TYSON FOODS, INC., asIssuer, TYSON FRESH MEATS, INC., as Guarantor, AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. (as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A.)) as Trustee SupplementalIndenture Dated as of August 8, 2014 Supplemental to Indenture Datedas of June 1, 1995 3.950% Senior Notes due 2024 TABLE OF CONTENTS

EX-4.4 4 d770620dex44.htm EX-4.4 EX-4.4

Exhibit 4.4

TYSON FOODS, INC.,

as Issuer,

TYSON FRESH MEATS, INC.,

as Guarantor,

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

(as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A.))

as Trustee

Supplemental Indenture

Dated as of August 8, 2014

Supplemental to Indenture

Dated as of June 1, 1995

3.950% Senior Notes due 2024


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

     2   

SECTION 1.01.

    

Scope of Supplemental Indenture

     2   

SECTION 1.02.

    

Definitions

     2   

ARTICLE 2 THE SECURITIES

     13   

SECTION 2.01.

    

Title and Terms; Payments

     13   

SECTION 2.02.

    

Book-Entry Provisions for Global Notes

     14   

SECTION 2.03.

    

CUSIP Numbers

     14   

ARTICLE 3 REDEMPTION

     15   

SECTION 3.01.

    

Optional Redemption

     15   

SECTION 3.02.

    

Special Mandatory Redemption

     15   

SECTION 3.03.

    

Selection and Notice of Redemption

     16   

SECTION 3.04.

    

Mandatory Redemption or Purchase

     16   

ARTICLE 4 ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

     16   

SECTION 4.01.

    

Offer to Purchase Upon Change of Control Triggering Event

     16   

SECTION 4.02.

    

Restrictions on Consolidations, Mergers and Sales of Assets

     17   

SECTION 4.03.

    

SEC Reports

     18   

SECTION 4.04.

    

Compliance Certificates

     19   

ARTICLE 5 REMEDIES

     19   

SECTION 5.01.

    

Events of Default

     19   

SECTION 5.02.

    

Acceleration

     20   

SECTION 5.03.

    

Remaining Provisions

     20   

ARTICLE 6 SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

     21   

SECTION 6.01.

    

Satisfaction and Discharge

     21   

SECTION 6.02.

    

Legal Defeasance

     21   

SECTION 6.03.

    

Covenant Defeasance

     21   

SECTION 6.04.

    

Release of Subsidiary Guarantees

     21   

SECTION 6.05.

    

Reinstatement

     21   

ARTICLE 7 SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

     21   

SECTION 7.01.

    

Amendments or Supplements Without Consent of Holders

     21   

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

(cont.)

 

     Page  

SECTION 7.02.

    

Amendments, Supplements or Waivers With Consent of Holders

     22   

SECTION 7.03.

    

Payment for Consent

     23   

ARTICLE 8 SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEES

     23   

SECTION 8.01.

    

Guarantees

     23   

SECTION 8.02.

    

Limitation on Liability

     24   

SECTION 8.03.

    

Successors and Assigns

     25   

SECTION 8.04.

    

No Waiver

     25   

SECTION 8.05.

    

Modification

     25   

SECTION 8.06.

    

Release of Subsidiary Guarantor

     25   

SECTION 8.07.

    

Contribution

     26   

ARTICLE 9 MISCELLANEOUS

     26   

SECTION 9.01.

    

Governing Law

     26   

SECTION 9.02.

    

Payments on Business Days

     26   

SECTION 9.03.

    

No Security Interest Created

     26   

SECTION 9.04.

    

Trust Indenture Act

     26   

SECTION 9.05.

    

Notices

     26   

SECTION 9.06.

    

Benefits of Indenture

     27   

SECTION 9.07.

    

Successors

     27   

SECTION 9.08.

    

Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

     27   

SECTION 9.09.

    

Execution in Counterparts

     28   

SECTION 9.10.

    

Severability

     28   

SECTION 9.11.

    

The Trustee

     28   

EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit A - Form of Note

     A-1   

 

ii


SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of August 8, 2014, among Tyson Foods, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Guarantor”) and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A.)), as trustee (the “Trustee”) under the indenture dated as of June 1, 1995, between the Company and the Trustee (as amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Original Indenture”).

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

WHEREAS, the Company executed and delivered the Original Indenture to the Trustee to provide, among other things, for the future issuance of the Company’s unsecured Securities from time to time in one or more series as might be determined by the Company under the Original Indenture, in an unlimited aggregate principal amount which may be authenticated and delivered as provided in the Original Indenture;

WHEREAS, Section 9.1 of the Original Indenture provides for various matters with respect to any series of Securities issued under the Original Indenture to be established in an indenture supplemental to the Original Indenture;

WHEREAS, Section 9.1(5) of the Original Indenture provides for the Company and the Trustee to enter into an indenture supplemental to the Original Indenture to establish the form or forms or terms of Securities of any series or of the coupons appertaining to such series as permitted by Section 2.3 of the Original Indenture;

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors has duly adopted resolutions authorizing the Company to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture;

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Guarantor has duly adopted resolutions authorizing the Guarantor to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture;

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Original Indenture, the Company desires to provide for the establishment of a new series of its Securities to be known as its “3.950% Senior Notes due 2024” (the “Notes”), the form and substance of such Notes and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the Original Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture;

WHEREAS, the Guarantor is willing to provide guarantees in respect of the Notes;

WHEREAS, the Form of Note is to be substantially in the form hereinafter provided for; and

WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture, and all requirements necessary to make (i) this Supplemental Indenture a valid instrument in accordance with its terms, (ii) the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the valid obligations of the Company, and (iii) the Guarantees, when this Supplemental Indenture is executed by the Guarantor, the valid obligations of the Guarantor, have been performed, and the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized in all respects.


NOW, THEREFORE, THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH, for and in consideration of the premises and the purchases of the Notes by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the benefit of the parties hereto and the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Notes, as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

SECTION 1.01. Scope of Supplemental Indenture. The changes, modifications and supplements to the Original Indenture effected by this Supplemental Indenture shall be applicable only with respect to, and shall only govern the terms of, the Notes, which may be issued from time to time, and shall not apply to any other Securities that may be issued under the Original Indenture unless a supplemental indenture with respect to such other Securities specifically incorporates such changes, modifications and supplements. The provisions of this Supplemental Indenture shall supersede any corresponding provisions in the Original Indenture.

SECTION 1.02. Definitions. For all purposes of the Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

(i) the terms defined in this Article 1 shall have the meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular;

(ii) all words, terms and phrases defined in the Original Indenture (but not otherwise defined herein) shall have the same meaning herein as in the Original Indenture;

(iii) all other terms used herein that are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, shall have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(iv) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with GAAP; and

(v) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Supplemental Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.

Additional Notes” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01 hereof.

Adjusted Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person, directly or indirectly, controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control”, when used with respect to any Person,

 

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means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

Agent Members” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02 hereof.

Attributable Debt” means, as to any particular lease under which any Person is at the time liable, other than a capital lease, and at any date as of which the amount of such lease is to be determined, the total net amount of rent required to be paid by such Person under such lease during the initial term of such lease as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, discounted from the last date of such initial term to the date of determination at a rate per annum equal to the discount rate which would be applicable to a capital lease with like term in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The net amount of rent required to be paid under any such lease for any such period shall be the aggregate amount of rent payable by the lessee with respect to such period after excluding amounts required to be paid on account of insurance, taxes, assessments, utility, operating and labor costs and similar charges. In the case of any lease which is terminable by the lessee upon the payment of a penalty, such net amount shall also include the amount of such penalty, but no rent shall be considered as required to be paid under such lease subsequent to the first date upon which it may be so terminated. “Attributable Debt” means, as to a capital lease under which any Person is at the time liable and at any date as of which the amount of such lease is to be determined, the capitalized amount of such lease that would appear on the face of a balance sheet of such Person in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such Board.

