Exhibit 4.3
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
Dated March 3, 1998
between
ITC/\DELTACOM, INC.
and
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. INCORPORATED
SALOMON BROTHERS INC
NATIONSBANC ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES LLC
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made and entered
into March 3, 1998, between ITC/\DeltaCom, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. INCORPORATED, SALOMON BROTHERS INC AND
NATIONSBANC ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES LLC (the "Placement Agents").
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Placement Agreement dated February
26, 1998 between the Company and the Placement Agents (the "Placement
Agreement"), which provides for the sale by the Company to the Placement Agents
of an aggregate of $160,000,000 principal amount of the Company's 8_% Senior
Notes due 2008 (the "Securities"). In order to induce the Placement Agents to
enter into the Placement Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide to the
Placement Agents and their direct and indirect transferees the registration
rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution of this Agreement is a
condition to the closing under the Placement Agreement.
In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized defined terms shall
have the following meanings:
"1933 Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to
time.
"1934 Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from
time to time.
"Closing Date" shall mean the Closing Date as defined in the Placement
Agreement.
"Company" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to this
Agreement and shall also include the Company's successors.
"Counsel for the Holders" shall mean, with respect to any Registration
Statement, one counsel selected by the Holders of a majority in principal amount
of Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement.
"Exchange Offer" shall mean the exchange offer by the Company of Exchange
Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.
"Exchange Offer Registration" shall mean a registration under the 1933 Act
effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.
"Exchange Offer Registration Statement" shall mean an exchange offer
registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another appropriate
form) and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, in each
case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all
material incorporated by reference therein.
"Exchange Securities" shall mean securities issued by the Company under the
Indenture containing terms identical to the Securities (except that the Exchange
Securities will not contain restrictions on transfer) and to be offered to
Holders of Securities in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
"Holder" shall mean the Placement Agents, for so long as they own any
Registrable Securities, and each of their successors, assigns and direct and
indirect transferees who become registered owners of Registrable Securities
under the Indenture; provided that for purposes of Sections 4 and 5 hereof, the
term "Holder" shall include Participating Broker-Dealers (as defined in Section
4(a)).
"Indenture" shall mean the Indenture relating to the Securities dated as of
the Closing Date between the Company and United States Trust Company of New
York, trustee, and as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance
with the terms thereof.
"Majority Holders" shall mean the Holders of a majority of the aggregate
principal amount of outstanding Registrable Securities; provided that whenever
the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable
Securities is required hereunder, Registrable Securities held by the Company or
any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇)
(other than the Placement Agents or subsequent holders of Registrable Securities
if such subsequent holders are deemed to be such affiliates solely by reason of
their holding of such Registrable Securities) shall not be counted in
determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such
required percentage or amount.
"Person" shall mean an individual, partnership, corporation, trust or
unincorporated organization or other entity, or a government or agency or
political subdivision thereof.
2
"Placement Agents" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to this
Agreement.
"Placement Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble to
this Agreement.
"Prospectus" shall mean the prospectus included in a Registration
Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such prospectus as
amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a prospectus
supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the
Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all
other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including
all material incorporated by reference therein.
"Registrable Securities" shall mean the Securities; provided, however, that
the Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (i) when a Registration
Statement with respect to such Securities shall have been declared effective
under the 1933 Act and such Securities shall have been disposed of pursuant to
such Registration Statement, (ii) when such Securities have been sold to the
public pursuant to Rule 144 (or any provision similar to Rule 144 then in force,
but not Rule 144A) under the 1933 Act or (iii) when such Securities shall have
ceased to be outstanding.
"Registration Expenses" shall mean any and all expenses incident to
performance of or compliance by the Company with this Agreement, including
without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. registration and filing fees, (ii) all fees and
expenses incurred in connection with compliance with state securities or blue
sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for any
underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any of the
Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities), (iii) all expenses of any
Persons in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and
distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any amendments or
supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements
and other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this
Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees, (v) all fees and disbursements relating
to the qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi) the
fees and disbursements of the Trustee and its counsel, (vii) the fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Company and, in the case of a Shelf
Registration Statement, the fees and disbursements of one counsel for the
Holders (which counsel shall be selected by the Majority Holders and which
counsel may also be counsel for the Placement Agents) and (viii) the fees and
disbursements of the independent public accountants of the Company, including
the expenses of any special audits or "cold comfort" letters required by or
incident to such
3
performance and compliance, but excluding fees and expenses of
counsel to the underwriters (other than fees and expenses set forth in clause
(ii) above) or the Holders and underwriting discounts and commissions and
transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable
Securities by a Holder.
