure, condemnation or any similar action with respect to any property or other assets or a surrender or waiver of contract rights or the settlement, release or surrender of contract, tort or other claims of any kind;
(12) the sale of any property in a sale and leaseback transaction that is entered into within six months of the acquisition of such property or completion of the construction of the applicable Vessel;
(13) time charters and other similar arrangements in the ordinary course of business; and
(14) the sale of any Vessels Reserved for Disposition.
“Attributable Debt” means, with respect to any sale and leaseback transaction, at the time of determination, the present value (discounted at the interest rate reasonably determined in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Issuer to be the interest rate implicit in the lease determined in accordance with GAAP, or, if not known, at the Company’s incremental borrowing rate) of the total obligations of the lessee of the property subject to such lease for rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such sale and leaseback transaction, including any period for which such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended, or until the earliest date on which the lessee may terminate such lease without penalty or upon payment of penalty (in which case the rental payments shall include such penalty), after excluding from such rental payments all amounts required to be paid on account of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, water, utilities and similar charges; provided, however, that if such sale and leaseback transaction results in a Capital Lease Obligation, the amount of Indebtedness represented thereby will be determined in accordance with the definition of “Capital Lease Obligation.”
“Authority” means any competent regulatory, prosecuting, Tax or governmental authority in any jurisdiction.
“Authorized Representative”
means (a) in the case of the Obligations under the Notes, the Security Agent, (b) in the case of the Obligations under the Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes, the Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes Trustee, (c) in the case of the Obligations under the EIB Facility, the EIB Administrator and
(d) in the case of any Seriesseries
of otherOther
Pari Passu Obligations or other pari passu Secured Parties that become subject to the
6 |
First
Lien Intercreditor Agreement after the Issue Date, the Authorized Representative named for such Seriesseries
in the applicable joinder agreement to the First Lien Intercreditor
Agreement.
“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended, or any similar U.S. federal or state law or the laws of any other jurisdiction (or any political subdivision thereof) relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, voluntary or judicial liquidation, composition with creditors, reprieve from payment, controlled management, fraudulent conveyance, general settlement with creditors, reorganization or similar or equivalent laws affecting the rights of creditors generally, including, in the case of Italy, Royal Decree No. 267 of 16th March 1942, as amended and/or restated from time to time and/or Legislative Decree no. 14 of 12 January 2019. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the UK Companies Act 2006 governing a solvent reorganisation or a voluntary liquidation thereunder shall not be deemed to be Bankruptcy Laws.
“Beneficial Owner” has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the U.S. Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the U.S. Exchange Act), such “person” will be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such “person” has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is currently exercisable or is exercisable only after the passage of time.
“Board of Directors” means:
(1) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board;
(2) with respect to a partnership, the board of directors of the general partner of the partnership;
(3) with respect to a limited liability company, the managing member or members or any controlling committee of managing members thereof; and
(4) with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.
“Book-Entry Interest” means a beneficial interest in a Global Note held through and shown on, and transferred only through, records maintained in book-entry form by DTC and its nominees and successors.
“Business Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in New York or a place of payment under this Indenture are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
“Capital Lease Obligation”
means, with respect to any Person, any obligation of such Person under a lease of (or other agreement conveying the right to use) any
property (whether real, personal or mixed), which obligation is required to be classified and accounted for as a capitalfinance
lease obligation under GAAP, and, for purposes of this Indenture, the amount of such obligation at any date will be the capitalized amount
thereof at such date, determined in accordance with GAAP and the Stated Maturity thereof will be the date of last payment of rent or
7 |
any other amount due under such lease prior to the first date such lease may be terminated without penalty.
“Capital Stock” means:
(1) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;
(2) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;
(3) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or membership interests; and
(4) 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, but excluding from all of the foregoing any debt securities convertible into Capital Stock, whether or not such debt securities include any right of participation with Capital Stock.
“Cash Equivalents” means:
(1) direct obligations (or certificates representing an interest in such obligations) issued by, or unconditionally guaranteed by, the European Union, the government of a member state of the European Union, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Switzerland or Canada (including, in each case, any agency or instrumentality thereof), as the case may be, the payment of which is backed by the full faith and credit of the European Union, the relevant member state of the European Union or the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Switzerland or Canada, as the case may be, and which are not callable or redeemable at the Issuer’s option;
(2) overnight bank deposits, time deposit accounts, certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and money market deposits (and similar instruments) with maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition issued by a bank or trust company which is organized under, or authorized to operate as a bank or trust company under, the laws of a member state of the European Union or of the United States of America or any state thereof, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia or Canada; provided that such bank or trust company has capital, surplus and undivided profits aggregating in excess of $250.0 million (or the foreign currency equivalent thereof as of the date of such investment) and whose long-term debt is rated “A-1” or higher by Moody’s or “A+” or higher by S&P or the equivalent rating category of another internationally recognized rating agency; provided, further, that any cash held pursuant to clause (6) below not covered by the foregoing may be held through overnight bank deposits, time deposit accounts, certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and money market deposits (and similar instruments) with maturities of 12 months or less from the date of acquisition issued by a bank or trust company organized and operating in the applicable jurisdiction;
8 |
(3) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than 30 days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (1) and (2) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (2) above;
(4) commercial paper having one of the two highest ratings obtainable from Moody’s or S&P and, in each case, maturing within one year after the date of acquisition;
(5) money market funds or other mutual funds at least 95% of the assets of which constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds described in clauses (1) through (4) of this definition; and
(6) cash in any currency in which the Company and its subsidiaries now or in the future operate, in such amounts as the Company determines to be necessary in the ordinary course of their business.
“Change of Control” means any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used for the purposes of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the U.S. Exchange Act), other than Permitted Holders (each, a “Relevant Person”) is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as such term is used in Rule 13d-3 under the U.S. Exchange Act), directly or indirectly of such capital stock of the Issuer and Carnival plc, in each case as is entitled to exercise or direct the exercise of more than 50 percent of the rights to vote to elect members of the boards of directors of each of the Issuer and Carnival plc; provided (i) such event shall not be deemed a Change of Control so long as one or more of the Permitted Holders have the right or ability by voting power, contract or otherwise to elect or designate for election a majority of the boards of directors of the Issuer or Carnival plc, (ii) for the avoidance of doubt, no Change of Control shall occur solely as a result of either the Issuer (or any subsidiary thereof) or Carnival plc (or any subsidiary thereof) acquiring or owning, at any time, any or all of the capital stock of each other, and (iii) no Change of Control shall be deemed to occur if all or substantially all of the holders of the capital stock of the Relevant Person immediately after the event which would otherwise have constituted a Change of Control were the holders of the capital stock of the Issuer and/or Carnival plc with the same (or substantially the same) pro rata economic interests in the share capital of the Relevant Person as such shareholders had in the Capital Stock of the Issuer and/or Carnival plc, respectively, immediately prior to such event. Any direct or indirect intermediate holding company whose only asset is the Issuer or Carnival plc stock shall be deemed not to be a “Relevant Person.”
“Change of Control Period” means, in respect of any Change of Control, the period commencing on the Relevant Announcement Date in respect of such Change of Control and ending 60 days after the occurrence of such Change of Control.
“Change of Control Triggering Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Rating Downgrade.
“Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking, société anonyme.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Collateral” means the following:
9 |
(i) shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary Guarantor;
(ii) each of the Vessels owned or operated by the Issuer and the Guarantors on the Issue Date set forth on Schedule IV and, in each case, an assignment of insurance claims and earnings in respect of such Vessels, in each case except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or contract;
(iii) the intellectual property described in the Security Documents that is owned or controlled by the Issuer and the Guarantors on the Issue Date;
(iv) other assets of the Issuer and the Guarantors consisting of inventory, trade receivables, intangibles, computer software and casino equipment, in each case associated with the Vessels pledged as specified in clause (ii) of this definition; and
(v) any
additional assets that are pledged for the benefit of the holders or lenders, as applicable, of the Notes, the EIB Facility, the Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes, and other Indebtedness permitted to be secured on a pari passu basis under this Indenture,
as well as certain hedge counterparties.
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common
Stock Offering” means the public offering of 62,500,000 shares of the Issuer’s common stock (or up to
71,875,000 shares if the underwriters in such offering exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares.
“Company” means Carnival plc and Carnival Corporation, or either of them, as the context may require, and not any of their Subsidiaries.
“Consolidated EBITDA” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the Consolidated Net Income of such Person for such period plus the following to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income, without duplication:
(1) provision for taxes based on income or profits of such Person and its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries for such period; plus
(2) the Consolidated Interest Expense of such Person and its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries for such period; plus
(3) depreciation, amortization (including amortization of intangibles and deferred financing fees but excluding amortization of prepaid cash expenses that were paid in a prior period) and other non-cash charges and expenses (excluding any such non-cash charge or expense to the extent that it represents an accrual of or reserve for cash charges or expenses in any future period or amortization of a prepaid cash charge or expense that was paid in a prior period) of such Person and its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries for such period; plus
10 |
(4) any expenses, charges or other costs related to any Equity Offering or issuance of Subordinated Shareholder Funding permitted by this Indenture or relating to the offering of the Notes, in each case, as determined in good faith by the Issuer; plus
(5) any expenses or charges (other than depreciation and amortization expenses) related to any issuance of Equity Interests or the making of any Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or the incurrence, modification or repayment of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by this Indenture (including a refinancing thereof) (whether or not successful), including (i) such fees, expenses or charges related to the Transactions, the offering of the Notes or any Credit Facilities, and (ii) any amendment or other modification of the Notes or other Indebtedness; plus
(6) business optimization expenses and other restructuring charges, reserves or expenses (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall include, without limitation, the effect of inventory optimization programs, facility, branch, office or business unit closures, facility, branch, office or business unit consolidations, retention, severance, systems establishment costs, contract termination costs, future lease commitments and excess pension charges); plus
(7) the amount of any management, monitoring, consulting and advisory fees and related expenses paid in such period to consultants and advisors; plus
(8) any costs or expense incurred pursuant to any management equity plan or stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit plan or agreement or any stock subscription or shareholder agreement, to the extent that such costs or expense are funded with cash proceeds contributed to the capital of the Company or net cash proceeds of an issuance of Equity Interest of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) solely to the extent that such net cash proceeds are excluded from the calculation set forth in Section 4.08(a)(iii)(B); plus
(9) the amount of any minority interest expense consisting of subsidiary income attributable to minority equity interests of third parties in any non-wholly owned Restricted Subsidiary in such period or any prior period, except to the extent of dividends declared or paid on, or other cash payments in respect of, Equity Interests held by such parties; plus
(10) all adjustments of the nature used in connection with the calculation of “net income” as set forth in footnote (4) to the “Summary Historical Financial and Other Data” under “Summary” in the Offering Memorandum to the extent such adjustments, without duplication, continue to be applicable to such period; minus
(11) non-cash items increasing such Consolidated Net Income for such period (other than any non-cash items increasing such Consolidated Net Income pursuant to clauses (1) through (16) of the definition of “Consolidated Net Income”), other than the reversal of a reserve for cash charges in a future period in the ordinary course of business,
in each case, on a consolidated basis and determined in accordance with GAAP.
11 |
“Consolidated Interest Expense” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of:
(1) the consolidated interest expense (net of interest income) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, whether paid or accrued, including, without limitation, amortization of debt discount (but not debt issuance costs);
(2) non-cash interest payments;
(3) the interest component of deferred payment obligations;
(4) the interest component of all payments associated with Capital Lease Obligations;
(5) commissions, discounts and other fees and charges incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers’ acceptance financings, net of the effect of all payments made or received pursuant to Hedging Obligations in respect of interest rates;
(6) the consolidated interest expense of such Person and its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period;
(7) any interest on Indebtedness of another Person that is guaranteed by such Person or one of its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries or is secured by a Lien on assets of such Person or one of its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries; and
(8) the product of (a) all dividends, whether paid or accrued and whether or not in cash, on any series of preferred stock of any Restricted Subsidiary, other than dividends on Equity Interests payable to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, times (b) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the then current combined national, state and local statutory tax rate of such Person, expressed as a decimal, as estimated in good faith by a responsible accounting or financial officer of the Issuer.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, Consolidated Interest Expense shall not include any payments on any operating leases.
“Consolidated Net Income”
means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the aggregate of the net income (loss) attributable to such Person and its
Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, out of such Person’sdetermined
on a consolidated net income (basis
(excluding the net income (loss) of any Unrestricted Subsidiary), determined in accordance with GAAP and without any reduction
in respect of preferred stock dividends; provided that:
(1) any goodwill or other intangible asset impairment, charge, amortization or write-off, including debt issuance costs, will be excluded;
(2) the net income (loss) of any Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary or that is accounted for by the equity method of accounting will be included only to the extent of the
12 |
amount of dividends or similar distributions paid in cash to the specified Person or a Restricted Subsidiary which is a Subsidiary of the Person;
(3) solely
for the purpose of determining the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 4.08(a)(iii)(A), any net income (loss) of any
Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Guarantor will be excluded if such Subsidiary is subject to restrictions, directly or indirectly,
on the payment of dividends or the making of distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to the Company (or any
Guarantor that holds the Equity Interests of such Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable) by operation of the terms of such Restricted Subsidiary’s
charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute or governmental rule or regulation applicable to such Restricted
Subsidiary or its shareholders (other than (a) restrictions that have been waived or otherwise released and (b) restrictions pursuant
to the Notes, this Indenture, the Credit Facilities or,
the Convertible Notes, the Existing Term Loan Facility, the 2027 First-Priority
Secured Notes, the 2028 First-Priority Secured Notes, the 2026 Second-Priority Secured Notes, the 2027 Second-Priority Secured Notes,
the 2026 Unsecured Notes, the 2027 Unsecured Notes, and any indenture, loan or credit agreement, or other agreement governing such Indebtedness
or other Indebtedness permitted under this Indenture); except that the Company’s equity in the net income of any
such Restricted Subsidiary for such period will be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash or Cash
Equivalents actually distributed or that could have been distributed by such Restricted Subsidiary during such period to the Company or
a Restricted Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (subject, in the case of a dividend to another Restricted Subsidiary that
is not a Guarantor, to the limitation contained in this clause);
(4) any net gain (or loss) realized upon the sale or other disposition of any asset or disposed operations of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiaries (including pursuant to any sale leaseback transaction) which is not sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of business (as determined in good faith by the Issuer) or in connection with the sale or disposition of securities will be excluded;
(5) any net after-tax extraordinary, exceptional, nonrecurring or unusual gains or losses or income or expense or charge (less all fees and expenses relating thereto), any severance, relocation or other restructuring expenses, curtailments or modifications to pension and post-retirement employee benefit plans, excess pension charges (including, in each case, any cost or expense related to employment of terminated employees), any expenses related to any or any reconstruction, decommissioning, recommissioning or reconfiguration of fixed assets for alternative uses and fees, expenses or charges relating to closing costs, rebranding costs, acquisition integration costs, opening costs, project start-up costs, business optimization costs, recruiting costs, signing, retention or completion bonuses, litigation and arbitration costs, charges, fees and expenses (including settlements), and expenses or charges related to any offering of Equity Interests or debt securities, Investment, acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or incurrence, issuance, repayment, repurchase, refinancing, amendment or modification of Indebtedness (in each case, whether or not successful), and any fees, expenses, charges or change in control payments related to the Transactions (including any costs relating to auditing prior periods, any transition-related
13 |
expenses, and transaction expenses incurred before, on or after the Issue Date), in each case, shall be excluded;
(6) any non-cash compensation charge or expense arising from any grant of stock, stock options or other equity-based awards will be excluded;
(7) all deferred financing costs written off and premium paid or other expenses incurred directly in connection with any early extinguishment of Indebtedness and any net gain (loss) from any write-off or forgiveness of Indebtedness will be excluded;
(8) any one time non-cash charges or any increases in amortization or depreciation resulting from purchase accounting, in each case, in relation to any acquisition of another Person or business or resulting from any reorganization or restructuring involving the Company or its Subsidiaries will be excluded;
(9) any unrealized gains or losses in respect of Hedging Obligations or any ineffectiveness recognized in earnings related to qualifying hedge transactions or the fair value or changes therein recognized in earnings for derivatives that do not qualify as hedge transactions, in each case, in respect of Hedging Obligations will be excluded; provided that any such gains or losses shall be included during the period in which they are realized;
(10) (x) any unrealized foreign currency transaction gains or losses in respect of Indebtedness of any Person denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of such Person and (y) any unrealized foreign exchange gains or losses relating to translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies will be excluded;
(11) any unrealized foreign currency translation or transaction gains or losses in respect of Indebtedness or other obligations of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary will be excluded;
(12) to the extent covered by insurance and actually reimbursed, or so long as the Issuer has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed by the insurer and only to the extent that such amount is (a) not denied by the applicable insurer in writing within 180 days and (b) in fact reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such evidence (with a deduction for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within 365 days), losses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption;
(13) the cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles will be excluded;
(14) any
non-cash interest expense resulting from the application of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 470-20 ‘‘“Debt
— Debt with Conversion Options — Recognition’’”
will be excluded;
(15) any
charges resulting from the application of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 805, ‘‘“Business
Combinations,’’”
Accounting Standards Codification Topic 350, ‘‘“Intangibles
— Goodwill and Other,’’”
Accounting Standards Codification Topic 360-10-35-15, ‘‘“Impairment
or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets,’’”
Accounting
14 |
Standards Codification Topic 480-10-25-4, ‘‘“Distinguishing
Liabilities from Equity — Overall — Recognition’’”
or Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, ‘‘“Fair
Value Measurements and Disclosures’’”
will be excluded; and
(16) the impact of capitalized, accrued or accreting or pay-in-kind interest or principal on Subordinated Shareholder Funding will be excluded.
“Consolidated Total Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination, an amount equal to the sum (without duplication) of (1) the aggregate amount of all outstanding Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (excluding any undrawn letters of credit) consisting of Capital Lease Obligations, bankers’ acceptances, Indebtedness for borrowed money and Indebtedness in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services, plus (2) the aggregate amount of all outstanding Disqualified Stock of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries and all preferred stock of Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company, with the amount of such Disqualified Stock and preferred stock equal to the greater of their respective voluntary or involuntary liquidation preferences.
“Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio” means as of any date of determination, the ratio of Consolidated Total Indebtedness on such day to Consolidated EBITDA of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of and for the Company’s most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date of calculation; in each case, with such pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.”
“continuing” means, with respect to any Default or Event of Default, that such Default or Event of Default has not been cured or waived.
“Controlling Secured Parties” means, at any time, the Secured Parties whose Authorized Representative is the Controlling Party for the Collateral at such time under the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement.
“Convertible Notes” means
the convertible notes issued under that certain indenture, dated as of April 6, 2020the
Issue Date, in an aggregate principal amount of $1,750.0 million (orup
to $2,012.5 million if the initial purchasers thereunder exercise their option to purchase
additional notes in full(as in effect on
the Issue Date, the “Issue
Date Convertible Notes”), as amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination,
and whether with the originalexisting
holders or lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced or,
supplemented, extended, expanded or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending
the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing, supplementing, extending,
expanding or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreement or any successor,
additional, supplemental or replacement agreement or agreements or increasing the amount loaned thereunder,
whether under the same agreement or more than one agreement (in each case subject to compliance with Section 4.06) or altering
the maturity thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no instrument shall constitute a “Convertible Note” (other
than the Issue Date Convertible Notes) for purposes of this definition unless such instrument is designated to the Trustee
in writing by the Issuer as constituting a “Convertible Note.”
15 |
“Credit Facilities” means
one or more debt facilities, instruments or arrangements incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (including but not limited
to the Existing Multicurrency Facility and the Existing Term
Loan Facility) with banks, other institutions or investors providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables
financing (including through the sale of receivables to such institutions or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such institutions
against such receivables), letters of credit, notes or other Indebtedness, in each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded,
replaced, restructured, refinanced, repaid, increased or extended in whole or in part from time to time (and whether in whole or in part
and whether or not with the original administrative agent and lenders or another administrative agent or agents or trustees or other banks
or institutions and whether provided under the Existing Multicurrency Facility,
the Existing Term Loan Facility or one or more other credit or other agreements, indentures, financing agreements or otherwise)
and in each case including all agreements, instruments and documents executed and delivered pursuant to or in connection with the foregoing
(including any notes and letters of credit issued pursuant thereto and any Guarantee and collateral agreement, patent and trademark security
agreement, mortgages or letter of credit applications and other Guarantees, pledges, agreements, security agreements and collateral documents).
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term “Credit Facilities” shall include any agreement or instrument (1)
changing the maturity of any Indebtedness incurred thereunder or contemplated thereby, (2) adding Subsidiaries of the Company as additional
borrowers, issuers or guarantors thereunder, (3) increasing the amount of Indebtedness incurred thereunder or available to be borrowed
thereunder or (4) otherwise altering the terms and conditions thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no(i) each
of the 2026 Unsecured Notes, the 2026 Unsecured Note Indenture, the 2027 Unsecured Notes and the 2027 Unsecured Note Indenture (each as
in effect on the Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date) shall constitute a “Credit Facility” for purposes of the foregoing
definition and (ii) no other instrument shall constitute a “Credit Facility” for the purposes of this definition
unless such instrument is designated to the Trustee in writing by the Issuer as constituting a “Credit Facility.”
“Customary Intercreditor Agreement” means an intercreditor agreement providing for payment subordination or lien priority, payment blockage and enforcement limitation terms which are customary in the good faith judgment of the Company as evidenced in an Officer’s Certificate (it being understood that an intercreditor agreement in the form of the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement or the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement is acceptable).
“Credit Facility Pari Passu Obligations” means Other Pari Passu Obligations in respect of credit facility Indebtedness.
“Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator, custodian, administrator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
“Default” means any event that is, or with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both would be, an Event of Default.
“Definitive Registered Note” means, with respect to the Notes, a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 2.06 hereof, substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto except that such Note shall not bear the
16 |
legends applicable to Global Notes and shall not have the “Schedule of Principal Amount in the Global Note” attached thereto.
“Disqualified Stock” means any Capital Stock that, by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible, or for which it is exchangeable, in each case, at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock), or upon the happening of any event, matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, or redeemable at the option of the holder of the Capital Stock, in whole or in part, on or prior to the six-month anniversary of the date that the Notes mature. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any Capital Stock that would constitute Disqualified Stock solely because the holders of the Capital Stock have the right to require the issuer thereof to repurchase such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a “change of control” or an “asset sale” will not constitute Disqualified Stock if the terms of such Capital Stock provide that the issuer thereof may not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions unless such repurchase or redemption complies with Section 4.08. For purposes hereof, the amount of Disqualified Stock which does not have a fixed repurchase price shall be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Stock as if such Disqualified Stock were purchased on any date on which Indebtedness shall be required to be determined pursuant to this Indenture, and if such price is based upon, or measured by, the Fair Market Value of such Disqualified Stock, such Fair Market Value to be determined as set forth herein.
“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, its nominees and successors.
“EIB Administrator” means European Investment Bank, as bank under the EIB Facility.
“EIB Facility” means the
Finance Contract, dated as of June 5, 2009, between Costa Crociere S.p.A., as borrower, and the European Investment Bank, as lender,
as amended on September 7, 2015 (such facility outstanding on the Issue Date, the “Issue Date EIB Facility”), and as
further amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with the originalexisting
holders or lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced or,
supplemented, extended, expanded or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending
the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing, supplementing, extending,
expanding or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreement or any successor,
additional, supplemental or replacement agreement or agreements or increasing the amount loaned thereunder,
whether under the same agreement or more than one agreement (in each case subject to compliance with Section 4.06) or altering
the maturity thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no(i) the
2026 Unsecured Notes and the 2026 Unsecured Note Indenture shall constitute an “EIB Facility” for purposes of the foregoing
definition and (ii) no other instrument (other than the Issue Date EIB Facility) shall constitute an “EIB Facility”
for purposes of this definition unless such instrument is designated to the Trustee in writing by the Issuer as constituting an “EIB
Facility.”
“Equity Interests” means Capital Stock and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock).
“Equity Offering” means a public or private sale either (a) of the Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock and other than offerings registered on Form S-8 (or any successor form) under the U.S. Securities Act or any similar offering in other jurisdictions) of the Company or (b) of
17 |
the Equity Interests of a direct or indirect parent entity of the Company to the extent that the net proceeds therefrom are contributed as Subordinated Shareholder Funding or to the equity capital of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries.
“Escrow Agent” means U.S. Bank National Association, as escrow agent under the Escrow Agreement.
“Escrow Agreement” means the escrow agreement, dated the Issue Date, among the Issuer, the Trustee, the Escrow Agent and U.S. Bank National Association, as security trustee.
“Escrow Longstop Date” means October 8, 2020.
“Escrowed Property” has the meaning set forth in the Escrow Agreement.
“Euroclear” means Euroclear SA/NV.
“Event of Loss” means the actual or constructive total loss, arranged or compromised total loss, destruction, condemnation, confiscation, requisition, seizure or forfeiture of, or other taking of title or use of, a Vessel.
“Existing Indebtedness” means all Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in existence on the Issue Date.
“Existing Multicurrency Facility”
means the Multicurrency Revolving Facilities Agreement, dated as of May 18, 2011, among the Issuer and Carnival plc, as guarantors,
certain of the Company’s Subsidiaries, as borrowers, and certain financial institutions, as lenders, as amended and restated on
June 16, 2014 and August 6, 2019 and as further amended on December 31,
2020 and May 11, 2021 (such facility outstanding on the Issue Date, the “Issue Date Existing Multicurrency
Facility”), and as further amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced (whether or not upon termination, and whether with
the originalexisting holders
or lenders or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced or,
supplemented, extended, expanded or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending
the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing, supplementing, extending,
expanding or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreement or any successor,
additional, supplemental or replacement agreement or agreements or increasing the amount loaned thereunder,
whether under the same agreement or more than one agreement (in each case subject to compliance with Section 4.06) or altering
the maturity thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no instrument (other than the Issue Date Existing Multicurrency Facility) shall constitute
an “Existing Multicurrency Facility” for purposes of this definition unless such instrument is designated to the Trustee in
writing by the Issuer as constituting an “Existing Multicurrency Facility.”
“Existing Notes”
means (i) the 7.20% Debentures due 2023 of Carnival Corporation, (ii) the 6.65% Debentures due 2028 of Carnival Corporation, (iii) the
7.875% Debentures due 2027 of Carnival plc, (iv) the 3.950% Senior Notes due 2020 of Carnival Corporation, (v) the 1.875% Senior Notes
due 2022 of Carnival Corporation, (vi) the 1.625% Senior Notes due 2021 of Carnival Corporation and (vii) the 1.00% Senior Notes due 2029
of Carnival plc, in each case asTerm Loan Facility”
means the Term Loan Agreement, dated as of June 30, 2020, among the Issuer,
18 |
as lead borrower, Carnival Finance, LLC, as co-borrower, and
Carnival plc and the other Guarantors, as guarantors, and certain financial institutions, as lenders, as amended on December 3, 2020
and June 30, 2021 (such facility outstanding on the Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date, the “Second Supplemental
Indenture Effective Date Existing Term Loan Facility”), and as further amended, restated, supplemented, waived, replaced
(whether or not upon termination, and whether with the existing holders or lenders
or otherwise), restructured, repaid, refunded, refinanced,
supplemented, extended, expanded or otherwise modified from time to time, including any agreement or indenture extending
the maturity thereof, refinancing, replacing, supplementing, extending,
expanding or otherwise restructuring all or any portion of the Indebtedness under such agreement or agreementagreements
or any successor, additional, supplemental or replacement
agreement or agreements or increasing the amount of notes issued thereunderloaned,
whether under the same agreement or more than one agreement (in each case subject to compliance with the
covenant described under Section 4.06) or altering the maturity thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no
instrument (other than the debt securities described in clauses (i) through (vii) above,
which are outstanding on the Issue Date, no instrumentSecond
Supplemental Indenture Effective Date Existing Term Loan Facility) shall constitute an “Existing NoteTerm
Loan Facility” for purposes of thisthe
foregoing definition unless such instrument is designated to the Trustee in writing by the Issuer as constituting an “Existing
NoteTerm Loan Facility.”
“ Existing Secured
Notes” means the 7.875% Debentures due 2027 of Carnival
plc which, by their terms or the terms of the documents governing them
(in each case as in effect on the Issue Date), are required
to be secured by Liens on Collateral on an equal and ratable basis with the
Liens on such Collateral securing the Notes.
“Existing
Secured Notes Trustee
” means The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee for the Existing Secured Notes.
“Fair Market Value” means the value that would be paid by a willing buyer to an unaffiliated willing seller in a transaction not involving distress of either party, determined in good faith by the Issuer’s Chief Executive Officer or responsible accounting or financial officer of the Issuer.
“FATCA Withholding” means any withholding or deduction required pursuant to an agreement described in section 1471(b) of the Code, or otherwise imposed pursuant to sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, any regulations or agreements thereunder, any official interpretations thereof, or any law implementing an intergovernmental approach thereto.
“First Lien Intercreditor Agreement” means the Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of the Issue Date, by and among, inter alios, the Security Agent and the other parties named therein, as amended, restated or otherwise modified or varied from time to time.
“Fitch” means Fitch Ratings Inc.
“First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement” means the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of July 20, 2020, among, inter alios, (a) the Security Agent, U.S. Bank National Association, in its capacities as the Second Lien Collateral Agent and the Applicable Second Lien Agent, the Company, the Guarantors
19 |
and Carnival Finance, LLC, (b) each Other First Lien Obligations Agent, for itself and on behalf of the Other First Lien Obligations Secured Parties, that has executed and delivered an applicable Consent and Acknowledgment, and each Other Second Lien Obligations Agent, for itself and on behalf of the Other Second Lien Obligations Secured Parties, that has executed and delivered an applicable Consent and Acknowledgment. Capitalized terms used in this definition but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to such terms in the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement.
“Fixed Charge Calculation Date” has the meaning assigned to such term in the definition of “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.”
“Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio”
means, with respect to any Person for any period, the ratio of Consolidated EBITDA of such Person for such period to the Fixed Charges
of such Person for such period. In the event that the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries Incursincurs,
repays, repurchases or redeems any Indebtedness or issues, repurchases or redeems Disqualified Stock or Preferred
Stockpreferred stock subsequent to the commencement
of the period for which the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is being calculated but prior to the event for which the calculation of the Fixed
Charge Coverage Ratio is made (the “Fixed Charge Calculation Date”), then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be
calculated giving pro forma effect to such incurrence, repayment, repurchase or redemption of Indebtedness, or such issuance, repurchase
or redemption of Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stockpreferred
stock, as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period; provided, however,
that the pro forma calculation of Fixed Charges shall not give effect to (i) any Permitted Debt incurred on the Fixed Charge Calculation
Date or (ii) the discharge on the Fixed Charge Calculation Date of any Indebtedness to the extent that such discharge results from the
proceeds of Permitted Debt.
In addition, for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, Investments, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, amalgamations, consolidations and discontinued operations (as determined in accordance with GAAP) and any operational changes, business realignment projects or initiatives, restructurings or reorganizations that the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary has determined to make and/or made during the four-quarter reference period or subsequent to such reference period and on or prior to or simultaneously with the Fixed Charge Calculation Date (each, for purposes of this definition, a “pro forma event”) shall be calculated on a pro forma basis assuming that all such Investments, acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, amalgamations, consolidations, discontinued operations and other operational changes, business realignment projects or initiatives, restructurings or reorganizations (and the change of any associated fixed charge obligations and the change in Consolidated EBITDA resulting therefrom) had occurred on the first day of the four-quarter reference period. If since the beginning of such period any Person that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of such period shall have made any Investment, acquisition, disposition, merger, consolidation, amalgamation, discontinued operation, operational change, business realignment project or initiative, restructuring or reorganization that would have required adjustment pursuant to this definition, then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect thereto for such period as if such Investment, acquisition, disposition, discontinued operation, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, operational change, business realignment project or initiative, restructuring or reorganization had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period. If since the beginning of such period any Restricted Subsidiary is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary is designated a
20 |
Restricted Subsidiary, then the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio shall be calculated giving pro forma effect thereto for such period as if such designation had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period.
For purposes of this definition, whenever pro forma effect is to be given to any pro forma event, the pro forma calculations shall be made in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company. Any such pro forma calculation may include adjustments appropriate, in the reasonable good faith determination of the Issuer as set forth in an Officer’s Certificate, to reflect operating expense reductions and other operating improvements, synergies or cost savings reasonably expected to result from the applicable event. Any calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio may be made, at the option of the Issuer, either (i) at the time the Board of Directors of the Issuer approves the action necessitating the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio or (ii) at the completion of such action necessitating the calculation of the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.
If any Indebtedness bears a floating rate of interest and is being given pro forma effect, the interest on such Indebtedness shall be calculated as if the rate in effect on the Fixed Charge Calculation Date had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Hedging Obligations applicable to such Indebtedness if such Hedging Obligation has a remaining term in excess of 12 months). Interest on a Capital Lease Obligation shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Issuer to be the rate of interest implicit in such Capital Lease Obligation in accordance with GAAP. For purposes of making the computation referred to above, interest on any Indebtedness under a revolving credit facility computed on a pro forma basis shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the applicable period. Interest on Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a eurocurrency interbank offered rate, or other rate, shall be deemed to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or, if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Issuer may designate.
For purposes of this definition, any amount in a currency other than U.S. dollars will be converted to U.S. dollars based on the average exchange rate for such currency for the most recent twelve month period immediately prior to the date of determination in a manner consistent with that used in calculating Consolidated EBITDA for the applicable period.
“Fixed Charges” means, with respect to any specified Person for any period, the sum, without duplication, of:
(1) the consolidated interest expense (net of interest income) of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period related to Indebtedness, whether paid or accrued, including, without limitation, amortization of debt discount (but not debt issuance costs), non-cash interest payments, the interest component of deferred payment obligations, commissions, discounts and other fees and charges incurred in respect of letter of credit or bankers’ acceptance financings, net of the effect of all payments made or received pursuant to Hedging Obligations in respect of interest rates; plus
21 |
(2) the consolidated interest expense (but excluding such interest on Subordinated Shareholder Funding) of such Person and its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries that was capitalized during such period; plus
(3) any interest on Indebtedness of another Person that is guaranteed by such Person or one of its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries or is secured by a Lien on assets of such Person or one of its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries; plus
(4) the product of (a) all dividends, whether paid or accrued and whether or not in cash, on any series of preferred stock of any Restricted Subsidiary, other than dividends on Equity Interests payable to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, times (b) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one minus the then current combined national, state and local statutory tax rate of such Person, expressed as a decimal, as estimated in good faith by a responsible accounting or financial officer of the Issuer.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, Fixed Charges
shall not include any payments on any operating leases, (ii) any non-cash interest expense resulting from the application of Accounting
Standards Codification Topic 470-20 ‘‘“Debt
— Debt with Conversion Options — Recognition” or (iii) the interest component of all payments associated with Capital
Lease Obligations.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect on the Issue Date. For the purposes of this Indenture, the term “consolidated” with respect to any Person shall mean such Person consolidated with its Restricted Subsidiaries, and shall not include any Unrestricted Subsidiary, but the interest of such Person in an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be accounted for as an Investment.
“Government Securities” means direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed by, the United States of America, and the payment for which the United States pledges its full faith and credit.
“Guarantee” means a guarantee other than by endorsement of negotiable instruments for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business, of all or any part of any Indebtedness (whether arising by agreements to keep-well, to take or pay or to maintain financial statement conditions, pledges of assets, sureties or otherwise).
“Guarantors” means Carnival plc and any Restricted Subsidiary that guarantees the Notes in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture, and their respective successors and assigns, until the Note Guarantee of such Person has been released in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
“Hedging Obligations” means, with respect to any specified Person, the obligations of such Person under:
22 |
(1) interest rate swap agreements (whether from fixed to floating or from floating to fixed), interest rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements;
(2) other agreements or arrangements designed to manage interest rates or interest rate risk; and
(3) other agreements or arrangements designed to protect such Person against fluctuations in currency exchange rates or commodity prices.
“Holder” means the Person in whose name a Note is registered on the Registrar’s books.
“Immaterial Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company (a) the assets of which Subsidiary, taken together with all other Immaterial Subsidiaries as of such date, constitute less than or equal to 5% of the total assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, (b) the revenues of which Subsidiary, taken together with all other Immaterial Subsidiaries as of such date, account for less than or equal to 5% of the total revenues of the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis and (c) the Consolidated EBITDA of which Subsidiary, taken together with all other Immaterial Subsidiaries as of such date, accounts for less than 5% of the Consolidated EBITDA of the Company.