Business Day” means each day which is not a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions are not required to be open in the State of New York or Texas.

Capital Lease Obligation” means an obligation that is required to be classified and accounted for as a capital lease for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP, and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with GAAP; and the Stated Maturity thereof shall be the date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior to the first date upon which such lease may be terminated by the lessee without payment of a penalty.

Capital Stock” of any Person means any and all shares, interests (including partnership interests), rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including any Preferred Stock, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

(1) the Permitted Holders cease to be the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of a majority in the aggregate of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company, whether as a result of issuance of securities of the Company, any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution of the Company,

 

3


or any direct or indirect transfer of securities of the Company by the Permitted Holders or otherwise (for purposes of this clause (1) and clause (2) below, the Permitted Holders shall be deemed to beneficially own any Voting Stock of a Person (the “specified person”) held by any other Person (the “parent entity”) so long as the Permitted Holders beneficially own (as so defined), directly or indirectly, in the aggregate a majority of the voting power of the Voting Stock of the parent entity);

(2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act), other than one or more Permitted Holders, becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in clause (1) above), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company;

(3) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any Person (including any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act)) other than to the Company or one of its Subsidiaries;

(4) the Company consolidates with, or merges with or into, any Person, or any Person consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Company, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which any of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company or such other Person is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property;

(5) the first day on which the majority of the members of the Board of Directors cease to be Continuing Directors; or

(6) the adoption of a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be considered to be a Change of Control if (i) the survivor or transferee is a Person that is controlled by the Permitted Holders or (ii) a transaction following which (A) in the case of a merger or consolidation transaction, holders of securities that represented 100% of the Voting Stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction (or other securities into which such securities are converted as part of such merger or consolidation transaction) own directly or indirectly at least a majority of the voting power of the Voting Stock of the surviving Person in such merger or consolidation transaction immediately after such transaction and (B) in the case of a sale of assets transaction, each transferee becomes an obligor in respect of the Notes and a Subsidiary of the transferor of such assets. For the avoidance of doubt, the words “or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such Board” in the definition of Board of Directors shall be disregarded for purposes of clause (5) above.

Change of Control Offer” has the meaning specified in Section 4.01(b) hereof.

Change of Control Triggering Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Rating Event. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Change of Control Triggering Event will be deemed to have occurred in connection with any particular Change of Control unless and until such Change of Control has actually been consummated.

 

4


Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Commodity Price Protection Agreement” means, with respect to any Person, any forward contract, commodity swap, commodity option or other similar agreement or arrangement entered into with respect to fluctuations in commodity prices.

Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Quotation Agent as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed that would 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 such Notes.

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

Continuing Director” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors who:

(1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of the Indenture; or

(2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election.

Credit Agreement” means the Credit Agreement, dated as of August 9, 2012, as amended on June 27, 2014, among the Company, the lenders party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Bank plc, CoBank, ACB, Cooperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Boerenleenbank B.A., “Rabobank Nederland”, New York Branch, and RBC Capital Markets, as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners, Bank of America, N.A. and Barclays Bank plc, as syndication agents, and CoBank, ACB, Cooperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Boerenleenbank B.A., “Rabobank Nederland”, New York Branch, and RBC Capital Markets, as documentation agents, together with the related documents thereto (including any guarantees and security documents), as amended, extended, renewed, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified (in whole or in part, and without limitation as to amount, terms, conditions, covenants and other provisions) from time to time, and any agreement (and related document) governing Indebtedness Incurred to Refinance, in whole or in part, the borrowings and commitments then outstanding or permitted to be outstanding thereunder or under successor Credit Agreements, whether by the same or any other lender or group of lenders.

Currency Agreement” means any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement or other similar agreement with respect to currency values.

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

 

5


Depositary” means The Depository Trust Company until a successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Indenture, and thereafter “Depositary” shall mean such successor Depositary.

Disqualified Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock which by its terms (or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable at the option of the holder) or upon the happening of any event:

(1) matures or is mandatorily redeemable (other than redeemable only for Capital Stock of such Person which is not itself Disqualified Stock) pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise;

(2) is convertible or exchangeable at the option of the holder for Indebtedness or Disqualified Stock; or

(3) is mandatorily redeemable or must be purchased upon the occurrence of certain events or otherwise, in whole or in part;

in each case on or prior to the first anniversary of the Stated Maturity of the Notes; provided, however, that any Capital Stock that would not constitute Disqualified Stock but for provisions thereof giving holders thereof the right to require such Person to purchase or redeem such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of an “asset sale” or “change of control” occurring prior to the first anniversary of the Stated Maturity of the Notes shall not constitute Disqualified Stock if:

(4) the “asset sale” or “change of control” provisions applicable to such Capital Stock are not more favorable to the holders of such Capital Stock than the terms applicable to the Notes and set forth in Section 4.01 hereof; and

(5) any such requirement only becomes operative after compliance with such terms applicable to the Notes, including the purchase of any Notes tendered pursuant thereto.

The amount of any Disqualified Stock that does not have a fixed redemption, repayment or repurchase price will be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Stock as if such Disqualified Stock were redeemed, repaid or repurchased on any date on which the amount of such Disqualified Stock is to be determined pursuant to the Indenture; provided, however, that if such Disqualified Stock could not be required to be redeemed, repaid or repurchased at the time of such determination, the redemption, repayment or repurchase price will be the book value of such Disqualified Stock as reflected in the most recent financial statements of such Person.

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

Excluded Transfer” means any disposition by either New Canada Holdings, Inc. or Tyson International Holding Company of Capital Stock of any Person held by it as of the Issue Date to any “controlled foreign corporation” (as defined in the Code).

Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 5.01 hereof.

 

6


Fair Market Value” means, with respect to any asset or property, the price which could be negotiated in an arm’s length, free market transaction, for cash, between a willing seller and a willing and able buyer, neither of whom is under undue pressure or compulsion to complete the transaction. Fair Market Value will be determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, whose determination will be conclusive and evidenced by a resolution of such Board of Directors.

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings and its successors.

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect as of the Issue Date, including those set forth in:

(1) the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants;

(2) statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board;

(3) such other statements by such other entity as approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession; and

(4) the rules and regulations of the SEC governing the inclusion of financial statements (including pro forma financial statements) in periodic reports required to be filed pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act, including opinions and pronouncements in staff accounting bulletins and similar written statements from the accounting staff of the SEC.

Global Note” means any Note that is a Registered Global Security.

Guarantee” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person and any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such other Person:

(1) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreements to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise); or

(2) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part);

provided, however, that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

Guarantee Agreement” means a supplemental indenture, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, pursuant to which a Subsidiary Guarantor Guarantees, as required by Section 4.02 hereof, the Company’s obligations with respect to the Notes on the terms provided for in the Indenture.

 

7


Guaranteed Obligations” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01 hereof.

Hedging Obligations” of any Person means the obligations of such Person pursuant to any Interest Rate Agreement, Currency Agreement or Commodity Price Protection Agreement.