"Registration Statement" shall mean any registration statement of the
Company that covers any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities
pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and all amendments and supplements
to any such Registration Statement, including post-effective amendments, in each
case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto and all
material incorporated by reference therein.
"SEC" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Shelf Registration" shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section
2(b) hereof.
"Shelf Registration Statement" shall mean a "shelf" registration statement
of the Company pursuant to the provisions of Section 2(b) of this Agreement
which covers all of the Registrable Securities (but no other securities unless
approved by the Holders whose Registrable Securities are covered by such Shelf
Registration Statement) on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the 1933
Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments and
supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments,
in each case including the Prospectus contained therein, all exhibits thereto
and all material incorporated by reference therein.
"Trustee" shall mean the trustee with respect to the Securities under the
Indenture.
"Underwritten Offering" shall mean a registration in which Registrable
Securities are sold to an Underwriter (as hereinafter defined) for reoffering to
the public.
2. Registration Under the 1933 Act.
(a) To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or applicable
interpretation of the Staff of the SEC, the Company shall use its best efforts
to cause to be filed, no later than 60 days after the Closing Date, an Exchange
Offer Registration Statement covering the offer by the Company to the Holders to
exchange all of the Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities and to have
such Registration Statement remain effective until the
4
closing of the Exchange Offer. The Company shall commence the Exchange Offer
promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement has been declared
effective by the SEC and use its best efforts to have the Exchange Offer
consummated not later than 60 days after such effective date. The Company shall
commence the Exchange Offer by mailing the Prospectus related to the Exchange
Offer and accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such
other disclosures as are required by applicable law:
(i) that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this
Registration Rights Agreement and that all Registrable Securities validly
tendered will be accepted for exchange;
(ii) the dates of acceptance for exchange (which shall be a period of
at least 20 business days from the date such notice is mailed) (the
"Exchange Dates");
(iii) that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain
outstanding and continue to accrue interest in accordance with its terms,
but will not retain any rights under this Registration Rights Agreement;
(iv) that Holders electing to have a Registrable Security exchanged
pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to surrender such
Registrable Security, together with the enclosed letters of transmittal, to
the institution and at the address (located in the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York) specified in the notice prior to the close of
business on the last Exchange Date; and
(v) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election, not
later than the close of business on the last Exchange Date, by sending to
the institution and at the address (located in the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York) specified in the notice a telegram, telex, facsimile
transmission or letter setting forth the name of such Holder, the principal
amount of Registrable Securities delivered for exchange and a statement
that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Securities
exchanged.
As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date, the Company shall:
(i) accept for exchange Registrable Securities or portions thereof
tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer; and
(ii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for
cancellation all Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted for
exchange by the Company and issue, and cause the Trustee to promptly
authenticate and mail to each Holder, an
5
Exchange Security equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the
Registrable Securities surrendered by such Holder.
The Company shall use its best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer as
provided above and shall comply with the applicable requirements of the 1933
Act, the 1934 Act and other applicable laws and regulations in connection with
the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions,
other than that the Exchange Offer does not violate applicable law or any
applicable interpretation of the Staff of the SEC. The Company shall inform the
Placement Agents of the names and addresses of the Holders to whom the Exchange
Offer is made, and the Placement Agents shall have the right, subject to
applicable law, to contact such Holders and otherwise facilitate the tender of
Registrable Securities in the Exchange Offer.
