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TABLE OF CONTENTS
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 26, 2017
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form F-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
China Lodging Group, Limited
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Cayman Islands (State or other jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
Not Applicable (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number.) |
No. 2266 Hongqiao Road Changning District Shanghai 200336 People's Republic of China (86) 21 6195-2011 (Address and Telephone Number of Registrant's Principal Executive Office) |
Cogency Global Inc. 10 E. 40th Street, 10th floor New York, NY 10016 United States of America (1) 800 221-0102 (Name, Address, and Telephone Number for Agent of Service) |
Copy to:
Shuang Zhao
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
37th Floor, Hysan Place
500 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
(852) 2532-3783
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. o
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ý
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ý
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.
Emerging growth company o
If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act .. o
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered(1) |
Amount to be Registered(2) |
Proposed Maximum Aggregate Price Per Unit(2) |
Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(2) |
Amount of Registration Fee(2) |
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Ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001 per share(3) |
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Debt securities |
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Warrants |
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PROSPECTUS
China Lodging Group, Limited
Ordinary Shares
Debt Securities
Warrants
We may offer and sell ordinary shares, debt securities or warrants in any combination from time to time in one or more offerings, at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. In addition, this prospectus may be used to offer securities for the account of persons other than us.
Each time we or any selling security holder sell securities, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the offering and the terms of the securities. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in any of our securities.
We or any selling security holder may sell the securities independently or together with any other securities registered hereunder to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, or through a combination of these methods, on a continuous or delayed basis. See "Plan of Distribution." If any underwriters, dealers or agents are involved in the sale of any of the securities, their names, and any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangements between or among them, will be set forth, or will be calculable from the information set forth, in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Our ADSs are listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market and are traded under the ticker symbol "HTHT."
Investing in our securities involves risks. You should read the "Risk Factors" section contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference in this prospectus before investing in our securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is October 26, 2017.
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Before you invest in any of our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, together with the additional information described in the sections entitled "Where You Can Find More Information About Us" and "Incorporation of Documents by Reference" in this prospectus.
In this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated or unless the context otherwise requires,
This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form F-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, utilizing a shelf registration process permitted under the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Act. By using a shelf registration statement, we or any selling security holder may sell any of our securities from time to time and in one or more offerings. Each time we or any selling security holders sell securities, we may provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the securities being offered and the terms of that offering. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the prospectus supplement. You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We will not make an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus or the applicable supplement to this prospectus is accurate as of its respective date, and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
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INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with them. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Each document incorporated by reference is current only as of the date of such document, and the incorporation by reference of such documents should not create any implication that there has been no change in our affairs since such date. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus and should be read with the same care. When we update the information contained in documents that have been incorporated by reference by making future filings with the SEC, the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus is considered to be automatically updated and superseded. In other words, in the case of a conflict or inconsistency between information contained in this prospectus and information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later.
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below:
Our 2016 20-F contains a description of our business and audited consolidated financial statements with a report by our independent auditors. These financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or U.S. GAAP.
Unless expressly incorporated by reference, nothing in this prospectus shall be deemed to incorporate by reference information furnished to, but not filed with, the SEC. We will provide to you, upon your written or oral request, without charge, a copy of any or all of the documents we refer to above which we have incorporated in this prospectus by reference, other than exhibits to those documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in the documents. You should direct your requests to our principal executive office located at No. 2266 Hongqiao Road, Changning District, Shanghai 200336, People's Republic of China. Our telephone number at this address is (86) 21 6195-2011.
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SPECIAL NOTE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the information incorporated by reference herein and therein may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of, and are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by, the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements, which are not statements of historical fact, may contain estimates, assumptions, projections and/or expectations regarding future events, which may or may not occur. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our or our industry's actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "could," "will," "should," "would," "expect," "plan," "intend," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "future," "is/are likely to," "project" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking statements include:
You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could materially affect results. You should read thoroughly this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from and worse than what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include those discussed in the section titled "Risk Factors." They include economic and political conditions and government policies in the countries in which we operate, inflation rates, exchange rates, regulatory developments, technological improvements, customer demand and competition. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for our management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. This prospectus also contains or incorporates by reference data, including industry-demand and product-pricing data, related to the lodging market in several countries, including China. This market data includes projections that are based on a number of assumptions. If any one or more of the assumptions underlying the market data proves to be incorrect, actual results may differ from the projections based on these assumptions.
The forward-looking statements and any related statements made in this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference are made as of the date of the respective documents. The forward-looking statements obtained from third-party studies or reports are made as of the date of the corresponding study or report. We undertake no obligation, beyond that required by law, to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made, even though circumstances may change in the future.
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We are a leading and fast-growing multi-brand hotel group in China with leased and owned, manachised and franchised models. Under the lease and ownership model, we directly operate hotels located primarily on leased properties. Under the manachise model, we manage manachised hotels through the on-site hotel managers we appoint and collect fees from franchisees. Under the franchise model, we provide training, reservation and support services to the franchised hotels and collect fees from franchisees but do not appoint on-site hotel managers. We apply a consistent standard and platform across all of our hotels. We completed the acquisition of all of the equity interests in Crystal Orange Hotel Holdings Limited ("Crystal Orange") on May 25, 2017. As of June 30, 2017, Crystal Orange had 140 hotels in operation. As of June 30, 2017, we had 686 leased and owned hotels, 2,654 manachised hotels and 201 franchised hotels that were in operation and 30 leased and owned hotels and 582 manachised and franchised hotels that were contracted or under development. As of the same date, we had 359,530 hotel rooms in operation, and we operate approximately 24% of these hotel rooms under the lease and ownership model and the rest under the manachise and franchise models.
As of the date of this prospectus, our hotel brands include Hi Inn, HanTing Hotel, HanTing Plus, Elan Hotel, JI Hotel, Starway Hotel, Joya Hotel, VUE Hotel, Crystal Orange Hotel, Orange Hotel Select, Orange Hotel and Manxin Hotel. We have also entered into brand franchise agreements with Accor and enjoyed exclusive franchise rights in respect of "Mercure," "Ibis" and "Ibis Styles" in the PRC, Taiwan and Mongolia and non-exclusive franchise rights in respect of "Grand Mercure" and "Novotel" in the PRC, Taiwan and Mongolia.
Our operations commenced with mid-scale limited service hotels and commercial property development and management in 2005. We began our current business of operating and managing a multi-brand hotel group in 2007.
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Investing in our securities involves risk. You should carefully consider the risk factors and uncertainties described under the heading "Item 3. Key InformationD. Risk Factors" in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F, which is incorporated in this prospectus by reference, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act, and any risk factors and other information described in the applicable prospectus supplement before acquiring any of our securities. These risks and uncertainties could materially affect our business, results of operations or financial condition and cause the value of our securities to decline.
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Unless we indicate otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we plan to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities for general corporate purposes. We will not receive proceeds from sales of securities by persons other than us except as may otherwise be stated in any applicable prospectus supplement.
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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges on a historical basis for the period indicated. The ratio of earnings to fixed charges is computed by dividing earnings by fixed charges. The ratios are calculated using financial information extracted, where applicable, from the audited consolidated financial statements, which are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
For purposes of computing this ratio, earnings generally consist of pre-tax income from continuing operations before adjustment for income or loss from equity investees and fixed charges excluding capitalized interest. Fixed charges consist of interest expense, the portion of rental expense considered representative of the interest factor and capitalized interest. See Exhibit 12.1 to this Form F-3 for the calculation of this ratio.
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Year Ended December 31, | |
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Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 |
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2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | ||||||||||||||
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges |
1.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 2.7 |
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We may issue from time to time, in one or more offerings, the following securities:
We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement a description of the debt securities and warrants, and, in certain cases, the ordinary shares (including ordinary shares represented by ADSs) that may be offered under this prospectus. The terms of the offering of securities, the initial offering price and the net proceeds to us will be contained in the prospectus supplement, and other offering material, relating to such offer. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus and any supplement before you invest in any of our securities.
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Introduction
As of the date of this prospectus, our authorized share capital is an amount of US$900,000 and consists of 8,000,000,000 ordinary shares of par value US$0.0001 each and 1,000,000,000 preferred shares of par value US$0.0001 each. As of the same date, we have 284,104,800 ordinary shares issued and outstanding and we do not have any preferred shares outstanding.
We were incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability under the Companies Law, Cap 22 (Law 3 of 1961, as consolidated and revised) of the Cayman Islands, or the Companies Law, on January 4, 2007. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their shares. A Cayman Islands exempted company:
The following summarizes the material terms of our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Law insofar as they relate to the material terms of our ordinary shares. This summary is not complete, and you should read our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, which have been filed with the SEC.
The following discussion primarily concerns ordinary shares and the rights of holders of ordinary shares. The holders of ADSs will not be treated as our shareholders and will be required to surrender their ADSs for cancellation and withdrawal from the depositary facility in which the ordinary shares are held in accordance with the provisions of the deposit agreement in order to exercise shareholders' rights in respect of the ordinary shares. The depositary will agree, so far as it is practical, to vote or cause to be voted the amount of ordinary shares represented by ADSs in accordance with the non-discretionary written instructions of the holders of such ADSs. See "Voting Rights Attaching to the Shares" below.
Meetings
Subject to the Company's regulatory requirements, an annual general meeting and any extraordinary general meeting shall be called by not less than five clear days' notice in writing. Notice of every general meeting will be given to all of our shareholders other than those that, under the provisions of our amended and restated articles of association or the terms of issue of the ordinary shares they hold, are not entitled to receive such notices from us, and also to our directors and principal external auditors. Extraordinary general meetings may be called only by (i) the chairman of our board of directors, or (ii) a majority of our board of directors and may not be called by any other person.
Notwithstanding that a meeting is called by shorter notice than that mentioned above, but, subject to applicable regulatory requirements, it will be deemed to have been duly called, if it is so agreed (i) in the case of a meeting called as an annual general meeting by all of our shareholders entitled to attend and vote at the meeting; and (ii) in the case of any other meeting, by our shareholders together holding not less than 95% of the voting rights represented by the issued voting shares giving that right.