Hillshire Brands Acquisition” means the acquisition by the Company and Merger Sub of The Hillshire Brands Company through the merger of Merger Sub with and into The Hillshire Brands Company, with The Hillshire Brands Company surviving as a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company in accordance with the Merger Agreement.

Holder” means the Person in whose name a Note is registered on the Registrar’s books.

Incur” means issue, assume, Guarantee, incur or otherwise become liable for.

Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person on any date of determination (without duplication):

(1) the principal in respect of (A) indebtedness of such Person for money borrowed and (B) indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar instruments for the payment of which such Person is responsible or liable, including, in each case, any premium on such indebtedness to the extent such premium has become due and payable;

(2) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person and all Attributable Debt in respect of all sale and lease-back transactions entered into by such Person;

(3) all obligations of such Person issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property, all conditional sale obligations of such Person and all obligations of such Person under any title retention agreement (but excluding any trade accounts payable or other liability to trade creditors arising in the ordinary course of business);

(4) all obligations of such Person for the reimbursement of any obligor on any letter of credit, bankers’ acceptance or similar credit transaction (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations of other Persons described in clauses (1) through (3) above) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the tenth Business Day following payment on the letter of credit);

(5) the amount of all obligations of such Person with respect to the redemption, repayment or other repurchase of any Disqualified Stock of such Person or, with respect to any Preferred Stock of any Subsidiary of such Person that is not 100% owned by such Person, the principal amount of such Preferred Stock to be determined in accordance with the Indenture (but excluding, in each case, any accrued dividends);

(6) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (1) through (5) of other Persons and all dividends of other Persons for the payment of which, in either case, such Person is responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise, including by means of any Guarantee, other than endorsements of negotiable instruments for collection in the ordinary course of business;

 

8


(7) all obligations of the type referred to in clauses (1) through (6) of other Persons secured by any Lien on any property or asset of such Person (whether or not such obligation is assumed by such Person), the amount of such obligation being deemed to be the lesser of the Fair Market Value of such property or assets and the amount of the obligation so secured; and

(8) to the extent not otherwise included in this definition, the net obligations pursuant to any Hedging Obligations of such Person.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with the purchase by the Company or any Subsidiary of any business, the term “Indebtedness” will exclude post-closing payment adjustments to which the seller may become entitled to the extent such payment is determined by a final closing balance sheet or such payment depends on the performance of such business after the closing; provided, however, that, at the time of closing, the amount of any such payment is not determinable and, to the extent such payment thereafter becomes fixed and determined, the amount is paid within 60 days thereafter.

The amount of Indebtedness of any Person at any date shall be the outstanding balance at such date of all unconditional obligations as described above; provided, however, that, in the case of Indebtedness sold at a discount, the amount of such Indebtedness at any time shall be the accreted value thereof at such time. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the term “Indebtedness” shall not include cash interest thereon.

Indenture” means the Original Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, including, for all purposes of this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern this Supplemental Indenture and any such supplemental indenture, respectively.

Initial Notes” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01 hereof.

Interest Payment Date” means, with respect to the payment of interest on the Notes, each February 15 and August 15 of each year.

Interest Rate Agreement” means any interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement or other financial agreement or arrangement with respect to exposure to interest rates.

Investment Grade” means a rating of Baa3 or better by Moody’s (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Moody’s), a rating of BBB- or better by S&P (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of S&P) and a rating of BBB- or better by Fitch (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Fitch) and the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any replacement rating agency or rating agencies selected by the Company under the circumstances permitting it to select a replacement rating agency and in the manner for selecting a replacement rating agency, in each case as set forth in the definition of “Rating Agencies.

Issue Date” means August 8, 2014.

 

9


Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien or charge of any kind (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or lease in the nature thereof).

Merger Agreement” means the agreement and plan of merger dated as of July 1, 2014 among the Company, Merger Sub and The Hillshire Brands Company.

Merger Sub” means MB Holdings, Inc., a Maryland corporation and wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Company.

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., a subsidiary of Moody’s Corporation, and its successors.

Note” or “Notes” has the meaning specified in the sixth paragraph of the recitals of this Supplemental Indenture, and shall include any Additional Notes issued pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof.

Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company.

Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by two Officers.

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel who is acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company or the Trustee.

Original Indenture” has the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this Supplemental Indenture.

Paying Agent” means any Person (including the Company) authorized by the Company to pay the principal amount of or interest on any Notes on behalf of the Company. The Paying Agent shall initially be the Trustee.

Permitted Holders” means (1) the Tyson Limited Partnership (or any successor entity), (2) “members of the same family” of Mr. Don Tyson as defined in Section 447(e) of the Code and (3) any entity (including, but not limited to, any partnership, corporation, trust or limited liability company) in which one or more individuals described in clauses (1) and (2) hereof possess over 50% of the voting power or beneficial interests.

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

Preferred Stock”, as applied to the Capital Stock of any Person, means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends or distributions, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over shares of Capital Stock of any other class of such Person.

 

10


principal” of a Note means the principal of the Note plus the premium, if any, payable on the Note which is due or overdue or is to become due at the relevant time.

Prospectus Supplement” means the final prospectus supplement related to the offering and sale of the Notes dated August 5, 2014 and filed by the Company and the Guarantor with the SEC on August 6, 2014.

Quotation Agent” means the Reference Treasury Dealer appointed by the Company.

Rating Agencies” means (i) each of Moody’s, S&P and Fitch; and (ii) if any of Moody’s, S&P or Fitch ceases to rate the Notes or fails to make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act that is selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the Board of Directors) as a replacement agency for Moody’s, S&P or Fitch, or each of them, as the case may be.

Rating Event” means, with respect to the Notes, (i) the rating of such Notes is lowered by two of the three Rating Agencies on any day during the period (the “Trigger Period”) commencing on the earlier of (a) the occurrence of a Change of Control and (b) the first public notice of the Company’s intention to effect a Change of Control, and ending 60 days following consummation of such Change of Control (which period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by any of the Rating Agencies), and (ii) such Notes are rated below Investment Grade by two of the three Rating Agencies on any day during the Trigger Period; provided that a Rating Event will not be deemed to have occurred in respect of a particular Change of Control (and thus will not be deemed a Rating Event for purposes of the definition of Change of Control Triggering Event) if each Rating Agency making the reduction in rating does not publicly announce or confirm or inform the Trustee in writing at the Company’s request that the reduction was the result, in whole or in part, of any event or circumstance comprised of or arising as a result of, or in respect of, the Change of Control (whether or not the applicable Change of Control has occurred at the time of the Rating Event). If a Rating Agency is not providing a rating for the Notes at the commencement of such period, the Notes will be deemed to have ceased to be rated as Investment Grade by such Rating Agency during such period.

Record Date” means, with respect to the payment of interest on the Notes, the February 1 (whether or not a Business Day) immediately preceding an Interest Payment Date on February 15 and the August 1 (whether or not a Business Day) immediately preceding an Interest Payment Date on August 15.

Redemption Notice Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(b) hereto.

Reference Treasury Dealer” means any of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and their respective successors. However, if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company shall substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Company, of the bid

 

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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 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such redemption date.

Refinance” means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, refund, repay, prepay, purchase, redeem, defease or retire, or to issue other Indebtedness in exchange or replacement for, such Indebtedness. “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” shall have correlative meanings.

S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and its successors.

SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a “Significant Subsidiary” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC.

Special Mandatory Redemption Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02(b) hereto.

Special Mandatory Redemption Event” has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(a) hereto.