(b) In the event that (i) the Company determines that the Exchange Offer
Registration provided for in Section 2(a) above is not available or may not be
consummated as soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date because it would
violate applicable law or the applicable interpretations of the Staff of the
SEC, (ii) the Exchange Offer is not for any other reason consummated by
September 3, 1998 or (iii) the Exchange Offer has been completed and in the
opinion of counsel for the Placement Agents a Registration Statement must be
filed and a Prospectus must be delivered by the Placement Agents in connection
with any offering or sale by them of Registrable Securities which they acquired
from the Company, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause to be filed as
soon as practicable after such determination, date or notice of such opinion of
counsel is given to the Company, as the case may be, a Shelf Registration
Statement providing for the sale by the Holders of all of the Registrable
Securities and to have such Shelf Registration Statement declared effective by
the SEC. In the event the Company is required to file a Shelf Registration
Statement solely as a result of the matters referred to in clause (iii) of the
preceding sentence, the Company shall file and use its best efforts have
declared effective by the SEC both an Exchange Offer Registration Statement
pursuant to Section 2(a) with respect to all Registrable Securities and a Shelf
Registration Statement (which may be a combined Registration Statement with the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement) with respect to offers and sales of
Registrable Securities held by the Placement Agents after completion of the
Exchange Offer. The Company agrees to use its best efforts to keep the Shelf
Registration Statement continuously effective until expiration of the period
referred to in Rule 144(k) under the 1933 Act with respect to all Registrable
Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement or such shorter period
that will terminate when all of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf
Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration
Statement. The Company further agrees to supplement or amend the Shelf
Registration Statement if required by the rules, regulations or instructions
applicable to the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf
Registration Statement or by the 1933 Act or by any other rules and regulations
thereunder for shelf registration or if reasonably requested by a Holder with
respect to information relating to
6
such Holder, and to use its best efforts to cause any such amendment to become
effective and such Shelf Registration Statement to become usable as soon as
thereafter practicable. The Company agrees to furnish to the Holders of
Registrable Securities copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after
its being used or filed with the SEC.
(c) The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with the
registration pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(b). Each Holder shall pay all
underwriting discounts and commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to
the sale or disposition of such Holder's Registrable Securities pursuant to the
Shelf Registration Statement.
(d) An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a)
hereof or a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof will
not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by
the SEC; provided, however, that, if, after it has been declared effective, the
offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement is
interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of
the SEC or any other governmental agency or court, such Registration Statement
will be deemed not to have become effective during the period of such
interference until the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to such
Registration Statement may legally resume. As provided for in the Indenture, in
the event that the Exchange Offer is not consummated and, if a Shelf
Registration Statement is required hereby, the Shelf Registration Statement is
not declared effective on or prior to September 3, 1998, the interest rate on
the Securities (and the Exchange Securities) will increase by .5% per annum
until the date the Exchange Offer is consummated or a Shelf Registration
Statement is declared effective.
(e) Without limiting the remedies available to the Placement Agents and the
Holders, the Company acknowledges that any failure by the Company to comply with
its obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof may result in
material irreparable injury to the Placement Agents or the Holders for which
there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to measure
damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure,
the Placement Agents or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to
specifically enforce the Company's obligations under Section 2(a) and Section
2(b) hereof.
3. Registration Procedures.
In connection with the obligations of the Company with respect to the
Registration Statements pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof, the
Company shall as expeditiously as possible:
(a) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on the
appropriate form under the 1933 Act, which form (x) shall be selected by the
Company
7
and (y) shall, in the case of a Shelf Registration, be available for the
sale of the Registrable Securities by the selling Holders thereof and (z) shall
comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the
applicable form and include all financial statements required by the SEC to be
filed therewith, and use its best efforts to cause such Registration Statement
to become effective and remain effective in accordance with Section 2 hereof;
(b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective
amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such
Registration Statement effective for the applicable period and cause each
Prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement and, as so
supplemented, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act; and keep each
Prospectus current during the period described under Section 4(3) and Rule 174
under the 1933 Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with
respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities;
(c) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of
Registrable Securities, to counsel for the Placement Agents, to counsel for the
Holders and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable
Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, including
each preliminary Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto and such
other documents as such Holder or Underwriter may reasonably request, in order
to facilitate the public sale or other disposition of the Registrable
Securities; and (subject to the penultimate paragraph of this Section 3) the
Company consents to the use of such Prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the selling Holders of
Registrable Securities and any such Underwriters in connection with the offering
and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in
such Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with
applicable law;
(d) use its best efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities
under all applicable state securities or "blue sky" laws of such jurisdictions
as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement
shall reasonably request in writing by the time the applicable Registration
Statement is declared effective by the SEC, to cooperate with such Holder in
connection with any filings required to be made with the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. and do any and all other acts and things which may be
reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such Holder to consummate the
disposition in each such jurisdiction of such Registrable Securities owned by
such Holder; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to (i)
qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any
jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this
Section 3(d), (ii) file any
8
general consent to service of process or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any
such jurisdiction if it is not so subject;
(e) in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Holder of Registrable
Securities, counsel for the Holders and counsel for the Placement Agents
promptly and, if requested by any such Holder or counsel, confirm such advice in
writing (i) when a Registration Statement has become effective and when any
post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes effective, (ii) of
any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and
supplements to a Registration Statement and Prospectus or for additional
information after the Registration Statement has become effective, (iii) of the
issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of
any proceedings for that purpose, (iv) if, between the effective date of a
Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities
covered thereby, the representations and warranties of the Company contained in
any underwriting agreement, securities sales agreement or other similar
agreement, if any, relating to the offering cease to be true and correct in all
material respects or if the Company receives any notification with respect to
the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in
any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (v) of
the happening of any event during the period a Shelf Registration Statement is
effective which makes any statement made in such Registration Statement or the
related Prospectus untrue in any material respect or which requires the making
of any changes in such Registration Statement or Prospectus in order to make the
statements therein not misleading in any material respect and (vi) of any
determination by the Company that a post-effective amendment to a Registration
Statement would be appropriate;
(f) make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal of any order
suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement at the earliest
possible moment and provide prompt notice to each Holder of the withdrawal of
any such order;
(g) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of
Registrable Securities, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each
Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto (without
documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless
requested);
(h) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the selling Holders
of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of
certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not bearing any
restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities to be in such
denominations (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) and registered
in such names as the selling Holders may
9
reasonably request at least one business day prior to the closing of any sale of
Registrable Securities;
(i) in the case of a Shelf Registration, upon the occurrence of any event
contemplated by Section 3(e)(v) hereof, use its best efforts to prepare and file
with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration
Statement or the related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by
reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered
to the purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading. The Company agrees to notify the
Holders to suspend use of the Prospectus as promptly as practicable after the
occurrence of such an event, and the Holders hereby agree to suspend use of the
Prospectus until the Company has amended or supplemented the Prospectus to
correct such misstatement or omission;
(j) a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration Statement,
any Prospectus, any amendment to a Registration Statement or amendment or
supplement to a Prospectus or any document which is to be incorporated by
reference into a Registration Statement or a Prospectus after initial filing of
a Registration Statement, provide copies of such document to the Placement
Agents and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement,
the Counsel for the Holders) and make such of the representatives of the Company
as shall be reasonably requested by the Placement Agents or their counsel (and,
in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, Counsel for the Holders)
available for discussion of such document, and shall not at any time file or
make any amendment to the Registration Statement, any Prospectus or any
amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement or a Prospectus or any
document which is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement
or a Prospectus, of which the Placement Agents and their counsel (and, in the
case of a Shelf Registration Statement, Counsel for the Holders) shall not have
previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the Placement Agents or
their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, Counsel for
the Holders) shall reasonably object;
(k) obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or Registrable
Securities, as the case may be, not later than the effective date of a
Registration Statement;
(l) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of
1939, as amended (the "TIA"), in connection with the registration of the
Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, cooperate
with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may
be required for the
10
Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the TIA and
execute, and use its best efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents
as may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents
required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in
a timely manner;
(m) in the case of a Shelf Registration, upon the execution of customary
confidentiality agreements reasonably satisfactory to the Company, make
available for inspection by a representative of the Holders of the Registrable
Securities, any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such
Shelf Registration Statement, and attorneys and accountants designated by the
Holders, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, all financial and other
records, pertinent documents and properties of the Company, and cause the
respective officers, directors and employees of the Company to supply all
information reasonably requested by and customarily given by an issuer to any
such representative, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a
Shelf Registration Statement;