One or more shareholders entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy that represent not less than one-third in nominal value of the total issued voting shares will constitute a quorum. No business other than the appointment of a chairman may be transacted at any general meeting unless a
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quorum is present at the commencement of business. However, the absence of a quorum will not preclude the appointment of a chairman. If present, the chairman of our board of directors shall be the chairman presiding at any shareholders meetings.
A corporation being a shareholder shall be deemed for the purpose of our amended and restated articles of association to be present in person, if represented by its duly authorized representativebeing the person appointed by resolution of the directors or other governing body of such corporation to act as its representative at the relevant general meeting or at any relevant general meeting of any class of our shareholders. Such duly authorized representative shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the corporation that he represents as that corporation could exercise if it were our individual shareholder.
The quorum for a separate general meeting of the holders of a separate class of shares is described in "Modification of Rights" below.
Our amended and restated articles of association do not allow our shareholders to approve matters to be determined at shareholders meetings by way of written resolutions without a meeting.
Voting Rights Attaching to the Shares
Subject to any special rights or restrictions as to voting for the time being attached to any shares, at any general meeting every shareholder who is present in person or by proxy (or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative) shall have one vote on a show of hands, and on a poll every shareholder present in person or by proxy (or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly appointed representative) shall have one vote for each fully paid share of which such shareholder is the holder.
No shareholder shall be entitled to vote or be reckoned in a quorum, in respect of any share, unless such shareholder is duly registered as our shareholder at the applicable record date for that meeting and all calls or installments due by such shareholder to us have been paid.
If a clearing house (or its nominee(s)), being a corporation, is our shareholder, it may authorize such person or persons as it thinks fit to act as its representative(s) at any meeting or at any meeting of any class of shareholders provided that the authorization shall specify the number and class of shares in respect of which each such person is so authorized. A person authorized pursuant to this provision is entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the recognized clearing house (or its nominee(s)) as if such person was the registered holder of our shares held by that clearing house (or its nominee(s)) including the right to vote individually on a show of hands.
While there is nothing under the laws of the Cayman Islands which specifically prohibits or restricts the creation of cumulative voting rights for the election of directors of the Company, it is not a concept that is accepted as a common practice in the Cayman Islands, and the Company has made no provisions in its amended and restated articles of association to allow cumulative voting for such elections.
Protection of Minorities Shareholders
The Grand Court of the Cayman Islands may, on the application of shareholders holding not less than one-fifth of our shares in issue, appoint an inspector to examine our affairs and to report thereon in a manner as the Grand Court shall direct.
Any shareholder may petition the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, which court may make a winding up order, if the court is of the opinion that it is just and equitable that we should be wound up. Where any such petition has been presented by our shareholders, the Grand Court is permitted to make alternative orders to a winding-up order including orders regulating the conduct of our affairs in
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the future, requiring us to refrain from doing an act complained of by the petitioner or for the purchase of our shares by us or another shareholder.
Claims against us by our shareholders must, as a general rule, be based on the general laws of contract or tort applicable in the Cayman Islands or their individual rights as shareholders as established by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
The Cayman Islands courts ordinarily would be expected to follow English case law precedents which permit a minority shareholder to commence a representative action against, or derivative actions in our name to challenge (i) an act which is ultra vires or illegal, (ii) an act which constitutes a fraud against the minority and the wrongdoers are themselves in control of us, and (iii) an irregularity in the passing of a resolution which requires a qualified (or special) majority.
Pre-emption Rights
There are no pre-emption rights applicable to the issue of new shares under either Cayman Islands law or our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
Liquidation Rights
Subject to any special rights, privileges or restrictions as to the distribution of available surplus assets on liquidation for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares: (i) if we are wound up and the assets available for distribution among our shareholders are more than sufficient to repay the whole of the capital paid up at the commencement of the winding up, the excess shall be distributed pari passu among those shareholders in proportion to the amount paid up on the shares held by them, respectively and (ii) if we are wound up and the assets available for distribution among the shareholders as such are insufficient to repay the whole of the paid-up capital, those assets shall be distributed so that, as nearly as may be, the losses shall be borne by the shareholders in proportion to the capital paid up at the commencement of the winding up on the shares held by them, respectively.
If we are wound up, the liquidator may with the sanction of our special resolution and any other sanction required by the Companies Law, divide among our shareholders in specie or kind the whole or any part of our assets (whether or not they shall consist of property of the same kind) and may, for such purpose, set such value as the liquidator deems fair upon any property to be divided and may determine how such division shall be carried out as between the shareholders or different classes of shareholders. The liquidator may also vest the whole or any part of these assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of the shareholders as the liquidator shall think fit, but so that no shareholder will be compelled to accept any assets, shares or other securities upon which there is a liability.
Modification of Rights
Except with respect to share capital (as described below) and the location of the registered office, alterations to our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association may only be made by special resolution, meaning a majority of not less than two-thirds of votes cast at a shareholders meeting.
Subject to the Companies Law, all or any of the special rights attached to shares of any class (unless otherwise provided for by the terms of issue of the shares of that class) may be varied, modified or abrogated, with the sanction of a special resolution, passed at a separate general meeting of the holders of the shares of that class. The provisions of our amended and restated articles of association relating to general meetings shall apply similarly to every such separate general meeting, but so that the quorum for the purposes of any such separate general meeting or at its adjourned meeting shall be a person or persons together holding (or represented by proxy) on the date of the relevant meeting not less than one-third in nominal value of the issued shares of that class, that every holder of shares of the
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class shall be entitled on a poll to one vote for every such share held by such holder and that any holder of shares of that class present in person or by proxy may demand a poll.
The special rights conferred upon the holders of any class of shares shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided in the rights attaching to or the terms of issue of such shares, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu therewith.
Alteration of Capital
We may from time to time by ordinary resolution:
We may, by special resolution, subject to any confirmation or consent required by the Companies Law, reduce our share capital or any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorized by law.
Transfer of Shares
Subject to any applicable restrictions set forth in our amended and restated articles of association, including, for example, the board of directors' discretion to refuse to register a transfer of any share (not being a fully paid up share) to a person of whom it does not approve, or any share issued under the share incentive plans for employees upon which a restriction on transfer imposed thereby still subsists, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or in a form prescribed by the NASDAQ Global Select Market or in another form that our directors may approve.
Our directors may decline to register any transfer of any share which is not paid up or on which we have a lien. Our directors may also decline to register any transfer of any share unless:
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If our directors refuse to register a transfer, they shall, within two months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.
The registration of transfers may, on notice being given by advertisement in such one or more newspapers or by any other means in accordance with the requirements of the NASDAQ Global Select Market, be suspended and the register closed at such times and for such periods as our directors may from time to time determine; provided, however, that the registration of transfers shall not be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 days in any year as our directors may determine.
Share Repurchase
We are empowered by the Companies Law and our amended and restated articles of association to purchase our own shares, subject to certain restrictions. Our directors may only exercise this power on our behalf, subject to the Companies Law, our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association and to any applicable requirements imposed from time to time by the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the SEC, or by any other recognized stock exchange on which our securities are listed.
Dividends
Subject to the Companies Law, our directors may declare dividends in any currency to be paid to our shareholders. Dividends may be declared and paid out of our profits, realized or unrealized, or from any reserve set aside from profits which our directors determine is no longer needed. Our board of directors may also declare and pay dividends out of the share premium account or any other fund or account that can be authorized for this purpose in accordance with the Companies Law.
Except in so far as the rights attaching to, or the terms of issue of, any share otherwise provides (i) all dividends shall be declared and paid according to the amounts paid up on the shares in respect of which the dividend is paid, but no amount paid up on a share in advance of calls shall be treated for this purpose as paid up on that share and (ii) all dividends shall be apportioned and paid pro rata according to the amounts paid up on the shares during any portion or portions of the period in respect of which the dividend is paid.
Our directors may also pay any dividend that is payable on any shares semi-annually or on any other dates, whenever our financial position, in the opinion of our directors, justifies such payment.
Our directors may deduct from any dividend or bonus payable to any shareholder all sums of money (if any) presently payable by such shareholder to us on account of calls or otherwise.
No dividend or other money payable by us on or in respect of any share shall bear interest against us.
In respect of any dividend proposed to be paid or declared on our share capital, our directors may resolve and direct that (i) such dividend be satisfied wholly or in part in the form of an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up, provided that our shareholders entitled thereto will be entitled to elect to receive such dividend (or part thereof if our directors so determine) in cash in lieu of such allotment or (ii) the shareholders entitled to such dividend will be entitled to elect to receive an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up in lieu of the whole or such part of the dividend as our directors may think fit. On the recommendation of our directors, we may also by ordinary resolution resolve in
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respect of any particular dividend that, notwithstanding the foregoing, a dividend may be satisfied wholly in the form of an allotment of shares credited as fully paid up without offering any right to shareholders to elect to receive such dividend in cash in lieu of such allotment.
Any dividend interest or other sum payable in cash to the holder of shares may be paid by check or warrant sent by mail addressed to the holder at his registered address, or addressed to such person and at such addresses as the holder may direct. Every check or warrant shall, unless the holder or joint holders otherwise direct, be made payable to the order of the holder or, in the case of joint holders, to the order of the holder whose name stands first on the register in respect of such shares, and shall be sent at his or their risk and payment of the check or warrant by the bank on which it is drawn shall constitute a good discharge to us.
All dividends unclaimed for one year after having been declared may be invested or otherwise made use of by our board of directors for the benefit of our company until claimed. Any dividend unclaimed after a period of six years from the date of declaration of such dividend shall be forfeited and reverted to us.
Whenever our directors have resolved that a dividend be paid or declared, our directors may further resolve that such dividend be satisfied wholly or in part by the distribution of specific assets of any kind, and in particular of paid up shares, debentures or warrants to subscribe for our securities or securities of any other company. Where any difficulty arises with regard to such distribution, our directors may settle it as they think expedient. In particular, our directors may issue fractional certificates, ignore fractions altogether or round the same up or down, fix the value for distribution purposes of any such specific assets, determine that cash payments shall be made to any of our shareholders upon the footing of the value so fixed in order to adjust the rights of the parties, vest any such specific assets in trustees as may seem expedient to our directors, and appoint any person to sign any requisite instruments of transfer and other documents on behalf of the persons entitled to the dividend, which appointment shall be effective and binding on our shareholders.
