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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

June 22, 2021

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

 

 

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Maryland   001-38530   82-4005693

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

902 Carnegie Center Boulevard, Suite 520

Princeton, New Jersey

  08540
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (609) 436-0619

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligations of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of Each Class

 

Trading

Symbol(s)

 

Name of Each Exchange

on Which Registered

Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share   EPRT   New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 


Item 1.01

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

The information set forth in Item 2.03 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated by reference into this Item 1.01.

 

Item 2.03

Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

On June 28, 2021, Essential Properties, L.P. (the “Issuer”), a Delaware limited partnership and subsidiary of Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Guarantor”), closed an underwritten public offering of $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 2.950% Senior Notes due 2031 (the “Notes”).

The Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor (the “Guarantee”). The terms of the Notes are governed by an indenture, dated as of June 28, 2021 (the “Base Indenture”), by and among the Issuer, the Guarantor and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by a first supplemental indenture, dated as of June 28, 2021 (the “First Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), by and among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Trustee. The Indenture contains various restrictive covenants, including requirements to maintain a certain percentage of total unencumbered assets by the Guarantor. Copies of the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture, including the form of Notes and the Guarantee, the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference, are attached as Exhibits 4.1 and 4.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

The purchase price paid by the underwriters for the Notes was 99.150% of the principal amount thereof. The Notes are the Issuer’s senior unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of the Issuer’s other existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness. However, the Notes are effectively subordinated in right of payment to all of the Issuer’s existing and future mortgage indebtedness and other secured indebtedness (to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness) and to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities, whether secured or unsecured, of the Issuer’s subsidiaries and of any entity the Issuer accounts for using the equity method of accounting and to all preferred equity not owned by the Issuer, if any, in any of its subsidiaries and in any entity the Issuer accounts for using the equity method of accounting. The Notes bear interest at 2.950% per annum. Interest is payable on January 15 and July 15 of each year, beginning January 15, 2022, until the maturity date of July 15, 2031.

The Notes will be redeemable in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at the Issuer’s option, at a redemption price equal to the sum of:

 

   

100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to, but not including, the redemption date; and

 

   

a make-whole premium calculated in accordance with the Indenture.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any of the Notes are redeemed on or after April 15, 2031 (three months prior to the maturity date of the Notes), the redemption price will not include a make-whole premium.

Certain events are considered events of default, which may result in the accelerated maturity of the Notes, including:

 

   

default for 30 days in the payment of any installment of interest under the Notes;

 

   

default in the payment of the principal amount or any other portion of the redemption price due with respect to the Notes, when the same becomes due and payable;

 

   

the Guarantee is not (or is claimed by the Guarantor in writing to the trustee not to be) in full force and effect (other than in accordance with the terms of the Indenture) with respect to the Notes;

 

   

failure by the Issuer or the Guarantor to comply with any of the Issuer’s or the Guarantor’s respective other agreements contained in the Notes or the Indenture with respect to the Notes upon receipt by the Issuer of


 

notice of such default by the trustee or by holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding and the Issuer’s failure to cure (or obtain a waiver of) such default within 60 days after receipt by the Issuer of such notice;

 

   

failure to pay any Debt (as defined in the Indenture) (other than Non-Recourse Debt (as defined in the Indenture)) that is (a) of the Issuer or the Guarantor or any Subsidiary (as defined in the Indenture) in which the Issuer or the Guarantor has invested at least $50,000,000 in capital (a “Significant Subsidiary”) and (b) in an outstanding principal amount in excess of $50,000,000 at final maturity or upon acceleration after the expiration of any applicable grace period, which Debt is not discharged, or such default in payment or acceleration is not cured or rescinded, within 60 days after written notice to the Issuer from the trustee (or to the Issuer and the trustee from holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes); or

 

   

certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, or court appointment of a receiver, liquidator or trustee of the Issuer, Guarantor, or any Significant Subsidiary or all or substantially all of their respective property.

The descriptions of the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture in this Current Report on Form 8-K are summaries and are qualified in their entirety by the terms of the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture, respectively.

The Notes were offered pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 21, 2021 (Registration Nos. 333-257202 and 333-257202-01), a base prospectus, dated June 21, 2021, and a prospectus supplement, dated June 22, 2021, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Item 8.01

Other Events.

On June 22, 2021, the Issuer and the Guarantor entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with BofA Securities, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named therein, with respect to the offering of the Notes, which will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantor. A copy of the Underwriting Agreement is attached as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01 — Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.   

Description

1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated as of June 22, 2021, among the Issuer and the Guarantor, on the one hand, and BofA Securities, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named therein, on the other hand
4.1    Indenture, dated as of June 28, 2021, among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Trustee, including the form of the Guarantee
4.2    First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 28, 2021, among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Trustee, including the form of the Notes
5.1    Opinion of Venable LLP
5.2    Opinion of Sidley Austin LLP
23.1    Consent of Venable LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2    Consent of Sidley Austin LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2)
104    Cover Page Interactive File (the cover page tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

    ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES REALTY TRUST, INC.
Date: June 28, 2021     By:  

/s/ Mark E. Patten

      Mark E. Patten
      Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit 1.1

Essential Properties, L.P.

2.950% Senior Notes due 2031

Underwriting Agreement

June 22, 2021

BofA Securities, Inc.

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

As representatives (“you” or the “Representatives”) of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto,

c/o BofA Securities, Inc.

One Bryant Park

New York, New York 10036

c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10013

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Essential Properties, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”) and a subsidiary of Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company” and, together with the Operating Partnership, the “Transaction Entities”), propose, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of $400,000,000 principal amount of 2.950% senior notes of the Operating Partnership (the “Notes”). The principal, premium, if any, and interest in respect of the Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Company (the “Guarantee” and, together with the Notes, the “Securities”).

The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of June 28, 2021, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture thereto, dated as of June 28, 2021 (collectively, the “Indenture”), among the Company, the Operating Partnership and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).


1. Each of the Transaction Entities, jointly and severally, represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:

(a) An “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined under Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”)) on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-257202 and 333-257202-01) in respect of the Securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) no earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; such registration statement, and each post-effective amendment thereto, if any, each in the form heretofore delivered to you, became effective under the Act upon filing with the Commission and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or any part of the foregoing has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission, and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act has been received by the Company (the base prospectus filed as part of such registration statement, in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission before the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the “Basic Prospectus”; each preliminary prospectus relating to the Securities (including any preliminary prospectus supplement and related base prospectus) filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act is hereinafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus”; the various parts of such registration statement, including all exhibits thereto but excluding Form T-1 and including any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission and deemed by virtue of Rule 430B under the Act to be part of such registration statement, each as amended at the time such part of the registration statement became effective, are hereinafter collectively called the “Registration Statement”; the Basic Prospectus, as amended and supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(c) hereof), is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus”; the final prospectus relating to the Securities, in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof, together with the base prospectus attached thereto, is hereinafter called the “Prospectus”; any reference herein to the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act, as of the date of such prospectus (or, in the case of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, as of the date of the prospectus supplement forming part thereof); any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act and any documents filed after the time of filing of the Basic Prospectus, such Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and incorporated by reference therein; any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Rule 163B under the Act is hereinafter called a “Testing-the-Waters Communication”; and any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act is hereinafter called a “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication”; and any “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the Securities is hereinafter called an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”);

 

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(b) (A) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and (B) each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

(c) For the purposes of this Agreement, the “Applicable Time” is 4:15 p.m. (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement. The Pricing Prospectus, as supplemented by the final term sheet referenced on Schedule II hereto, taken together (collectively, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”), as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information (as defined in Section 9(b) of this Agreement);

(d) Neither of the Transaction Entities has distributed, and neither of the Transaction Entities will distribute, prior to the later of the Time of Delivery (as defined below) and the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Notes, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes other than the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representatives and listed on Schedule II hereto or any electronic road show or other written communications reviewed and consented to by the Representatives and listed on Schedule III hereto (each a, “Company Additional Written Communication”). Each such Company Additional Written Communication, when taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package, did not, and at the Time of Delivery will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Company Additional Written Communication based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter through the Representatives consists of the Underwriter Information.

(e) The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

 

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(f) Each of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus and the Pricing Prospectus conforms, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of the foregoing did, does or will, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement and as of the applicable filing date as to any such Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, as applicable, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information;

(g) Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries has, since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus, (i) sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree or (ii) entered into any transaction or agreement (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, there has not been (x) any change in the capital stock (other than as a result of (i) the exercise, if any, of stock options or the award, if any, of stock options or restricted stock in the ordinary course of business pursuant to the Company’s equity plans that are described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus or (ii) the issuance, if any, of stock upon conversion of Company securities as described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus) or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (y) any Material Adverse Effect (as defined below). As used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” shall mean any material adverse change or effect, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change or effect, in or affecting (i) the business, properties, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Transaction Entities or their respective subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, or (ii) the ability of the Transaction Entities to perform their respective obligations under this Agreement, including the issuance and sale of the Securities, or to consummate the transactions contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(h) The Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries will have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or a ground lease relating to, all of the real properties (the “Properties”) described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus owned by them and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, deeds of trust, pledges, claims, restrictions, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Pricing Prospectus or such as do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries are held by them under valid, existing and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are

 

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not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries; no third party has any option or right of first refusal to purchase any Property or any portion thereof or interest therein, that is significant individually or in the aggregate, except as disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(i) The Company has been duly formed and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, with corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus, and to enter into and perform its obligations (i) under this Agreement and (ii) the Company has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation or other foreign entity for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification in such jurisdiction, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect;

(j) The Operating Partnership has been duly formed and is validly existing as a limited partnership in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, and has the power and authority necessary to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus, and to enter into and perform its obligations (i) under this Agreement and (ii) the Operating Partnership has been duly qualified as a foreign limited partnership for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification in such jurisdiction, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect, the General Partner (as defined below), is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership and the Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Operating Partnership is in full force and effect, and the aggregate percentage interests of the Company, of the General Partner and the limited partners in the Operating Partnership will be as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;

(k) Essential Properties OP G.P., LLC (the “General Partner”) has the power and authority, as the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, to cause the Operating Partnership to enter into and perform the Operating Partnership’s obligations under this Agreement. The Company is and will be the sole member of the General Partner;

(l) Each subsidiary of the Company (other than the Operating Partnership) has been (i) duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus, and (ii) duly qualified as a foreign entity for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

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(m) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and conform in all material respects to the description of the Stock contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and all of the issued shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for such liens or encumbrances described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(n) The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and has been duly authorized and, when executed and delivered by the Company, the Operating Partnership and the Trustee, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company and the Operating Partnership, enforceable against the Company and the Operating Partnership in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and remedies generally, and subject, as to enforceability, to general principles of equity, and, with respect to equitable relief, the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in equity), and, with respect to rights to indemnity and contribution thereunder, except as rights may be limited by applicable law or policies underlying such law (the “Enforceability Exceptions”); the Notes to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Operating Partnership are in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have been duly authorized for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement and the Indenture and, at the Time of Delivery, will have been duly executed by the Operating Partnership and, when authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the requisite purchase price therefor, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Operating Partnership enforceable against the Operating Partnership in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture; and the Guarantee has been duly authorized for issuance pursuant to this Agreement and the Indenture and, at the Time of Delivery, will have been duly executed by the Company and, when the Notes are authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the requisite consideration therefor, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture;

(o) The issue and sale of the Securities and the execution and delivery of, and the performance by the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries (to the extent such entity is a party thereto) of their obligations under this Agreement and the Indenture and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, (A) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries are a party or by which the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries are bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries are subject, except, in the case of this clause (A) for

 

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such conflicts, defaults, breaches or violations that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (B) the Organizational Documents (as defined below) of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries or (C) or any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries or any of their properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Securities or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters;

“Organizational Documents” means the following, each as amended from time to time: (i) in the case of a corporation, its charter and bylaws; (ii) in the case of a limited or general partnership, its partnership certificate, certificate of formation or similar organizational document and its partnership agreement; (iii) in the case of a limited liability company, its articles of organization, certificate of formation or similar organizational documents and its operating agreement, limited liability company agreement, membership agreement or other similar agreement; (iv) in the case of a trust, its certificate of trust, certificate of formation or similar organizational document and its trust agreement or other similar agreement; and (v) in the case of any other entity, the organizational and governing documents of such entity.

(p) Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its Organizational Documents, (ii) in violation of any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries or any of their properties or (iii) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except, in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii) and (iii), for such violations or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;

(q) The statements in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Notes” and “Description of Debt Securities,” in each case insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, accurately present and summarize, in all material respects, the matters referred to therein; and the statements in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, accurately present and summarize, in all material respects, the matters referred to therein;

(r) Other than as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or of which any Property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or others;

 

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(s) Neither of the Transaction Entities is, and after the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, neither of the Transaction Entities will be, an “investment company”, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”);

(t) (A) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), and (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the Act) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 under the Act, the Company was a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act, (B) at the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act) of the Securities, the Company was not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act and (C) the Transaction Entities are eligible to register the offer and sale of the Securities contemplated hereby on Form S-3 under the Act;

(u) (i) Ernst & Young LLP, who has certified certain financial statements included in the Pricing Prospectus, were independent public accountants with respect to the Company as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) Grant Thornton LLP are independent public accounts with respect to the Company as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

(v) The Company and its subsidiaries (i) has taken all necessary actions to ensure that, within the time period required, the Company and its subsidiaries will maintain effective internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act and (ii) currently maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) and to maintain accountability for assets, (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting;

(w) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting;

 

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(x) The Company has established disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) that are designed to ensure that material information required to be disclosed by the Company and its subsidiaries in the reports that the Company files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure;

(y) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Transaction Entities;

(z) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries, any of their respective directors or officers nor, to the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, any agent, employee, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) made, offered, promised or authorized any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense; (ii) made, offered, promised or authorized any direct or indirect unlawful payment; or (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law;

(aa) The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with the requirements of applicable anti-money laundering laws, including, but not limited to, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended by the USA PATRIOT ACT of 2001, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the anti-money laundering laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, threatened;

(bb) None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries, any of their respective directors or officers nor, to the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, any agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government, including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person,” the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, the United Nations Security Council, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person, or in any country or territory, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject or the target of Sanctions or (ii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions;

 

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(cc) The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus under the Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. All pro forma financial statements or data, if any, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus comply with the requirements of the Act, and the assumptions used in the preparation of such pro forma financial statements and data are reasonable, the pro forma adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions or circumstances described therein and the pro forma adjustments have been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements and data; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus that are not included or incorporated by reference as required. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Act, to the extent applicable;

(dd) The Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including, without limitation, trade secrets and other unpatented or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) used in the operation of the business as now operated, except where the failure to own or possess such rights would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, none of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries has received any notice of, nor is there any reasonable basis for, any claim of infringement, misappropriation, violation of or conflict with any such rights of others; the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries have taken reasonable steps in accordance with normal industry practice to maintain the confidentiality of all material trade secrets and confidential information owned, used or held for use by the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries;

(ee) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to, ERISA and the Code, except for such noncompliance, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

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(ff) The Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries possess all licenses, permits, certificates and other authorizations from, and have made all declarations and filings with, all governmental authorities required or necessary to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate their respective properties and to carry on their respective businesses as now or proposed to be conducted as set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (collectively, “Permits”), except where the failure to obtain such Permits would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries have fulfilled and performed all of their respective obligations with respect to such Permits, and no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or results in any other impairment of the rights of the holder of any such Permit, except, in each case, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;

(gg) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or arrangements between either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any person, on the other hand, granting such person the right to require either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries to file a registration statement under the Act with respect to any securities of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their respective subsidiaries; no person has the right, pursuant to any contract, agreement or arrangement, to have the offer and sale of any such securities to be registered under the Act pursuant to the Registration Statement;

(hh) Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (ii) each of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (iii) there are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens,

 

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notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries and (iv) to the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting either of the Transaction Entities or their respective subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws;

(ii) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, the Transaction Entities or one of their respective subsidiaries holds the lessor’s interest under the leases with any tenants occupying each Property (collectively, the “Leases”); except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, any other party to any Lease, is in breach or default of any such Lease; and (ii) to the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, no event has occurred or has been threatened in writing, that, with or without the passage of time or the giving of notice, or both, would, individually or in the aggregate, constitute an event of default under any Lease or would permit the termination, modification or acceleration under such Lease;

(jj) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries is in violation of any municipal, state or federal law, rule or regulation concerning any Property; except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, each of the Properties complies with all applicable zoning laws, ordinances, regulations and deed restrictions or other covenants, except where the failure to comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries has received from any governmental authority any written notice of any condemnation of or zoning change, and neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their subsidiaries has received written notice of any such threatened condemnation or zoning change, that, in either case, if consummated, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;

(kk) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no mortgages encumbering the Properties are or will be: (i) convertible (in the absence of foreclosure) into an equity interest in the entity owning such Property or in the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries; (ii) cross-defaulted to any indebtedness other than indebtedness of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries; or (iii) cross-collateralized to any property or assets not owned directly or indirectly by the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries;

(ll) The Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed (except where the failure to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect) and have paid all taxes required to be paid (except for cases in which the failure to file or pay would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, or, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by U.S. GAAP have been created in the

 

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financial statements of the Company), and no unpaid tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries that, individually or in the aggregate, has had a Material Adverse Effect; neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries have notice or knowledge of any unpaid tax deficiency that, if determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect;

(mm) Each of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries are entitled to the benefits of insurance with financially sound and reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks as are customary in the business in which they are engaged, and all such insurance is in full force and effect; neither of the Transaction Entities has any reason to believe that it or any of its respective subsidiaries will not be able to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct their respective businesses as now conducted and at a cost that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied; without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, each of the Transaction Entities and their respective subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, have obtained title insurance on the fee or leasehold interests, as the case may be, in each of the Properties, in such amounts as is adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its Properties and is prudent and customary for companies engaged in similar businesses;

(nn) Commencing with its taxable year ending December 31, 2018, the Company has been organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the Code, and the Company’s current and proposed method of operation will enable it to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code for such taxable year and thereafter; all statements regarding the Company’s qualification and taxation as a REIT and descriptions of the Company’s organization and proposed method of operation set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are true, complete and correct in all material respects;

(oo) Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, any of their affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or which has constituted or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities (except that the Company makes no representation in this clause (oo) as to any activities of the Underwriters or their respective affiliates);

(pp) Except pursuant to the terms of the indebtedness described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) the Company is not prohibited, directly or indirectly, from making any distributions to its stockholders, (ii) the Operating Partnership is not prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any distributions to the Company to the extent permitted by applicable law, from making any other distribution on the Operating Partnership’s

 

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partnership interests, or from repaying the Company for any loans or advances made by the Company to the Operating Partnership, and (iii) no other subsidiary of either of the Transaction Entities is currently prohibited from paying any dividends or distributions directly or indirectly to the Transaction Entities, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock or other equity interests, from repaying, directly or indirectly, to the Transaction Entities any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets directly or indirectly to the Transaction Entities or any other subsidiary of the Transaction Entities;

(qq) All statistical and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Transaction Entities believe to be reliable and accurate in all material respects;

(rr) The Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Operating Partnership has been duly authorized by the Company and the General Partner and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, the General Partner and the Operating Partnership, enforceable against each of the Company, the General Partner and the Operating Partnership in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions;

(ss) There are no contracts or documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that have not been so described or filed as required;

(tt) Other than the Securities, the Transaction Entities have no debt securities or preferred stock that is rated by any “nationally recognized statistical rating agency” (as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act);

(uu) No labor dispute with the employees of the either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Transaction Entities, is imminent, and the Transaction Entities are not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its material tenants, which, in either case, would have a Material Adverse Effect;

(vv) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among either of the Transaction Entities on the one hand, and the trustees, directors, officers, stockholders or other equity holders, customers or suppliers of the Transaction Entities on the other hand, which is required to be described in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus which is not so described;

(ww) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of their respective subsidiaries (i) has any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter or (ii) intends to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter;

 

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(xx) (A) To the knowledge of the Company, there has been no security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data and databases (including the data and information of their respective tenants, customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained, processed or stored by the Company and any of its subsidiaries, and any such data processed or stored by third parties on behalf of the Company and any of its subsidiaries), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”); (B) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would result in, any security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data; and (C) the Company and any of its subsidiaries have implemented controls, policies, procedures and technological safeguards to maintain and protect, in all material respects, the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of their IT Systems and Data reasonably consistent with industry standards and practices, except with respect to clauses (A) and (B), for any such security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromises, as would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and any of its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and any of its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, the Company and any of its subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification; and

(yy) Neither the Company nor the Operating Partnership has (i) engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication or (ii) authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications; the Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications.