(n) in the case of a Shelf Registration, use its best efforts to cause all
Registrable Securities to be listed on any securities exchange or any automated
quotation system on which similar securities issued by the Company are then
listed if requested by the Majority Holders, to the extent such Registrable
Securities satisfy applicable listing requirements;
(o) use its best efforts to cause the Exchange Securities or Registrable
Securities, as the case may be, to be rated by two nationally recognized
statistical rating organizations (as such term is defined in Rule 436(g)(2)
under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇);
(p) if reasonably requested by any Holder of Registrable Securities covered
by a Shelf Registration Statement, (i) promptly incorporate in a Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment such information with respect to such
Holder as such Holder reasonably requests to be included therein and (ii) make
all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective
amendment as soon as the Company has received notification of the matters to be
incorporated in such filing; and
(q) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such customary
agreements and take all such other actions in connection therewith (including
those requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Registrable Securities being sold) in order to expedite or facilitate the
disposition of such Registrable Securities, including but not limited to an
Underwritten Offering, and in such connection, (i) to the extent possible, make
such representations and warranties to the Holders and any Underwriters of such
Registrable Securities with respect to the business of the Company and its
subsidiaries, the Registration Statement, Prospectus and documents
11
incorporated by reference therein or deemed incorporated by reference therein,
if any, in each case, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by
issuers to underwriters in underwritten offerings and confirm the same if and
when requested, (ii) use its best efforts to obtain opinions of counsel to the
Company (which counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
Registrable Securities being sold and such Underwriters and their respective
counsel) addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of Registrable
Securities, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in
underwritten offerings, (iii) use its best efforts to obtain "cold comfort"
letters from the independent certified public accountants of the Company (and,
if necessary, any other certified public accountant of any subsidiary of the
Company, or of any business acquired by the Company for which financial
statements and financial data are or are required to be included in the
Registration Statement) addressed to each selling Holder and Underwriter of
Registrable Securities, such letters to be in customary form and covering
matters of the type customarily covered in "cold comfort" letters in connection
with underwritten offerings, and (iv) deliver such documents and certificates as
may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of
the Registrable Securities being sold or the Underwriters, and which are
customarily delivered in underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued
validity of the representations and warranties of the Company made pursuant to
clause (i) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions
contained in an underwriting agreement.
In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may require each
Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company such information
regarding the Holder and the proposed distribution by such Holder of such
Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request
in writing. No Holder of Registrable Securities may include its Registrable
Securities in such Shelf Registration Statement unless and until such Holder
furnishes such information to the Company. Each Holder including Registrable
Securities in a Shelf Registration shall agree promptly to furnish to the
Company any information regarding such Holder and the proposed distribution by
such Holder of such Registrable Securities required to make the information
previously furnished to the Company by such Holder not materially misleading.
In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder agrees that,
upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the
kind described in Section 3(e)(v) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue
disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement until
such Holder's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus
contemplated by Section 3(i) hereof, and, if so directed by the Company, such
Holder will deliver to the Company (at the Company's expense) all copies in such
Holder's possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder's
12
possession, of the Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at
the time of receipt of such notice. If the Company shall give any such notice to
suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration
Statement, the Company shall extend the period during which the Registration
Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number
of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such
notice to and including the date when the Holders shall have received copies of
the supplemented or amended Prospectus necessary to resume such disposition. The
Company may give any such notice so long as there are no more than 90 days in
any 365 day period in which such suspensions are in effect.
The Holders of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration
Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities in an
Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment banker
or investment bankers and manager or managers (the "Underwriters") that will
administer the offering will be selected by the Majority Holders of the
Registrable Securities included in such offering; provided that such investment
banker or investment bankers and manager or managers shall be reasonably
acceptable to the Company.
4. Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer.
(a) The Company understands that the Staff of the SEC has taken the
position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own
account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities that were acquired by
such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a
"Participating Broker-Dealer"), may be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the
meaning of the 1933 Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements
of the 1933 Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.
The Company understands that it is the Staff's position that if the
Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement includes a
plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and the means by
which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Securities, without
naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the amount of Exchange
Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by Participating
Broker-Dealers to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation under the 1933
Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their own accounts, so
long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the 1933 Act.