Untraceable Shareholders
We are entitled to sell any shares of a shareholder who is untraceable, provided that:
The net proceeds of any such sale shall belong to us, and when we receive these net proceeds we shall become indebted to the former shareholder for an amount equal to such net proceeds.
Differences in Corporate Law
The Companies Law is modeled after similar laws in the United Kingdom but does not follow recent changes in United Kingdom laws. In addition, the Companies Law differs from laws applicable to United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the significant
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differences between the provisions of the Companies Law applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements. Under the laws of the Cayman Islands, two or more companies may merge or consolidate in accordance with Section 233 of the Companies Law. A merger means the merging of two or more constituent companies and the vesting of their undertaking, property and liabilities in one of such constituent companies as the surviving company. A consolidation means the combination of two or more constituent companies into a new consolidated company and the vesting of the undertaking, property and liabilities of such constituent companies in the new consolidated company. In order to merge or consolidate, the directors of each constituent company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation which must be authorized by each constituent company by a special resolution of the shareholders and such other authorization as may be specified in such company's articles of association. The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest of a constituent company in a proposed merger or consolidation must also be obtained.
For a director who has a financial interest in the plan of merger or consolidation, he should declare the nature of his interest at the board meeting where the plan was considered. Following such declaration, subject to any separate requirement for Audit Committee approval under the applicable law or any applicable requirements imposed from time to time by the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the SEC, or by any other recognized stock exchange on which the securities are listed, and unless disqualified by the chairman of the relevant board meeting, he may vote on the plan of merger or consolidation.
A shareholder resolution is not required if a Cayman Islands incorporated parent company is seeking to merge with one or more of its Cayman Islands incorporated subsidiary companies (i.e., companies where at least ninety per cent (90%) of the issued shares of which (of one or more classes) that are entitled to vote are owned by the parent company). In any event, all shareholders must be given a copy of the plan of merger or consolidation irrespective of whether they are entitled to vote at the meeting or consent to the written resolution to approve the plan of merger or consolidation.
The shareholders of the constituent companies are not required to receive shares of the surviving or consolidated company but may receive debt obligations or other securities of the surviving or consolidated company, or money and other assets or a combination thereof. Further, some or all of the shares of a class or series may be converted into a kind of asset while the other shares of the same class or series may receive a different kind of asset. As such, not all the shares of a class or series must receive the same kind of consideration.
After the plan of merger or consolidation has been approved by the directors, authorized by a resolution of the shareholders and the holders of fixed or floating security interest have given their consent, the plan of merger or consolidation is executed by each company and filed, together with certain ancillary documents, with the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands.
A shareholder may dissent from a merger or consolidation. A shareholder properly exercising his dissent rights is entitled to payment in cash of the fair value of his shares. Such dissent rights are unavailable in respect of shares subject to a plan of merger or consolidation for which (i) an open market exists on a recognized stock exchange or recognized interdealer quotation system at the expiry date of the period allowed for written notice of an election to dissent and (ii) in certain other situations.
A shareholder dissenting from a merger or consolidation must object in writing to the merger or consolidation before the vote by the shareholders on the merger or consolidation. If the merger or consolidation is approved by the shareholders, the company must within 20 days give notice of this fact to each shareholder who gave written objection. Such shareholders then have 20 days to give to the
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company their written election in the form specified by the Companies Law to dissent from the merger or consolidation.
Upon giving notice of his election to dissent, a shareholder ceases to have any rights of a shareholder except the right to be paid the fair value of his shares. As such, the merger or consolidation may proceed in the ordinary course notwithstanding the dissent.
Within seven days of the later of the delivery of the notice of election to dissent and the effective date of the merger or consolidation, the company must make a written offer to each dissenting shareholder to purchase his shares at a specified price that the company determines to be their fair value. The company and the shareholder then have 30 days to agree upon the price. If the company and a shareholder fail to agree on the price within the 30 days, then within 20 days thereafter, the company shall or any dissenting shareholder may file a petition with the Grand Court for a determination of the fair value of the shares of all dissenting shareholders. At the petition hearing, the Grand Court shall determine the fair value of the shares of such dissenting shareholders as it finds are involved, together with a fair rate of interest, if any, to be paid by the company upon the amount determined to be the fair value.
Shareholders' Suits. In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff and a derivative action may not be brought by a minority shareholder. However, based on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority in the Cayman Islands, exceptions to the foregoing principle apply in circumstances in which:
Corporate Governance. Cayman Islands laws do not restrict transactions with directors, requiring only that directors exercise a duty of care and owe a fiduciary duty to the companies for which they serve. Under our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, subject to any separate requirement for audit committee approval under the applicable rules of the NASDAQ Global Select Market or unless disqualified by the chairman of the relevant board meeting, so long as a director discloses the nature of his interest in any contract or arrangement which he is interested in, such a director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract or arrangement in which such director is interested and may be counted in the quorum at such a meeting. You may also refer to "Item 16GCorporate Governance" in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F, which is incorporated in this prospectus by reference, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Exchange Act.
Board of Directors
We are managed by our board of directors. Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that the number of our directors will be fixed from time to time pursuant to an ordinary resolution of our shareholders but must consist of not less than two directors. There is no maximum number of directors unless otherwise determined by our shareholders in general meeting. Subject to matters set out below, any director on our board may be removed by way of an ordinary resolution of our shareholders or by the consent of a majority of the directors then in office.
Our amended and restated articles of association provides that for so long as Ctrip.com International, Ltd. ("Ctrip"), together with its affiliates, continues to hold at least 8% of our outstanding ordinary shares, Ctrip shall have the right to appoint one (1) director to our board of directors and such director may only be removed or replaced by Ctrip; provided, however, that any
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person nominated by Ctrip to serve as a director must be accepted by a majority of our directors, in their reasonable discretion, before such nomination becomes effective. Any amendment or revocation of the relevant article in our amended and restated articles of association requires the prior written consent of Ctrip as long as Ctrip has the right to appoint such director.
Our amended and restated articles of association provide that for so long as Winner Crown Holdings Limited ("Winner Crown"), together with its affiliates, continues to hold at least 15% of our outstanding ordinary shares, Winner Crown shall have the right to appoint two (2) directors to our board of directors and such directors may only be removed or replaced by Winner Crown; provided, however, that any person nominated by Winner Crown to serve as directors must be accepted by a majority of our directors, in their reasonable discretion, before such nomination becomes effective. Any amendment or revocation of the relevant article in our amended and restated articles of association requires the prior written consent of Winner Crown as long as Winner Crown has the right to appoint any such director.
Our Company, AAPC Hong Kong Limited ("Accor") and various other parties entered into a deed of voting and right of first refusal (the "Deed of Voting and ROFR") on January 25, 2016. Pursuant to the Deed of Voting and ROFR (the form of which is included in a current report that we filed with the SEC on November 27, 2015), our articles of associations were amended to give effect to certain rights of Accor. Our amended and restated articles of association provide that for so long as Accor, together with its affiliates holds ordinary shares on an as converted basis that represent at least 8% of our Pro Forma Share Capital (as defined in the Deed of Voting and ROFR), Accor shall have the right to designate one (1) director to our board of directors and to any executive or management committee of our board of directors and such director may only be removed or replaced by Accor, for cause or otherwise as provided in the securities purchase agreement dated as of 14 December, 2014 between the Company and Accor. Any person designated by Accor to serve as a director shall be nominated and elected to our board of directors, provided that our board of directors shall only refrain from nominating and electing an Accor director designee if it reasonably determines that such designee has a criminal record or would cause us to violate any anti-corruption rules or to lose any material licenses. In addition, in the event of a founder departure, we must notify Accor within 10 days thereof, procure that a representative designated by Accor be appointed as a member of the nomination committee or other committee of our board of directors authorized to appoint the successor or any person assuming any of his material duties or responsibilities, and promptly share with the Accor director all relevant information with respect to any potential candidates provided to any other members of our board of directors or its nomination committee. Accor's rights above will terminate upon the earliest to occur of any termination event as provided in the Deed of Voting and ROFR. Any amendment or revocation of the relevant article in our amended and restated articles of association requires the prior written consent of Accor as long as Accor's rights pursuant to such article have not terminated.
Any vacancies or additions to the existing board of directors can be filled by way of an ordinary resolution of our shareholders. Any vacancies on our board of directors or additions to the existing board of directors can be filled by the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the remaining directors, although this may be less than a quorum where the number of remaining directors falls below the minimum number fixed by our board of directors. Any director appointed by our board of directors to fill a casual vacancy shall hold office until the first general meeting of shareholders after his appointment and be subject to re-election at such meeting. Any director appointed by our board of directors as an addition to the existing board shall hold office until our next following annual general meeting and shall be eligible for re-election. Our directors are not required to hold any of our shares to be qualified to serve on our board of directors. There is no requirement under Cayman Islands law or our amended and restated articles of association that a majority of our directors be independent.
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Meetings of our board of directors may be convened by the secretary on request of director or by any director. Advance notice of a meeting is not required if each director entitled to attend consents to the holding of such meeting.
A meeting of our board of directors shall be competent to make lawful and binding decisions if at least two of the members of our board of directors are present or represented. At any meeting of our directors, each director, be it by such director's presence or by such director's alternate, is entitled to one vote.
Questions arising at a meeting of our board of directors are required to be decided by simple majority votes of the members of our board of directors present or represented at the meeting. In the case of a tie vote, the chairman of the meeting shall have an additional or casting vote. Our board of directors may also pass resolutions without a meeting by unanimous written consent.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Pursuant to our amended and restated articles of association, our board of directors has established an audit committee and a compensation committee.
Issuance of Additional Ordinary Shares or Preferred Shares
Our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association authorizes our board of directors to establish from time to time one or more series of preferred shares and to determine, with respect to any series of preferred shares, the terms and rights of that series, including:
Our board of directors may issue series of preferred shares without action by our shareholders to the extent authorized but unissued. Accordingly, the issuance of preferred shares may adversely affect the rights of the holders of the ordinary shares. In addition, the issuance of preferred shares may be used as an anti-takeover device without further action on the part of the shareholders. Issuance of preferred shares may dilute the voting rights of holders of ordinary shares.