“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any specified Person (excluding accrued expenses and trade payables), without duplication:
(1) the principal amount of indebtedness of such Person in respect of borrowed money;
(2) the principal amount of obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments for which such Person is responsible or liable;
(3) reimbursement obligations of such Person in respect of letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or similar instruments (except to the extent such reimbursement obligations relate to trade payables and such obligations are satisfied within 30 days of incurrence), in each case only to the extent that the underlying obligation in respect of which the instrument was issued would be treated as Indebtedness;
(4) Capital Lease Obligations of such Person;
(5) the principal component of all obligations of such Person to pay the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or services due more than one year after such property is acquired or such services are completed;
(6) net obligations of such Person under Hedging Obligations (the amount of any such obligations to be equal at any time to the termination value of such agreement or arrangement giving rise to such obligation that would be payable by such Person at such time); and
(7) Attributable Debt of such Person;
23 |
if and to the extent any of the preceding items (other than letters of credit, Attributable Debt and Hedging Obligations) would appear as a liability upon a balance sheet of the specified Person prepared in accordance with GAAP. In addition, the term “Indebtedness” includes all Indebtedness of others secured by a Lien on any asset of the specified Person (whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by the specified Person) and, to the extent not otherwise included, the Guarantee by the specified Person of any Indebtedness of any other Person.
The term “Indebtedness” shall not include:
(1) anything accounted for as an operating lease in accordance with GAAP as at the Issue Date;
(2) contingent obligations in the ordinary course of business;
(3) in connection with the purchase by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of any business, any post-closing payment adjustments to which the seller may become entitled to the extent such payment is determined by a final closing balance sheet or such payment depends on the performance of such business after the closing;
(4) deferred or prepaid revenues;
(5) purchase price holdbacks in respect of a portion of the purchase price of an asset to satisfy warranty or other unperformed obligations of the applicable seller;
(6) any contingent obligations in respect of workers’ compensation claims, early retirement or termination obligations, pension fund obligations or contributions or similar claims, obligations or contributions or social security or wage Taxes;
(7) Subordinated Shareholder Funding; or
(8) any Capital Stock.
“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof.
“Intercreditor
Agreement” means the Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of the Issue Date, by and among, inter alios, the
Security Agent and the other parties named therein, as amended, restated or otherwise modified or varied from time to time.
“Interest Payment Date” means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on the Notes.
“Investments” means, with respect to any Person, all direct or indirect investments by such Person in other Persons (including Affiliates) in the forms of loans (including Guarantees or other obligations, but excluding advances or extensions of credit to customers or suppliers made in the ordinary course of business), advances or capital contributions (excluding commission, travel and similar advances to officers and employees made in the ordinary course of business), purchases or other acquisitions for consideration of Indebtedness, Equity Interests or other securities, together
24 |
with all items that are or would be classified as Investments on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP. The acquisition
by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of a Person that holds an Investment in a third Person will be deemed to be an Investment
by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary in such third Person in an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the Investments held
by the acquired Person in such third Person in an amount determined as provided in the penultimate
and final paragraphparagraphs
of Section 4.08. Except as otherwise provided in this Indenture, the amount of an Investment will be determined at the time the Investment
is made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value.
“Investment Grade Rating” means “Baa3” by Moody’s or “BBB-” by S&P, or equivalent, or better.
“Issue Date” means April 8, 2020.
“Issuer Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Issuer by any Person authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Issuer.
“Italian Guarantor” means Costa Crociere S.p.A.
“Junior Obligations” means Indebtedness of the Issuer and the Guarantors that is secured on a junior-priority basis by the Collateral.
“Lien” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset, whether or not filed, recorded or otherwise perfected under applicable law, including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or any lease in the nature thereof, any option or other agreement to sell or give a security interest in and any filing of or agreement to give any financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code (or equivalent statutes) of any jurisdiction.
“Loan-to-Value Ratio” means, as of any date, the ratio of (1) the Consolidated Total Indebtedness on a pro forma basis that is secured by Liens on any of the Collateral to (2) the aggregate Net Book Value of all Collateral, with such pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.” At the Issuer’s option, the Loan-to-Value Ratio can be calculated either (i) at the time the Board of Directors of the Issuer approves the action with which the proceeds of the financing transaction necessitating the calculation of Loan-to-Value Ratio is to be financed or (ii) at the consummation of the financing necessitating the calculation of Loan-to-Value Ratio.
“Management Advances” means loans or advances made to, or Guarantees with respect to loans or advances made to, directors, officers or employees of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary:
(1) in respect of travel, entertainment or moving (including tax equalization) related expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(2) in respect of moving (including tax equalization) related expenses incurred in connection with any closing or consolidation of any office; or
25 |
(3) in the ordinary course of business and (in the case of this clause (3)) not exceeding $5.0 million in the aggregate outstanding at any time.
“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
“Net Book Value” means, with respect to any asset or property at any time, the net book value of such asset or property as reflected on the most recent balance sheet of the Company at such time, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
“Net Proceeds” means with
respect to any Asset Sale or Event of Loss, the aggregate cash proceeds and Cash Equivalents received by the Company or any of its Restricted
Subsidiaries in respect of such Asset Sale or Event of Loss (including, without limitation, any cash or Cash Equivalents received upon
the sale or other disposition of any non-cash consideration received in any Asset Sale), provided that with respect to any Asset Sale
or Event of Loss, such amount shall be net of the direct costs relating to such Asset Sale or Event of Loss, including, without limitation,
legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and sales commissions, and any relocation expenses incurred as a result of the Asset Sale
or Event of Loss, taxes paid or payable as a result of the Asset Sale or Event of Loss, any charges, payments or expenses incurred in
connection with an Asset Sale or Event of Loss (including, without limitation, (i) any exit or disposal costs, (ii) any repair, restoration
or environmental remediation costs, charges or payments, (iii) any penalties or fines resulting from such Event of Loss, (iv) any severance
costs resulting from such Event of Loss, (v) any costs related to salvage, scrapping or related activities and (viivi)
any fees, settlement payments or other charges related to any litigation or administrative proceeding resulting from such Event of Loss)
and any reserve for adjustment or indemnification obligations in respect of the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance
with GAAP. To the extent the amounts that must be netted against any cash proceeds and Cash Equivalents cannot be reasonably determined
by the Issuer with respect to any Asset Sale or Event of Loss, such cash proceeds and Cash Equivalents shall not be deemed received until
such amounts to be netted are known by the Issuer.
“New Vessel Aggregate Secured Debt Cap” means the sum of each of the New Vessel Secured Debt Caps (with such New Vessel Aggregate Secured Debt Cap to be expressed as the sum of the euro and U.S. dollar denominations of the New Vessel Secured Debt Caps reflected in the New Vessel Aggregate Secured Debt Cap).
“New Vessel Financing” means any financing arrangement (including but not limited to a sale and leaseback transaction or bareboat charter or lease or an arrangement whereby a Vessel under construction is pledged as collateral to secure the indebtedness of a shipbuilder), entered into by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary for the purpose of financing or refinancing all or any part of the purchase price, cost of design or construction of a Vessel or Vessels or the acquisition of Capital Stock of entities owning or to own Vessels.
“New Vessel Secured Debt Cap” means, in respect of a New Vessel Financing, no more than 80% of the contract price for the acquisition, plus, as applicable, additional costs permitted to be financed under related export credit financing, and any other Ready for Sea Cost of the related Vessel (and 100% of any related export credit insurance premium), expressed in euros or U.S. dollars, as the case may be, being financed by such New Vessel Financing.
26 |
“Note Documents” means the Notes, any additional Notes, the Note Guarantees, the Indenture, the Security Documents, the Intercreditor Agreements and any other agreements, documents or instruments related to any of the foregoing, as they may be amended, restated, modified, renewed, supplemented, refunded, replaced or refinanced, from time to time.
“Note Guarantee” means the Guarantee by each Guarantor of the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture and the Notes, executed pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture.
“Note Obligations” means the Obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantors under the Note Documents.
“Obligations” means any principal, interest, penalties, fees, indemnifications, reimbursements, damages and other liabilities payable under the documentation governing any Indebtedness.
“Offering Memorandum” means the final offering memorandum in respect of the Notes dated April 1, 2020.
“Officer” means, with respect to any Person, the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, an Executive Vice President, a Vice President, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, an Assistant Controller, the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, or any individual designated by the Board of Directors of such Person.
“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed on behalf of the Issuer by an Officer.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel, subject to customary exceptions and qualifications. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuer.
“Other Pari Passu Documents” means the documents governing any Other Pari Passu Obligations, as such documents are in effect from time to time.
“Other Pari Passu Obligations” means all Obligations with respect to any Indebtedness of the Issuer and the Guarantors (other than the Note Obligations) that is equally and ratably secured on a first-priority basis by the Collateral with the Notes, and is permitted to be incurred and so secured under the Pari Passu Documents and the Intercreditor Agreements.
“Par Call Date” means January 1, 2023.
“Parent Company” means each of the Issuer and Carnival plc.
“Parent Entity” means any Person of which the Issuer or Carnival plc, as applicable, is a Subsidiary (including any Person of which the Issuer or Carnival plc, as applicable, becomes a Subsidiary after the Issue Date in compliance with this Indenture) and any holding company established by one or more Permitted Holders for purposes of holding its investment in any Parent Entity.
27 |
“Pari Passu Documents” means
this Indenture, the EIB Facility, the indenture
governing Existing Secured Notesthe Note Documents
and any documents governing additional Pari Passu Obligations.
“Pari Passu Obligations”
means Indebtedness of the Issuer and the Guarantors that is equally and ratably secured on a first-priority
basis by the Collateral with the Notes, the EIB Facility and
the Existing Secured Notes, and is permitted to be Incurred
under the Pari Passu Documents and the Intercreditor Agreement.(i) the
Note Obligations and (ii) the Other Pari Passu Obligations.
“Permitted Business” means (a) in respect of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, any businesses, services or activities engaged in by the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries on the Issue Date and (b) any businesses, services and activities engaged in by the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries that are related, complementary, incidental, ancillary or similar to any of the foregoing or are extensions or developments of any thereof.
“Permitted Collateral Liens” means:
(A) Liens on the Collateral described in one or more of clauses (1), (3), (6), (7), (8), (9), (12), (14), (15), (19), (20), (26), (27) (as to operating leases) and (30) (but to the extent related to the foregoing clauses) of the definition of “Permitted Liens”;
(B) Liens on the Collateral described in one or more of clauses (2), (5), (10), (11), (13), (17), (18), (22), (24), (27) (as to Capital Lease Obligations), (29) and (30) (but to the extent related to the foregoing clauses) of the definition of “Permitted Liens”;
(C) Liens on the Collateral securing Indebtedness incurred under Section 4.06(a); and
(D) Liens on Collateral securing Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in respect of any Indebtedness secured pursuant to the foregoing clauses (B), (C) and clause (E); provided that, to the extent the refinanced Indebtedness consists of Junior Obligations, such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness shall be Junior Obligations; and
(E) Liens on the Collateral to secure Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary that is permitted to be incurred under Section 4.06(b);
provided that, in the case of Liens incurred
pursuant to any of clauses (B), (C), (D) or (E), after giving pro forma effect
to such incurrence and the use of proceeds thereof, (i) if the Permitted Collateral Liens secure Pari Passu Obligations, the Loan-to-Value
Ratio does not exceed 25% or (ii) if the Permitted Collateral Liens secure Junior Obligations, the Loan-to-Value Ratio does not exceed
33%.
“Permitted Holders” means (i) each of Marilyn B. Arison, Micky Arison, Shari Arison, Michael Arison or their spouses, the children or lineal descendants of Marilyn B. Arison, Micky Arison, Shari Arison, Michael Arison or their spouses, any trust established for the benefit of (or any charitable trust or non-profit entity established by) any Arison family member mentioned in this
28 |
clause (i), or any trustee, protector or similar person of such trust or non-profit entity or any “person” (as such term is used in Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, controlling, controlled by or under common control with any Permitted Holder mentioned in this clause (i), and (ii) any “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) the members of which include any of the Permitted Holders specified in clause (i) above, and that (directly or indirectly) hold or acquire beneficial ownership of capital stock of the Issuer and/or Carnival plc (a “Permitted Holder Group”); provided that in the case of this clause (ii), the Permitted Holders specified in clause (i) collectively, directly or indirectly, beneficially own more than 50% on a fully diluted basis of the capital stock of the Issuer and Carnival plc held by such Permitted Holder Group. Any one or more persons or group whose acquisition of beneficial ownership constitutes a Change of Control in respect of which a Change of Control Offer is made in accordance with the requirements of this Indenture will thereafter, together with its (or their) affiliates, constitute an additional Permitted Holder or Permitted Holders, as applicable.
“Permitted Investments” means:
(1) any Investment in the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) any
Investment in cash in U.S. dollars, euros, Swiss francs, U.K.UK
pounds sterling or Australian dollars, and Cash Equivalents;
(3) any Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in a Person, if as a result of such Investment:
(a) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; or
(b) such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(4) any Investment made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from an Asset Sale that was made pursuant to and in compliance with Section 4.09 or any other disposition of assets not constituting an Asset Sale;
(5) any acquisition of assets or Capital Stock solely in exchange for the issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company;
(6) any Investments received in compromise or resolution of (A) obligations of trade creditors or customers that were incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any trade creditor or customer; or (B) litigation, arbitration or other disputes with Persons who are not Affiliates;
(7) Investments in receivables owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary created or acquired in the ordinary course of business;
29 |
(8) Investments represented by Hedging Obligations, which obligations are permitted to be incurred under Section 4.06(b)(9);
(9) repurchases
of the NotesIndebtedness
not constituting a Restricted Payment (other than any Permitted Investment permitted pursuant to this clause (9));
(10) any Guarantee of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under Section 4.06 other than a guarantee of Indebtedness of an Affiliate of the Company that is not a Restricted Subsidiary;
(11) any Investment existing on, or made pursuant to binding commitments existing on, the Issue Date and any Investment consisting of an extension, modification or renewal of any Investment existing on, or made pursuant to a binding commitment existing on, the Issue Date; provided that the amount of any such Investment may be increased (a) as required by the terms of such Investment as in existence on the Issue Date or (b) as otherwise permitted under this Indenture;
(12) Investments acquired after the Issue Date as a result of the acquisition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of another Person, including by way of a merger, amalgamation or consolidation with or into the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in a transaction that is not prohibited by Article Five after the Issue Date to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of such acquisition, merger, amalgamation or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger, amalgamation or consolidation;
(13) Management Advances;
(14) Investments consisting of the licensing and contribution of intellectual property rights pursuant to joint marketing arrangements with other Persons in the ordinary course of business;
(15) Investments consisting of, or to finance the acquisition, purchase, charter or leasing or the construction, installation or the making of any improvement with respect to any asset (including Vessels) or purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies, materials, services or equipment or purchases of contract rights, licenses or leases of intellectual property rights (including prepaid expenses and advances to suppliers), in each case, in the ordinary course of business (including, for the avoidance of doubt any deposits made to secure the acquisition, purchase or construction of, or any options to acquire, any vessel);
(16) other
Investments in any Person having an aggregate Fair Market Value (measured on the date each such Investment was made and without giving
effect to subsequent changes in value), when taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (16) that are at the
time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $250.0300.0
million and 0.60.8%
of Total Tangible Assets of the Company; provided that if an Investment is made pursuant to this clause in a Person that is not a Restricted
Subsidiary
30 |
and such Person subsequently becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is subsequently designated a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 4.17, such Investment, if applicable, shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (1) or (3) of the definition of “Permitted Investments” and not this clause;
(17) Investments
in joint ventures or other Persons having an aggregate Fair Market Value (measured on the date each such Investment was made and without
giving effect to subsequent changes in value), when taken together with all other investments made pursuant to this clause (17) that are
at the time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of $250.0300.0
million and 0.60.8%
of Total Tangible Assets of the Company; provided that if an Investment is made pursuant to this clause in a Person that is not a Restricted
Subsidiary and such Person subsequently becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is subsequently designated a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant
to Section 4.17, such Investment, if applicable, shall thereafter be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (1) or (3) of the definition
of “Permitted Investments” and not this clause;
(18) additional
Investments in joint ventures in which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries holds an Investment existing on the Issue Date,
provided such Investments are made in the ordinary course of business; and
(19) additional
Investments in additional joint ventures, provided the Equity Interests held by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in such
joint ventures are pledged as Collateral.;
and
(20) Loans and advances (and similar Investments) in the ordinary course of business to employees, other than executive officers and directors, of the Company in an aggregate amount outstanding at any one time not to exceed $100.0 million.
“Permitted Jurisdictions”
means (i) any state of the United States of America, the District of Columbia or any territory of the United States of America, (ii) Panama,
(iii) Bermuda, (iv) the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, (v) the Isle of Man, (vi) the Marshall Islands, (vii) Malta, (vii) the United Kingdom,
(viii) Curaçao, (ix) Liberia, (x) Barbados, (xi) Singapore, (xii) Hong Kong, (xiii) the People'sPeople’s
Republic of China, (xiv) the Commonwealth of Australia and (xv) any member state of the European Economic Area as of the Issue Date and
any states that may accede to the European Economic Area following the Issue Date.
“Permitted Liens” means:
(1) Liens in favor of the Company or any of the Subsidiary Guarantors;
(2) Liens on property (including Capital Stock) of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such Liens were in existence prior to the contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or such merger or consolidation, were not incurred in contemplation thereof and do not extend to any assets other than those of the Person (or the Capital Stock of such Person) that becomes a
31 |
Restricted Subsidiary or is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(3) Liens to secure the performance of statutory obligations, insurance, surety, bid, performance, travel or appeal bonds, workers compensation obligations, performance bonds or other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business (including Liens to secure letters of credit or similar instruments issued to assure payment of such obligations or for the protection of customer deposits or credit card payments);
(4) Liens on any property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary for the purpose of securing Capital Lease Obligations, purchase money obligations, mortgage financings or other Indebtedness, in each case, incurred pursuant to Section 4.06(b)(4) in connection with the financing of all or any part of the purchase price, lease expense, rental payments or cost of design, construction, installation, repair, replacement or improvement of property, plant or equipment or other assets (including Capital Stock) used in the business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that any such Lien may not extend to any assets or property owned by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries at the time the Lien is incurred other than (i) the assets (including Vessels) and property acquired, improved, constructed, leased or financed and improvements, accessions, proceeds, products, dividends and distributions in respect thereof (provided that to the extent any such Capital Lease Obligations, purchase money obligations, mortgage financings or other Indebtedness relate to multiple assets or properties, then all such assets and properties may secure any such Capital Lease Obligations, purchase money obligations, mortgage financings or other Indebtedness) and (ii) to the extent such Lien secures financing in connection with the purchase of a Vessel, Related Vessel Property; provided further that any such assets or property subject to such Lien do not constitute Collateral;
(5) Liens existing on the Issue Date;
(6) Liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that (x) are not yet due and payable or (y) are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings that have the effect of preventing the forfeiture or sale of the property subject to any such Lien and for which adequate reserves are being maintained to the extent required by GAAP;
(7) Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s, landlord’s and mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s, construction or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business and with respect to amounts not yet delinquent or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and in respect of which, if applicable, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall have set aside on its books reserves in accordance with GAAP; and with respect to Vessels: (i) Liens fully covered (in excess of customary deductibles) by valid policies of insurance and (ii) Liens for general average and salvage, including contract salvage; or Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provisions relating to attorney’s liens or bankers’ liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depositary institution;
32 |
(8) survey exceptions, easements or reservations of, or rights of others for, licenses, rights-of-way, sewers, electric lines, telegraph and telephone lines and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use of real property that were not incurred in connection with Indebtedness and that do not in the aggregate materially adversely affect the value of said properties or materially impair their use in the operation of the business of such Person;
(9) Liens
created for the benefit of (and to secure) (A) the Notes
(or the Note Guarantees) Pari Passu Obligations (or the
guarantees in respect thereof) outstanding on the Issue
Date and (B) the Note Obligations in respect of the Notes
issued on the Issue Date;
(10) Liens securing Indebtedness under Hedging Obligations, which obligations are permitted to be incurred under Section 4.06(b)(9);
(11) Liens on insurance policies and proceeds thereof, or other deposits, to secure insurance premium financings;
(12) Liens arising out of judgments or awards not constituting an Event of Default and notices of lis pendens and associated rights related to litigation being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been made;
(13) Liens on cash, Cash Equivalents or other property arising in connection with the defeasance, discharge or redemption of Indebtedness;
(14) Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods (and the proceeds thereof) of any Person securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances issued or created in the ordinary course of business for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or other goods;
(15) Leases, licenses, subleases and sublicenses of assets in the ordinary course of business and Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for the sale of assets entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(16) [Reserved];
(17) (i) mortgages, liens, security interests, restrictions, encumbrances or any other matters of record that have been placed by any developer, landlord or other third party on property over which the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary has easement rights or on any real property leased by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and subordination or similar agreements relating thereto and (ii) any condemnation or eminent domain proceedings or compulsory purchase order affecting real property;
(18) Liens securing or arising by reason of any netting or set-off arrangement entered into in the ordinary course of banking or other trading activities;
33 |
(19) Liens
on Unearned Customer Deposits (i) in favor of credit card companiespayment
processors pursuant to agreements therewith consistent with industry practice andor
(ii) in favor of customers;
(20) pledges
of goods, the related documents of title and/or other related documents arising or created in the ordinary course of the CompanyCompany’s
or any Restricted Subsidiary’s business or operations as Liens only for Indebtedness to a bank or financial institution directly
relating to the goods or documents on or over which the pledge exists;
(21) Liens over cash paid into an escrow account pursuant to any purchase price retention arrangement as part of any permitted disposal by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary on condition that the cash paid into such escrow account in relation to a disposal does not represent more than 15.0% of the net proceeds of such disposal;
(22) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary arising from Vessel chartering, dry-docking, maintenance, repair, refurbishment, the furnishing of supplies and bunkers to Vessels or masters’, officers’ or crews’ wages and maritime Liens, in the case of each of the foregoing, which were not incurred or created to secure the payment of Indebtedness;
(23) Liens securing an aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness not to exceed the aggregate amount of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to Section 4.06(b)(5); provided that such Lien extends only to (i) the assets (including Vessels), purchase price or cost of design, construction, installation or improvement of which is financed or refinanced thereby and any improvements, accessions, proceeds, products, dividends and distributions in respect thereof, (ii) any Related Vessel Property or (iii) the Capital Stock of a Vessel Holding Issuer;
(24) Liens created on any asset of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary established to hold assets of any stock option plan or any other management or employee benefit or incentive plan or unit trust of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary securing any loan to finance the acquisition of such assets;
(25) Liens
incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to obligations that do not exceed the greater of $250.0500.0
million and 0.61.0%
of Total Tangible Assets at any one time outstanding;
(26) Liens arising from financing statement filings (or similar filings in any applicable jurisdiction) regarding operating leases entered into by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;
(27) any interest or title of a lessor under any Capital Lease Obligation or an operating lease;
(28) Liens on the Equity Interests of Unrestricted Subsidiaries;
34 |
(29) Liens on Vessels under construction securing Indebtedness of shipyard owners and operators; and
(30) any extension, renewal, refinancing or replacement, in whole or in part, of any Lien described in the foregoing clauses (1) through (29) (but excluding clause (25)); provided that (x) any such Lien is limited to all or part of the same property or assets (plus improvements, accessions, proceeds, products or dividends or distributions in respect thereof) that secured (or, under the written arrangements under which the original Lien arose, could secure) the Indebtedness being refinanced and (y) the Indebtedness secured by such Lien at such time is not increased to any amount greater than the sum of the outstanding principal amount or, if greater, committed amount of such Indebtedness at the time the original Lien became a Permitted Lien under this Indenture and an amount necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums, related to such extension, renewal, refinancing or replacement.
“Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness incurred by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, any Disqualified Stock issued by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and any preferred stock issued by any Restricted Subsidiary, in each case, in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to renew, refund, refinance, replace, exchange, defease or discharge other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than intercompany Indebtedness), including Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness; provided that:
(1) the aggregate principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable, or if issued with original issue discount, aggregate issue price, or, if greater, committed amount (only to the extent the committed amount could have been incurred on the date of initial incurrence)) of such new Indebtedness, the liquidation preference of such new Disqualified Stock or the amount of such new preferred stock does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable, or if issued with original issue discount, aggregate issue price or, if greater, committed amount (only to the extent the committed amount could have been incurred on the date of initial incurrence)) of the Indebtedness, the liquidation preference of the Disqualified Stock or the amount of the preferred stock (plus in each case the amount of accrued and unpaid interest or dividends on and the amount of all fees and expenses, including premiums, incurred in connection with the incurrence or issuance of, such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock), renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, exchanged, defeased or discharged;
(2) such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has (a) a final maturity date that is either (i) no earlier than the final maturity date of the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, exchanged, defeased or discharged or (ii) after the final maturity date of the Notes and (b) has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity that is equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged;
(3) if the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Note Guarantees, as the case may be, such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or the Note Guarantees, as the case may be, on terms at least as favorable to the holders of Notes or the Note Guarantees, as the case may be, as those
35 |
contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, exchanged, defeased or discharged; and
(4) if
such Indebtedness is incurred either by the Company (if the Company was the obligor on the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced,
replaced, defeased or discharged) or by the Restricted Subsidiary that was the obligor on the Indebtedness being renewed, refunded, refinanced,
replaced, defeased or discharged, such Indebtedness ismay
not be guaranteed only by Persons whoby
any Restricted Subsidiaries other than (i) Guarantors or (ii) Restricted Subsidiaries that were obligors on the Indebtedness
being renewed, refunded, refinanced, replaced, defeased or discharged.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or government or other entity.
“Productive Asset Lease” means any lease or charter of one or more Vessels (other than leases or charters required to be classified and accounted for as capital leases under GAAP).
“QIB” means a “Qualified Institutional Buyer” as defined in Rule 144A.
“Rating Agencies” means each
of Moody’s and,
S&P and Fitch, or any of their respective successors
or any national rating agency substituted for eitherany
of them as selected by Carnival plc.
“Rating Downgrade” means,
in respect of any Change of Control, that the Notes are, within the Change of Control Period in respect of such Change of Control, downgraded
by bothtwo
of the Rating Agencies to a non- investment grade credit ratingnon-Investment
Grade Rating (Ba1/BB+, or equivalent, or lower) and are not, within such Change of Control Period subsequently upgraded
to an investment grade rating (Baa3/BBB-, or equivalent,
or better)Investment Grade
Rating by both of thethose
two Rating Agencies; provided, however, that a Rating Downgrade otherwise arising by virtue of a particular reduction in
rating will not be deemed to have occurred in respect of a particular Change of Control (and thus will not be deemed a Rating Downgrade
for purposes of the definition of Change of Control Triggering Event) if the Rating Agencies making the reduction in rating to which this
definition would otherwise apply do not announce or confirm to us in writing at our request that the reduction was the result, in whole
or in part, of any event or circumstance comprised of or arising as a result of, or in respect of, the applicable Change of Control (whether
or not the applicable Change of Control has occurred at the time of the Rating Downgrade).
“Ready for Sea Cost” means with respect to a Vessel to be acquired, constructed or leased (pursuant to a Capital Lease Obligation) by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, the aggregate amount of all expenditures incurred to acquire or construct and bring such Vessel to the condition and location necessary for its intended use, including any and all inspections, appraisals, repairs, modifications, additions, permits and licenses in connection with such acquisition or lease, which would be classified as “property, plant and equipment” in accordance with GAAP and any assets relating to such Vessel.
36 |
“Record Date,” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date, means the March 15 and September 15 (in each case, whether or not a Business Day) next preceding such Interest Payment Date.
“Redemption Date” means, when used with respect to any Note to be redeemed, in whole or in part, the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.
“Redemption Price” means, when used with respect to any Note to be redeemed, the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.
“Regulation S” means Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act (including any successor regulation thereto), as it may be amended from time to time.
“Related Vessel Property” means, with respect to any Vessel (i) any insurance policies on such Vessel, (ii) any requisition compensation payable in respect of any compulsory acquisition thereof, (iii) any earnings derived from the use or operation thereof and/or any earnings account with respect to such earnings, and (iv) any charters, operating leases, licenses and related agreements entered into in respect of the Vessel and any security or guarantee in respect of the relevant charterer’s or lessee’s obligations under any relevant charter, operating lease, license or related agreement, (v) any cash collateral account established with respect to such Vessel pursuant to the financing arrangements with respect thereto, (vi) any inter-company loan or facility agreements relating to the financing of the acquisition of, and/or the leasing arrangements (pursuant to Capital Lease Obligations) with respect to, such Vessel, (vii) any building or conversion contracts relating to such Vessel and any security or guarantee in respect of the builder’s obligations under such contracts, (viii) any interest rate swap, foreign currency hedge, exchange or similar agreement incurred in connection with the financing of such Vessel and required to be assigned by the lender and (ix) any security interest in, or agreement or assignment relating to, any of the foregoing or any mortgage in respect of such Vessel.
“Releases” has the meaning set forth in the Escrow Agreement.
“Relevant Announcement Date” means, in respect of any Change of Control, the date which is the earlier of (A) the date of the first public announcement of such Change of Control and (B) the date of the earliest Relevant Potential Change of Control Announcement, if any, in respect of such Change of Control.
“Relevant Potential Change of Control Announcement” means, in respect of any Change of Control, any public announcement or statement by the Issuer or Carnival plc or any actual or potential bidder or any advisor acting on behalf of any actual or potential bidder of any action or actions which could give rise to such Change of Control, provided that within 180 days following such announcement or statement such Change of Control shall have occurred.
“Replacement Assets” means (1) assets not classified as current assets under GAAP that will be used or useful in a Permitted Business or (2) substantially all the assets of a Permitted Business or a majority of the Voting Stock of any Person engaged in a Permitted Business that will become on the date of acquisition thereof a Restricted Subsidiary.
37 |
“Restricted Investment” means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment.
“Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company that is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 under the U.S. Securities Act (including any successor regulation thereto), as it may be amended from time to time.
“Rule 144A” means Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act (including any successor regulation thereto), as it may be amended from time to time.
“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group.
“Second Supplemental Indenture” means that certain Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 16, 2021, among the Issuer, Carnival plc, the various guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, which supplements the Indenture.
“Second Supplemental Indenture Effective Date” shall mean the date the Proposed Amendments become operative pursuant to the Second Supplemental Indenture.
“Secured Parties” means (a) the
Security AgentTrustee,
(b) the Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes Trustee (including any predecessor Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes Trustee), and the holders of the Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes, (c) the Security Agent (including any predecessor Security Agent) and the holders of
the Notes, (d) the EIB Administrator and (e) the holders of Other Pari Passu Obligations.
“Secured Indebtedness” means the Notes, the 2027 First-Priority Secured Notes, the 2028 First-Priority Secured Notes, the 2026 Second-Priority Secured Notes, the 2027 Second-Priority Secured Notes, the EIB Facility, the Existing Term Loan Facility and any other Indebtedness of the Company or any of the Subsidiary Guarantors secured by a Lien on the assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiary Guarantors.
“Secured Indebtedness Documents” means any agreements, documents or instruments governing or entered into in connection with any Secured Indebtedness, as they may be amended, restated, modified, renewed, supplemented, refunded, replaced or refinanced, from time to time.
“Security Agent” means U.S. Bank National Association acting as Pari Passu Collateral Agent pursuant to and as defined in the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement or such successor collateral agent or any delegate thereof as may be appointed thereunder.
“Security Documents” means the security agreements, pledge agreements, charge agreements, collateral assignments and any other instrument and document executed and delivered pursuant to this Indenture or otherwise or any of the foregoing, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, creating the security interests in the Collateral as contemplated by this Indenture.
38 |
“Security Interests” means any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, assignment, hypothecation or security interest or other agreement or arrangement having a similar effect in the Collateral securing the Notes and the Note Guarantees.
“Significant Subsidiary” means, at the date of determination, any Restricted Subsidiary that together with its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries (i) for the most recent fiscal year, accounted for more than 10% of the consolidated revenues of the Company or (ii) as of the end of the most recent fiscal year, was the owner of more than 10% of the consolidated assets of the Company.
“Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any installment of interest or principal on any series of Indebtedness, the date on which the payment of interest or principal was scheduled to be paid in the documentation governing such Indebtedness as of the Issue Date, and will not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such interest or principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.
“Subordinated Shareholder Funding” means, collectively, any funds provided to the Company by any Parent Entity, any Affiliate of any Parent Entity or any Permitted Holder in exchange for or pursuant to any security, instrument or agreement other than Capital Stock, in each case issued to and held by the foregoing Persons, together with any such security, instrument or agreement and any other security or instrument other than Capital Stock issued in payment of any obligation under any Subordinated Shareholder Funding; provided, however, that such Subordinated Shareholder Funding:
(1) does not mature or require any amortization, redemption or other repayment of principal or any sinking fund payment prior to the first anniversary of the maturity of the Notes (other than through conversion or exchange of such funding into Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or any funding meeting the requirements of this definition);
(2) does not require, prior to the first anniversary of the maturity of the Notes, payment of cash interest, cash withholding amounts or other cash gross ups, or any similar cash amounts;
(3) contains no change of control or similar provisions and does not accelerate and has no right to declare a default or event of default or take any enforcement action or otherwise require any cash payment, in each case, prior to the first anniversary of the maturity of the Notes;
(4) does not provide for or require any security interest or encumbrance over any asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; and
(5) pursuant
to the Intercreditor Agreement, an Additional Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
or another intercreditor agreement is fully subordinated and junior in right of payment to the Notes pursuant to subordination, payment
blockage and enforcement limitation terms which are customary in all material respects for similar funding.
39 |
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any specified Person:
(1) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency and after giving effect to any voting agreement or stockholders’ agreement that effectively transfers voting power) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees of the corporation, association or other business entity is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and
(2) any partnership or limited liability company of which (a) more than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity and voting interests or general and limited partnership interests, as applicable, are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof, whether in the form of membership, general, special or limited partnership interests or otherwise, and (b) such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person is a controlling general partner or otherwise controls such entity.
“Subsidiary Guarantor” means each subsidiary of the Company that has provided a Note Guarantee.
“Supplemental Indenture” means a supplemental indenture to this Indenture substantially in the form of Exhibit D attached hereto.
“Tax” or “Taxes” means any tax, duty, levy, impost, assessment or other governmental charge (including penalties, interest and additions to tax related thereto, and, for the avoidance of doubt, including any withholding or deduction for or on account of Tax).
“Total Assets” means the total assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries that are Restricted Subsidiaries, as shown on the most recent balance sheet of the Company, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, calculated after giving effect to pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.”
“Total Tangible Assets” means the Total Assets excluding consolidated intangible assets, calculated after giving effect to pro forma adjustments as are appropriate and consistent with the pro forma adjustment provisions set forth in the definition of “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio.”
“Transactions” means the
offering of Notes, collectively, the amendments with respect
to the Company’s and its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Indebtedness occurring during the ten months ended June 30, 2021, the offering
of the 2026 Unsecured Notes, the offering of the 2027 Unsecured Notes, the offering of the Notes, the offering of the 2028 First-Priority
Secured Notes, the offering of the 2026 Second-Priority Secured Notes, the offering of the 2027 Second- Priority Secured Notes, the November
Registered Direct Offerings (as defined in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2020),
the offering of Convertible Notes, the Common Stock Offering and the
40 |
borrowing in March 2020 of $3,000.0
million under the Existing Multicurrency Facilityand
the use of proceeds of the foregoing.
“Trust Officer” means any officer within the agency and corporate trust group, division or section of the Trustee (however named, or any successor group of the Trustee) and also means, with respect to any particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
“Treasury Rate” means, as of any redemption date, the weekly average rounded to the nearest 1/100th of a percentage point (for the most recently completed week for which such information is available as of the date that is two Business Days prior to the redemption date) of the yield to maturity of United States Treasury Securities with a constant maturity (as compiled and published in Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15 with respect to each applicable day during such week or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to the Par Call Date; provided, however, that if the period from the redemption date to the Par Call Date is not equal to the constant maturity of a United States Treasury Security for which such a yield is given, the Treasury Rate shall be obtained by linear interpolation (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the weekly average yields of United States Treasury Securities for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the redemption date to the Par Call Date is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury Securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used.
“TTA Test Debt Agreements” means the outstanding debt instruments of the Company and its Subsidiaries having provisions requiring that if the Company and their respective Subsidiaries have Security Interests in respect of Covered Indebtedness that exceed 25% of Total Tangible Assets, such debt instruments would be required to be secured by certain vessels.
“Unearned Customer Deposits” means amounts paid to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries representing customer deposits for unsailed bookings (whether paid directly by the customer or by a credit card company).
“Unrestricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company that is designated by the Board of Directors of the Issuer as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Issuer but only to the extent that such Subsidiary:
(1) except as permitted by Section 4.10, is not party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary unless the terms of any such agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding are, taken as a whole, no less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons who are not Affiliates of the Company; and
(2) is a Person with respect to which neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary has any direct or indirect obligation (a) to subscribe for additional Equity Interests or (b) to maintain or preserve such Person’s financial condition or to cause such Person to achieve any specified levels of operating results.
41 |
“U.S. dollar” or “$” means the lawful currency of the United States of America.
“U.S. Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor statute, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder.
“U.S. Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor statute, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder.
“Vessel” means a passenger cruise vessel which is owned by and registered (or to be owned by and registered) in the name of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or operated or to be operated by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case together with all related spares, equipment and any additions or improvements.
“Vessel Holding Issuer” means a Subsidiary of the Company, the assets of which consist solely of one or more Vessels and the corresponding Related Vessel Property and whose activities are limited to the ownership of such Vessels and Related Vessel Property and any other asset reasonably related to or resulting from the acquisition, purchase, charter, leasing, rental, construction, ownership, operation, improvement, expansion and maintenance of such Vessel, the leasing of such Vessels and any activities reasonably incidental to the foregoing.
“Vessels Reserved for Disposition” means Amsterdam; Rotterdam; Veendam; Maasdam; Pacific Aria; Pacific Dawn; Costa Mediterranea; Costa Atlantica; Costa neoRomantica; and Oceana.
“Voting Stock” of any specified Person as of any date means 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.
“Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing:
(1) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect of the Indebtedness, by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment; by
(2) the then outstanding principal amounts of such Indebtedness.
SECTION 1.02 Other Definitions.
Term | Section |
“Additional Amounts” | 4.12(a) |
“Additional Intercreditor Agreement” | 4.13(a) |
“Additional Notes” | Recitals |
“Affiliate Transaction” | 4.10(a) |
“Agents” | 2.03 |
“Applicable Procedures” | 2.06(b)(ii) |
“Asset Sale Offer” | 4.09(c) |
42 |
Term | Section |
“Authorized Agent” | 12.08 |
“Change in Tax Law” | 3.09(b) |
“Change of Control Offer” | 4.11(a) |
“Change of Control Purchase Date” | 4.11(a) |
“Change of Control Purchase Price” | 4.11(a) |
“Covenant Defeasance” | 8.03 |
“Deemed Date” | 4.06(e) |
“Defaulted Interest” | 2.12 |
“Event of Default” | 6.01(a) |
“Excess Proceeds”. | 4.09(c) |
“Global Notes” | 2.01(c) |
“Increased Amount” | 4.07( |
“incur” | 4.06(a) |
“Intercreditor |
4.13(a) |
“Issuer” | Preamble |
“Judgment Currency” | 12.14 |
“Legal Defeasance” | 8.02 |
“New Secured Debt” | 4.25(a) |
“Notes” | Recitals |
“Notes Offer” | 4.09(b)(1) |
“Obligations” | 10.01(a) |
“Original Notes” | Recitals |
“Other Secured Debt” | 4.26(a) |
“Participants” | 2.01(c) |
“Paying Agent” | 2.03 |
“Permitted Debt” | 4.06(b) |
“Permitted Payments” | 4.08(b) |
“Principal Paying Agent” | 2.03 |
“Reduction Event” | 4.25(b) |
“Registrar” | 2.03 |
“Regulation S Global Note” | 2.01(b) |
“Required Currency” | 12.14 |
“Restricted Global Note” | 2.01(b) |
“Restricted Payments” | 4.08(a)(D) |
“Security Register” | 2.03 |
“Special Mandatory Redemption” | 3.06 |
“Special Mandatory Redemption Price” | 3.06 |
“Special Termination Date” | 3.06 |
“Supplemental Security Agent” | 7.08(b) |
“Supplemental Security Agents” | 7.08(b) |
“Tax Group” | 4.08(b)(10) |
“Tax Jurisdiction” | 4.12(a) |
“Tax Redemption” | 3.09 |
“Tax Redemption Date” | 3.09 |
“TIA” | 1.03(ix) |
“Transfer Agent” | 2.03 |
43 |
Term | Section |
“Trustee” | Preamble |
SECTION 1.03 Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise requires:
(i) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(ii) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
(iii) “or” is not exclusive;
(iv) “including” or “include” means including or include without limitation;
(v) words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular;
(vi) unsecured or unguaranteed Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be subordinate or junior to secured or guaranteed Indebtedness merely by virtue of its nature as unsecured or unguaranteed Indebtedness;
(vii) any Indebtedness secured by a Lien ranking junior to any of the Liens securing other Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be subordinate or junior to such other Indebtedness by virtue of the ranking of such Liens;
(viii) the words “herein”, “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section, clause or other subdivision; and
(ix) the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “TIA”), shall not apply to this Indenture, the Notes, the Note Guarantees,
the Security Documents, the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
or any documents or instruments related thereto, and no terms used in any of the foregoing shall have meanings given to them by the TIA.
ARTICLE
TWO
THE NOTES
SECTION 2.01 The Notes.
(a) Form and Dating. The Notes and the Trustee’s (or the authenticating agent’s) certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, the rules of any securities exchange agreements to which the Issuer is subject, if any, or usage; provided that any such notation, legend or endorsement is in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuer. The Issuer shall approve the form of the Notes. Each Note shall be dated the date of its authentication. The terms and provisions contained in the form of the Notes shall constitute and are hereby expressly made a part of this Indenture. The Notes shall be issued only in registered form
44 |
without coupons and only in minimum denominations of $2,000 in principal amount and any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
(b) Global Notes. Notes offered and sold to QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A shall be issued initially in the form of one or more Global Notes substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto, with such applicable legends as are provided in Exhibit A attached hereto, except as otherwise permitted herein (the “Restricted Global Note”), which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes represented thereby with a custodian for DTC, and registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, duly executed by the Issuer and authenticated by the Trustee (or its authenticating agent in accordance with Section 2.02) as hereinafter provided. The aggregate principal amount of the Restricted Global Note may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made by the Registrar on Schedule A to the Restricted Global Note and recorded in the Security Register, as hereinafter provided.
Notes offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S shall be issued initially in the form of one or more Global Notes substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto, with such applicable legends as are provided in Exhibit A attached hereto, except as otherwise permitted herein (the “Regulation S Global Note”), which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes represented thereby with a custodian for DTC, and registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, duly executed by the Issuer and authenticated by the Trustee (or its authenticating agent in accordance with Section 2.02) as hereinafter provided. The aggregate principal amount of the Regulation S Global Note may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made by the Registrar on Schedule A to the Regulation S Global Note and recorded in the Security Register, as hereinafter provided.
(c) Book-Entry Provisions. This Section 2.01(c) shall apply to the Regulation S Global Notes and the Restricted Global Notes (together, the “Global Notes”) deposited with or on behalf of DTC.
Members of, or participants and account holders in, DTC (including Euroclear and Clearstream) (“Participants”) shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by DTC or by the Trustee or any custodian of DTC or under such Global Note, and DTC or its nominees may be treated by the Issuer, a Guarantor, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer, a Guarantor or the Trustee as the sole owner of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Issuer, a Guarantor, the Trustee or any agent of the Issuer, a Guarantor or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by DTC or impair, as between DTC, on the one hand, and the Participants, on the other, the operation of customary practices of such persons governing the exercise of the rights of a Holder of a beneficial interest in any Global Note.
Subject to the provisions of Section 2.10(b), the registered Holder of a Global Note may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person, including Participants and Persons that may hold interests through Participants, to take any action that a Holder is entitled to take under this Indenture or the Notes.
Except as provided in Section 2.10, owners of a beneficial interest in Global Notes will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Definitive Registered Notes.
45 |
SECTION 2.02 Execution and Authentication. An authorized member of the Issuer’s Board of Directors or an executive officer of the Issuer shall sign the Notes on behalf of the Issuer by manual, electronic or facsimile signature.
If an authorized member of the Issuer’s Board of Directors or an executive officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee (or its authenticating agent) authenticates the Note, the Note shall be valid nevertheless.
A Note shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until an authorized signatory of the Trustee (or its authenticating agent) manually signs the certificate of authentication on the Note. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.
The Issuer shall execute and, upon receipt of an Issuer Order, the Trustee shall authenticate (whether itself or via the authenticating agent) (a) Original Notes, on the date hereof, for original issue up to an aggregate principal amount of $4,000,000,000 and (b) Additional Notes, from time to time, subject to compliance at the time of issuance of such Additional Notes with the provisions of Section 4.06 and Section 4.07. The Issuer is permitted to issue Additional Notes as part of a further issue under this Indenture, from time to time; provided that, any Additional Notes may not have the same CUSIP number and/or ISIN (or be represented by the same Global Note or Global Notes) as the Notes unless the Additional Notes are fungible with the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Issuer will issue Notes in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to authenticate the Notes. Unless limited by the terms of such appointment, any such authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by any such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as any Registrar, co-Registrar, Transfer Agent or Paying Agent to deal with the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer.
The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Notes under this Section 2.02 if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or if the Trustee in good faith shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders.
SECTION 2.03 Registrar, Transfer Agent and Paying Agent. The Issuer shall maintain an office or agency for the registration of the Notes and of their transfer or exchange (the “Registrar”), an office or agency where Notes may be transferred or exchanged (the “Transfer Agent”), an office or agency where the Notes may be presented for payment (the “Paying Agent” and references to the Paying Agent shall include the Principal Paying Agent) and an office or agency where notices or demands to or upon the Issuer in respect of the Notes may be served. The Issuer may appoint one or more Transfer Agents, one or more co-Registrars and one or more additional Paying Agents.
The Issuer or any of its Affiliates may act as Transfer Agent, Registrar, co-Registrar, Paying Agent and agent for service of notices and demands in connection with the Notes; provided
46 |
that neither the Issuer nor any of its Affiliates shall act as Paying Agent for the purposes of Articles Three and Eight and Sections 4.09 and 4.11.
The Issuer hereby appoints (i) U.S. Bank National Association, located at 60 Livingston Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55107 (the “Principal Paying Agent”) and (ii) U.S. Bank National Association, located at 60 Livingston Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55107, as Registrar. Each hereby accepts such appointments. The Transfer Agent, Principal Paying Agent and Registrar and any authenticating agent are collectively referred to in this Indenture as the “Agents”. The roles, duties and functions of the Agents are of a mechanical nature and each Agent shall only perform those acts and duties as specifically set out in this Indenture and no other acts, covenants, obligations or duties shall be implied or read into this Indenture against any of the Agents. For the avoidance of doubt, a Paying Agent’s obligation to disburse any funds shall be subject to prior receipt by it of those funds to be disbursed.
Subject to any applicable laws and regulations, the Issuer shall cause the Registrar to keep a register (the “Security Register”) at its corporate trust office in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Issuer shall provide for the registration of ownership, exchange, and transfer of the Notes. Such registration in the Security Register shall be conclusive evidence of the ownership of Notes. Included in the books and records for the Notes shall be notations as to whether such Notes have been paid, exchanged or transferred, canceled, lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed and whether such Notes have been replaced. In the case of the replacement of any of the Notes, the Registrar shall keep a record of the Note so replaced and the Note issued in replacement thereof. In the case of the cancellation of any of the Notes, the Registrar shall keep a record of the Note so canceled and the date on which such Note was canceled.
The Issuer shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Paying Agent or co-Registrar not a party to this Indenture. The agreement shall implement the provisions of this Indenture that relate to such agent. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee of the name and address of any such agent. If the Issuer fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee may appoint a suitably qualified and reputable party to act as such and shall be entitled to appropriate compensation therefor pursuant to Section 7.05.
SECTION 2.04 Paying Agent to Hold Money. Not later than 12:00 p.m. (New York, New York time), one Business Day prior to each due date of the principal, premium, if any, and interest on any Notes, the Issuer shall deposit with the Principal Paying Agent money in immediately available funds in U.S. dollars, sufficient to pay such principal, premium, if any, and interest so becoming due on the due date for payment under the Notes. The Issuer shall procure payment confirmation on or prior to the third Business Day preceding payment. The Principal Paying Agent (and, if applicable, each other Paying Agent) shall remit such payment in a timely manner to the Holders on the relevant due date for payment, it being acknowledged by each Holder that if the Issuer deposits such money with the Principal Paying Agent after the time specified in the immediately preceding sentence, the Principal Paying Agent shall remit such money to the Holders on the relevant due date for payment, unless such remittance is impracticable having regard to applicable banking procedures and timing constraints, in which case the Principal Paying Agent shall remit such money to the Holders on the next Business Day, but without liability for any interest resulting from such late payment. For the avoidance of doubt, the Principal Paying Agent shall only be obliged to remit money to Holders if it has actually received such money from the Issuer in clear funds. The Principal Paying Agent shall promptly notify the Trustee of any default by the Issuer (or
47 |
any other obligor on the Notes) in making any payment. The Issuer at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and account for any funds disbursed, and the Trustee may at any time during the continuance of any payment default, upon written request to a Paying Agent, require such Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and to account for any funds disbursed. Upon doing so, the Paying Agent shall have no further liability for the money so paid over to the Trustee. If the Issuer or any Affiliate of the Issuer acts as Paying Agent, it shall, on or before each due date of any principal, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes, segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders a sum of money sufficient to pay such principal, premium, if any, or interest so becoming due until such sum of money shall be paid to such Holders or otherwise disposed of as provided in this Indenture, and shall promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure to act.
The Trustee may, if the Issuer has notified it in writing that the Issuer intends to effect a defeasance or to satisfy and discharge this Indenture in accordance with the provisions of Article Eight, notify the Paying Agent in writing of this fact and require the Paying Agent (until notified by the Trustee to the contrary) to act thereafter as Paying Agent of the Trustee and not the Issuer in relation to any amounts deposited with it in accordance with the provisions of Article Eight.
SECTION 2.05 Holder Lists. The Registrar shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Holders. If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee, in writing no later than the Record Date for each Interest Payment Date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list, in such form and as of such Record Date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders, including the aggregate principal amount of Notes held by each Holder.
SECTION 2.06 Transfer and Exchange.
(a) Where Notes are presented to the Registrar or a co-Registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Notes of other denominations, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange in accordance with the requirements of this Section 2.06. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee (or the authenticating agent) shall, upon receipt of an Issuer Order, authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Notes, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount, at the Registrar’s request; provided that no Note of less than $2,000 may be transferred or exchanged. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein), but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any agency fee or similar charge payable in connection with any such registration of transfer or exchange of Notes (other than any agency fee or similar charge payable in connection with any redemption of the Notes or upon exchanges pursuant to Sections 2.10, 3.08 or 9.04) or in accordance with an Asset Sale Offer pursuant to Section 4.09 or Change of Control Offer pursuant to Section 4.11, not involving a transfer.
Upon presentation for exchange or transfer of any Note as permitted by the terms of this Indenture and by any legend appearing on such Note, such Note shall be exchanged or transferred upon the Security Register and one or more new Notes shall be authenticated and issued in the name of the Holder (in the case of exchanges only) or the transferee, as the case may be. No
48 |
exchange or transfer of a Note shall be effective under this Indenture unless and until such Note has been registered in the name of such Person in the Security Register. Furthermore, the exchange or transfer of any Note shall not be effective under this Indenture unless the request for such exchange or transfer is made by the Holder or by a duly authorized attorney-in-fact at the office of the Registrar.
Every Note presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Issuer or the Registrar) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Issuer and the Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
All Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes shall be the valid obligations of the Issuer evidencing the same indebtedness, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
Neither the Issuer nor the Trustee, Registrar or any Paying Agent shall be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any Note during a period beginning at the opening of 15 days before the day of the delivery of a notice of redemption of Notes selected for redemption under Section 3.02 and ending at the close of business on the day of such delivery, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary herein, so long as a Global Note remains outstanding and is held by or on behalf of DTC, transfers of a Global Note, in whole or in part, or of any beneficial interest therein, shall only be made in accordance with Section 2.01(c), Section 2.06(a) and this Section 2.06(b); provided that a beneficial interest in a Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the restricted Note legend on the Note, if any.
(i) Except for transfers or exchanges made in accordance with either of clauses (ii) or (iii) of this Section 2.06(b), transfers of a Global Note shall be limited to transfers of such Global Note in whole, but not in part, to nominees of DTC or to a successor of DTC or such successor’s nominee.
(ii) Restricted Global Note to Regulation S Global Note. If the holder of a beneficial interest in the Restricted Global Note at any time wishes to exchange its interest in such Restricted Global Note for an interest in the Regulation S Global Note, or to transfer its interest in such Restricted Global Note to a Person who wishes to take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note, such transfer or exchange may be effected, only in accordance with this clause (ii) and the rules and procedures of DTC, in each case to the extent applicable (the “Applicable Procedures”). Upon receipt by the Registrar from the Transfer Agent of (A) written instructions directing the Registrar to credit or cause to be credited an interest in the Regulation S Global Note in a specified principal amount and to cause to be debited an interest in the Restricted Global Note in such specified principal amount, and (B) a certificate in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto given by the holder of such beneficial interest stating that the transfer of such interest has been made in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes and (x) pursuant to and in accordance with Regulation S or (y) that the interest in the Restricted Global Note being transferred is being transferred in a transaction permitted by Rule 144, then the Registrar shall reduce or cause to be reduced the principal amount of the Restricted Global Note and shall cause DTC to increase or cause to be increased the principal amount of the Regulation S Global Note by the aggregate principal amount of the interest in the Restricted Global Note to be exchanged or transferred.
(iii) Regulation S Global Note to Restricted Global Note. If the holder of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note at any time wishes to transfer such interest to a Person who wishes to take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the Restricted Global Note, such transfer may be effected only in accordance with this clause (iii) and the Applicable Procedures. Upon receipt by the Registrar from the Transfer Agent of (A) written instructions directing the Registrar to credit or cause to be credited an interest in the Restricted Global Note in a specified principal amount and to cause to be debited an interest in the Regulation S Global Note in such specified principal amount, and (B) a certificate in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto given by the holder of such beneficial interest stating that the transfer of such interest has been made in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the
49 |
Global Notes and stating that (x) the Person transferring such interest reasonably believes that the Person acquiring such interest is a QIB and is obtaining such interest in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A and any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States or (y) that the Person transferring such interest is relying on an exemption other than Rule 144A from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and, in such circumstances, such Opinion of Counsel as the Issuer or the Trustee may reasonably request to ensure that the requested transfer or exchange is being made pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act, then the Registrar shall reduce or cause to be reduced the principal amount of the Regulation S Global Note and to increase or cause to be increased the principal amount of the Restricted Global Note by the aggregate principal amount of the interest in such Regulation S Global Note to be exchanged or transferred.
(c) If Notes are issued upon the transfer, exchange or replacement of Notes bearing the restricted Notes legends set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto, the Notes so issued shall bear the restricted Notes legends, and a request to remove such restricted Notes legends from Notes shall not be honored unless there is delivered to the Issuer such satisfactory evidence, which may include an Opinion of Counsel licensed to practice law in the State of New York, as may be reasonably required by the Issuer, that neither the legend nor the restrictions on transfer set forth therein are required to ensure that transfers thereof comply with the provisions of Rule 144A or Rule 144 under the U.S. Securities Act. Upon provision of such satisfactory evidence, the Trustee, at the direction of the Issuer, shall (or shall direct the authenticating agent to) authenticate and deliver Notes that do not bear the legend.
(d) The Trustee, the Security Agent and the Agents shall have no responsibility for any actions taken or not taken by DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.06, the Issuer is not required to register the transfer of any Definitive Registered Notes:
50 |
(i) for a period of 15 days prior to any date fixed for the redemption of the Notes;
(ii) for a period of 15 days immediately prior to the date fixed for selection of Notes to be redeemed in part;
(iii) for a period of 15 days prior to the Record Date with respect to any Interest Payment Date;
(iv) which the Holder has tendered (and not withdrawn) for repurchase in connection with a Change of Control Offer or an Asset Sale Offer.
SECTION 2.07 Replacement Notes. If a mutilated Definitive Registered Note is surrendered to the Registrar or if the Holder claims that the Note has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Issuer shall issue and the Trustee shall (or shall direct the authenticating agent to), upon receipt of an Issuer Order, authenticate a replacement Note in such form as the Note mutilated, lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken if the Holder satisfies any other reasonable requirements of the Issuer and any requirement of the Trustee. If required by the Trustee or the Issuer, such Holder shall furnish an indemnity bond sufficient in the judgment of the Issuer and the Trustee to protect the Issuer, the Trustee, the Security Agent, the Paying Agent, the Transfer Agent, the Registrar and any co-Registrar, and any authenticating agent, from any loss that any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Issuer and the Trustee may charge the Holder for their expenses in replacing a Note.
In the event any such mutilated, lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken Note has become or is about to become due and payable, the Issuer in its discretion may pay such Note instead of issuing a new Note in replacement thereof.
Every replacement Note shall be an additional obligation of the Issuer.
The provisions of this Section 2.07 are exclusive and will preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Notes.
SECTION 2.08 Outstanding Notes. Notes outstanding at any time are all Notes authenticated by or on behalf of the Trustee except for those cancelled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section 2.08 as not outstanding. Subject to Section 2.09, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Issuer or an Affiliate of the Issuer holds the Note.
If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.07, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee and the Issuer receive proof satisfactory to them that the Note that has been replaced is held by a bona fide purchaser.
If the Paying Agent holds, in accordance with this Indenture, on a Redemption Date or maturity date money sufficient to pay all principal, interest and Additional Amounts, if any, payable on that date with respect to the Notes (or portions thereof) to be redeemed or maturing, as the case may be, and the Paying Agent is not prohibited from paying such money to the Holders on that date
51 |
pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, then on and after that date such Notes (or portions thereof) cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.
SECTION 2.09 Notes Held by Issuer. In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction or consent or any amendment, modification or other change to this Indenture, Notes owned by the Issuer or by any of its Affiliates shall be disregarded and treated as if they were not outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent or any amendment, modification or other change to this Indenture, only Notes which a Trust Officer of the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. Notes so owned which have been pledged in good faith shall not be disregarded if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to the Notes and that the pledgee is not the Issuer or any of its Affiliates.
SECTION 2.10 Definitive Registered Notes.
(a) A Global Note deposited with a custodian for DTC pursuant to Section 2.01 shall be transferred in whole to the Beneficial Owners thereof in the form of Definitive Registered Notes only if such transfer complies with Section 2.06 and (i) DTC notifies the Issuer that it is unwilling or unable to continue to act as depositary for such Global Note or DTC ceases to be registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act, and in each case a successor depositary is not appointed by the Issuer within 90 days of such notice, (ii) the Issuer, at its option, executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that such Global Note shall be so exchangeable or (iii) the owner of a Book-Entry Interest requests such an exchange in writing delivered through DTC following an Event of Default under this Indenture. Notice of any such transfer shall be given by the Issuer in accordance with the provisions of Section 12.02(a).
(b) Any Global Note that is transferable to the Beneficial Owners thereof in the form of Definitive Registered Notes pursuant to this Section 2.10 shall be surrendered by the custodian for DTC, to the Transfer Agent, to be so transferred, in whole or from time to time in part, without charge, and the Trustee shall itself or via the authenticating agent authenticate and deliver, upon such transfer of each portion of such Global Note, an equal aggregate principal amount at maturity of Notes of authorized denominations in the form of Definitive Registered Notes. Any portion of a Global Note transferred or exchanged pursuant to this Section 2.10 shall be executed, authenticated and delivered only in registered form in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof and registered in such names as DTC may direct. Subject to the foregoing, a Global Note is not exchangeable except for a Global Note of like denomination to be registered in the name of DTC or its nominee. In the event that a Global Note becomes exchangeable for Definitive Registered Notes, payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Definitive Registered Notes will be payable, and the transfer of the Definitive Registered Notes will be registrable, at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained for such purposes in accordance with Section 2.03. Such Definitive Registered Notes shall bear the applicable legends set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto.
(c) In the event of the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 2.10(a), the Issuer shall promptly make available to the Trustee and the authenticating agent a
52 |
reasonable supply of Definitive Registered Notes in definitive, fully registered form without interest coupons.
SECTION 2.11 Cancellation. The Issuer at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee, in accordance with its customary procedures, and no one else shall cancel (subject to the record retention requirements of the Exchange Act and the Trustee’s retention policy) all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation and dispose of such cancelled Notes in its customary manner. Except as otherwise provided in this Indenture, the Issuer may not issue new Notes to replace Notes it has redeemed, paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
SECTION 2.12 Defaulted Interest. Any interest on any Note that is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and this Indenture (all such interest herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Issuer, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:
(a) The Issuer may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Notes are registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Issuer may deposit with the Paying Agent an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest; or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as provided in this clause. In addition, the Issuer shall fix a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, such date to be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the proposed payment date and not less than 15 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment date. The Issuer shall promptly but, in any event, not less than 15 days prior to the special record date, notify the Trustee of such special record date and, in the name and at the expense of the Issuer, the Trustee shall cause notice of the proposed payment date of such Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor to be delivered first-class, postage prepaid to each Holder as such Holder’s address appears in the Security Register, not less than 10 days prior to such special record date. Notice of the proposed payment date of such Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor having been so delivered, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Notes are registered at the close of business on such special record date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to clause (b) below.
(b) The Issuer may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Notes in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Issuer to the Trustee of the proposed payment date pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed reasonably practicable.
53 |
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.12, each Note delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Note shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Note.
SECTION 2.13 Computation of Interest. Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
SECTION 2.14 ISIN and CUSIP Numbers. The Issuer in issuing the Notes may use ISIN and CUSIP numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use ISIN and CUSIP numbers, as appropriate, in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers or codes either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Issuer shall promptly notify the Trustee of any change in the ISIN or CUSIP numbers.
SECTION 2.15 Issuance of Additional Notes. The Issuer may, subject to Section 4.06 of this Indenture, issue Additional Notes under this Indenture in accordance with the procedures of Section 2.02. The Original Notes issued on the Issue Date and any Additional Notes subsequently issued shall be treated as a single class for all purposes under this Indenture.
ARTICLE
THREE
REDEMPTION; OFFERS TO PURCHASE
SECTION 3.01 Right of Redemption. The Issuer may redeem all or any portion of the Notes upon the terms and at the Redemption Prices set forth in the Notes. Any redemption pursuant to this Section 3.01 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of this Article Three.
SECTION 3.02 Notices to Trustee. If the Issuer elects to redeem Notes pursuant to Section 3.01, it shall notify the Trustee in writing of the Redemption Date and the record date, the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed, the Redemption Price and the paragraph of the Notes pursuant to which the redemption will occur.
The Issuer shall give each notice to the Trustee provided for in this Section 3.02 in writing at least 10 days before the date notice is delivered to the Holders pursuant to Section 3.04 unless the Trustee consents to a shorter period. Such notice shall be accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate from the Issuer to the effect that such redemption will comply with the conditions herein. If fewer than all the Notes are to be redeemed, the record date relating to such redemption shall be selected by the Issuer and given to the Trustee, which record date shall be not less than 15 days after the date of notice to the Trustee.
SECTION 3.03 Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed. If fewer than all of the Notes are to be redeemed at any time, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be redeemed by a method that complies with the requirements, as certified to it by the Issuer, of the principal securities exchange, if any, on which the Notes are listed at such time, and in compliance with the requirements of the relevant clearing system or, if the Notes are not listed on a securities exchange, or such securities exchange prescribes no method of selection and the Notes are not held through clearing system or the clearing system prescribes no method of selection, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such other
54 |
method as the Trustee deems fair and appropriate; provided, however, that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Note not redeemed to less than $2,000.
The Trustee shall make the selection from the Notes outstanding and not previously called for redemption. The Trustee may select for redemption portions equal to $1,000 in principal amount and any integral multiple thereof; provided that no Notes of $2,000 in principal amount or less may be redeemed in part. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption. The Trustee shall notify the Issuer promptly in writing of the Notes or portions of Notes to be called for redemption.
The Trustee shall not be liable for selections made in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3.03 or for selections made by DTC.
Any redemption and notice may, in the Issuer’s discretion, be subject to the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent.
SECTION 3.04 Notice of Redemption.
(a) At least 10 days but not more than 60 days before a date for redemption of the Notes, the Issuer shall deliver a notice of redemption by first-class mail to each Holder to be redeemed at its address contained in the Security Register, except that redemption notices may be delivered more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, and shall comply with the provisions of Section 12.01(b).
(b) The notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed (including ISIN and CUSIP numbers) and shall state:
(i) the Redemption Date and the record date;
(ii) the appropriate calculation of the Redemption Price and the amount of accrued interest, if any, and Additional Amounts, if any, to be paid;
(iii) the name and address of the Paying Agent;
(iv) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the Redemption Price plus accrued interest, if any, and Additional Amounts, if any;
(v) that, if any Note is being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount (equal to $1,000 in principal amount or any integral multiple thereof) of such Note to be redeemed and that, on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be reissued;
(vi) that, if any Note contains an ISIN or CUSIP number, no representation is being made as to the correctness of such ISIN or CUSIP number either as
55 |
printed on the Notes or as contained in the notice of redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes;
(vii) that, unless the Issuer and the Guarantors default in making such redemption payment, interest on the Notes (or portion thereof) called for redemption shall cease to accrue on and after the Redemption Date; and
(viii) the paragraph of the Notes or section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed.
At the Issuer’s written request, the Trustee shall give a notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at the Issuer’s expense. In such event, the Issuer shall provide the Trustee with the notice and the other information required by this Section 3.04.
For Notes which are represented by global certificates held on behalf of DTC, notices may be given by delivery of the relevant notices to DTC for communication to entitled account holders in substitution for the aforesaid delivery.
(c) In connection with any redemption of Notes described in this Section 3.04, any such redemption and/or notice of redemption may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including the completion of any related refinancing or a Change of Control. In addition, if such redemption or notice is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall state that, in the Company’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied or waived, or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied or waived by the redemption date, or by the redemption date so delayed.
SECTION 3.05 Deposit of Redemption Price. At least one Business Day prior to any Redemption Date, by no later than 12:00 p.m. (New York, New York time) on that date, the Issuer shall deposit or cause to be deposited with the Paying Agent (or, if the Issuer or any of its Affiliates is the Paying Agent, shall segregate and hold in trust) a sum in same day funds sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of and accrued interest and Additional Amounts, if any, on all Notes to be redeemed on that date other than Notes or portions of Notes called for redemption that have previously been delivered by the Issuer to the Trustee for cancellation. The Paying Agent shall return to the Issuer following a written request by the Issuer any money so deposited that is not required for that purpose.
SECTION 3.06 Special Mandatory Redemption. In the event that (a) any of the net proceeds of the Notes would remain Escrowed Property following the Escrow Longstop Date after giving effect to the Releases pursuant to the Escrow Agreement or (b) there is an event of bankruptcy, insolvency or court protection with respect to the Company on or prior to the Escrow Longstop Date (the date of any such event being the “Special Termination Date”), the Issuer will redeem, in the case of each of clause (a) or (b), Notes having an aggregate face amount equal to the principal amount of Notes whose net proceeds are equal to the amount of remaining Escrowed Property at such time (the “Special Mandatory Redemption”), in each case, at a price (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Price”) equal to 100% of the aggregate issue price of such Notes, plus accrued but unpaid interest and Additional Amounts (if any) from the last date interest and
56 |
Additional Amounts (if any) have been paid (or if no interest or Additional Amounts have been paid, the Issue Date) to the date of redemption (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).
Notice of the Special Mandatory Redemption will be delivered by the Issuer, no later than one Business Day following the Special Termination Date, to the Trustee, the Paying Agent and the Escrow Agent, and will provide that the Notes shall be redeemed on a date that is no later than the fifth Business Day after such notice is given by the Issuer in accordance with the terms of the Escrow Agreement (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Date”). On the Special Mandatory Redemption Date, the Escrow Agent shall pay to the Paying Agent for payment to each Holder the Special Mandatory Redemption Price for such Holder’s Notes and, concurrently with the payment to such Holders, deliver any excess Escrowed Property (if any) to the Issuer.
SECTION 3.07 Payment of Notes Called for Redemption. If notice of redemption has been given in the manner provided below, the Notes or portion of Notes specified in such notice to be redeemed shall become due and payable on the Redemption Date at the Redemption Price stated therein, together with accrued interest to such Redemption Date, and on and after such date (unless the Issuer shall default in the payment of such Notes at the Redemption Price and accrued interest to the Redemption Date, in which case the principal, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed in the Notes) such Notes shall cease to accrue interest. Upon surrender of any Note for redemption in accordance with a notice of redemption, such Note shall be paid and redeemed by the Issuer at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest, if any, to the Redemption Date; provided that installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Date.
Notice of redemption shall be deemed to be given when delivered, whether or not the Holder receives the notice. In any event, failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of Notes held by Holders to whom such notice was properly given.
SECTION 3.08 Notes Redeemed in Part.
(a) Upon surrender of a Global Note that is redeemed in part, the Paying Agent shall forward such Global Note to the Registrar who shall make a notation on the Security Register to reduce the principal amount of such Global Note to an amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Global Note surrendered; provided that each such Global Note shall be in a principal amount at final Stated Maturity of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
(b) Upon surrender and cancellation of a Definitive Registered Note that is redeemed in part, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder (at the Issuer’s expense) a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Note surrendered and canceled; provided that each such Definitive Registered Note shall be in a principal amount at final Stated Maturity of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
SECTION 3.09 Redemption for Changes in Taxes. The Issuer may redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, at its discretion at any time upon giving not less than 10 nor more than 60
57 |
days’ prior written notice to the Holders of the Notes (which notice shall be irrevocable and given in accordance with the procedures set forth under Section 3.04), at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, together with accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date fixed by the Issuer for redemption (a “Tax Redemption Date”) and all Additional Amounts (if any) then due or which will become due on the Tax Redemption Date as a result of the redemption or otherwise (subject to the right of Holders on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date and Additional Amounts (if any) in respect thereof), if on the next date on which any amount would be payable in respect of the Notes or Note Guarantee, the Issuer or any Guarantor is or would be required to pay Additional Amounts (but, in the case of a Guarantor, only if the payment giving rise to such requirement cannot be made by the Issuer or another Guarantor without the obligation to pay Additional Amounts), and the Issuer or the relevant Guarantor cannot avoid any such payment obligation by taking reasonable measures available (including, for the avoidance of doubt, appointment of a new Paying Agent but excluding the reincorporation or reorganization of the Issuer or any Guarantor), and the requirement arises as a result of:
(a) any change in, or amendment to, the laws (or any regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder) of the relevant Tax Jurisdiction which change or amendment is announced and becomes effective after the date of the Offering Memorandum (or if the applicable Tax Jurisdiction became a Tax Jurisdiction on a date after the date of the Offering Memorandum, after such later date); or
(b) any change in, or amendment to, the official application, administration or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings (including by virtue of a holding, judgment or order by a court of competent jurisdiction or a change in published practice), which change or amendment is announced and becomes effective after the date of the Offering Memorandum (or if the applicable Tax Jurisdiction became a Tax Jurisdiction on a date after the date of this Offering Memorandum, after such later date) (each of the foregoing clauses (a) and (b), a “Change in Tax Law”).
The Issuer shall not give any such notice of redemption earlier than 60 days prior to the earliest date on which the Issuer or the relevant Guarantor would be obligated to make such payment or Additional Amounts if a payment in respect of the Notes or Note Guarantee were then due and at the time such notice is given, the obligation to pay Additional Amounts must remain in effect. Prior to the delivery of any notice of redemption of the Notes pursuant to the foregoing, the Issuer shall deliver the Trustee an opinion of independent tax counsel of recognized standing qualified under the laws of the relevant Tax Jurisdiction (which counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee) to the effect that there has been a Change in Tax Law which would entitle the Issuer to redeem the Notes hereunder. In addition, before the Issuer delivers a notice of redemption of the Notes as described above, it shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that it cannot avoid its obligation to pay Additional Amounts by the Issuer or the relevant Guarantor taking reasonable measures available to it.
The Trustee will accept and shall be entitled to rely on such Officer’s Certificate and opinion of counsel as sufficient evidence of the existence and satisfaction of the conditions as described above, in which event it will be conclusive and binding on all of the Holders.
58 |
The foregoing provisions of this Section 3.09 will apply, mutatis mutandis, to any successor of the Issuer (or any Guarantor) with respect to a Change in Tax Law occurring after the time such Person becomes successor to the Issuer (or any Guarantor).
ARTICLE
FOUR
COVENANTS
SECTION 4.01 Payment of Notes. The Issuer and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, covenant and agree for the benefit of the Holders that they shall duly and punctually pay the principal of, premium, if any, interest and Additional Amounts, if any, on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and in this Indenture. Subject to Section 2.04, principal, premium, if any, interest and Additional Amounts, if any, shall be considered paid on the date due if on such date the Trustee or the Paying Agent (other than the Issuer or any of its Affiliates) holds, as of 10:00 a.m. (New York, New York time) on the due date, in accordance with this Indenture, money sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, interest and Additional Amounts, if any, then due. If the Issuer or any of its Affiliates acts as Paying Agent, principal, premium, if any, interest and Additional Amounts, if any, shall be considered paid on the due date if the entity acting as Paying Agent complies with Section 2.04.
