EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. Description
- ---------- -----------
(4)(e) Form of Indenture between La-Z-Boy Chair Company
and Rodney D. England as Designated Representative.
(5) Opinion and consent of Miller, Canfield, Paddock
and Stone, P.L.C.
(8) Opinion and consent of Miller, Canfield, Paddock
and Stone, P.L.C.
(12) Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.
(21) List of subsidiaries of La-Z-Boy Chair Company.
II-15
Exhibit (4)(e)
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LA-Z-BOY CHAIR COMPANY
and
MR. RODNEY ENGLAND
as Designated Representative
INDENTURE
Dated as of ____________, 1995
=============================================================================
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
ARTICLE ONE
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF
GENERAL APPLICATION
SECTION 101. Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
SECTION 102. Compliance Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
SECTION 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Designated
Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
SECTION 104. Acts of Holders of the Notes . . . . . . . . . . . 7
SECTION 105. Notices to Designated Representative and Company . 8
SECTION 106. Notices to Holders; Waiver . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
SECTION 107. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents . . . . . 9
SECTION 108. Successors and Assigns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECTION 109. Separability Clause. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECTION 110. Benefits of Indenture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECTION 111. Governing Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECTION 112. Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
ARTICLE TWO
FORM OF THE NOTES
SECTION 201. Forms Generally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
SECTION 202. Form of Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
ARTICLE THREE
THE NOTES
SECTION 301. Generally. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
SECTION 302. Denominations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
SECTION 303. Execution, Authentication and Delivery and Dating. 14
SECTION 304. Registration and Transfer. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
SECTION 305. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Notes. . . . 15
SECTION 306. Payment of Principal and Interest; Principal
and Interest Rights Preserved. . . . . . . . . . 16
SECTION 307. Persons Deemed Owners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
SECTION 308. Cancellation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
ARTICLE FOUR
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
SECTION 401. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. . . . . . 17
SECTION 402. Defeasance Upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S.
Government Obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
SECTION 403. Return of Unclaimed Amounts. . . . . . . . . . . . 18
SECTION 404. Reinstatement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
ARTICLE V
REMEDIES
SECTION 501. Acceleration of Maturity; Recission and Anullment. 19
SECTION 502. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for
Enforcement by Holder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
SECTION 503. Designated Representative May File Proofs
of Claims. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
SECTION 504. Designated Representative May Enforce Claims
Without Possession of Notes . . . . . . . . . . 21
SECTION 505. Application of Money Collected . . . . . . . . . . 21
SECTION 506. Limitation on Suits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
SECTION 507. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive
Principal and Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
SECTION 508. Restoration of Rights and Remedies . . . . . . . . 22
SECTION 509. Rights and Remedies Cumulative . . . . . . . . . . 22
SECTION 510. Delay or Omission Not Waiver . . . . . . . . . . . 23
SECTION 511. Control by Holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
SECTION 512 Waiver of Past Defaults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
SECTION 513. Undertaking for Costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
SECTION 514. Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws . . . . . . . . . 24
ARTICLE SIX
THE DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE
SECTION 601. Certain Duties and Responsibilities. . . . . . . . 24
SECTION 602. Certain Rights of Designated Representative. . . . 25
SECTION 603. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance
of Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
SECTION 604. May Hold Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
SECTION 605. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of
Successor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
SECTION 606. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor . . . . . . 28
ARTICLE SEVEN
HOLDERS' LISTS AND OTHER REPORTS BY COMPANY
SECTION 701. Company to Furnish Designated Representative
Names and Addresses of Holders . . . . . . . . . 29
SECTION 702. Notice of Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
SECTION 703. Preservation of Information. . . . . . . . . . . . 29
ARTICLE EIGHT
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER
SECTION 801. Company May Consolidate or Merge, or Convey or
Transfer Properties, Only on Certain Terms . . . 30
ECTION 802. Successor Corporation Substituted. . . . . . . . . 30
ARTICLE NINE
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
SECTION 901. Supplemental Indentures without Consent
of Holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
SECTION 902. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. . 31
SECTION 903. Execution of Supplemental Indentures . . . . . . . 32
SECTION 904. Effect of Supplemental Indentures. . . . . . . . . 32
SECTION 905. Reference in Notes to Supplemental Indentures. . . 33
ARTICLE TEN
COVENANTS
SECTION 1001. Payment of Principal and Interest. . . . . . . . . 33
SECTION 1002. Maintenance of Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SECTION 1003. Money for Payments to be Held in Trust . . . . . . 33
SECTION 1004. Statement as to Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
SECTION 1005. Corporate Existence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
SECTION 1006. Waiver of Certain Covenants. . . . . . . . . . . . 34
ARTICLE ELEVEN
REDEMPTION OF NOTES
SECTION 1101. Applicability of Article . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
SECTION 1102. Election to Redeem: Notice to Designated
Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
SECTION 1103. Selection by the Company of Notes to
be Redeemed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
SECTION 1104. Notice of Redemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
SECTION 1105. Deposit of Redemption Price. . . . . . . . . . . . 36
SECTION 1106. Notes Payable on Redemption Date . . . . . . . . . 36
SECTION 1107. Notes Redeemed in Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
ARTICLE TWELVE
IMMUNITIES OF OFFICERS, DIRECTORS
AND STOCKHOLDERS
SECTION 1201. No Recourse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
INDENTURE
THIS INDENTURE dated as of the ___ day of __________, 1995, by and
between LA-Z-BOY CHAIR COMPANY, a Michigan corporation having its
principal office at 1284 North Telegraph Road, Monroe, Michigan 48161-3390
(the "Company"), and Rodney England, whose address is 402 Old Knoxville
Highway, New Tazewell, Tennessee 37825, as designated representative
(the "Designated Representative").
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, the Company, LZB Acquisition, Inc., a Michigan corporation and
wholly owned subsidiary of the Company ("LZB Acquisition"), and
England/Corsair, Inc., a Tennessee corporation ("E/C") have entered into an
Amended and Restated Reorganization Agreement and an Amended and Restated Plan
of Merger dated January 13, 1995 under which E/C will be merged with and into
LZB Acquisition; and
WHEREAS, the holders of E/C Class A and Class B Common Stock ("E/C Stock")
will exchange their shares of E/C Stock for Merger Consideration; and
WHEREAS, one component of the Merger Consideration is La-Z-Boy Chair
Company 8% Unsecured Promissory Notes Due 1999; and
WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized and directed the issuance of
notes as consideration in exchange for shares of stock of E/C, limited in
aggregate principal amount, to mature on ___________ 1999 and to bear 8%
simple interest, and to contain such other conditions and provisions as
are hereinafter in this indenture provided or permitted; and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Designated Representative duly authorized and
directed the execution and delivery of this Indenture in order to provide for
the payment of the principal of and interest on the Notes, and to establish and
declare the terms and conditions upon which the Notes are to be issued,
received and held.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the exchange and
acceptance of the Notes by the holders thereof, the Company and the Designated
Representative hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE ONE
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS
OF GENERAL APPLICATION
SECTION 101. Definitions. For all purposes of this Indenture and of any
indenture supplemental hereto, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless
the context otherwise requires:
(1) the terms defined in this Article One have the meanings assigned
to them in this Article One and include the plural as well as the
singular;
(2) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the
meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term
"generally accepted accounting principles" with respect to any computation
required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as
are generally accepted in the United States of America at the date of such
computation; and
(3) all references in this instrument to designated "Articles,"
"Sections" and other subdivisions are to the designated Articles, Sections
and other subdivisions of this instrument as originally executed. 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 or other subdivision.
Certain terms, used principally ln Article Six, are defined in that
Article.
"Act" when used with respect so any Holder of a Note has the meaning
specified in Section 104.
"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 the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to
direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.
"Board of Directors" means either the Board of Directors of the Company or
any duly authorized committee of that board.
"Board Resolution" means a copy or a resolution certified by the Secretary
of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in
full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the
Designated Representative.
"Business Day" means earn day which is neither a Saturday, Sunday or other
day on which banking institutions in the Place of Payment are authorized or
required by law or executive order to be closed.
"Company" means the Person named as the "Company" in the first paragraph
of this Indenture until a successor corporation shall have become such pursuant
to Article Eight of this Indenture, and thereafter "Company" shall mean such
successor corporation.
"Company Request," "Company Order" and "Company Consent" mean,
respectively, a written request, order or consent signed in the name of the
Company by its President and its Secretary and delivered to the Designated
Representative.