Subject to applicable regulatory requirements, our board of directors may issue additional ordinary shares without action by our shareholders to the extent of available authorized but unissued shares. The issuance of additional ordinary shares may be used as an anti-takeover device without further action on the part of the shareholders. Such issuance may dilute the voting power of existing holders of ordinary shares.
Inspection of Books and Records
Holders of our ordinary shares will have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or our corporate records. However, we will provide our shareholders with annual audited financial statements. See "Where You Can Find More Information About Us."
Interested Directors
There are no provisions under Cayman Islands law that require a director who is interested in a transaction entered into by a Cayman company to disclose his interest nor will render such director liable to such company for any profit realized pursuant to such transaction.
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History of Securities Issuance
In December 2014, we entered into agreements with Accor to join forces in the Pan-China region to develop Accor brand hotels and to form an extensive and long-term alliance with Accor. The transactions with Accor were completed in the first quarter of 2016. Pursuant to the amended and restated master purchase agreement with Accor, we acquired from Accor certain businesses from Accor and, in return, issued 24,895,543 ordinary shares to Accor, which represented 9.0% of our ordinary shares outstanding after issuance. We also granted to Accor a right to nominate one director to our board of directors.
We announced a share repurchase program approved by our board of directors on April 20, 2015, which was amended in March 2016. Under the terms of the approved program, we may repurchase up to US$80 million worth of our issued and outstanding ADSs. The repurchases may be made from time to time on the open market at prevailing market prices and subject to restrictions relating to volume, price and timing. This share repurchase plan was effective until April 20, 2017, and was implemented in a manner consistent with market conditions, the interest of the shareholders, the trading price of the ADSs and in compliance with relevant rules under the Exchange Act. We repurchased ADSs representing 3,096,764 ordinary shares on the open market for an aggregate consideration of RMB107.3 million in 2015. The repurchased shares were presented as "treasury shares" in shareholders' equity on our consolidated balance sheets. We did not repurchase any ADSs under this program in 2016 or 2017.
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DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES
Citibank, N.A. has agreed to act as the depositary for the American Depositary Shares. Citibank's depositary offices are located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013. American Depositary Shares are frequently referred to as "ADSs" and represent rights and interests in securities that are on deposit with the depositary. ADSs may be represented by certificates that are commonly known as "American Depositary Receipts" or "ADRs." The depositary typically appoints a custodian to safe-keep the securities on deposit. In this case, the custodian is Citibank, N.A.-Hong Kong, located at 9/F, Citi Tower, One Bay East, 83 Hoi Bun Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
We appointed Citibank as depositary pursuant to a deposit agreement. A copy of the deposit agreement is on file with the SEC, under cover of a Registration Statement on Form F-6 (Registration No. 333-165402). You may obtain a copy of the deposit agreement from the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549 and from the SEC's website (www.sec.gov).
We are providing you with a summary description of the material terms of the ADSs and of your material rights as an owner of ADSs. Please remember that summaries by their nature lack the precision of the information summarized and that the rights and obligations of an owner of ADSs will be determined by reference to the terms of the deposit agreement and not by this summary. We urge you to review the deposit agreement in its entirety.
Each ADS represents the right to receive four ordinary shares on deposit with the custodian. An ADS also represents the right to receive any other property received by the depositary bank or the custodian on behalf of the owner of the ADS but that has not been distributed to the owners of ADSs because of legal restrictions or practical considerations.
If you become an owner of ADSs, you will become a party to the deposit agreement and therefore will be bound to its terms and to the terms of any ADR that represents your ADSs. The deposit agreement and the ADR specify our rights and obligations as well as your rights and obligations as owner of ADSs and those of the depositary. As an ADS holder you appoint the depositary to act on your behalf in certain circumstances. The deposit agreement and the ADRs are governed by New York law. However, our obligations to the holders of ordinary shares will continue to be governed by the laws of the Cayman Islands, which may be different from the laws in the United States.
In addition, applicable laws and regulations may require you to satisfy reporting requirements and obtain regulatory approvals in certain circumstances. You are solely responsible for complying with such reporting requirements and obtaining such approvals. Neither the depositary, the custodian, us or any of their or our respective agents or affiliates shall be required to take any actions whatsoever on behalf of you to satisfy such reporting requirements or obtain such regulatory approvals under applicable laws and regulations.
As an owner of ADSs, you may hold your ADSs either by means of an ADR registered in your name, through a brokerage or safekeeping account, or through an account established by the depositary in your name reflecting the registration of uncertificated ADSs directly on the books of the depositary (commonly referred to as the "direct registration system" or "DRS"). The direct registration system reflects the uncertificated (book-entry) registration of ownership of ADSs by the depositary. Under the direct registration system, ownership of ADSs is evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary to the holders of the ADSs. The direct registration system includes automated transfers between the depositary and The Depository Trust Company ("DTC"), the central book-entry clearing and settlement system for equity securities in the United States. If you decide to hold your ADSs through your brokerage or safekeeping account, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or bank to assert your rights as ADS owner. Banks and brokers typically hold securities such as the ADSs through clearing and settlement systems such as DTC. The procedures of such clearing and settlement systems may limit your ability to exercise your rights as an owner of ADSs. Please consult with your
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broker or bank if you have any questions concerning these limitations and procedures. All ADSs held through DTC will be registered in the name of a nominee of DTC. This summary description assumes you have opted to own the ADSs directly by means of an ADS registered in your name and, as such, we will refer to you as the "holder." When we refer to "you," we assume the reader owns ADSs and will own ADSs at the relevant time.
Dividends and Distributions
As a holder, you generally have the right to receive the distributions we make on the securities deposited with the custodian. Your receipt of these distributions may be limited, however, by practical considerations and legal limitations. Holders will receive such distributions under the terms of the deposit agreement in proportion to the number of ADSs held as of a specified record date.
Distributions of Cash
Whenever we make a cash distribution for the securities on deposit with the custodian, we will deposit the funds with the Custodian. Upon receipt of confirmation of the deposit of the requisite funds, the depositary will arrange for the funds to be converted into U.S. dollars and for the distribution of the U.S. dollars to the holders, subject to the laws and regulations of the Cayman Islands.
The conversion into U.S. dollars will take place only if practicable and if the U.S. dollars are transferable to the United States. The amounts distributed to holders will be net of the fees, expenses, taxes and governmental charges payable by holders under the terms of the deposit agreement. The depositary will apply the same method for distributing the proceeds of the sale of any property (such as undistributed rights) held by the custodian in respect of securities on deposit.
Distributions of Ordinary Shares
Whenever we make a free distribution of ordinary shares for the securities on deposit with the custodian, we will deposit the applicable number of ordinary shares with the custodian. Upon receipt of confirmation of such deposit, the depositary will either distribute to holders new ADSs representing the ordinary shares deposited or modify the ADS-to-ordinary shares ratio, in which case each ADS you hold will represent rights and interests in the additional ordinary shares so deposited. Only whole new ADSs will be distributed. Fractional entitlements will be sold and the proceeds of such sale will be distributed as in the case of a cash distribution.
The distribution of new ADSs or the modification of the ADS-to-ordinary shares ratio upon a distribution of ordinary shares will be made net of the fees, expenses, taxes and governmental charges payable by holders under the terms of the deposit agreement. In order to pay such taxes or governmental charges, the depositary may sell all or a portion of the new ordinary shares so distributed.
No such distribution of new ADSs will be made if it would violate a law (i.e., the U.S. securities laws) or if it is not operationally practicable. If the depositary does not distribute new ADSs as described above, it may sell the ordinary shares received upon the terms described in the deposit agreement and will distribute the proceeds of the sale as in the case of a distribution of cash.
Distributions of Rights
Whenever we intend to distribute rights to purchase additional ordinary shares, we will give prior notice to the depositary and we will assist the depositary in determining whether it is lawful and reasonably practicable to distribute rights to purchase additional ADSs to holders.
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The depositary will establish procedures to distribute rights to purchase additional ADSs to holders and to enable such holders to exercise such rights if it is lawful and reasonably practicable to make the rights available to holders of ADSs, and if we provide all of the documentation contemplated in the deposit agreement (such as opinions to address the lawfulness of the transaction). You may have to pay fees, expenses, taxes and other governmental charges to subscribe for the new ADSs upon the exercise of your rights. The depositary is not obligated to establish procedures to facilitate the distribution and exercise by holders of rights to purchase new ordinary shares other than in the form of ADSs.
The depositary will not distribute the rights to you if:
The depositary will sell the rights that are not exercised or not distributed if such sale is lawful and reasonably practicable. The proceeds of such sale will be distributed to holders as in the case of a cash distribution. If the depositary is unable to sell the rights, it will allow the rights to lapse.
Elective Distributions
Whenever we intend to distribute a dividend payable at the election of shareholders either in cash or in additional shares, we will give prior notice thereof to the depositary and will indicate whether we wish the elective distribution to be made available to you. In such case, we will assist the depositary in determining whether such distribution is lawful and reasonably practicable.
The depositary will make the election available to you only if it is reasonably practicable and if we have provided all of the documentation contemplated in the deposit agreement. In such case, the depositary will establish procedures to enable you to elect to receive either cash or additional ADSs, in each case as described in the deposit agreement.
If the election is not made available to you, you will receive either cash or additional ADSs, depending on what a shareholder would receive upon failing to make an election, as more fully described in the deposit agreement.
Other Distributions
Whenever we intend to distribute property other than cash, ordinary shares or rights to purchase additional ordinary shares, we will notify the depositary in advance and will indicate whether we wish such distribution to be made to you. If so, we will assist the depositary in determining whether such distribution to holders is lawful and reasonably practicable.
If it is reasonably practicable to distribute such property to you and if we provide all of the documentation contemplated in the deposit agreement, the depositary will distribute the property to the holders in a manner it deems practicable.
The distribution will be made net of fees, expenses, taxes and governmental charges payable by holders under the terms of the deposit agreement. In order to pay such taxes and governmental charges, the depositary may sell all or a portion of the property received.
The depositary will not distribute the property to you and will sell the property if:
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The proceeds of such a sale will be distributed to holders as in the case of a cash distribution.