The Issuer or the Guarantors shall pay interest on overdue principal at the rate specified therefor in the Notes. The Issuer or the Guarantors shall pay interest on overdue installments of interest at the same rate to the extent lawful.
SECTION 4.02 Corporate Existence. Subject to Article Five, the Issuer and each Guarantor shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect their corporate, partnership, limited liability company or other existence and the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises of the Issuer, the Company and each Guarantor; provided that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise if the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Issuer and the Guarantors as a whole.
SECTION 4.03 Maintenance of Properties. The Issuer shall cause all properties owned by it or any Guarantor or used or held for use in the conduct of its business or the business of any Guarantor to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order and supplied with all necessary equipment and shall cause to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements thereof, all as in the judgment of the Issuer may be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided that nothing in this Section 4.03 shall prevent the Issuer from discontinuing the maintenance of any such properties if such discontinuance is, in the judgment of the Issuer, desirable in the conduct of the business of the Issuer and the Guarantors as a whole.
SECTION 4.04 Insurance. The Issuer shall maintain, and shall cause the Guarantors to maintain, insurance with carriers believed by the Issuer to be responsible, against such risks and in such amounts, and with such deductibles, retentions, self-insured amounts and coinsurance provisions, as the Issuer believes are customarily carried by businesses similarly situated and owning like properties, including as appropriate general liability, property and casualty loss insurance (but on the basis that the Company and the Guarantors self-insure Vessels for certain war risks);
59 |
provided that in no event shall the Company and the Guarantors be required to obtain any business interruption, loss of hire or delay in delivery insurance.
SECTION 4.05 Statement as to Compliance.
(a) The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year or within 14 days of written request by the Trustee, an Officer’s Certificate stating that in the course of the performance by the signer of its duties as an Officer of the Issuer he would normally have knowledge of any Default and whether or not the signer knows of any Default that occurred during such period and, if any, specifying such Default, its status and what action the Issuer is taking or proposed to take with respect thereto. For purposes of this Section 4.05(a), such compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice under this Indenture.
(b) If the Issuer shall become aware that (i) any Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or (ii) any Holder seeks to exercise any remedy hereunder with respect to a claimed Default under this Indenture or the Notes, the Issuer shall promptly, and in any event within 30 days, deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying such event, notice or other action (including any action the Issuer is taking or propose to take in respect thereof).
SECTION 4.06 Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Preferred Stock.
(a) The Company shall not, and shall not cause or permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become directly or indirectly liable, contingently or otherwise, with respect to (collectively, “incur”) any Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt), and the Company will not and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to issue any Disqualified Stock and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to issue any shares of preferred stock; provided, however, that the Company may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) or issue Disqualified Stock, and the Restricted Subsidiaries may incur Indebtedness (including Acquired Debt) or issue preferred stock, if the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company’s most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such additional Indebtedness is incurred or such Disqualified Stock or such preferred stock is issued, as the case may be, would have been at least 2.0 to 1.0, determined on a pro forma basis (including a pro forma application of the net proceeds therefrom), as if the additional Indebtedness had been incurred or the Disqualified Stock or the preferred stock had been issued, as the case may be, at the beginning of such four-quarter period.
(b) Section 4.06(a) shall not, however, prohibit the incurrence of any of the following items of Indebtedness, without duplication (collectively, “Permitted Debt”):
(1) (i) Indebtedness
under the Credit Facilities in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $3,000.04,500.0
million and 6.98.6%
of Total Tangible Assets of the Company, (ii) Indebtedness under the EIB Facility in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding
not to exceed the greater of €203.4 million and 0.6% of Total Tangible Assets of the Company, (iii) Indebtedness under the Existing
Multicurrency Facility in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of (x) the sum of $1,700.0
million, €1,000.0 million and £300.0 million and (y) 7.3% of Total Tangible Assets of the
60 |
Company, and
(iv) Indebtedness under Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $192.0
million and 0.5% of Total Tangible Assets of the Company;,
(v) Indebtedness under the
Existing Term Loan Facility in an
aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of (x) the sum of $1,860.0 million and €800.0 million
and (y) 6.3% of Total Tangible Assets of the Company, (vi) Indebtedness under the 2026 Second-Priority Secured Notes in an aggregate
principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of (x) the sum of $775.0 million and €425.0 million and (y) 2.6%
of Total Tangible Assets of the Company and (vii) Indebtedness under the 2027 Second-Priority Secured Notes in an aggregate principal
amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $900.0 million and 1.7% of Total Tangible Assets of the Company;
(2) (i)
the incurrence by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries of (i)
Existing Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness under the Convertible Notes, the EIB Facility, the Existing Multicurrency Facility or
the Existing Secured Notes) and (ii) the incurrence by the Issuer and the Guarantors
ofand the 2027 First-Priority Secured
Notes), (ii) Indebtedness under the 2026 Unsecured Notes in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the
greater of (x) the sum of $1,450.0 million and €500.0 million and (y) 4.0% of Total Tangible Assets of the Company, (iii) Indebtedness
under the 2027 Unsecured Notes in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $3,500.0 million
and 6.7% of Total Tangible Assets of the Company and (iv) Indebtedness represented
by the Convertible Notes and the related Guarantees;
(3) the incurrence by the Issuer and the Guarantors of Indebtedness represented by the Notes issued on the Issue Date and the related Note Guarantees;
(4) the incurrence by the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness represented by Attributable Debt, Capital Lease Obligations, mortgage financings or purchase money
obligations, the issuance by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Disqualified Stock and the issuance by any Restricted Subsidiary
of preferred stock, in each case, incurred or issued for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price, lease expense,
rental payments or cost of design, construction, installation, repair, replacement or improvement of property (including Vessels), plant
or equipment or other assets (including Capital Stock) used in the business of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, in an
aggregate principal amount or liquidation preference, including all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to renew, refund, refinance,
replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness incurred or Disqualified Stock or preferred stock issued pursuant to this clause (4), not
to exceed the greater of $500.0600.0
million and 1.21.5%
of Total Tangible Assets at any time outstanding (it being understood that any such Indebtedness may be incurred and such Disqualified
Stock and preferred stock may be issued after the acquisition, purchase, charter, leasing or rental or the design, construction, installation,
repair, replacement or the making of any improvement with respect to any asset (including Vessels)); provided that any such property
(including Vessels), plant or equipment or other assets do not constitute Collateral; provided further that the principal amount
of any Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock permitted under this clause (4) did not in each case at the time of incurrence
exceed, together with amounts previously incurred and outstanding under this clause (4) with respect to any applicable Vessel, (i) in
the case of a completed Vessel, the book value and (ii) in the case of an uncompleted Vessel, 80% of the contract price for the acquisition
or construction of such Vessel, in the case of this clause (ii), as determined on the date on which the agreement for
61 |
acquisition or construction of such Vessel was entered into by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiary, plus any other Ready for Sea Cost of such Vessel plus 100% of any related export credit insurance premium;
(5) the incurrence by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness, the issuance by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Disqualified Stock and the issuance by any Restricted Subsidiary of preferred stock in connection with any New Vessel Financing in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding (including all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness incurred or Disqualified Stock or preferred stock issued under this clause (5)) not exceeding the New Vessel Aggregate Secured Debt Cap as calculated on the date of the relevant incurrence under this clause (5);
(6) Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in exchange for, or the net proceeds of which are used to renew, refund, refinance, replace, defease or discharge, any Indebtedness (other than intercompany Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock) that was permitted to be incurred under Section 4.06(a) or clause (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (12) or (18) of this Section 4.06(b);
(7) the incurrence by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that:
(A) if the Issuer or any Guarantor is the obligor on such Indebtedness and the payee is not the Issuer or a Guarantor, such Indebtedness must be unsecured and ((i) except in respect of the intercompany current liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with the cash management operations of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries and (ii) only to the extent legally permitted (the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries having completed all procedures required in the reasonable judgment of directors or officers of the obligee or obligor to protect such Persons from any penalty or civil or criminal liability in connection with the subordination of such Indebtedness)) expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all Obligations then due with respect to the Notes, in the case of the Issuer, or the Note Guarantee, in the case of a Guarantor; and
(B) (i) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such Indebtedness being held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person that is not either the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, will be deemed, in each case, to constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that was not permitted by this clause (7);
(8) the issuance by any Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Disqualified Stock or preferred stock; provided that (i) any subsequent issuance or transfer of Equity Interests that results in any such Disqualified Stock or preferred stock being held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and (ii)
62 |
any sale or other transfer of any such Disqualified Stock or preferred stock to a Person that is not either the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, will be deemed, in each case, to constitute an issuance of such Disqualified Stock or preferred stock by such Restricted Subsidiary that was not permitted by this clause (8);
(9) the incurrence by the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary of Hedging Obligations and not for speculative purposes;
(10) the Guarantee by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that the guaranteed Indebtedness was permitted to be incurred by another provision of this Section 4.06; provided that, in each case, if the Indebtedness being guaranteed is subordinated to or pari passu with the Notes or a Note Guarantee, then the Guarantee must be subordinated or pari passu, as applicable, to the same extent as the Indebtedness guaranteed;
(11) the incurrence by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness (i) in respect of workers’ compensation claims, self-insurance obligations, captive insurance companies and bankers’ acceptances in the ordinary course of business; (ii) in respect of letters of credit, surety, bid, performance, travel or appeal bonds, completion guarantees, judgment, advance payment, customs, VAT or other tax guarantees or similar instruments issued in the ordinary course of business of such Person or consistent with past practice or industry practice (including as required by any governmental authority) and not in connection with the borrowing of money, including letters of credit or similar instruments in respect of self-insurance and workers compensation obligations, or for the protection of customer deposits or credit card payments; provided, however, that upon the drawing of such letters of credit or other instrument, such obligations are reimbursed within 30 days following such drawing; (iii) arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently drawn against insufficient funds, so long as such Indebtedness is covered within 30 days; and (iv) consisting of (x) the financing of insurance premiums or (y) take-or-pay obligations contained in supply agreements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;
(12) Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock (i) of any Person outstanding on the date on which such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged, consolidated, amalgamated or otherwise combined with (including pursuant to any acquisition of assets and assumption of related liabilities) the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or (ii) incurred or issued to provide all or any portion of the funds used to consummate the transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or was otherwise acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, with respect to this clause (12), that at the time of the acquisition or other transaction pursuant to which such Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock was deemed to be incurred or issued, (x) the Company would have been able to incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.06(a) after giving pro forma effect to the relevant acquisition or other transaction and the incurrence of such Indebtedness or issuance of such Disqualified Stock or preferred stock pursuant to this clause (12) or (y) the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company’s most recently ended four full fiscal quarters for which internal financial statements are available immediately preceding the date on which such additional Indebtedness is incurred or Disqualified Stock or preferred stock is issued pursuant to this clause (12), taken as one period, would not be less than it was immediately prior to giving pro forma effect
63 |
to such acquisition or other transaction and the incurrence of such Indebtedness or issuance of such Disqualified Stock or preferred stock;
(13) Indebtedness arising from agreements of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary providing for customary indemnification, obligations in respect of earnouts or other adjustments of purchase price or, in each case, similar obligations, in each case, incurred or assumed in connection with the acquisition or disposition of any business or assets or Person or any Equity Interests of a Subsidiary; provided that (in the case of a disposition) the maximum liability of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of all such Indebtedness shall at no time exceed the gross proceeds, including the Fair Market Value of non-cash proceeds (measured at the time received and without giving effect to any subsequent changes in value), actually received by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such disposition;
(14) the incurrence by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness in the form of Unearned Customer Deposits and advance payments received in the ordinary course of business from customers for goods and services purchased in the ordinary course of business;
(15) Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary incurred in connection with credit card processing arrangements or other similar payment processing arrangements entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(16) the incurrence by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness, the issuance by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Disqualified Stock and the issuance by any Restricted Subsidiary of preferred stock to finance the replacement (through construction or acquisition) of a Vessel upon an Event of Loss of such Vessel in an aggregate amount no greater than the Ready for Sea Cost for such replacement Vessel, in each case less all compensation, damages and other payments (including insurance proceeds other than in respect of business interruption insurance) received by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from any Person in connection with such Event of Loss in excess of amounts actually used to repay Indebtedness secured by the Vessel subject to such Event of Loss and any costs and expenses incurred by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with such Event of Loss;
(17) the incurrence by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness in relation to (i) regular maintenance required on any of the Vessels owned or chartered by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, and (ii) any expenditures that are, or are reasonably expected to be, recoverable from insurance on such Vessels;
(18) the
incurrence of Indebtedness by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness, the issuance by the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary of Disqualified Stock and the issuance by any Restricted Subsidiary of preferred stock in an aggregate principal amount (or
accreted value, as applicable) at any time outstanding, including all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred to renew, refund, refinance,
replace, defease or discharge any Indebtedness incurred or Disqualified Stock or preferred stock issued pursuant to this clause (18),
not to exceed the greater of $2,000.03,500.0
million and 4.66.7%
of Total Tangible Assets; and
64 |
(19) Indebtedness existing solely by reason of Permitted Liens described in clause (29) of the definition thereof.
(c) Neither
the Issuer nor any Guarantor will incur any Indebtedness (including Permitted Debt) that is contractually subordinated in right of payment
to any other Indebtedness of the Issuer or such Guarantor unless such Indebtedness is also contractually subordinated in right of payment
to the Notes andor
the applicable Note Guarantee on substantially identical terms; provided, however, that no Indebtedness will be deemed to
be contractually subordinated in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor solely by virtue of being unsecured.
(d) For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.06, in the event that an item of Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Debt described in clauses (1) through (19) of Section 4.06(b), or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to Section 4.06(a), the Issuer, in its sole discretion, will be permitted to classify such item of Indebtedness on the date of its incurrence and only be required to include the amount and type of such Indebtedness in one of such clauses and will be permitted on the date of such incurrence to divide and classify an item of Indebtedness in more than one of the types of Indebtedness described in Sections 4.06(a) and (b) and from time to time to reclassify all or a portion of such item of Indebtedness, in any manner that complies with this Section 4.06.
(e) In connection with the incurrence or issuance, as applicable, of (x) revolving loan Indebtedness or (y) any commitment relating to the incurrence or issuance of Indebtedness, Disqualified Stock or preferred stock, in each case, in compliance with this Section 4.06, and the granting of any Lien to secure such Indebtedness, the Issuer or applicable Restricted Subsidiary may, at its option, designate such incurrence or issuance and the granting of any Lien therefor as having occurred on the date of first incurrence of such revolving loan Indebtedness or commitment (such date, the “Deemed Date”), and any related subsequent actual incurrence or issuance and granting of such Lien therefor will be deemed for all purposes under this Indenture to have been incurred or issued and granted on such Deemed Date, including, without limitation, for purposes of calculating the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, usage of any baskets described herein (if applicable), the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio, the Loan-to-Value Ratio and Consolidated EBITDA (and all such calculations on and after the Deemed Date until the termination or funding of such commitment shall be made on a pro forma basis giving effect to the deemed incurrence or issuance, the granting of any Lien therefor and related transactions in connection therewith).
(f) The accrual of interest or preferred stock dividends, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest on any Indebtedness in the form of additional Indebtedness with the same terms, the reclassification of preferred stock as Indebtedness due to a change in accounting principles, the payment of dividends on preferred stock or Disqualified Stock in the form of additional shares of the same class of preferred stock or Disqualified Stock, the accretion of liquidation preference and the increase in the amount of Indebtedness outstanding solely as a result of fluctuations in exchange rates or currency values will not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness or an issuance of preferred stock or Disqualified Stock for purposes of this Section 4.06; provided, in each such case, that the amount of any such accrual, accretion, amortization, payment, reclassification or increase is included in the Fixed Charges of the Company as accrued.
65 |
(g) For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness denominated in a different currency shall be utilized, calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was incurred or, in the case of Indebtedness incurred under a revolving credit facility and at the option of the Issuer, first committed; provided that (a) if such Indebtedness is incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars, and such refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing indebtedness does not exceed the aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced; and (b) if and for so long as any Indebtedness is subject to a Hedging Obligation with respect to the currency in which such Indebtedness is denominated covering principal amounts payable on such Indebtedness, the amount of such Indebtedness, if denominated in U.S. dollars, will be the amount of the principal payment required to be made under such Hedging Obligation and, otherwise, the U.S. dollar-equivalent of such amount plus the U.S. dollar-equivalent of any premium which is at such time due and payable but is not covered by such Hedging Obligation.
(h) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Section 4.06, the maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary may incur pursuant
to this Section 4.06 shall not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in exchange rates or currency values. The principal
amount of any Indebtedness incurred to refinance other Indebtedness, if incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced,
will be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such Permitted
Refinancing Indebtedness refinancing indebtedness
is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.
(i) The amount of any Indebtedness outstanding as of any date will be:
(i) in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount, the amount of the liability in respect thereof determined in accordance with GAAP;
(ii) the principal amount of the Indebtedness, in the case of any other Indebtedness; and
(iii) in respect of Indebtedness of another Person secured by a Lien on the assets of the specified Person, the lesser of:
(A) the Fair Market Value of such assets at the date of determination; and
(B) the amount of the Indebtedness of the other Person.
SECTION 4.07 Liens.
(a) The Company shall not and shall not cause or permit any of the Guarantors to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, assume or otherwise cause to exist or become effective any
66 |
Lien of any kind securing Indebtedness upon any of their property or assets, now owned or hereafter acquired, except:
(1) in the case of any property or assets
that constitute Collateral, Permitted Collateral Liens, which may be secured on a pari passu basis with,
or junior basis to,
the Liens on the Collateral securing the Notes and the Note GuaranteesObligations,
subject to Section 4.25; and
(2) in the case of any property or assets
that do not constitute Collateral, (A) Permitted Liens or (B) Liensa
Lien on such property or assets that areis
not a Permitted LiensLien
(each Lien under this clause (B), a “Triggering Lien”) if, contemporaneously with (or prior to) the incurrence
of such Lien, all payments due under this Indenture and the Notes (or the relevant Note Guarantee,
in the case of Liens on property or assets of a Guarantor)Triggering
Lien, all Note Obligations are secured on an equal and ratable basis with or prioron
a senior basis to the obligations so secured until such time as such obligations are no longer secured by asuch
Triggering Lien; provided that, (i)
if the Indebtedness secured by such Triggering Lien is subordinate
or junior in right of payment to the Notes or a Note Guarantee, as the case may be, then thesuch
Triggering Lien securing such Indebtedness shall be subordinate or junior in priority to the Lien securing the Notes
or the Note Guarantee, as the case may be, at least to the same extent as such Indebtedness is subordinate or junior to the Notes or a
Note Guarantee, as the case may be.Note Obligations and
(ii) if any Secured Indebtedness is also required to be
secured by Liens on such property or assets pursuant to provisions
in the Secured Indebtedness Documents that are similar to this clause (B), the
Liens on such property or assets securing the Note Obligations
may rank senior or pari passu in priority to the Liens on such property or assets securing such Secured Indebtedness pursuant to a Customary
Intercreditor Agreement.
(b) For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.07, (A) Liens securing Indebtedness and obligations need not be incurred solely by reference to one category of Permitted Liens (or subparts thereof) but are permitted to be incurred in part under any combination thereof, and (B) in the event that a Lien meets the criteria of one or more of the categories of Permitted Liens (or subparts thereof), the Issuer shall, in its sole discretion, classify, divide or later reclassify or redivide (as if incurred at such later time) such Liens (or any portions thereof) in any manner that complies with the definition of Permitted Liens, and such Liens (or portions thereof, as applicable) will be treated as having been incurred pursuant to such clause, clauses or subparts of the definition of Permitted Liens (and in the case of a subsequent division, classification or reclassification, such Liens shall cease to be divided or classified as it was prior to such subsequent division, classification or reclassification).
(c) To the extent that any Liens are imposed pursuant to Section 4.07(a)(2)(B) (the “Equal and Ratable Provision”) on any assets or property to secure the Note Obligations, additional Liens may be granted on any such asset or property, which additional Liens may be pari passu or junior in priority to the Liens on such asset or property securing the Note Obligations subject to any limitations or requirements set forth in the Equal and Ratable Provision. The Security Agent (and the Trustee if applicable) shall, upon being provided with an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of
67 |
Counsel in each case reasonably satisfactory to the Security Agent (and the Trustee if applicable) and upon which the Security Agent (and the Trustee if applicable) may conclusively rely, each stating that the execution of any Customary Intercreditor Agreement authorized pursuant to this Section 4.07(c) is authorized or permitted by this Indenture, be required to enter into a Customary Intercreditor Agreement with respect to such permitted pari passu Liens, junior Liens and Liens imposed pursuant to the Equal and Ratable Provision, if any; provided such Customary Intercreditor Agreement shall not impose any personal obligations on the Trustee or the Security Agent or, in the opinion of the Trustee or the Security Agent, adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee or the Security Agent under this Indenture or the Intercreditor Agreements.
(bd) With
respect to any Lien securing Indebtedness that was permitted to secure such Indebtedness at the time of the incurrence of such Indebtedness,
such Lien shall also be permitted to secure any Increased Amount of such Indebtedness. The “Increased Amount” of any
Indebtedness shall mean any increase in the amount of such Indebtedness in connection with any accrual of interest, the accretion of accreted
value, the accretion or amortization of original issue discount, the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness with the
same terms or in the form of common stock of the Company, the payment of dividends on preferred stock in the form of additional shares
of preferred stock of the same class, the accretion of liquidation preference and increases in the amount of Indebtedness outstanding
solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies or increases in the value of property securing Indebtedness. For
the avoidance of doubt, any Lien that is permitted under this Indenture to secure Indebtedness shall also be permitted to secure any obligations
related to such Indebtedness.
(ce) Any
Lien created in favor of this Indenture and the Notes or a Note Guarantee pursuant to Section 4.07(a)(2)the
Equal and Ratable Provision will be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged (i) upon the release and
discharge of the initialTriggering
Lien to which it relates and (ii) otherwise as set forth under Section 11.04.
SECTION 4.08 Restricted Payments.
(a) The Company shall not, and shall not cause or permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:
(A) declare or pay any dividend or make any other payment or distribution on account of the Company’s or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Equity Interests (including, without limitation, any payment in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) or to the direct or indirect holders of the Company’s or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries’ Equity Interests in their capacity as holders (other than dividends or distributions payable in Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or in Subordinated Shareholder Funding and other than dividends or distributions payable to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary);
(B) purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value (including, without limitation, in connection with any merger or consolidation involving the
68 |
Company) any Equity Interests of the Company or any direct or indirect parent entity of the Company;
(C) make any principal payment on or with respect to, or purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, any Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor that is expressly contractually subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or to any Note Guarantee (excluding any intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), except (i) a payment of principal at the Stated Maturity thereof or (ii) the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition of Indebtedness purchased in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or scheduled maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of such purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition, or make any cash interest payment on, or purchase, repurchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, any Subordinated Shareholder Funding; or
(D) make any Restricted Investment
(all such payments and other actions set forth in these clauses (A) through (D) above being collectively referred to as “Restricted Payments”), unless, at the time of such Restricted Payment:
(i) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would occur as a consequence of such Restricted Payment;
(ii) the
Company would, at the time of such Restricted Payment and after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Restricted Payment had
been made at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, have been permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness
pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.06(a); and
(iii) such
Restricted Payment, together with the aggregate amount of all other Restricted Payments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries
since the Issue Date (excluding Restricted Payments permitted by clauses (1) (without duplication of amounts paid pursuant to any other
clause of Section 4.08(b)), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), and
(11) and (12) of Section 4.08(b)), is less than the sum, without duplication, of:
(A) 50% of the Consolidated Net Income of the Company for the period (taken as one accounting period) from the first day of the fiscal quarter commencing immediately following the fiscal quarter in which the Issue Date occurs to the end of the Company’s most recently ended fiscal quarter for which internal financial statements are available at the time of such Restricted Payment (or, if such Consolidated Net Income for such period is a deficit, less 100% of such deficit); plus
(B) 100% of the aggregate net cash proceeds and the Fair Market Value of other assets received by the Company since the Issue Date as a contribution to its common equity capital or from the issue or sale of Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or Subordinated Shareholder Funding or from the issue or sale of convertible or exchangeable Disqualified Stock
69 |
of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or convertible or exchangeable debt securities of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, in each case that have been converted into or exchanged for Equity Interests of the Company or Subordinated Shareholder Funding (other than (x) net cash proceeds and marketable securities received from an issuance or sale of Equity Interests, Disqualified Stock or convertible or exchangeable debt securities sold to a Subsidiary of the Company, (y) net cash proceeds and marketable securities received from an issuance or sale of convertible or exchangeable Disqualified Stock or convertible or exchangeable debt securities that have been converted into, exchanged or redeemed for Disqualified Stock and (z) net cash proceeds and marketable securities to the extent any Restricted Payment has been made from such proceeds pursuant to Section 4.08(b)(4)); plus
(C) to
the extent that any Restricted Investment that was made after the Issue Date is (i) sold, disposed of or otherwise cancelled, liquidated
or repaid, 100% of the aggregate amount received in cash and the Fair Market Value of marketable securities received; or (ii) made in
an entity that subsequently becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, 100% of the Fair Market Value of the such
Restricted Investment as of the date such entity becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; plus
(D) to the extent that any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company designated as such after the Issue Date is redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary, or is merged or consolidated into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, or all of the assets of such Unrestricted Subsidiary are transferred to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, in each case, after the Issue Date, the Fair Market Value of the Company’s Restricted Investment in such Subsidiary as of the date of such redesignation, merger, consolidation or transfer of assets to the extent such investments reduced the restricted payments capacity under this clause (iii) and were not previously repaid or otherwise reduced; provided, however, that no amount will be included in Consolidated Net Income of the Company for purposes of the preceding clause (A) to the extent that it is included under this clause (D); plus
(E) 100%
of any dividends or distributions received by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary after the Issue Date from an Unrestricted Subsidiary
to the extent that such dividends or distributions were not otherwise included in the Consolidated Net Income of the Company for such
period (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, repayments of, or interest payments in respect of, any Permitted Investment pursuant to
clause (16) of the definition thereof).;
and
(iv) At least one year shall have elapsed since the Issue Date, and (x) in the case of a Restricted Payment made on or after the first anniversary of the Issue Date and before the second anniversary of the Issue Date, the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio of
70 |
the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would not have been greater than 6.00:1.00 on a pro forma basis and (y) in the case of a Restricted Payment made on or after the second anniversary of the Issue Date, the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would not have been greater than 5.00:1.00 on a pro forma basis.
(b) The preceding provisions will not prohibit the following (“Permitted Payments”):
(1) the payment of any dividend or distribution or the consummation of any redemption within 60 days after the date of declaration of the dividend or distribution or giving of the redemption notice, as the case may be, if at the date of declaration or notice, the dividend or distribution or redemption payment would have complied with the provisions of this Indenture;
(2) the making of any Restricted Payment in exchange for, or out of or with the net cash proceeds of the substantially concurrent sale (other than to a Subsidiary of the Company) of, Equity Interests of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) or Subordinated Shareholder Funding or from the substantially concurrent contribution of common equity capital to the Company; provided that the amount of any such net cash proceeds that are utilized for any such Restricted Payment will be excluded from Section 4.08(a)(iii)(B);
(3) the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance or other acquisition or retirement for value of Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor that is contractually subordinated to the Notes or to any Note Guarantee with the net cash proceeds from an incurrence of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness;
(4) so long as no Default or Event
of Default has occurred and is continuing, the purchase, repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of any Equity
Interests of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary held by any current or former officer, director, employee or consultant of the Company
or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to any equity subscription agreement, stock option agreement, restricted stock grant, shareholders’
agreement or similar agreement; provided that the aggregate price paid for all such purchased, repurchased, redeemed, acquired
or retired Equity Interests may not exceed $20.025.0
million in the aggregate in any twelve-month period with unused amounts being carried over to any subsequent twelve-month period subject
to a maximum aggregate amount of $40.050.0
million being available in any twelve-month period; and provided, further, that such amount in any twelve-month period may
be increased by an amount not to exceed the cash proceeds from the sale of Equity Interests of the Company or Subordinated Shareholder
Funding, in each case, received by the Company during such twelve-month period, in each case to members of management, directors or consultants
of the Company, any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any of its direct or indirect parent companies to the extent the cash proceeds from
the sale of such Equity Interests or Subordinated Shareholder Funding have not otherwise been applied to the making of Restricted Payments
pursuant to Section 4.08(a)(iii)(C) or clause (2) of this Section 4.08(b);
71 |
(5) the repurchase of Equity Interests deemed to occur upon the exercise of stock options to the extent such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of those stock options;
(6) so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the declaration and payment of regularly scheduled or accrued dividends to holders of any class or series of Disqualified Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or any preferred stock of any Restricted Subsidiary issued on or after the Issue Date in accordance with Section 4.06;
(7) payments of cash, dividends, distributions, advances or other Restricted Payments by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to allow the payment of cash in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares upon (i) the exercise of options or warrants or (ii) the conversion or exchange of Capital Stock of any such Person;
(8) the payment of any dividend (or, in the case of any partnership or limited liability company, any similar distribution) by a Restricted Subsidiary to the holders of its Equity Interests (other than the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary) on no more than a pro rata basis;
(9) the making of (i) cash payments made by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in satisfaction of the conversion obligation upon conversion of convertible Indebtedness issued in a convertible notes offering and (ii) any payments by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the exercise, settlement or termination of any related capped call, hedge, warrant or other similar transactions;
(10) with
respect to any Tax period in which any of the Restricted Subsidiaries are members of a consolidated, combined, unitary or similar income
Tax group for U.S. federal or applicable state and local, or non-U.S. income Tax purposes (a “Tax Group”) of which
any subsidiarya Parent
Company, or any Subsidiary of a Parent Company,
is a common parent, or for which such Restricted Subsidiary is disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes as separate from any
subsidiarya Parent Company, or any Subsidiary
of a Parent Company, that is a C corporation for U.S. federal
income tax purposes, payments by each such Restricted Subsidiary in an amount not to exceed the amount of its allocable share of any U.S.
federal, state and/or local and/or foreign income Taxes, as applicable, of such Tax Group for such taxable period that are attributable
to the income, revenue, receipts or capital of such Restricted Subsidiary in an aggregate amount not to exceed the amount of such income
Taxes that such Restricted Subsidiaries would have paid had it been a standalone corporate tax payer or standalone corporate tax group
(without duplication, for the avoidance of doubt, of any such Taxes paid by such Restricted Subsidiary directly to the relevant taxing
authority); and
(11) other
Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed $50.0225.0
million since the Issue Date so long as, immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, no Default or Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing; and.
72 |
(12) other
Restricted Payments made on or after the first anniversary of the Issue Date, in an
aggregate amount not to exceed $100.0 million since the Issue Date, provided that (x) in the case of a
Restricted Payment made pursuant to this clause (12) on or after the first anniversary of the Issue Date and before the second anniversary
of the Issue Date, the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio of the Company
and its Restricted Subsidiaries would not have been greater than 6.00:1.00 on a pro forma basis and (y) in the case of in the case
of a Restricted Payment made pursuant to this clause (12) on or after the second anniversary of the Issue Date, the Consolidated Total
Leverage Ratio of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries would not have been greater than 5.00:1.00 on a pro forma basis.
The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) will be the Fair Market Value on the date of the Restricted Payment of the asset(s) or securities proposed to be transferred or issued by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, pursuant to the Restricted Payment.
For purposes of determining compliance with
this covenantSection 4.08,
(1) in the event that a proposed Restricted Payment (or portion thereof) meets the criteria of one or more categories (or subparts thereof)
of Permitted Payments or Permitted Investments, or is entitled to be incurred pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenantSection
4.08, the CompanyIssuer
will be entitled to classify or re-classify such Restricted Paymentpayment
(or portion thereof) based on circumstances existing on the date of such reclassification in any manner that complies with this covenantSection
4.08, and such Restricted Paymentpayment
(or portion thereof) will be treated as having been made pursuant to the first paragraph of this covenantSection
4.08 or such clause or clauses (or subparts thereof) in the definition of Permitted Payments or Permitted Investments,
(2) the amount of any return of or on capital from any Investment shall be netted against the amount of such Investment for purposes of
determining compliance with this covenantSection
4.08 and (3) payments made among the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to the agreements, constituent documents,
guarantees, deeds and other instruments governing the “dual listed company” structure of the Company shall not be deemed to
be Restricted Payments.
SECTION 4.09 Asset Sales.
(a) The Company shall not, and shall not cause or permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, consummate an Asset Sale unless:
(1) the Company (or the Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be) receives consideration at the time of the Asset Sale at least equal to the Fair Market Value of the assets or Equity Interests issued or sold or otherwise disposed of; and
(2) at least 75% of the consideration received in the Asset Sale by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary is in the form of cash, Cash Equivalents or Replacement Assets or a combination thereof (which determination may be made by the Issuer, at its option, either (x) at the time such Asset Sale is approved by the Issuer’s Board of Directors or (y) at the time the Asset Sale is completed). For purposes of this clause (2), each of the following will be deemed to be cash:
73 |
(A) any liabilities, as recorded on the balance sheet of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than contingent liabilities or liabilities that are by their terms subordinated to the Notes or the Notes Guarantees), that are assumed by the transferee of any such assets and as a result of which the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries are no longer obligated with respect to such liabilities or are indemnified against further liabilities or that are otherwise retired or repaid;
(B) any securities, notes or other obligations received by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary from such transferee that are converted by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary into cash or Cash Equivalents within 180 days following the closing of the Asset Sale, to the extent of the cash or Cash Equivalents received in that conversion;
(C) any Capital Stock or assets of the kind referred to in Section 4.09(b)(2) or (4);
(D) Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness that is by its terms subordinated to the Notes or the Notes Guarantees) of any Restricted Subsidiary that is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such Asset Sale, to the extent that Carnival plc and each other Restricted Subsidiary are released from any Guarantee of such Indebtedness in connection with such Asset Sale;
(E) consideration consisting of Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor received from Persons who are not the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; and
(F) consideration other than cash, Cash Equivalents or Replacement Assets received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in Asset Sales with a Fair Market Value not exceeding $250.0 million in the aggregate outstanding at any one time.
(b) Within 450 days after the receipt of any Net Proceeds from an Asset Sale, any Event of Loss, the Company (or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be) may apply such Net Proceeds:
(1) to repurchase the Notes pursuant to an offer to all Holders at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest to (but not including) the date of purchase (a “Notes Offer”);
(2) to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of, or any Capital Stock of, another Permitted Business; provided that (i) after giving effect to any such acquisition of Capital Stock, the Permitted Business is or becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) to the extent the assets that were the subject of such Asset Sale or Event of Loss comprised part of the Collateral, the assets comprising such Permitted Business shall also be pledged as Collateral;
74 |
(3) to make a capital expenditure; provided that to the extent the assets that were the subject of such Asset Sale or Event of Loss comprised part of the Collateral, such capital expenditures shall be made in respect of assets that are Collateral;
(4) to acquire other assets (other than Capital Stock) not classified as current assets under GAAP that are used or useful in a Permitted Business; provided that to the extent the assets that were the subject of such Asset Sale or Event of Loss comprised part of the Collateral, the assets being acquired shall also be pledged as Collateral;
(5) to repurchase, prepay, redeem or repay Indebtedness (a) that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral ranking pari passu with the Liens on the Collateral securing the Notes in accordance with Section 4.06, Section 4.07 and Section 4.25; provided that in connection with any repurchase, prepayment, redemption or repayment of revolving credit Indebtedness pursuant to this clause (a), the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary will retire such Indebtedness and will cause the related commitment to be permanently reduced in an amount equal to the principal amount so repurchased, prepaid, redeemed or repaid; (b)upon the sale of assets that do not constitute Collateral, of a Restricted Subsidiary which is not a Guarantor (other than Indebtedness owed to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary), or Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor that is secured by a Lien (provided that the assets secured by such Lien do not constitute Collateral) or (c) of the Issuer or a Guarantor which is secured by a Lien on the Collateral and which is pari passu in right of payment with the Notes or any Note Guarantee; provided that, in the case of this clause (c), the Company (or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary) may repurchase, prepay, redeem or repay such pari passu Indebtedness only if the Company (or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary) makes an offer to all Holders to purchase their Notes in accordance with the provisions set forth below for an Asset Sale Offer for an aggregate principal amount of Notes at least equal to the proportion that (x) the total aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding bears to (y) the sum of the total aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding plus the total aggregate principal amount outstanding of such pari passu Indebtedness;
(6) to enter into a binding commitment to apply the Net Proceeds pursuant to clause (2), (3) or (4) of this Section 4.09(b); provided that such binding commitment (or any subsequent commitments replacing the initial commitment that may be cancelled or terminated) shall be treated as a permitted application of the Net Proceeds from the date of such commitment until the earlier of (x) the date on which such acquisition or expenditure is consummated and (y) the 180th day following the expiration of the aforementioned 450 day period; or
(7) any combination of the foregoing.