"Event of Default" means with respect to any Note any one of the following
events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be
voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any
judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any
administrative or governmental body), unless such event is either inapplicable
to a particular Note or it is specifically deleted or modified in the
supplemental indenture creating such Note or in the form of such Note:
(1) a Payment Default; or
(2) default in the performance or breach, of any covenant or warranty
of the Company in this Indenture in respect of the Notes (other than a
covenant or warranty in respect of the Notes a default in the performance
of which or the breach of which is specifically dealt with in Article
Five), all of such covenants and warranties in the Indenture which are not
expressly stated to be for the benefit of particular Notes being deemed in
respect of all Notes for this purpose, and continuance of such default or
breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered
or certified mail, of the Company by the Designated Representative or of
the Company and the Designated Representative by the Holders of at least
50% in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes, a written notice
specifying such default or breach and requiring i.t to be remedied and
stating that such notice is a "Notice of Default" hereunder; or
(3) the entry of an order for relief against the Company under the
Federal Bankruptcy Code by a court having jurisdiction in the premises or
a decree or order by a court having jurisdiction in the premises adjudging
the Company a bankrupt or insolvent under any other applicable Federal or
State law, or the entry of a decree or order approving Federal or State
law, or the entry of a decree or order approving as properly filed a
petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of
or in respect of the Company under the Federal Bankruptcy code or any
other applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a receiver,
liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or other similar official) of
the Company 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 unstated and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive
days; or
(4) the consent by the Company to the institution of bankruptcy or
insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by it of a petition or
answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under the Federal
Bankruptcy Code or any other applicable Federal or State law, or the
consent by it to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of a
receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or other similar
official) of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or
the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the
admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as
they become due, or the taking of corporate action by the Company in
furtherance of any such action; or
(5) any other Event of Default provided in a supplemental indenture
or Board Resolution under which any Notes are issued or in the form of
such Notes.
"Holder" when used with respect to any Note means the Person in whose name
a Note is registered in the Register.
"Indenture" or "this 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 and shall include the terms of particular
Notes established as contemplated by Section 301.
"Maturity," when used with respect to any Note, means the date on which
the principal of such Note becomes due and payable as therein or herein
provided, whether at the Stated Maturity, by declaration of acceleration, or
otherwise.
"Note" or "Notes" means any note or notes authenticated and delivered from
time to time under this Indenture.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the President and by
the Secretary of the Company, and delivered to the Designated Representative.
"Outstanding," when used with respect to the Notes, means, as of the date
of determination, all such Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered under
this Indenture, except:
(i) such Notes theretofore cancelled by the Company or delivered to
the Company for cancellation;
(ii) such Notes for whose payment or redemption money in the
necessary amount has been theretofore paid to the Holders of such Notes;
and
(iii) such Notes in exchange for or in lieu of which other Notes have
been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture.
"Paying Agent" means the Company or other Person appointed by the Company
who is authorized by Section 1003 of this Indenture to pay the principal of or
interest on any Notes.
"Payment Date," when used with respect to any Note means the Stated
Maturity of any installment of principal and interest on that Note.
"Payment Default" means with respect to any Note a default in the payment
of any principal or Interest upon any Note when it becomes due and payable, and
continuance of such default for a period of 30 days.
"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture,
association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
"Place of Payment" means with respect to any Notes issued hereunder the
city or political subdivision so designated with respect to the Notes in
question in accordance with the provisions of Section 301.
"Predecessor Notes" of any particular Note means every previous Note
evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such
particular Note; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Note delivered
under Section 306 in lieu of a lost, destroyed or stolen Note shall be deemed
to evidence the same debt as the lost, destroyed or stolen Note.
"Redemption Date" when used with respect to any Note to be redeemed means
the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.
"Redemption Price" when used with respect to any Note to be redeemed means
the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.
"Register" shall have the meaning specified in Section 304.
"Special Record Date" for the payment of any Defaulted Payment (as defined
in Section 306) means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 306.
"Stated Maturity" when used with respect to any Note or any installment of
principal thereof or interest thereon means the date specified in such Note as
the fixed date on which the principal of such Note or such installment of
principal or interest is due and payable.
"Designated Representative" means the Person named as the Designated
Representative in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor
Designated Representative shall have become such pursuant to Article Six of
this Indenture, and thereafter "Designated Representative" shall mean and
include each Person who is then a Designated Representative hereunder.
"U.S. Government Obligations" means (1) direct obligations of the United
States of America for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the
United States of America is pledged or (2) depositary receipts issued by a bank
or trust company as custodian of U.S. Government Obligations or (3) obligations
of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or
instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is
unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United
States of America.
SECTION 102. Compliance Certificates. Upon any application or request by
the Company to the Designated Representative to take any action under any
provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Designated
Representative an Officers' Certificate stating that all conditions precedent,
if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have
been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request
as to which the furnishing of such document is specifically required by any
provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request,
no additional certificate need be furnished.
Every certificate with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Indenture shall include:
(1) a statement that each individual signing such certificate has
read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating
thereto;
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination
or investigation upon which the statements contained in such certificate
or opinion are based;
(3) 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
(4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
SECTION 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Designated Representative. In
any case where several matters are required to be certified by any specified
Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by only one such
Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one
such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one
or more other such Persons as to the other matters, and any such Person may
certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.
Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based,
insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate, or representations
by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care
should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect
to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are erroneous.
Any such certificate may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters,
upon a certificate, or representations by, an officer or officers of the
Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is
in the possession of the Company, unless such Counsel knows, or in the
exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or
representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.
Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more
applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other
instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and
form one Instrument.
SECTION 104. Acts of Holders of the Notes. (a) Any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by
this Indenture to be given or taken by Holders of the Notes may be embodied in
and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed
by such Holders of the Notes in person or by an agent duly appointed in
writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall
become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the
Designated Representative, and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the
Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and
evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the "Act" of the Holders
of Notes signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such
instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for
any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 601) conclusive in favor
of the Designated Representative and the Company, if made in the manner
provided in this Section 104.
(b) The fact and date or the execution by any Person of any such
instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness to such
execution or by the certificate of any notary public or other officer
authorized by law to take acknowledgements of deeds, certifying that the
individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution
thereof. Where such execution is by an officer of a corporation or a member of
a partnership, on behalf of such corporation or partnership, such certificate
or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority. The fact
and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority
of the person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which
the Designated Representative deems sufficient.
(c) The ownership or Notes shall be proved by the Register.
(d) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, the Company
may, at its option, by Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the
determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent, salver or other action, but the Company shall have
no obligation to do so. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action may be given
before or after the record date, but only the Holders of record at the close
of business on the record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes
of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Notes Outstanding
have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, and for that purpose the
Notes Outstanding shall be computed as of the record date; provided that no
such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders on the record date
shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the
provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date.
(e) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other action by the Holder of any Note shall bind the Holder of every
Note issued upon the transfer thereof or in lieu thereof, in respect of
anything done or suffered to be done by the Designated Representative or the
Company in reliance thereon whether or not notation of such action is made
upon such Note.
SECTION 105. Notices to Designated Representative and Company. Any
request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of a
Holder of the Notes or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture
to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,
(1) the Designated Representative by any Holder of the Notes or by
the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made,
given, furnished, or filed in writing to or with the Designated
Representative at his address specified in the first paragraph of this
instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to
such Holder.
(2) the Company by the Designated Representative or by any Holder of
Notes shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (except as provided
in the definition of "Event of Default") if in writing and mailed,
first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to it at the
address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this
instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the
Designated Representative by the Company.
SECTION 106. Notices to Holders: Waiver. Where this Indenture or any Note
provides for notice to Holders of the Notes of any event, such notice shall be
sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein or in such Note expressly provided)
if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of Notes
affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Register, not later
than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for
the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders of the Notes is
given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any
notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of the Notes shall affect the
sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of the Notes. Where
this Indenture or any Note 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 of the Notes shall be filed with the
Designated Representative and the Company, but such filing shall not be a
condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such
waiver.
In case, by reason of the suspension of regular mail service as a result
of a strike, work stoppage or otherwise, it shall be impractical to mail notice
of any event to any Holder of the Notes when such notice is required to be
given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture, then any method of
notification as shall be satisfactory to the Company shall be deemed to be a
sufficient giving of such notice.
SECTION 107. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and
Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and
shall not affect the construction hereof.
SECTION 108. Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this
Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so
expressed or not.
SECTION 109. Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture
or in any 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 110. Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in any
Notes, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties
hereto and their successors hereunder, the Paying Agent, and the Holders of the
Notes for such of them as may be affected thereby), any benefit or any legal
or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.
SECTION 111. Governing Law. This Indenture shall be construed in
accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Michigan.
SECTION 112. Counterparts. This Instrument may be executed in any number
of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original,
but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same
instrument.
ARTICLE TWO
FORMS OF NOTES
SECTION 201. Forms Generally. The Notes shall have such appropriate
insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or
permitted by this Indenture and may have such letters, numbers or other marks
of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon, as may be
determined by the officers executing such Notes, as evidenced by their
execution of the Notes. Any portion of the text of any of the Notes may be set
forth on the reverse thereof, with an appropriate reference thereto on the
face of the Notes.
The Notes shall be printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed,
photocopied or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods ln any
manner as is determined by the officers executing such Notes, as evidenced by
their execution of such Notes.
SECTION 202. Form of Notes.