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by such Transaction Entity or such subsidiary to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Operating Partnership agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Operating Partnership, at the purchase price of 99.150% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, from June 28, 2021 to the Time of Delivery hereunder, the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.

3. Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

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4. (a) The Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder will be represented by one or more definitive global Securities in book-entry form which will be deposited by or on behalf of the Operating Partnership with the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its designated custodian. The Operating Partnership will deliver the Securities to BofA Securities, Inc., for the account of each Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Operating Partnership to the Representatives at least forty-eight hours in advance, by causing DTC to credit the Securities to the account of BofA Securities, Inc. at DTC. The Operating Partnership will cause the certificates, if any, representing the Securities to be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery with respect thereto at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the “Designated Office”). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on June 28, 2021, or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Operating Partnership may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Securities is herein called the “Time of Delivery”.

(b) The documents to be delivered at the Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 8 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Securities and any additional documents requested by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8(l) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of Latham & Watkins LLP at 355 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90071 (the “Closing Location”), and the Securities will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at the Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at 1:00 p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day (as defined below) next preceding the Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, “New York Business Day” shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York City are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

5. Each of the Transaction Entities, jointly and severally, agrees with each of the Underwriters:

(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus prior to the Time of Delivery which shall be disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish you with copies thereof; to prepare a final term sheet, containing solely a description of the Securities, in a form approved by you and to file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act within the time required by such Rule; to file promptly all other material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Securities, of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule

 

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401(g)(2) under the Act, of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal of such order; and, in the event of any such issuance of a notice of objection, promptly to take such steps (including, without limitation, amending the Registration Statement or filing a new registration statement), at its own expense, as may be necessary to permit offers and sales of the Securities by the Underwriters (and references herein to the Registration Statement shall include any such amendment or new registration statement);

(b) If by the third anniversary (the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Transaction Entities will file, if they have not already done so and are eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Securities, in a form satisfactory to you. If, at the Renewal Deadline, the Transaction Entities are no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Transaction Entities will, if they have not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Securities, in a form satisfactory to you, and will use their best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 180 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Transaction Entities will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Securities. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be;

(c) To use its commercially reasonable best efforts to take such action as you may reasonably request from time to time to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may reasonably request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Securities, provided that in connection therewith each of the Transaction Entities shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or entity or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction or subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject as of the date hereof;

(d) Prior to 5:30 p.m., New York City time, on the second New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with electronic copies of the Prospectus and with written copies at such time or as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter in New York City in such quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required under the Act at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make

 

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the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference therein in order to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to notify you and upon your request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as you may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any Underwriter is required under the Act to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in connection with sales of any of the Securities at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as you may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act;

(e) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable (which may be satisfied with the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System or any successor thereto), but in any event not later than sixteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);

(f) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the Time of Delivery, not to offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the Commission a registration statement under the Act relating to any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Securities, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing.

(g) During the period when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Act, the Transaction Entities will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and its rules and regulations;

(h) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Pricing Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”;

(i) To file with the Commission such information on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K as may be required by Rule 463 under the Act; and

(j) Upon request of any Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company’s trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Securities (the “License”); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred.

 

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6. (a) The Company represents and agrees that, other than the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof, without the prior consent of the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; each Underwriter represents and agrees that, without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives, other than one or more term sheets relating to the Securities containing customary information and conveyed to purchasers of Securities, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a free writing prospectus required to be filed with the Commission; any such free writing prospectus the use of which has been consented to by the Company and the Representatives (including the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof) is listed on Schedule II(a) hereto;

(b) The Company has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending;

(c) The Company agrees that if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Representatives and, if requested by the Representatives, will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information; and

(d) The Company will use its best efforts to continue to qualify as a REIT under the Code for so long as its board of directors determines it is in the Company’s best interest to so qualify.

7. The Transaction Entities, jointly and severally, covenant and agree with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing, reproduction and filing of the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing this Agreement, the Indenture, the Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iii) all expenses in connection with

 

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the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(c) hereof, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey (which fees and disbursements of counsel shall not exceed $10,000); (iv) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, in connection with matters related to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (which fees and disbursements of counsel shall not exceed $5,000); (v) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any agent of the Trustee and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Securities; and (vi) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 7. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 9 and 12 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

8. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Securities to be delivered at the Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Transaction Entities herein or in certificates of any officer of either of the Transaction Entities or any of their respective subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof are, at and as of the Applicable Time and the Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Transaction Entities shall have performed all of their respective obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; the final term sheet contemplated by Section 5(a) hereof, and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 433; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission, and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act shall have been issued or received; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Pricing Prospectus, Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction;

(b) Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to you such written opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to you, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information from the Transaction Entities as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;

 

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(c) Sidley Austin LLP, counsel for the Transaction Entities, shall have furnished to you one or more written opinions, dated the Time of Delivery, to the effect set forth on Annex I-A hereto;

(d) Venable LLP, special counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to you their written opinion, dated the Time of Delivery, to the effect set forth on Annex I-B hereto;

(e) At the time of the execution of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at the Time of Delivery, the Company shall have furnished to you a certificate executed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, with respect to certain financial data contained in the Registration Statement, Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package providing “management comfort” with respect to such information, to the effect set forth on Annex 1-C hereto;

(f) At the time of the execution of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at the Time of Delivery, Ernst & Young LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters;

(g) At the time of the execution of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at the Time of Delivery, Grant Thornton LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters;

(h) (i) Neither of the Transaction Entities nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Prospectus there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their respective subsidiaries or any change or effect, or any development involving a prospective change or effect, in or affecting (x) the business, properties, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company, the Operating Partnership and their respective subsidiaries, taken as a whole, except as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, or (y) the ability of the Transaction Entities to perform their obligations under this Agreement, including the issuance and sale of the Securities, or to

 

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consummate the transactions contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in your judgment so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Securities being delivered at the Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(i) On or after the Applicable Time (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded to the debt securities of each of SCF RC Funding I LLC’s, SCF RC Funding II LLC’s and SCF RC Funding III LLC’s (collectively, the “Master Trust Issuers”) by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Master Trust Issuers’ debt securities;

(j) On or after the Applicable Time there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the NYSE; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the NYSE; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in your judgment makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Securities being delivered at the Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(k) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(d) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses; and

(l) The Transaction Entities shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at the Time of Delivery certificates of officers of such Transaction Entity satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of each of the Transaction Entities herein at and as of the Time of Delivery, as to the performance by each of the Transaction Entities of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to the Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (h) of this Section and as to such other matters as you may reasonably request.

9. (a) The Transaction Entities, jointly and severally, will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact

 

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contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “roadshow” as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Act (a “roadshow”), any Company Additional Written Communication or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Transaction Entities shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

(b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Transaction Entities against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Transaction Entities may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any roadshow, in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information; and will reimburse the Transaction Entities for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Transaction Entities in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred. As used in this Agreement with respect to an Underwriter and an applicable document, “Underwriter Information” shall mean the written information furnished to the Transaction Entities by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the information contained in the first paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—Commissions and Discounts”; the information contained in the third and fourth sentences of the first paragraph under the caption “Underwriting—New Issue of Notes”; and the information contained in the first and second paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting—Short Positions”.

 

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(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; provided that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an indemnified party otherwise than under the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Transaction Entities on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Transaction Entities on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Transaction Entities on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, bear to the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by either of the Transaction Entities on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and

 

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the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Transaction Entities and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

(e) The obligations of the Transaction Entities under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the Transaction Entities may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act and each broker-dealer affiliate of any Underwriter; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company (including any person who, with his or her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of the Company) and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.

10. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Securities which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at the Time of Delivery, you may in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to purchase such Securities on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to you to purchase such Securities on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Company that you have so arranged for the purchase of such Securities, or the Company notifies you that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Securities, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section 10 with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Securities.

 

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(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities to be purchased at the Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at the Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities to be purchased at the Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 7 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 9 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

11. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Transaction Entities and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Transaction Entities, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Transaction Entities, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.

12. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 10 or Section 8(j)(i), (iii), (iv) or (v) hereof, the Transaction Entities shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof; but, if for any other reason, any Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Transaction Entities will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by you, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities not so delivered, but the Transaction Entities shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7 and 9 hereof.

 

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13. In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by the Representatives.

All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you as the Representatives in care of BofA Securities, Inc., 1540 Broadway, NY8-540-26-02, New York, New York 10036, Fax: (646) 855-5958, Attn: High Grade Transaction Management/Legal; and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, Attention: General Counsel, facsimile number 1-646-291-1469; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Peter M. Mavoides; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters’ Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by you upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

The Company hereby acknowledges that in accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

14. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Transaction Entities and, to the extent provided in Sections 9 and 11 hereof, the officers and directors of the Transaction Entities, the officers and directors of each Underwriter and each person who controls the Transaction Entities or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

15. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.

16. Each of the Transaction Entities acknowledge and agree that (i) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company on the one hand and the several Underwriters on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction, each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Transaction Entities, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Transaction Entities with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Transaction Entities on other matters) or any other obligation to the Transaction Entities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) each of the Transaction Entities have consulted their own legal and financial advisors to the extent they deem appropriate. Each of the Transaction Entities agree that it will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Transaction Entities, in connection with the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto.

 

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17. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between or among the Transaction Entities and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

18. This Agreement and any transaction contemplated by this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to principles of conflict of laws that would result in the application of any law other than the laws of the State of New York. Each of the Transaction Entities agree that any suit or proceeding arising in respect of this Agreement or any transaction contemplated by this Agreement will be tried exclusively in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York or, if that court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, in any state court located in The City and County of New York, and each of the Transaction Entities agrees to submit to the jurisdiction of, and to venue in, such courts.

19. The Transaction Entities and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

20. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

(a) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

(b) In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

For the purposes of this Section 20, a “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k). “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b); (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b). “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable. “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

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21. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

22. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Transaction Entities are authorized to disclose to any persons the U.S. federal and state income tax treatment and tax structure of the potential transaction and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) provided to the Transaction Entities relating to that treatment and structure, without the Underwriters imposing any limitation of any kind. However, any information relating to the tax treatment and tax structure shall remain confidential (and the foregoing sentence shall not apply) to the extent necessary to enable any person to comply with securities laws. For this purpose, “tax structure” is limited to any facts that may be relevant to that treatment.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter shall constitute a binding agreement among each of the Underwriters and the Transaction Entities. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Transaction Entities for examination upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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Very truly yours,
Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.
By:  

/s/ Mark E. Patten

  Name:   Mark E. Patten
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President
Essential Properties, L.P.

By: Essential Properties OP G.P., LLC,

its general partner

By:  

/s/ Mark E. Patten

  Name:   Mark E. Patten
  Title:   Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]


Accepted as of the date hereof:
BofA Securities, Inc.
By:  

/s/ Shawn Cepeda

  Name: Shawn Cepeda
  Title: Managing Director
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
By:  

/s/ Adam D. Bordner

  Name: Adam D. Bordner
  Title: Director


SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriter

   Principal
Amount of
Securities
to be
Purchased
 

BofA Securities, Inc.

     120,000,000  

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

     120,000,000  

Barclays Capital Inc.

     48,000,000  

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

     48,000,000  

Capital One Securities, Inc.

     16,000,000  

Mizuho Securities USA LLC

     16,000,000  

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

     16,000,000  

Truist Securities, Inc.

     16,000,000  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 400,000,000  
  

 

 

 

 

SC-I-1


SCHEDULE II

(a) Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Pricing Disclosure Package:

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus dated June 22, 2021 (attached as Schedule II(c)).

(b) Additional Documents Incorporated by Reference:

None.

 

SC-II-1


Schedule II(c)

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Registration Nos. 333-257202 and 333-257202-01

June 22, 2021

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES, L.P., AS ISSUER

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES REALTY TRUST, INC., AS GUARANTOR

Pricing Term Sheet

$400.0 million 2.950% Senior Notes due 2031

 

Issuer:    Essential Properties, L.P.
Guarantor:    Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.
Ratings: (Moody’s / S&P / Fitch)*:    *** /*** /***
Ratings Outlooks: (Moody’s / S&P / Fitch)*:    *** /*** /***
Security Type:    Senior Unsecured Notes
Trade Date:    June 22, 2021
Settlement Date:    June 28, 2021 (T+4); under Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade Notes prior to the delivery of the Notes will be required, by virtue of the fact that the Notes initially settle in T+4, to specify an alternate settlement arrangement at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of the Notes who wish to trade the Notes prior to their date of delivery should consult their advisors.
Maturity Date:    July 15, 2031
Interest Payment Dates:    January 15 and July 15 of each year, beginning on January 15, 2022
Principal Amount:    $400.0 million
Benchmark Treasury:    UST 1.625% due May 15, 2031
Benchmark Treasury Price / Yield:    101-12+ / 1.473%
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:    +150 bps
Yield to Maturity:    2.973%
Coupon:    2.950% per annum
Issue Price:    99.800% of the principal amount
Optional Redemption:   

Prior to April 15, 2031 (three months prior to the Maturity Date of the Notes), “make-whole” call at T+25 basis points (calculated as though the actual Maturity Date of the Notes was April 15, 2031).

On or after April 15, 2031 (three months prior to the Maturity Date of the Notes), par call.

 

SC-II-1


CUSIP / ISIN:    29670V AA7 / US29670VAA70
Joint Book-Running Managers:    BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Barclays Capital Inc. and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC
Co-Managers:    Capital One Securities, Inc., Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated and Truist Securities, Inc.

 

*Note:

A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time. Each of the ratings above should be evaluated independently of any other security rating.

The Issuer and the Guarantor have filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) and a preliminary prospectus supplement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the preliminary prospectus supplement for this offering, the related prospectus in that registration statement and any other documents the Issuer and the Guarantor have filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer, the Guarantor and this offering. You may get these documents for free by searching the SEC online data base (“EDGAR”) on the SEC web site at http://www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Issuer, the Guarantor, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the preliminary prospectus supplement and prospectus if you request it by calling BofA Securities, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-294-1322 or emailing dg.prospectus_requests@bofa.com or by calling Citigroup Global Markets Inc. toll-free at 1-800-831-9146 or emailing prospectus@citi.com.

Any disclaimer or other notice that may appear below is not applicable to this communication and should be disregarded. Such disclaimer or notice was automatically generated as a result of this communication being sent by Bloomberg or another email system.


SCHEDULE III

Company Additional Written Communication

None.


ANNEX I-A

FORM OF OPINION OF SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP


ANNEX I-B

FORM OF OPINION OF VENABLE LLP


ANNEX I-C

FORM OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER CERTIFICATE

Exhibit 4.1

 

 

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES, L.P.

 

 

INDENTURE

Dated as of June 28, 2021

 

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Trustee

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

     2  

Section 1.1

  Definitions      2  

Section 1.2

  Other Definitions      5  

Section 1.3

  Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act      5  

Section 1.4

  Rules of Construction      5  

ARTICLE II. THE SECURITIES

     6  

Section 2.1

  Issuable in Series      6  

Section 2.2

  Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities      6  

Section 2.3

  Execution and Authentication      8  

Section 2.4

  Registrar and Paying Agent      9  

Section 2.5

  Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust      9  

Section 2.6

  Securityholder Lists      9  

Section 2.7

  Transfer and Exchange      10  

Section 2.8

  Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities      10  

Section 2.9

  Outstanding Securities      10  

Section 2.10

  Treasury Securities      11  

Section 2.11

  Temporary Securities      11  

Section 2.12

  Cancellation      11  

Section 2.13

  Defaulted Interest      11  

Section 2.14

  Global Securities      12  

Section 2.15

  CUSIP Numbers      13  

ARTICLE III. REDEMPTION

     13  

Section 3.1

  Notice to Trustee      13  

Section 3.2

  Selection of Securities to be Redeemed      13  

Section 3.3

  Notice of Redemption      13  

Section 3.4

  Effect of Notice of Redemption      14  

Section 3.5

  Deposit of Redemption Price      14  

Section 3.6

  Securities Redeemed in Part      14  

ARTICLE IV. COVENANTS

     14  

Section 4.1

  Payment of Principal and Interest      14  

Section 4.2

  SEC Reports      15  

Section 4.3

  Compliance Certificate      15  

Section 4.4

  Stay, Extension and Usury Laws      15  

ARTICLE V. SUCCESSORS

     15  

Section 5.1

  When Company May Merge, Etc.      15  

Section 5.2

  Successor Entity Substituted      16  

Section 5.3

  Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. May Consolidate on Certain Terms      16  

Section 5.4

  Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. Successor to Be Substituted      17  

 

i


ARTICLE VI. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

     17  

Section 6.1

  Events of Default      17  

Section 6.2

  Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment      18  

Section 6.3

  Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee      18  

Section 6.4

  Trustee May File Proofs of Claim      19  

Section 6.5

  Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities      19  

Section 6.6

  Application of Money Collected      20  

Section 6.7

  Limitation on Suits      20  

Section 6.8

  Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest      20  

Section 6.9

  Restoration of Rights and Remedies      21  

Section 6.10

  Rights and Remedies Cumulative      21  

Section 6.11

  Delay or Omission Not Waiver      21  

Section 6.12

  Control by Holders      21  

Section 6.13

  Waiver of Past Defaults      21  

Section 6.14

  Undertaking for Costs      22  

ARTICLE VII. TRUSTEE

     22  

Section 7.1

  Duties of Trustee      22  

Section 7.2

  Rights of Trustee      23  

Section 7.3

  Individual Rights of Trustee      24  

Section 7.4

  Trustee’s Disclaimer      24  

Section 7.5

  Notice of Defaults      24  

Section 7.6

  Reports by Trustee to Holders      24  

Section 7.7

  Compensation and Indemnity      24  

Section 7.8

  Replacement of Trustee      25  

Section 7.9

  Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.      26  

Section 7.10

  Eligibility; Disqualification      26  

Section 7.11

  Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company      26  

ARTICLE VIII. SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE

     26  

Section 8.1

  Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture      26  

Section 8.2

  Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification      27  

Section 8.3

  Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series      27  

Section 8.4

  Covenant Defeasance      29  

Section 8.5

  Repayment to Company      29  

Section 8.6

  Reinstatement      30  

ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

     30  

Section 9.1

  Without Consent of Holders      30  

Section 9.2

  With Consent of Holders      30  

Section 9.3

  Limitations      31  

Section 9.4

  Compliance with Trust Indenture Act      31  

Section 9.5

  Revocation and Effect of Consents      31  

Section 9.6

  Notation on or Exchange of Securities      32  

Section 9.7

  Trustee Protected      32  

 

ii


ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS

     32  

Section 10.1

  Trust Indenture Act Controls      32  

Section 10.2

  Notices      32  

Section 10.3

  Communication by Holders with Other Holders      33  

Section 10.4

  Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent      33  

Section 10.5

  Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion      33  

Section 10.6

  Rules by Trustee and Agents      34  

Section 10.7

  Legal Holidays      34  

Section 10.8

  No Recourse Against Others      34  

Section 10.9

  Counterparts      34  

Section 10.10

  Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction      34  

Section 10.11

  No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements      35  

Section 10.12

  Successors      35  

Section 10.13

  Severability      35  

Section 10.14

  Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.      35  

Section 10.15

  Securities in a Foreign Currency      35  

Section 10.16

  Judgment Currency      36  

Section 10.17

  USA Patriot Act      36  

Section 10.18

  Force Majeure      36  

ARTICLE XI. SINKING FUNDS

     36  

Section 11.1

  Applicability of Article      36  

Section 11.2

  Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities      37  

Section 11.3

  Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund      37  

ARTICLE XII. GUARANTEE

     37  

Section 12.1

  Unconditional Guarantee      37  

Section 12.2

  Execution and Delivery of Notation of Guarantee      38  

Section 12.3

  Limitation on Guarantors’ Liability      38  

Section 12.4

  Release of Guarantors from Guarantee      39  

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A    Form of Notation of Guarantee

 

 

iii


ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES, L.P.

Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and

Indenture, dated as of June 28, 2021

 

§ 310(a)(1)

     7.10

(a)(2)

     7.10

(a)(3)

     Not Applicable

(a)(4)

     Not Applicable

(a)(5)

     7.10

(b)

     7.10

§ 311(a)

     7.11

(b)

     7.11

§ 312(a)

     2.6

(b)

     10.3

(c)

     10.3

§ 313(a)

     7.6

(b)(1)

     7.6

(b)(2)

     7.6

(c)(1)

     7.6

(c)(2)

     7.6

(c)(3)

     7.6

(d)

     7.6

§ 314(a)

     4.2, 10.5

(b)

     Not Applicable

(c)(1)

     10.4

(c)(2)

     10.4

(c)(3)

     Not Applicable

(d)

     Not Applicable

(e)

     10.5

(f)

     Not Applicable

§ 315(a)

     7.1

(b)

     7.5

(c)

     7.1

(d)

     7.1

(e)

     6.14

§ 316(a)

     2.10

(a)(1)(A)

     6.12

(a)(1)(B)

     6.13

(b)

     6.8

(c)

     9.5

§ 317(a)(1)

     6.3

(a)(2)

     6.4

(b)

     2.5

§ 318(a)

     10.1

 

Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.


Indenture, dated as of June 28, 2021, among Essential Properties, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Company”), the Guarantors (as defined herein) party hereto and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities issued under this Indenture.

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Section 1.1 Definitions.

“Additional Amounts” means any additional amounts which are required hereby or by any Security, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes imposed on Holders specified herein or therein and which are owing to such Holders.

“Affiliate” of any specified person means any other person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under common control with such specified person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by agreement or otherwise.

“Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent.

“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. or any duly authorized committee thereof.

“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the sole member of the General Partner to have been adopted by the Board of Directors or pursuant to authorization by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of the certificate and delivered to the Trustee.

“Business Day” means, unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, any day except a Saturday, Sunday, a day on which banking institutions in the state in which the Corporate Trust Office is located or a legal holiday in The City of New York (or in connection with any payment, the place of payment) on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

“Capital Stock” means, with respect to any person, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting), including partnership or limited liability company interests, whether general or limited, in the equity of such person, outstanding as of any date, including all options, warrants or other rights issued by such person to purchase Capital Stock of such person.

“Company” means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it and thereafter means the successor.

“Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by the General Partner by an Officer.

“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business related to this Indenture shall be principally administered, which office at the date of the Indenture is located at the address set forth in Section 10.2, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company.

“CUSIP” means the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures and will be used pursuant to Section 2.15.

 

2


“Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

“Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as Depositary for such Series by the Company, which Depositary shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Securities of such Series.

“Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.

“Dollars” and “$” means the currency of The United States of America.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“Foreign Currency” means any currency or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of the United States of America, including the Euro.

“Foreign Government Obligations” means, with respect to Securities of any Series that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed by, the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles as used in the United States applied on a consistent basis as in effect from time to time.

“General Partner” means Essential Properties OP G.P., LLC, in its capacity as general partner of the Company, and, subject to the provision in Article V, its successor and assigns.

“Global Security” or “Global Securities” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.2 evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities, issued to the Depositary for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depositary or nominee.

“Guarantor” means each person that executes this Indenture as a guarantor and its respective successors and assigns, in each case until the Guarantee of such person has been released in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture; provided, however, that such person shall be a Guarantor only with respect to a Series of Securities for which such person has executed a Notation of Guarantee with respect to such Series.

“Holder” or “Securityholder” means a person in whose name a Security is registered.

“Indenture” means this Indenture as amended or supplemented, from time to time and shall include the form and terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.

“interest” with respect to any Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.

“Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.

“Notation of Guarantee” means a notation, substantially in the form of Exhibit A, executed by a Guarantor and affixed to each Security of any Series to which the Guarantee of such Guarantor under Article XII of this Indenture applies.

 

3


“Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, and any Vice President of the General Partner or any Guarantor, as the case may be.

“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by any Officer, which complies with Section 10.4.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of legal counsel. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or the General Partner. The opinion may contain customary limitations, conditions and exceptions.

“person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

“principal” of a Security means the principal of the Security plus, when appropriate, the premium, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, the Security.

“Responsible Officer” means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office having responsibility for administration of this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom any corporate trust matter relating to this Indenture is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject.

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Securities” means the debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company of any Series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided, however that, if at any time there is more than one person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities,” with respect to any such person, shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any Series as to which such person is not Trustee.

“Series” or “Series of Securities” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2 hereof.

“Stated Maturity” when used with respect to any Security, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or interest is due and payable.

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any person, a corporation, partnership, trust, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity the majority of the shares of the voting capital stock or other equivalent ownership interests of which (except directors’ qualifying shares) are at the time directly or indirectly owned by such person and/or any other Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of such person and which is required to be consolidated with the accounts of such Person. For the purposes of this definition, “voting capital stock” means capital stock having voting power for the election of directors, trustees or managers, as the case may be, whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of capital stock has such voting power by reason of any contingency.

“TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code Sections 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “TIA” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act as so amended.

“Trustee” means the person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that Series.

“U.S. Government Obligations” means securities which are direct obligations of, or guaranteed by, The United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depositary receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depositary receipt, if such custodian is not authorized (except as required by law) to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depositary receipt.

 

4


Section 1.2 Other Definitions.

 

TERM

   DEFINED
IN
SECTION
 

“Bankruptcy Law”

     6.1  

“Guarantee”

     12.1 (b) 

“Event of Default”

     6.1  

“Judgment Currency”

     10.16  

“Legal Holiday”

     10.7  

“mandatory sinking fund payment”

     11.1  

“New York Banking Day”

     10.16  

“Notice Agent”

     2.4  

“optional sinking fund payment”

     11.1  

“Paying Agent”

     2.4  

“Registrar”

     2.4  

“Required Currency”

     10.16  

“successor entity”

     5.1  

“USA Patriot Act”

     10.17  

Section 1.3 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.

Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

“Commission” means the SEC.

“indenture securities” means the Securities.

“obligor” on the indenture securities means the Company and any successor obligor upon the Securities.

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as so defined.

Section 1.4 Rules of Construction.

Unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;

(b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;

(c) “or” is not exclusive;

(d) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular; and

(e) provisions apply to successive events and transactions.

 

5


ARTICLE II.

THE SECURITIES

Section 2.1 Issuable in Series.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officer’s Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters; provided, that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

Section 2.2 Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities.

At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.2.1 and either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally in the case of Subsections 2.2.2 through 2.2.30) by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate:

2.2.1 the title (which shall distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series) and ranking (including the terms of any subordination provisions) of the Series;

2.2.2 the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;

2.2.3 any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6) and whether additional Securities of that Series may be issued without the consent of Holders of outstanding Securities of that Series or any other Series; provided, that in the event that additional Securities of such Series may be so issued, the terms thereof shall indicate whether any such additional Securities shall have the same terms as the prior Securities of such Series or whether the Issuer may establish additional or different terms with respect to such additional Securities;

2.2.4 the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;

2.2.5 the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be payable, any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

2.2.6 the place or places where the principal of, and any premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series shall be payable, where the Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be delivered, and the method of such payment, if by wire transfer, mail or other means;

2.2.7 if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

2.2.8 the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of the Series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

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2.2.9 the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;

2.2.10 if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;

2.2.11 the forms of the Securities of the Series and whether the Securities will be issuable as Global Securities;

2.2.12 if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2;

2.2.13 the currency of denomination of the Securities of the Series, which may be Dollars or any Foreign Currency, and if such currency of denomination is a composite currency, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;

2.2.14 the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be made;

2.2.15 if payments of principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;

2.2.16 the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be determined, if such amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;

2.2.17 the provisions, if any, relating to any security provided for the Securities of the Series or the Guarantees;

2.2.18 any addition to, deletion of or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the Series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.2;

2.2.19 any addition to, deletion of or change in the covenants and terms set forth in Article IV, V or IX which applies to Securities of the Series;

2.2.20 any Depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those appointed herein;

2.2.21 the provisions, if any, relating to conversion or exchange of any Securities of such Series, including if applicable, the conversion or exchange price, the conversion or exchange period, provisions as to whether conversion or exchange will be mandatory, at the option of the Holders thereof or at the option of the Company, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion price or exchange price and provisions affecting conversion or exchange if such Series of Securities are redeemed;

2.2.22 any other terms of the Series (which may supplement, modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series), including any terms that may be required under applicable law or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of Securities of that Series;

2.2.23 whether the Securities of such Series are entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee of any Guarantor pursuant to this Indenture, whether any such Guarantee shall be made on a senior or subordinated basis and, if applicable, a description of the subordination terms of any such Guarantee;

2.2.24 if a person other than U.S. Bank National Association is to act as Trustee for the Securities of that Series, the name and location of the designated corporate trust office of such Trustee;

 

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2.2.25 the securities exchanges, if any, on which the Securities of the Series may be listed;

2.2.26 if the Securities of that Series do not bear interest, the applicable dates for purposes of Section 2.6;

2.2.27 if Securities of the Series are to be issuable initially in the form of a temporary Global Security, the circumstances under which the temporary Global Security can be exchanged for definitive Securities;

2.2.28 whether Securities of that Series are to be issuable in bearer form and any additions or changes to any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in bearer form, registrable or not registrable as to principal, and with or without interest coupons;

2.2.29 the applicability, if any, of Sections 8.3 and/or 8.4 to the Securities of the Series and any provisions in modification of, in addition to or in lieu of any of the provisions of Article VIII; and

2.2.30 any change in the right of the Trustee or the right of the requisite Holders of Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable.

All Securities of any particular Series shall be substantially identical except as to denomination and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue, and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to such Board Resolutions and set forth in such Officer’s Certificate relating thereto or provided in or pursuant to any supplemental indenture hereto. All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate referred to above.

Section 2.3 Execution and Authentication.

Any Officer shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual, facsimile or other electronic (including .pdf) signature (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com).

If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid.

A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of an authorized signatory of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture.

The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2, except as provided in Section 2.8.

Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officer’s Certificate complying with Section 10.4, and (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.4.

The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of such Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not be taken lawfully; or (b) if the Trustee in good faith shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to Holders of any then outstanding Series of Securities.

 

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The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.

Section 2.4 Registrar and Paying Agent.

The Company shall maintain, with respect to each Series of Securities, at the place or places specified with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.2, an office or agency where Securities of such Series may be presented or surrendered for payment (“Paying Agent”), where Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange (“Registrar”) and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be delivered (“Notice Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register with respect to each Series of Securities and to their transfer and exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address, and any change in the name or address, of each Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the name and address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands; provided, that the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee shall not be a place of service of legal process on the Company.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more co-registrars, additional paying agents or additional notice agents and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent and Notice Agent in each place so specified pursuant to Section 2.2 for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the name or address of any such co-registrar, additional paying agent or additional notice agent. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar; the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent; and the term “Notice Agent” includes any additional notice agent. The Company or any of its Affiliates may serve as Registrar or Paying Agent.

The Company hereby appoints the Trustee the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Notice Agent for each Series unless another Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued.

Section 2.5 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.

The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust, for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities, or the Trustee, all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Series of Securities, and will notify the Trustee in writing of any default by the Company in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of Securityholders of any Series of Securities all money held by it as Paying Agent. Upon any bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding with respect to the Company, the Trustee shall serve as Paying Agent for the Securities.

Section 2.6 Securityholder Lists.

The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities and shall otherwise comply with TIA Section 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least ten days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Securityholders of each Series of Securities.

 

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Section 2.7 Transfer and Exchange.

Where Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange if its requirements for such transactions are met. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein), but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Section 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6).

Neither the Company nor the Registrar shall be required (a) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange Securities of any Series for the period beginning at the opening of business 15 days immediately preceding the sending of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day such notice is sent, or (b) to register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series selected, called or being called for redemption as a whole or the portion being redeemed of any such Securities selected, called or being called for redemption in part.

Section 2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.

If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (a) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (b) such security or indemnity bond as may be required by each of them to hold itself and any of its agents harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon receipt of a Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security following delivery of the documents and security or indemnity required in the preceding paragraph.

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, 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 (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

Every new Security of any Series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security 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 Securities of that Series duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section 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 Securities.

Section 2.9 Outstanding Securities.

The Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest on a Global Security effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof and those described in this Section as not outstanding, including those paid in accordance with the third paragraph of Section 2.8.

If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.8, it ceases to be outstanding.

 

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If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) holds on the Maturity of Securities of a Series money sufficient to pay such Securities payable on that date as provided in this Indenture, then on and after that date such Securities of the Series cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.

The Company may purchase or otherwise acquire the Securities, whether by open market purchases, negotiated transactions or otherwise. A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Security (but see Section 2.10 below).

In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.

Section 2.10 Treasury Securities.

In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities of a Series have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, Securities of a Series owned by the Company, any Guarantor, or any other obligor upon the Securities of such Series or any Affiliate of the Company or any Guarantor or any of the other obligors shall be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities of a Series that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.

Section 2.11 Temporary Securities.

Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities upon a Company Order. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee upon receipt of a Company Order shall authenticate definitive Securities of the same Series and date of maturity in exchange for temporary Securities. Until so exchanged, temporary securities shall have the same rights under this Indenture as the definitive Securities.

Any temporary Global Security and any permanent Global Security shall, unless otherwise provided therein, be delivered to the Depositary designated pursuant to Section 2.2.

Section 2.12 Cancellation.

The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall dispose of such canceled Securities in accordance with its then customary procedures (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act and the Trustee) and deliver a certificate of such cancellation to the Company upon written request of the Company. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

Section 2.13 Defaulted Interest.

If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on a Series of Securities, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the persons who are Securityholders of the Series on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix the record date and payment date. At least ten days before the special record date, the Company shall send to the Trustee and to each Securityholder of the Series a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any other lawful manner.

 

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Section 2.14 Global Securities.

2.14.1 Terms of Securities. A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities.

2.14.2 Transfer and Exchange. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.7 of the Indenture and in addition thereto, any Global Security shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.7 of the Indenture for Securities registered in the names of Holders other than the Depositary for such Security or its nominee only if (a) such Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or if at any time such Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days of the notification to the Company or of the Company becoming aware of the Depositary ceasing to be so registered, (b) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable or (c) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of a Series represented by such Global Security. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms.

Except as provided in this Section 2.14.2, a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary with respect to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depositary, by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such a successor Depositary.

2.14.3 Legend. Any Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY. THIS SECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.”

In addition, so long as The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) is the Depositary, each Global Security registered in the name of DTC or its nominee shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“UNLESS THIS GLOBAL SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY GLOBAL SECURITY ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.”

2.14.4 Acts of Holders. The Depositary, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.

2.14.5 Payments. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.2, payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on any Global Security shall be made to the Holder thereof.

 

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2.14.6 Consents, Declaration and Directions. The Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall be entitled to conclusively treat a person as the absolute owner of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of such Series represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depositary or by the applicable procedures of the Depositary with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture.

Section 2.15 CUSIP Numbers.

The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided, that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other elements of identification printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in CUSIP numbers.

ARTICLE III.

REDEMPTION

Section 3.1 Notice to Trustee.

The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company wants or is obligated to redeem prior to the Stated Maturity thereof all or part of the Series of Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, it shall notify the Trustee in writing of the redemption date and the principal amount of the Series of Securities to be redeemed. The Company shall give the notice at least 15 days before the redemption date (or such shorter period as may be acceptable to the Trustee).

Section 3.2 Selection of Securities to be Redeemed.

Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate, if less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Securities of the Series to be redeemed by lot, unless otherwise required by law or applicable stock exchange requirements (as certified by the Company to the Trustee), subject, in the case of Global Securities, to the applicable rules and procedures of the Depositary. The Trustee shall make the selection from Securities of the Series outstanding not previously called for redemption. The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of Securities of the Series that have denominations larger than $1,000. Securities of the Series and portions of them it selects shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 thereof or, with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.2.10, the minimum principal denomination for each Series and the authorized integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities of a Series called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities of that Series called for redemption.

Section 3.3 Notice of Redemption.

Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, at least 15 calendar days but not more than 60 calendar days before a redemption date, the Company shall send or cause to be sent by first class mail or electronically, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed, with a copy to the Trustee.

The notice shall identify the Securities of the Series to be redeemed and shall state:

(a) the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series to be redeemed;

(b) the redemption date;

(c) the redemption price;

 

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(d) the place or places of payment and that payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Securities of the Series to be redeemed;

(e) the name and address of the Paying Agent;

(f) if any Securities are being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Securities to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date and upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original Security shall be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Security;

(g) that Securities of the Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;

(h) that interest on Securities of the Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;

(i) the CUSIP number, if any; and

(j) any other information as may be required by the terms of the particular Series or the Securities of a Series being redeemed.

At the Company’s written request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense; provided, however, that the Company has delivered to the Trustee, at least five days (unless a shorter time shall be acceptable to the Trustee) prior to the notice date, an Officer’s Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice in the form of such notice.

Section 3.4 Effect of Notice of Redemption.

Once notice of redemption is sent as provided in Section 3.3, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price. Except as otherwise provided in the supplemental indenture, Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate for a Series, a notice of redemption may not be conditional. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Securities shall be paid at the redemption price plus accrued interest, if any, to the redemption date.

Section 3.5 Deposit of Redemption Price.

On or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date.

Section 3.6 Securities Redeemed in Part.

Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security of the same Series and the same Maturity equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.

ARTICLE IV.

COVENANTS

Section 4.1 Payment of Principal and Interest.

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each Series of Securities that it shall duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid when due the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture. On or before 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the applicable payment date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of each Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.

 

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Section 4.2 SEC Reports.

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. shall, so long as any Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee within 15 days after it files them with the SEC copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) which Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. shall also comply with the other provisions of TIA Section 314(a). Reports, information and documents filed with the SEC via the EDGAR system will be deemed to be delivered to the Trustee as of the time of such filing via EDGAR for purposes of this Section 4.2; provided, however, that the Trustee shall have no obligation whatsoever to determine whether or not such information, documents or reports have been filed via EDGAR.

Delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee under this Section 4.2 are for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of the foregoing shall not constitute constructive or actual notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates).

Section 4.3 Compliance Certificate.

The Company and each Guarantor (to the extent that such Guarantor is so required under the TIA) shall, so long as any Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an Officer’s Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Guarantor, Company and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officer with a view to determining whether the Company and any Guarantor has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of such Officer’s knowledge the Company and any Guarantor has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and is not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which such Officer may have knowledge and the nature and status thereof).

The Company will, so long as any of the Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, promptly upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officer’s Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

Section 4.4 Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.

The Company and the Guarantors covenant (to the extent that they may lawfully do so) that they will not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture or the Securities and the Company and the Guarantors (to the extent they may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waive all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that they will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.

ARTICLE V.

SUCCESSORS

Section 5.1 When Company May Merge, Etc.

The Company may consolidate with, or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of its assets to, or merge with or into, any other entity (a “successor entity”); provided, that the following conditions are met:

(a) the Company shall be the continuing entity, or the successor entity (if other than Company) formed by or resulting from any consolidation or merger or which shall have received the transfer of assets shall be an entity organized and existing under U.S. laws and expressly assume payment of principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, on, all of the Securities and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions in this Indenture;

 

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(b) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Event of Default under this Indenture, and no event which, after notice or the lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) an Officer’s Certificate covering these conditions shall be delivered to the Trustee.