Pending the final application of any Net Proceeds, the Company (or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary) may temporarily reduce borrowings under any revolving credit facility, or otherwise invest the Net Proceeds in any manner that is not prohibited by this Indenture.
(c) Any Net Proceeds from Asset Sales or an Event of Loss that are not applied or invested as provided in Section 4.09(b) (it being understood that any portion of such Net
75 |
Proceeds used to make an offer to purchase Notes as described in Section 4.09(b)(1) or (5) above shall be deemed to have been applied or invested whether or not such Notes Offer is accepted) will constitute “Excess Proceeds.” When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $250.0 million (or at an earlier time, at the option of the Issuer), within ten Business Days thereof, the Company will make an offer (an “Asset Sale Offer”) to all Holders and may make an offer to all holders of other Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral and that is pari passu with the Notes or any Note Guarantees with respect to offers to purchase, prepay or redeem with the proceeds of sales of assets or events of loss to purchase, prepay or redeem the maximum principal amount of Notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness (plus all accrued interest on the Indebtedness and the amount of all fees and expenses, including premiums, incurred in connection therewith) that may be purchased, prepaid or redeemed out of the Excess Proceeds. The offer price for the Notes in any Asset Sale Offer will be equal to 100% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest and Additional Amounts, if any, to the date of purchase, prepayment or redemption, subject to the rights of Holders on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date, and will be payable in cash. If any Excess Proceeds remain after consummation of an Asset Sale Offer, the Company may use those Excess Proceeds for any purpose not otherwise prohibited by this Indenture. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness tendered into (or to be prepaid or redeemed in connection with) such Asset Sale Offer exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, or if the aggregate amount of Notes tendered pursuant to a Notes Offer exceeds the amount of the Net Proceeds so applied, the Trustee will select the Notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness, if applicable, to be purchased on a pro rata basis (or in the manner provided in Section 3.03), based on the amounts tendered or required to be prepaid or redeemed. Upon completion of each Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset at zero.
The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the U.S. Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations (and rules of any exchange on which the Notes are then listed) to the extent those laws, regulations or rules are applicable in connection with each repurchase of Notes pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer or a Notes Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations or exchange rules conflict with the Asset Sale or Notes Offer provisions of this Indenture, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws, regulations and rules and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Asset Sale or Notes Offer provisions of this Indenture by virtue of such compliance.
SECTION 4.10 Transactions with Affiliates.
(a) The Company shall not, and shall not cause or permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, make any payment to or sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets to, or purchase any property or assets from, or enter into or make or amend any transaction, contract, agreement, understanding, loan, advance or guarantee with, or for the benefit of, any Affiliate of the Company (each, an “Affiliate Transaction”) involving aggregate payments or consideration in excess of $100.0 million, unless:
(1) the Affiliate Transaction is on terms that are, taken as a whole, no less favorable to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that would have been obtained in a comparable transaction by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary with a Person who is not such an Affiliate; and
76 |
(2) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee, with respect to any Affiliate Transaction or series of related Affiliate Transactions involving aggregate consideration in excess of $250.0 million, a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Issuer set forth in an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such Affiliate Transaction complies with this Section 4.10 and that such Affiliate Transaction has been approved by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board of Directors of the Issuer (or in the event there is only one disinterested director, by such disinterested director, or, in the event there are no disinterested directors, by unanimous approval of the members of the Board of Directors of the Issuer).
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following items will not be deemed to be Affiliate Transactions and, therefore, will not be subject to the provisions of Section 4.10(a):
(i) any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement, consulting agreement or employee benefit arrangements with any employee, consultant, officer or director of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, including under any stock option, stock appreciation rights, stock incentive or similar plans, entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(ii) transactions between or among the Company and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(iii) transactions with a Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company) that is an Affiliate of the Company solely because the Company owns, directly or through a Restricted Subsidiary, an Equity Interest in, or controls, such Person;
(iv) payment of reasonable and customary fees, salaries, bonuses, compensation, other employee benefits and reimbursements of expenses (pursuant to indemnity arrangements or otherwise) of Officers, directors, employees or consultants of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries;
(v) any issuance of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company to Affiliates of the Company or any issuance of Subordinated Shareholder Funding;
(vi) Restricted Payments that do not violate Section 4.08;
(vii) transactions pursuant to or contemplated by any agreement in effect on the Issue Date and transactions pursuant to any amendment, modification or extension to such agreement, so long as such amendment, modification or extension, taken as a whole, is not materially more disadvantageous to the Holders than the original agreement as in effect on the Issue Date;
(viii) Permitted Investments (other than Permitted Investments described in clauses (3), (4), (5), (15) and (16) of the definition thereof);
(ix) Management Advances;
77 |
(x) transactions with customers, clients, suppliers or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, in each case in the ordinary course of business and otherwise in compliance with the terms of this Indenture that are fair to the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries in the reasonable determination of the members of the Board of Directors of the Issuer or the senior management thereof, or are on terms at least as favorable as might reasonably have been obtained at such time from an unaffiliated Person;
(xi) the granting and performance of any registration rights for the Company’s Capital Stock;
(xii) any contribution to the capital of the Company;
(xiii) pledges of Equity Interests of Unrestricted Subsidiaries;
(xiv) transactions with respect to which the Company has obtained an opinion of an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of international standing, or other recognized independent expert of international standing with experience appraising the terms and conditions of the type of transaction or series of related transactions for which an opinion is required, stating that the transaction or series of related transactions is (A) fair from a financial point of view taking into account all relevant circumstances or (B) on terms not less favorable than might have been obtained in a comparable transaction at such time on an arm’s-length basis from a Person who is not an Affiliate;
(xv) transactions made pursuant to the agreements, constituent documents, guarantees, deeds and other instruments governing the “dual listed company” structure of the Company; and
(xvi) transactions undertaken in good faith (as certified by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Issuer in an Officer’s Certificate) between the Company and any other Person or a Restricted Subsidiary and any other Person with which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries files a combined, consolidated, unitary or similar group tax return or which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is part of a group for tax purposes that are effected for the purpose of improving the combined, consolidated, unitary or similar group tax efficiency of the Company and its Subsidiaries and not for the purpose of circumventing any provision of this Indenture.
SECTION 4.11 Purchase of Notes upon a Change of Control.
(a) If a Change of Control Triggering Event occurs at any time, then the Company shall make an offer (a “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder to purchase such Holder’s Notes, at a purchase price (the “Change of Control Purchase Price”) in cash in an amount equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (the “Change of Control Purchase Date”) (subject to the rights of Holders on the relevant Record Dates to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date).
(b) Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Company shall deliver a notice to each Holder of the Notes at such Holder’s registered address or
78 |
otherwise deliver a notice in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 3.04, which notice shall state:
(A) that a Change of Control Triggering Event has occurred, and the date it occurred, and that a Change of Control Offer is being made;
(B) the circumstances and relevant facts regarding such Change of Control (including, but not limited to, applicable information with respect to pro forma historical income, cash flow and capitalization after giving effect to the Change of Control);
(C) the Change of Control Purchase Price and the Change of Control Purchase Date, which shall be a Business Day no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is delivered, pursuant to the procedures required by this Indenture and described in such notice;
(D) that any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer shall cease to accrue interest after the Change of Control Purchase Date unless the Change of Control Purchase Price is not paid;
(E) that any Note (or part thereof) not tendered shall continue to accrue interest; and
(F) any other procedures that a Holder must follow to accept a Change of Control Offer or to withdraw such acceptance.
(c) On the Change of Control Purchase Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful:
(i) accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;
(ii) deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Purchase Price in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and
(iii) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted together with an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased by the Company.
(d) The Paying Agent shall promptly deliver to each Holder which has properly tendered and so accepted the Change of Control Offer for such Notes, and the Trustee (or an authenticating agent appointed by the Company) shall promptly authenticate and deliver (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any. Any Note so accepted for payment will cease to accrue interest on or after the Change of Control Purchase Date. The Company shall publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Purchase Date.
79 |
(e) This Section 4.11 will be applicable whether or not any other provisions of this Indenture are applicable.
(f) If the Change of Control Purchase Date is on or after an interest Record Date and on or before the related Interest Payment Date, any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such Record Date, and no additional interest shall be payable to Holders who tender pursuant to the Change of Control Offer.
(g) The Company will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control Triggering Event if (1) a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under the Change of Control Offer or (2) a notice of redemption has been given pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 6 of the Notes, unless and until there is a default in payment of the applicable redemption price. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, a Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, conditioned upon the consummation of such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time the Change of Control Offer is made.
(h) The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act, and any other securities laws and regulations (and rules of any exchange on which the Notes are then listed) to the extent those laws, regulations or rules are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes pursuant to a Change of Control Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations or exchange rules conflict with the Change of Control provisions of this Indenture, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws, regulations and rules and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Indenture by virtue of such compliance.
SECTION 4.12 Additional Amounts.
(a) All payments made by or on behalf of the Issuer or any of the Guarantors (including, in each case, any successor entity) under or with respect to the Notes or any Note Guarantee shall be made free and clear of and without withholding or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future Taxes unless the withholding or deduction of such Taxes is then required by law. If the Issuer, any Guarantor or any other applicable withholding agent is required by law to withhold or deduct any amount for, or on account of, any Taxes imposed or levied by or on behalf of (1) any jurisdiction (other than the United States) in which the Issuer or any Guarantor is or was incorporated, engaged in business, organized or resident for tax purposes or any political subdivision thereof or therein or (2) any jurisdiction from or through which any payment is made by or on behalf of the Issuer or any Guarantor (including, without limitation, the jurisdiction of any Paying Agent) or any political subdivision thereof or therein (each of (1) and (2), a “Tax Jurisdiction”) in respect of any payments under or with respect to the Notes or any Note Guarantee, including, without limitation, payments of principal, redemption price, purchase price, interest or premium, the Issuer or the relevant Guarantor, as applicable, shall pay such additional amounts (the “Additional Amounts”) as may be necessary in order that the net amounts received and retained in respect of such payments by each beneficial owner of Notes after such withholding or deduction will equal the respective amounts that would have been received and retained in respect of such payments in the
80 |
absence of such withholding or deduction; provided, however, that no Additional Amounts shall be payable with respect to:
(1) any Taxes, to the extent such Taxes would not have been imposed but for the holder or the beneficial owner of the Notes (or a fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, partner of, member or shareholder of, or possessor of a power over, the relevant holder, if the relevant holder is an estate, trust, nominee, partnership, limited liability company or corporation) being or having been a citizen or resident or national of, or incorporated, engaged in a trade or business in, being or having been physically present in or having a permanent establishment in, the relevant Tax Jurisdiction or having or having had any other present or former connection with the relevant Tax Jurisdiction, other than any connection arising from the acquisition, ownership or disposition of Notes, the exercise or enforcement of rights under such Note, this Indenture or a Note Guarantee, or the receipt of payments in respect of such Note or a Note Guarantee;
(2) any Taxes, to the extent such Taxes were imposed as a result of the presentation of a Note for payment (where presentation is required) more than 30 days after the relevant payment is first made available for payment to the holder (except to the extent that the holder would have been entitled to Additional Amounts had the Note been presented on the last day of such 30 day period);
(3) any estate, inheritance, gift, sale, transfer, personal property or similar Taxes;
(4) any Taxes payable other than by deduction or withholding from payments under, or with respect to, the Notes or any Note Guarantee;
(5) any Taxes to the extent such Taxes would not have been imposed or withheld but for the failure of the holder or beneficial owner of the Notes, following the Issuer’s reasonable written request addressed to the holder at least 60 days before any such withholding or deduction would be imposed, to comply with any certification, identification, information or other reporting requirements, whether required by statute, treaty, regulation or administrative practice of a Tax Jurisdiction, as a precondition to exemption from, or reduction in the rate of deduction or withholding of, Taxes imposed by the Tax Jurisdiction (including, without limitation, a certification that the holder or beneficial owner is not resident in the Tax Jurisdiction), but in each case, only to the extent the holder or beneficial owner is legally eligible to provide such certification or documentation;
(6) any Taxes imposed in connection with a Note presented for payment (where presentation is permitted or required for payment) by or on behalf of a holder or beneficial owner of the Notes to the extent such Taxes could have been avoided by presenting the relevant Note to, or otherwise accepting payment from, another Paying Agent;
(7) any Taxes imposed on or with respect to any payment by the Issuer or any of the Guarantors to the holder of the Notes if such holder is a fiduciary or partnership or any person other than the sole beneficial owner of such payment to the extent that such Taxes would not have been imposed on such payments had such holder been the sole beneficial owner of such Note;
81 |
(8) any Taxes that are imposed pursuant to current Section 1471 through 1474 of the Code or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with, any regulations promulgated thereunder, any official interpretations thereof, any intergovernmental agreement between a non-U.S. jurisdiction and the United States (or any related law or administrative practices or procedures) implementing the foregoing or any agreements entered into pursuant to current Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code (or any amended or successor version described above); or
(9) any combination of clauses (1) through (8) above.
In addition to the foregoing, the Issuer and the Guarantors shall also pay and indemnify the holder for any present or future stamp, issue, registration, value added, transfer, court or documentary Taxes, or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies (including penalties, interest and additions to tax related thereto) which are levied by any jurisdiction on the execution, delivery, issuance, or registration of any of the Notes, this Indenture, any Note Guarantee or any other document referred to therein, or the receipt of any payments with respect thereto, or enforcement of, any of the Notes or any Note Guarantee (limited, solely in the case of Taxes attributable to the receipt of any payments, to any such Taxes imposed in a Tax Jurisdiction that are not excluded under clauses (1) through (3) or (5) through (9) above or any combination thereof).
(b) If the Issuer or any Guarantor, as the case may be, becomes aware that it will be obligated to pay Additional Amounts with respect to any payment under or with respect to the Notes or any Note Guarantee, the Issuer or the relevant Guarantor, as the case may be, shall deliver to the Trustee on a date that is at least 30 days prior to the date of that payment (unless the obligation to pay Additional Amounts arises after the 30th day prior to that payment date, in which case the Issuer or the relevant Guarantor shall notify the Trustee promptly thereafter) an Officer’s Certificate stating the fact that Additional Amounts will be payable and the amount estimated to be so payable. The Officer’s Certificates must also set forth any other information reasonably necessary to enable the Paying Agents to pay Additional Amounts to Holders on the relevant payment date. The Issuer or the relevant Guarantor will provide the Trustee with documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee evidencing the payment of Additional Amounts. The Trustee shall be entitled to rely absolutely on an Officer’s Certificate as conclusive proof that such payments are necessary.
(c) The Issuer or the relevant Guarantor, if it is the applicable withholding agent, shall make all withholdings and deductions (within the time period) required by law and shall remit the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Tax authority in accordance with applicable law. The Issuer or the relevant Guarantor shall use its reasonable efforts to obtain Tax receipts from each Tax authority evidencing the payment of any Taxes so deducted or withheld. The Issuer or the relevant Guarantor shall furnish to the Trustee (or to a Holder upon request), within 60 days after the date the payment of any Taxes so deducted or withheld is made, certified copies of Tax receipts evidencing payment by the Issuer or a Guarantor, as the case may be, or if, notwithstanding such entity’s efforts to obtain receipts, receipts are not obtained, other evidence of payments (reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee) by such entity.
(d) Whenever in this Indenture or the Notes there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of amounts based upon the principal amount of the Notes or of principal, interest or of any other amount payable under, or with respect to, any of the Notes or any Note Guarantee, such
82 |
mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of Additional Amounts to the extent that, in such context, Additional Amounts are, were or would be payable in respect thereof.
(e) This Section 4.12 shall survive any termination, defeasance or discharge of this Indenture, any transfer by a holder or beneficial owner of its Notes, and will apply, mutatis mutandis, to any jurisdiction in which any successor Person to the Issuer (or any Guarantor) is incorporated, engaged in business, organized or resident for tax purposes, or any jurisdiction from or through which payment is made under or with respect to the Notes (or any Note Guarantee) by or on behalf of such Person and, in each case, any political subdivision thereof or therein.
SECTION 4.13 Additional Intercreditor Agreements and Amendments to the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements.
(a) At
the request of the Issuer, in connection with the incurrence or refinancing by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries of any Indebtedness
secured or permitted to be secured (including as to priority) by the Collateral, the Company, the relevant Restricted Subsidiaries, the
Trustee and the Security Agent, as applicable, shall enter into an intercreditor or similar agreement or joinder to or a restatement,
amendment or other modification of the existingany
Intercreditor Agreement (an “Additional Intercreditor Agreement”) with the holders of such Indebtedness (or their duly
authorized representatives) on substantially the same terms as thesuch
applicable Intercreditor Agreement (or on terms that in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Issuer
are not materially less favorable to the Holders), including containing substantially the same terms with respect to the application of
the proceeds of the Collateral held thereunder and the means of enforcement, it being understood that an increase in the amount of Indebtedness
being subject to the terms of the Intercreditor Agreement or Additional Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
shall not be deemed to be less favorable to the Holders and shall be permitted by this Section 4.13(a) if the incurrence of such Indebtedness
and any Lien in its favor is permitted Section 4.06 and Section 4.07; provided that (x) any such Additional Intercreditor Agreement
that is entered into with the holders of Indebtedness intended to be secured by Collateral on a junior basis to the Notes may include
different terms to the extent customary for a junior intercreditor arrangement of that type and (y) such Additional Intercreditor Agreement
shall not impose any personal obligations on the Trustee or the Security Agent or, in the opinion of the Trustee or the Security Agent,
adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee or the Security Agent under this Indenture or the Intercreditor
AgreementAgreements.
As used herein, the term “Intercreditor Agreement” shall include references to Agreements”
shall mean the First Lien Intercreditor Agreement, the First Lien/Second Lien Intercreditor Agreement and
any Additional Intercreditor Agreement, including
any Additional Intercreditor Agreement that supplements or replaces theany
Intercreditor Agreement.
(b) The Trustee and Security Agent shall be required to enter into any customary intercreditor agreement with respect to the establishment of junior-priority liens securing such Junior Obligations upon receipt of an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that such customary intercreditor agreement is in customary form for an intercreditor agreement governing the relationship between Pari Passu Obligations and Junior Obligations. Such customary intercreditor agreement will set forth the relative rights in respect of the Collateral between holders of the Pari Passu Obligations, on the one hand, and holders of the Junior Obligations, on the other hand, and will provide that the Security Agent will, subject to very limited circumstances, have the exclusive right to exercise rights and remedies with respect to the Collateral. Furthermore, such intercreditor
83 |
agreement will set forth the priorities relative to the Collateral, and the application from the proceeds thereof, first to the Pari Passu Obligations, then to the Junior Obligations.
(c) Each Holder, by accepting such Note, shall be deemed to have:
(i) appointed and authorized the Trustee and the Security Agent from time to time to give effect to such provisions;
(ii) authorized each of the Trustee and the Security Agent from time to time to become a party to any additional intercreditor arrangements described above;
(iii) agreed to be bound by such provisions and the provisions of any additional intercreditor arrangements described above; and
(iv) irrevocably appointed the Trustee and the Security Agent to act on its behalf from time to time to enter into and comply with such provisions and the provisions of any additional intercreditor arrangements described above, in each case, without the need for the consent of any Holder of the Notes.
SECTION 4.14 Note Guarantees and Security Interests.
Subject to the Agreed Security Principles, the Issuer shall, and shall cause each Guarantor to, (i) complete all filings and other similar actions required in connection with the creation and perfection of the security interests in the Collateral owned by it in favor of the Holders, the Trustee (on its own behalf and on behalf of the Holders) and/or the Security Agent (on behalf of itself, the Trustee and the Holders), as applicable, as and to the extent contemplated by the Security Documents set forth on Schedule II attached hereto within the time periods set forth therein and deliver, and cause each Guarantor to deliver, such other agreements, instruments, certificates and opinions of counsel that may be reasonably requested by the Security Agent in connection therewith and (ii) take all actions necessary to maintain such security interests. For the avoidance of doubt, a Paying Agent shall be held harmless by the Company and have no liability with respect to payments or disbursements to be made by such Paying Agent for which payment instructions are not made or that are not otherwise deposited by the respective times set forth in this Indenture.
SECTION 4.15 Limitation on Issuance of Guarantees of Indebtedness.
(a) Subject
to the Agreed Security Principles, and
the Intercreditor Agreement and any Additional Intercreditor
AgreementAgreements, the Company will not
permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Immaterial Subsidiaries) that is not a Guarantor to Guarantee, directly or indirectly,
the payment of any obligations of the Issuer or a Guarantor under a Credit Facility, the Convertible Notes, the Existing Multicurrency
Facility or any other Indebtedness of the Issuer or a Guarantor having an aggregate outstanding principal amount in excess of $250.0300.0
million unless such Restricted Subsidiary simultaneously executes and delivers a Supplemental Indenture providing for the Note Guarantee
of the payment of the Notes by such Restricted Subsidiary which Note Guarantee will be senior to or pari passu in
right of payment with such Restricted Subsidiary’s Guarantee of such other Indebtedness and with respect to any Guarantee
of Indebtedness that is expressly contractually subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or to any Note Guarantee by such Restricted
Subsidiary, any such Guarantee will be subordinated to such
84 |
Restricted Subsidiary’s Note Guarantee at least to the same extent as such subordinated Indebtedness is subordinated to the Notes.
Following the provision of any additional Note
Guarantees as described in the immediately preceding paragraph, subject to the Agreed Security Principles,
and the Intercreditor Agreement
and any Additional Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
(if such security is being granted in respect of the other Indebtedness), any such Guarantor shall provide security over its material
assets that are of the same type as any of the Issuer’s or the Guarantors’ assets that are required to be a part of the Collateral
(excluding any assets of such Guarantor which are subject to a Permitted Lien at the time of the execution of such Supplemental Indenture
(to the extent that such Permitted Lien was not created, incurred or assumed in contemplation thereof) if providing such security interest
would not be permitted by the terms of such Permitted Lien or by the terms of any obligations secured by such Permitted Lien) to secure
its Note Guarantee on a first-priority basis consistent with the Collateralas
Pari Passu Obligations.
This paragraph (a) will not be applicable to any Guarantees of any Restricted Subsidiary:
(i) existing on the Issue Date;
(ii) that existed at the time such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary if the Guarantee was not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary; or
(iii) arising solely due to granting of a Permitted Lien that would not otherwise constitute a Guarantee of Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Guarantor.
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Company shall not be obligated to cause such Restricted Subsidiary to guarantee the Notes or provide security to the
extent that such Note Guarantee or the grant of such security by such Restricted Subsidiary would be inconsistent with the Intercreditor
Agreement, any Additional Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
or the Agreed Security Principles or would reasonably be expected to give rise to or result in (x) any liability for the officers, directors
or shareholders of such Restricted Subsidiary, (y) any violation of applicable law that cannot be prevented or otherwise avoided through
measures reasonably available to the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary or (z) any significant cost, expense, liability or obligation
(including with respect to any Taxes) other than reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and other than reasonable expenses incurred in connection
with any governmental or regulatory filings required as a result of, or any measures pursuant to clause (y) undertaken in connection with,
such Note Guarantee which cannot be avoided through measures reasonably available to the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary.
SECTION 4.16 Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries.
(a) Each Parent Company shall not, and shall not cause or permit any of its respective Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create or permit to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:
85 |
(i) pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock to its Parent Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, or with respect to any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits, or pay any Indebtedness owed to the relevant Parent Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(ii) make loans or advances to its Parent Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; or
(iii) sell, lease or transfer any of its properties or assets to its Parent Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
provided that (x) the priority of any preferred stock in receiving dividends or liquidating distributions prior to dividends or liquidating distributions being paid on common stock, (y) the subordination of (including the application of any standstill period to) loans or advances made to the relevant Parent Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to other Indebtedness incurred by the relevant Parent Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and (z) the provisions contained in documentation governing or relating to Indebtedness requiring transactions between or among the relevant Parent Company and any Restricted Subsidiary or between or among any Restricted Subsidiaries to be on fair and reasonable terms or on an arm’s-length basis, in each case, shall not be deemed to constitute such an encumbrance or restriction.
(b) The provisions of Section 4.16(a) above shall not apply to encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
(i) agreements
or instruments governing or relating to Indebtedness as in effect on the Issue Date (including pursuant to the Convertible Notes, the
EIB Facility and,
the Existing Multicurrency Facility and the 2027 First-Priority
Secured Notes and the related documentation) and any amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements
or refinancings of those agreements; provided that the amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings,
replacements or refinancings are not materially less favorable, taken as a whole, to the Holder with respect to such dividend and other
payment restrictions than those contained in those agreements or instruments on the Issue Date (as determined in good faith by the Issuer);
(ii) this
Indenture, the Notes, the Note Guarantees, the Convertible
Notes, the Intercreditor Agreement, any Additional Intercreditor Agreement and the Security Documents;the
Note Documents, the Intercreditor Agreements, the Existing Term Loan Agreement, the 2028 First-Priority Secured Notes, the 2026 Second-Priority
Secured Notes, the 2027 Second-Priority Secured Notes, the 2026 Unsecured Notes and the 2027 Unsecured Notes;
(iii) agreements or instruments governing other Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under Section 4.06 and any amendments, restatements, modifications, renewals, supplements, refundings, replacements or refinancings of those agreements; provided that the Company determines at the time of the incurrence of such Indebtedness that such
86 |
encumbrances or restrictions will not adversely effect, in any material respect, the Issuer’s ability to make principal or interest payments on the Notes;
(iv) applicable law, rule, regulation or order or the terms of any license, authorization, concession or permit;
(v) any agreement or instrument governing or relating to Indebtedness or Capital Stock of a Person acquired by the relevant Parent Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as in effect at the time of such acquisition (other than any agreement or instrument entered into in connection with or in contemplation of such acquisition), which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets of the Person, so acquired; provided that, in the case of Indebtedness, such Indebtedness was permitted by the terms of this Indenture to be incurred;
(vi) customary non-assignment and similar provisions in contracts, leases and licenses entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(vii) purchase money obligations for property acquired in the ordinary course of business and Capital Lease Obligations that impose restrictions on the property purchased or leased of the nature set forth in Section 4.16(a)(iii) or any encumbrance or restriction pursuant to a joint venture agreement that imposes restrictions on the transfer of the assets of the joint venture;
(viii) any agreement for the sale or other disposition of the Capital Stock or all or substantially all of the property and assets of a Restricted Subsidiary that restricts distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary pending its sale or other disposition;
(ix) Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness; provided that either (i) the restrictions contained in the agreements or instruments governing such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the agreements or instruments governing the Indebtedness being refinanced or (ii) the Company determines at the time of the incurrence of such Indebtedness that such encumbrances or restrictions will not adversely effect, in any material respect, the Issuer’s ability to make principal or interest payments on the Notes;
(x) Liens permitted to be incurred under Section 4.07 that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject to such Liens;
(xi) provisions limiting the disposition or distribution of assets or property in joint venture agreements, asset sale agreements, sale-leaseback agreements, stock sale agreements and other similar agreements (including agreements entered into in connection with a Restricted Investment or Permitted Investment) entered into with the approval of the Issuer’s Board of Directors, which limitation is applicable only to the assets that are the subject of such agreements;
87 |
(xii) restrictions on cash or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers or suppliers or required by insurance, surety or bonding companies, in each case, under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(xiii) any customary Productive Asset Leases for Vessels and other assets used in the ordinary course of business; provided that such encumbrance or restriction only extends to the Vessel or other asset financed in such Productive Asset Lease;
(xiv) any encumbrance or restriction existing with respect to any Unrestricted Subsidiary or the property or assets of such Unrestricted Subsidiary that is designated as a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of this Indenture at the time of such designation and not incurred in contemplation of such designation, which encumbrances or restrictions are not applicable to any Person other than such Unrestricted Subsidiary or the property or assets of such Unrestricted Subsidiary; provided that the encumbrances or restrictions are customary for the business of such Unrestricted Subsidiary and would not, at the time agreed to, be expected to affect the ability of the Issuer and the Guarantors to make payments under the Notes and this Indenture;
(xv) customary encumbrances or restrictions contained in agreements in connection with Hedging Obligations permitted under this Indenture;
(xvi) the agreements, constituent documents, guarantees, deeds and other instruments governing the “dual listed company” structure of the Company; and
(xvii) any encumbrance or restriction existing under any agreement that extends, renews, refinances, replaces, amends, modifies, restates or supplements the agreements containing the encumbrances or restrictions in the foregoing clauses (i) through (xvi), or in this clause (xvii); provided that the terms and conditions of any such encumbrances or restrictions are no more restrictive in any material respect than those under or pursuant to the agreement so extended, renewed, refinanced, replaced, amended, modified, restated or supplemented.
SECTION 4.17 Designation of Restricted and Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
(a) The Board of Directors of the Issuer may designate any Restricted Subsidiary to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary if that designation would not cause a Default.
(b) If a Restricted Subsidiary is designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, the aggregate Fair Market Value of all outstanding Investments owned by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the Subsidiary designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be deemed to be an Investment made as of the time of the designation and will reduce the amount available for Restricted Payments under Section 4.08 or under one or more clauses of the definition of “Permitted Investments,” as determined by the Issuer. The designation of a Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary will only be permitted if the deemed Investment resulting from such designation would be permitted at that time and if the Restricted Subsidiary otherwise meets the definition of an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
88 |
(c) The Issuer may redesignate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary if that redesignation would not cause a Default.
(d) Any designation of a Subsidiary of the Company as an Unrestricted Subsidiary will be evidenced to the Trustee by filing with the Trustee a copy of a resolution of the Board of Directors giving effect to such designation and an Officer’s Certificate certifying that such designation complied with the preceding conditions and was permitted by Section 4.08. If, at any time, any Unrestricted Subsidiary would fail to meet the preceding requirements as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, it will thereafter cease to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary for purposes of this Indenture and any Indebtedness of such Subsidiary will be deemed to be incurred by a Restricted Subsidiary as of such date and, if such Indebtedness is not permitted to be incurred as of such date under Section 4.06, the Issuer will be in default of such Section 4.06. The Board of Directors of the Issuer may at any time designate any Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such designation will be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary of any outstanding Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary, and such designation will only be permitted if (i) such Indebtedness is permitted under Section 4.06, calculated on a pro forma basis as if such designation had occurred at the beginning of the applicable reference period; and (ii) no Default or Event of Default would be in existence following such designation.
SECTION 4.18 Payment of Taxes and Other Claims. The Company shall pay or discharge and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to pay or discharge, or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent (a) all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon (i) the Company or any such Subsidiary, (ii) the income or profits of any such Subsidiary which is a corporation or (iii) the property of the Company or any such Subsidiary and (b) all material lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies that, if unpaid, might by law become a lien upon the property of the Company or any such Subsidiary; provided that the Company shall not be required to pay or discharge, or cause to be paid or discharged, any such tax, assessment, charge or claim, the amount, applicability or validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or for which adequate reserves have been established.
SECTION 4.19 Reports to Holders.
(a) So long as any Notes are outstanding, notwithstanding that the Company may not be subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or otherwise report on an annual and quarterly basis on forms provided for such annual and quarterly reporting pursuant to the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC, the Company will file with the SEC within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and regulations that are then applicable to the Company (or if the Company is not then subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, then the time periods for filing applicable to a filer that is not an “accelerated filer” as defined in such rules and regulations) (in either case, including any extension as would be permitted by Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act or any special order of the SEC):
(1) all financial information that would be required to be contained in an annual report on Form 10-K, or any successor or comparable form, filed with the SEC, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
89 |
and Results of Operations” section and a report on the annual financial statements by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm;
(2) all financial information that would be required to be contained in a quarterly report on Form 10-Q, or any successor or comparable form, filed with the SEC, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section; and
(3) all current reports that would be required to be filed with the SEC on Form 8-K, or any successor or comparable form, if the Company were required to file such reports,
in each case in a manner that complies in all material respects with the requirements specified in such form provided, however, that the Trustee shall have no responsibility whatsoever to determine if such filing has occurred.
(b) The requirements set forth in the preceding paragraph may be satisfied by delivering such information to the Trustee and posting copies of such information on a website or on IntraLinks or any comparable online data system or website.
(c) Not later than ten Business Days after the furnishing of each such report discussed in Section 4.19(a)(1) or (2), the Company will hold a conference call related to the report. Details regarding access to such conference call will be posted at least 24 hours prior to the commencement of such call on the website, IntraLinks or other online data system or website on which the report is posted.
(d) The reports set forth in Section 4.19(a)(1) or (2) shall include disclosure with respect to (1) the Collateral and (2) with respect to the non-Guarantor Subsidiaries and Collateral similar to what was included in this Offering Memorandum.
(e) The Issuer will make the information described in Section 4.19(a) available electronically to prospective investors upon request. For so long as any Notes remain outstanding during any period when it is not or the Company is not subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, or otherwise permitted to furnish the SEC with certain information pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) of the Exchange Act, it will furnish to the holders of the Notes and to prospective investors, upon their request, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the U.S. Securities Act.
(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing clauses (a) through (e) of this Section 4.19, the Issuer will be deemed to have delivered such reports and information referred to above to the holders, prospective investors, market makers, securities analysts and the Trustee for all purposes of this Indenture if the Issuer or the Company has filed such reports with the SEC via the EDGAR filing system (or any successor system) and such reports are publicly available.
(g) Delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only, and its receipt of such reports, information and documents shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Issuer’s, any Guarantors’ or any other Person’s compliance with
90 |
any of its covenants under this Indenture or the Notes (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on the Officer’s Certificates delivered pursuant to this Indenture). The Trustee shall have no liability or responsibility for the content, filing or timeliness of any report delivered or filed under or in connection with this Indenture or the transactions contemplated thereunder.
SECTION 4.20 Further Assurances. Subject to the Agreed Security Principles, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will, at their own expense, execute and do all such acts and things and provide such assurances as the Security Agent may reasonably require (i) for registering any of the Security Documents in any required register and for granting, perfecting, preserving or protecting the security intended to be afforded by such Security Documents and (ii) if such Security Documents have become enforceable, for facilitating the realization of all or any part of the assets which are subject to such Security Documents and for facilitating the exercise of all powers, authorities and discretions vested in the Security Agent or in any receiver of all or any part of those assets. Subject to the Agreed Security Principles, the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries will execute all transfers, conveyances, assignments and releases of that property whether to the Security Agent or to its nominees and give all notices, orders and directions which the Security Agent may reasonably request.
SECTION 4.21 Use of Proceeds. The Issuer shall not, directly or indirectly, place, invest or give economic use to the proceeds from the Notes in the Republic of Panama.
SECTION
4.22 Impairment of Security Interest. The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, take
or omit to take any action, which action or omission would have the result of materially impairing the security interest with respect
to the Collateral (it being understood that (i) the incurrence of Permitted Collateral Liens and (ii) the release or modification of the
Liens on the Collateral in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and related Security Documents, in each case of clauses (i) and
(ii), shall under no circumstances be deemed to materially impair the security interest with respect to the Collateral) for the benefit
of the Trustee and the holders of the Notes, and the Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, grant to any
Person other than the Security Agent, for the benefit of the Trustee and the holders of the Notes and the other beneficiaries described
in the Security Documents, the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
and any Additional Intercreditor Agreement, any Lien over any of the Collateral that is prohibited by Section 4.07; provided that
the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries may incur any Lien over any of the Collateral that is not prohibited by Section 4.07, including
Permitted Collateral Liens, and the Collateral may be discharged or released in accordance with this Indenture, the applicable Security
Documents, the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
or any Additional Intercreditor Agreement.