(a) Each Note will have a four year term and provide for four equal annual
payments of principal and accrued interest and shall be substantially in the
form that follows:
"LA-Z-BOY CHAIR COMPANY 8% Unsecured Promissory Notes Due 1999"
$ Date:
No. At: Monroe, Michigan
LA-Z-BOY CHAIR COMPANY, a corporation organized and existing under the
laws of Michigan and having offices at 1284 North Telegraph Road, Monroe,
Michigan 48161-3390 (herein called the "Company," which term includes any
successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter referred to) promises to
pay to ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________ of
__________________________________________ , or registered assigns, the
principal sum of ______________________________________ Dollars, payable in
four annual principal installments, plus accrued interest at 8% simple
interest per annum on the unpaid balance from the date first above written.
The initial payment hereunder shall be due and payable on ________________,
1996 and subsequent annual installments shall be payable on the same date
in 1997, 1998 and 1999 until the principal hereof is paid or made available
for payment. The principal and interest so payable, and punctually paid or
duly provided for, on any Payment Date will, as provided in such
Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or any
Predecessor Note) is registered at the close of business on such
Payment Date.
Payment of the principal and interest on this Note will be made at the
office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the City of
Monroe, State of Michigan, in such coin or currency of the United States of
America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and
private debts, provided that at the option of the Company payment of the
principal of and any interest on this Note may be made by check mailed to the
address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the
Register.
This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of notes, or other evidence of
indebtedness of the Company (herein called the "Notes") issued or to be issued
under an indenture, dated as of ______________, 1995 (herein called the
"Indenture"), between the Company and Mr. Rodney England (herein called
the "Designated Representative" which term includes any successor designated
representative under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures
supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the
respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of
the Company, the Designated Representative and the Holders of the Notes and of
the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.
Terms used herein which are defined in the Indenture shall have the
respective meanings assigned thereto in the Indenture.
Under the terms of the Indenture, the Company, at its option (a) will be
Discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the Notes (except in
each case for certain obligations to register the transfer of Notes, replace
stolen, lost or mutilated Notes, maintain paying agencies and hold moneys for
payment in trust) or (b) need not comply with certain restrictive covenants of
the Indenture, in each case, if the Company deposits or sets aside, in trust,
money, or U.S. Government Obligations which through the payment of interest
thereon and principal thereof in accordance with their terms will provide
money, in an amount sufficient to pay all the principal of, and interest on,
the Notes on the dates such payments are due in accordance with the terms of
the Notes.
If an Event of Default or a Payment Default with respect to Notes shall
occur and be continuing, the principal amount of the Notes may be declared due
and payable in the manner and subject to the conditions provided in the
Indenture.
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Notes to be affected under the
Indenture at any time by the Company and the Designated Representative with the
consent of the Holders of a majority in the aggregate in principal amount of
the Notes then Outstanding. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting
the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes, on
behalf of the Holders of all Notes, to waive compliance by the Company with
certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the
Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of
this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future
Holders of the Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer
hereof or ln lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is
made upon this Note.
Under the Indenture, any principal and interest that is not punctually
paid or duly provided for by the Company will forthwith cease to be payable to
the Holder on such Payment Date and will be paid to the Person in whose name
this Note (or any Predecessor Note) is registered at the close of business on a
Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Payment to be fixed by
the Company, notice thereof to be given to Holders of the Notes not less than
10 days prior to such Special Record Date, all as more fully provided in said
Indenture.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of
the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Note
at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in any
denomination.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain exceptions therein set
forth, this Note is not transferable other than upon the death of a Holder by
will or the applicable laws of descent and distribution.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of a permitted
transfer, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
The Company, the Designated Representative and any agent of the Company or
the Designated Representative may treat the Person in whose name this Note is
registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note be
overdue, and neither the Company, the Designated Representative nor any such
agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or the
interest on this Note, or for any claim based herein or otherwise in respect
hereof or of said Indenture, against any incorporator, or against any past,
present or future stockholder, director or officer, as such, of the Company or
of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly or through the
Company or any such predecessor or successor corporation, whether for amounts
unpaid on stock subscriptions or by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule
of law, or Dy the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise
howsoever; all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of
the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released by every
Holder hereof, as more fully provided in said Indenture.
The Notes may be redeemed, at any time and from time to time, in whole or
in part, at the election of the Company, upon payment of the Redemption Price
which shall consist of 100% of the unpaid principal amount of the Notes so
redeemed plus interest accrued on the Notes so redeemed to the date fixed for
redemption of such principal amount of the Note.
The Notes are not secured.
The Notes may be for various principal sums, will mature on the same date,
will bear 8% simple interest payable annually and will otherwise be identical
under the terms of the Indenture.
The Notes have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended. The Notes may only be acquired and held by the Holder, or transferred
to other Persons upon the death of the Holder by will or the applicable laws of
descent and distribution. All transfers and exchanges of the Notes may be made
only in accordance with applicable Federal and state laws.
Unless this Note has been executed by the Company by manual or facsimile
signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture
or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be signed
by its duly authorized officers.
Dated: LA-Z-BOY CHAIR COMPANY
By ____________________
Its ________________
Attest:
__________________________ "
ARTICLE THREE
THE NOTES
SECTION 301. Generally. The aggregate principal amount of the Notes that
may be delivered and Outstanding at any time under this Indenture may not
exceed $10,000,000.
All Notes that are authenticated, delivered and Outstanding under this
Indenture shall in all respects be equally and ratably entitled to the rights
and benefits of this Indenture without preference, priority or distinction on
account of the actual time of the delivery or Stated Maturity of any of the
Notes.
Each Note shall be created either by or pursuant to this Indenture, a
Board Resolution or by an indenture supplemental hereto. Each Note may bear
such date(s), be payable at such place(s), have such Stated Maturity, be
issuable at their face value, bear 8% simple interest, from ________, 1995,
payable annually in four equal installments and at such place(s) to the
Holders of the Notes registered as such, and may be redeemable or repayable at
such Redemption Price(s) or Repayment Price(s) as the case may be, whether at
the option of the Holder or otherwise, and upon such terms, all as shall be
provided for in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Board Resolution or
supplemental indenture creating the same.
SECTION 302. Denominations. The Notes shall be issuable in such
denominations and currency as shall be provided in the provisions of this
Indenture or in the Board Resolution creating such Notes.
SECTION 303. Execution Authentication and Delivery and Dating. The Notes
shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its President under its corporate
seal reproduced thereon and attested by its Secretary. The signature of any of
these officers on the Notes may be manual or facsimile.
Notes bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were
at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company,
notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such
offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Notes or did not hold
such offices at the date of such Notes.
All Notes shall be dated the date of their execution by the Company.
No Note shall be entitled to any lien, right or benefit under this
Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless it has been
executed by the Company by manual or facsimile signature.
SECTION 304. Registration and Transfer. The Company shall keep or cause
to be kept a register or registers (herein sometimes referred to as the
"Register") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may
prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Notes, and for
permitted transfers of the Notes. Any such Register shall be in written form
or in any form capable of being converted into written form within a reasonable
time. At all reasonable times the information contained in such register shall
be available for inspection by the Holders or the Designated Representative at
the offices of the Company.
Upon surrender for transfer of any Notes, as permitted, at the office of
the Company, the Company shall execute and deliver, in the name of the
designated transferee(s), one or more new Notes of a like aggregate principal
amount and Stated Maturity.
A Note may only be transferred to another Person or Persons upon the death
of its Holder by will or the applicable laws of descent and distribution. The
Notes may only be transferred in accordance with applicable Federal and state
laws.
All Notes issued upon any transfer shall be the valid obligations of the
Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under
this Indenture, as the Notes surrendered upon such transfer.
Every Note presented or surrendered for transfer shall if so required by
the Company be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of
transfer in form satisfactory to the Company duly executed, by the Holder
thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
Unless otherwise provided in the Notes to be transferred, no service
charge shall be made for any transfer of Notes, but the Company may (unless
otherwise provided in such Notes) require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with
any transfer of Notes.
SECTION 305. Mutilated. Destroyed. Lost and Stolen Notes. If (i) any
mutilated Note is surrendered to the Company and the Company receives evidence
to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, and (ii)
there is delivered to the Company such security or indemnity as may be required
by it to save it harmless, then, the Company shall execute and deliver, in
exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note,
a new Note of like tenor, series, stated maturity and principal amount,
bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note has become or
is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead
of issuing a new Note, pay such Note.
Upon the issuance of any new Note under this Section 305, the Company may
require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental
charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses
connected therewith.
Every new Note issued pursuant to this Section 305 in lieu of any
destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall constitute an original additional
contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or
stolen Note shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled
to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and
all other Notes duly issued hereunder. The provisions of this Section 305 are
exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and
remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed,
lost or stolen Notes.
SECTION 306. Payment of Principal and Interest: Principal and Interest
Rights Preserved. Principal and interest on any Note which is payable, and is
punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Payment Date shall be paid to the
Person in whose name that Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes) is
registered at the close of business on such Payment Date.