In the case of any such consolidation, sale, conveyance or merger, but not a lease, in a transaction in which there is a successor entity, the successor entity will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Company under this Indenture and, subject to the terms of this Indenture, the Company will be released from its obligations under this Indenture.

Notwithstanding the above, any Subsidiary of the Company may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its assets to the Company. An Officer’s Certificate shall not be required to be delivered in connection therewith.

Section 5.2 Successor Entity Substituted.

Upon any consolidation, sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or merger with or into any successor entity, in accordance with Section 5.1, the successor entity formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which such sale, lease or conveyance 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 entity had been named as the Company herein; provided, however, that the predecessor Company in the case of a sale or conveyance (other than a lease) shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

Section 5.3 Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. May Consolidate on Certain Terms

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. may consolidate with, or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of its assets to, or merge with or into, any successor entity; provided, that the following conditions are met:

(a) Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. shall be the continuing entity, or the successor entity (if other than Guarantor) formed by or resulting from any consolidation or merger or which shall have received the transfer of assets shall be an entity organized and existing under U.S. laws and expressly assume the obligations of Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. under the Guarantee and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions in this Indenture;

(b) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Event of Default under this Indenture, and no event which, after notice or the lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) an Officer’s Certificate covering these conditions shall be delivered to the Trustee.

In the case of any such consolidation, sale, conveyance or merger, but not a lease, in a transaction in which there is a successor entity, the successor entity will succeed to, and be substituted for, Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. under this Indenture and, subject to the terms of this Indenture, Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. will be released from its obligations under this Indenture.

Notwithstanding the above, any Subsidiary of Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties to Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. Neither an Officer’s Certificate nor an Opinion of Counsel shall be required to be delivered in connection therewith.

 

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Section 5.4 Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. Successor to Be Substituted

Upon any consolidation, sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc., or merger with or into any successor entity, in accordance with Section 5.3, the successor entity formed by such consolidation or into which Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. is merged or to which such sale, lease or conveyance is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor entity had been named as Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc. herein, and thereafter, the predecessor person shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture; provided, however, that the predecessor Guarantor shall not be relieved from the obligation, if any, to guarantee the payment of the principal of and interest on the Securities except in the case of a sale of all or substantially all of Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.’s assets in a transaction that is subject to, and that complies with the provisions of, Section 5.3 hereof.

ARTICLE VI.

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

Section 6.1 Events of Default.

“Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect Securities of any Series, means 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 in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officer’s Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:

(a) default for 30 days in the payment of any installment of interest under any Series of Securities;

(b) default in the payment of the principal amount or any other portion of the redemption price due with respect to any Series of Securities, when the same becomes due and payable;

(c) any Guarantee is not (or is claimed by any Guarantor in writing to the Trustee not to be) in full force and effect (other than in accordance with the terms of the Indenture) with respect to any Series of Securities;

(d) failure by the Company or any Guarantor to comply with any of the Company’s or any Guarantor’s respective other agreements in any Series of Securities or this Indenture upon receipt by the Company of notice of such default by the Trustee or by Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the such Series of Securities then outstanding and the Company’s failure to cure (or obtain a waiver of) such default within 60 days after it receives such notice;

(e) [Reserved]; or

(f) the Company or any Guarantor pursuant to or under or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

(i) commences a voluntary case or proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company or such Guarantor or its debts or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company or such Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or such Guarantor; or

(ii) consents to any such relief or to the appointment of or taking possession by any such official in an involuntary case or other proceeding commenced against the Company or such Guarantor; or

(iii) consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for all or substantially of its property; or

(iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or

(g) an involuntary case or other proceeding shall be commenced against the Company or any Guarantor seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company or any Guarantor or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company or any Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or any Guarantor, and such involuntary case or other proceeding shall remain undismissed and unstayed for a period of thirty (30) calendar days;

 

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(h) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that

(i) is for relief against the Company or any Guarantor in an involuntary case or proceeding;

(ii) appoints a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company or any Guarantor or any substantial part of the property of the Company or any Guarantor; or

(iii) orders the liquidation of the Company or any Guarantor;

in each case in this Clause (h), the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for thirty (30) calendar days; or

(i) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.2.18

The term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

Section 6.2 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Section 6.1(f), (g) or (h)), then, in every case, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may declare the principal amount (or, if any Securities of that Series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the Securities of that Series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(f), (g) or (h) shall occur, the principal amount (or specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Securities shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to any Series has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration, if (a) the Company or any Guarantor has deposited with the Trustee all required payments of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, the Securities of such Series, plus the reasonable compensation and reimbursement for the Trustee’s expenses, disbursements and advances pursuant to Section 7.7 of this Indenture; and (b) all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal of (or specified portion thereof), or premium, if any, and interest on, the Securities of such Series that have become due solely because of such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.13.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 6.3 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

The Company covenants that if:

(a) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(b) default is made in the payment of principal of any Security at the Maturity thereof, or

(c) default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment when and as due by the terms of a Security,

 

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then, the Company and the Guarantors shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and any overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

If the Company or the Guarantors fail to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company, any Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or deemed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company, any Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to any Securities of any Series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such Series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

Section 6.4 Trustee 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 Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal or, if the Securities of such Series are Discount Securities, such amounts as may be due and payable with respect to such Securities pursuant to an acceleration in accordance with Section 6.2, and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same,

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that such payments shall be made directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

Section 6.5 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.

All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

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Section 6.6 Application of Money Collected.

Any money or property collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money or property on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.7; and

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and interest on the Securities 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 Securities for principal and interest, respectively; and

Third: To the Company or the Guarantors, as applicable.

Section 6.7 Limitation on Suits.

No Holder of any Security of any Series 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

(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that Series;

(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, claims, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by the Trustee in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series;

it being understood, intended and expressly covenanted by the Holder of every Security with every other Holder and the Trustee that no one or more of such Holders 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 of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders of the applicable Series (it being expressly understood that the Trustee shall not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether such action is prejudicial).

Section 6.8 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Security on the Maturity of such Security, including the Stated Maturity expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

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Section 6.9 Restoration of Rights and Remedies.

If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 6.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in Section 2.8, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 6.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver.

No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

Section 6.12 Control by Holders.

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series (or of all the Securities then outstanding under this Indenture, as the case may be) shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or of exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction,

(c) the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability, the direction is in conflict with any law or this Indenture, or the direction would be unduly prejudicial to the Holders of such Series not joining therein provided, however, that the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee that is not inconsistent with such direction (it being expressly understood that the Trustee shall not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether such action is prejudicial), and

(d) prior to taking any action as directed under this Section 6.12, the Trustee shall receive indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, claims, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

Section 6.13 Waiver of Past Defaults.

The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such Series, by written notice to the Trustee and the Company, waive any past Default hereunder with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, or interest on any Security of such Series (provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration). 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.

 

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Section 6.14 Undertaking for Costs.

All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security 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 Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, 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 and expenses, 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; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the Maturity of such Security, including the Stated Maturity expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date).

ARTICLE VII.

TRUSTEE

Section 7.1 Duties of Trustee.

(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise 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 person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

(i) The Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others.

(ii) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officer’s Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, in the case of any such Officer’s Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officer’s Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the form requirements of this Indenture.

(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

(i) This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section.

(ii) The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.

(iii) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series in accordance with Section 6.12.

 

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(d) Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraph (a), (b) and (c) of this Section.

(e) The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power unless it receives indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, claims, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in performing such duty or exercising such right or power.

(f) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

(g) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if adequate indemnity against such risk is not assured to the Trustee to its satisfaction.

(h) The Paying Agent, the Registrar and any authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections and immunities as are set forth in paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of this Section, each with respect to the Trustee.

Section 7.2 Rights of Trustee.

(a) The Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document (whether in its original or facsimile form) reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel.

(c) The Trustee may act through agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care. No Depositary shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or omission by any Depositary.

(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers; provided, that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute willful misconduct or negligence.

(e) The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder without willful misconduct or negligence, and in reliance thereon.

(f) The Trustee 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 Securities unless such Holders shall have offered, and, if requested, provided to the Trustee security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, claims, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

(g) The Trustee 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, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

(h) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities generally or the Securities of a particular Series and this Indenture.

 

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(i) Any permissive right or authority granted to the Trustee shall not be construed as a mandatory duty.

(j) The Trustee may request that the Company deliver an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officer’s Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officer’s Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded.

(k) In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action arising in connection with the Indenture.

(l) The Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the execution of the trusts and powers or otherwise in respect of the Indenture.

(m) Under no circumstances shall the Trustee be liable in its individual capacity for the obligations evidenced by the Securities.

Section 7.3 Individual Rights of Trustee.

The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.

Section 7.4 Trustee’s Disclaimer.

The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Securities, and it shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities other than its authentication.

Section 7.5 Notice of Defaults.

If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series and if it is known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Securityholder of the Securities of that Series, in the manner set forth in Section 10.2, notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Security of any Series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as the Trustee in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Securityholders of that Series.

Section 7.6 Reports by Trustee to Holders.

Within 60 days after May 15 of each year, the Trustee shall transmit to all Securityholders, as their names and addresses appear on the register kept by the Registrar, a brief report dated as of such anniversary date, in accordance with, and to the extent required under, TIA Section 313.

A copy of each report at the time of its delivery to Securityholders of any Series shall be filed with the SEC and each national securities exchange on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing when Securities of any Series are listed on any national securities exchange and of any delisting thereof.

Section 7.7 Compensation and Indemnity.

The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time compensation for its services as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree upon in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by it. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.

 

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The Company shall indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee (including the cost of defending itself) against any cost, claim, expense or liability, including taxes (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee) incurred by it except as set forth in the next paragraph in the performance of its duties under this Indenture as Trustee or Agent. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations under this Section 7.7 except to the extent that the Company suffers actual and material prejudice as a result of such failure. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have separate counsel of its selection and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. This indemnification shall apply to officers, directors, employees, shareholders and agents of the Trustee.

The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee or by any officer, director, employee, shareholder or agent of the Trustee through willful misconduct or negligence.

To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Securities of that Series.

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(f), (g) or (h) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.

The provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee.

Section 7.8 Replacement of Trustee.

A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section.

The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by so notifying the Company at least 30 days prior to the date of the proposed resignation. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of one or more Series if:

(a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;

(b) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;

(c) a receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator, custodian or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

(d) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.

 

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If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Securities of the applicable Series may, at the Company’s sole cost and expense, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee. A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after that, the retiring Trustee shall transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.7, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities for which it is acting as Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee shall deliver a notice of its succession to each Securityholder of each such Series. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.8, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.7 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee with respect to expenses and liabilities incurred by it for actions taken or omitted to be taken in accordance with its rights, powers and duties under this Indenture prior to such replacement.

Section 7.9 Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.

If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation or banking association, the successor corporation or banking association without any further act shall be the successor Trustee, subject to Section 7.10.

Section 7.10 Eligibility; Disqualification.

This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA Section 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee shall always have a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 310(b). In determining whether the Trustee has a conflicting interest as defined in Section 310(b) of the TIA with respect to the Securities of any Series, there shall be excluded Securities of any particular Series of Securities other than that Series.

Section 7.11 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.

The Trustee is subject to TIA Section 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA Section 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA Section 311(a) to the extent indicated.

ARTICLE VIII.

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE

Section 8.1 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.

This Indenture shall upon Company Order be discharged with respect to the Securities of any Series and cease to be of further effect as to all Securities of such Series (except as hereinafter provided in this Section 8.1), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute instruments reasonably requested by the Company acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

(a) either

(i) all Securities of such Series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen or destroyed and that have been replaced or paid and for whose payment money has been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

(ii) all such Securities of such Series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation:

(1) have become due and payable by reason of sending a notice of redemption or otherwise, or

(2) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

 

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(3) have been called for redemption or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, or

(4) are deemed paid and discharged pursuant to Section 8.3, as applicable;

and the Company, in the case of (1), (2) or (3) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee in trust cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations that, through the payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms, shall provide cash sufficient for the purpose of paying and discharging the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of such Series to the date of the Stated Maturity or the redemption date, as the case may be, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series;

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all sums payable hereunder by the Company; and

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.7, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.2 and 8.5 shall survive.

If the Company exercises the satisfaction and discharge provisions in compliance with this Indenture with respect to Securities of a particular Series that are entitled to the benefit of the Guarantee of any Guarantor, the Guarantee will terminate with respect to that Series of Securities.

Section 8.2 Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification.

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 8.5, all money or U.S. Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, all money and U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Sections 8.3 or 8.4 and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Sections 8.3 or 8.4, shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the persons entitled thereto, of the principal and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or to make mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments as contemplated by Sections 8.3 or 8.4.

(b) The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Sections 8.3 or 8.4 or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.

(c) The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Order any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Section 8.3 or 8.4 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money were deposited or received. This provision shall not authorize the sale by the Trustee of any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held under this Indenture.

Section 8.3 Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series.

Unless this Section 8.3 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.2, to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the outstanding Securities of any Series on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (d) hereof, and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such outstanding Securities of such Series, shall no longer be in effect and any Guarantee will terminate with respect to that Series of Securities (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, upon receipt of a Company Order, execute instruments reasonably requested by the Company acknowledging the same), except as to:

 

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(a) the rights of Holders of Securities of such Series to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (d) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of and each installment of principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series on the Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) the benefit of any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to the Securities of such Series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series;

(b) the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.5; and

(c) the rights, powers, trust and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and the Company’s obligations in connection therewith;

provided that, the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

i. the Company shall have deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for and dedicated solely to the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of principal, premium or interest and such sinking fund payments are due;

ii. such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit (and any similar concurrent deposit related to other indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary) and the granting of liens to secure such borrowings);

iii. no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;

iv. the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;

v. the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and

vi. the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.

 

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Section 8.4 Covenant Defeasance.

Unless this Section 8.4 is otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.2 to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company may omit to comply with respect to the Securities of any Series with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5 and 5.1 as well as any additional covenants specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to such Series under Section 6.1) and the occurrence of any event specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2.18 and designated as an Event of Default shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default hereunder, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

(a) With reference to this Section 8.4, the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal and such sinking fund payments are due;

(b) Such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit (and any similar concurrent deposit related to other indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary) and the granting of liens to secure such borrowings);

(c) No Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;

(d) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and covenant defeasance had not occurred;

(e) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and

(f) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.

Section 8.5 Repayment to Company.

Subject to applicable abandoned property law, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon request any money held by them for the payment of principal and interest that remains unclaimed for two years. After that, Securityholders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another person.

 

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Section 8.6 Reinstatement.

If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money deposited with respect to Securities of any Series in accordance with Section 8.1 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 obligations of the Company under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series and under the Securities of such Series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.1 until such time as the Trustee or the Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.1; provided, however, that if the Company has made any payment of principal of or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent after payment in full to the Holders.

ARTICLE IX.

AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

Section 9.1 Without Consent of Holders.

The Company, any Guarantors and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without the consent of any Securityholder:

(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the Indenture; provided that this action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of the Notes in any material respect;

(b) to evidence a successor to the Company as obligor or to any Guarantor as guarantor under this Indenture;

(c) to make any change that does not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Series of Securities then outstanding;

(d) to provide for the issuance of Securities in accordance with the limitations set forth in this Indenture;

(e) to provide for the acceptance of appointment of a successor Trustee or facilitate the administration of the trusts under the Indenture by more than one Trustee;

(f) to comply with the requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the TIA;

(g) to reflect the release of any Guarantor as guarantor, in accordance with this Indenture;

(h) to secure the any Series of Securities; and

(i) to add guarantors with respect to any Series of Securities.

Section 9.2 With Consent of Holders.

The Company, any Guarantors and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series), for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Securityholders of each such Series. Except as provided in Section 6.13, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series by notice to the Trustee (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series) may waive compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series.

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Securities under this Section 9.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After a supplemental indenture or waiver under this section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders of Securities affected thereby (with a copy to the Trustee), a notice briefly describing the supplemental indenture or waiver.

 

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Any failure by the Company to send such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.

Section 9.3 Limitations.

Without the consent of each Securityholder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:

(a) reduce the principal amount of Securities whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

(b) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any Security;

(c) reduce the principal of, or premium, if any, on or change the Stated Maturity of any Security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;

(d) reduce the principal amount of Discount Securities payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;

(e) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

(f) make the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on any Security payable in currency other than that stated in the Security;

(g) make any change in Section 6.8, 6.13 or 9.3 (this sentence);

(h) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Security; or

(i) if the Securities of that Series are entitled to the benefit of the Guarantee, release any Guarantor of such Series other than as provided in this Indenture or modify the Guarantee in any manner adverse to the Holders.

Section 9.4 Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.

Every amendment to this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the TIA as then in effect.

Section 9.5 Revocation and Effect of Consents.

Until an amendment is set forth in a supplemental indenture or a waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date of the supplemental indenture or the date the waiver becomes effective.

Any amendment or waiver once effective shall bind every Securityholder of each Series affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (i) of Section 9.3 or requires the consent of each Security Holder affected, as set forth in a supplemental indenture or Officer’s Certificate in respect to a particular Series of Securities. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security.

The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, those persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to revoke any consent previously given or take any such action, whether or not such persons continue to be Holders after such record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 120 days after such record date.

 

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Section 9.6 Notation on or Exchange of Securities.

The Company or the Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on any Security of any Series thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for Securities of that Series may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon request new Securities of that Series that reflect the amendment or waiver.

Section 9.7 Trustee Protected.

In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall receive, and (subject to Section 7.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer’s Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall sign all supplemental indentures upon delivery of such an Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel, except that the Trustee need not sign any supplemental indenture that adversely affects its rights.

ARTICLE X.

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 10.1 Trust Indenture Act Controls.

If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.

Section 10.2 Notices.

Any notice or communication by the Company, any Guarantor or the Trustee to the other, or by a Holder to the Company, any Guarantor or the Trustee, is duly given if in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail:

if to the Company or any Guarantor:

Essential Properties, L.P.

902 Carnegie Center Blvd., Suite 520,

Princeton, New Jersey 08540

Attention: Mark E. Patten

with a copy to:

Sidley Austin LLP

787 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York 10019

Attention: Bartholomew A. Sheehan, III

if to the Trustee:

U.S. Bank National Association

225 Water Street, Suite 700

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Attention: Global Corporate Trust

Telephone: 904.358.5363

 

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The Company, any Guarantor or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

Any notice or communication to a Securityholder shall be sent electronically or by first-class mail to his, her or its address shown on the register kept by the Registrar, in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary. Failure to send a notice or communication to a Securityholder of any Series or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Securityholders of that or any other Series.

If a notice or communication is sent or published in the manner provided above, within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the Securityholder receives it.

If the Company or any Guarantor mails a notice or communication to Securityholders, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security, where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice of any event (including any notice of redemption) to a Holder of a Global Security (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given to the Depositary for such Security (or its designee) pursuant to the customary procedures of such Depositary.

Section 10.3 Communication by Holders with Other Holders.

Securityholders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA Section 312(b) with other Securityholders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or all Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA Section 312(c).

Section 10.4 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.

Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:

(a) an Officer’s Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all covenants and conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

(b) an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such covenants and conditions precedent have been complied with.

Section 10.5 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.

Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA Section 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA Section 314(e) and shall include:

(a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, such person has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable such person to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

 

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Section 10.6 Rules by Trustee and Agents.

The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Securityholders of one or more Series. Any Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.

Section 10.7 Legal Holidays.

Unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, a “Legal Holiday” is any day that is not a Business Day. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.

Section 10.8 No Recourse Against Others.

A director, officer, employee or stockholder (past or present), as such, of the Company or any Guarantor shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities, the Guarantee or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Securityholder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

Section 10.9 Counterparts.