Subject to the foregoing, the Security Documents
may be amended, extended, renewed, restated or otherwise modified or released to (i) cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency
therein; (ii) provide for Permitted Collateral Liens; (iii) add to the Collateral; or (iv) make any other change thereto that does not
adversely affect the holders of the Notes in any material respect; provided, however, that (except where permitted by this
Indenture, the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
or any Additional Intercreditor Agreement or to effect or facilitate the creation of Permitted Collateral Liens for the benefit of the
Security Agent and holders of other Indebtedness incurred in accordance with this Indenture) no Security Document may be amended, extended,
renewed, restated or otherwise modified or released, unless contemporaneously with such amendment, extension, renewal, restatement or
modification or release (followed by an
91 |
immediate retaking of a Lien of at least equivalent ranking over the same assets), the Issuer delivers to the Security Agent and the Trustee, either (1) a solvency opinion, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Security Agent and the Trustee, from an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of international standing which confirms the solvency of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, after giving effect to any transactions related to such amendment, extension, renewal, restatement, modification or release, (2) a certificate from an Officer of the relevant Person which confirms the solvency of the Person granting such Lien after giving effect to any transactions related to such amendment, extension, renewal, restatement, modification or release (followed by an immediate retaking of a Lien of at least equivalent ranking over the same assets) or (3) an Opinion of Counsel (subject to any qualifications customary for this type of opinion of counsel), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, confirming that, after giving effect to any transactions related to such amendment, extension, renewal, restatement, modification or release (followed by an immediate retaking of a Lien of at least equivalent ranking over the same assets), the Lien or Liens created under the Security Document, so amended, extended, renewed, restated, modified or released and retaken, are valid and perfected Liens not otherwise subject to any limitation, imperfection or new hardening period, in equity or at law, that such Lien or Liens were not otherwise subject to immediately prior to such amendment, extension, renewal, restatement, modification or release and retake and to which the new Indebtedness secured by the Permitted Collateral Lien is not subject. In the event that the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries comply with the requirements of this Section 4.22, the Trustee and the Security Agent shall (subject to customary protections and indemnifications) consent to such amendments without the need for instructions from the Holders of the Notes.
SECTION
4.23 After-Acquired Property. Promptly following the acquisition by the Issuer or any Guarantor of any
After-Acquired Property (but subject to the Agreed Security Principles, the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements,
any Additional Intercreditor Agreement and Article Eleven), the Issuer or such Guarantor shall execute and deliver such mortgages, deeds
of trust, security instruments, financing statements and certificates and opinions of counsel as shall be reasonably necessary to vest
in the Security Agent a perfected security interest in such After-Acquired Property and to have such After-Acquired Property added to
the Collateral and thereupon all provisions of this Indenture relating to the Collateral shall be deemed to relate to such After-Acquired
Property to the same extent and with the same force and effect.
SECTION 4.24 Re-flagging of Vessels. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Indenture, a Restricted Subsidiary may reconstitute itself in another jurisdiction, or merge with or into another Restricted Subsidiary, for the purpose of re-flagging a vessel that it owns or bareboat charters so long as at all times each Restricted Subsidiary remains organized under the laws of any country recognized by the United States of America with an investment grade credit rating from either S&P or Moody’s or any Permitted Jurisdiction; provided that contemporaneously with the transactions required to complete the re-flagging of such vessel, to the extent that any Liens on the Collateral securing the Notes were released as provided for under Section 11.04, (x) the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary grants a Lien of at least equivalent ranking over the same assets and (y) the Issuer delivers to the Security Agent and the Trustee, either (1) a solvency opinion, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Security Agent and the Trustee, from an independent financial advisor or appraiser or investment bank which confirms the solvency of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, after giving effect to any transactions related to such re-flagging, (2) a certificate from an Officer of the relevant Person which confirms the
92 |
solvency of the Person granting such Lien after giving effect to any transactions related to such re-flagging, or (3) an Opinion of Counsel (subject to any qualifications customary for this type of opinion of counsel), in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, confirming that, after giving effect to any transactions related to such re-flagging, the Lien or Liens created under the Security Document, as so released and retaken are valid and perfected Liens. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of Article Five will not apply to a reconstitution or merger permitted under this Section 4.24.
SECTION 4.25 Automatic Reduction of New Secured Debt Secured by the Collateral. The Issuer and Guarantors agree and will cause their Restricted Subsidiaries to agree, that:
(a) if any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness incurred under Section 4.06(b)(1)(ii), (1)(iv), (3) or (6) (solely in respect of Indebtedness incurred under such Section 4.06(b)(1)(ii), (1)(iv) or (3)) is secured by a Lien on the Collateral after the Issue Date (“New Secured Debt”); and
(b) if (i) there are TTA Test Debt Agreements outstanding; and (ii) at any time the Issuer’s (or if the Issuer is not rated, Carnival plc’s) long term senior indebtedness credit rating by S&P is below BBB- and by Moody’s is below Baa3; and (iii) at such time the Company and its Subsidiaries have Security Interests in respect of Covered Indebtedness that would otherwise exceed 25% of Total Tangible Assets at such time (subclauses (i), (ii) and (iii), collectively, a “Reduction Event”); then
(c) the principal amount of such New Secured Debt that is secured by Liens on the Collateral shall (without any further action on the part of the Trustee, the Security Agent or any other party) automatically be reduced (i) on a pro rata basis among the various tranches of New Secured Debt and Other Secured Debt or (ii) in such other manner as may be specified in an Officer’s Certificate delivered by the Issuer to the Security Agent and the Trustee not less than five Business Days prior to the date of the applicable Reduction Event, in each case of subclause (i) or (ii) as applicable, such that, after giving effect to such reductions and the reductions under Section 4.26, the Company and their respective Subsidiaries no longer have Security Interests in respect of Covered Indebtedness that exceed 25% of Total Tangible Assets.
(d) If any such automatic reduction occurs with respect to any New Secured Debt under clause (c) above, and at a later date the Issuer determines that some or all of the then-unsecured amount of such New Secured Debt can be secured by a Lien on the Collateral without at such time causing a reduction in the secured principal amount thereof pursuant to clause (c) above, then such principal amount of New Secured Debt the Issuer determines can be so secured will automatically (without any further action on the part of the Trustee, the Security Agent or any other party) become secured by the Collateral, subject to future automatic reductions as provided in clause (c) above. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee and the Security Agent in writing of any such determination in an Officer’s Certificate.
(e) For
the avoidance of doubt, all the principal
amount ofobligations outstanding under the
Notes, the EIB Facility and the Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes that isare
secured by Liens on the Collateral shall not be subject to reduction pursuant to this Section 4.25.
93 |
(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Indenture and solely with respect to this Section 4.25 and Section 4.26:
“Total Tangible Assets” means the amount of the total assets of the Company and their respective Subsidiaries as shown in the most recent consolidated balance sheet of the Company and their Subsidiaries (excluding for these purposes the value of any intangible assets).
“Covered Indebtedness” of
a person means (a) any liability of such person (i) for borrowed money, or under any reimbursement obligation related to a letter of credit
or bid or performance bond facility, or (ii) evidenced by a bond, note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (including a purchase
money obligation) representing extensions of credit or given in connection with the acquisition of any business, property, service or
asset of any kind, including without limitation, any liability under any commodity, interest rate or currency exchange hedge or swap agreement
(other than a trade payable, other current liability arising in the ordinary course of business or commodity, interest rate or currency
exchange hedge or swap agreement arising in the ordinary course of business) or (iii) for obligations with respect to (A) an operating
lease, or (B) a lease of real or personal property that is or would be classified and accounted for as a Covered Capital Lease; (b) any
liability of others either for any lease, dividend or letter of credit, or for any obligation described in the preceding clause (a) that
(i) the person has guaranteed or that is otherwise its legal liability (whether contingent or otherwise or direct or indirect, but excluding
endorsements or negotiable instruments for deposit or collection in the ordinary course of business) or (ii) is secured by any Lien on
any property or asset owned or held by that person, regardless whether the obligation secured thereby shall have been assumed by or is
a personal liability of that person; and (c) any amendment, supplement, modification, deferral, renewal, extension or refunding of any
liability of the types referred to in clauses (a) and (b) above.;
provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, “ Covered Indebtedness” shall not include any liabilities or obligations that
do not constitute “ Covered Indebtedness” for purposes for the 25% of Total Tangible Assets test described in the definition
of TTA Test Debt Agreements under all of the TTA Test Debt Agreements.
“Covered Capital Lease” means with respect to any Person, any lease of any property (whether real, personal or mixed) by such Person as lessee that in accordance with GAAP (in effect from time to time), either would be required to be classified and accounted for as a capital lease on a balance sheet of such Person or otherwise be disclosed as such in a note to such balance sheet, other than, in the case of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company, any such lease under which the Company or such Subsidiary is the lessor.
“Security Interests” means any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, assignment, hypothecation or security interest or any other agreement or arrangement having a similar effect.
SECTION 4.26 Reduction of Other Secured Debt. The Issuer and Guarantors agree and shall cause their Restricted Subsidiaries to agree, in connection with any Security Interests that are granted on Covered Indebtedness after the Issue Date, that if:
(a) any Covered Indebtedness other than New Secured Debt has been granted a Security Interest in any asset or property of the Company or their respective Subsidiaries after the Issue Date (“Other Secured Debt”) and a Reduction Event occurs; then
94 |
(b) the
Issuer, Guarantors or their Restricted Subsidiaries will cause the principal amount of such Other Secured Debt that is secured by Security
Interests to be reduced (i) pro rata with the New Secured Debt, (ii) in such other manner as may be specified in the documents governing
the various tranches of New Secured Debt and Other Secured Debt or (iii) as set forth in an Officer'sOfficer’s
Certificate delivered by the Issuer to the Security Agent and the Trustee not less than five Business Days prior to the date of the applicable
Reduction Event, in each case of subclause (i), (ii) or (iii) as applicable, upon the occurrence of the Reduction Event.
ARTICLE
FIVE
MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR SALE OF ASSETS
SECTION 5.01 Merger, Consolidation or Sale of Assets.
(a) Neither the Issuer nor Carnival plc will, directly or indirectly: (1) consolidate or merge with or into another Person (whether or not the Issuer or Carnival plc (as applicable) is the surviving corporation), or (2) sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in one or more related transactions, to another Person, unless:
(i) either: (a) the Issuer or Carnival plc (as applicable) is the surviving corporation; or (b) the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer or Carnival plc (as applicable)) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition has been made is an entity organized or existing under the laws of Switzerland, Canada or any Permitted Jurisdiction;
(ii) the
Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer or Carnival plc (as applicable)) or the Person
to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition has been made assumes (a) by a Supplemental Indenture
entered into with the Trustee, all the obligations of Issuer or Carnival plc (as applicable) under the Notes and this Indenture (including
Carnival plc’s Note Guarantee, if applicable) and (b) all obligations of the Issuer or Carnival plc (as applicable) under the Intercreditor
Agreement, any Additional Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
and the Security Documents, subject to the Agreed Security Principles;
(iii) immediately after such transaction, no Default or Event of Default is continuing;
(iv) the Issuer or Carnival plc (as applicable) or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Issuer or Carnival plc (as applicable)), or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition has been made would, on the date of such transaction after giving pro forma effect thereto and any related financing transactions as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.06(a); and
95 |
(v) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel, in each case, stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and, in the case in which a Supplemental Indenture is entered into, such Supplemental Indenture, comply with this Section 5.01 and that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to such transaction have been complied with.
Clauses (iii) and (iv) of this Section 5.01(a) shall not apply to any sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets to or merger or consolidation of the Issuer or Carnival plc (as applicable) with or into a Guarantor and clause (iv) of this Section 5.01(a) will not apply to any sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets to or merger or consolidation of the Issuer or Carnival plc (as applicable) with or into an Affiliate solely for the purpose of reincorporating the Issuer or Carnival plc (as applicable) in another jurisdiction for tax reasons.
(b) A
Subsidiary Guarantor (other than a Subsidiary Guarantor whose Note Guarantee is to be released in accordance with the terms of the Note
Guarantee, this Indenture, and the Intercreditor Agreement
and any Additional Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
as provided in Section 10.03) will not, directly or indirectly: (1) consolidate or merge with or into another Person (whether or not such
Subsidiary Guarantor is the surviving corporation), or (2) sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially
all of the properties or assets of such Subsidiary Guarantor and its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole,
in one or more related transactions, to another Person, unless:
(i) immediately after giving effect to that transaction, no Default or Event of Default is continuing;
(ii) either:
(A) the
personPerson
acquiring the property in any such sale or disposition or the Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger assumes all
the obligations of that Subsidiary Guarantor under its Note Guarantee and this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreement,
any Additional Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
and the Security Documents to which such Subsidiary Guarantor is a party, pursuant to a Supplemental Indenture; or
(B) such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of assets does not violate the provisions of this Indenture (including Section 4.09); and
(iii) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel, in each case, stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and, in the case in which a Supplemental Indenture is entered into, such Supplemental Indenture, comply with this Section 5.01 and that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to such transaction have been complied with.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (b) above, (x)(a) any Restricted Subsidiary may consolidate or merge with or into or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Guarantor and (b) any Guarantor
96 |
may consolidate or merge with or into or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of such Guarantor and its Subsidiaries which are Restricted Subsidiaries to another Guarantor and (y) any Guarantor may consolidate or merge with or into an Affiliate incorporated or organized for the purpose of changing the legal domicile of such Guarantor, reincorporating such Guarantor in another jurisdiction or changing the legal form of such Guarantor.
SECTION 5.02 Successor Substituted. Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Issuer or Carnival plc in accordance with Section 5.01 of this Indenture, any surviving entity formed by such consolidation or into which the Issuer or Carnival plc, as applicable, is merged or to which such sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition is made, shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such surviving entity had been named as the Company herein; provided that the Company shall not be released from its obligation to pay the principal of, premium, if any, or interest and Additional Amounts, if any, on the Notes in the case of a lease of all or substantially all of its property and assets.
ARTICLE
SIX
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
SECTION 6.01 Events of Default.
(a) Each of the following shall be an “Event of Default”:
(i) default for 30 days in the payment when due of interest or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to the Notes;
(ii) default in the payment when due (at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise) of the principal of, or premium, if any, on, the Notes;
(iii) failure by the Issuer or relevant Guarantor to comply with Section 4.09(c), Section 4.11 or Section 5.01;
(iv) failure by the Issuer or relevant Guarantor for 60 days after written notice to the Issuer by the Trustee or the Holders of at least 30% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding voting as a single class to comply with any of the agreements in this Indenture (other than a default in performance, or breach, or a covenant or agreement which is specifically dealt with in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above);
(v) default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (or the payment of which is guaranteed by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries), other than Indebtedness owed to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, whether such Indebtedness or Guarantee now exists, or is created after the Issue Date, if that default:
97 |
(1) is caused by a failure to pay principal of such Indebtedness prior to the expiration of the grace period provided in such Indebtedness on the date of such default; or
(2) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its express maturity,
and, in each case, the principal amount of any such Indebtedness that is due and has not been paid, together with the principal amount of any other such Indebtedness that is due and has not been paid or the maturity of which has been so accelerated, equals or exceeds $100.0 million in aggregate;
(vi) failure by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, to pay final judgments entered by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction aggregating in excess of $100.0 million (exclusive of any amounts for which a solvent insurance company has acknowledged liability), which judgments shall not have been discharged or waived and there shall have been a period of 60 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason of an appeal, waiver or otherwise, shall not have been in effect;
(vii) any
security interest under the Security Documents on any Collateral having a Fair Market Value in excess of $250.0 million shall, at any
time, cease to be in full force and effect (other than as a result of any action or inaction by the Security Agent and other than in accordance
with the terms of the relevant Security Document, the Intercreditor Agreement, any Additional Intercreditor
AgreementAgreements and this Indenture) for
any reason other than the satisfaction in full of all obligations under this Indenture or the release or amendment of any such security
interest in accordance with the terms of this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreement, any Additional
Intercreditor Agreement,Agreements or such
Security Document or any such security interest created thereunder shall be declared invalid or unenforceable in a final non-appealable
decision of a court of competent jurisdiction or Issuer or any Guarantor shall assert in writing that any such security interest is invalid
or unenforceable and any such Default continues for ten days;
(viii) except as permitted by this Indenture (including with respect to any limitations), any Note Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary, or any group of the Company’s Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, is held in any judicial proceeding to be unenforceable or invalid or ceases for any reason to be in full force and effect, or any Guarantor which is a Significant Subsidiary, or any group of its Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, or any Person acting on behalf of any such Guarantor, denies or disaffirms its obligations under its Note Guarantee and such Default continues for 30 days; or
(ix) (A) a court having jurisdiction over the Company or a Significant Subsidiary enters (x) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of its Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary
98 |
case or proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law or (y) a decree or order adjudging the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary, or any group of its Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, as bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company or any such Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries under any Bankruptcy Law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or any such Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries or of any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days or (B) the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of its Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary (i) commences a voluntary case under any Bankruptcy Law or consents to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any Bankruptcy Law, (ii) consents to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or any such Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries or for all or substantially all the property and assets of the Company or any such Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries, (iii) effects any general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (iv) generally is not paying its debts as they become due.
(b) If a Default or an Event of Default occurs and is continuing and is known to a responsible officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall deliver to each Holder notice of the Default or Event of Default within 15 Business Days after its occurrence by registered or certified mail or facsimile transmission of an Officer’s Certificate specifying such event, notice or other action, its status and what action the Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto. Except in the case of a Default or an Event of Default in payment of principal of, premium, if any, and Additional Amounts or interest on any Notes, the Trustee may withhold the notice to the Holders of such Notes if a committee of its Trust Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of the Holders. The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of a Default unless a Trust Officer has actual knowledge of such Default. The Issuer shall also notify the Trustee within 15 Business Days of the occurrence of any Default stating what action, if any, they are taking with respect to that Default.
(c) If any report or conference call required by Section 4.19 is provided after the deadlines indicated for such report or conference call, the later provision of such report or conference call shall cure a Default caused by the failure to provide such report or conference call prior to the deadlines indicated, so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing as a result of such failure.
SECTION 6.02 Acceleration.
(a) If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(a)(ix)) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may, or the Holders of at least 30% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes by written notice to the Issuer (and to the Trustee if such notice is given by the Holders) may and the Trustee shall, if so directed by the Holders of at least 30% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes, declare all the Notes to be
99 |
due and payable immediately. In the event a declaration of acceleration of the Notes pursuant to Section 6.01(a)(v) has occurred and is continuing, the declaration of acceleration of the Notes shall be automatically annulled if the event of default or payment default triggering such Event of Default pursuant to Section 6.01(a)(v) shall be remedied or cured, or waived by the Holders of the relevant Indebtedness, or the Indebtedness that gave rise to such Event of Default shall have been discharged in full, within 30 days after the declaration of acceleration with respect thereto and if the annulment of the acceleration of the Notes would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(b) In the case of an Event of Default arising under Section 6.01(a)(ix), with respect to the Company, any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Significant Subsidiary or any group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary, all outstanding Notes will become due and payable immediately without further action or notice.
(c) The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes outstanding by notice to the Trustee may, on behalf of the holders of all outstanding Notes, rescind acceleration or waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under this Indenture, except a continuing Default or Event of Default:
(i) in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, any Additional Amounts or interest on any Note held by a non-consenting holder (which may only be waived with the consent of each holder of Notes affected); or
(ii) for any Note held by a non-consenting holder, in respect of a covenant or provision which under this Indenture cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Note affected by such modification or amendment.
Upon any such rescission or waiver, such Default shall cease to exist and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose under this Indenture, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
(d) Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the Trustee or in its exercise of any trust or power conferred on it. However, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with applicable law or this Indenture, that the Trustee determines may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of other holders of the Notes (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not any such directions are unduly prejudicial to such Holders) or that may involve the Trustee in personal liability. The Trustee may withhold from Holders of the Notes notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest, except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal, interest or Additional Amounts or premium, if any.
(e) Subject to the provisions of Article Seven, in case an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers under this Indenture at the request or direction of any Holders unless such Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity or security satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or
100 |
expense. Except (subject to the provisions of Article Nine) to enforce the right to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest or Additional Amounts when due, no Holder of a Note may pursue any remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes unless:
(i) such Holder has previously given the Trustee written notice that an Event of Default is continuing;
(ii) Holders of at least 30% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;
(iii) such Holders have offered, and if requested, provide to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against any loss, liability or expense;
(iv) the Trustee has not complied with such request within 60 days after the receipt of the request and the offer of security or indemnity; and
(v) Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes have not given the Trustee a direction inconsistent with such request within such 60-day period.
(f) Within 30 days of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, the Issuer is required to deliver to the Trustee a statement specifying such Default or Event of Default.
SECTION
6.03 Other Remedies. If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect
and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual
to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid
of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy. Subject to the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
or any Additional Intercreditor Agreement, the Trustee may direct the Security Agent to take enforcement action with respect to the Collateral
if any amount is declared or becomes due and payable pursuant to Section 6.02 (but not otherwise).
All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Notes may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee, and all rights of action and claims under the Security Documents may be prosecuted or enforced under the Security Documents by the Security Agent (in consultation with the Trustee, where appropriate), without the possession of any of the Notes or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee or the Security Agent shall be brought in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee or the Security Agent, their agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.
SECTION 6.04 Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may, by written notice to the Trustee, on
101 |
behalf of the Holders of all the Notes, waive any past Default hereunder and its consequences, except a Default:
(a) in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, Additional Amounts, if any, or interest on any Note; or
(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article Nine cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holders of each Note affected by such modification or amendment.
Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 6.05 Control by Majority. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or of exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee under this Indenture; provided that:
(a) the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law, this Indenture or that the Trustee determines, without obligation, in good faith may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of Holders not joining in the giving of such direction;
(b) the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Holders or would involve the Trustee in personal liability; and
(c) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee that is not inconsistent with such direction.
SECTION 6.06 Limitation on Suits. A Holder may not institute any proceedings or pursue any remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes unless:
(a) Such Holder has previously given the Trustee written notice that an Event of Default is continuing;
(b) the Holders of at least 30% in aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes shall have made a written request to the Trustee to pursue such remedy;
(c) such Holder or Holders offer the Trustee indemnity and/or security (including by way of pre-funding) reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against any costs, liability or expense;
(d) the Trustee does not comply with the request within 30 days after receipt of the request and the offer of indemnity and/or security (including by way of pre-funding); and
102 |
(e) during such 30-day period, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes do not give the Trustee a direction that is inconsistent with the request.
The limitations in the foregoing provisions of this Section 6.06, however, do not apply to a suit instituted by a Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, Additional Amounts, if any, or interest, if any, on such Note on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Note.
A Holder may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of any other Holder or to obtain a preference or priority over another Holder.
SECTION 6.07 Unconditional Right of Holders to Bring Suit for Payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder to bring suit for the enforcement of payment of principal, premium, if any, Additional Amounts, if any, and interest, if any, on the Notes held by such Holder, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the Notes shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.
SECTION 6.08 Collection Suit by Trustee. The Issuer covenants that if default is made in the payment of:
(a) any installment of interest on any Note when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or
(b) the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Note at the Stated Maturity thereof,
the Issuer shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Notes, the whole amount then due and payable on such Notes for principal (and premium, if any), Additional Amounts, if any and interest, and interest on any overdue principal (and premium, if any) and Additional Amounts, if any and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon any overdue installment of interest, at the rate borne by the Notes, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the amounts provided for in Section 7.05 and such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.
If the Issuer fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Issuer or any other obligor upon the Notes and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Issuer or any other obligor upon the Notes, wherever situated.
SECTION 6.09 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the properly incurred compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under
103 |
Section 7.05) and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to any of the Issuer or Guarantors, their creditors or their property and, unless prohibited by law or applicable regulations, may vote on behalf of the Holders at their direction in any election of a trustee in bankruptcy or other Person performing similar functions, and any Custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the properly incurred compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and its counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.05. To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 7.05 hereof out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a Lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money securities and other properties which the Holders may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to empower the Trustee to authorize or consent to, or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder, any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
SECTION 6.10 Application of Money Collected. If the Trustee collects any money or property pursuant to this Article Six, it shall pay out the money or property in the following order:
FIRST: to the Trustee, any Agent, and the Security Agent for amounts due under Section 7.05;
SECOND: to Holders for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal of, premium, if any, interest, if any, and Additional Amounts, if any, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, and Additional Amounts, if any, respectively; and
THIRD: to the Issuer, any Guarantor or any other obligors of the Notes, as their interests may appear, or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.
The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section 6.10. At least 30 days before such record date, the Issuer shall deliver to each Holder and the Trustee a notice that states the record date, the payment date and amount to be paid. This Section 6.10 is subject at all times to the provisions set forth in Section 11.02.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Security
Agent shall apply the proceeds of the Collateral as directed by the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
or any Additional Intercreditor Agreement.
SECTION 6.11 Undertaking for Costs. A court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee or the Security Agent for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee or as the Security Agent, the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and such court
104 |
may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section 6.11 does not apply to a suit by the Trustee or the Security Agent, a suit by Holders of more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes or to any suit by any Holder pursuant to Section 6.07.
SECTION 6.12 Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or the Security Agent or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or the Security Agent or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Issuer, any Guarantor, the Trustee, the Security Agent and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee, the Security Agent and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
SECTION 6.13 Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes in Section 2.07, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee, or the Security Agent or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
SECTION 6.14 Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee, or the Security Agent or of any Holder of any Note to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article Six or by law to the Trustee, or the Security Agent or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
SECTION 6.15 Record Date. The Issuer may set a record date for purposes of determining the identity of Holders entitled to vote or to consent to any action by vote or consent authorized or permitted by Sections 6.04 and 6.05. Unless this Indenture provides otherwise, such record date shall be the later of 30 days prior to the first solicitation of such consent or the date of the most recent list of Holders furnished to the Trustee pursuant to Section 2.05 prior to such solicitation.
SECTION 6.16 Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws. Each Issuer covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Issuer (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it shall not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee or to the Security Agent, but shall suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
105 |
ARTICLE
SEVEN
TRUSTEE AND SECURITY AGENT
SECTION 7.01 Duties of Trustee and the Security Agent.
(a) If
an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing of which a Trust Officer of the Trustee or the Security Agent has actual knowledge,
the Trustee or the Security Agent shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements,
and any Additional Intercreditor Agreement and the Security Documents and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a
prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.
(b) Subject
to the provisions of Section 7.01(a), (i) the Trustee and the Security Agent undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as
are specifically set forth in this Indenture, the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements,
any Additional Intercreditor Agreement and the Security Documents and no others and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read
into this Indenture against the Trustee and the Security Agent; and (ii) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee and the
Security Agent may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates
or opinions furnished to the Trustee and the Security Agent and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture, the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements,
any Additional Intercreditor Agreement and the Security Documents. In the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provisions
hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee or the Security Agent, the Trustee and the Security Agent, as applicable,
shall examine same to determine whether they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy
of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).
(c) The Security Agent shall execute and deliver, if necessary, and act as beneficiary under, the Security Documents on behalf of the Holders under this Indenture and shall take such other actions as may be necessary or advisable in accordance with the Security Documents. The Security Agent shall remit any proceeds recovered from enforcement of the Security Documents; provided that all necessary approvals are obtained from each relevant jurisdiction in which the Collateral is located.
(d) Neither the Trustee nor the Security Agent shall be relieved from liability for its own grossly negligent action, its own grossly negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) this paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section 7.01;
(ii) the Trustee and the Security Agent shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Trust Officer of the Trustee or the Security Agent unless it is proved that the Trustee or the Security Agent was grossly negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and
106 |
(iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.02 or 6.05.
(e) The Trustee, any Paying Agent and the Security Agent shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee, any Paying Agent and the Security Agent may agree in writing with the Issuer or the Subsidiary Guarantors. Money held by the Trustee, the Principal Paying Agent or the Security Agent need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not be held in accordance with the UK client money rules.
(f) No
provision of this Indenture, the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements,
any Additional Intercreditor Agreement or the Security Documents shall require the Trustee, each Agent, the Principal Paying Agent or
the Security Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder
or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have grounds to believe that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity
against such risk or liability is not assured to it.
(g) Any
provisions hereof or of the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements,
any Additional Intercreditor Agreement or of the Security Documents relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording
protection to the Trustee, each Agent, or the Security Agent, as the case may be, shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 7.01.
SECTION 7.02 Certain Rights of Trustee and the Security Agent.
(a) Subject to Section 7.01:
(i) following the occurrence of a Default or an Event of Default, the Trustee is entitled to require all Agents to act under its direction;
(ii) the Trustee and the Security Agent may rely conclusively, and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting, upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person;
(iii) before the Trustee or the Security Agent act or refrain from acting, they may require an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both, which shall conform to Section 12.04. Neither the Trustee nor the Security Agent shall be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such certificate or opinion and such certificate or opinion will be equal to complete authorization;
(iv) the Trustee and the Security Agent may act through their attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any attorney or agent appointed with due care by them hereunder;
(v) neither the Trustee nor the Security Agent shall be under any obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request
107 |
or direction of any of the Holders, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee and the Security Agent security and/or indemnity (including by way of pre-funding) satisfactory to them against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by them in compliance with such request or direction;
(vi) unless otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, any demand, request, direction or notice from the Issuer will be sufficient if signed by an officer of such Issuer;
(vii) neither the Trustee nor the Security Agent shall be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers;
(viii) whenever,
in the administration of this Indenture, the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements,
any Additional Intercreditor Agreement and the Security Documents, the Trustee and the Security Agent shall deem it desirable that a matter
be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee and the Security Agent (unless other
evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officer’s Certificate;
(ix) neither the Trustee nor the Security Agent shall be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee and the Security Agent, in their discretion, individually, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee or the Security Agent shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Issuer personally or by agent or attorney;
(x) neither the Trustee nor the Security Agent shall be required to give any bond or surety with respect to the performance of its duties or the exercise of its powers under this Indenture;
(xi) in the event the Trustee or the Security Agent receives inconsistent or conflicting requests and indemnity from two or more groups of Holders, each representing less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee and the Security Agent, in their discretion, may determine what action, if any, will be taken and shall incur no liability for their failure to act until such inconsistency or conflict is, in their reasonable opinion, resolved;
(xii) the permissive rights of the Trustee and the Security Agent to take the actions permitted by this Indenture will not be construed as an obligation or duty to do so;
(xiii) delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee under Section 4.19 is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of the foregoing will not constitute actual or constructive notice of any information contained therein or
108 |
determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s or any of its Restricted Subsidiary’s compliance with any of their covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates);
(xiv) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to each of the Trustee and the Security Agent in this Indenture, including, without limitation, its rights to be indemnified and compensated, are extended to, and will be enforceable by, the Trustee and the Security Agent in each of their capacities hereunder, by the Registrar, the Agents, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder;
(xv) the Trustee and the Security Agent may consult with counsel or other professional advisors and the advice of such counsel or professional advisor or any Opinion of Counsel will, subject to Section 7.01(c), be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;
(xvi) the Trustee and the Security Agent shall have no duty to inquire as to the performance of the covenants of the Company and/or its Restricted Subsidiaries in Article Four hereof;
(xvii) the Trustee and the Security Agent shall not have any obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance, and shall not be responsible or liable for compliance with restrictions on transfer, exchange, redemption, purchase or repurchase, as applicable, of minimum denominations imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law or regulation with respect to any transfer, exchange, redemption, purchase or repurchase, as applicable, of any interest in any Notes, but may at its sole discretion, choose to do so;
(xviii) in no event shall the Trustee or the Security Agent be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of, or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, public health emergencies, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts that are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances; and
(xix) neither the Trustee nor the Security Agent shall under any circumstance be liable for any indirect or consequential loss, special or punitive damages (including loss of business, goodwill or reputation, opportunity or profit of any kind) of the Issuer, any Guarantor or any Restricted Subsidiary even if advised of it in advance and even if foreseeable.
(b) The Trustee and the Security Agent may request that the Issuer deliver an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the names of the individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officer’s Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officer’s Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded.
109 |
(c) The Security Agent shall accept without investigation, requisition or objection such right and title as the Issuer and any Guarantor may have to any of the Collateral and shall not be bound or concerned to examine or enquire into or be liable for any defect or failure in the right or title of the Issuer or any Guarantor to the Collateral or any part thereof whether such defect or failure was known to the Security Agent or might have been discovered upon examination or enquiry and whether capable of remedy or not and shall have no responsibility for the validity, value or sufficiency of the Collateral.
(d) Without prejudice to the provisions hereof, the Security Agent shall not be under any obligation to insure any of the Collateral or any certificate, note, bond or other evidence in respect thereof, or to require any other person to maintain any such insurance and shall not be responsible for any loss, expense or liability which may be suffered as a result of any assets comprised in the Collateral being uninsured or inadequately insured.
(e) The Security Agent shall not be responsible for any loss, expense or liability occasioned to the Collateral, howsoever caused, by the Security Agent or by any act or omission on the part of any other person (including any bank, broker, depositary, warehouseman or other intermediary or by any clearing system or other operator thereof), or otherwise, unless such loss is occasioned by the willful misconduct or fraud of the Security Agent.
(f) Beyond the exercise of reasonable care in the custody thereof, the Security Agent shall have no duty or liability as to any Collateral in its possession or control or in the possession or control of any agent or bailee or any income thereon or as to preservation of rights against prior parties or any other rights pertaining thereto and the Security Agent shall not be responsible for filing any financing or continuation statements or recording any documents or instruments in any public office at any time or times or otherwise perfecting or maintaining the perfection of any security interest in the Collateral. The Security Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody of the Collateral in its possession if the Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to that which it accords its own property and shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or diminution in the value of any of the Collateral by reason of the act or omission of any carrier, forwarding agency or other agent or bailee selected by the Security Agent in good faith.
(g) Neither the Trustee nor the Security Agent is required to give any bond or surety with respect to the performance of its duties or the exercise of its powers under this Indenture or the Notes.
(h) Neither the Trustee nor the Security Agent will be liable to any person if prevented or delayed in performing any of its obligations or discretionary functions under this Indenture by reason of any present or future law applicable to it, by any governmental or regulatory authority or by any circumstances beyond its control.
(i) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee or the Security Agent to do anything which, in its opinion, may be illegal or contrary to applicable law or regulation.
(j) The Trustee and the Security Agent may refrain from taking any action in any jurisdiction if the taking of such action in that jurisdiction would, in its opinion, based upon legal advice in the relevant jurisdiction, be contrary to any law of that jurisdiction or, to the extent
110 |
applicable, the State of New York and may without liability (other than in respect of actions constituting willful misconduct or gross negligence) do anything which is, in its opinion, necessary to comply with any such law, directive or regulation.
(k) Both the Trustee and the Security Agent may assume without inquiry in the absence of actual knowledge that the Issuer is duly complying with its obligations contained in this Indenture required to be performed and observed by it, and that no Default or Event of Default or other event which would require repayment of the Notes has occurred.
(l) At any time that the security granted pursuant to the Security Documents has become enforceable and the Holders have given a direction to the Trustee to enforce such security, the Trustee is not required to give any direction to the Security Agent with respect thereto unless it has been indemnified and/or secured to its satisfaction in accordance with this Indenture. In any event, in connection with any enforcement of such security, the Trustee is not responsible for:
(i) any failure of the Security Agent to enforce such security within a reasonable time or at all;
(ii) any failure of the Security Agent to pay over the proceeds of enforcement of the security;
(iii) any failure of the Security Agent to realize such security for the best price obtainable;
(iv) monitoring the activities of the Security Agent in relation to such enforcement;
(v) taking any enforcement action itself in relation to such security;
(vi) agreeing to any proposed course of action by the Security Agent which could result in the Trustee incurring any liability for its own account; or
(vii) paying any fees, costs or expenses of the Security Agent.
(m) In addition to the foregoing, the Trustee and the Security Agent agree to accept and act upon notice, instructions or directions pursuant to this Indenture sent by unsecured e-mail, pdf, facsimile transmission or other similar unsecured electronic methods, provided that any communication sent to the Trustee or the Security Agent, as applicable, hereunder must be in the form of a document that is signed manually or by way of a digital signature provided by DocuSign (or such other digital signature provider as specified in writing to Trustee by the authorized representative). If the party elects to give the Trustee or the Security Agent, as applicable, e-mail or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the Trustee or the Security Agent, as applicable, in its discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the Trustee’s or the Security Agent’s, as applicable, understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling. The Trustee and the Security Agent, as applicable, shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee’s or the Security Agent’s, as applicable, reliance upon and compliance with such instructions notwithstanding such instructions conflict or are inconsistent
111 |
with a subsequent written instruction. The party providing electronic instructions agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the Trustee or the Security Agent, as applicable, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee or the Security Agent, as applicable, acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk or interception and misuse by third parties.
SECTION
7.03 Individual Rights of Trustee and the Security Agent. The Trustee, the Security Agent, any Transfer Agent, any Paying
Agent, any Registrar or any other agent of the Issuer or of the Trustee or Security Agent, in its individual or any other capacity, may
become the owner or pledgee of Notes and, may otherwise deal with the Issuer with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee,
the Security Agent, Paying Agent, Transfer Agent, Registrar or such other agent. The Trustee and the Security Agent may accept deposits
from, lend money to, and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust or other business with the Issuer or any of its Affiliates or
Subsidiaries as if it were not performing the duties specified herein, in the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements,
any Additional Intercreditor Agreement and in the Security Documents, and may accept fees and other consideration from the Issuer for
services in connection with this Indenture and otherwise without having to account for the same to the Trustee, the Security Agent or
to the Holders from time to time.