Special Mandatory Redemption Price” has the meaning specified in Section 3.02(a) hereto.

Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any security, the date specified in such security as the fixed date on which the final payment of principal of such security is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision (but excluding any provision providing for the repurchase of such security at the option of the holder thereof upon the happening of any contingency unless such contingency has occurred).

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, association, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Voting Stock is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by:

(1) such Person;

(2) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person; or

(3) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

Subsidiary Guarantee” means a Guarantee by a Subsidiary Guarantor of the Company’s obligations with respect to the Notes. References in the Indenture to “any Subsidiary

 

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Guarantee,” “such Subsidiary Guarantee” or “the Subsidiary Guarantees” prior to the delivery of a Subsidiary Guarantee by a Subsidiary of the Company (other than the Guarantor) with respect to the Notes shall be deemed to refer, mutatis mutandis, only to the Subsidiary Guarantee of the Guarantor, as the sole Subsidiary Guarantor of the Notes on the Issue Date.

Subsidiary Guarantor” means the Guarantor and each other Subsidiary of the Company, if any, that thereafter Guarantees the Notes pursuant to the terms of this Supplemental Indenture, unless and until the Guarantor or such other Subsidiary is released from its Subsidiary Guarantee pursuant to the Indenture (it being understood that (i) only the Guarantor is delivering a Subsidiary Guarantee with respect to the Notes on the Issue Date and (ii) nothing in the Indenture requires the Company to cause any of its Subsidiaries to deliver a Subsidiary Guarantee with respect to the Notes). References in the Indenture to “any Subsidiary Guarantor,” “such Subsidiary Guarantor” or “the Subsidiary Guarantors” prior to the delivery of a Subsidiary Guarantee by a Subsidiary of the Company (other than the Guarantor) with respect to the Notes shall be deemed to refer, mutatis mutandis, only to the Guarantor, as the sole Subsidiary Guarantor of the Notes on the Issue Date.

Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. §§ 77aaa-77bbbb), as in effect on the Issue Date.

U.S.” means the United States of America.

U.S. Government Obligations” means direct obligations (or certificates representing an ownership interest in such obligations) of the United States of America (including any agency or instrumentality thereof) for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged and which are not callable at the issuer’s option.

Voting Stock” of a Person means all classes of Capital Stock of such Person then outstanding and normally entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof.

ARTICLE 2

THE SECURITIES

SECTION 2.01. Title and Terms; Payments. There is hereby authorized a series of Securities designated the “3.950% Senior Notes due 2024” initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $1,250,000,000, which amount shall be as set forth in any written order of the Company for the authentication and delivery of Notes pursuant to Section 2.2 of the Original Indenture.

The principal amount of Notes then outstanding shall be payable at Stated Maturity.

The Company may, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, hereafter issue additional Notes (“Additional Notes”) under the Indenture with the same terms and with the same CUSIP numbers as the Notes issued on the date of this Supplemental Indenture (the “Initial Notes”) in an unlimited aggregate principal amount; provided that if the Additional Notes are not fungible with the Initial Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Notes will have a separate CUSIP number. Any such Additional Notes shall constitute a single series together with the Initial Notes for all purposes hereunder, including, without limitation, waivers, amendments and offers to purchase.

 

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The Form of Note shall be substantially as set forth in Exhibit A hereto, which is incorporated into and shall be deemed a part of this Supplemental Indenture, with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by the Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers of the Company executing such Notes, as evidenced by their execution of the Notes.

The Company shall pay principal of and interest on any Global Note in immediately available funds to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered Holder of such Global Note. The Company shall pay principal of any Notes (other than Notes that are Global Notes) at the office or agency designated by the Company for that purpose. The Company has initially designated the Trustee as its Paying Agent and Registrar in respect of the Notes and its agency in New York, New York as a place where Notes may be presented for payment or for registration of transfer. The Company may, however, change the Paying Agent or Registrar for the Notes without prior notice to the Holders thereof, and the Company may act as Paying Agent or Registrar.

SECTION 2.02. Book-Entry Provisions for Global Notes. The Notes initially shall be issued in the form of one or more Global Notes (i) registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of the Depositary, and (ii) delivered to the Trustee, as custodian for the Depositary. Members of, or participants in, the Depositary (“Agent Members”) shall have no rights under this Supplemental Indenture or the Original Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depositary, or the Trustee as its custodian, or under the Global Note, and the Depositary may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of the Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of any Holder.

SECTION 2.03. CUSIP Numbers. In issuing the Notes, the Company 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 of the Notes; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers as printed on the Notes and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any change in the “CUSIP” numbers.

 

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ARTICLE 3

REDEMPTION

SECTION 3.01. Optional Redemption. The Company may redeem the Notes in accordance with the provisions set forth herein and in Article 3 of the Original Indenture, in whole or in part, at any time

(a) prior to May 15, 2024 at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

(i) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the date fixed for redemption, or

(ii) the sum of the remaining scheduled payments of principal of and interest on the Notes being redeemed (not including any portion of the payments of interest accrued as of the date fixed for redemption), discounted to its present value as of the date fixed for redemption on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Adjusted Treasury Rate, as determined by the Quotation Agent, plus 25 basis points, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed to the date fixed for redemption, or

(b) on or after May 15, 2024, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the date fixed for redemption.

SECTION 3.02. Special Mandatory Redemption.

(a) The Company shall redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, at a special mandatory redemption price (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Price”) equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount thereof to, but not including, the Special Mandatory Redemption Date, if the Hillshire Brands Acquisition has not occurred on or prior to April 1, 2015, or if, prior to such date, the Merger Agreement is terminated (each, a “Special Mandatory Redemption Event”), in accordance with the provisions set forth herein and in Article 3 of the Original Indenture.

(b) Upon the occurrence of a Special Mandatory Redemption Event, the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than 5 Business Days following such Special Mandatory Redemption Event) notify the Trustee in writing of such event, and the Trustee shall, no later than 5 Business Days following receipt of such notice from the Company, notify the Holders (such date of notification to the Holders, the “Redemption Notice Date”) that the Notes will be redeemed on the 30th day following the Redemption Notice Date (such date, the “Special Mandatory Redemption Date”), in each case in accordance with the applicable provisions set forth herein and in Article 3 of the Original Indenture. The Trustee, upon receipt of the notice specified above, on the Redemption Notice Date shall, on behalf of the Company, notify each Holder in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Indenture that all of the outstanding Notes shall be redeemed at the Special Mandatory Redemption Price on the Special Mandatory Redemption Date automatically and without any further action by the Holders of any the Notes. At or prior to 12:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Special Mandatory Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee funds sufficient to pay the Special Mandatory

 

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Redemption Price for the Notes. If such deposit is made as provided above, the Notes will cease to bear interest on and after the Special Mandatory Redemption Date, unless the Company defaults in the payment of the Special Mandatory Redemption Price.

SECTION 3.03. Selection and Notice of Redemption. If the Company redeems less than all the Notes at any time, the Trustee will select the Notes to be redeemed as follows:

(a) if the Notes are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of such national securities exchange; or

(b) if the Notes are not so listed, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such method as the Trustee will deem fair and appropriate,

in each case, for the avoidance of doubt, in accordance with applicable Depositary procedures.

The Company shall redeem Notes of $2,000 or less in whole and not in part. The Company shall cause notices of redemption to be mailed by first-class mail (or otherwise in accordance with applicable Depositary procedures) at least 30 but not more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at its registered address.