This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Indenture shall include images of manually executed signatures transmitted by facsimile, email or other electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf,” “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign). The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based record-keeping system to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code. Without limitation to the foregoing, and anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, (a) any Officer’s Certificate, Company Order, Opinion of Counsel, Security, Guarantee endorsed on any Security, opinion of counsel, instrument, agreement or other document delivered pursuant to this Indenture may be executed, attested and transmitted by any of the foregoing electronic means and formats, (b) all references in Section 2.3 or elsewhere in this Indenture to the execution, attestation or authentication of any Security, any Guarantee endorsed on any Security, or any certificate of authentication appearing on or attached to any Security by means of a manual or facsimile signature shall be deemed to include signatures that are made or transmitted by any of the foregoing electronic means or formats, and (c) any requirement in this Indenture that any signature be made under a corporate seal (or facsimile thereof) shall not be applicable to the Securities or any Guarantees endorsed on any Securities. The Company agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of using digital signatures, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions.

Section 10.10 Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction.

THIS INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES, INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE INDENTURE OR THE SECURITIES, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAWS PROVISIONS THEREOF OTHER THAN SECTION 5-1401 OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW).

THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTORS, THE TRUSTEE AND THE HOLDERS (BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES) EACH HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.

 

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Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Indenture or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the City of New York (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail (to the extent allowed under any applicable statute or rule of court) to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The Company, the Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders (by their acceptance of the Securities) each hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim any such suit, action or other proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

Section 10.11 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.

This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

Section 10.12 Successors.

All agreements of the Company and the Guarantors in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind their respective successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.

Section 10.13 Severability.

In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities 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 10.14 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

The Table of Contents, Cross Reference Table, and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

Section 10.15 Securities in a Foreign Currency.

Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in more than one currency, then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be determined by converting any such other currency into a currency that is designated upon issuance of any particular Series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, such conversion shall be made by the Company at the spot rate for the purchase of the designated currency as published in The Financial Times in the “Currency Rates” section (or, if The Financial Times is no longer published, or if such information is no longer available in The Financial Times, such source as may be selected in good faith by the Company) on any date of determination. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.

All decisions and determinations provided for in the preceding paragraph shall, in the absence of manifest error, to the extent permitted by law, be conclusive for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Trustee and all Holders.

 

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Section 10.16 Judgment Currency.

The Company and each Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest or other amount on the Securities of any Series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

Section 10.17 USA Patriot Act.

The parties hereto acknowledge that, in accordance with Section 326 of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the “USA Patriot Act”), the Trustee, like all financial institutions, is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that opens an account. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as the Trustee may reasonably request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the USA Patriot Act.

Section 10.18 Force Majeure.

In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, pandemics, epidemics, recognized public emergencies, quarantine restrictions, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services, hacking, cyber-attacks, or other use or infiltration of the Trustee’s technological infrastructure exceeding authorized access; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE XI.

SINKING FUNDS

Section 11.1 Applicability of Article.

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of a Series if so provided by the terms of such Securities pursuant to Section 2.2, except as otherwise permitted or required by any form of Security of such Series issued pursuant to this Indenture.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment” and any other amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 11.2. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of such Series.

 

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Section 11.2 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.

The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any Series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (1) deliver outstanding Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable (other than any of such Securities previously called for mandatory sinking fund redemption) and (2) apply as credit Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable and which have been repurchased by the Company or redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Series of Securities (except pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund) or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments or other optional redemptions pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received by the Trustee, together with an Officer’s Certificate with respect thereto, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the Trustee begins the process of selecting Securities for redemption, and shall be credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 11.2, the principal amount of Securities of such Series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such Series for redemption, except upon receipt of a Company Order that such action be taken, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall from time to time upon receipt of a Company Order pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that Series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment required to be released to the Company.

Section 11.3 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.

Not less than 45 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officer’s Certificate in respect of a particular Series of Securities) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of that Series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 11.2, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture in respect of a particular Series of Securities) before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 3.2 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 3.3. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6.

ARTICLE XII.

GUARANTEE

Section 12.1 Unconditional Guarantee.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Article XII to the contrary, the provisions of this Article XII shall be applicable only to, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Securities of any Series designated, pursuant to Section 2.2.23, as entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee of each Guarantor identified in such designation and that has executed a Notation of Guarantee with respect to such Series.

(b) For value received, each Guarantor hereby jointly and severally, fully, unconditionally and absolutely guarantees (the “Guarantee”) to the Holders and to the Trustee the due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on each Series of Securities for which such Guarantor has executed a Notation of Guarantee with respect to such Series and all other amounts due and payable under this Indenture and the Securities of such Series by the Company, when and as such principal, premium, if any, interest, and such other amounts as shall become due and payable, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, according to the terms of such Securities and this Indenture, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 12.3.

 

37


(c) Failing payment when due of any amount guaranteed pursuant to the Guarantee, for whatever reason, each of the Guarantors will be jointly and severally obligated to pay the same immediately. Each of the Guarantors hereby agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be full, unconditional and absolute, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Securities, the Guarantee (including the Guarantee of any other Guarantor) or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Securities with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Company or any other Guarantor, or any action to enforce the same or any other circumstances which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of any of the Guarantors. Each Guarantor hereby agrees that in the event of a default in payment of the principal of or interest on the Securities entitled to the Guarantee of such Guarantor, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, legal proceedings may be instituted by the Trustee on behalf of the Holders or, subject to Section 6.7, by the Holders, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Indenture, directly against such Guarantor to enforce the Guarantee without first proceeding against the Company or any other Guarantor.

(d) Each Guarantor hereby (i) waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of the merger, insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company or any of the Guarantors, and all demands whatsoever and (ii) acknowledges that any agreement, instrument or document evidencing the Guarantee may be transferred and that the benefit of its obligations hereunder shall extend to each holder of any agreement, instrument or document evidencing the Guarantee without notice to it. Each Guarantor further agrees that if at any time all or any part of any payment theretofore applied by any person to the Guarantee is, or must be, rescinded or returned for any reason whatsoever, including without limitation, the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company or any of the Guarantors, the Guarantee shall, to the extent that such payment is or must be rescinded or returned, be deemed to have continued in existence notwithstanding such application, and the Guarantee shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, as though such application had not been made.

(e) Each Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights of the Holders and the Trustee against the Company in respect of any amounts paid by such Guarantor pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture; provided, however, that such Guarantor shall not be entitled to enforce or to receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of subrogation until all of the Securities entitled to the Guarantee of such Guarantor and the Guarantee shall have been paid in full or discharged.

Section 12.2 Execution and Delivery of Notation of Guarantee.

To evidence the Guarantee of a Guarantor of a Series of Securities, a Notation of Guarantee, executed by either manual or facsimile signature of an Officer of such Guarantor, shall be affixed on each Security entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee of such Guarantor. If any Officer of any Guarantor whose signature is on a Notation of Guarantee no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates a Security to which such Notation of Guarantee is affixed or at any time thereafter, the Guarantee of such Security shall be valid nevertheless. The delivery of any Security by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of any Guarantee relating to such Security set forth in the Indenture on behalf of the Guarantor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Guarantor hereby agrees that its Guarantee shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the absence of a Notation of Guarantee being affixed to such Security.

Section 12.3 Limitation on Guarantors’ Liability.

Each Guarantor by its acceptance hereof and each Holder of Security and the Trustee entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the guarantee by such Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of any federal or state law. To effectuate the foregoing intention, each Holder of a Security and the Trustee entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee and each Guarantor hereby irrevocably agrees that the obligations of each Guarantor under the Guarantee shall be limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor and to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under the Guarantee, not result in the obligations of such Guarantor under the Guarantee constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal or state law.

 

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Section 12.4 Release of Guarantors from Guarantee.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Guarantee of any Guarantor may be released upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 8.1, Section 8.3 and this Section 12.4. Provided that no Default shall have occurred and shall be continuing under this Indenture, the Guarantee incurred by a Guarantor pursuant to this Article XII shall be unconditionally released and discharged (i) automatically upon (A) any sale, exchange or transfer, whether by way of merger or otherwise, to any person that is not an Affiliate of the Company, of all of the Company’s direct or indirect equity interests in such Guarantor (provided such sale, exchange or transfer is not prohibited by this Indenture) or (B) the merger of such Guarantor into the Company or any other Guarantor or the liquidation and dissolution of such Guarantor (in each case to the extent not prohibited by this Indenture) or (ii) with respect to any Series of Securities, upon the occurrence of any other condition set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officer’s Certificate establishing the terms of such Series.

(b) Upon receipt of a written request of the Company accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel to the effect that any Guarantor is entitled to be released from the Guarantee in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee shall deliver instruments reasonably requested by the Company or such Guarantor evidencing the release of such Guarantor from the Guarantee, such instruments to be prepared by the Company or such Guarantor and delivered to the Trustee. Any Guarantor not so released shall remain liable for the full amount of principal of and interest on the Securities entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee as provided in this Indenture, subject to the limitations of Section 12.3.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES, L.P., as the Company
By: Essential Properties OP G.P., LLC, its general partner
By: Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc., the sole member of the general partner
By:  

/s/ Mark E. Patten

  Name: Mark E. Patten
  Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES REALTY TRUST, INC., as Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Mark E. Patten

  Name: Mark E. Patten
  Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as the Trustee
By:  

/s/ Sheryl Lear

  Name: Sheryl Lear
  Title: Vice President

 

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]


EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF]

NOTATION OF GUARANTEE

Each Guarantor signing below has fully, unconditionally and absolutely guaranteed, to the extent set forth in the Indenture and subject to the provisions in the Indenture, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Securities to which this notation is affixed and all other amounts due and payable under the Indenture and the Securities to which this notation is affixed by the Company.

The obligations of such Guarantor to the Holders of Securities to which this notation is affixed and to the Trustee pursuant to the Guarantee and the Indenture are expressly set forth in Article XII of the Indenture and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for the precise terms of the Guarantee.

 

[NAME OF GUARANTOR(S)]
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

Exhibit 4.2

 

 

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES, L.P.,

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES REALTY TRUST, INC.,

AS GUARANTOR,

AND

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

AS TRUSTEE

 

 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

DATED AS OF JUNE 28, 2021

TO INDENTURE DATED JUNE 28, 2021

 

 

$400,000,000

OF

2.950% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2031

 

 


CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I. RELATION TO BASE INDENTURE; DEFINITIONS

     1  

Section 1.1

  Relation to Base Indenture      1  

Section 1.2

  Definitions      2  

ARTICLE II. TERMS OF THE SECURITIES

     9  

Section 2.1

  Title of the Securities      9  

Section 2.2

  Price      9  

Section 2.3

  Limitation on Initial Aggregate Principal Amount; Further Issuances      9  

Section 2.4

  Interest and Interest Rates; Stated Maturity of Notes      9  

Section 2.5

  Method of Payment      10  

Section 2.6

  Currency      11  

Section 2.7

  Additional Notes      11  

Section 2.8

  Redemption      11  

Section 2.9

  No Sinking Fund      11  

Section 2.10

  Registrar and Paying Agent      12  

ARTICLE III. FORM OF THE SECURITIES

     12  

Section 3.1

  Global Form      12  

Section 3.2

  Transfer and Exchange      13  

ARTICLE IV. REDEMPTION OF NOTES

     18  

Section 4.1

  Optional Redemption of Notes      18  

Section 4.2

  Notice of Optional Redemption, Selection of Notes      18  

Section 4.3

  Payment of Notes Called for Redemption by the Company      19  

ARTICLE V. GUARANTEE

     20  

Section 5.1

  Note Guarantee      20  

Section 5.2

  Execution and Delivery of Note Guarantee      21  

Section 5.3

  Limitation of Guarantor’s Liability      21  

Section 5.4

  Application of Certain Terms and Provisions to the Guarantor      22  

ARTICLE VI. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

     22  

Section 6.1

  Limitations on Incurrence of Debt      22  

Section 6.2

  Existence      24  

Section 6.3

  Merger, Consolidation or Sale      25  

Section 6.4

  Payment of Taxes and Other Claims      25  

Section 6.5

  Provision of Financial Information      25  

Section 6.6

  Maintenance of Properties      26  

Section 6.7

  Insurance      26  

ARTICLE VII. DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

     26  

Section 7.1

  Events of Default      27  

Section 7.2

  Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment      28  

 

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ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

     29  

Section 8.1

  Without Consent of Holders      29  

Section 8.2

  With Consent of Holders      30  

ARTICLE IX. MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF NOTES

     31  

Section 9.1

  Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called      31  

Section 9.2

  Call, Notice and Place of Meetings      32  

Section 9.3

  Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings      32  

Section 9.4

  Quorum; Action      32  

Section 9.5

  Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings      33  

Section 9.6

  Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings      34  

ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

     34  

Section 10.1

  Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent, Certificates to Trustee      34  

Section 10.2

  No Recourse Against Others      35  

Section 10.3

  Trust Indenture Act Controls      35  

Section 10.4

  Governing Law      35  

Section 10.5

  Counterparts      35  

Section 10.6

  Successors      35  

Section 10.7

  Severability      36  

Section 10.8

  Table of Contents, Headings, Etc      36  

Section 10.9

  Ratifications      36  

Section 10.10

  Effectiveness      36  

Section 10.11

  The Trustee      36  

 

 

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THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “First Supplemental Indenture”) is entered into as of June 28, 2021 among Essential Properties, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Company”), Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation, as guarantor (the “Guarantor”), and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Indenture, dated as of June 28, 2021 (the “Base Indenture”), providing for the issuance by the Company from time to time of Securities in one or more Series;

WHEREAS, Section 2.2 of the Base Indenture provides for various matters with respect to any Series of Securities issued under the Base Indenture to be established in an indenture supplemental to the Base Indenture;

WHEREAS, each of the Company and the Guarantor desires to execute this First Supplemental Indenture to establish the form and to provide for the issuance of a Series of the Company’s senior notes designated as 2.950% Senior Notes due 2031 (the “Notes”), in an initial aggregate principal amount of $400,000,000;

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors, on behalf of the sole member of the General Partner (as defined below), and as the Board of Directors of the Guarantor, has duly adopted resolutions authorizing the Company and the Guarantor, respectively, to execute and deliver this First Supplemental Indenture; and

WHEREAS, all of the other conditions and requirements necessary to make this First Supplemental Indenture, when duly executed and delivered, a valid and binding agreement in accordance with its terms and for the purposes herein expressed, have been performed and fulfilled.

THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Series of Securities provided for herein by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of Securities of such Series, as follows:

ARTICLE I.

RELATION TO BASE INDENTURE; DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1 Relation to Base Indenture.

This First Supplemental Indenture constitutes an integral part of the Base Indenture. Notwithstanding any other provision of this First Supplemental Indenture, all provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture are expressly and solely for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes and any such provisions shall not be deemed to apply to any other Securities issued under the Base Indenture and shall not be deemed to amend, modify or supplement the Base Indenture for any purpose other than with respect to the Notes.


Section 1.2 Definitions.

For all purposes of this First Supplemental Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided for or unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(a)

Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in the Base Indenture; and

 

(b)

All references herein to Articles and Sections, unless otherwise specified, refer to the corresponding Articles and Sections of this First Supplemental Indenture as they amend or supplement the Base Indenture, and not the Base Indenture or any other document.

Acquired Debt” means Debt of a Person (i) existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary or (ii) assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person, in each case, other than Debt incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Subsidiary or such acquisition. Acquired Debt shall be deemed to be incurred on the date of the related acquisition of assets from any Person or the date the acquired Person becomes a Subsidiary.

Additional Notes” means additional Notes (other than the Initial Notes) issued under the Indenture in accordance with Sections 2.3, 2.7 and 8.1 hereof, as part of the same series as the Initial Notes.

Annual Service Charge” means, for any period, without duplication, the maximum amount that is payable for interest expense on, and original issue discount of, the Guarantor’s and its Subsidiaries’ Debt in such period.

Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or exchange of or for beneficial interests in any Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depositary, Euroclear and Clearstream that apply to such transfer or exchange.

Authentication Order” means a Company Order to the Trustee to authenticate and deliver the Notes, signed by an Officer of the General Partner.

Bankruptcy Law” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 7.1.

Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, or legal holidays on which banks in The City of New York are not required or authorized by law or executive order to be closed.

Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting), including partnership or limited liability company interests, whether general or limited, in the equity of such Person, outstanding as of any date, including all options, warrants or other rights issued by such Person to purchase Capital Stock of such Person.

Clearstream” means Clearstream Banking, Société Anonyme.

 

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Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by the General Partner by an Officer.

Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed (assuming, for this purpose, that the Notes matured on the Par Call Date) that could be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed (assuming, for this purpose, that the Notes matured on the Par Call Date).

Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption, (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Company obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

Consolidated Income Available for Debt Service” means, for any period, Earnings from Operations of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries plus amounts which have been deducted, and minus amounts which have been added, for the following (without duplication):

 

(a)

interest expense on Debt of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries;

 

(b)

provision for taxes of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries based on income;

 

(c)

amortization of debt discount, premium and deferred financing costs;

 

(d)

provisions for unrealized gains and losses, impairment losses, depreciation and amortization and the effect of any other non-cash items;

 

(e)

amortization or right-of-use assets associated with finance leases of property;

 

(f)

credit losses recognized on financial assets and certain other instruments not measured at fair value;

 

(g)

extraordinary, non-recurring and other unusual items (including, without limitation, any costs and fees incurred in connection with any debt financing or amendments thereto, or any acquisition, disposition, recapitalization or similar transaction (regardless of whether such transaction is completed));

 

(h)

gains and losses resulting from the extinguishment of debt;

 

(i)

the effect of any noncash charge resulting from a change in accounting principles in determining Earnings from Operations for such period;

 

(j)

amortization of deferred charges;

 

(k)

gains or losses on derivative financial instruments; and

 

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(l)

acquisition expenses.

Debt” of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries means any indebtedness of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, excluding any accrued expense or trade payable, whether or not contingent, in respect of:

 

(a)

borrowed money evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments,

 

(b)

indebtedness secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance or any security interest existing on property owned by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, but only to the extent of the lesser of (x) the amount of indebtedness so secured and (y) the fair market value of the property subject to such mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance or any security interest existing on property owned by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries,

 

(c)

the reimbursement obligations, contingent or otherwise, in connection with any letters of credit actually issued and drawn or amounts representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property, or all conditional sale obligations or obligations under any title retention agreement, or

 

(d)

any lease of property by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries as lessee that is reflected on the Guarantor’s consolidated balance sheet and classified as a finance lease in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that in the case of this clause, Debt excludes operating lease liabilities on a Person’s balance sheet in accordance with GAAP

and to the extent, in the case of items of indebtedness under clauses (a) and (c) of this definition, that any such items (other than letters of credit) would appear as a liability on the Guarantor’s consolidated balance sheet in accordance with GAAP, and also includes, to the extent not otherwise included, any obligation by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries to be liable for, or to pay, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise (other than for purposes of collection in the ordinary course of business), Debt of another Person (other than the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries); provided, however, that the term “Debt” shall not include Permitted Non-Recourse Guarantees of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries until they become primary obligations of, and payments are due and required to be made thereunder by, the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries.

Defaulted Interest” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.5.

Definitive Note” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof and issued in accordance with Section 3.2, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto.

Depositary” means, with respect to the Notes, The Depository Trust Company and any successor thereto.

Earnings from Operations” means, for any period, net income excluding gains and losses on sales of investments, net, as reflected in the financial statements of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

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Encumbrance” means any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance or any security interest existing on property owned by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries securing indebtedness for borrowed money, other than a Permitted Encumbrance.

Euroclear” means Euroclear S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system.

Event of Default” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 7.1.

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles as used in the United States applied on a consistent basis as in effect from time to time.

General Partner” means Essential Properties OP G.P., LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the sole general partner of the Company.

Global Note Legend” means the legend set forth in Section 3.2(f), which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under the Indenture.