Unless otherwise provided with respect to the Notes, at the option of the
Company payment of principal and interest may be made by check mailed to the
address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the
Register.
Any principal and interest on any Note which is payable, but is not
punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Payment Date (herein called
"Defaulted Payment") shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered
Holder on the relevant Payment Date by virtue of his having been such Holder;
and, except as hereinafter provided, such Defaulted Payment may be paid by the
Company to the Persons in whose names any such Notes (or their respective
Predecessor Notes) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record
Date for the payment of such Defaulted Payment, which shall be fixed in the
following manner. The Company shall make arrangements satisfactory to each
Holder for the deposit of the amount of such Defaulted Payment prior to the
date of the proposed payment, to be held in trust for the benefit of the
Persons entitled to such Defaulted Payment as herein provided. Thereupon the
Company shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted
Payment which shall be not more than 15 nor less than 10 days prior to the date
of the proposed payment. The Company shall cause notice of the proposed payment
of such Defaulted Payment and the Special Record Date therefore to be mailed,
first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of each such Note at his address as
it appears in the Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record
Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Payment and the Special
Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Payment
shall be paid to the Persons in whose names such Notes (or their respective
Predecessor Notes) are registered on such Special Record Date.
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 306, each Note
delivered under this Indenture upon transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu
of any other Note shall carry the rights to principal and interest accrued and
unpaid and to accrue, which were carried by such other Note.
SECTION 307. Persons Deemed Owners. The Company, the Designated
Representative and any agent of the Company or the Designated Representative
may treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the owner of such
Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, and (subject to
Section 306) interest on, such Note and for all other purposes whatsoever,
whether or not such Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Designated
Representative nor any agent of the Company or the Designated Representative
shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
SECTION 308. Cancellation. All Notes surrendered for payment, transfer,
or exchange shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Company, be
delivered to the Company and shall be promptly cancelled by it.
ARTICLE FOUR
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
SECTION 401. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture shall
cease to be of further effect with respect to any Notes (except as to any
surviving rights of conversion or transfer of Notes expressly provided for
herein or in the form of such Notes), and the Designated Representative, on
demand of and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments
acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series,
when
(1) all Notes theretofore delivered (other than (i) Notes which have
been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as
provided in Section 304 and (ii) Notes for which payment money has
theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the
Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such
trust, as provided in Section 1003) have been delivered to the Company for
cancellation;
(2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable
hereunder by the Company with respect to the Notes; and
(3) the Company has delivered to the Designated Representative an
Officers' Certificate stating that all conditions precedent herein
provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture
with respect to the Notes have been complied with.
SECTION 402. Defeasance Upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S. Government
Obligations. At the Company's option indicated by notice to the Designated
Representative, either (a) the Company shall be deemed to have been
"Discharged" (as defined below) from its obligations with respect to the Notes
on the ninety-first day after the applicable conditions set forth below have
been satisfied or (b) the Company shall cease to be under any obligation to
comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 801 and
Section 1005 with respect to any Notes at any time after he applicable
conditions set forth below have been satisfied:
(1) the Company shall have deposited or caused to be deposited
irrevocably funds, in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and
dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Notes (A) money in
an amount, or (B) U.S. Government Obligations which through the payment of
interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms
will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment,
money in an amount, or (C) a combination of (A) and (B), sufficient, in
the opinion of the Company, to pay and discharge each installment of
principal of, and interest on, the Outstanding Notes on the dates such
installments of interest or principal are due; and
(2) no Event of Default or event (including such deposit) which
with notice or lapse of time would become an Event of Default with
respect to the Notes shall have occurred and be continuing on the date
of such deposit.
"Discharged" means, for purposes of this Section 402 that the Company
shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented
by, and obligations under, the Notes and to have satisfied all the obligations
under this Indenture relating to the Notes, the Designated Representative,
shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except (A) the rights
of Holders of Notes to receive, from the trust fund described in clause (1)
above, payments of the principal of and the interest on such Notes when such
payments are due; (B) the Company's obligations with respect to such Notes
under Section 304, Section 305, Section 507; and (C) the rights, powers, duties
and immunities of the Designated Representative hereunder.
SECTION 403. Return of Unclaimed Amounts. Any amounts deposited in trust
for payment of the principal of, or interest, if any, on the Notes and not
applied but remaining unclaimed by the Holders of such Notes for two years
after the date upon which the principal of, or interest, if any, on such
Notes, as the case may be, shall have become due and payable, shall be
repaid to the Company on demand; and the Holder of any of such Notes
shall thereafter look only to the Company for any prepayment which such
holder may be entitled to collect.
SECTION 404. Reinstatement. If any money or U.S. Government Obligations
is unable to be applied in accordance with Section 402 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 Company's obligations under this Indenture and the
Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred
pursuant to Section 402 until such time as is permitted to apply all
such money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Section 403.
ARTICLE V
REMEDIES
SECTION 501. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an
Event of Default (other than a Payment Default) occurs and is continuing, then
and in each and every such case, unless the principal of all the Notes shall
have already become due and payable, the Holders of not less than 50% in
aggregate principal amount of the Notes then Outstanding hereunder and the
Designated Representative, by notice in writing to the Company may declare the
unpaid principal amount of all the Notes to be due and payable immediately, and
upon any such declaration the same shall become and shall be immediately due
and payable, anything in this Indenture or in the Notes contained to the
contrary notwithstanding.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration has been made with
respect to the Notes and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money
due has been obtained by the Designated Representative or the Holders as
provided in this Article Five, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Notes Outstanding, by written Notice to the Company and the Designated
Representative, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if
(1) the Company has paid or deposited for the benefit of the Holders
a sum sufficient to pay
(A) all overdue installments of principal and interest on the
Notes;
(B) the principal of any Notes, which have become due otherwise
than by such declaration of acceleration, and interest thereon at the
rate or rates prescribed therefor by the terms of the Notes, to the
extent that payment of such interest is lawful; and
(C) interest upon overdue installments of interest at the
rate(s) prescribed therefor by the terms of the Notes, to the extent
that payment of such interest is lawful; and
(2) all Events of Default with respect to such Notes, other than the
nonpayment of the principal of the Notes which have become due solely by
such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 512.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right
consequent thereon.
SECTION 502. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by
Holder. The Company covenants that if any Payment Default continues for any
period of grace provided with respect to the Notes, the Company will, upon
demand of any Holder, pay to such Holder, the whole amount then due and payable
on any such Note for principal and interest, with interest, to the extent that
payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, upon the overdue
principal and upon overdue installments or interest, at such rates(s) as may be
prescribed therefor by the terms of any such Note; and, in addition thereto,
such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of
collection.
If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such
demand, the Holder may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of
the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or
final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor
upon the Notes and collect the money adjudged or decreed to be payable in the
manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other
obligor upon such Notes, wherever situated.
SECTION 503. Designated Representative May File Proofs of Claim. In case
of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy,
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial
proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Notes or
the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the
Designated Representative (irrespective of whether the principal of
or interest on the Notes shall then be due and payable as therein
expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether
the Designated Representative shall have made any demand on the Company
for the payment or overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and
empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise.
(i) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal and
interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Notes and to file such other
papers or documents as may be necessary and advisable in order to have the
claims of the Designated Representative (including any claim for the
reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the
Designated Representative, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders of
the Notes allowed in such judicial proceeding, and
(ii) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or
deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
and any receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator (or other similar
official) in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each of
the Holders of the Notes to make such payments directly to the Holders of
the Notes, to pay to the Designated Representative any amount due to it
for he reasonable compensation expenses, disbursements and advances of the
Designated Representative, its agents and counsel.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Designated
Representative to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any
Holders of the Notes any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or
composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to
authorize the Designated Representative to vote in respect of the claim of any
Holders of the Notes in any such proceeding.
SECTION 504. Designated Representative May Enforce Claims Without
Possession of Notes. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or
the Notes may be prosecuted and enforced by the Designated Representative
without the possession of any of the Notes or the production thereof in any
proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the
Designated Representative shall be brought in its own name as Designated
Representative, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the
payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances
of the Designated Representative, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable
benefit of the Holders of the Notes in respect of which such judgment has been
recovered.
SECTION 505. Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the
Designated Representative with respect to the Notes pursuant to Section 501 or
Section 503 shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates
fixed by the Designated Representative and, in case of the distribution of such
money on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Notes and
the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender
thereof if fully paid:
First: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the
Notes for principal and interest, in respect of which or for the benefit
of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or
priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such
Notes for principal and interest, respectively.
Second: To the payment of the balance, if any, to the Person or
Persons entitled thereto (including the Designated Representative).