SECTION 3.04. Mandatory Redemption or Purchase. The Company shall not be obligated to redeem or purchase the Notes pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision, or at the option of any Holder thereof, except as provided in Section 3.02 or Section 4.01 hereof.

ARTICLE 4

ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

SECTION 4.01. Offer to Purchase Upon Change of Control Triggering Event.

(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, each Holder shall have the right to require the Company to repurchase such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof on the date of purchase plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date).

(b) Within 30 days following the date upon which any Change of Control Triggering Event shall have occurred, the Company shall mail a notice by first-class mail (or otherwise in accordance with applicable Depositary procedures) to each Holder with a copy to the Trustee (the “Change of Control Offer”) or, at the Company’s option, prior to any Change of Control but after the public announcement of the pending Change of Control, stating:

(i) that a Change of Control has occurred and that such Holder has the right to require the Company to purchase such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof on the date of purchase, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant Record Date to receive interest on the relevant Interest Payment Date);

 

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(ii) the purchase date (which shall be no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed); and

(iii) the instructions, as determined by the Company, consistent with the covenant described hereunder, that a Holder must follow in order to have its Notes purchased.

(c) The Company shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer following a Change of Control if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements herein applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and the third party purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.

(d) A Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, conditional upon such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement has been entered into with respect to such Change of Control at the time of making of the Change of Control Offer.

(e) The Company shall comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations in connection with the repurchase of Notes as a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control Offer provisions contained in this Article 4, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control Offer provisions contained in this Article 4 by virtue of its compliance with such securities laws or regulations.

SECTION 4.02. Restrictions on Consolidations, Mergers and Sales of Assets.

(a) The Company will not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease, in one transaction or a series of transactions, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all its assets to, any Person, unless:

(i) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “Successor Company”) shall be a Person organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia and the Successor Company (if not the Company) shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental thereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of the Company under the Notes and the Indenture;

(ii) immediately after giving pro forma effect to such transaction, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(iii) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with the Indenture.

 

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For purposes of this Section 4.02, the sale, lease, conveyance, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of one or more Subsidiaries of the Company, which properties and assets, if held by the Company instead of such Subsidiaries, would constitute all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company on a consolidated basis, shall be deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company.

The Successor Company will be the successor to the Company and shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under the Indenture, and the predecessor Company, except in the case of a lease, shall be released from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes.

(b) The Company will not permit any Subsidiary Guarantor to consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease, in one transaction or a series of transactions, all or substantially all of its assets to any Person (other than any Excluded Transfer) unless:

(i) except in the case of a Subsidiary Guarantor (x) that has been disposed of in its entirety to another Person (other than to the Company or an Affiliate of the Company), whether through a merger, consolidation or sale of Capital Stock or sale of all or substantially all assets or (y) that, as a result of the disposition of all or a portion of its Capital Stock, ceases to be a Subsidiary of the Company, the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (if not such Subsidiary) shall be a Person organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction under which such Subsidiary was organized or under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, and such Person (unless such Person is a Subsidiary Guarantor) shall expressly assume, by a Guarantee Agreement, in a form satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of such Subsidiary, if any, under its Subsidiary Guarantee;

(ii) immediately after giving effect to such transaction or transactions on a pro forma basis, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(iii) the Company delivers to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such Guarantee Agreement, if any, complies with the Indenture.

SECTION 4.03. SEC Reports. Notwithstanding Section 4.6(d) of the Original Indenture, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 15 days after the same is required to be filed with the SEC, copies of the quarterly and annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports, if any, that the Company is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (giving effect to any grace period provided by Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act), and the Company shall otherwise comply with the requirements of Trust Indenture Act Section 314(a). Any quarterly or annual report or other information, document or other report that the Company files with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act on the SEC’s EDGAR system (or any successor thereto) or any other publicly available database maintained by the SEC shall be deemed to constitute delivery of such filing to the Trustee.

 

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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 any Subsidiary Guarantor’s compliance with any of their covenants under the Indenture (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates).

SECTION 4.04. Compliance Certificates. The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company an Officers’ Certificate stating that in the course of the performance by the signers of their duties as Officers of the Company they would normally have knowledge of any Default and whether or not the signers know of any Default that occurred during such period. If they do, the certificate shall describe the Default, its status and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

ARTICLE 5

REMEDIES

SECTION 5.01. Events of Default. In addition to the Events of Default specified in Sections 6.1(a) and 6.1(b) of the Original Indenture, with respect to the Notes each of the following events shall be an “Event of Default” wherever used herein:

(a) the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor fails to comply with Section 4.02 hereof;

(b) the Company fails to comply with Section 4.3 and 4.4 of the Original Indenture, Section 4.01 hereof (other than a failure to purchase Notes when required) and such failure continues for 30 days after the notice specified below;

(c) the Company fails to comply with Section 4.03 hereof or any of its other agreements contained in the Indenture (other than those referred to in clause (a) or (b) above) and such failure continues for 60 days after the notice specified below;

(d) an involuntary case or other proceeding shall be commenced against the Company, a Subsidiary Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary of the Company with respect to it or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of it or any substantial part of its property, and such involuntary case or other proceeding shall remain undismissed and unstayed for a period of 60 days; or an order for relief shall be entered against the Company, a Subsidiary Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary of the Company under the federal bankruptcy laws as now or hereafter in effect;

(e) the Company, a Subsidiary Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary of the Company (A) commences a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or consents to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, (B) consents to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company, a Subsidiary Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary of the Company or for all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company, a Subsidiary Guarantor or a Significant Subsidiary of the Company or (C) effects any general assignment for the benefit of creditors; and

 

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(f) a Subsidiary Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary (or the Subsidiary Guarantees of any group of Subsidiaries that, taken together, would constitute a Significant Subsidiary) ceases to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with the terms of such Subsidiary Guarantee) or any Subsidiary Guarantor denies or disaffirms its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee other than by reason of the termination of the Indenture or the release of any such Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with the Indenture.

The foregoing will constitute Events of Default whatever the reason for any such Event of Default and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is 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 under clauses (b) or (c) will not constitute an Event of Default until the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes notify the Company of the Default and the Company does not cure such Default within the time specified after receipt of such notice. Such notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that such notice is a “Notice of Default”.

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 30 days after the occurrence thereof, written notice in the form of an Officers’ Certificate of any event which with the giving of notice or the lapse of time would become an Event of Default under clauses (b), (c) or (d), its status and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any Default or Event of Default or knowledge of any cure of any Default or Event of Default unless an authorized officer of the Trustee with direct responsibility for the administration of the Indenture has received written notice of such Default or Event of Default.

SECTION 5.02. Acceleration. If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(d) or Section 5.01(e) hereof with respect to the Company) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee by notice to the Company, or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes by notice to the Company and the Trustee, may declare the principal of and accrued but unpaid interest on all the Notes to be due and payable. Upon such a declaration, such principal and interest shall be due and payable immediately. If an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(d) or Section 5.01(e) hereof with respect to the Company occurs, the principal of and interest on all the Notes 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. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes by notice to the Trustee may rescind an acceleration and its consequences if the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree, if all amounts owed to the Trustee in connection with such Event of Default have been paid and if all existing Events of Default have been cured or waived except nonpayment of principal or interest that has become due solely because of acceleration. No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereto.

SECTION 5.03. Remaining Provisions. Other than as provided in Section 5.01 and Section 5.02 hereof, the provisions of Article 6 of the Original Indenture shall govern with respect to Defaults and related remedies.