(b) In light of the above, notwithstanding the other provisions of this
Agreement, the Company agrees that the provisions of this Agreement as they
relate to a Shelf Registration shall also apply to an Exchange Offer
Registration to the extent, and with such reasonable modifications thereto as
may be, reasonably requested by the Placement Agents or
13
by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers, in each case as provided in clause
(ii) below, in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange
Securities by Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the
Staff recited in Section 4(a) above; provided that:
(i) the Company shall not be required to amend or supplement the
Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, as would
otherwise be contemplated by Section 3(i), for a period exceeding 180 days
after the last Exchange Date (as such period may be extended pursuant to
the penultimate paragraph of Section 3 of this Agreement) and Participating
Broker-Dealers shall not be authorized by the Company to deliver and shall
not deliver such Prospectus after such period in connection with the
resales contemplated by this Section 4; and
(ii) the application of the Shelf Registration procedures set forth in
Section 3 of this Agreement to an Exchange Offer Registration, to the
extent not required by the positions of the Staff of the SEC or the 1933
Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, will be in conformity with
the reasonable request to the Company by the Placement Agents or with the
reasonable request in writing to the Company by one or more broker-dealers
who certify to the Placement Agents and the Company in writing that they
anticipate that they will be Participating Broker-Dealers; and provided
further that, in connection with such application of the Shelf Registration
procedures set forth in Section 3 to an Exchange Offer Registration, the
Company shall be obligated (x) to deal only with one entity representing
the Participating Broker-Dealers, which shall be ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co.
Incorporated unless it elects not to act as such representative, (y) to pay
the fees and expenses of only one counsel representing the Participating
Broker-Dealers, which shall be counsel to the Placement Agents unless such
counsel elects not to so act, and (z) to cause to be delivered only one, if
any, "cold comfort" letter with respect to the Prospectus in the form
existing on the last Exchange Date and with respect to each subsequent
amendment or supplement, if any, effected during the period specified in
clause (i) above.
(c) The Placement Agents shall have no liability to the Company or any
Holder with respect to any request that it may make pursuant to Section 4(b)
above.
5. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Placement Agents,
each Holder and each Person, if any, who controls any Placement Agent or any
Holder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of
the 1934 Act, or is under common control with, or is controlled by, any
Placement Agent or any Holder, from and against all losses, claims, damages and
liabilities (including, without limitation, any
14
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any Placement Agent, any Holder
or any such controlling or affiliated Person in connection with defending or
investigating any such action or claim) caused by any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto) pursuant to which Exchange Securities or
Registrable Securities were registered under the 1933 Act, including all
documents incorporated therein by reference, or caused by any omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or caused by any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have furnished any
amendments or supplements thereto), or caused by any omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements
therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not
misleading, except (i) insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities
are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement
or omission based upon information relating to the Placement Agents or any
Holder furnished to the Company in writing by the Placement Agents or any
selling Holder expressly for use therein and (ii) in the case of a Shelf
Registration, that the Company shall not be liable to any indemnified party
under the provisions of this Section 5 with respect to any preliminary
Prospectus to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability results
from the fact that such indemnified party sold securities to a person to whom
there was not sent or given, at or prior to the written confirmation of such
sale, a final Prospectus (if the Company had previously furnished copies thereof
to the indemnified party), if the loss, claim, damage or liability of such
indemnified party results from an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
or an omission or alleged omission contained in the preliminary Prospectus that
was corrected in the final Prospectus. In connection with any Underwritten
Offering permitted by Section 3, the Company will also indemnify the
Underwriters, if any, selling brokers, dealers and similar securities industry
professionals participating in the distribution, their officers and directors
and each Person who controls such Persons (within the meaning of either Section
15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) to the same extent as provided
above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested in
connection with any Registration Statement.
(b) Each Holder (including a Placement Agent that is a Holder) agrees,
severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the
Placement Agents and the other selling Holders, and each of their respective
directors, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and
each Person, if any, who controls the Company, any of the Placement Agents and
any other selling Holder within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act
or Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from
the Company to the Placement Agents and the Holders, but only with reference to
information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company in writing by such
Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto) or any Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
15
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall
be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought
pursuant to either paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) above, such person (the
"indemnified party") shall promptly notify the person against whom such
indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in writing and the
indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel
reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified
party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and
shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.