SECTION 506. Limitation on Suits. Except as otherwise expressly provided
in Section 507, no Holder of any Note shall have any right to institute any
proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the
appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder,
unless
(1) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Company of
a continuing Payment Default with respect to the Notes; or
(2) the Holders of not less than 50% in principal amount of the
Outstanding Notes shall have made written request to the Designated
Representative to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of
Default in its own name as Designated Representative hereunder;
(3) such Holder(s) have offered to the Designated Representative
reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be
incurred in compliance with such request;
(4) the Designated Representative for 60 days after its receipt of
such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any
such proceeding; and
(5) no discretion inconsistent with such written request has been
given to the Designated Representative during such 60-day period by the
Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes;
it being understood and intended that no one or more Holders of Notes shall
have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any
provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any
other Holders of Notes, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or
preference over any other such Holders or to enforce any right under this
Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and
proportionate benefit of all the Holders of all Notes.
SECTION 507. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and
Interest. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of
any Note shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive
payment of the principal of and (subject to Section 307) interest on such Note
on the respective Stated Maturity expressed in such Note and to institute suit
for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall not be impaired
without the consent of such Holder.
SECTION 508. Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Designated
Representative or a Holder of any Notes has instituted any proceeding to
enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been
discontinued or abandoned for any reason, then and in every such case the
Company, the Designated Representative and the Holders of the Notes shall,
subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and
respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and
remedies of the Designated Representative and the Holders of the Notes shall
continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
SECTION 509. Rights and Remedies Cumulative. No right or remedy herein
conferred upon or reserved to the Designated Representative or to the Holders
of the Notes is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and
every right and remedy shall to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and
in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter
existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any
right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent
assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
SECTION 510. Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the
Designated Representative or of any Holder of any Note to exercise any right or
remedy accruing upon any Payment Default or Event of Default shall impair any
such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Payment Default or
Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by
this Article Five or to the Designated Representative or to the Holder of any
Notes may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed
expedient, by the Designated Representative or by the Holder of any Notes, as
the case may be.
SECTION 511. Control by Holders. The Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Outstanding Notes shall have the right to direct the time, method
and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Designated Representative or exercising any trust or power conferred on the
Designated Representative with respect to the Notes provided that
(1) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or
with this Indenture and could not involve the Designated Representative in
personal liability and
(2) the Designated Representative may take any other action deemed
proper by the Designated Representative which is not inconsistent with
such direction.
SECTION 512. Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of not less than a
majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes may on behalf of the
Holders of all the Notes waive any past default hereunder with respect to the
Notes and its consequences, except a Payment Default or a default not
theretofore cured in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which cannot be
modified or amended without the consent of all of the Holders of each of the
Outstanding Notes.
Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of
Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose
of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other
default or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 513. Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree,
and each Holder of any Note by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have
agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the
enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against
the Designated Representative for any action taken or omitted by it as
Designated Representative, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an
undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its
discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees,
against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and
good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant.
SECTION 514. Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants (to
the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist
upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim to 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 Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby
expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that
it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted
to the Designated Representative, but will suffer and permit the execution of
every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
ARTICLE SIX
THE DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE
SECTION 601. Certain Duties and Responsibilities. (a) Except during the
continuance of an Event of Default with respect to any Notes,
(1) the Designated Representative undertakes to perform such duties
and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture with
respect to the Notes, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be
read into this Indenture against the Designated Representative; and
(2) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Designated
Representative may, with respect to the Notes, conclusively rely, as to
the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed
therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Designated
Representative and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but
in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision
hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Designated
Representative, the Designated Representative shall be under a duty to
examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the
requirements of this Indenture.
(b) In case an Event of Default with respect to any Notes has
occurred and is continuing, the Designated Representative shall
exercise with respect to the Notes such of the rights and powers
vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and
skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would exercise or use under
the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.
(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve
the Designated Representative from liability for its own grossly
negligent action, its own grossly negligent failure to act, or its
own willful misconduct, except that
(1) this Subsection 601(c) shall not be construed to limit the effect
of Subsection (a) of this Section 601;
(2) the Designated Representative shall not be liable for any error
of judgment made in good faith, unless it shall be proved that the
Designated Representative was grossly negligent in ascertaining the
pertinent facts;
(3) the Designated Representative shall not liable with respect to
any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance
with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Notes relating to the time, method and place of conducting any
proceeding for any remedy available to the Designated Representative, or
exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Designated
Representative, under this Indenture with respect to the Notes; and
(4) no provision of this Indenture shall require the Designated
Representative to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any
financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or
in the exercise of any of its rights or powers.
(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this
Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording
protection to the Designated Representative shall be subject to the provisions
of this Section 601.
SECTION 602. Certain Rights of Designated Representative. Except as
otherwise provided in Section 601:
(a) the Designated Representative may rely 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 or other paper or document believed by it
to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or
parties;
(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be
sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order and any
resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a
Board Resolution;
(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Designated
Representative shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or
established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder,
the Designated Representative (unless other evidence be herein
specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part,
rely upon an Officers' Certificate;
(d) the Designated Representative may consult with counsel and the
written advice of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization
and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it
hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;
(e) the Designated Representative shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the
request or direction of any of the Holders of Notes pursuant to this
Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Designated
Representative reasonable security or indemnity against the costs,
expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with
such request or direction;
(f) the Designated Representative shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request,
direction, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document, but
the Designated Representative, in its discretion, may make such further
inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit,
and, if the Designated Representative shall determine to make such further
inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books,
records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;
(g) the Designated Representative may execute any of the powers
hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through
agents or attorneys and the Designated Representative shall not be
responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or
attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.
SECTION 603. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Notes. The
recitals contained herein and in the Notes, except the certificates of
authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the
Designated Representative assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The
Designated Representative makes no representations as to the validity or
sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Notes.
SECTION 604. May Hold Notes. The Designated Representative, or any other
agent of the Company, in his individual or any other capacity, may become the
owner of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it
would have if it were not Designated Representative or such other agent.
SECTION 605. Resignation and Removal: Appointment of Successor.
(a) No resignation or removal of a Designated Representative, and no
appointment of a successor Designated Representative shall become effective
until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Designated Representative
under Section 606.
(b) The Designated Representative may resign at any time by giving 180
days' prior written notice thereof to the Company. If an instrument of
acceptance by a successor Designated Representative shall not have been
delivered to the Company within 210 days after the giving of such notice of
resignation, the resigning Designated Representative may petition any court of
competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Designated
Representative with respect to the Notes.
(c) The Designated Representative may be removed at any time by Act of the
Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes, delivered
to the Designated Representative and to the Company.
(d) If any at time:
(1) the Designated Representative shall become incapable of acting
with respect to any of the Notes, or
(2) the Designated Representative shall be adjudged a bankrupt or
insolvent or a receiver of the Designated Representative or of its
property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or
control of the Designated Representative or of its property or affairs for
the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,
then, in any such case, (i) the Company by a Board Resolution may
remove the Designated Representative, or (ii) subject to Section 513, any
person who has been a bone Side Holder of a Note for at least 6 months
may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any
court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Designated
Representative and the appointment of a successor Designated
Representative with respect to the Notes.
(e) If the Designated Representative shall resign, be removed or become
incapable of acting with respect to the Notes, or if a vacancy shall occur in
the office of Designated Representative with respect to the Notes for any
cause, the Company, by a Board Resolutions shall promptly appoint a successor
Designated Representative for the Notes. If, within one year after such
resignation, removal or incapacity, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a
successor designated representative with respect to the Notes shall be
appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Notes delivered to the Company and the retiring Designated
Representative, the successor Designated Representative so appointed shall,
forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment, become the successor
Designated Representative and supersede the successor Designated Representative
appointed by the Company. If no successor Designated Representative shall have
been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of the Notes and accepted
appointment in the manner hereinafter provided, any person who has been a bona
fide Holder of a Note for at least 6 months may, on behalf of himself and all
others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a successor Designated Representative with respect to the
Notes.
(f) The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of
the Designated Representative with respect to any of the Notes and each
appointment of a successor Designated Representative with respect to any series
by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid,
to the Holders of Notes as their names and addresses appear in the Register.
Each notice shall include the name of the successor Designated Representative
and the address of its principal corporate trust office.
SECTION 606. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. Every successor
Designated Representative appointed hereunder shall execute, acknowledge and
deliver to the Company and to any predecessor Designated Representative an
instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal
of the predecessor Designated Representative shall become effective with
respect to the Notes and such successor Designated Representative, without any
further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights,
powers and duties of the predecessor Designated Representative with respect to
the Notes; but on the request of the Company or the successor Designated
Representative, such predecessor Designated Representative shall, upon payment
of its reasonable charges, if any, execute and deliver an instrument
transferring to such successor Designated Representative all the rights and
powers of the predecessor Designated Representative, and shall duly assign,
transfer and deliver to such successor Designated Representative all property
and money, if any, held by such predecessor Designated Representative hereunder
with respect to the Notes. Upon request of any such successor Designated
Representative, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more
fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Designated
Representative all such rights and powers.