Global Notes” means, individually and collectively, each of the Notes deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto and that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, issued in accordance with the Indenture.

Holders” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.4.

Indenture” means the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, and as further supplemented, amended or restated.

Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers that the Company appoints to act as the Independent Investment Banker from time to time.

Indirect Participant” means a Person who holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through a Participant.

Initial Notes” means the first $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes issued under this First Supplemental Indenture on the date hereof.

interest” means, when used with reference to the Notes, any interest payable under the terms of the Notes.

Interest Payment Date” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.4.

 

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Make-Whole Premium” means, with respect to any Note redeemed before the Par Call Date, the excess, if any, of (a) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest, if any, thereon (exclusive of interest, if any, accrued to the date of redemption) that would be due if the Notes matured on the Par Call Date, determined by discounting to the Redemption Date, on a semiannual basis, each such scheduled payment of principal and interest, if any, at the Treasury Rate plus 25 basis points, determined on the third Business Day preceding the date the notice of redemption is given from the respective dates on which such principal and interest would have been payable if such redemption had not been made; over (b) the principal amount of such Notes.

Non-Recourse Debt” means Debt of a joint venture or Subsidiary of the Company (or an entity in which the Company is the general partner or managing member) that is directly or indirectly secured by real estate assets or other real estate-related assets (including Capital Stock) of the joint venture or Subsidiary of the Company (or entity in which the Company is the general partner or managing member) that is the borrower and is non-recourse to the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries (other than pursuant to a Permitted Non-Recourse Guarantee and other than with respect to the joint venture or Subsidiary of the Company (or entity in which the Company is the general partner or managing member) that is the borrower); provided further that, if any such Debt is partially recourse to the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries (other than pursuant to a Permitted Non-Recourse Guarantee and other than with respect to the joint venture or Subsidiary of the Company (or entity in which the Company is the general partner or managing member) that is the borrower) and therefore does not meet the criteria set forth above, only the portion of such Debt that does meet the criteria set forth above shall constitute “Non-Recourse Debt.”

Note Guarantee” means the Guarantee by the Guarantor of the Company’s obligations under the Indenture and the Notes, executed pursuant to the provisions of the Base Indenture and this First Supplemental Indenture.

Notes” has the meaning assigned to it in the preamble to this First Supplemental Indenture. The Initial Notes and the Additional Notes shall be treated as a single class for all purposes under the Indenture, and unless the context otherwise requires, all references to the Notes shall include the Initial Notes and any Additional Notes.

Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, and any Vice President of the General Partner or any Guarantor, as applicable.

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by any Officer of the General Partner on behalf of the Company or the Guarantor, as applicable.

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of legal counsel. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or the General Partner. The opinion may contain customary limitations, conditions and exceptions.

Par Call Date” means April 15, 2031 (three months prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes).

Participant” means, with respect to the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, a Person who has an account with the Depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, respectively (and with respect to The Depository Trust Company, shall include Euroclear and Clearstream).

Permitted Encumbrances” means leases, Encumbrances securing taxes, assessments and similar charges, mechanics’ liens and other similar Encumbrances.

 

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Permitted Non-Recourse Guarantees” means customary completion or budget guarantees, indemnities or other customary guarantees provided to lenders (including by means of separate indemnification agreements, carve-out guarantees or pledges of the equity interests in the borrower) under such Non-Recourse Debt in the ordinary course of business of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries in financing transactions that are directly or indirectly secured by real estate assets or other real estate-related assets (including Capital Stock) of a joint venture or Subsidiary of the Company (or an entity in which the Company is the general partner or managing member), in each case that is the borrower in such financing, but is non-recourse to the Guarantor or any of its other Subsidiaries, except for such completion or budget guarantees, indemnities or other guarantees (including by means of separate indemnification agreements or carve-out guarantees or pledges of the equity interests in the borrower) as are consistent with customary industry practice (such as environmental indemnities and recourse triggers based on violation of transfer restrictions and other customary exceptions to non-recourse liability).

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Primary Treasury Dealer” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the definition of “Reference Treasury Dealer.”

Record Date” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.4.

Redemption Date” means, with respect to any Note or portion thereof to be redeemed in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.1, the date fixed for such redemption in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.1.

Redemption Price” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 4.1.

Reference Treasury Dealer” means, each of BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Barclays Capital Inc. and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and their successors, and one other firm that is a primary U.S. Government securities dealer (each a “Primary Treasury Dealer”) which the Company specifies from time to time; provided, however, that if any of them ceases to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company will substitute another Primary Treasury Dealer.

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption, the average, as determined by the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding the date the notice of such redemption is given.

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as in effect from time to time.

Significant Subsidiary” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 7.1.

 

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Stated Maturity” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.4(c).

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, a corporation, partnership, trust, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity the majority of the shares of the voting capital stock or other equivalent ownership interests of which (except directors’ qualifying shares) are at the time directly or indirectly owned by such Person and/or any other Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of such Person and which is required to be consolidated with the accounts of such Person. For the purposes of this definition, “voting capital stock” means capital stock having voting power for the election of directors, trustees or managers, as the case may be, whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of capital stock has such voting power by reason of any contingency.

Total Assets” means, as of any date, the sum of (i) Undepreciated Real Estate Assets and (ii) all of the Guarantor’s and its Subsidiaries’ other assets, in each case excluding accounts receivable, right-of-use operating lease assets and non-real estate intangibles, and in each case, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

Total Unencumbered Assets” means the sum of the Guarantor’s and its Subsidiaries’ Undepreciated Real Estate Assets and the value determined in accordance with GAAP of all of the Guarantor’s and its Subsidiaries’ other assets, excluding accounts receivable, right-of-use operating lease assets and non-real estate intangibles, in each case not subject to an Encumbrance; provided, however, that “Total Unencumbered Assets” does not include investments in unconsolidated joint ventures, unconsolidated limited partnerships, unconsolidated limited liability companies and other unconsolidated entities.

Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption, the rate per year equal to: (1) the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the week immediately preceding the third Business Day prior to the date the notice of such redemption is given, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue; provided that, if no maturity is within three months before or after the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue shall be determined and the Treasury Rate shall be interpolated or extrapolated from those yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month; or (2) if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per year equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption. The Treasury Rate shall be calculated on the third Business Day preceding the date the notice of redemption is given. In the case of a satisfaction and discharge, such rates shall be determined as of the date of the deposit with the Trustee.

 

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Undepreciated Real Estate Assets” as of any date means the cost (original cost plus capital improvements) of real estate assets, loans and direct financing lease receivables, right-of-use assets associated with leases of property required to be reflected as finance leases on the balance sheet of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries and related intangibles of the Company and its Subsidiaries on such date, before depreciation and amortization charges and unrealized loan loss allowances, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided, however, that “Undepreciated Real Estate Assets” shall not include right-of-use assets associated with leases of property required to be reflected as operating leases on the balance sheet of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.

Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act” means any applicable federal, provincial or state fraudulent conveyance legislation and any successor legislation.

Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act” means any applicable federal, provincial or state fraudulent transfer legislation and any successor legislation.

Unsecured Debt” means Debt of the types described in clauses (a) and (c) of the definition thereof that is not secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge or security interest of any kind upon any of the properties of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries.

ARTICLE II.

TERMS OF THE SECURITIES

Section 2.1 Title of the Securities.

There shall be a Series of Securities designated the “2.950% Senior Notes due 2031.”

Section 2.2 Price.

The Initial Notes shall be issued at a public offering price of 99.800% of the principal amount thereof, other than any offering discounts pursuant to the initial offering and resale of the Notes.

Section 2.3 Limitation on Initial Aggregate Principal Amount; Further Issuances.

The aggregate principal amount of the Notes initially shall be limited to $400,000,000. The Company may, without notice to or consent of the Holders, issue Additional Notes from time to time in the future in an unlimited principal amount, subject to compliance with the terms of the Indenture.

Nothing contained in this Section 2.3 or elsewhere in this First Supplemental Indenture, or in the Notes, is intended to or shall limit execution by the Company or authentication or delivery by the Trustee of Notes under the circumstances contemplated by Sections 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6 of the Base Indenture.

Section 2.4 Interest and Interest Rates; Stated Maturity of Notes.

(a) The Notes shall bear interest at the rate of 2.950% per year. Interest on the Notes will accrue from June 28, 2021 and will be payable semiannually in arrears on January 15 and July 15 of each year, commencing on January 15, 2022 (each such date being an “Interest Payment Date”), to the persons in whose names the Notes are registered in the security register (the “Holders”) on the preceding January 1 or July 1, whether or not a Business Day, as the case may be (each such date being a “Record Date”). Interest on the Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

 

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(b) If any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Redemption Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the required payment shall be made on the next Business Day as if it were made on the date the payment was due and no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after that Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be, until the next Business Day.

(c) The Stated Maturity of the Notes shall be July 15, 2031.

Section 2.5 Method of Payment.

Principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be payable at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, initially located at 111 Fillmore Avenue E, St. Paul, Minnesota 55107. The Company shall pay interest (i) on any Notes in certificated form by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as it appears in the security register; provided, however, that a Holder of any Notes in certificated form in the aggregate principal amount of more than $2,000,000 may specify by written notice to the Company (with a copy to the Trustee) that it pay interest by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account specified by the Holder in such notice, or (ii) on any Global Note by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Depositary or its nominee. Any interest on any Note which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder registered as such on the relevant Record Date, and such Defaulted Interest shall be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the persons in whose names the Notes are registered at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment (which shall be not less than 25 calendar days after the receipt by the Trustee of such notice, unless the Trustee shall consent to an earlier date), and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 calendar days and not less than 10 calendar days prior to the date of the proposed payment, and not less than 10 calendar days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment (unless the Trustee shall consent to an earlier date). The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such special record date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor to be sent to each Holder at its address as it appears in the security register, not less than

 

10


10 calendar days prior to such special record date (unless, the Trustee shall consent to an earlier date). Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor having been so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the persons in whose names the Notes are registered at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on such special record date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (b) of this Section 2.5.

(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Notes may be listed or designated for issuance, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange or automated quotation system, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Section 2.6 Currency.

Principal and interest on the Notes shall be payable in U.S. Dollars.

Section 2.7 Additional Notes.

The Company will be entitled, without the consent of any Holders of the Notes, upon delivery of an Officer’s Certificate, Opinion of Counsel and Authentication Order to the Trustee, and, subject to its compliance with Section 6.1, to issue Additional Notes under the Indenture that will have identical terms to the Initial Notes issued on the date of the Indenture other than with respect to the date of issuance, issue price, interest accrued prior to the date of issuance of the Additional Notes, and, if applicable, the initial Interest Payment Date; provided, however, that if such Additional Notes will not be fungible with the Initial Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Notes will have a separate CUSIP number. Such Additional Notes will rank equally and ratably in right of payment and will be treated as a single series for all purposes under the Indenture.

With respect to any Additional Notes, the Company will set forth in a Board Resolution of the sole member of the General Partner and an Officer’s Certificate, a copy of each of which will be delivered to the Trustee, the following information:

(a) the aggregate principal amount of such Additional Notes to be authenticated and delivered pursuant to the Indenture; and

(b) the issue price, the issue date and the CUSIP number of such Additional Notes.

Section 2.8 Redemption.

The Notes may be redeemed at the option of the Company prior to the Stated Maturity as provided in Article IV.

Section 2.9 No Sinking Fund.

The provisions of Article XI of the Base Indenture shall not be applicable to the Notes.

 

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Section 2.10 Registrar and Paying Agent.

The Trustee shall initially serve as Registrar and Paying Agent for the Notes.

ARTICLE III.

FORM OF THE SECURITIES

Section 3.1 Global Form.

The Notes shall initially be issued in the form of one or more fully registered Global Notes that will be deposited with, or on behalf of the Depositary, and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, subject to Sections 2.7 and 2.14 of the Base Indenture. So long as the Depositary, or its nominee, is the registered owner of the Global Note, the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole Holder of the Notes represented by the Global Note for all purposes under the Indenture.

The Notes shall not be issuable in definitive form except as provided in Section 3.2(a) of this First Supplemental Indenture. The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto. The Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with Section 2.3 of the Base Indenture, authenticate and hold each Global Note as custodian for the Depositary. Each Global Note will represent such of the outstanding Notes as will be specified therein and each shall provide that it represents the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby will be made by the Registrar or the custodian, at the direction of the Trustee. The terms and provisions contained in the form of Note attached as Exhibit A hereto shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of the Indenture and, to the extent applicable, the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.

Participants of the Depositary shall have no rights either under the Indenture or with respect to the Global Notes. The Depositary or its nominee, as applicable, may be treated by the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and any agent of the Company, the Guarantor or the Trustee as the absolute owner and Holder of such Global Notes for all purposes under the Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Guarantor or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or its nominee, as applicable, or impair, as between the Depositary and its participants, the operation of customary practices of such Depositary governing the exercise of the rights of an owner of a beneficial interest in the Global Notes.

 

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Section 3.2 Transfer and Exchange.

(a) Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes. A Global Note may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary with respect to such Global Note to a nominee of the Depositary, by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or to another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary. All Global Notes will be exchanged by the Company for Definitive Notes if:

(1) such Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for a Global Note or if at any time such Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days of the notification to the Company or of the Company becoming aware of the Depositary ceasing to be so registered;

(2) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that such Global Note shall be so exchangeable; or

(3) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Global Note.

Upon the occurrence of any of the preceding events in (1), (2) or (3) above, Definitive Notes shall be issued in such names as the Depositary shall instruct the Trustee. Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Sections 2.8 and 2.11 of the Base Indenture. Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this Section 3.2 or Section 2.8 and 2.11 of the Base Indenture, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note. A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this Section 3.2(a); however, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in Section 3.2(b) or (c).

(b) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes. The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and the Applicable Procedures. Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also will require compliance with either subparagraph (1) or (2) below, as applicable, as well as one or more of the other following subparagraphs, as applicable:

(1) Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note. Beneficial interests in any Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Global Note. No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers described in this Section 3.2(b)(1).

(2) All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests that are not subject to Section 3.2(b)(1) above, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Registrar either:

 

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both:

(A) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged; and

(B) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited with such increase; or

both:

(C) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a Definitive Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged; and

(D) instructions given by the Depositary to the Registrar containing information regarding the Person in whose name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or exchange referred to in (b)(1) above.

Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in this First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to Section 3.2(g).

(c) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes for Definitive Notes. If any holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 3.2(b)(2) and written notice to the Trustee, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 3.2(g) hereof, and the Company will execute and, upon the receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee will authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 3.2(c) will be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest requests through instructions to the Registrar from or through the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee will deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered.

 

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(d) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests in Global Notes. A Holder of a Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Global Note or transfer such Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Global Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee will cancel the applicable Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the Global Notes. If any such exchange or transfer from a Definitive Note to a beneficial interest is effected pursuant to the previous sentence at a time when a Global Note has not yet been issued, the Company will issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 3.2, the Trustee will authenticate one or more Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Definitive Notes so transferred.

(e) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes. Upon the written request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holder’s compliance with the provisions of this Section 3.2(e), the Registrar will register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder must present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or by its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the requesting Holder must provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this Section 3.2(e). A Holder of Definitive Notes may transfer such Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note. Upon receipt of a written request to register such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.

(f) Legend. Each Global Note issued under the Indenture, unless specifically stated otherwise in the applicable provisions of the Indenture, will bear a legend in substantially the following form:

“THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (1) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.2 OF THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, (2) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.2(a) OF THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, (3) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.12 OF THE BASE INDENTURE AND (4) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES, L.P., AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE

 

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DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY GLOBAL NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.”

(g) Cancellation and/or Adjustment of Global Notes. At such time as all beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note will be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.12 of the Base Indenture. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Definitive Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note will be reduced accordingly and an endorsement will be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note will be increased accordingly and an endorsement will be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.

(h) General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges.

(1) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company will execute and the Trustee will authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes upon receipt of an Authentication Order or at the Registrar’s request.

(2) No service charge will be made to a Holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.11 and 9.6 of the Base Indenture and Section 4.3 of this First Supplemental Indenture).

(3) [Reserved]

(4) All Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Global Notes or Definitive Notes will be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under the Indenture, as the Global Notes or Definitive Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

 

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(5) Neither the Registrar nor the Company will be required:

(A) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Note during a period beginning at the opening of business fifteen days before any selection of Notes for redemption under Article IV and ending at the close of business on the earliest date on which the relevant notice of redemption is deemed to have been given to all Holders of Notes to be so redeemed; or

(B) to register the transfer of or to exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part; or

(C) to register the transfer of or to exchange a Note between a record date and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date.

(6) Prior to due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any Note, the Trustee, any Agent and the Company may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and interest on such Notes and for all other purposes, and none of the Trustee, any Agent or the Company shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

(7) The Trustee will authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.1 hereof.

(8) All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted to the Registrar pursuant to this Section 3.2 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile.

(i) In connection with any proposed transfer outside the book-entry system, there shall be provided to the Trustee all information necessary to allow the Trustee to comply with any applicable tax reporting obligations, including without limitation any cost basis reporting obligations under Internal Revenue Code Section 6045. The Trustee may conclusively rely on the information provided to it and shall have no responsibility to verify or ensure the accuracy of such information.

(j) None of the Trustee or any Agent shall have any obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among Depositary participants, members or beneficial owners in any Global Note) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly.

 

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ARTICLE IV.

REDEMPTION OF NOTES

The provisions of Article III of the Base Indenture, as amended by the provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture, shall apply to the Notes.

Section 4.1 Optional Redemption of Notes.

The Notes shall be redeemable in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at the Company’s option, at a redemption price (the “Redemption Price”) calculated by the Company and equal to the sum of (1) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to, but not including, the Redemption Date plus (2) a Make-Whole Premium; provided that if the Redemption Date falls after a Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Interest Payment Date, the Company will pay the full amount of accrued and unpaid interest, if any, due on such Interest Payment Date to the Holder of record at the close of business on the corresponding Record Date (instead of the Holder surrendering its Notes for redemption) and the Redemption Price shall not include accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to, but not including, the Redemption Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Notes are redeemed on or after the Par Call Date, the Redemption Price will equal 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to, but not including, the Redemption Date, without a Make-Whole Premium. The Company shall not redeem the Notes pursuant to this Section 4.1 if on any date the principal amount of the Notes has been accelerated, and such acceleration has not been rescinded or cured on or prior to such date.

Section 4.2 Notice of Optional Redemption, Selection of Notes.

(a) In case the Company shall desire to exercise the right to redeem all or, as the case may be, any part of the Notes pursuant to Section 4.1, it shall fix a date for redemption and it or, at its written request received by the Trustee not fewer than five Business Days prior (or such shorter period of time as may be acceptable to the Trustee) to the date the notice of redemption is to be sent, the Trustee in the name of and at the expense of the Company, shall mail or cause to be mailed, or sent by electronic transmission, a notice of such redemption not fewer than fifteen calendar days but not more than sixty calendar days prior to the Redemption Date to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at its last address as the same appears on the security register; provided that if the Company makes such request of the Trustee, it shall, together with such request, also give written notice of the Redemption Date to the Trustee, provided further that the text of the notice shall be prepared by the Company. Such mailing shall be by first class mail or by electronic transmission. The notice, if sent in the manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. In any case, failure to give such notice by mail or electronic submission or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Note designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Note.

 

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(b) Each such notice of redemption shall specify: (i) the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be redeemed, (ii) the CUSIP number or numbers of the Notes being redeemed, (iii) the Redemption Date (which shall be a Business Day), (iv) the Redemption Price at which Notes are to be redeemed, (v) the place or places of payment and that payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Notes and (vi) that interest accrued and unpaid to, but excluding, the Redemption Date will be paid as specified in said notice, and that on and after said date interest thereon or on the portion thereof to be redeemed will cease to accrue. If fewer than all the Notes are to be redeemed, the notice of redemption shall identify the Notes to be redeemed (including CUSIP numbers, if any). In case any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed and shall state that, on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued.