 

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ARTICLE 6

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

SECTION 6.01. Satisfaction and Discharge. Other than as provided in Section 6.02 and Section 6.03 hereof, the provisions of Article 8 of the Original Indenture shall govern satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture.

SECTION 6.02. Legal Defeasance. Notwithstanding Section 8.2(D)(1) of the Original Indenture, the requirement under such Section shall be that the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (B) since the date of this Supplemental 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 will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such 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 defeasance had not occurred.

SECTION 6.03. Covenant Defeasance. In addition to the certain covenants specified in Section 8.3 of the Original Indenture (being Sections 4.3 and 4.4 of the Original Indenture), the Company may also omit to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 4.01 and Section 4.03 hereof and the operation of clauses (d) and (e) of Section 5.01 hereof with respect only to Significant Subsidiaries and Subsidiary Guarantors, and in each case such omission shall not be deemed to be an Event of Default under clauses (b), (c), (d) or (e) of Section 5.01 hereof with respect to the Notes if the conditions of Section 8.3 of the Original Indenture are complied with.

SECTION 6.04. Release of Subsidiary Guarantees. If the Company exercises its legal defeasance option or its covenant defeasance option pursuant to this Article 6 and Article 8 of the Original Indenture, each Subsidiary Guarantor, if any, shall be released from all its obligations with respect to its Subsidiary Guarantee.

SECTION 6.05. Reinstatement. Section 8.6 of the Original Indenture shall apply to the Subsidiary Guarantors’ obligations under the Indenture and the Subsidiary Guarantees, in addition to the Company’s obligations under the Indenture and the Notes.

ARTICLE 7

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

SECTION 7.01. Amendments or Supplements Without Consent of Holders. In addition to any permitted amendment or supplement to the Indenture pursuant to Section 9.1 of the Original Indenture, the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Notes without notice to or the consent of any Holder of the Notes:

(a) to comply with Section 4.02 hereof;

(b) to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes; provided that the uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code or in a manner such that the uncertificated Notes are described in Section 163(f)(2)(B) of the Code;

 

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(c) to add Guarantees with respect to the Notes, including any Subsidiary Guarantees, or to secure the Notes;

(d) to add to the covenants of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders or surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor;

(e) to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in the Indenture as of the Issue Date;

(f) to conform the text of the Indenture, the Notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee to the section entitled “Description of the Notes” as set forth in the Prospectus Supplement, to the extent that such provision of the of the Indenture, the Notes or such Subsidiary Guarantee was intended to be a verbatim recitation of such provision of the “Description of the Notes”; or

(g) to make any amendment to the provisions of the Indenture relating to the transfer and legending of the Notes; provided, however, that (a) compliance with the Indenture as so amended would not result in the Notes being transferred in violation of the Securities Act or any other applicable securities law and (b) such amendment does not materially and adversely affect the rights of Holders to transfer the Notes.

SECTION 7.02. Amendments, Supplements or Waivers With Consent of Holders. Subject to Section 6.4, Section 6.7 and Section 9.2 of the Original Indenture and to the second sentence of this Section 7.02, but notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 9.2 of the Original Indenture to the contrary, the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee may only amend the Indenture, with respect to the Notes, and the Notes with the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, the Notes), and only the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by written notice to the Trustee may waive future compliance by the Company with any provision of the Indenture, with respect to the Notes, or the Notes (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, the Notes). Notwithstanding the foregoing provision and in addition to the provisions of the second paragraph of Section 9.2 of the Original Indenture, without the consent of each Holder of an outstanding Note affected thereby, an amendment or waiver, including a waiver in relation to a past Event of Default, may not:

(a) change the provisions applicable to the redemption of any Note contained in Article 3 hereto or in the Notes; or

(b) make any change in, or release other than in accordance with the Indenture, any Subsidiary Guarantee that would adversely affect the Holders.

 

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SECTION 7.03. Payment for Consent. Neither the Company nor any Affiliate of the Company shall, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration, whether by way of interest, fee or otherwise, to any Holder for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of the Indenture or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to all Holders and is paid to all Holders that so consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or agreement.

ARTICLE 8

SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEES

SECTION 8.01. Guarantees. Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees, jointly and severally, to each Holder and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns (a) the full and punctual payment of principal of and interest on the Notes when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, and all other monetary obligations of the Company under the Indenture and the Notes and (b) the full and punctual performance within applicable grace periods of all other obligations of the Company under the Indenture and the Notes (all the foregoing being hereinafter collectively called the “Guaranteed Obligations”). Each Subsidiary Guarantor further agrees that the Guaranteed Obligations may be extended or renewed, in whole or in part, without notice or further assent from such Subsidiary Guarantor and that such Subsidiary Guarantor will remain bound under this Article 8 notwithstanding any extension or renewal of any Guaranteed Obligation.

Each Subsidiary Guarantor waives presentation to, demand of, payment from and protest to the Company of any of the Guaranteed Obligations and also waives notice of protest for nonpayment. Each Subsidiary Guarantor waives notice of any default under the Notes or the Guaranteed Obligations. The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder shall not be affected by (1) the failure of any Holder or the Trustee to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any right or remedy against the Company or any other Person (including any Subsidiary Guarantor) under the Indenture, the Notes or any other agreement or otherwise; (2) any extension or renewal of any thereof; (3) any rescission, waiver, amendment or modification of any of the terms or provisions of the Indenture, the Notes or any other agreement; (4) the release of any security held by any Holder or the Trustee for the Guaranteed Obligations or any of them; (5) the failure of any Holder or the Trustee to exercise any right or remedy against any other guarantor of the Guaranteed Obligations; or (6) except as set forth in Section 8.06 hereof, any change in the ownership of such Subsidiary Guarantor.

Each Subsidiary Guarantor further agrees that its Subsidiary Guarantee herein constitutes a guarantee of payment, performance and compliance when due (and not a guarantee of collection) and waives any right to require that any resort be had by any Holder or the Trustee to any security held for payment of the Guaranteed Obligations.

Except as expressly set forth in Section 6.04, Section 8.02 and Section 8.06 hereof, the obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder shall not be subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason, including any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, and shall not be subject to any defense of setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever or by reason of the invalidity, illegality or

 

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unenforceability of the Guaranteed Obligations or otherwise. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor herein shall not be discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by the failure of any Holder or the Trustee to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any remedy under the Indenture, the Notes or any other agreement, by any waiver or modification of any thereof, by any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the performance of the obligations, or by any other act or thing or omission or delay to do any other act or thing which may or might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of such Subsidiary Guarantor or would otherwise operate as a discharge of such Subsidiary Guarantor as a matter of law or equity.

Each Subsidiary Guarantor further agrees that its Guarantee herein shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment, or any part thereof, of principal of or interest on any Guaranteed Obligation is rescinded or must otherwise be restored by any Holder or the Trustee upon the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company or otherwise.

In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation of any other right which any Holder or the Trustee has at law or in equity against any Subsidiary Guarantor by virtue hereof, upon the failure of the Company to pay the principal of or interest on any Guaranteed Obligation when and as the same shall become due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, by redemption or otherwise, or to perform or comply with any other Guaranteed Obligation, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby promises to and shall, upon receipt of written demand by the Trustee, forthwith pay, or cause to be paid, in cash, to the Holders or the Trustee an amount equal to the sum of (A) the unpaid amount of such Guaranteed Obligations, (B) accrued and unpaid interest on such Guaranteed Obligations (but only to the extent not prohibited by law) and (C) all other monetary Guaranteed Obligations of the Company to the Holders and the Trustee.

Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees that, as between it, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the other hand, (i) the maturity of the Guaranteed Obligations may be accelerated as provided in Article 5 hereof for the purposes of such Subsidiary Guarantor’s Subsidiary Guarantee herein, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the Guaranteed Obligations, and (ii) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such Guaranteed Obligations as provided in Article 5 hereof, such Guaranteed Obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by such Subsidiary Guarantor for the purposes of this Section.

Each Subsidiary Guarantor also agrees to pay any and all costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) Incurred by the Trustee or any Holder in enforcing any rights under this Section.

SECTION 8.02. Limitation on Liability. Any term or provision of the Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, the maximum aggregate amount of the Guaranteed Obligations guaranteed hereunder by any Subsidiary Guarantor shall not exceed the maximum amount that can be hereby Guaranteed without rendering the Indenture, as it relates to such Subsidiary Guarantor, voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally.

 

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SECTION 8.03. Successors and Assigns. This Article 8 shall be binding upon each Subsidiary Guarantor and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the successors and assigns of the Trustee and the Holders and, in the event of any transfer or assignment of rights by any Holder or the Trustee, the rights and privileges conferred upon that party in the Indenture and in the Notes shall automatically extend to and be vested in such transferee or assignee, all subject to the terms and conditions of the Indenture.

SECTION 8.04. No Waiver. Neither a failure nor a delay on the part of either the Trustee or the Holders in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Article 8 shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall a single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise of any right, power or privilege. The rights, remedies and benefits of the Trustee and the Holders herein expressly specified are cumulative and not exclusive of any other rights, remedies or benefits which either may have under this Article 8 at law, in equity, by statute or otherwise.

SECTION 8.05. Modification. No modification, amendment or waiver of any provision of this Article 8, nor the consent to any departure by any Subsidiary Guarantor therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Trustee, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. No notice to or demand on any Subsidiary Guarantor in any case shall entitle such Subsidiary Guarantor to any other or further notice or demand in the same, similar or other circumstances.

SECTION 8.06. Release of Subsidiary Guarantor. A Subsidiary Guarantor will be released from its obligations under this Article 8 (other than any obligation that may have arisen under Section 8.07 hereof):

(a) upon the sale or other disposition (including by way of consolidation or merger) of such Subsidiary Guarantor, including the sale or disposition of Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor following which such Subsidiary Guarantor is no longer a Subsidiary of the Company,

(b) upon the sale or disposition of all or substantially all the assets of such Subsidiary Guarantor,

(c) upon the release or discharge of all Guarantees and Indebtedness, as applicable, of such Subsidiary Guarantor outstanding as of the Issue Date (i) under the Credit Agreement and (ii) in relation to any Indebtedness of the Company,

(d) upon defeasance of the Notes pursuant to Article 6 hereof and Article 8 of the Original Indenture, or

(e) upon the full satisfaction of the Company’s obligations under the Indenture;

provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) and (b) above, (i) such sale or other disposition is made to a Person other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company and (ii) such sale or disposition is otherwise permitted by the Indenture.

 

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At the request of the Company, and upon the Trustee’s receipt of an Officers’ Certificate and Opinion of Counsel meeting the requirements of Section 10.3 of the Original Indenture and stating that such release is authorized or permitted by the Indenture, the Trustee shall execute and deliver an appropriate instrument evidencing such release.

SECTION 8.07. Contribution. Each Subsidiary Guarantor that makes a payment under its Subsidiary Guarantee shall be entitled upon payment in full of all Guaranteed Obligations under the Indenture to a contribution from each other Subsidiary Guarantor in an amount equal to such other Subsidiary Guarantor’s pro rata portion of such payment based on the respective net assets of all the Subsidiary Guarantors at the time of such payment determined in accordance with GAAP.

ARTICLE 9

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 9.01. Governing Law and Jury Trial Waiver. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEES, AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEES, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. The parties hereto hereby waive their respective rights to trial by jury in any action or proceeding arising out of or related to the Indenture, the Notes or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, to the extent permitted by law.

SECTION 9.02. Payments on Business Days. If any Interest Payment Date or the Stated Maturity of the Notes or any earlier required repurchase date would fall on a day that is not a Business Day, the required payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no interest on such payment shall accrue in respect of the delay.

SECTION 9.03. No Security Interest Created. Nothing in this Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes, expressed or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect, in any jurisdiction.

SECTION 9.04. Trust Indenture Act. This Supplemental Indenture is hereby made subject to, and shall be governed by, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act required to be part of and to govern indentures qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof or the Original Indenture that is required to be included in an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall control.

SECTION 9.05. Notices. The addresses for notice in Section 10.2 of the Original Indenture shall be deemed to be as follows:

if to the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor:

Tyson Foods, Inc.

2200 Don Tyson Parkway

Springdale, Arkansas ###-###-####

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

 

26


with a copy to:

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Attention: Richard D. Truesdell, Jr.

if to the Trustee:

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.

601 Travis Street, 16th Floor

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Corporate Trust Services, re: Tyson Foods, Inc.

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

The Trustee agrees to accept and act upon instructions or directions pursuant to this Supplemental Indenture sent by unsecured e-mail, pdf, facsimile transmission or other similar unsecured electronic methods; provided, however, that the Trustee shall have received an incumbency certificate listing persons designated to give such instructions or directions and containing specimen signatures of such designated persons, which such incumbency certificate shall be amended and replaced whenever a person is to be added or deleted from the listing. If the Company elects to give the Trustee e-mail or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the Trustee in its discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the Trustee’s understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling. The Trustee shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee’s reliance upon and compliance with such instructions notwithstanding such instructions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction. The Company agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk or interception and misuse by third parties.

SECTION 9.06. Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes, expressed or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Paying Agent, any authenticating agent, any Registrar and their successors hereunder or the Holders of the Notes, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Supplemental Indenture.

SECTION 9.07. Successors. All agreements of the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor in the Indenture and the Notes shall bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in the Indenture shall bind its successors.

SECTION 9.08. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc. The table of contents and the titles and headings of the Articles and Sections of this 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.

 

27


SECTION 9.09. Execution in Counterparts. This Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

SECTION 9.10. Severability. In the event any provision of this Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, then (to the extent permitted by law) the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired.

SECTION 9.11. The Trustee. The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture or for or in respect of the recitals contained herein, all of which are made solely by the Company. In acting as Trustee under this Supplemental Indenture and with respect to the Notes, the Trustee shall be entitled to, in addition to all rights, benefits, protections, indemnities and immunities granted to it under the Original Indenture, the benefit of the following provisions:

(a) The permissive right of the Trustee to take any action under this Supplemental Indenture shall not be construed as a duty to so act.

(b) In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, 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.

(c) 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, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services (it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to avoid and mitigate the effects of such occurrences and to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances).

(d) The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and to each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.

[Remainder of the page intentionally left blank]

 

28


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

 

TYSON FOODS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Susan White

Name:   Susan White
Title:   Vice President and Treasurer
TYSON FRESH MEATS, INC.
By:  

/s/ R. Read Hudson

Name:   R. Read Hudson
Title:   Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Secretary

[Trustee Signature Follows]

 

29


THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee
By:  

/s/ Jonathan Glover

Name:   Jonathan Glover
Title:   Vice President

 

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EXHIBIT A

[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]

THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF A DEPOSITARY. THIS NOTE IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR NOTES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF THIS NOTE 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) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES.