Designated Representative shall have the power, with the prior written
consent of the Company, to appoint other Persons, in such number as the
Designated Representative and the Company shall agree, to act as co-Designated
Representatives with the Designated Representative in the administration of
this Indenture hereunder. Every co-Designated Representative appointed
hereunder shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the
existing Designated Representative an instrument accepting such appointment,
and thereupon the appointment of such co-Designated Representative shall become
effective with respect to the Notes, without any further act, deed or
conveyance, and such co-Designated Representative shall become vested with all
the rights, powers and duties of a Designated Representative with respect to
the Notes. Upon request of any co-Designated Representative, the Company shall
execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and
confirming to such co-Designated Representative all such rights and powers.
No successor Designated Representative or co-Designated Representative
shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such
successor Designated Representative or co-Designated Representative shall be
qualified and eligible with respect to the Notes under this Article six.
ARTICLE SEVEN
HOLDERS' LISTS AND OTHER REPORTS BY COMPANY
SECTION 701. Company to Furnish Designated Representative Names and
Addresses of Holders. The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the
Designated Representative, on the first day of the fiscal year, a list
indicating the names and addresses of all of the Holders of the Notes as of the
date of the list, the aggregate amount of the Notes Outstanding as of such
date, and the amount of each Note Outstanding as of such date. If, and so long
as, the Company acts as its own Paying Agent, the list to be furnished by the
Company to the Designated Representative pursuant to this Section 701 shall
indicate (i) whether there has been any default in the payment of any sums due
and payable under any of the Notes Outstanding, (ii) if there has been such a
default, the date of such default, (iii) if there has been such a default,
whether such default has been cured, and (iv) if such a default has been
cured, the date of such cure.
SECTION 702. Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of
any default hereunder with respect to the Notes, the Company shall transmit by
mail to the Designated Representative and to all Holders of the Notes as their
names and addresses appear in the Register, notice of such default hereunder,
unless such default shall have been cured or waived. For the purpose of this
Section 702, the term "default," with respect to the Notes, means any event
which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of
Default with respect to the Notes.
SECTION 703. Preservation of Information. The Designated Representative
shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, all
information contained in the most recent lists furnished to the Designated
Representative as provided in Section 701. The Designated Representative may
destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 701 upon receipt of a
new list so furnished.
ARTICLE EIGHT
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER
SECTION 801. Company May Consolidate or Merge, or Convey or Transfer
Properties, Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate with or
merge into any other corporation or convey or transfer or lease its properties
and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, unless:
(1) the corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the
Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer
or lease the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an
entirety shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of
the United States of America or any State or the District of Columbia, and
shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and
delivered to the Designated Representative, in the form satisfactory to
the Designated Representative, the due and punctual payment of the
principal of and interest on all the Notes and the performance of every
covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or
observed;
(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Event of
Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time, or both, would
become an Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing; and
(3) the Company has delivered to the Designated Representative an
Officers' Certificate stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance
or transfer and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article Eight
and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such
transaction have been complied with.
SECTION 802. Successor Corporation Substituted. Upon any consolidation or
merger, or any conveyance or transfer of the properties and assets of the
Company substantially as an entirety in accordance with Section 801, the
successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is
merged or to which such conveyance or transfer is made shall succeed to, and be
substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under
this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor corporation had been
named as the Company herein. In the event of any such conveyance or transfer,
the Company as the predecessor corporation may be dissolved, wound up or
liquidated at any time thereafter.
ARTICLE NINE
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
SECTION 901. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Without
the consent of the Holders of any Notes, the Company, when authorized by a
Board Resolution, and the Designated Representative, at any time and from time
to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form
satisfactory to the Designated Representative, for any of the following
purposes:
(1) to evidence the succession of another corporation to the Company,
and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company
herein and in the Notes contained; or
(2) to add to the covenants of the Company, or to surrender any right
or power herein conferred upon the Company, for the benefit of the Holders
of the Notes; or
(3) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision
herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to
make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising
under this Indenture; or
(4) to establish any form of Note, as provided in Article Two and to
set forth the terms hereof, and/or to add to the rights of the Holders of
the Notes; or
(5) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by
another Person or corporation as a successor Designated Representative or
a co-Designated Representative hereunder with respect to the Notes and to
add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be
necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of this
Indenture hereunder by more than one Designated Representative, pursuant
to Section 606; or
(6) to add any additional Events of Default in respect of the Notes;
or
(7) to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such
extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and
discharge of any Notes pursuant to this Indenture.
No supplemental indenture for the purposes identified in Clauses (2), (3),
(4), (6) or (7) above may be entered into if to do so would adversely affect
the interest of the Holders of Notes.
SECTION 902. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders. With the
consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the
Outstanding Notes affected by such supplemental indenture or indentures, by Act
of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Designated Representative, the
Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Designated
Representative may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto
for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or
eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any
manner the rights of the Holders of the Notes under this Indenture; provided,
however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the
Holder of each Outstanding Note affected thereby,
(1) change the Maturity of the principal of or any installment of
interest on, any Note, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the
interest or any premium thereon, or change the method of computing the
amount of principal thereof or interest thereon on any date or change any
Place of Payment where, or the coin or currency in which, any Note or any
interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the
enforcement of any such payment on or after the Maturity thereof; or
(2) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding
Notes, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental
indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of
compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults
hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture; or
(3) modify any of the provisions of this Section or Section 512,
except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other
provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the
consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Note affected thereby.
It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section 902 to
approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but is
shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.
SECTION 903. Execution of Supplemental Indentures. In executing any
supplemental indenture permitted by this Article Nine or the modifications
thereby created by this Indenture, the Designated Representative shall be
entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 601) shall be fully protected in
relying upon an Officers' Certificate stating that the execution of such
supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The
Designated Representative may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any
such supplemental indenture which affects the Designated Representative's own
rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
SECTION 904. 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 of Notes theretofore
or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby to
the extent provided therein.
SECTION 905. Reference in Notes to Supplemental Indentures. Notes
delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this
Article Nine may, and shall if required by the Designated Representative, bear
a notation in form approved by the Designated Representative as to any matter
provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine,
new Notes so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Designated
Representative and the Board of Directors, to any such supplemental indenture
may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by
the Designated Representative in exchange for Outstanding Notes.
ARTICLE TEN
COVENANTS
SECTION 1001. Payment of Principal and Interest. With respect to each
Note, the Company will duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest on
such Note in accordance with its terms and this Indenture, and will duly comply
with all the other terms, agreements and conditions contained in, or made in
this Indenture for the benefit of, such Note.
SECTION 1002. Maintenance of Office. The Company will maintain an office
where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for payment, where the Notes
may be surrendered for transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or
upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The
Company will give prompt written notice to the Designated Representative and
the Holders of the location, and of the change in the location, of such
office.
SECTION 1003. Money for Payments to be Held in Trust. The Company shall
act as its own Paying Agent for the Notes and will, on or before each due date
of the principal of or interest on, any of the Notes, segregate and hold in
trust for the benefit of the persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay
the principal (and premium, if any) or interest so becoming due until such sums
shall be paid to such persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and
will promptly notify the Designated Representative of its action or failure so
to act.
Any money held by the Company in trust for the payment of the principal of
or interest on any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such
principal or interest has become due and payable (if then held by the Company)
shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note shall
thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for
payment thereof, all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall
thereupon cease.
SECTION 1004. Statement as to Compliance. The Company will deliver to the
Designated Representative, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a
written statement signed by the President and by the Secretary of the Company,
stating, as to each signer thereof, that
(1) a review of the activities of the Company during such year and of
performance under this Indenture and under the terms of the Notes has been
made under his supervision; and
(2) to the best of his knowledge, based on such review, the Company
has fulfilled all its obligations under this Indenture throughout such
year, or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such
obligation, specifying each such default known to him and the nature and
status thereof.
SECTION 1005. Corporate Existence. Subject to Article Eight the Company
will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full
force and effect its corporate existence.
SECTION 1006. Waiver of Certain Covenants. The Company may omit in respect
of any of the Notes, in any particular instance, to comply with any covenant or
condition set forth in this Indenture, if before or after the time for such
compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes
at the time Outstanding shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such
compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such covenant or
condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such covenant or
condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver
shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the
Designated Representative in respect of any such covenant or condition shall
remain in full force and effect.
ARTICLE ELEVEN
REDEMPTION OF NOTES
SECTION 1101. Applicability of Article. The Company reserves the right to
redeem and pay before Stated Maturity all or any of the Notes Outstanding
either by optional redemption or otherwise, by provision therefor in the form
of Note established and approved pursuant to Article Two and on such terms as
are specified in such form, this Indenture or in any indenture supplemental
hereto with respect to the Notes to be redeemed as provided in Section 301.
Redemption of any Notes shall be made in accordance with the terms of such
Notes and, to the extent that this Article Eleven does not conflict with such
terms, the succeeding Sections of this Article.