(c) On or prior to the Redemption Date specified in the notice of redemption given as provided in this Section 4.2, the Company will deposit with the Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, set aside, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 2.5 of the Base Indenture) an amount of money in immediately available funds sufficient to redeem on the Redemption Date all the Notes (or portions thereof) so called for redemption at the appropriate Redemption Price; provided that if such payment is made on the Redemption Date, it must be received by the Paying Agent, by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date. The Company shall be entitled to retain any interest, yield or gain on amounts deposited with the Paying Agent pursuant to this Section 4.2 in excess of amounts required hereunder to pay the Redemption Price.

(d) If less than all of the outstanding Notes are to be redeemed at the Company’s option, the Trustee will select the Notes or portions thereof of the Global Notes or the Notes in certificated form to be redeemed by lot, subject to Applicable Procedures (in the case of Global Notes), in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The Notes (or portions thereof) so selected for redemption shall be deemed duly selected for redemption for all purposes hereof.

Section 4.3 Payment of Notes Called for Redemption by the Company.

(a) If notice of redemption has been given as provided in Section 4.2, the Notes or portion of Notes with respect to which such notice has been given shall become due and payable and if the Paying Agent holds funds sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of the Notes on the Redemption Date and at the place or places stated in such notice at the Redemption Price, and unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Redemption Price, then on and after such date (i) interest, if any, will cease to accrue on any Notes called for redemption at the Redemption Date, (ii) on and after the Redemption Date (unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Redemption Price) such Notes shall cease to be entitled to any benefit or security under the Indenture and (iii) the Holders thereof shall have no right in respect of such Notes except the right to receive the Redemption Price thereof. On presentation and surrender of such Notes at a place of payment in said notice specified, the said Notes or the specified portions thereof shall be paid and redeemed by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with interest accrued thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date. Such will be the case whether or not book-entry transfer of the Notes in book-entry form is made and whether or not the Notes in certificated form, together with necessary endorsements, are delivered to the Paying Agent; provided, however, if the Redemption Date falls after a Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Interest Payment Date, the Company will pay the full amount of accrued and unpaid interest, if any, due on such Interest Payment Date to the Holder of record at the close of business on the corresponding Record Date.

 

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(b) Upon presentation of any Note redeemed in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, authenticate and make available for delivery to the Holder thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Note or Notes, of authorized denominations, in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Notes so presented.

ARTICLE V.

GUARANTEE

Sections 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 hereof shall replace Sections 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3 of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes and the Note Guarantee.

Section 5.1 Note Guarantee.

(a) Subject to this Article 5, the Guarantor hereby fully and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of a Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns, that:

(1) the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Notes will be promptly paid in full when due, whether at Stated Maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal of, premium on, if any, irrespective of the validity and enforceability of the Indenture, the Notes or the obligations of the Company under the Indenture or the Notes, and interest, if any, on, the Notes, if lawful, and all other obligations of the Company to the Holders or the Trustee under the Indenture or the Notes will be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms under the Indenture or the Notes; and

(2) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, that same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at Stated Maturity, by acceleration or otherwise.

Failing payment when due of any amount so guaranteed or any performance so guaranteed for whatever reason, the Guarantor will be obligated to pay the same immediately. The Guarantor agrees that this is a guarantee of payment and not a guarantee of collection.

(b) The Guarantor hereby agrees that its obligations under the Indenture and the Notes are full and unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Indenture or the Notes, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Notes with respect to any provisions of the Indenture or the Notes, the recovery of any judgment against the Company, any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of the

 

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Guarantor. The Guarantor hereby agrees that in the event of a default in payment of the principal of or interest on the Notes entitled to the Guarantee, whether at the Stated Maturity or upon acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, legal proceedings may be instituted by the Trustee on behalf of the Holders or, subject to Section 6.7 of the Base Indenture, by the Holders, on the terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture, directly against the Guarantor to enforce the Guarantee without first proceeding against the Company. The Guarantor hereby (i) waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever (ii) acknowledges that any agreement, instrument or document evidencing the Guarantee may be transferred and that the benefit of its obligations hereunder shall extend to each holder of any agreement, instrument or document evidencing the Guarantee without notice to it and (iii) covenants that this Note Guarantee will not be discharged except by complete performance of the obligations contained in the Indenture and the Notes.

(c) If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Company, the Guarantor or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to either the Company or the Guarantor, any amount paid by either to the Trustee or such Holder, this Note Guarantee, to the extent theretofore discharged, will be reinstated in full force and effect.

(d) The Guarantor agrees that it will not be entitled to any right of subrogation in relation to the Holders in respect of any obligations guaranteed hereby until payment in full of all obligations guaranteed hereby. The Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the other hand, (1) the maturity of the obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article VII for the purposes of this Note Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the obligations guaranteed hereby, and (2) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article VII, such obligations (whether or not due and payable) will forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantor for the purpose of this Note Guarantee.

Section 5.2 Execution and Delivery of Note Guarantee.

To evidence its Note Guarantee set forth in Section 5.1, the Guarantor hereby agrees that this First Supplemental Indenture will be executed on its behalf by one of its Officers. If an Officer whose signature is on this First Supplemental Indenture no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note on which the Note Guarantee is endorsed, the Note Guarantee will be valid nevertheless. The delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, will constitute due delivery of the Note Guarantee set forth in this First Supplemental Indenture on behalf of the Guarantor.

Section 5.3 Limitation of Guarantor’s Liability.

The Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Note Guarantee of the Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance

 

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Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to the Note Guarantee. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Guarantor hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of the Guarantor will be limited to the maximum amount that will not, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of the Guarantor that are relevant under such laws, result in the obligations of the Guarantor under its Note Guarantee constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance.

Section 5.4 Application of Certain Terms and Provisions to the Guarantor.

(a) For purposes of any provision of the Indenture which provides for the delivery by the Guarantor of an Officer’s Certificate and/or an Opinion of Counsel, the definitions of such terms in Section 1.2 shall apply to the Guarantor as if references therein to the Company or the Guarantor, as applicable, were references to the Guarantor.

(b) Upon any demand, request or application by the Guarantor to the Trustee to take any action under the Indenture, the Guarantor shall furnish to the Trustee such Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel as are required in Section 10.1 as if all references therein to the Company were references to the Guarantor.

ARTICLE VI.

ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

The covenants set forth in Sections 4.1, 4.3 and 4.4 of the Base Indenture and the following additional covenants shall apply with respect to the Notes so long as any of the Notes remain outstanding:

Section 6.1 Limitations on Incurrence of Debt.

(a) Aggregate Debt Test. The Guarantor will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, incur any Debt if, immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such additional Debt and the application of the proceeds of such additional Debt on a pro forma basis, the aggregate principal amount of all the Guarantor’s outstanding Debt and that of its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as determined in accordance with GAAP is greater than 60% of the sum of (without duplication):

(1) the Guarantor’s Total Assets as of the end of the fiscal quarter covered in the Guarantor’s Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as the case may be, most recently filed with the SEC (or, if such filing is not permitted under the Exchange Act, furnished to the Trustee) prior to the incurrence of such additional Debt; and

(2) the purchase price of any real estate assets or mortgages receivable acquired, and the amount of any securities offering proceeds received (to the extent such proceeds were not used to acquire real estate assets or mortgages receivable or used to reduce Debt), by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries since the end of such fiscal quarter, including those proceeds obtained in connection with the incurrence of such additional Debt.

 

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(b) Debt Service Test. The Guarantor will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, incur any Debt if the ratio of Consolidated Income Available for Debt Service to the Annual Service Charge for the most recent quarterly period covered in the Guarantor’s Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as the case may be, most recently filed with the SEC (or, if such filing is not permitted under the Exchange Act, furnished to the Trustee) prior to such time, annualized (i.e., multiplied by four) prior to the date on which such additional Debt is to be incurred shall have been less than 1.5, on a pro forma basis after giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds therefrom, and calculated on the assumption that:

(1) such Debt and any other Debt incurred by the Guarantor or its Subsidiaries since the first day of such quarterly period and the application of the proceeds therefrom, including to refinance other Debt since the first day of such period, had occurred at the beginning of such period;

(2) the repayment or retirement of any other Debt (other than Debt repaid or retired with the proceeds of any other Debt, which repayment or retirement shall be calculated pursuant to Section 6.1(b)(1) and not this Section 6.1(b)(2)) by the Guarantor or its Subsidiaries since the first day of such quarterly period had been repaid or retired at the beginning of such period (except that, in making such computation, the amount of Debt under any revolving credit facility, line of credit or similar facility shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Debt during such period);

(3) in the case of Acquired Debt or Debt incurred by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with any acquisition since the first day of such quarterly period, the related acquisition had occurred as of the first day of such period with the appropriate adjustments with respect to such acquisition being included in such pro forma calculation; and

(4) in the case of any acquisition or disposition by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries of any asset or group of assets since the first day of such quarterly period, whether by merger, stock purchase or sale, or asset purchase or sale, such acquisition or disposition and any related repayment of Debt had occurred as of the first day of such period with the appropriate adjustments with respect to such acquisition or disposition being included in such pro forma calculation.

If the Debt giving rise to the need to make the calculation described in this Section 6.1 or any other Debt incurred after the first day of the relevant quarterly period bears interest at a floating rate (to the extent such Debt has been hedged to bear interest at a fixed rate, only the portion of such Debt, if any, that has not been so hedged), then, for purposes of calculating the Annual Service Charge, the interest rate on such Debt will be computed on a pro forma basis as if the average interest rate that would have been in effect during the entire such period had been the applicable rate for the entire such period.

 

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(c) Maintenance of Total Unencumbered Assets. The Guarantor and its Subsidiaries may not at any time own Total Unencumbered Assets equal to less than 150% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Unsecured Debt of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

(d) Secured Debt Test. The Guarantor will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, incur any Debt secured by any mortgage, lien, charge, pledge, encumbrance or security interest upon any of the Guarantor’s property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries, whether owned at the date hereof or hereafter acquired, if, immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such additional Debt and the application of the proceeds thereof, the aggregate principal amount of all of the Guarantor’s outstanding Debt and the outstanding Debt of its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for borrowed money that is secured by any mortgage, lien, charge, pledge, encumbrance or security interest on the Guarantor’s property or the property of any of its Subsidiaries is greater than 40% of the sum of (without duplication):

(1) the Guarantor’s Total Assets as of the end of the fiscal quarter covered in the Guarantor’s Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as the case may be, most recently filed with the SEC (or, if such filing is not permitted under the Exchange Act, furnished to the Trustee) prior to the incurrence of such additional Debt; and

(2) the purchase price of any real estate assets or mortgages receivable acquired, and the amount of any securities offering proceeds received (to the extent such proceeds were not used to acquire real estate assets or mortgages receivable or used to reduce Debt), by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries since the end of such fiscal quarter, including those proceeds obtained in connection with the incurrence of such additional Debt.

For purposes of this Section 6.1, Debt shall be deemed to be “incurred” by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries whenever the Guarantor or such Subsidiary shall create, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable in respect thereof. Furthermore, nothing in the covenants described under this Section 6.1 shall prevent the incurrence by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries of Debt between or among the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries.

Section 6.2 Existence.

Except as permitted by Section 6.3, the Guarantor will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect the existence, rights, both charter and statutory, and franchises of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the Guarantor will not be required to take any such action to preserve and keep in full force and effect the existence of any Subsidiary or preserve and keep in force and effect any such right or franchise if the Guarantor determines that the preservation of such existence or the right or franchise is no longer desirable in the conduct of the Guarantor’s business and that the loss of such existence, right or franchise is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders of the Notes.

 

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Section 6.3 Merger, Consolidation or Sale.

The Company or the Guarantor may consolidate with, or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of its respective assets to, or merge with or into, any other entity, provided that the following conditions are met:

(a) the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, shall be the continuing entity, or the successor entity (if other than the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be) formed by or resulting from any consolidation or merger or which shall have received the transfer of assets shall be an entity organized and existing under U.S. laws and expressly assume payment of principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on, all of the Notes and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions in the Indenture;

(b) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Event of Default under the Indenture, and no event which, after notice or the lapse of time, or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) an Officer’s Certificate covering these conditions shall be delivered to the Trustee.

In the case of any such consolidation, sale, conveyance or merger, but not a lease, in a transaction in which there is a successor entity, the successor entity will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, under the Indenture and, subject to the terms of the Indenture, the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, will be released from their respective obligations, as the case may be, under the Indenture.

Section 6.4 Payment of Taxes and Other Claims.

The Guarantor will pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, all taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries or upon the Guarantor’s or any such Subsidiary’s income, profits or property and all lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies which, if unpaid, might by law become a lien upon the Guarantor’s or any such Subsidiary’s property; provided, however, that the Guarantor will not be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment, charge or claim whose amount, applicability or validity is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, and provided further that, if a tenant or borrower of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries fails to meet a contractual obligation to pay taxes, assessments or governmental charges related to property leased from or financed by the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, it will not constitute a violation if the Guarantor pays or discharges or causes to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment or charge promptly following its actual awareness of such failure.

Section 6.5 Provision of Financial Information.

For so long as any Notes are outstanding, if at any time the Guarantor is not subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act for any reason, the Guarantor will, at the Guarantor’s option, either (i) file with the SEC or (ii) post on the Guarantor’s website and will deliver to the Trustee within 15 days of the filing date that would be applicable to a non-accelerated filer at that time pursuant to applicable SEC rules and regulations, the quarterly and audited annual financial statements and accompanying “Management’s Discussion and Analysis

 

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of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” that would have been required to be contained in annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, respectively, had the Guarantor been subject to such Exchange Act reporting requirements. The Trustee shall have no obligation to determine whether or not such reports, information, statements or documents have been filed, posted or delivered. Delivery of such reports, information, statements and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s or the Guarantor’s compliance with any of the covenants under the Indenture.

Reports, information and documents filed with the SEC via the EDGAR system will be deemed to be delivered to the Trustee as of the time of such filing via EDGAR for purposes of this Section 6.5; provided, however, that the Trustee shall have no obligation whatsoever to determine whether or not such information, documents or reports have been filed via EDGAR. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s or the Guarantor’s compliance with any of the covenants relating to the Notes (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

Section 6.6 Maintenance of Properties.

The Guarantor will cause all of its properties used or useful in the conduct of the Guarantor’s business or the business of any of its Subsidiaries to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order, normal wear and tear, casualty and condemnation excepted, and supplied with all necessary equipment and will cause to be made all necessary repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements of the Guarantor’s and its Subsidiaries’ properties, all as in the Guarantor’s judgment may be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided, however, that the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries will not be prevented from selling or otherwise disposing for value the Guarantor’s or its Subsidiaries’ properties in the ordinary course of business.

Section 6.7 Insurance.

The Guarantor will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, keep in force upon all of its properties and operations policies of insurance carried with responsible companies in such amounts and covering all such risks as shall be customary in the industry in accordance with prevailing market conditions and availability.

ARTICLE VII.

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

Sections 7.1 and 7.2 hereof shall replace Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes only.

 

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Section 7.1 Events of Default.

Event of Default,” wherever used herein or in the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes, means 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):

 

(a)

default for 30 days in the payment of any installment of interest under the Notes;

 

(b)

default in the payment of the principal amount or any other portion of the Redemption Price due with respect to the Notes, when the same becomes due and payable;

 

(c)

the Note Guarantee is not (or is claimed by the Guarantor in writing to the Trustee not to be) in full force and effect (other than in accordance with the terms of the Indenture) with respect to the Notes;

 

(d)

failure by the Company or the Guarantor to comply with any of the Company’s or the Guarantor’s respective other agreements in the Notes or this First Supplemental Indenture with respect to the Notes upon receipt by the Company of notice of such default by the Trustee or by Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding and the Company’s failure to cure (or obtain a waiver of) such default within 60 days after it receives such notice;

 

(e)

failure to pay any Debt (other than Non-Recourse Debt) (a) of the Company’s or the Guarantor’s or any Subsidiary in which the Company or the Guarantor has invested at least $50,000,000 in capital (a “Significant Subsidiary”) and (b) in an outstanding principal amount in excess of $50,000,000 at final maturity or upon acceleration after the expiration of any applicable grace period, which Debt is not discharged, or such default in payment or acceleration is not cured or rescinded, within 60 days after written notice to the Company from the Trustee (or to the Company and the Trustee from Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding); or

 

(f)

the Company, the Guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary pursuant to or under or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

 

  (i)

commences a voluntary case or proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company, the Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary or its debts or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company, the Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary or any substantial part of the property of the Company, the Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary; or

 

  (ii)

consents to any such relief or to the appointment of or taking possession by any such official in an involuntary case or other proceeding commenced against the Company, the Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary; or

 

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  (iii)

consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for all or substantially of its property; or

 

  (iv)

makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or

 

(g)

an involuntary case or other proceeding shall be commenced against the Company, the Guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company, the Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company, the Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary or any substantial part of the property of the Company, the Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary, and such involuntary case or other proceeding shall remain undismissed and unstayed for a period of thirty (30) calendar days; or

 

(h)

a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that

 

  (i)

is for relief against the Company, the Guarantor or any of Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case or proceeding;

 

  (ii)

appoints a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company, the Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary or any substantial part of the property of the Company, the Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary; or

 

  (iii)

orders the liquidation of the Company, the Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary;

, in each case in this clause (h), the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for thirty (30) calendar days.

The term “Bankruptcy Law” means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

Section 7.2 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Sections 7.1(f), 7.1(g) or 7.1(h), which shall result in an automatic acceleration), then, in every case, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may declare the principal amount of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the outstanding Notes to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Sections 7.1(f), 7.1(g) or 7.1(h) shall occur, the principal amount (or specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Notes shall automatically become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.

 

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At any time after the principal amount of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes shall have been so declared due and payable, but before any judgment or decree for the payment of the monies due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee, may waive all Defaults or Events of Default and rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, subject in all respects to Section 6.13 of the Base Indenture, if: (a) the Company or the Guarantor has deposited with the Trustee all required payments of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, the Notes, plus the reasonable compensation and reimbursement for the Trustee’s expenses, disbursements and advances pursuant to Section 7.7 of the Base Indenture; and (b) all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal of (or specified portion thereof), or premium, if any, and interest on, the Notes that have become due solely because of such acceleration, have been cured or waived. No such rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent default or Event of Default, or shall impair any right consequent thereon. The Company shall notify in writing a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, promptly upon becoming aware thereof, of any Event of Default, as provided in Section 4.3 of the Base Indenture and the nature and status thereof.

ARTICLE VIII.

AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

Sections 8.1 and 8.2 hereof shall replace Sections 9.1 and 9.3 of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes only.

Section 8.1 Without Consent of Holders.

The Company, when authorized by resolutions of the Board of Directors of the sole member of the sole General Partner and the Board of Directors of the Guarantor, and the Trustee may, from time to time and at any time, enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental without the consent of the Holders of the Notes hereto for one or more of the following purposes:

(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the Indenture if this action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of the Notes in any material respect;

(b) to evidence a successor to the Company as obligor or to the Guarantor as guarantor under the Indenture with respect to the Notes;

(c) to make any change that does not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of any Notes then outstanding;

(d) to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in the Indenture;

(e) to provide for the acceptance of appointment of a successor Trustee or facilitate the administration of the trusts under the Indenture by more than one Trustee;

 

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(f) to comply with the requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the TIA;

(g) to reflect the release of the Guarantor, as guarantor, in accordance with the Indenture;

(h) to secure the Notes;

(i) to add guarantors with respect to the Notes; and

(j) to conform the text of the Indenture, any Guarantee or the Notes to any provision of the description thereof set forth in the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus.

Upon the written request of the Company, accompanied by a copy of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the sole member of the sole General Partner and the Board of Directors of the Guarantor, in each case, certified by the corresponding Secretary or Assistant Secretary, authorizing the execution of any supplemental indenture, the Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company and the Guarantor in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained and to accept the conveyance, transfer and assignment of any property thereunder, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to, but may in its discretion, enter into any supplemental indenture that affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Indenture or otherwise.

Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section 8.1 may be executed by the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee without the consent of the Holders of any of the Notes at the time outstanding, notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 8.2.

Section 8.2 With Consent of Holders.

With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding, the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee may, from time to time and at any time, enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of modifying or amending provisions of the Indenture or any supplemental indenture or modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Notes; provided that no such modification or amendment may, without the consent of the Holder of each Note so affected:

(a) reduce the principal amount of the Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

(b) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including Defaulted Interest) on the Notes;

(c) reduce the principal of or premium, if any, on or change the Stated Maturity of the Notes;

(d) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the Notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

 

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(e) make the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the Notes payable in any currency other than that stated in the Notes;

(f) make any change in Section 6.8 of the Base Indenture, 6.13 of the Base Indenture or Section 8.2(f) of this First Supplemental Indenture (this sentence);

(g) waive a redemption payment with respect to the Notes; or

(h) release the Guarantor other than as provided in the Indenture or modify the Guarantee in any manner adverse to the Holders.

Upon the written request of the Company, accompanied by a copy of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the sole member of the sole General Partner and the Board of Directors of the Guarantor, in each case, certified by the corresponding Secretary or Assistant Secretary, authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of Holders as aforesaid, the Trustee shall join with the Company and the Guarantor in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture. In executing or accepting the additional trusts created by any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modification thereby of the trusts created by the Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel or an Officer’s Certificate or both stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by the Indenture, that all conditions precedent to the execution of such supplemental indenture have been complied with, and that the supplemental indenture is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company and the Guarantor as applicable, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section 8.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent shall approve the substance thereof.

ARTICLE IX.

MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF NOTES

Section 9.1 Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called.

A meeting of Holders may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article IX to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other act provided by the Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders.

 

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Section 9.2 Call, Notice and Place of Meetings.

(a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders for any purpose specified in Section 9.1, to be held at such time and at such place in The City of New York, New York as the Trustee shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 10.2 of the Base Indenture, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) In case at any time the Company, the Guarantor or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders for any purpose specified in Section 9.1, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company, the Guarantor, if applicable, or the Holders in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the City of New York, New York, for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (a) of this Section 9.2.

Section 9.3 Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings.

To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders, a person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more outstanding Notes, or (b) a person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more outstanding Notes by such Holder or Holders; provided, that none of the Company, any other obligor upon the Notes or any Affiliate of the Company shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders or be counted for purposes of determining a quorum at any such meeting in respect of any Notes owned by such persons. The only persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders shall be the persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel, any representatives of the Guarantor and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

Section 9.4 Quorum; Action.

The persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of Holders; provided, however, that if any action is to be taken at the meeting with respect to a consent or waiver which may be given by the Holders of not less than a specified percentage in principal amount of the outstanding Notes, the persons holding or representing the specified percentage in principal amount of the outstanding Notes will constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any such adjourned meeting, such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such adjourned meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 9.2, except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the outstanding Notes which shall constitute a quorum.

 

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Except as limited by the proviso to Section 8.2, any resolution presented at a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid will be permitted to be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes; provided, however, that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 8.2, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which the Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the outstanding Notes. Any such resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders duly held in accordance with this Section 9.4 shall be binding on all the Holders, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

Section 9.5 Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders in regard to proof of the holding of Notes and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate.

(b) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders as provided in Section 9.2(b), in which case the Company, the Guarantor or the Holders calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes of such series represented at the meeting.

(c) At any meeting, each Holder or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes held or represented by him; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Note challenged as not outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder or proxy.

(d) Any meeting of Holders duly called pursuant to Section 9.2 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

 

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Section 9.6 Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings.

The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the outstanding Notes held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports in triplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record, at least in triplicate, of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 9.2 and, if applicable, Section 9.4. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company and the Guarantor, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

ARTICLE X.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Section 10.1 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent, Certificates to Trustee.

This Section 10.1 shall replace Sections 10.4 and 10.5 of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes only.

Upon any application or demand by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of the Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate in a form reasonably acceptable to the Trustee stating that all covenants and conditions precedent, if any, provided for in the Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with, and an Opinion of Counsel in a form reasonably acceptable to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such covenants and conditions precedent have been complied with. The Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel provided for in the Indenture and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in the Indenture shall include: (1) a statement that the person making such Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel has read such covenant or condition; (2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel are based; (3) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, such person has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable such person 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 or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with; provided, however, that with respect to matters of fact an Opinion of Counsel may rely on an Officer’s Certificate or certificates of public officials.

 

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Section 10.2 No Recourse Against Others.

This Section 10.2 shall replace Section 10.8 of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes only.

Except as otherwise expressly provided in Article V of this First Supplemental Indenture, no recourse for the payment of the principal of (including the Redemption Price upon redemption pursuant to Article IV) or premium, if any, or interest on any Note or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company in this First Supplemental Indenture or in any Note, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, partner, member, manager, employee, agent, officer, director or subsidiary, as such, past, present or future, of the Guarantor, the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or of any successor thereto, either directly or through the Guarantor, the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or any successor thereto, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this First Supplemental Indenture and the issue of the Notes.

Section 10.3 Trust Indenture Act Controls.

If any provision of this First Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this First Supplemental Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.

Section 10.4 Governing Law.

THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE NOTE GUARANTEE, INCLUDING ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE BASE INDENTURE, FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE GUARANTEE, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Section 10.5 Counterparts.

This First Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this First Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original First Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

Section 10.6 Successors.

All agreements of the Company and the Guarantor in this First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall bind their respective successors.

 

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All agreements of the Trustee in this First Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successor.

Section 10.7 Severability.

In case any provision in this First Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 10.8 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

The Table of Contents and headings of the Articles and Sections of this First Supplemental Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

Section 10.9 Ratifications.

The Base Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this First Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed. The Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument. All provisions included in this First Supplemental Indenture with respect to the Notes supersede any conflicting provisions included in the Base Indenture unless not permitted by law. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Indenture.

Section 10.10 Effectiveness.

The provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the date hereof.

Section 10.11 The Trustee.

The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Indenture. The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this First Supplemental Indenture or the due execution thereof by the Company. The recitals contained herein shall be taken as the statements solely of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness thereof. If and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company (or any other obligor upon the Notes), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA Section 311(b), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the TIA regarding the collection of the claims against the Company (or any such other obligor). If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of the TIA, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the TIA and the Indenture.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this First Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed by their respective officers hereunto duly authorized, all as of the day and year first written above.

 

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES, L.P., as the Company
By:   Essential Properties OP G.P., LLC
  Its Sole General Partner
By:  

/s/ Mark E. Patten

  Name:   Mark E. Patten
  Title:   Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES REALTY TRUST, INC., as the Guarantor
By:  

/s/ Mark E. Patten

  Name:   Mark E. Patten
  Title:   Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as the Trustee
By:  

/s/ Sheryl Lear

  Name:   Sheryl Lear
  Title:   Vice President

 

 

[Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture]


EXHIBIT A

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES, L.P.

THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (1) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.2 OF THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, (2) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.2(a) OF THE FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, (3) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.12 OF THE BASE INDENTURE AND (4) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES, L.P., AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY GLOBAL NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES, L.P.

2.950% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2031

Certificate No. [                ]

CUSIP No.: [                ]

ISIN: [                ]

$[                ]

Essential Properties, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof), for value received hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or its registered assigns, the principal

 

Exhibit A-1


sum of [    ] MILLION DOLLARS ($[                ])[, or such lesser amount as is set forth in the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note on the other side of this Note,] on July 15, 2031 at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, and to pay interest semiannually in arrears on January 15 and July 15 of each year, commencing on January 15, 2022 to the Holder in whose name the Note is registered in the security register on the preceding January 1 or July 1, whether or not a Business Day, as the case may be, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture. Interest on the Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. The Company shall pay interest on any Notes in certificated form by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as it appears in the security register; provided, however, that a Holder of any Notes in certificated form in the aggregate principal amount of more than $2,000,000 may specify by written notice to the Company (with a copy to the Trustee) that it pay interest by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account specified by the Holder in such notice, or on any Global Notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Depositary or its nominee. This Note shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been signed manually or by facsimile by the Trustee or a duly authorized authenticating agent under the Indenture.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be duly executed.

Dated: June 28, 2021

 

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES, L.P.
By:   Essential Properties OP G.P., LLC
  Its Sole General Partner
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

Exhibit A-2


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Notes described in the within-named Indenture. : [                ], 20[    ]

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
By:  

 

  Authorized Signatory

 

Exhibit A-3


[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES, L.P.

2.950% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2031

This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company, designated as its 2.950% Senior Notes due 2031 (herein called the “Notes”), issued under and pursuant to an Indenture dated as of June 28, 2021 (herein called the “Base Indenture”), among the Company, the Guarantor and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 28, 2021 (herein called the “First Supplemental Indenture,” and together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantor and the Holders of the Notes. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Note shall have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture.

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Sections 7.1(f), 7.1(g) and 7.1(h) of the First Supplemental Indenture) occurs and is continuing, the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on all Notes may be declared to be due and payable by either the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, and, upon said declaration the same shall be immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Sections 7.1(f), 7.1(g) and 7.1(h) of the First Supplemental Indenture occurs, the principal of and premium, if any, and interest accrued and unpaid on all the Notes shall be immediately and automatically due and payable without necessity of further action.

The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee, with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding, to execute supplemental indentures adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Notes, subject to exceptions set forth in Section 8.2 of the First Supplemental Indenture. Subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time outstanding may, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes, waive any past default or Event of Default, subject to exceptions set forth in the Indenture.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the Indenture shall impair, as among the Company and the Holder of the Notes, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Note at the place, at the respective times, at the rate and in the coin or currency prescribed herein and in the Indenture.

Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

 

Exhibit A-4


The Notes are issuable in fully registered form, without coupons, in minimum denominations of $2,000 principal amount and any multiple of $1,000. At the office or agency of the Company referred to on the face hereof, and in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture, without payment of any service charge but with payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration or exchange of Notes, Notes may be exchanged for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of any other authorized denominations.

The Company shall have the right to redeem the Notes under certain circumstances as set forth in Section 4.1, Section 4.2 and Section 4.3 of the First Supplemental Indenture.

The Notes are not subject to redemption through the operation of any sinking fund.

The obligations of the Guarantor to the Holders of the Notes and to the Trustee pursuant to the Note Guarantee and the Indenture are expressly set forth in Article V of the First Supplemental Indenture and reference is hereby made to such Indenture for the precise terms of the Note Guarantee.

Except as expressly provided in Article V of the First Supplemental Indenture, no recourse for the payment of the principal of (including the Redemption Price (as defined in Section 4.1 of the First Supplemental Indenture) upon redemption pursuant to Article IV of the First Supplemental Indenture) or any premium, if any, or interest on this Note, or for any claim based hereon or otherwise in respect hereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company in the Indenture or in any Note, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, partner, member, manager, employee, agent, officer, director or subsidiary, as such, past, present or future, of the Guarantor, the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or of any successor thereto, either directly or through the Guarantor, the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or of any successor thereto, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as consideration for, the execution of the Indenture and the issue of this Note.

 

Exhibit A-5


ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

(I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to:                                                                                                                                                                                   

(Insert assignee’s legal name)

 

 

(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

and irrevocably appoint                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another to act for him.

 

Date:  

 

     
     Your Signature:   

 

    

(Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of

this Note)

Signature Guarantee*:  

 

     

 

* 

Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

 

Exhibit A-6


SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE *

The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global Note or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have been made:

 

Date of Exchange

 

Amount of

decrease in

principal amount

at maturity of

this Global Note

 

Amount of

increase in

principal amount

at maturity of

this Global Note

 

Principal amount at

maturity of

this Global Note

following such

decrease (or

increase)

 

Signature of

authorized

officer of

Trustee or

Custodian

 

 

* 

This Schedule should be included only if the Note is issued in global form.

 

Exhibit A-7

Exhibit 5.1

 

LOGO

June 28, 2021

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

902 Carnegie Center Boulevard, Suite 520

Princeton, NJ 08540

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR (Registration No. 333-257202 and 333-257202-1)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have served as Maryland counsel to Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with certain matters of Maryland law arising out of the registration by Essential Properties, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”), and the Company of (a) $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Operating Partnership’s 2.950% Senior Notes due 2031 (the “Notes”) and (b) the guarantee by the Company of the obligations of the Operating Partnership under the Notes (the “Guarantee”), covered by the above-referenced Registration Statement, and all amendments thereto (the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). This firm did not participate in the negotiation or drafting of the Indenture (as defined herein).

In connection with our representation of the Company, and as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Documents”):

1. The Registration Statement;

2. The Prospectus, dated June 21, 2021, as supplemented by a Prospectus Supplement, dated June 22, 2021, filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated under the 1933 Act;

3. The charter of the Company, certified by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “SDAT”);

4. The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;

5. A certificate of the SDAT as to the good standing of the Company, dated as of a recent date;

 


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Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

June 28, 2021

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6. Resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company, and a duly authorized committee thereof, relating to, among other matters, (a) the issuance of the Guarantee and (b) the authorization of the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Indenture, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;

7. The Indenture, dated as of June 28, 2021 (the “Base Indenture”), as amended by a First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of the date hereof (together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), by and among the Operating Partnership, the Company and U.S. Bank National Association as trustee;

8. A certificate executed by an officer of the Company, dated as of the date hereof; and

9. Such other documents and matters as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to express the opinion set forth below, subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein.

In expressing the opinion set forth below, we have assumed the following:

1. Each individual executing any of the Documents, whether on behalf of such individual or another person, is legally competent to do so.

2. Each individual executing any of the Documents on behalf of a party (other than the Company) is duly authorized to do so.

3. Each of the parties (other than the Company) executing any of the Documents has duly and validly executed and delivered each of the Documents to which such party is a signatory, and each such party’s obligations set forth therein are legal, valid and binding and are enforceable in accordance with all stated terms.

4. All Documents submitted to us as originals are authentic. The form and content of all Documents submitted to us as unexecuted drafts do not differ in any respect relevant to this opinion from the form and content of such Documents as executed and delivered. All Documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies conform to the original documents. All signatures on all Documents are genuine. All public records reviewed or relied upon by us or on our behalf are true and complete. All representations, warranties, statements and information contained in the Documents are true and complete. There has been no oral or written modification of or amendment to any of the Documents, and there has been no waiver of any provision of any of the Documents, by action or omission of the parties or otherwise. Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein, it is our opinion that:


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Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

June 28, 2021

Page 3

 

1. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Maryland and is in good standing with the SDAT.

2. The Company has the corporate power to execute and deliver the Indenture, to perform its obligations under the Indenture and to issue the Guarantee.

3. The execution and delivery by the Company of the Indenture, the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Indenture and the issuance by the Company of the Guarantee have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company.

4. The Indenture has been duly executed and, to the extent governed by Maryland law, delivered by the Company.

The foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Maryland and we do not express any opinion herein concerning federal law or the laws of any other state. We express no opinion as to compliance with any federal or state securities laws, including the securities laws of the State of Maryland, or as to federal or state laws regarding fraudulent transfers or the laws, codes or regulations of any municipality or other local jurisdiction. To the extent that any matter as to which our opinion is expressed herein would be governed by the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Maryland, we do not express any opinion on such matter. The opinion expressed herein is subject to the effect of judicial decisions which may permit the introduction of parol evidence to modify the terms or the interpretation of agreements.

The opinion expressed herein is limited to the matters specifically set forth herein and no other opinion shall be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion if any applicable law changes after the date hereof or if we become aware of any fact that might change the opinion expressed herein after the date hereof.

This opinion is being furnished to you for submission to the Commission as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K relating to the offering and sale of the Notes and the Guarantee (the “Current Report”). Sidley Austin LLP, counsel to the Company and the Operating Partnership, may rely on this opinion in connection with any opinions to be delivered by it in connection with the Notes and the Guarantee. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Current Report and the said incorporation by reference and to the use of the name of our firm therein. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the 1933 Act.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Venable LLP

 

Exhibit 5.2

 

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SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP

787 SEVENTH AVENUE

NEW YORK, NY 10019

+1 212 839 5300

+1 212 839 5599 FAX

 

AMERICA • ASIA PACIFIC • EUROPE

  

June 28, 2021

Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

Essential Properties, L.P.

902 Carnegie Center Blvd., Suite 520

Princeton, New Jersey 08540

 

  Re:

Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We refer to the Registration Statement on Form S-3, File Nos. 333-257202 and 333-257202-01 (the “Registration Statement”), filed by Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and Essential Properties, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership and the Company’s principal operating subsidiary (the “Operating Partnership”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which Registration Statement became effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act. Pursuant to the Registration Statement, the Operating Partnership is issuing $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Operating Partnership’s 2.950% Senior Notes due 2031 (the “Notes”). The Notes are being issued under an Indenture dated as of June 28, 2021 (the “Base Indenture”), as amended and supplemented by a First Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 28, 2021 (the “Supplemental Indenture;” the Base Indenture, as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, is hereinafter called the “Indenture”), each between the Operating Partnership, the Company, as guarantor, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The obligations of the Operating Partnership under the Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Company (the “Guarantee”, and together with the Notes, the “Securities”). The Securities are to be sold pursuant to an underwriting agreement dated June 22, 2021 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) among the Operating Partnership, the Company and the Underwriters named therein.

This opinion letter is being delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

We have examined the Registration Statement, the Indenture, the Underwriting Agreement, the Securities in global form and the resolutions adopted by the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”), by the pricing committee of the Board established by the Board and by the Company as the sole member of the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership relating to the Registration Statement, the Indenture, the Underwriting Agreement and the issuance of the Securities. We have also examined originals, or copies of originals certified to

 


Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

Essential Properties, L.P.

June 28, 2021

Page 2

 

our satisfaction, of such agreements, documents, certificates and statements of the Company and other corporate documents and instruments, and have examined such questions of law, as we have considered relevant and necessary as a basis for this opinion letter. We have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all persons and the conformity with the original documents of any copies thereof submitted to us for examination. As to facts relevant to the opinions expressed herein, we have relied without independent investigation or verification upon, and assumed the accuracy and completeness of, certificates, letters and oral and written statements and representations of public officials and officers and other representatives of the Company and the Operating Partnership.

Based on and subject to the foregoing and the other limitations, qualifications and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

1. The Notes, when duly executed by the Operating Partnership and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee pursuant to the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture against payment of the requisite consideration therefor, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Operating Partnership.

2. Assuming the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company in accordance with applicable law, the Guarantee, when the Notes have been duly executed by the Operating Partnership and duly authenticated by the Trustee as provided in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the requisite consideration therefor as provided in the Underwriting Agreement, will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Company.

Our opinion is subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equitable principles (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), including concepts of commercial reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief. Our opinion is also subject to (i) provisions of law which may require that a judgment for money damages rendered by a court in the United States of America be expressed only in United States dollars, (ii) requirements that a claim with respect to any debt securities or other obligations that are denominated or payable other than in United States dollars (or a judgment denominated or payable other than in United States dollars in respect of such claim) be converted into United States dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law and (iii) governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside of the United States of America or in a foreign currency.

This opinion letter is limited to the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act and the laws of the State of New York (excluding the securities laws, the blue sky laws, the real estate syndication laws or the municipal laws or the laws, rules or regulations of any local agencies or governmental authorities of or within the State of New York). Various issues pertaining to Maryland law are addressed in the opinion of Venable LLP, which has been separately provided to you. We express no opinion with respect to those matters herein, and to the extent elements of those opinions are necessary to the conclusions expressed herein, we have, with your consent, assumed such matters. We express no opinion as to the laws, rules or regulations of any other jurisdiction, including, without limitation, the federal laws of the United States of America or any state securities or blue sky laws.


Essential Properties Realty Trust, Inc.

Essential Properties, L.P.

June 28, 2021

Page 3

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated June 28, 2021 and the incorporation by reference of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to all references to our Firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus constituting part of the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

 

Very truly yours,
/s/ Sidley Austin LLP