SECTION
7.04 Disclaimer of Trustee and Security Agent. The recitals contained herein and in the Notes, except for the Trustee’s
certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Issuer, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness.
The Trustee and the Security Agent make no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture, the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements,
the Notes or the Security Documents. The Trustee and the Security Agent shall not be accountable for the Issuer’s use of the proceeds
from the Notes or any money paid to the Issuer or upon the Issuer’s direction under any provision of this Indenture nor shall it
be responsible for the use or application of any money received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee and the Security Agent and
they will not be responsible for any statement or recital herein or any statement on the Notes or any other document in connection with
the sale of the Notes or pursuant to this Indenture or the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
other than the Trustee’s certificate of authentication. The Security Agent shall not, nor shall any receiver appointed by or any
agent of the Security Agent, by reason of taking possession of any Collateral or any part thereof or any other reason or on any basis
whatsoever, be liable to account for anything expect actual receipts or be liable for any loss or damage arising from a realization of
the Collateral or any part thereof or from any act, default or omission in relation to the Collateral or any part thereof or from any
exercise or non-exercise by it of any power, authority or discretion conferred upon it in relation to the Collateral or any part thereof
unless such loss or damage shall be caused by its own fraud or gross negligence. The Security Agent shall not have any responsibility
or liability arising from the fact that the Collateral may be held in safe custody by a custodian. The Security Agent assumes no responsibility
for the validity, sufficiency or enforceability (which the Security Agent has not investigated) of the Collateral purported to be created
by any Supplemental Indenture or other document. In addition, the Security Agent has no duty to monitor the performance by the Issuer
and the Guarantors of their obligations to the Security Agent nor is it obliged (unless indemnified and/or secured (including by way of
prefunding to its satisfaction) to take any other action which may involve the Security Agent in any personal liability or expense).
SECTION 7.05 Compensation and Indemnity. The Issuer and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, shall pay to the Trustee and the Security Agent such compensation as shall be agreed in
112 |
writing for their services hereunder. The Trustee’s and the Security Agent’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Issuer and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, shall reimburse the Trustee and the Security Agent promptly upon request for all properly incurred disbursements, advances or expenses incurred or made by them, including costs of collection, in addition to the compensation for their services. Such expenses shall include the properly incurred compensation, disbursements, charges, advances and expenses of the Trustee’s and the Security Agent’s agents and counsel.
The Issuer and the Guarantors, jointly and severally,
shall indemnify the Trustee and the Security Agent against any and all loss, liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees and
expenses) incurred by either of them without willful misconduct or gross negligence on their part arising out of or in connection with
the administration of this trust and the performance of their duties hereunder (including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture,
the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements,
any Additional Intercreditor Agreement and the Security Documents against the Issuer and the Guarantors (including this Section 7.05)
and defending themselves against any claim, whether asserted by the Issuer, the Guarantors, any Holder or any other Person, or liability
in connection with the execution and performance of any of their powers and duties hereunder). The Trustee and the Security Agent shall
notify the Issuer promptly of any claim for which they may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee or the Security Agent to so notify the
Issuer shall not relieve the Issuer or any Guarantor of its obligations hereunder. The Issuer shall, at the sole discretion of the Trustee
or Security Agent, as applicable, defend the claim and the Trustee and the Security Agent may cooperate and may participate at the Issuer’s
expense in such defense. Alternatively, the Trustee and the Security Agent may at their option have separate counsel of their own choosing
and the Issuer shall pay the properly incurred fees and expenses of such counsel. The Issuer need not pay for any settlement made without
its consent, which consent may not be unreasonably withheld. The Issuer shall not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss,
liability or expense incurred by the Trustee through the Trustee’s own willful misconduct or gross negligence.
To secure the Issuer’s payment obligations in this Section 7.05, the Trustee and the Security Agent shall have a Lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, in their capacity as Trustee and the Security Agent, except money or property, including any proceeds from the sale of Collateral, held in trust to pay principal of, premium, if any, additional amounts, if any, and interest on particular Notes. Such Lien shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of all Notes under this Indenture.
When either the Trustee or the Security Agent incur expenses after the occurrence of a Default specified in Section 6.01(a)(9) with respect to the Issuer, the Guarantors, or any Restricted Subsidiary, the expenses are intended to constitute expenses of administration under Bankruptcy Law.
The Issuer’s obligations under this Section 7.05 and any claim or Lien arising hereunder shall survive the resignation or removal of any Trustee and the Security Agent, the satisfaction and discharge of the Issuer’s obligations pursuant to Article Eight and any rejection or termination under any Bankruptcy Law, and the termination of this Indenture.
SECTION 7.06 Replacement of Trustee or Security Agent. A resignation or removal of the Trustee and the Security Agent and appointment of a successor Trustee and successor Security
113 |
Agent shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s and the successor Security Agent’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section 7.06.
The Trustee and, subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Security Agent as provided in this Section and the last paragraph of this Section 7.06, the Security Agent may resign at any time without giving any reason by so notifying the Issuer. The Holders of a majority in outstanding principal amount of the outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee and the Security Agent by so notifying the Trustee, the Security Agent and the Issuer. The Issuer shall remove the Trustee or the Security Agent if:
(a) the Trustee or the Security Agent fails to comply with Section 7.09;
(b) the Trustee or the Security Agent is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent;
(c) a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or the Security Agent or their property; or
(d) the Trustee or the Security Agent otherwise becomes incapable of acting.
If the Trustee or the Security Agent resigns or is removed, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee or the Security Agent for any reason, the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or a successor Security Agent, as the case may be. Within one year after the successor Trustee or Security Agent takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may appoint a successor Trustee or Security Agent to replace the successor Trustee or Security Agent appointed by the Issuer. If the successor Trustee or Security Agent does not deliver its written acceptance required by the next succeeding paragraph of this Section 7.06 within 30 days after the retiring Trustee or Security Agent resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee or Security Agent, the Issuer or the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may, at the expense of the Issuer, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee or Security Agent.
A successor Trustee or Security Agent shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee or Security Agent, as the case may be, and to the Issuer. Thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee or Security Agent shall become effective, and the successor Trustee or Security Agent shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee or the Security Agent under this Indenture. The successor Trustee or Security Agent shall deliver a notice of its succession to Holders. The retiring Trustee or Security Agent shall, at the expense of the Issuer, promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee or Security Agent to the successor Trustee or Security Agent; provided that all sums owing to the Trustee or Security Agent hereunder have been paid and subject to the Lien provided for in Section 7.05.
If a successor Trustee or Security Agent does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee or Security Agent resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee or Security Agent, the Issuer or the Holders of at least 30% in outstanding principal amount of the Notes may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee or Security Agent at the expense of the Issuer. Without prejudice to the right of the Issuer to appoint a successor Trustee or a successor Security Agent in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture, the retiring Trustee
114 |
or Security Agent may appoint a successor Trustee or Security Agent at any time prior to the date on which a successor Trustee or Security Agent takes office.
If the Trustee or the Security Agent fails to comply with Section 7.09, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Note for at least six months may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee or the Security Agent and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Security Agent.
In addition to the foregoing and notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, any resignation, removal or replacement of the Security Agent pursuant to this Section 7.06 shall not be effective until (a) a successor to the Security Agent has agreed to act under the terms of this Indenture and (b) all of the Security Interests in the Collateral has been transferred to such successor. Any replacement or successor Security Agent shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York or an Affiliate of any such bank. Upon acceptance of its appointment as Security Agent hereunder by a replacement or successor, such replacement or successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Security Agent hereunder, and the retiring Security Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder.
Notwithstanding the replacement of the Trustee or the Security Agent pursuant to this Section 7.06, the Issuer’s and the Guarantors’ obligations under Section 7.05 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee or Security Agent.
SECTION 7.07 Successor Trustee or Security Agent by Merger. Any corporation into which the Trustee or the Security Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee or the Security Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee or the Security Agent, shall be the successor of the Trustee or the Security Agent hereunder; provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article Seven, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Notes shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Notes so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Notes. In case at that time any of the Notes shall not have been authenticated, any successor Trustee may authenticate such Notes either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor Trustee. In all such cases such certificates shall have the full force and effect which this Indenture provides for the certificate of authentication of the Trustee shall have; provided that the right to adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor Trustee or to authenticate Notes in the name of any predecessor Trustee shall apply only to its successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation.
SECTION
7.08 Appointment of Security Agent and Supplemental Security Agents. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree, and each
Holder by accepting the Notes acknowledges and agrees, that the Issuer hereby appoints U.S. Bank National Association to act as Security
Agent hereunder, and U.S. Bank National Association accepts such appointment. Each Holder, by accepting the Notes, authorizes and expressly
directs the Trustee and the Security Agent on such Holder’s behalf to enter into the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
and any Additional
115 |
Intercreditor Agreement and the Trustee and the Holders acknowledge that the Security Agent will be acting in respect to the Security Documents and the security granted thereunder on the terms outlined therein (which terms in respect of the rights and protections of the Security Agent, in the event of an inconsistency with the terms of this Indenture, will prevail).
(a) The Security Agent may perform any of its duties and exercise any of its rights and powers through one or more sub-agents or co-trustees appointed by it. The Security Agent and any such sub-agent or co-trustee may perform any of its duties and exercise any of its rights and powers through its affiliates. All of the provisions of this Indenture applicable to the Security Agent including, without limitation, its rights to be indemnified, shall apply to and be enforceable by any such sub-agent and affiliates of a Security Agent and any such sub-agent or co-trustee. All references herein to a “Security Agent” shall include any such sub-agent or co-trustee and affiliates of a Security Agent or any such sub-agent or co-trustee.
(b) It
is the purpose of this Indenture, the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements,
any Additional Intercreditor Agreement and the Security Documents that there shall be no violation of any law of any jurisdiction denying
or restricting the right of banking corporations or associations to transact business as agent or trustee in such jurisdiction. Without
limiting paragraph (a) of this Section, it is recognized that in case of litigation under, or enforcement of, this Indenture, the Intercreditor
AgreementAgreements,
any Additional Intercreditor Agreement or any of the Security Documents, or in case the Security Agent deems that by reason of any present
or future law of any jurisdiction it may not exercise any of the rights, powers or remedies granted herein or in any of the Security Documents
or take any other action which may be desirable or necessary in connection therewith, the Security Agent is hereby authorized to appoint
an additional individual or institution selected by the Security Agent in its sole discretion as a separate trustee, co-trustee, administrative
agent, Security Agent, administrative sub-agent or administrative co-agent (any such additional individual or institution being referred
to herein individually as a “Supplemental Security Agent” and collectively as “Supplemental Security Agents”).
(c) In the event that the Security Agent appoints a Supplemental Security Agent with respect to any Collateral, (i) each and every right, power, privilege or duty expressed or intended by this Indenture or any of the other Security Documents to be exercised by or vested in or conveyed to such Security Agent with respect to such Collateral shall be exercisable by and vest in such Supplemental Security Agent to the extent, and only to the extent, necessary to enable such Supplemental Security Agent to exercise such rights, powers and privileges with respect to such Collateral and to perform such duties with respect to such Collateral, and every covenant and obligation contained in the Security Documents and necessary to the exercise or performance thereof by such Supplemental Security Agent shall run to and be enforceable by either such Security Agent or such Supplemental Security Agent, and (ii) the provisions of this Indenture (and, in particular, this Article Seven) that refer to the Security Agent shall inure to the benefit of such Supplemental Security Agent and all references therein to the Security Agent shall be deemed to be references to a Security Agent and/or such Supplemental Security Agent, as the context may require.
(d) Should any instrument in writing from the Issuer or any other obligor be required by any Supplemental Security Agent so appointed by the Security Agent for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to him or it such rights, powers, privileges and duties, the Company shall, or shall cause the Issuer and relevant Guarantor to, execute, acknowledge and
116 |
deliver any and all such instruments promptly upon request by the Security Agent. In case any Supplemental Security Agent, or a successor thereto, shall die, become incapable of acting, resign or be removed, all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of such Supplemental Security Agent, to the extent permitted by law, shall vest in and be exercised by the Security Agent until the appointment of a new Supplemental Security Agent.
SECTION 7.09 Eligibility; Disqualification. There will at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of England and Wales or the United States of America or of any state thereof that is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trustee power and which is generally recognized as a corporation which customarily performs such corporate trustee roles and provides such corporate trustee services in transactions similar in nature to the offering of the Notes as described in the Offering Memorandum. Each of the Trustee and the Security Agent shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.
SECTION 7.10 Appointment of Co-Trustee.
(a) It is the purpose of this Indenture that there shall be no violation of any law of any jurisdiction denying or restricting the right of banking corporations or associations to transact business as trustee in such jurisdiction. It is recognized that in case of litigation under this Indenture, and in particular in case of the enforcement thereof on Default, or in the case the Trustee deems that by reason of any present or future law of any jurisdiction it may not exercise any of the powers, rights or remedies herein granted to the Trustee or hold title to the properties, in trust, as herein granted or take any action which may be desirable or necessary in connection therewith, it may be necessary that the Trustee appoint an individual or institution as a separate or co-trustee. The following provisions of this Section 7.10 are adopted to these ends.
(b) In the event that the Trustee appoints an additional individual or institution as a separate or co-trustee, each and every remedy, power, right, claim, demand, cause of action, immunity, estate, title, interest and Lien expressed or intended by this Indenture to be exercised by or vested in or conveyed to the Trustee with respect thereto shall be exercisable by and vest in such separate or co-trustee but only to the extent necessary to enable such separate or co-trustee to exercise such powers, rights and remedies, and only to the extent that the Trustee by the laws of any jurisdiction is incapable of exercising such powers, rights and remedies, and every covenant and obligation necessary to the exercise thereof by such separate or co-trustee shall run to and be enforceable by either of them.
(c) Should any instrument in writing from the Issuer be required by the separate or co-trustee so appointed by the Trustee for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to him or it such properties, rights, powers, trusts, duties and obligations, any and all such instruments in writing shall to the extent permitted by the laws of the State of New York and the jurisdictions of organization of the Issuer, on request, be executed, acknowledged and delivered by the Issuer; provided that if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, if the Issuer do not execute any such instrument within 15 days after request therefor, the Trustee shall be empowered as an attorney-in-fact for the Issuer to execute any such instrument in the Issuer’s name and stead. In case any separate or co-trustee or a successor to either shall die, become incapable of acting, resign or be removed, all the estates, properties, rights, powers, trusts, duties and obligations of such
117 |
separate or co-trustee, so far as permitted by law, shall vest in and be exercised by the Trustee until the appointment of a new trustee or successor to such separate or co-trustee.
(d) Each separate trustee and co-trustee shall, to the extent permitted by law, be appointed and act subject to the following provisions and conditions:
(i) all rights and powers, conferred or imposed upon the Trustee shall be conferred or imposed upon and may be exercised or performed by such separate trustee or co-trustee; and
(ii) no trustee hereunder shall be liable by reason of any act or omission of any other trustee hereunder.
(e) Any notice, request or other writing given to the Trustee shall be deemed to have been given to each of the then separate trustees and co-trustees, as effectively as if given to each of them. Every instrument appointing any separate trustee or co-trustee shall refer to this Indenture and the conditions of this Article Seven.
(f) Any separate trustee or co-trustee may at any time appoint the Trustee as its agent or attorney-in-fact with full power and authority, to the extent not prohibited by law, to do any lawful act under or in respect of this Indenture on its behalf and in its name. If any separate trustee or co-trustee shall die, become incapable of acting, resign or be removed, all of its estates, properties, rights, remedies and trusts shall vest in and be exercised by the Trustee, to the extent permitted by law, without the appointment of a new or successors trustee.
SECTION 7.11 Resignation of Agents.
(a) Any Agent may resign its appointment hereunder at any time without the need to give any reason and without being responsible for any costs associated therewith by giving to the Issuer and the Trustee and (except in the case of resignation of the Principal Paying Agent) the Principal Paying Agent 30 days’ written notice to that effect (waivable by the Issuer and the Trustee); provided that in the case of resignation of the Principal Paying Agent no such resignation shall take effect until a new Principal Paying Agent (approved in advance in writing by the Trustee) shall have been appointed by the Issuer to exercise the powers and undertake the duties hereby conferred and imposed upon the Principal Paying Agent. Following receipt of a notice of resignation from any Agent, the Issuer shall promptly give notice thereof to the Holders in accordance with Section 12.02. Such notice shall expire at least 30 days before or after any due date for payment in respect of the Notes.
(b) If any Agent gives notice of its resignation in accordance with this Section 7.11 and a replacement Agent is required and by the tenth day before the expiration of such notice such replacement has not been duly appointed, such Agent may itself appoint as its replacement any reputable and experienced financial institution. Immediately following such appointment, the Issuer shall give notice of such appointment to the Trustee, the remaining Agents and the Holders whereupon the Issuer, the Trustee, the remaining Agents and the replacement Agent shall acquire and become subject to the same rights and obligations between themselves as if they had entered into an agreement in the form mutatis mutandis of this Indenture.
118 |
(c) Upon its resignation becoming effective the Principal Paying Agent shall forthwith transfer all moneys held by it hereunder hereof to the successor Principal Paying Agent or, if none, the Trustee or to the Trustee’s order, but shall have no other duties or responsibilities hereunder, and shall be entitled to the payment by the Issuer of its remuneration for the services previously rendered hereunder and to the reimbursement of all reasonable expenses (including legal fees) incurred in connection therewith.
SECTION 7.12 Agents General Provisions.
(a) Actions of Agents. The rights, powers, duties and obligations and actions of each Agent under this Indenture are several and not joint or joint and several.
(b) Agents of Trustee. The Issuer and the Agents acknowledge and agree that in the event of a Default or Event of Default, the Trustee may, by notice in writing to the Issuer and the Agents, require that the Agents act as agents of, and take instructions exclusively from, the Trustee. Prior to receiving such written notification from the Trustee, the Agents shall be the agents of the Issuer and need have no concern for the interests of the Holders.
(c) Funds held by Agents. The Agents will hold all funds subject to the terms of this Indenture.
(d) Publication of Notices. Any obligation the Agents may have to publish a notice to Holders of Global Notes on behalf of the Issuer will be met upon delivery of the notice to DTC.
(e) Instructions. In the event that instructions given to any Agent are not reasonably clear, then such Agent shall be entitled to seek clarification from the Issuer or other party entitled to give the Agents instructions under this Indenture by written request promptly, and in any event within one Business Day of receipt by such Agent of such instructions. If an Agent has sought clarification in accordance with this Section 7.12, then such Agent shall be entitled to take no action until such clarification is provided, and shall not incur any liability for not taking any action pending receipt of such clarification.
(f) No Fiduciary Duty. No Agent shall be under any fiduciary duty or other obligation towards, or have any relationship of agency or trust, for or with any person.
(g) Mutual Undertaking. Each party shall, within ten Business Days of a written request by another party, supply to that other party such forms, documentation and other information relating to it, its operations, or the Notes as that other party reasonably requests for the purposes of that other party’s compliance with applicable law and shall notify the relevant other party reasonably promptly in the event that it becomes aware that any of the forms, documentation or other information provided by such party is (or becomes) inaccurate in any material respect; provided, however, that no party shall be required to provide any forms, documentation or other information pursuant to this Section 7.12(g) to the extent that: (i) any such form, documentation or other information (or the information required to be provided on such form or documentation) is not reasonably available to such party and cannot be obtained by such party using reasonable efforts; or (ii) doing so would or might in the reasonable opinion of such party constitute a breach of any: (a) applicable law or (b) duty of confidentiality. For purposes of this Section 7.12(g), “applicable law”
119 |
shall be deemed to include (i) any rule or practice of any regulatory or governmental authority by which any party is bound or with which it is accustomed to comply; (ii) any agreement between any Authorities; and (iii) any agreement between any regulatory or governmental authority and any party that is customarily entered into by institutions of a similar nature.
(h) Tax Withholding.
(i) The Issuer shall notify each Agent in the event that it determines that any payment to be made by an Agent under the Notes is a payment which could be subject to FATCA Withholding if such payment were made to a recipient that is generally unable to receive payments free from FATCA Withholding, and the extent to which the relevant payment is so treated; provided, however, that the Issuer’s obligations under this Section 7.12(h) shall apply only to the extent that such payments are so treated by virtue of characteristics of the Issuer, the Notes, or both.
(ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, each Agent shall be entitled to make a deduction or withholding from any payment which it makes under the Notes for or on account of any Tax, if and only to the extent so required by Applicable Law, in which event the Agent shall make such payment after such deduction or withholding has been made and shall account to the relevant Authority within the time allowed for the amount so deducted or withheld or, at its option, shall reasonably promptly after making such payment return to the Issuer the amount so deducted or withheld, in which case, the Issuer shall so account to the relevant Authority for such amount. For the avoidance of doubt, FATCA Withholding is a deduction or withholding which is deemed to be required by Applicable Law for the purposes of this Section 7.12(h)(ii).
ARTICLE
EIGHT
DEFEASANCE; SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
SECTION 8.01 Issuer’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. The Issuer may, at its option and at any time prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes, by a resolution of its Board of Directors, elect to have either Section 8.02 or Section 8.03 be applied to all outstanding Notes upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article Eight.
SECTION 8.02 Defeasance and Discharge. Upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.01 of the option applicable to this Section 8.02, the Issuer and the Guarantors shall be deemed to have been discharged from their obligations with respect to the Notes on the date the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 are satisfied (hereinafter, “Legal Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Legal Defeasance means that the Issuer shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the outstanding Notes and to have satisfied all their other obligations under the Notes and this Indenture (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Issuer, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following provisions which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (a) the rights of Holders of outstanding Notes to receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 8.08 and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any, on) and interest (including Additional Amounts) on such Notes when such payments are due, (b) the Issuer’s obligations with respect to the Notes concerning issuing temporary Notes, registration of Notes, mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and the maintenance of an office or agency for payment and money
120 |
for security payments held in trust, (c) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee and the Security Agent hereunder and the Issuer’s and the Guarantors’ obligations in connection therewith and (d) the provisions of this Article Eight. Subject to compliance with this Article Eight, the Issuer may exercise its option under this Section 8.02 notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 8.03 below with respect to the Notes. If the Issuer exercises its Legal Defeasance option, payment of the Notes may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default.
SECTION 8.03 Covenant Defeasance. Upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.01 of the option applicable to this Section 8.03, the Issuer and the Guarantors shall be released from their obligations under any covenant contained in Sections 4.04 through 4.11, 4.13 through 4.17, 4.19 through 4.26 and 5.01 with respect to the Notes on and after the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “Covenant Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that, the Issuer may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Notes shall be unaffected thereby.
SECTION 8.04 Conditions to Defeasance. In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance:
(i) the Issuer must irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the holders of the Notes, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable Government Securities, in amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, to pay the principal of, or interest (including Additional Amounts and premium, if any) on the outstanding Notes on the stated date for payment thereof or on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be, and the Issuer must specify whether the Notes are being defeased to such stated date for payment or to a particular redemption date;
(ii) in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee:
(A) an opinion of United States counsel, which counsel is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, confirming that (i) the Issuer has received from, or there has been published by, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (ii) since the Issue Date, there has been a change in the applicable U.S. federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of counsel will confirm that, the holders of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred; and
121 |
(B) an Opinion of Counsel in the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Issuer, which counsel is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, to the effect that the holders of the Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for tax purposes of such jurisdiction as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to tax in such jurisdiction on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred;
(iii) in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee:
(A) an opinion of United States counsel, which counsel is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, confirming that the holders of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred; and
(B) an opinion of counsel in the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Issuer, which counsel is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, to the effect that the holders of the Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for tax purposes of such jurisdiction as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to tax in such jurisdiction on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred;
(iv) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit (and any similar concurrent deposit relating to other Indebtedness), and the granting of Liens to secure such borrowings);
(v) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the Convertible Notes or any other material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture and the agreements governing any other Indebtedness being defeased, discharged or replaced) to which the Issuer or any of the Guarantors is a party or by which the Issuer or any of the Guarantors is bound;
(vi) the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Issuer with the intent of preferring the holders of Notes over the other creditors of the Issuer with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any creditors of the Issuer or others; and
(vii) the Issuer must deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.
If the funds deposited with the Trustee to effect Covenant Defeasance are insufficient to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes when due because of any
122 |
acceleration occurring after an Event of Default, then the Issuer and the Guarantors shall remain liable for such payments.
SECTION
8.05 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture, and the rights of the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes
under the Intercreditor Agreement, any Additional Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
and the Security Documents, shall be discharged and shall cease to be of further effect as to all Notes issued thereunder, when:
(1) either:
(A) all Notes that have been authenticated, except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes that have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to the Issuer, have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(B) all Notes that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the delivery of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable within one year and the Issuer or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the holders, cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable Government Securities, or a combination of cash in U.S. dollars and non-callable Government Securities, in amounts as will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants, without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire Indebtedness on the Notes not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal, premium and Additional Amounts, if any, and accrued interest to the date of maturity or redemption;
(2) the Issuer or any Guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by it under this Indenture;
(3) the
Issuer has delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee under this Indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the
Notes at maturity or on the redemption date, as the case maybemay
be; and
(4) the Issuer has delivered an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied; provided that any such counsel may rely on any Officer’s Certificate as to matters of fact (including as to compliance with the foregoing clauses (1), (2) and (3)).
SECTION 8.06 Survival of Certain Obligations. Notwithstanding Sections 8.01 and 8.03, any obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantors in Sections 2.02 through 2.14, 6.07, 7.05 and 7.06 shall survive until the Notes have been paid in full. Thereafter, any obligations of the Issuer or the Guarantors in Section 7.05 shall survive such satisfaction and discharge. Nothing contained in this Article Eight shall abrogate any of the obligations or duties of the Trustee under this Indenture.
SECTION 8.07 Acknowledgment of Discharge by Trustee. Subject to Section 8.09, after the conditions of Section 8.02 or 8.03 have been satisfied, the Trustee upon written request
123 |
shall acknowledge in writing the discharge of all of the Issuer’s and Guarantor’s obligations under this Indenture except for those surviving obligations specified in this Article Eight.
SECTION 8.08 Application of Trust Money. Subject to Section 8.09, the Trustee shall hold in trust cash in U.S. dollars or U.S. Government Obligations deposited with it pursuant to this Article Eight. It shall apply the deposited cash or Government Securities through the Paying Agent and in accordance with this Indenture to the payment of principal of, premium, if any, interest, and Additional Amounts, if any, on the Notes; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
SECTION 8.09 Repayment to Issuer. Subject to Sections 7.05, and 8.01 through 8.04, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall promptly pay to the Issuer upon request set forth in an Officer’s Certificate any excess money held by them at any time and thereupon shall be relieved from all liability with respect to such money. The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Issuer upon request any money held by them for the payment of principal, premium, if any, interest or Additional Amounts, if any, that remains unclaimed for two years; provided that the Trustee or Paying Agent before being required to make any payment may cause to be published through the newswire service of Bloomberg or, if Bloomberg does not then operate, any similar agency or deliver to each Holder entitled to such money at such Holder’s address (as set forth in the Security Register) notice that such money remains unclaimed and that after a date specified therein (which shall be at least 30 days from the date of such publication or delivery) any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Issuer. After payment to the Issuer, Holders entitled to such money must look to the Issuer for payment as general creditors unless an applicable law designates another Person, and all liability of the Trustee and such Paying Agent with respect to such money shall cease.
SECTION 8.10 Indemnity for Government Securities. The Issuer shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee and the Paying Agent against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against deposited Government Securities or the principal, premium, if any, interest, if any, and Additional Amounts, if any, received on such Government Securities.
SECTION 8.11 Reinstatement. If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply cash in dollars or Government Securities in accordance with this Article Eight by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Issuer’s and the Guarantors’ obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article Eight until such time as the Trustee or any such Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such cash or Government Securities in accordance with this Article Eight; provided that, if the Issuer has made any payment of principal of, premium, if any, interest, if any, and Additional Amounts, if any, on any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the cash in dollars or Government Securities held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.
124 |
ARTICLE
NINE
AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS
SECTION 9.01 Without Consent of Holders.
(a) The
Issuer, when authorized by a resolution of its Board of Directors (as evidenced by the delivery of such resolutions to the Trustee), the
Guarantors, the Security Agent and the Trustee may modify, amend or supplement this Indenture, the Notes, the Note Guarantees, the Intercreditor
Agreement, any Additional Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
and the Security Documents without notice to or consent of any Holder:
(i) to cure any ambiguity, omission, error, defect or inconsistency;
(ii) to provide for the assumption of the Issuer’s or a Guarantor’s obligations to Holders of Notes and Note Guarantees in the case of a consolidation or merger or sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Issuer’s or such Guarantor’s assets, as applicable;
(iii) to make any change that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders of Notes or that, in the good faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Issuer, does not adversely affect the legal rights under this Indenture of any such holder in any material respect;
(iv) to conform the text of this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees to any provision of the section entitled “Description of Notes” in the Offering Memorandum to the extent that such provision in the “Description of Notes” section of the Offering Memorandum (as amended by Exhibit A to that certain Offer to Purchase, made by the Issuer and dated as of July 6, 2021) was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees;
(v) to
provide for any Restricted Subsidiary to provide a Note Guarantee in accordance with Section 4.06 and Section 4.15 to add security to
or for the benefit of the Notes or to confirm and evidence the release, termination, discharge or retaking of any Note Guarantee or Lien
(including the Collateral and the Security Documents) or any amendment in respect thereof with respect to or securing the Notes when such
release, termination, discharge or retaking or amendment is permitted under this Indenture, the Intercreditor Agreement,
any Additional Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
and the Security Documents;
(vi) in
the case of the Security Documents, to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest (i) in favor of the Security Agent for
the benefit of holders of Note Obligations or the parties
to the EIB Facility or the Existingholders
of the 2027 First-Priority Secured Notes or (ii) in favor of any other party that is granted a Lien on Collateral in accordance
with the terms of this Indenture, in each case, in any property which is required by the documents governing such Indebtedness to be mortgaged,
pledged or hypothecated, or in which a security interest is required to be granted to the Security Agent, or to the extent necessary to
grant a security interest for the benefit of any Person; provided that the granting of such security interest is not prohibited
by this Indenture and Section 4.22 is complied with;
(vii) to provide for the issuance of additional Notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in this Indenture as of the Issue Date;
125 |
(viii) to allow any Guarantor to execute a Supplemental Indenture and a Note Guarantee with respect to the Notes;
(ix) to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of Definitive Registered Notes (provided that the uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code, or in a manner such that the uncertificated Notes are described in Section 163(f)(2)(B) of the Code); or
(x) to evidence and provide the acceptance of the appointment of a successor Trustee under this Indenture.
(b) In connection with any proposed amendment or supplement in respect of such matters, the Trustee will be entitled to receive, and rely conclusively on, an Opinion of Counsel and/or an Officer’s Certificate.
For the avoidance of doubt (and without limiting the generality of any other statements in this Indenture), the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, shall not apply to any amendments to or waivers or consents under this Indenture.
SECTION 9.02 With Consent of Holders.
(a) Except
as provided in Section 9.02(b) below and Section 6.04 and without prejudice to Section 9.01, this Indenture, the Notes, the Note Guarantees,
the Intercreditor Agreement, any Additional Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
and the Security Documents may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer
or exchange offer for, Notes), and any existing Default or Event of Default or compliance with any provision of this Indenture, the Notes
or the Note Guarantees may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding
Notes (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes);
provided that any such amendment, supplement or waiver to release the security interests in the Collateral
granted for the benefit of the Trustee and the Holders (other than pursuant to the terms of the Security Documents or this Indenture,
as applicable, and except as permitted by the Intercreditor Agreement or any Additional Intercreditor
AgreementAgreements)
shall (i) in respect of all or substantially all of the Collateral, require the consent of the Holders of at least 75% in aggregate principal
amount of the Notes and (ii) in respect of Collateral with a Fair Market Value greater than $1,000 million (but, for the avoidance of
doubt, less than all or substantially all of the Collateral), require the consent of the holders of at least 662/3%
in aggregate principal amount of the Notes.
(b) Without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment, supplement or waiver may not (with respect to any Notes held by a non-consenting Holder):
(i) reduce the principal amount of Notes whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
126 |
(ii) reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any Note or reduce the premium payable upon the redemption of any such Note or change the time at which such Note may be redeemed;
(iii) reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest, including default interest, on any Note;
(iv) impair the right of any Holder to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holder’s Notes or any Note Guarantee in respect thereof;
(v) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, or interest, Additional Amounts or premium, if any, on, the Notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes and a waiver of the payment Default that resulted from such acceleration);
(vi) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Notes;
(vii) make any change in the provisions of this Indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of holders of Notes to receive payments of principal of, or interest, Additional Amounts or premium, if any, on, the Notes;
(viii) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Note (other than a payment required by Section 4.09 or Section 4.11);
(ix) make any change to or modify the ranking of the Notes as to contractual right of payment in a manner that would adversely affect the holders thereof;
(x) release
any Guarantor from any of its obligations under its Note Guarantee or this Indenture, except in accordance with the terms of this Indenture,
or the Intercreditor Agreement
or any Additional Intercreditor AgreementAgreements;
or
(xi) make any change in the preceding amendment and waiver provisions.
(c) The consent of the Holders shall not be necessary under this Indenture to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent. It is sufficient if such consent approves the substance of the proposed amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent. A consent to any amendment or waiver under this Indenture by any Holder given in connection with a tender of such Holder’s Notes will not be rendered invalid by such tender.
SECTION 9.03 Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any Supplemental Indenture under this Article Nine, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such Supplemental Indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.
127 |
SECTION 9.04 Notation on or Exchange of Notes. If an amendment, modification or supplement changes the terms of a Note, the Issuer or the Trustee may require the Holder to deliver it to the Trustee. The Trustee may place an appropriate notation on the Note and on any Note subsequently authenticated regarding the changed terms and return it to the Holder. Alternatively, if the Issuer so determines, the Issuer in exchange for the Note shall issue, and the Trustee shall authenticate, a new Note that reflects the changed terms. Failure to make the appropriate notation or to issue a new Note shall not affect the validity of such amendment, modification or supplement.
SECTION 9.05 [Reserved].
SECTION 9.06 Notice of Amendment or Waiver. Promptly after the execution by the Issuer and the Trustee of any Supplemental Indenture or waiver pursuant to the provisions of Section 9.02, the Issuer shall give notice thereof to the Holders of each outstanding Note affected, in the manner provided for in Section 12.01(b), setting forth in general terms the substance of such Supplemental Indenture or waiver.
SECTION 9.07 Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc. The Trustee or the Security Agent, as the case may be, shall execute any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant and adopted in accordance with this Article Nine; provided that the Trustee or the Security Agent, as the case may be, may, but shall not be obligated to, execute any such amendment, supplement or waiver which affects the Trustee’s or Security Agent’s, as the case may be, own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture. The Trustee and the Security Agent shall receive, if requested, an indemnity and/or security (including by way of pre-funding) satisfactory to it and to receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel and an Officer’s Certificate each stating that the execution of any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article Nine is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that such amendment has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and is the legally valid and binding obligation of the Issuer enforceable against them in accordance with its terms (for the avoidance of doubt, such Opinion of Counsel is not required with respect to any Guarantor). Such Opinion of Counsel shall be an expense of the Issuer.
SECTION 9.08 Additional Voting Terms; Calculation of Principal Amount.
(a) All Notes issued under this Indenture shall vote and consent together on all matters (as to which any of such Notes may vote) as one class and no series of Notes will have the right to vote or consent as a separate series on any matter; provided, however, that if any amendment, waiver or other modification will only affect one series of Notes, only the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the affected series of Notes then outstanding (and not the consent of the Holders of at least a majority of all Notes), shall be required. Determinations as to whether Holders of the requisite aggregate principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent shall be made in accordance with this Article Nine and Section 9.08(b).
(b) The aggregate principal amount of the Notes, at any date of determination, shall be the principal amount of the Notes at such date of determination. With respect to any matter requiring consent, waiver, approval or other action of the Holders of a specified percentage of the principal amount of all the Notes, such percentage shall be calculated, on the relevant date of
128 |
determination, by dividing (i) the principal amount, as of such date of determination, of Notes, the Holders of which have so consented by (b) the aggregate principal amount, as of such date of determination, of the Notes then outstanding, in each case, as determined in accordance with the preceding sentence, Section 2.08 and Section 2.09 of this Indenture. Any such calculation made pursuant to this Section 9.08(b) shall be made by the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee pursuant to an Officer’s Certificate.
ARTICLE
TEN
GUARANTEE
SECTION 10.01 Note Guarantees.