SECTION 1102. Election to Redeem: Notice to Designated Representative. The
election of the Company to redeem any Notes redeemable at the election of the
Company shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at
the election of the Company of less than all of the Notes, the Company shall
notify the Designated Representative and the Holders of the Redemption Date
fixed by the Company and of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed.
In the case of any redemption of Notes (i) prior to the expiration of any
restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Notes or elsewhere
in this Indenture, or (ii) pursuant to an election of the Company which is
subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Notes, the Company shall
furnish the Designated Representative with an Officers' Certificate evidencing
compliance with such restriction or condition.
SECTION 1103. Selection by the Company of Notes to be Redeemed. If less
than all of Notes Outstanding are to be redeemed, the particular Notes to be
redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date
by the Company, from the Outstanding Notes not previously called for
redemption, by such method as the Company shall deem fair and appropriate.
Unless otherwise provided in the terms of a particular Note, the portions of
the principal of the Notes so selected for partial redemption shall be equal to
the minimum authorized denomination of the Notes, or an integral multiple
thereof, and the principal amount which remains outstanding shall not be less
than the minimum authorized denomination for the Notes.
For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires,
all provisions relating to the redemption of Notes shall relate, in the case of
any Note redeemed or to be redeemed on in part, to the portion of the principal
of such Note which has been or is to be redeemed.
SECTION 1104. Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not more than 60 days prior to the
Redemption Date, to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed, at his address
appearing in the Register.
All notices of redemption shall state:
(1) the Redemption Date;
(2) the Redemption Price;
(3) if less than all Notes Outstanding are to be redeemed, the
identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the respective
principal amounts) of the Notes to be redeemed, from the Holder to whom
the notice is given; and
(4) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will become due
and payable upon each such Note and that interest, if any, thereon shall
cease to accrue from and after said date.
All notices of redemption shall also either state the place where such
Notes are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price, which shall be
the office or agency of the Company in the Place of Payment, or include payment
of the Redemption Price and instructions regarding the surrender of the Notes
to be redeemed.
Notice of redemption of Notes to be redeemed at the election of the
Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company's request, by the
Designated Representative in the name and at the expense of the Company.
SECTION 1105. Deposit of Redemption Price. Prior to any Redemption Date,
the Company shall segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003, an
amount of money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of all the Notes which
are to be redeemed on that date, together with any interest accrued thereon.
SECTION 1106. Notes Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of Redemption
having been given as aforesaid, the Notes so to be redeemed shall, on the
Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein
specified and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the
payment of the Redemption Price) such Notes shall cease to bear interest. Upon
surrender of such Notes for redemption in accordance with the notice, such
Notes shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price. Installments of
interest the Stated Maturity of which is on or prior to the Redemption Date
shall be payable to the Holders of such Notes registered as such on the
relevant Payment Date according to their terms and the provisions of Section
307.
If any Note called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender
thereof for redemption, the principal shall, until paid, bear interest from the
Redemption Date at the rate borne by the Note or as otherwise provided in such
Note.
SECTION 1107. Notes Redeemed in Part. Any Note which is to be redeemed
only in part shall be surrendered at the office of the Company with, due
endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Company duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in
writing) and the Company shall execute if the Company so requires, and the
Designated Representative shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such
Note without service charge, a new Note or Notes with the same Stated Maturity,
of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate
principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the
principal of the Note so surrendered.
ARTICLE TWELVE
IMMUNITIES OF OFFICERS, DIRECTORS
AND STOCKHOLDERS
SECTION 1201. No Recourse. No recourse under or upon any obligation,
covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or any supplemental
indenture, or in any Note hereby secured, or because of the creation of any
indebtedness hereby secured, shall be had against any incorporator, or against
any past, present or future stockholder, officer or director of the Company, or
of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly or through the
Company or any such predecessor or successor corporation, by the enforcement of
any assessment or penalty, or for the recovery of amounts unpaid on stock
subscriptions, or by any legal or equitable proceeding by virtue of any
constitution, statute or law or otherwise; it being expressly agreed and
understood that this Indenture or any supplemental indentures and the
obligations hereby or thereby secured, are solely corporate obligations and
that no personal liability whatever, under any circumstances or conditions,
shall attach to or be incurred by the incorporators, stockholders, officers or
directors of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, or any
of them, because of the incurring of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or
under or by reason of any of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained
in this Indenture or any supplemental indenture or in any of the Notes hereby
or thereby secured, or implied therefrom; and that any and all personal
liability of every name and nature, and any and all rights and claims against
every such incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, whether arising at
common law or in equity, or created by statute or constitution, are hereby
expressly released and waived by the Designated Representative and by each of
the Holders of the Notes, as a condition of, and as part of the consideration
for, the execution of this Indenture and the issue of the Notes secured
hereby.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be
duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and
attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
LA-Z-BOY CHAIR COMPANY
By____________________
Attest:
Its
______________________
Secretary
RODNEY D. ENGLAND,
as Designated Representative
_________________________
Attest:
______________________
Title
STATE OF )
: ss
COUNTY OF )
On this___________ day of _________________, 19 _ , before me
personally appeared _____________________, to me personally known,
who being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he is the
____________________ of LA-Z-BOY Chair Company, the corporation
described in and which executed the foregoing instrument, that the
seal affixed to said instrument is the corporate seal of that
corporation, that it was so affixed by authority of the Board of
Directors of that corporation; and that he signed his name by like
authority, and acknowledged that instrument to be the free act and
deed of the corporation.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed
my seal in the County and State aforesaid, the day and year first
above written.
__________________________________
Name
Notary Public
_______________ County, __________
My commission expires: ___________
Exhibit (5)
[Letterhead of Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.]
February 7, 1995
La-Z-Boy Chair Company
1284 North Telegraph Road
Monroe, Michigan 48161
Gentlemen:
This opinion relates to the registration statement on Form S-4 (the
"Registration Statement") being filed today by La-Z-Boy Chair Company, a
Michigan corporation ("La-Z-Boy"), with the Securities and Exchange
Commission for the purpose of registering under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "Act"), 2,000,000 shares of common stock, $1.00 par value
("Common Stock"), $10,000,000 principal amount of 8% Unsecured Promissory
Notes due 1999 ("Notes"), and 297,330 Performance Units ("Performance
Units"). The Common Stock, the Notes, and the Performance Units are to be
issued pursuant to an Amended and Restated Plan of Merger dated as of
January 13, 1995 (the "Plan of Merger") among England/Corsair, Inc., a
Tennessee corporation ("E/C"), La-Z-Boy, and LZB Acquisition, Inc., a
Michigan corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of La-Z-Boy ("LZB
Acquisition"). A portion of the Common Stock (the "Initial Stock"), the
Notes and the Performance Units are to be issued upon the conversion of the
outstanding common stock of E/C (the "E/C Stock") at the time of
consummation of the merger (the "Merger") of E/C with and into LZB
Acquisition. Additional Common Stock (the "Performance Unit Stock") may be
issued in settlement of the Performance Units on the terms and at the times
provided in the Plan of Merger. As your counsel, we have examined such
certificates, instruments, and documents and reviewed such questions of law
as we have considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this
opinion, and, on the basis of such examination and review, we advise you
that, in our opinion:
1. The Common Stock, the Notes, and the Performance Units have been
validly authorized.
2. When the Registration Statement has become effective and the
Initial Stock, the Notes, and the Performance Units have been issued upon
conversion of the E/C Stock in connection with the consummation of the
Merger in accordance with the terms of the Plan of Merger:
(a) The Initial Stock will be legally issued, fully paid, and
nonassessable; and
(b) The Notes and the Performance Units will be binding
obligations of La-Z-Boy.
3. When the Registration Statement has become effective, if and when
Performance Unit Stock is issued in settlement of the Performance Units in
accordance with the terms of the Plan of Merger, the Performance Unit Stock
will be legally issued, fully paid, and nonassessable.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to us under the caption "Legal
Matters" and in the Prospectus/Proxy Statement forming a part of the
Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit
that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under
Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
Very truly yours,
Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.
Exhibit (8)
[Letterhead of Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.]
[FORM OF MILLER, CANFIELD, PADDOCK AND STONE
TAX OPINION TO BE DELIVERED AT THE CLOSING
ONLY IF CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE SATISFIED,
CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS ARE RECEIVED
AND EACH OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF
REV. PROC. 84-42 IS SATISFIED]
______________________ , 1995
La-Z-Boy Chair Company England/Corsair, Inc.
1284 North Telegraph Road 402 Old Knoxville Highway
Monroe, Michigan 48161-3390 New Tazewell, Tennessee 37825
LZB Acquisition, Inc.