In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its
own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense
of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified
party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the
named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include
both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both
parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential
differing interests between them. It is understood that the indemnifying party
shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same
jurisdiction, be liable for (a) the fees and expenses of more than one separate
firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Placement Agents and all
Persons, if any, who control any Placement Agent within the meaning of either
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, (▇) the fees and
expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for
the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement
and each Person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of either
such Section and (c) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in
addition to any local counsel) for all Holders and all Persons, if any, who
control any Holders within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such
fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. In such case
involving the Placement Agents and Persons who control any Placement Agent, such
firm shall be designated in writing by ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Co. Incorporated. In
such case involving the Holders and such Persons who control Holders, such firm
shall be designated in writing by the Majority Holders. In all other cases, such
firm shall be designated by the Company. The indemnifying party shall not be
liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent
but, if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the
plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from
and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party
shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party
for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third
sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be
liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent
if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by such
indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party
shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party for such fees and expenses of
counsel in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No
16
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect
of which such indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity
could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such
settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all
liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b)
of this Section 5 is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in
respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, then each indemnifying
party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party
thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified
party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying
party or parties on the one hand and of the indemnified party or parties on the
other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative fault of the Company and the Holders 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 the Company or by the Holders
and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Holders'
respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5(d) are several
in proportion to the respective number of Registrable Securities of such Holder
that were registered pursuant to a Registration Statement.
(e) The Company and each Holder agree that it would not be just or
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 were determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of
the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid
or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages
and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include,
subject to the limitations set forth above, 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
Section 5, no Holder shall be required to indemnify or contribute any amount in
excess of the amount by which the total price at which Registrable Securities
were sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder 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 ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The remedies provided for in this Section 5 are not exclusive
and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to
any indemnified party at law or in equity.
17
The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 5 shall
remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination
of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Placement
Agents, any Holder or any Person controlling any Placement Agent or any Holder,
or by or on behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any Person
controlling the Company, (iii) acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities and
(iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration
Statement.
6. Miscellaneous.
(a) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company has not entered into, and on or
after the date of this Agreement will not enter into, any agreement which is
inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in
this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights
granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not
inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the Company's other
issued and outstanding securities under any such agreements.
(b) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the
provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and
waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given
unless the Company has obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a
majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities
affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent;
provided, however, that no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or
consent to any departure from the provisions of Section 5 hereof shall be
effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in
writing by such Holder.
(c) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted
hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered first-class
mail, telex, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (i) if
to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company by
means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c),
which address initially is, with respect to the Placement Agents, the address
set forth in the Placement Agreement; and (ii) if to the Company, initially at
the Company's address set forth in the Placement Agreement and thereafter at
such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions
of this Section 6(c).
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five business
days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when
answered back, if telexed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and on
the next business day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing
overnight delivery.
18
Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be
concurrently delivered by the person giving the same to the Trustee, at the
address specified in the Indenture.
(d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the
parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express
assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to
permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities
in violation of the terms of the Placement Agreement. If any transferee of any
Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities, in any manner, whether by operation
of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all of
the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable
Securities such person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound
by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such
person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof. The Placement Agents
(in their capacity as Placement Agents) shall have no liability or obligation to
the Company with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply with, or any
breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder under this
Agreement.
(e) Purchases and Sales of Securities. The Company shall not, and shall use
its best efforts to cause its affiliates (as defined in Rule 405 under the ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇) not to, purchase and then resell or otherwise transfer any Securities.
(f) Third Party Beneficiary. Each Holder shall be a third party beneficiary
to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the
Placement Agents, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such
agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or
advisable to protect its rights or the rights of Holders hereunder.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(i) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
19
(j) Severability. In the event that any one or more of the provisions
contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held
invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of
any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions
contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
20
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date
first written above.
ITC/\DeltaCom, Inc.
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
-----------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. INCORPORATED
SALOMON BROTHERS INC
NATIONSBANC ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SECURITIES LLC
By: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & CO. INCORPORATED
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Principal
21