Redemption
Whenever we decide to redeem any of the securities on deposit with the custodian, we will timely notify the depositary. If it is reasonably practicable and if we provide all of the documentation contemplated in the deposit agreement, the depositary will provide notice of the redemption to the holders.
The custodian will be instructed to surrender the shares being redeemed against payment of the applicable redemption price. The depositary will convert the redemption funds received into U.S. dollars upon the terms of the deposit agreement and will establish procedures to enable holders to receive the net proceeds from the redemption upon surrender of their ADSs to the depositary. You may have to pay fees, expenses, taxes and other governmental charges upon the redemption of your ADSs. If less than all ADSs are being redeemed, the ADSs to be retired will be selected by lot or on a pro rata basis, as the depositary may determine.
Changes Affecting Ordinary Shares
The ordinary shares held on deposit for your ADSs may change from time to time. For example, there may be a change in nominal or par value, a split-up, cancellation, consolidation or reclassification of such ordinary shares or a recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale of assets.
If any such change were to occur, your ADSs would, to the extent permitted by law, represent the right to receive the property received or exchanged in respect of the ordinary shares held on deposit. The depositary may in such circumstances deliver new ADSs to you, amend the deposit agreement, the ADRs and the applicable Registration Statement(s) on Form F-6, call for the exchange of your existing ADSs for new ADSs and take any other actions that are appropriate to reflect as to the ADSs the change affecting the ordinary shares. If the depositary may not lawfully distribute such property to you, the depositary may sell such property and distribute the net proceeds to you as in the case of a cash distribution.
Issuance of ADSs upon Deposit of Ordinary Shares
The depositary may create ADSs on your behalf if you or your broker deposit ordinary shares with the custodian. The depositary will deliver these ADSs to the person you indicate only after you pay any applicable issuance fees and any charges and taxes payable for the transfer of ordinary shares to the custodian. Your ability to deposit ordinary shares and receive ADSs may be limited by legal considerations applicable at the time of deposit.
The issuance of ADSs may be delayed until the depositary or the custodian receives confirmation that all required approvals have been given and that the ordinary shares have been duly transferred to the custodian. The depositary will only issue ADSs in whole numbers.
When you make a deposit of ordinary shares, you will be responsible for transferring good and valid title to the depositary. As such, you will be deemed to represent and warrant that:
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If any of the representations or warranties are incorrect in any way, we and the depositary may, at your cost and expense, take any and all actions necessary to correct the consequences of the misrepresentations.
Transfer, Combination and Split Up of ADRs
As an ADR holder, you will be entitled to transfer, combine or split up your ADRs and the ADSs evidenced thereby. For transfers of ADRs, you will have to surrender the ADRs to be transferred to the depositary and also must:
To have your ADRs either combined or split up, you must surrender the ADRs in question to the depositary with your request to have them combined or split up, and you must pay all applicable fees, charges and expenses payable by ADR holders, pursuant to the terms of the deposit agreement, upon a combination or split up of ADRs.
Withdrawal of Ordinary Shares Upon Cancellation of ADSs
As a holder, you will be entitled to present your ADSs to the depositary for cancellation and then receive the corresponding number of underlying ordinary shares at the custodian's offices. Your ability to withdraw the ordinary shares may be limited by U.S. and Cayman Islands legal considerations applicable at the time of withdrawal. In order to withdraw the ordinary shares represented by your ADSs, you will be required to pay to the depositary the fees for cancellation of ADSs and any charges and taxes payable upon the transfer of the ordinary shares being withdrawn. You assume the risk for delivery of all funds and securities upon withdrawal. Once canceled, the ADSs will not have any rights under the deposit agreement.
If you hold ADSs registered in your name, the depositary may ask you to provide proof of identity and genuineness of any signature and such other documents as the depositary may deem appropriate before it will cancel your ADSs. The withdrawal of the ordinary shares represented by your ADSs may be delayed until the depositary receives satisfactory evidence of compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Please keep in mind that the depositary will only accept ADSs for cancellation that represent a whole number of securities on deposit.
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You will have the right to withdraw the securities represented by your ADSs at any time except for:
The deposit agreement may not be modified to impair your right to withdraw the securities represented by your ADSs except to comply with mandatory provisions of law.
Voting Rights
As a holder, you generally have the right under the deposit agreement to instruct the depositary to exercise the voting rights for the ordinary shares represented by your ADSs. The voting rights of holders of ordinary shares are described in "Description of Share CapitalVoting Rights Attaching to the Shares" above.
At our request, the depositary will distribute to you any notice of shareholders' meeting received from us together with information explaining how to instruct the depositary to exercise the voting rights of the securities represented by ADSs.
If the depositary timely receives voting instructions from a holder of ADSs, it will endeavor to vote the securities represented by the holder's ADSs. In the event voting takes place at a shareholders' meeting by show of hands, the depositary will instruct the custodian to vote in accordance with the voting instructions received from a majority of holders of ADSs who provided voting instructions. In the event voting takes place at a shareholders' meeting by poll, the depositary will instruct the custodian to vote in accordance with the voting instructions received from the holders of ADSs.
Please note that the ability of the depositary to carry out voting instructions may be limited by practical and legal limitations and the terms of the securities on deposit. We cannot assure you that you will receive voting materials in time to enable you to return voting instructions to the depositary in a timely manner. Securities for which no voting instructions have been received will not be voted.
Fees and Charges
As an ADS holder, you will be required to pay the following service fees to the depositary:
Service
|
Fees | |
---|---|---|
Issuance of ADSs |
Up to U.S. 5¢ per ADS issued | |
Cancellation of ADSs |
Up to U.S. 5¢ per ADS cancelled |
|
Distribution of cash dividends or other cash distributions |
Up to U.S. 5¢ per ADS held |
|
Distribution of ADSs pursuant to stock dividends, free stock distributions or exercise of rights |
Up to U.S. 5¢ per ADS held |
|
Distribution of securities other than ADSs or rights to purchase additional ADSs |
Up to U.S. 5¢ per ADS held |
|
Depositary services |
Up to U.S. 5¢ per ADS held on the applicable record date(s) established by the depositary |
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As an ADS holder you will also be responsible to pay certain fees and expenses incurred by the depositary and certain taxes and governmental charges such as:
Depositary fees payable upon the issuance and cancellation of ADSs are typically paid to the depositary banks by the brokers (on behalf of their clients) receiving the newly issued ADSs from the depositary banks and by the brokers (on behalf of their clients) delivering the ADSs to the depositary banks for cancellation. The brokers in turn charge these fees to their clients. Depositary fees payable in connection with distributions of cash or securities to ADS holders and the depositary services fee are charged by the depositary banks to the holders of record of ADSs as of the applicable ADS record date.
The depositary fees payable for cash distributions are generally deducted from the cash being distributed. In the case of distributions other than cash (i.e., stock dividend, rights), the depositary banks charge the applicable fee to the ADS record date holders concurrent with the distribution. In the case of ADSs registered in the name of the investor (whether certificated or uncertificated in direct registration), the depositary banks send invoices to the applicable record date ADS holders. In the case of ADSs held in brokerage and custodian accounts (via DTC), the depositary banks generally collects its fees through the systems provided by DTC (whose nominee is the registered holder of the ADSs held in DTC) from the brokers and custodians holding ADSs in their DTC accounts. The brokers and custodians who hold their clients' ADSs in DTC accounts in turn charge their clients' accounts the amount of the fees paid to the depositary banks.
In the event of refusal to pay the depositary fees, the depositary may, under the terms of the deposit agreement, refuse the requested service until payment is received or may set off the amount of the depositary fees from any distribution to be made to the ADS holder.
Note that the fees and charges you may be required to pay may vary over time and may be changed by us and by the depositary. You will receive prior notice of such changes.
The depositary may reimburse us for certain expenses incurred by us in respect of the ADR program established pursuant to the deposit agreement, by making available a portion of the depositary fees charged in respect of the ADR program or otherwise, upon such terms and conditions as we and the depositary may agree from time to time.
Amendments and Termination
We may agree with the depositary to modify the deposit agreement at any time without your consent. We undertake to give holders 30 days' prior notice of any modifications that would materially prejudice any of their substantial rights under the deposit agreement. We will not consider to be materially prejudicial to your substantial rights any modifications or supplements that are reasonably
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necessary for the ADSs to be registered under the Securities Act or to be eligible for book-entry settlement, in each case without imposing or increasing the fees and charges you are required to pay. In addition, we may not be able to provide you with prior notice of any modifications or supplements that are required to accommodate compliance with applicable provisions of law.
You will be bound by the modifications to the deposit agreement if you continue to hold your ADSs after the modifications to the deposit agreement become effective. The deposit agreement cannot be amended to prevent you from withdrawing the ordinary shares represented by your ADSs (except as permitted by law).
We have the right to direct the depositary to terminate the deposit agreement. Similarly, the depositary may in certain circumstances on its own initiative terminate the deposit agreement. In either case, the depositary must give notice to the holders at least 30 days before termination. Until termination, your rights under the deposit agreement will be unaffected.
After termination, the depositary will continue to collect distributions received (but will not distribute any such property until you request the cancellation of your ADSs) and may sell the securities held on deposit. After the sale, the depositary will hold the proceeds from such sale and any other funds then held for the holders of ADSs in a non-interest bearing account. At that point, the depositary will have no further obligations to holders other than to account for the funds then held for the holders of ADSs still outstanding (after deduction of applicable fees, taxes and expenses) or as may be required by law.
Books of Depositary
The depositary will maintain ADS holder records at its depositary office. You may inspect such records at such office at all reasonable times but solely for the purpose of communicating with other holders in the interest of business matters relating to the ADSs and the deposit agreement.
The depositary will maintain in New York facilities to record and process the issuance, cancellation, combination, split-up and transfer of ADSs. These facilities may be closed from time to time, to the extent not prohibited by law.
Limitations on Obligations and Liabilities
The deposit agreement limits our obligations and the depositary's obligations to you. Please note the following:
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Pre-Release Transactions
The depositary may, in certain circumstances, issue ADSs before receiving a deposit of ordinary shares. These transactions are commonly referred to as "pre-release transactions." The deposit agreement limits the aggregate size of pre-release transactions and imposes a number of conditions on such transactions (i.e., the need to receive collateral, the type of collateral required, the representations required from brokers, etc.). The depositary may retain the compensation received from the pre-release transactions.