1284 North Telegraph Road
Monroe, Michigan 48161-3390
Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to La-Z-Boy Chair Company, a Michigan
corporation ("La-Z-Boy"), in connection with the contemplated merger of
England/Corsair, Inc., a Tennessee corporation ("E/C"), with and into LZB
Acquisition, Inc., a newly-formed Michigan corporation and a wholly-owned
subsidiary of La-Z-Boy ("LZB Acquisition"), pursuant to an Amended and
Restated Reorganization Agreement (the "Reorganization Agreement") and a
related Amended and Restated Plan of Merger (the "Plan of Merger" and,
collectively with the Reorganization Agreement, the "Merger Agreement"),
both dated as of January 13, 1995, among La-Z-Boy, LZB Acquisition and E/C.
Our opinion is provided solely with respect to certain of the federal
income tax consequences of the merger (the "Merger") of E/C with and into
LZB Acquisition. This opinion is being delivered pursuant to Sections 7.2.4
and 7.3.4 of the Reorganization Agreement. All capitalized terms used
herein, unless otherwise specified, have the meanings assigned to them in
the Merger Agreement.
FACTUAL ASSUMPTIONS, REPRESENTATIONS AND LIMITATIONS
In rendering our opinion, we have examined and relied upon, and our
opinion is conditioned upon the accuracy and completeness of, the facts,
information, covenants and representations contained in originals or
copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the
Merger Agreement, the Registration Statement on Form S-4 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Registration No. 33-_____ [, as
amended] (the "Registration Statement"), filed by La-Z-Boy with respect to
the La-Z-Boy Common Stock to be issued in connection with the Merger and
such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis
for the opinion set forth below. We also have assumed that the Merger will
be consummated in accordance with the Merger Agreement and that the Merger
will qualify as a merger under applicable state law.
In addition, we have relied upon, and this opinion is expressly
conditioned on the accuracy of, the representations contained in the
attached Representation Certificates from E/C, La-Z-Boy and LZB Acquisition
as being true in all material respects as of the date hereof. These
Representation Certificates are attached hereto as Exhibits ___ and ___,
respectively.
DISCUSSION
In order to qualify as a tax-free reorganization, a transaction must
satisfy certain statutory requirements set forth in the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and several judicially-created
requirements which have been developed through court rulings and Internal
Revenue Service ("IRS") interpretations. Based upon our review of the
representations and the documentation concerning the proposed Merger, we
believe that these statutory and judicial requirements will be satisfied.
It is well established that in order for the Merger to be treated as a
tax-free reorganization under Code Section 368, the "continuity of
shareholder interest" requirement must be satisfied.(1) The purpose of this
requirement is to ensure that the shareholders of the acquired corporation
(E/C) maintain a substantial part of their historic equity investment in
the acquired corporation following the reorganization through holding of
the acquiring corporation's stock. In general, to satisfy the IRS ruling
guidelines applicable to the continuity of shareholder interest
requirement, the E/C shareholders, as a group:
(i) must exchange at least 50% of their E/C Stock solely for
La-Z-Boy Common Stock in the reorganization(2);
(ii) must have the unrestricted right to maintain ownership of
the La-Z-Boy Common Stock for some period following the
reorganization(3); and
(iii) either must (a) in fact retain ownership of the La-Z-Boy
Common Stock for some minimum period following the Merger or (b)
demonstrate any early disposition was not pursuant to a plan or
arrangement in place at the time of the Merger.
In addition to the consideration received at the Effective Time,
shareholders of E/C will be issued a Performance Unit for each share of E/C
Stock surrendered. A Performance Unit entitles an E/C shareholder who
exchanges shares of E/C Stock in the Merger to the opportunity to receive
additional shares of La-Z-Boy Common Stock based on the financial
performance of the Surviving Corporation during the two-year period
following the Effective Time.
Generally the IRS will treat contingent stock consideration as not
adversely affecting the tax-free qualification of a merger if the
requirements set forth in Rev. Proc. 84-42, 1984-1 C.B. 521, are satisfied.
These requirements are as follows:
(1) The contingent stock arrangement will settle within five years
after the date of the merger;
(2) There is a valid business purpose for the contingent
consideration arrangement (e.g., the resolution of a dispute
pertaining to the value of the acquired company at the time of
the merger);
(3) The maximum number of shares which may be issued under the
contingent stock arrangement must be expressly stated in the
merger agreement;
(4) At least 50 percent of the maximum number of shares of stock that
may be issued is issued in the initial distribution;
(5) The event that triggers the right to receive additional stock
under the contingent consideration arrangement cannot be within
the control of the acquired corporation's shareholders and cannot
be based on the determination of a reorganization-related federal
income tax liability;
(6) The formula for calculating the amount of stock to be issued or
delivered is objective and readily ascertainable; and
(7) The right to receive additional stock cannot be assignable
(except by operation of law), and the contingent stock
arrangement can be satisfied only with additional stock.
It has been represented that the proposed provision for contingent
considerations in connection with the Merger will satisfy all of these
guidelines.
OPINION
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that under current
law:
The Merger will be treated as a reorganization within the meaning
of Sections 368(a)(1)(A) and 368(a)(2)(D) of the Code, and La-Z-Boy,
LZB Acquisition and E/C will each be a party to the reorganization
within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code.
Although the Merger is treated as a tax free reorganization, under current
regulations of the IRS, La-Z-Boy Common Stock issued in settlement of the
Performance Units will be subject to tax treatment as a deferred payment
which will include imputed taxable interest.
The parties do not intend to submit a ruling request regarding the
transaction to the National Office of the IRS.
In rendering our opinion, we have considered the applicable provisions
of the Code, Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, pertinent
judicial authorities, interpretive rulings of the IRS and such other
authorities as we have considered relevant. It should be noted that
statutes, regulations, judicial decisions and administrative
interpretations are subject to change at any time and, in some
circumstances, with retroactive effect. A material change in the
authorities upon which our opinion is based could affect our conclusions.
However, we assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion if
any subsequent change were to occur.
Except as set forth above, we express no opinion as to the tax
consequences, whether federal, state, local or foreign, of the Merger, or
of any transactions related thereto. We are furnishing this opinion to you
in connection with Sections 7.2.4 and 7.3.4 of the Reorganization
Agreement; this opinion is solely for your benefit and is not to be used,
circulated, quoted or otherwise referred to for any purpose without our
express written permission. This opinion may not be relied upon by anyone
other than the addressees.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the references made to us under the heading
"The Merger and Related Transactions -- Certain Federal Income Tax
Consequences" in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus of La-Z-Boy which forms a
part of the Registration Statement. In giving such consent we do not hereby
admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required
under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules or
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.
Very truly yours,
Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C.
- --------------
(1) Pinellas Ice & Cold Storage v. Commissioner, 287 U.S. 462 (1933)
and Treasury Regulation section 1.368-1(b).
(2) Rev. Proc. 77-37, section 3.02, 1972-2 CB 568.
(3) Ordinarily five years will, and two years should, suffice.
Exhibit (12)
LA-Z-BOY CHAIR COMPANY
COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
(DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)
26 weeks 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990
Pre-tax income from
continuing operations $27,925 $58,155 $45,299 $39,905 $38,370 $45,535
Interest expense 1,414 2,822 3,260 5,305 6,374 7,239
Rentals 519 961 964 940 1,045 850
------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
Total fixed charges 1,933 3,783 4,224 6,245 7,419 8,089
Pre-tax earnings before
interest and fixed
charges $29,858 $61,938 $49,523 $46,150 $45,789 $53,624
Ratio of earnings to
fixed charges 15.4 16.4 11.7 7.4 6.2 6.6
Earnings to fixed charges have been determined based on continuing operations
and have been computed by dividing earnings before income taxes and fixed
charges by fixed charges. Fixed charges are considered to be interest on
indebtedness and one-third of rentals, which the Company believes is
representative of the interest factor of such rentals.
Exhibit (21)
Subsidiary
Jurisdiction of Incorporation
La-Z-Boy Canada, Ltd.
Ontario, Canada
La-Z-Boy Ad Co.
Michigan
Kincaid Furniture Company, Incorporated
Delaware
La-Z-Boy Export Ltd.
Barbados
LZB Finance, Inc.
Michigan
LZB Acquisition, Inc.
Michigan
Exhibit (23)(b)
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus
constituting part of this Registration Statement on Form S-4 of La-Z-Boy Chair
Company of our report dated June 2, 1994, which appears on page 17 of the 1994
Annual Report to Shareholders of La-Z-Boy Chair Company, which is incorporated
by reference in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30,
1994. We also consent to the incorporation by reference of our report on the
Financial Statement Schedules, which appears on page S-2 of such Annual Report
on Form 10-K. We also consent to the reference to us under the heading
"Experts" in such Prospectus.
PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP
Toledo, Ohio
February 3, 1995
Exhibit (23)(c)
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
England/Corsair, Inc.
Tazewell, Tennessee
We hereby consent to the use in the Prospectus constituting a part of this
Registration Statement of our report dated August 12, 1994, relating to the
financial statements of England/Corsair, Inc., which is contained in that
Prospectus.
We also consent to the reference to us under the caption "Experts" in the
Prospectus.
High Point, North Carolina
February 3, 1995 BDO Seidman