UNLESS THIS 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 NOTE 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 HEREON 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.

 

A-1


TYSON FOODS, INC.

3.950% Senior Note due 2024

 

No. [    ]    Initially $[        ]

CUSIP No. 902494 AX1

Tyson Foods, Inc., a Delaware corporation (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay CEDE & CO., or registered assigns, [                    ] Dollars ($[        ]) (or such lesser principal amount as shall be specified in the “Schedule of Exchanges of Securities” attached hereto) on August 15, 2024, and to pay interest thereon as set forth in the manner, at the rates and to the Persons set forth in the Indenture.

This Note shall bear interest at a rate of 3.950% per annum from August 8, 2014 or from the most recent date to which interest had been paid or provided to, but excluding, the next scheduled Interest Payment Date, until the principal hereof shall be repaid. Interest on this Note will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year composed of twelve 30-day months. Interest is payable semi-annually in arrears on each February 15 and August 15, commencing on February 15, 2015, to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor securities) is registered at the close of business on the Record Date for such interest.

The Company shall pay principal of and interest on this Note, so long as such Note is a Global Note, in immediately available funds to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered Holder of such Note. The Company shall pay principal of any Notes (other than Notes that are Global Notes) at the office or agency designated by the Company for that purpose. The Company has initially designated the Trustee as its Paying Agent and Registrar in respect of the Notes and its agency in New York, New York as a place where Notes may be presented for payment or for registration of transfer. The Company may, however, change the Paying Agent or Registrar for the Notes without prior notice to the Holders thereof, and the Company may act as Paying Agent or Registrar.

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

In the case of any conflict between this Note and the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall control.

THIS NOTE, AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS NOTE, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

A-2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, TYSON FOODS, INC. has caused this instrument to be signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officers.

Dated: August 8, 2014

 

TYSON FOODS, INC.
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  
ATTEST:
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

A-3


CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Dated: August 8, 2014

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee
By:  

 

Name:  
Title:  

 

A-4


[FORM OF REVERSE OF NOTE]

TYSON FOODS, INC.

3.950% Senior Note due 2024

This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Securities of the Company (herein called the “Notes”), issued under an Indenture dated as of June 1, 1995 (herein called the “Original Indenture”) by and between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. (as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A.)), herein called the “Trustee”, as supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture dated as of August 8, 2014 (herein called the “Supplemental Indenture” and the Original Indenture, as supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”) by and between the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors party thereto and the Trustee, and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes and of the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. Additional Notes may be issued in an unlimited aggregate principal amount, subject to certain conditions specified in the Indenture.

The payment by the Company of the principal of, and premium and interest on, the Notes is fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several senior basis by each of the Subsidiary Guarantors to the extent set forth in the Indenture.

The Company may redeem the Notes in whole or in part, at any time (a) prior to May 15, 2024 (three months prior to Stated Maturity) at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the date fixed for redemption, or (ii) the sum of the remaining scheduled payments of principal of and interest on the Notes being redeemed (not including any portion of the payments of interest accrued as of the date fixed for redemption), discounted to its present value as of the date fixed for redemption on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Adjusted Treasury Rate (as defined in the Supplemental Indenture), as determined by the Quotation Agent (as defined in the Supplemental Indenture), plus 25 basis points, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed to the date fixed for redemption, or (b) on or after May 15, 2024 (three months prior to Stated Maturity), at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the date fixed for redemption.

The Company shall redeem the Notes, in whole but not in part, at a special mandatory redemption price (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Price”) equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount thereof to, but not including, the Special Mandatory Redemption Date (as defined below), if the Hillshire Brands Acquisition has not occurred on or prior to April 1, 2015, or if, prior to such date, the Merger Agreement is terminated (each, a “Special Mandatory Redemption Event”), in accordance with the provisions set forth in the Supplemental Indenture.

 

A-5


If a Change of Control Triggering Event (as defined in the Supplemental Indenture) occurs, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem the Securities, Holders of the Securities will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or a portion of their Securities pursuant to the offer described in the Supplemental Indenture at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of repurchase, subject to the rights of Holders of Securities on the relevant Interest Record Date to receive interest due on the relevant Interest Payment Date.

Subject to certain conditions, the Company at any time shall be entitled to terminate certain of its obligations under the Notes and the Indenture if the Company deposits with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations for the payment of principal and interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be.

Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, (a) the Indenture and the Securities may be amended with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount outstanding of the Notes and (b) any default or noncompliance with any provision may be waived with the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount outstanding of the Notes. Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, without the consent of any Holder, the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee shall be entitled to amend the Indenture or the Notes to: cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency; comply with Section 4.02 of the Supplemental Indenture; provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes; add guarantees with respect to the Notes, including Subsidiary Guarantees, or secure the Notes; add additional covenants or surrender rights and powers conferred on the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantors; comply with any requirement of the SEC in connection with qualifying the Indenture under the Act; make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder; provide for the issuance of Additional Notes; evidence and provide for the acceptance and appointment under the Indenture of a successor Trustee; conform the text of the Indenture, the Notes or any Subsidiary Guarantee to any provision under the heading “Description of the Notes” in the Prospectus Supplement; or make amendments to provisions of the Indenture relating to the transfer and legending of the Notes.

Under the Indenture, Events of Default include (a) default for 30 days in payment of interest on the Notes; (b) default in payment of principal on the Notes at maturity, upon optional redemption of the Notes, upon acceleration or otherwise, or failure by the Company to redeem or purchase Notes when required; (c) failure by the Company or any Subsidiary Guarantor to comply with other agreements in the Indenture or the Notes, in certain cases subject to notice and lapse of time; (d) certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency with respect to the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Significant Subsidiaries; and (e) certain defaults with respect to Subsidiary Guarantees. If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately. Certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency are Events of Default which will result in the Notes being due and payable immediately upon the occurrence of such Events of Default.

Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. The Trustee may refuse to enforce the Indenture or the Notes unless it receives indemnity or security satisfactory to it. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may withhold

 

A-6


from Holders notice of any continuing Default (except a Default in payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest) if it determines in good faith that withholding notice is not opposed to the interests of the Holders.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Note at the time, place and rate, and in the coin and currency, herein prescribed.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Note is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

The Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or Trustee may treat the Person in whose name the Note is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

All defined terms used in this Note that are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

A-7


ABBREVIATIONS

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription of the face of this Note, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

 

TEN-COM—as tenants in common    UNIF GIFT MIN ACT    Custodian
   (Cust)   
TEN ENT—as tenants by the entireties      
   (Minor)   
JT TEN—as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common    Uniform Gifts to Minors act    (State)
   Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list   

 

A-8


SCHEDULE A

SCHEDULES OF EXCHANGES OF SECURITIES

TYSON FOODS, INC.

3.950% Senior Notes due 2024

The initial principal amount of this Registered Global Security is                      ($        ). The following, exchanges, purchases or conversions of a part of this Registered Global Security have been made:

 

Date of
Exchange

   Amount of
decrease in
principal amount
of this Registered
Global Security
   Amount of increase
in principal
amount of this
Registered Global
Security
   Principal amount
of this Registered
Global Security
following such
decrease or
increase
   Signature of
authorized
signatory of
Trustee or
Custodian