Taxes
You will be responsible for the taxes and other governmental charges payable on the ADSs and the securities represented by the ADSs. We, the depositary and the custodian may deduct from any distribution the taxes and governmental charges payable by holders and may sell any and all property on deposit to pay the taxes and governmental charges payable by holders. You will be liable for any deficiency if the sale proceeds do not cover the taxes that are due.
The depositary may refuse to issue ADSs, to deliver, transfer, split and combine ADRs or to release securities on deposit until all taxes and charges are paid by the applicable holder. The depositary and the custodian may take reasonable administrative actions to obtain tax refunds and reduced tax withholding for any distributions on your behalf. However, you may be required to provide to the depositary and to the custodian proof of taxpayer status and residence and such other information as the depositary and the custodian may require to fulfill legal obligations. You are required to indemnify us, the depositary and the custodian for any claims with respect to taxes based on any tax benefit obtained for you.
Foreign Currency Conversion
The depositary will arrange for the conversion of all foreign currency received into U.S. dollars if such conversion is practical, and it will distribute the U.S. dollars in accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement. You may have to pay fees and expenses incurred in converting foreign currency,
28
such as fees and expenses incurred in complying with currency exchange controls and other governmental requirements.
If the conversion of foreign currency is not practical or lawful, or if any required approvals are denied or not obtainable at a reasonable cost or within a reasonable period, the depositary may take the following actions in its discretion:
29
We or any selling security holder may sell or distribute the securities offered by this prospectus, from time to time, in one or more offerings, as follows:
In addition, we may issue the securities as a dividend or distribution or in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders. In some cases, we or any selling security holder or any dealers acting for us or on our behalf or a selling security holder may also repurchase the securities and reoffer them to the public by one or more of the methods described above. This prospectus may be used in connection with any offering of our securities through any of these methods or other methods described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Our securities distributed by any of these methods may be sold to the public, in one or more transactions, either:
The prospectus supplement relating to any offering will identify or describe:
Sale through Underwriters or Dealers
If underwriters are used in the sale, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account, including through underwriting, purchase, security lending or repurchase agreements with us. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions. Underwriters may sell the securities in order to facilitate transactions in any of our other securities (described in this prospectus or otherwise), including other public or private transactions and short sales. Underwriters may offer the securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the offered securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.
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If dealers are used in the sale of the securities offered through this prospectus, we or any selling security holder will sell the securities to them as principals, unless we otherwise indicate in the prospectus supplement. The dealers may then resell those securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. The applicable prospectus supplement will include the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.
Direct Sales and Sales through Agents
We or any selling security holder may sell the securities offered through this prospectus directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. Such securities may also be sold through agents designated from time to time. The applicable prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities and will describe any commissions payable to the agent. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, any agent is acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.
We or any selling security holder may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. The terms of any such sales will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Institutional Investors
If indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers from various institutional investors to purchase securities. In this case, then payment and delivery will be made on a future date that the prospectus supplement specifies. The underwriters, dealers or agents may impose limitations on the minimum amount that the institutional investor can purchase. They may also impose limitations on the portion of the aggregate amount of the securities that they may sell. These institutional investors include:
The obligations of any of these purchasers pursuant to delayed delivery and payment arrangements will not be subject to any conditions. However, one exception applies. An institution's purchase of the particular securities cannot at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction that governs:
Market Making, Stabilization and Other Transactions
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, each series of offered securities will be a new issue and will have no established trading market. We may elect to list any series of offered securities on an exchange. Any underwriters that we use in the sale of offered securities may make a market in such securities, but may discontinue such market making at any time without notice. Therefore, we cannot assure you that the securities will have a liquid trading market.
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Any underwriter may also engage in stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Rule 104 under the Exchange Act. Stabilizing transactions involve bids to purchase the underlying security in the open market for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the securities. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions.
Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the securities originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions. Stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would be in the absence of the transactions. The underwriters may, if they commence these transactions, discontinue them at any time.
Derivative Transactions and Hedging
We, any selling security holder and the underwriters may engage in derivative transactions involving the securities. These derivatives may consist of short sale transactions and other hedging activities. The underwriters may acquire a long or short position in the securities, hold or resell securities acquired and purchase options or futures on the securities and other derivative instruments with returns linked to or related to changes in the price of the securities. In order to facilitate these derivative transactions, we or any selling security holder may enter into security lending or repurchase agreements with the underwriters. The underwriters may effect the derivative transactions through sales of the securities to the public, including short sales, or by lending the securities in order to facilitate short sale transactions by others. The underwriters may also use the securities purchased or borrowed from us or others (or, in the case of derivatives, securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives) to directly or indirectly settle sales of the securities or close out any related open borrowings of the securities.
Loans of Securities
We or any selling security holder may loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities using this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement.
General Information
Agents, underwriters, and dealers may be entitled, under agreements entered into with us or any selling security holder, to indemnification by us, against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Our agents, underwriters, and dealers, or their affiliates, may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us or our affiliates, in the ordinary course of business for which they may receive customary compensation.
32
Material income tax consequences relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of any of the securities offered by this prospectus will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the offering of those securities.
33
ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
We are incorporated and existing under the laws of the Cayman Islands to take advantage of certain benefits associated with being a Cayman Islands exempted company, such as:
However, certain disadvantages accompany incorporation in the Cayman Islands. These disadvantages include:
Our constituent documents do not contain provisions requiring that disputes, including those arising under the securities laws of the United States, between us, our officers, directors and shareholders, be arbitrated.
We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and conduct substantially all of our operations in China through our subsidiaries in China. Most of our officers reside outside the United States and some or all of the assets of those persons are located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for you to bring an action against us or against these individuals in the Cayman Islands or in China in the event that you believe that your rights have been infringed under the securities laws of the United States or otherwise.
We have appointed Cogency Global lnc. as our agent upon whom process may be served in any action brought against us under the securities laws of the United States.
Conyers Dill & Pearman, our special legal counsel as to Cayman Islands law, and Jingtian & Gongcheng, our counsel as to PRC law, have advised us, respectively, that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands and the PRC, respectively, would:
Conyers Dill & Pearman has further advised us that a final and conclusive judgment in the federal or state courts of the United States under which a sum of money is payable, other than a sum payable in respect of taxes, fines, penalties or similar fiscal or revenue obligations and which was neither obtained in a manner nor is of a kind enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands, may be subject to enforcement proceedings as a debt in the courts of the Cayman Islands under the common law doctrine of obligation. However, the Cayman Islands courts are unlikely to enforce a punitive judgment of a United States court predicated upon the liabilities provision of the federal securities laws in the United States without retrial on the merits if such
34
judgment gives rise to obligations to make payments that may be regarded as fines, penalties or similar charges.
Jingtian & Gongcheng has further advised us that the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are primarily provided for under the PRC Civil Procedures Law. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedures Law based either on treaties between the PRC and the country where the judgment is made or on reciprocity between jurisdictions. There is currently no treaty between the PRC and the United States that provides for mutual recognition and enforcement of judgments rendered in the other state. As of the date of this prospectus, although there have been occasions where courts in the PRC and California respectively recognized and enforced judgments rendered by courts in the other jurisdiction, there is uncertainty whether a PRC court would generally form the view that reciprocity exists between the PRC and the United States and therefore recognize and enforce judgments rendered by United States courts on reciprocal basis. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, courts in the PRC will not enforce a foreign judgment against us or our directors and officers if they decide that the judgment violates the basic principles of PRC law or national sovereignty, security or public interest. Therefore, it is uncertain whether a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the United States.
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Except as otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, certain legal matters in connection with the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, our special United States counsel, to the extent governed by the laws of the State of New York, and by Conyers Dill & Pearman, our special legal counsel as to Cayman Islands law, to the extent governed by the laws of the Cayman Islands. Legal matters as to PRC law will be passed upon for us by Jingtian & Gongcheng, our counsel as to PRC law. If legal matters in connection with offerings made pursuant to this prospectus are passed upon by counsel to underwriters, dealers or agents, such counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to any such offering.
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The consolidated financial statements and the related financial statement schedules incorporated in this prospectus by reference from our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2016 and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2016 have been audited by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedules have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
The consolidated financial statements of Crystal Orange Hotel Holding Limited at December 31, 2016 and for the year ended December 31, 2016 incorporated by reference herein have been audited by Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP, independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
The office of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP is located at 30th Floor, Bund Center, 222 Yan An Road East, Shanghai 200002, People's Republic of China.
The office of Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP is located at Level 16, Ernst & Young Tower, Oriental Plaza, No.1 East Chang An Ave, Dong Cheng District, Beijing 100738, People's Republic of China.
37
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT US
We are currently subject to periodic reporting and other informational requirements of the Exchange Act as applicable to foreign private issuers. Under the Exchange Act, we are required to file with or furnish to the SEC reports, including annual reports on Form 20-F and other information. All information filed with or furnished to the SEC can be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can request copies of these documents upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC. You can call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the public reference rooms. Additional information may also be obtained over the Internet at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. We also maintain a website at ir.huazhu.com, but information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. You should not regard any information on our website as a part of this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.
As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from the rules of the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements to shareholders, and our executive officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will not be required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act. However, we intend to furnish the depositary with our annual reports, which will include a review of operations and annual audited consolidated financial statements prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and all notices of shareholders' meeting and other reports and communications that are made generally available to our shareholders. The depositary will make such notices, reports and communications available to holders of ADSs and, upon our written request, will mail to all record holders of ADSs the information contained in any notice of a shareholders' meeting received by the depositary from us.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-3 relating to the securities covered by this prospectus. This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are part of the registration statement and do not contain all the information in the registration statement. You will find additional information about us in the registration statement. Any statement made in this prospectus concerning a contract or other document of ours is not necessarily complete, and you should read the documents that are filed as exhibits to the registration statement or otherwise filed with the SEC for a more complete understanding of the document or matter. Each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. You may inspect a copy of the registration statement at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., as well as through the SEC's website.