(a) The Guarantors, either by execution of this Indenture or a Supplemental Indenture, fully and, subject to the limitations on the effectiveness and enforceability set forth in this Indenture or such Supplemental Indenture, as applicable, unconditionally guarantee, on a joint and several basis to each Holder and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns on behalf of each Holder, the full payment of principal of, premium, if any, interest, if any, and Additional Amounts, if any, on, and all other monetary obligations of the Issuer under this Indenture and the Notes (including obligations to the Trustee and the Security Agent and the obligations to pay Additional Amounts, if any) with respect to, each Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or its agent pursuant to and in accordance with this Indenture, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture (all the foregoing being hereinafter collectively called the “Note Obligations”). The Guarantors further agree that the Note Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice or further assent from the Guarantors and that the Guarantors shall remain bound under this Article Ten notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Note Obligation. All payments under each Note Guarantee will be made in U.S. dollars.
(b) The Guarantors hereby agree that their obligations hereunder shall be as if they were each principal debtor and not merely surety, unaffected by, and irrespective of, any invalidity, irregularity or unenforceability of any Note or this Indenture, any failure to enforce the provisions of any Note or this Indenture, any waiver, modification or indulgence granted to the Issuer with respect thereto by the Holders or the Trustee, or any other circumstance which may otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge of a surety or guarantor (except payment in full); provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, no such waiver, modification, indulgence or circumstance shall without the written consent of the Guarantors increase the principal amount of a Note or the interest rate thereon or change the currency of payment with respect to any Note, or alter the Stated Maturity thereof. The Guarantors hereby waive diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of merger or bankruptcy of the Issuer, any right to require that the Trustee pursue or exhaust its legal or equitable remedies against the Issuer prior to exercising its rights under a Note Guarantee (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any right which a Guarantor may have to require the seizure and sale of the assets of the Issuer to satisfy the outstanding principal of, interest on or any other amount payable under each Note prior to recourse against such Guarantor or its assets), protest or notice with respect to any Note or the Indebtedness evidenced thereby and all demands whatsoever, and each covenant that their Note Guarantee will not be discharged with respect to any Note except by payment in full of the principal thereof and interest thereon or as otherwise provided in this Indenture, including Section 10.04. If at any time any payment of principal of, premium, if any, interest, if any, or Additional Amounts, if any, on such Note is rescinded or must be otherwise restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or
129 |
reorganization of the Issuer, the Guarantors’ obligations hereunder with respect to such payment shall be reinstated as of the date of such rescission, restoration or returns as though such payment had become due but had not been made at such times.
(c) The Guarantors also agree to pay any and all costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Trustee or any Holder in enforcing any rights under this Section 10.01.
SECTION 10.02 Subrogation.
(a) Each Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights of the Holders against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by such Guarantor pursuant to the provisions of its Note Guarantee.
(b) The Guarantors agree that they shall not be entitled to any right of subrogation in relation to the Holders in respect of any Obligations guaranteed hereby until payment in full of all Obligations. The Guarantors further agree that, as between them, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the other hand, (x) the maturity of the Obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Section 6.02 for the purposes of the Note Guarantees herein, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Obligations guaranteed hereby, and (y) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such Obligations as provided in Section 6.02, such Obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for the purposes of this Section 10.02.
SECTION 10.03 Release of Note Guarantees. The Note Guarantee of a Guarantor (other than Carnival plc) shall automatically be released:
(1) in connection with any sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of such Subsidiary Guarantor (including by way of merger, consolidation, amalgamation or combination) to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, if the sale or other disposition does not violate Section 4.09;
(2) in connection with any sale or other disposition of Capital Stock of that Subsidiary Guarantor to a Person that is not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, if the sale or other disposition does not violate Section 4.09 and the Subsidiary Guarantor either (i) ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such sale or other disposition or (ii) would not be required to provide a Note Guarantee under Section 4.15;
(3) if the Issuer designates such Subsidiary Guarantor to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture;
(4) upon the full and final payment of the Notes and performance of all Obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantors under this Indenture, the Notes and the Note Guarantees;
(5) upon Legal Defeasance, Covenant Defeasance or satisfaction and discharge of the Notes, the Note Guarantees and this Indenture as provided under Article Eight; or
130 |
(6) as described under Article Nine;
provided that, in each case, such Subsidiary Guarantor has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to such release have been complied with.
The Note Guarantee of Carnival plc shall automatically be released upon any of the circumstances described in clauses (4), (5) and (6) of the immediately preceding paragraph; provided that, in each case, Carnival plc has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to such release have been complied with.
The Trustee shall take all necessary actions
at the request of the Issuer, including the granting of releases or waivers under the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
or any Additional Intercreditor Agreement, to effectuate any release of a Note Guarantee in accordance with these provisions. Each of
the releases set forth above shall be effected by the Trustee without the consent of the Holders and will not require any other action
or consent on the part of the Trustee.
SECTION 10.04 Limitation and Effectiveness of Note Guarantees. Each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Guarantee of such Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent conveyance or a fraudulent transfer for purposes of Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to any Guarantee. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of each Guarantor under its Guarantee will be limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor and after giving effect to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under its Guarantee or pursuant to its contribution obligations under this Indenture, result in the obligations of such Guarantor under its Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal or state law and not otherwise being void or voidable under any similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally. Each Guarantor that makes a payment under its Guarantee shall be entitled upon payment in full of all guaranteed obligations under this Indenture to a contribution from each other Guarantor in an amount equal to such other Guarantor’s pro rata portion of such payment based on the respective net assets of all the Guarantors at the time of such payment determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.
SECTION 10.05 Notation Not Required. Neither the Issuer nor any Guarantor shall be required to make a notation on the Notes to reflect any Note Guarantee or any release, termination or discharge thereof.
SECTION 10.06 Successors and Assigns. This Article Ten shall be binding upon the Guarantors and each of their successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Trustee, the Security Agent and the Holders and, in the event of any transfer or assignment of rights by any Holder or the Trustee or the Security Agent, the rights and privileges conferred upon that party in this Indenture and in the Notes shall automatically extend to and be vested in such transferee or assigns, all subject to the terms and conditions of this Indenture.
131 |
SECTION 10.07 No Waiver. Neither a failure nor a delay on the part of the Trustee, the Security Agent or the Holders in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Article Ten shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall a single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise of any right, power or privilege. The rights, remedies and benefits of the Trustee, the Security Agent and the Holders herein expressly specified are cumulative and are not exclusive of any other rights, remedies or benefits which either may have under this Article Ten at law, in equity, by statute or otherwise.
SECTION 10.08 Modification. No modification, amendment or waiver of any provision of this Article Ten, nor the consent to any departure by any Guarantor therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Trustee, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. No notice to or demand on any Guarantor in any case shall entitle such Guarantor to any other or further notice or demand in the same, similar or other circumstance.
SECTION 10.09 Limitation on the Italian Guarantor’s Liability. Without prejudice to Section 10.04, the obligations of the Italian Guarantor under this Indenture shall be subject to the following limitations:
(a) obligations of the Italian Guarantor shall not include, and shall not extend, directly or indirectly, to any indebtedness incurred by any obligor as borrower or as a guarantor in respect of any proceeds of the issuance of the Notes, the purpose or actual use of which is, directly or indirectly:
(i) | the acquisition of the Italian Guarantor (and/or of any entity directly or indirectly controlling it), including any related costs and expenses; |
(ii) | a subscription for any shares in the Italian Guarantor (and/or any entity directly or indirectly controlling it), including any related costs and expenses; or |
(iii) | the refinancing thereof; |
(b) without
prejudice to Section 10.04, and pursuant to Article 1938 of the Italian Civil Code, the maximum amount that the Italian Guarantor may
be required to pay in respect of its obligations as Guarantor under the Notes, the EIB Facility, the Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes and this Indenture shall not exceed $6,000.0 million.
(c) without
prejudice to Section 10.04, the maximum amount that the Italian Guarantor may be required to pay in respect of its obligations as Guarantor
under the Notes, the EIB Facility, the Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes and this Indenture shall not exceed, at any given time, the following amount: the value of
vessels owned by the Italian Guarantor and subject to mortgage to secure the Notes, the EIB Facility and the Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes, as resulting by latest available appraisals divided by the value of vessels owned
by the Carnival Group (including the Italian Guarantor) and subject to mortgage to secure the Notes, the EIB Facility and the Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes, based on the latest available appraisals multiplied by the outstanding amount of the
Notes plus amounts drawn down/issued
132 |
and not repaid yet under the Notes, the EIB Facility and the Existing2027
First-Priority Secured Notes; and
(d) obligations of the Italian Guarantor shall not extend to the payment obligations of other entities which do not belong to the Italian Guarantor’s corporate group (gruppo di appartenenza) in the meaning of articles 1(e) of the decree of the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance No. 53 of April 2, 2015.
ARTICLE
ELEVEN
SECURITY
SECTION 11.01 Security; Security Documents.
(a) The due and punctual payment of the principal of, interest on and Additional Amounts, if any, on the Notes and the Note Guarantees when and as the same shall be due and payable, whether on an Interest Payment Date, at maturity, by acceleration, repurchase, redemption or otherwise, interest on the overdue principal of and interest (to the extent permitted by law), if any, on the Notes and Note Guarantees and performance of all other obligations under this Indenture, shall be secured as provided in the Security Documents. The Trustee, the Security Agent, the Issuer and the Guarantors hereby agree that, subject to Permitted Collateral Liens, the Security Agent shall hold the Collateral in trust for the benefit of itself, the Trustee and all of the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Security Documents, and shall act as mortgagee or security holder under all mortgages or standard securities, beneficiary under all deeds of trust and as secured party under the applicable security agreements.
(b) Each Holder of the Notes, by its acceptance thereof, consents and agrees to the terms of the Security Documents (including, without limitation, the provisions providing for foreclosure and release of Collateral) as the same may be in effect or may be amended from time to time in accordance with their terms and authorizes and directs the Security Agent to perform its respective obligations and exercise its rights thereunder in accordance therewith.
(c) The Trustee, the Security Agent and each Holder, by accepting the Notes and the Note Guarantees, acknowledges that, as more fully set forth in the Security Documents, the Collateral as now or hereafter constituted shall be held for the benefit of all the Holders under the Security Documents, and that the Lien of this Indenture and the Security Documents in respect of the Security Agent and the Holders is subject to and qualified and limited in all respects by the Security Documents and actions that may be taken thereunder.
(d) Notwithstanding (i) anything to the contrary contained in this Indenture, the Security Documents, the Notes, the Note Guarantees or any other instrument governing, evidencing or relating to any Indebtedness, (ii) the time, order or method of attachment of any Liens, (iii) the time or order of filing or recording of financing statements or other documents filed or recorded to perfect any Lien upon any Collateral, (iv) the time of taking possession or control over any Collateral or (v) the rules for determining priority under any law of any relevant jurisdiction governing relative priorities of secured creditors:
(i) the Liens will rank equally and ratably with all valid, enforceable and perfected Liens, whenever granted upon any present or future Collateral, but only to the
133 |
extent such Liens are permitted under this Indenture to exist and to rank equally and ratably with the Notes and the Note Guarantees; and
(ii) all
proceeds of the Collateral applied under the Security Documents shall be allocated and distributed as set forth in the Security Documents,
subject to the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
and any Additional Intercreditor Agreement.
(e) Subject to the Agreed Security Principles, the Security Agent’s Liens on the Collateral are required to be perfected within the following timeframes:
(i) in the case of the Collateral described in clause (i) of the definition of “Collateral,” not later than the fifth day after the Issue Date (or, in the case of shares of entities organized in Italy, the 15th day after the Issue Date; provided that, if any Italian government office is closed on one or more days on which it would normally be open, such Lien will be required to be perfected not later than the day that is the later of (x) the 15th day after the Issue Date and (y) the business day following the 15th day after the latest date such government office was closed on a day on which it would normally be open);
(ii) in the case of the Collateral described in clause (ii) of the definition of “Collateral,” not later than the 30th day after the Issue Date (or, in the case of Vessels flagged in Italy, the 45th day after the Issue Date); provided that, if any government office is closed on one or more days on which it would normally be open, such Lien will be required to be perfected not later than the day that is the later of (x) the 30th (or 45th, as applicable) day after the Issue Date and (y) the business day following the 15th day (or, in the case of Vessels flagged in Italy, the 21st day) after the latest date such government office was closed on a day on which it would normally be open;
(iii) in the case of the Collateral described in clause (iii) of the definition of “Collateral,” not later than the 30th day after the Issue Date with respect to recordings with the United States Patent Office and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office, as applicable and, using commercially reasonable efforts, not later than the 90th day after the Issue Date with respect to filings with the relevant governmental authorities in the United Kingdom, Germany and the European Union Intellectual Property Office; provided that, if any government office is closed on one or more days on which it would normally be open, such Lien will be required to be perfected not later than the day that is the later of (x) the 30th (or 90th, as applicable) day after the Issue Date and (y) the business day following the 15th day after the latest date such government office was closed on a day on which it would normally be open; and
(iv) in the case of the Collateral described in clause (iv) of the definition of “Collateral,” the Issuer and the Guarantors must make all necessary UCC filings against such assets not later than the fifth day after the Issue Date.
To the extent any deadline in the foregoing paragraphs falls on a date that is not a Business Day, the deadline shall instead be the Business Day next succeeding such date.
SECTION 11.02 Authorization of Actions to Be Taken by the Security Agent Under the Security Documents. The Security Agent shall be the representative on behalf of the Holders and,
134 |
subject to the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
and any Additional Intercreditor Agreement, shall act upon the written direction of the Trustee (in turn, acting on written direction
of the Holders) with regard to all voting, consent and other rights granted to the Trustee and the Holders under the Security Documents.
Subject to the provisions of the Security Documents (including the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
and any Additional Intercreditor Agreement), the Security Agent may, in its sole discretion and without the consent of the Holders, on
behalf of the Holders, take all actions it deems necessary or appropriate in order to (a) enforce any of its rights or any of the rights
of the Holders under the Security Documents and (b) receive any and all amounts payable from the Collateral in respect of the obligations
of the Issuer and the Guarantors hereunder. Subject to the provisions of the Security Documents, the Security Agent shall have the power
to institute and to maintain such suits and proceedings as it may deem expedient to prevent any impairment of the Collateral by any acts
of impairment that may be unlawful or in violation of the Security Documents or this Indenture, and such suits and proceedings as the
Security Agent (after consultation with the Trustee, where appropriate) may deem reasonably expedient to preserve or protect its interest
and the interests of the Holders in the Collateral (including power to institute and maintain suits or proceedings to restrain the enforcement
of or compliance with any legislative or other governmental enactment, rule or order that may be unconstitutional or otherwise invalid
if the enforcement of, or compliance with, such enactment, rule or order would impair the security interest hereunder or be prejudicial
to the interests of the Holders or the Security Agent). The Security Agent is hereby irrevocably authorized by each Holder of the Notes
to effect any release of Liens or Collateral contemplated by Section 11.04 hereof or by the terms of the Security Documents.
Each Holder, by accepting a Note, shall be deemed
(i) to have irrevocably appointed U.S. Bank National Association as Security Agent, (ii) to have irrevocably authorized the Security Agent
and the Trustee to (i) perform the duties and exercise the rights, powers and discretions that are specifically given to each of them
under the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
or other documents to which the Security Agent and/or the Trustee is a party, together with any other incidental rights, power and discretions
and (ii) execute each document expressed to be executed by the Security Agent and/or the Trustee on its behalf and (iii) to have accepted
the terms and conditions of the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements
and any Additional Intercreditor Agreement and each Holder of the Notes will also be deemed to have authorized the Security Agent and
the Trustee to enter into any such Additional Intercreditor Agreement.
SECTION 11.03 Authorization of Receipt of Funds by the Security Agent Under the Security Documents. The Security Agent is authorized to receive and distribute any funds for the benefit of the Holders under the Security Documents, and to make further distributions of such funds to the Holders according to the provisions of this Indenture and the Security Documents.
SECTION 11.04 Release of the Collateral.
(a) To the extent a release is required by a Security Document, the Security Agent shall release, and the Trustee (as applicable) shall release and if so requested direct the Security Agent to release, without the need for consent of the Holders of the Notes, Liens on the Collateral securing the Notes:
135 |
(1) as to all of the Collateral, upon payment in full of principal of, interest and all other Obligations on the Notes issued under this Indenture or discharge or defeasance thereof;
(2) as to the Collateral held by a Guarantor, upon release of the Note Guarantee of such Guarantor (with respect to the Liens securing such Note Guarantee granted by such Guarantor) in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture;
(3) as
to any Collateral, in connection with any disposition or transfer of such Collateral to any Person (but excluding any transaction subject
to Article Five); provided that if the Collateral is disposed of or
transferred to the Issuer or a Guarantor, the relevant Collateral becomes immediately subject to a substantially equivalent
Lien in favor of the Security Agent securing the Notes; provided, further, that, in each case, such disposition or
transfer is permitted by this Indenture and the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements;
(4) as to any Collateral held by a Subsidiary Guarantor, if the Issuer designates such Subsidiary Guarantor to be an Unrestricted Subsidiary in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture, the release of the property, assets and Capital Stock of such Unrestricted Subsidiary;
(5) in
connection with certain enforcement actions taken by the creditors under certain secured indebtedness of the Company and its Subsidiaries
as provided under the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements,
or otherwise in compliance with the Intercreditor AgreementAgreements;
(6) as may be permitted by Section 4.22, Section 9.01 or Section 9.02; and
(7) in
order to effectuate a (i) a
merger, consolidation, conveyance, transfer or other business combination conducted in compliance with Section 5.01 or (ii) a re-flagging
of a vessel, provided such vessel and its related assets constituting Collateral remain pledged (or become immediately re-pledged)
as Collateral to secure the Note Obligations pursuant to liens ranking pari passu with or higher in priority than the Liens on the Collateral
securing the Note Obligations prior to such release and re-flagging or (iii) a reconstitution or merger for the purpose
of re-flagging a vessel in compliance with Section 4.24.
Each of the foregoing releases shall be effected by the Security Agent without the consent of the Holders of the Notes or any action on the part of the Trustee.
(b) Any release of Collateral made in compliance with this Section 11.04 shall not be deemed to impair the Lien under the Security Documents or the Collateral thereunder in contravention of the provisions of this Indenture or the Security Documents (including Section 4.22 hereof).
(c) In the event that the Issuer or any Guarantor seeks to release Collateral, the Issuer or such Guarantor shall deliver an Officer’s Certificate (which the Trustee and Security Agent shall rely upon in connection with such release) to the Trustee and the Security Agent setting
136 |
forth that the specified release complies with the terms of this Indenture. Upon receipt of the Officer’s Certificate and if so requested by the Issuer or such Guarantor, the Security Agent shall execute, deliver or acknowledge any necessary or proper instruments of termination, satisfaction or release to evidence the release of any Collateral permitted to be released pursuant to this Indenture.
ARTICLE
TWELVE
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 12.01 Notices.
(a) Any notice or communication shall be in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first class mail or sent by facsimile transmission addressed as follows:
if to the Issuer or the Guarantors:
Carnival Corporation
3655 NW 87th Avenue
Miami, FL 33178-2428
Facsimile: +1 305 406 4758
Attn: General Counsel
if to the Trustee, Principal Paying Agent or Transfer Agent:
U.S. Bank National Association
60 Livingston Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55107
Attn: Corporate Trust Administrator
The Issuer, the Guarantors or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
(b) Notices regarding the Notes shall be:
(i) delivered to Holders electronically or mailed by first-class mail, postage paid; and
(ii) in the case of Definitive Registered Notes, delivered to each Holder by first-class mail at such Holder’s respective address as it appears on the registration books of the Registrar.
Notices given by first-class mail shall be deemed given five calendar days after mailing and notices given by publication shall be deemed given on the first date on which publication is made. Failure to deliver a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders. If a notice or communication is delivered in the manner provided above, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.
In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.
137 |
(c) If and so long as the Notes are represented by Global Notes, notice to Holders, in lieu of being given in accordance with Section 12.01(b) above, may be given by delivery of the relevant notice to DTC for communication.
(d) Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.
(e) All notices, approvals, consents, requests and any communications hereunder must be in writing (provided that any communication sent to Trustee hereunder must be in the form of a document that is signed manually or by way of a digital signature provided by DocuSign (or such other digital signature provider as specified in writing to Trustee by the authorized representative), in English. The Issuer and Guarantors agree to assume all risks arising out of the use of using digital signatures and electronic methods to submit communications to Trustee, including without limitation the risk of Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties.
SECTION 12.02 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon any request or application by the Issuer or any Guarantor to the Trustee or the Security Agent to take or refrain from taking any action under this Indenture (except in connection with the original issuance of the Original Notes on the date hereof), the Issuer or any Guarantor, as the case may be, shall furnish upon request to the Trustee or the Security Agent:
(a) an Officer’s Certificate in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee or the Security Agent stating that, in the opinion of the Officer, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and
(b) an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee or the Security Agent stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.
Any Officer’s Certificate may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon an Opinion of Counsel, unless the Officer signing such certificate knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that such Opinion of Counsel with respect to the matters upon which such Officer’s Certificate is based are erroneous. Any Opinion of Counsel may be based and may state that it is so based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon certificates of public officials or an Officer’s Certificate stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Issuer, unless the counsel signing such Opinion of Counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the Officer’s Certificate with respect to the matters upon which such Opinion of Counsel is based are erroneous.
SECTION 12.03 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:
138 |
(a) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(c) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
SECTION 12.04 Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar. The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders. The Registrar and the Paying Agent may make reasonable rules for their functions.
SECTION 12.05 No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders. No director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the Issuer or any Guarantor, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer or the Guarantors under the Notes, this Indenture and the Note Guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability.
SECTION 12.06 Legal Holidays. If an Interest Payment Date or other payment date is not a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period. If a Record Date is not a Business Day, the Record Date shall not be affected.
SECTION 12.07 Governing Law. THIS INDENTURE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
SECTION 12.08 Jurisdiction. The Issuer and each Guarantor agree that any suit, action or proceeding against the Issuer or any Guarantor brought by any Holder or the Trustee or the Security Agent arising out of or based upon this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees may be instituted in any state or Federal court in the Borough of Manhattan, New York, New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, and each of them irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any suit, action or proceeding. Each of the Issuer and the Guarantors irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection to any suit, action, or proceeding that may be brought in connection with this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees, including such actions, suits or proceedings relating to securities laws of the United States of America or any state thereof, in such courts whether on the grounds of venue, residence or domicile or on the ground that any such suit, action or proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum. The Issuer and the Guarantors agree that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Issuer or any Guarantor, as the case may be, and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which the
139 |
Issuer or any Guarantor, as the case may be, are subject by a suit upon such judgment; provided that service of process is effected upon the Issuer or any Guarantor, as the case may be, in the manner provided by this Indenture. Each of the Issuer and the Guarantors not resident in the United States has appointed National Registered Agents, Inc., located 28 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10005, or any successor so long as such successor is resident in the United States and can act for this purpose, as its authorized agent (the “Authorized Agent”), upon whom process may be served in any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees or the transactions contemplated herein which may be instituted in any state or Federal court in the Borough of Manhattan, New York, New York, by any Holder or the Trustee, and expressly accepts the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any such court in respect of any such suit, action or proceeding. National Registered Agents, Inc. has hereby accepted such appointment and has agreed to act as said agent for service of process, and the Company agrees to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents that may be necessary to continue such respective appointment in full force and effect as aforesaid. Service of process upon the Authorized Agent shall be deemed, in every respect, effective service of process upon the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action involving the Company arising out of or based upon this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees may be instituted by any Holder or the Trustee or the Security Agent in any other court of competent jurisdiction. The Company expressly consents to the jurisdiction of any such court in respect of any such action and waives any other requirements of or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect thereto.
EACH OF THE ISSUER, THE GUARANTORS AND THE TRUSTEE, AND EACH HOLDER OF A NOTE BY ITS ACCEPTANCE THEREOF, HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.
SECTION 12.09 No Recourse Against Others. A director, officer, employee, incorporator, member or shareholder, as such, of the Issuer or any Guarantor shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer or any Guarantor under this Indenture, the Notes or any Note Guarantee or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Holder shall waive and release all such liability. The waiver and release shall be part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes. Such waiver and release may not be effective to waive liabilities under the U.S. federal securities laws.
SECTION 12.10 Successors. All agreements of the Issuer and any Guarantor in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind their respective successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors.
SECTION 12.11 Counterparts. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. One signed copy is enough to prove this Indenture. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto. Signatures of the parties
140 |
hereto transmitted by facsimile or other electronic transmission shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.
SECTION 12.12 Table of Contents and Headings. The table of contents and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not intended to be considered a part hereof and shall not modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
SECTION 12.13 Severability. In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
SECTION 12.14 Currency Indemnity. Any payment on account of an amount that is payable in U.S. dollars (the “Required Currency”) which is made to or for the account of any holder or the Trustee in lawful currency of any other jurisdiction (the “Judgment Currency”), whether as a result of any judgment or order or the enforcement thereof or the liquidation of the Issuer or any Guarantor, shall constitute a discharge of the Issuer or the Guarantor’s obligation under this Indenture and the Notes or Note Guarantee, as the case may be, only to the extent of the amount of the Required Currency with such holder or the Trustee, as the case may be, could purchase in the London foreign exchange markets with the amount of the Judgment Currency in accordance with normal banking procedures at the rate of exchange prevailing on the first Business Day following receipt of the payment in the Judgment Currency. If the amount of the Required Currency that could be so purchased is less than the amount of the Required Currency originally due to such holder or the Trustee, as the case may be, the Issuer and the Guarantors shall indemnify and hold harmless the holder or the Trustee, as the case may be, from and against all loss or damage arising out of, or as a result of, such deficiency. This indemnity shall constitute an obligation separate and independent from the other obligations contained in this Indenture or the Notes, shall give rise to a separate and independent cause of action, shall apply irrespective of any indulgence granted by any holder or the Trustee from time to time and shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding any judgment or order for a liquidated sum in respect of an amount due hereunder or under any judgment or order.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
141 |
EXHIBIT 99.1
CARNIVAL CORPORATION & PLC ANNOUNCES SUCCESSFUL RESULTS OF TENDER OFFER FOR ITS 11.5% SENIOR SECURED NOTES DUE 2023 SUBJECT TO REFINANCING CONDITIONS
Miami, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/
Carnival Corporation & plc announced today the successful early results for its consent solicitation and tender offer for purchase of up to approximately $2.0 billion of the 11.5% First Priority Senior Secured Notes, with 85.19% of consents received and $2.4 billion of Notes tendered. As a result, the Supplemental Indenture was executed. The tender offer remains subject to financing conditions.
Carnival Corporation & plc announced today the successful early results of Carnival Corporation’s (the “Issuer”) previously announced Tender Offer to purchase for cash up to $2,004,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 11.5% First Priority Senior Secured Notes due 2023 (the “Notes”) (CUSIP Nos. 143658 BC5 / P2121V AE4; ISIN Nos. US143658BC57 / USP2121VAE40) and a solicitation of Consents for proposed amendments to the Indenture governing the Notes. The Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation have been made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement dated July 6, 2021 (the “Statement”).
Capitalized terms not defined herein have the meanings attributed to them in the Statement.
Consent Solicitation
The Issuer has obtained 85.19% of the Consents, thereby satisfying the requirement that Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding provide consent to the Proposed Amendments. The Tender Offer and Consent Solicitation remain subject to the other conditions set forth in the Statement. The Issuer may waive any of these conditions in its sole discretion. Payment for any Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Tender Offer at each of the Early Settlement Date and Final Settlement Date remain subject to the conditions in the Statement, including, among other things, the Financing Condition.
On July 16, 2021, the Requisite Consents were obtained. The Issuer, the Guarantors, the Trustee and the Security Agent executed a supplement to the Indenture (the “Supplemental Indenture”) after 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on July 16, 2021. The Supplemental Indenture became effective upon its execution and delivery by the Issuer, the Guarantors, the Trustee and the Security Agent but provides that the Proposed Amendments will not become operative until the Issuer has accepted the Consents, has made arrangements to pay the Consent Payments and all conditions to the closing of a financing transaction that would satisfy the Financing Condition (other than the Proposed Amendments becoming operative) have been satisfied or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion.
Subject to the conditions in the Statement, an aggregate cash payment representing a Consent Payment of $1.25 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes with respect to which the applicable Holder has provided its consent will be payable to Holders of the Notes who validly (i) delivered Consents at or prior to 5:00 p.m. on July 19, 2021 (the “Early Tender/Consent Deadline”) (and did not validly revoke their Consents at or prior to the Early Tender/Consent Deadline), but did not tender their Notes in the Tender Offer or (ii) tendered Notes at or prior to the Early Tender/Consent Deadline (without validly withdrawing such tenders), including to the extent such Notes were not accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer due to proration, in each
1 |
case subject to the terms and conditions of the Consent Solicitation. The payments are expected to be made promptly following the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to consummation of the Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation, including the Financing Condition (the “Initial Settlement Date”).
No Consent shall be validly delivered, and therefore no Consent Payment shall be made, after the Early Tender/Consent Deadline.
Tender Offer
The Issuer hereby announces that $2,406,791,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Notes were validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) prior to the Early Tender/Consent Deadline. Such Notes will be accepted for repurchase up to the Maximum Tender Amount, subject to proration, at a price of $1,142.50 per $1,000 of principal amount of Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest from the last interest payment date on such purchased Notes up to, but not including, the Initial Settlement Date, subject to the conditions set forth in the Statement. The Tender Offer is made upon the terms and conditions described in the Statement, including, among other things, the Financing Condition.
Because the aggregate principal amount of all Notes tendered as of the Early Tender/Consent Deadline exceeds the Maximum Tender Amount, the aggregate principal amount of a Holder’s validly tendered Notes accepted for purchase will be subject to proration. The Issuer will determine the aggregate principal amount of a Holder’s validly tendered Notes accepted for purchase on a pro rata basis based on the aggregate principal amount of Notes tendered in the Tender Offer. Proration will be subject to maintaining $2,000 minimum denominations of Notes. To determine proration, the principal amount of Notes tendered by a Holder to be prorated will be multiplied by the proration factor and rounded down to the nearest $1,000. If, after applying the proration factor as described above, any Holder would be entitled to a credit or return of a portion of the tendered Notes which is less than the minimum authorized denomination for the Notes, then the Issuer may elect either to accept all of the Notes tendered by that Holder without proration or to reject the tender of such portion of the tendered Notes that would cause the Holder to be entitled to a credit or return that is less than the minimum authorized denomination for the Notes.
All payments for Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) and accepted for purchase prior to the Early Tender/Consent Deadline will be made on the Initial Settlement Date. The Tender Offer is subject to the conditions set forth in the Statement. The Issuer may waive any of these conditions in its sole discretion.
Because the aggregate principal amount of all Notes tendered as of the Early Tender/Consent Deadline exceeds the Maximum Tender Amount, the Issuer will not accept for purchase any Notes tendered after the Early Tender/Consent Deadline.
Other
This press release is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. In addition, this news release is not a solicitation of consents with respect to the Proposed Amendments. The Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation are being made only pursuant to the Statement, copies of which will be delivered to Holders. The Issuer has retained Citigroup Global Markets Inc. to serve as global dealer manager and solicitation agent for the Tender Offer and BofA Securities, Inc. and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC to serve as the dealer managers and solicitation agents for the Tender Offer. Questions regarding the Tender
2 |
Offer may be directed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at +1 (800) 558-3745 (toll free) or at +1 (212) 723-6106. Requests for documents may be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the tender, tabulation and information agent for the Tender Offer and the Consent Solicitation at Banks and Brokers (212) 430-3774, (866) 470-3800 (toll free) or contact@gbsc-usa.com.
THE STATEMENT SHOULD BE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE WITH RESPECT TO THE TENDER OFFER AND CONSENT SOLICITATION. NONE OF THE ISSUER, THE GUARANTORS, THE TRUSTEE, THE DEALER MANAGERS AND SOLICITATION AGENTS, THE INFORMATION AGENT, THE TENDER AGENT, THE TABULATION AGENT, THE SECURITY AGENT OR ANY PAYING AGENT, TRANSFER AGENT OR LISTING AGENT, MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HOLDERS SHOULD TENDER THEIR NOTES OR PROVIDE THEIR CONSENTS.
The Tender Offer does not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer or solicitation by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not permitted by law or in which the person making such offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.
In any jurisdiction where the securities, blue sky or other laws require tender offers to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and in which the dealer managers, or any affiliates thereof, are so licensed, the tender offer will be deemed to have been made by any such dealer managers, or such affiliates, on behalf of the Issuer.
Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements, estimates or projections contained in this press release are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions with respect to us, including some statements concerning the financing transactions described herein, future results, operations, outlooks, plans, goals, reputation, cash flows, liquidity and other events which have not yet occurred. All statements other than statements of historical facts are statements that could be deemed forward-looking. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our business and the industry in which we operate and the beliefs and assumptions of our management. We have tried, whenever possible, to identify these statements by using words like “will,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “believe,” “depends,” “expect,” “goal,” “anticipate,” “forecast,” “project,” “future,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate,” “target,” “indicate,” “outlook” and similar expressions of future intent or the negative of such terms.
Forward-looking statements include those statements that relate to our outlook and financial position including, but not limited to, statements regarding:
• Pricing | • Goodwill, ship and trademark fair values |
• Booking levels | • Liquidity and credit ratings |
• Occupancy | • Adjusted earnings per share |
• Interest, tax and fuel expenses | • Return to guest cruise operations |
• Currency exchange rates | • Impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus global pandemic on our financial condition and results of operations |
• Estimates of ship depreciable lives and residual values |
3 |
Because forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are many factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. This note contains important cautionary statements of the known factors that we consider could materially affect the accuracy of our forward-looking statements and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial position. Additionally, many of these risks and uncertainties are currently amplified by and will continue to be amplified by, or in the future may be amplified by, the COVID-19 outbreak. It is not possible to predict or identify all such risks. There may be additional risks that we consider immaterial or which are unknown. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following:
· | COVID-19 has had, and is expected to continue to have, a significant impact on our financial condition and operations, which impacts our ability to obtain acceptable financing to fund resulting reductions in cash from operations. The current, and uncertain future, impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, including its effect on the ability or desire of people to travel (including on cruises), is expected to continue to impact our results, operations, outlooks, plans, goals, reputation, litigation, cash flows, liquidity, and stock price; |
· | As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, we may be out of compliance with one or more maintenance covenants in certain of our debt facilities, with the next testing date of November 30, 2022; |
· | World events impacting the ability or desire of people to travel have and may continue to lead to a decline in demand for cruises; |
· | Incidents concerning our ships, guests or the cruise vacation industry as well as adverse weather conditions and other natural disasters have in the past and may, in the future, impact the satisfaction of our guests and crew and lead to reputational damage; |
· | Changes in and non-compliance with laws and regulations under which we operate, such as those relating to health, environment, safety and security, data privacy and protection, anti-corruption, economic sanctions, trade protection and tax have in the past and may, in the future, lead to litigation, enforcement actions, fines, penalties, and reputational damage; |
· | Breaches in data security and lapses in data privacy as well as disruptions and other damages to our principal offices, information technology operations and system networks, including the recent ransomware incidents, and failure to keep pace with developments in technology may adversely impact our business operations, the satisfaction of our guests and crew and may lead to reputational damage; |
· | Ability to recruit, develop and retain qualified shipboard personnel who live away from home for extended periods of time may adversely impact our business operations, guest services and satisfaction; |
· | Increases in fuel prices, changes in the types of fuel consumed and availability of fuel supply may adversely impact our scheduled itineraries and costs; |
· | Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates may adversely impact our financial results; |
· | Overcapacity and competition in the cruise and land-based vacation industry may lead to a decline in our cruise sales, pricing and destination options; |
· | Inability to implement our shipbuilding programs and ship repairs, maintenance and refurbishments may adversely impact our business operations and the satisfaction of our guests; and |
4 |
· | the risk factors included in Carnival Corporation’s and Carnival plc’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on January 26, 2021 and Carnival Corporation’s and Carnival plc’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on April 7, 2021 and June 28, 2021. |
The ordering of the risk factors set forth above is not intended to reflect our indication of priority or likelihood.
Forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results. Subject to any continuing obligations under applicable law or any relevant stock exchange rules, we expressly disclaim any obligation to disseminate, after the date of this document, any updates or revisions to any such forward-looking statements to reflect any change in expectations or events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.
About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc is one of the world's largest leisure travel companies with a portfolio of nine of the world's leading cruise lines sailing to all seven continents. With operations in North America, Australia, Europe and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Cruises (Australia), Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard.
MEDIA CONTACT | INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT |
Roger Frizzell | Beth Roberts |
001 305 406 7862 | 001 305 406 4832 |
5 |