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PART II
Information Not Required in Prospectus
Item 8. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company's articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent that any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. The registrant's articles of association provide for (1) indemnification of directors and officers for actions, costs, charges, losses, damages, and expenses incurred or sustained in their capacities as such and (2) waiver by each shareholder of any claim or right of action against any director on account of any action taken or omitted to be taken by such director, in each case except for any matter in respect of any fraud or dishonesty of the relevant directors and officers.
Pursuant to the indemnification agreements between the registrant and its directors and officers (the form of which was included as Exhibit 10.4 of the registrant's registration statement on Form F-1 (file no. 333-165247) that was filed with the SEC on March 5, 2010), the registrant has agreed to indemnify its directors and officers against certain liabilities and expenses incurred by such persons in connection with claims made by reason of their being such a director or officer.
The form of Underwriting Agreement to be filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Registration Statement will also provide for indemnification of the registrant and its officers and directors and other persons.
See Exhibit Index beginning on page II-4 of this registration statement.
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
provided, however, that paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or
II-1
Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
II-2
undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(d) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or the Trust Indenture Act, in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the SEC under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.
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II-4
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Shanghai, People's Republic of China, on October 26, 2017.
China Lodging Group, Limited | ||||||
By: |
/s/ MR. TEO NEE CHUAN |
|||||
Name: | Mr. Teo Nee Chuan | |||||
Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Mr. Teo Nee Chuan as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to this registration statement on Form F-3 and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as each such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 26th day of October 2017.
Signatures
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Title
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|
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/s/ QI JI Qi Ji |
Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors | |
/s/ JOHN JIONG WU John Jiong Wu |
Independent Director |
|
/s/ TONG TONG ZHAO Tong Tong Zhao |
Independent Director |
|
/s/ MIN FAN Min Fan |
Director |
II-5
Signatures
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Title
|
|
---|---|---|
/s/ SHANGZHI ZHANG Shangzhi Zhang |
Director | |
/s/ JIAN SHANG Jian Shang |
Independent Director |
|
/s/ GAURAV BHUSHAN Gaurav Bhushan |
Alternate Director to Sébastien Bazin |
|
/s/ MIN (JENNY) ZHANG Min (Jenny) Zhang |
Chief Executive Officer |
|
/s/ TEO NEE CHUAN Teo Nee Chuan |
Chief Financial Officer |
II-6
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of China Lodging Group, Limited, has signed this registration statement or amendment thereto in Newark, Delaware on October 26, 2017.
Puglisi & Associates | ||||||
By: |
/s/ DONALD J. PUGLISI |
|||||
Name: | Donald J. Puglisi | |||||
Title: | Managing Director |
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Exhibit 4.4
China Lodging Group, Limited
INDENTURE
Dated as of [ ]
[ ]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page | |
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ARTICLE I | |||
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE | |||
Section 1.1 |
Definitions |
7 | |
Section 1.2 |
Other Definitions |
10 | |
Section 1.3 |
Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act |
11 | |
Section 1.4 |
Rules of Construction |
12 | |
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ARTICLE II | |||
THE SECURITIES | |||
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Section 2.1 |
Issuable in Series |
12 | |
Section 2.2 |
Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities |
12 | |
Section 2.3 |
Execution and Authentication |
14 | |
Section 2.4 |
Registrar and Paying Agent |
15 | |
Section 2.5 |
Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust |
16 | |
Section 2.6 |
Security Holder Lists |
16 | |
Section 2.7 |
Transfer and Exchange |
17 | |
Section 2.8 |
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities |
17 | |
Section 2.9 |
Outstanding Securities |
18 | |
Section 2.10 |
Treasury Securities |
18 | |
Section 2.11 |
Temporary Securities |
18 | |
Section 2.12 |
Cancellation |
19 | |
Section 2.13 |
Defaulted Interest |
19 | |
Section 2.14 |
Global Securities |
19 | |
Section 2.15 |
CUSIP Numbers |
20 | |
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ARTICLE III | |||
REDEMPTION | |||
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Section 3.1 |
Notice to Trustee |
21 | |
Section 3.2 |
Selection of Securities to be Redeemed |
21 | |
Section 3.3 |
Notice of Redemption |
21 | |
Section 3.4 |
Effect of Notice of Redemption |
22 | |
Section 3.5 |
Deposit of Redemption Price |
22 | |
Section 3.6 |
Securities Redeemed in Part |
22 | |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page | |
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ARTICLE IV | |||
COVENANTS | |||
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Section 4.1 |
Payment of Principal and Interest |
22 | |
Section 4.2 |
SEC Reports |
23 | |
Section 4.3 |
Compliance Certificate |
23 | |
Section 4.4 |
Stay, Extension and Usury Laws |
23 | |
Section 4.5 |
Corporate Existence |
23 | |
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ARTICLE V | |||
SUCCESSORS | |||
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Section 5.1 |
When Company May Merge, Etc. |
24 | |
Section 5.2 |
Successor Corporation Substituted |
24 | |
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ARTICLE VI | |||
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES | |||
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Section 6.1 |
Events of Default |
25 | |
Section 6.2 |
Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment |
26 | |
Section 6.3 |
Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee |
26 | |
Section 6.4 |
Trustee May File Proofs of Claim |
27 | |
Section 6.5 |
Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities |
28 | |
Section 6.6 |
Application of Money Collected |
28 | |
Section 6.7 |
Limitation on Suits |
28 | |
Section 6.8 |
Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest |
29 | |
Section 6.9 |
Restoration of Rights and Remedies |
29 | |
Section 6.10 |
Rights and Remedies Cumulative |
29 | |
Section 6.11 |
Delay or Omission Not Waiver |
30 | |
Section 6.12 |
Control by Holders |
30 | |
Section 6.13 |
Waiver of Past Defaults |
30 | |
Section 6.14 |
Undertaking for Costs |
30 | |
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ARTICLE VII | |||
TRUSTEE | |||
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Section 7.1 |
Duties of Trustee |
31 | |
Section 7.2 |
Rights of Trustee |
32 | |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page | |
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Section 7.3 |
Force Majeure |
34 | |
Section 7.4 |
Individual Rights of Trustee |
34 | |
Section 7.5 |
Trustees Disclaimer |
34 | |
Section 7.6 |
Notice of Defaults |
34 | |
Section 7.7 |
Reports by Trustee to Holders |
35 | |
Section 7.8 |
Compensation and Indemnity |
35 | |
Section 7.9 |
Replacement of Trustee |
36 | |
Section 7.10 |
Successor Trustee by Merger, etc. |
37 | |
Section 7.11 |
Eligibility; Disqualification |
37 | |
Section 7.12 |
Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company |
37 | |
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ARTICLE VIII | |||
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE | |||
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Section 8.1 |
Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture |
37 | |
Section 8.2 |
Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification |
38 | |
Section 8.3 |
Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series |
39 | |
Section 8.4 |
Covenant Defeasance |
40 | |
Section 8.5 |
Repayment to Company |
41 | |
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ARTICLE IX | |||
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES, AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS | |||
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Section 9.1 |
Without Consent of Holders |
41 | |
Section 9.2 |
With Consent of Holders |
42 | |
Section 9.3 |
Limitations |
42 | |
Section 9.4 |
Compliance with Trust Indenture Act |
43 | |
Section 9.5 |
Revocation and Effect of Consents |
43 | |
Section 9.6 |
Notation on or Exchange of Securities |
43 | |
Section 9.7 |
Trustee Protected |
44 | |
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ARTICLE X | |||
MISCELLANEOUS | |||
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Section 10.1 |
Trust Indenture Act Controls |
44 | |
Section 10.2 |
Notices |
44 | |
Section 10.3 |
Communication by Holders with Other Holders |
45 | |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page | |
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Section 10.4 |
Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent |
45 | |
Section 10.5 |
Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion |
45 | |
Section 10.6 |
Rules by Trustee and Agents |
46 | |
Section 10.7 |
Legal Holidays |
46 | |
Section 10.8 |
No Recourse Against Others |
46 | |
Section 10.9 |
Counterparts |
46 | |
Section 10.10 |
Governing Laws |
46 | |
Section 10.11 |
No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements |
47 | |
Section 10.12 |
Successors |
47 | |
Section 10.13 |
Severability |
47 | |
Section 10.14 |
Table of Contents, Headings, Etc. |
47 | |
Section 10.15 |
Securities in a Foreign Currency or in ECU |
47 | |
Section 10.16 |
Judgment Currency |
48 | |
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ARTICLE XI | |||
SINKING FUNDS | |||
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Section 11.1 |
Applicability of Article |
49 | |
Section 11.2 |
Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities |
49 | |
Section 11.3 |
Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund |
50 | |
China Lodging Group, Limited
Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Indenture, dated as of [ ]
Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of the Indenture.
§ 310(a)(1) |
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7.11 |
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(a)(2) |
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7.11 |
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(a)(3) |
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Not Applicable |
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(a)(4) |
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Not Applicable |
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(a)(5) |
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7.11 |
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(b) |
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7.11 |
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§ 311(a) |
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7.12 |
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(b) |
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7.12 |
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§ 312(a) |
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2.6 |
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(b) |
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10.3 |
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(c) |
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10.3 |
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§ 313(a) |
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7.7 |
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(b)(1) |
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7.7 |
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(b)(2) |
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7.7 |
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(c) |
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7.7 |
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(d) |
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7.7 |
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§ 314(a) |
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4.2, 10.5 |
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(b) |
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Not Applicable |
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(c)(1) |
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10.4 |
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(c)(2) |
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10.4 |
(c)(3) |
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Not Applicable |
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(d) |
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Not Applicable |
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(e) |
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10.5 |
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(f) |
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Not Applicable |
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§ 315(a) |
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7.1 |
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(b) |
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7.6 |
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(c) |
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7.1 |
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(d) |
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7.1 |
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(e) |
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6.14 |
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§ 316(a) |
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2.10 |
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(a)(1)(A) |
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6.12 |
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(a)(1)(B) |
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6.13 |
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(b) |
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6.8 |
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§ 317(a)(1) |
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6.3 |
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(a)(2) |
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6.4 |
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(b) |
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2.5 |
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§ 318(a) |
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10.1 |
Indenture dated as of [ ] between China Lodging Group, Limited, an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands (Company), and [ ] (Trustee).
Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities issued under this Indenture.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
Section 1.1 Definitions.
Additional Amounts means any additional amounts which are required hereby or by any Security, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes imposed on Holders specified herein or therein and which are owing to such Holders.
Affiliate of any specified person means any other person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under common control with such specified person. For the purposes of this definition, control (including, with correlative meanings, the terms controlled by and under common control with), as used with respect to any person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by agreement or otherwise.
Agent means any Registrar, Paying Agent, Tender Agent or Notice Agent.
Board of Directors means the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee thereof.
Board Resolution means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been adopted by the Board of Directors or pursuant to authorization by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of the certificate and delivered to the Trustee.
Business Day means, unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close or a day the Corporate Trust Office is closed.
Capital Stock means any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock.
Company means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it and thereafter means the successor.
Company Order means a written order signed in the name of the Company by two Officers, one of whom must be the Companys principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer.
Company Request means a written request signed in the name of the Company by its Chairman, its Chief Executive Officer, or any Vice President and by its Chief Financial Officer and delivered to the Trustee.
Corporate Trust Office means the office or offices of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered.
Default means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.
Depositary means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as Depositary for such Series by the Company, which Depositary shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; and if at any time there is more than one such person, Depositary as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Securities of such Series.
Discount Security means any Security that provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.
Dollars and $ means the currency of The United States of America.
ECU means the European Currency Unit as determined by the Commission of the European Union.
Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Foreign Currency means any currency or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of The United States of America.
Foreign Government Obligations means, with respect to Securities of any Series that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, (i) direct obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by or acting as an agency or instrumentality of such government the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by such government, which, in either case under clauses (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.
GAAP means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect as of the date of determination.
Global Security or Global Securities means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.2 evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities, issued to the Depositary for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depositary or nominee.
Holder or Security Holder means a person in whose name a Security is registered.
Indenture means this Indenture as amended or supplemented from time to time and shall include the form and terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.
interest with respect to any Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.
Maturity, when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.
Officer means the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer or Principal Accounting Officer of the Company.
Officers Certificate means a certificate signed by two Officers, one of whom must be the Companys principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer.
Opinion of Counsel means a written opinion of legal counsel, which opinion, is acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.
person means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
principal of a Security means the principal of the Security plus, when appropriate, the premium, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, the Security.
Responsible Officer means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject and, in each case, who shall in each case have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.
SEC means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Securities means the debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company of any Series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.
Series or Series of Securities means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.2 hereof.
Stated Maturity when used with respect to any Security, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or interest is due and payable.
Subsidiary of any specified person means any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that person or a combination thereof.
TIA means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code §§ 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, TIA means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act as so amended.
Trustee means the person named as the Trustee in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter Trustee shall mean or include each person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such person, Trustee as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that Series, which trustee shall be appointed pursuant to a supplemental indenture.
U.S. Government Obligations means securities which are (i) direct obligations of The United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of The United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by The United States of America, and which in the case of (i) and (ii) are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.
Section 1.2 Other Definitions.
TERM |
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DEFINED IN SECTION |
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Bankruptcy Law |
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6.1 |
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Custodian |
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6.1 |
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Event of Default |
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6.1 |
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Journal |
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10.15 |
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Judgment Currency |
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10.16 |
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Legal Holiday |
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10.7 |
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mandatory sinking fund payment |
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11.1 |
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Market Exchange Rate |
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10.15 |
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New York Banking Day |
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10.16 |
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Notice Agent |
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2.4 |
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optional sinking fund payment |
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11.1 |
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Paying Agent |
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2.4 |
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Registrar |
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2.4 |
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Required Currency |
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10.16 |
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successor person |
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5.1 |
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Section 1.3 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.
Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:
Commission means the SEC.
default means Event of Default.
indenture securities means the Securities.
indenture security holder means a Security Holder.
indenture to be qualified means this Indenture.
indenture trustee or institutional trustee means the Trustee.
obligor on the indenture securities means the Company and any successor obligor upon the Securities.
All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as so defined.
Section 1.4 Rules of Construction.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
(c) or is not exclusive;
(d) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular; and
(e) provisions apply to successive events and transactions.
ARTICLE II
THE SECURITIES
Section 2.1 Issuable in Series.
The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officers Certificate or supplemental indenture detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters, provided that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
Section 2.2 Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities.
At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.2(a) and either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally in the case of Subsections 2.2(a) through 2.2(u)) by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution or Officers Certificate, and associated supplemental indenture:
(a) the title of the Series (which shall distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series);
(b) the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;
(c) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6);
(d) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;
(e) the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;
(f) the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series shall be payable, where the Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be served, and the method of such payment, if by wire transfer, mail or other means;
(g) if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;
(h) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of the Series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
(i) the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;
(j) if other than minimum denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiples of $1,000, the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;
(k) the forms of the Securities of the Series and whether the Securities will be issuable as Global Securities;
(l) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2;
(m) the currency of denomination of the Securities of the Series, which may be U.S. Dollars or any Foreign Currency, including, but not limited to, the ECU, and if such currency of denomination is a composite currency other than the ECU, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;
(n) the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be made;
(o) if payments of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series are to be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to such payments will be determined;
(p) the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of or interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series will be determined, if such amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;
(q) the provisions, if any, relating to any security provided for the Securities of the Series;
(r) any addition to or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the Series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.2;
(s) any addition to or change in the covenants set forth in Articles IV or V which applies to Securities of the Series;
(t) any other terms of the Securities of the Series (which may supplement, modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series); and
(u) any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those appointed herein.
All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers Certificate referred to above.
Section 2.3 Execution and Authentication.
Two Officers shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual or facsimile signature.
If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid.
A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture.
The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication unless otherwise provided by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers Certificate.
The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2, except as provided in Section 2.8.
Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.2) shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officers Certificate complying with Section 10.4, and (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.4.
The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of such Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not be taken lawfully; or (b) if the Trustee in good faith by a trust committee of Responsible Officers shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to Holders of any then outstanding Series of Securities, or (c) if the Trustee in good faith by a Responsible Officer shall determine that the terms of any such securities as set forth in Board Resolutions or Officers Certificates would adversely affect it.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.
Section 2.4 Registrar and Paying Agent.
The Company shall maintain, with respect to each Series of Securities, at the place or places specified with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.2, an office or agency where Securities of such Series may be presented or surrendered for payment (Paying Agent), where Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange (Registrar) and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be delivered (Notice Agent). The Trustee or Notice Agent, as applicable, shall deliver such notices and demands to the Company in accordance with Section 10.2 hereof. The Registrar shall keep a register with respect to each Series of Securities and to their transfer and exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address, and any change in the name or address, of each Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Registrar, Paying Agent or Notice Agent or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the name and address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made
or delivered at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands; provided however, that any appointment of the Trustee as the Notice Agent shall exclude the appointment of the Trustee as an agent to receive the service of legal process on the Company.
The Company may also from time to time designate one or more co-registrars, additional paying agents or notice agents and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent and Notice Agent in each place so specified pursuant to Section 2.2 for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the name or address of any such co-registrar, additional paying agent or notice agent. The term Registrar includes any co-registrar; the term Paying Agent includes any additional paying agent; and the term Notice Agent includes any additional notice agent.
The Company hereby appoints the Trustee the initial Registrar and Paying Agent for each Series unless another Registrar or Paying Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued.
The Company hereby appoints The Depository Trust Company to act as Depositary with respect to the Securities.
The Company hereby appoints [ ] to act as the Notice Agent with respect to the Securities.
Section 2.5 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.
The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust, for the benefit of Security Holders of any Series of Securities, or the Trustee, all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Series of Securities, and will notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of Security Holders of any Series of Securities all money held by it as Paying Agent.
Section 2.6 Security Holder Lists.
The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Security Holders of each Series of Securities and shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least ten days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Security Holders of each Series of Securities.
Section 2.7 Transfer and Exchange.
Where Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange if its requirements for such transactions are met. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein), but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Sections 2.11, 3.6 or 9.6).
Neither the Company nor the Registrar shall be required (a) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange Securities of any Series for the period beginning at the opening of business fifteen days immediately preceding the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (b) to register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series selected, called or being called for redemption as a whole or the portion being redeemed of any such Securities selected, called or being called for redemption in part.
Section 2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.
If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order, shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order, shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.
In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.
Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.
Every new Security of any Series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable
by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that Series duly issued hereunder.
The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.
Section 2.9 Outstanding Securities.
The Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest on a Global Security effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof and those described in this Section as not outstanding.
If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.8, it ceases to be outstanding until the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Security is held by a bona fide purchaser.
If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) holds on the Maturity of Securities of a Series money sufficient to pay such Securities payable on that date, then on and after that date such Securities of the Series cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.
A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Security.
In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.2.
Section 2.10 Treasury Securities.
In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Securities of a Series have concurred in any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, Securities of a Series owned by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company shall be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver only Securities of a Series that the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.
Section 2.11 Temporary Securities.
Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order, shall authenticate temporary Securities upon a Company Order. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Securities.
Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order, shall authenticate definitive Securities of the same Series and date of maturity in exchange for temporary Securities. Until so exchanged, temporary securities shall have the same rights under this Indenture as the definitive Securities.
Section 2.12 Cancellation.
The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. Upon receipt of written instruction from the Company, the Trustee shall cancel all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall destroy such canceled Securities in accordance with its standard procedures and deliver a certificate of such cancellation to the Company upon its written request. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
Section 2.13 Defaulted Interest.
If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on a Series of Securities, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the persons who are Security Holders of the Series on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix the special record date and payment date. At least 10 days before the record date, the Company shall send to the Trustee and to each Security Holder of the Series a notice that states the record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any other lawful manner.
Section 2.14 Global Securities.
(a) Terms of Securities. A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities.
(b) Transfer and Exchange. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.7 of the Indenture and in addition thereto, any Global Security shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.7 of the Indenture for Securities registered in the names of Holders other than the Depositary for such Security or its nominee only if (i) such Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or if at any time such Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depositary registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days of such event or (ii) an Event of Default with respect to such Global Security has occurred and is continuing and such beneficial owner requests that its notes be issued in physical, certificated form. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in such names as the Depositary shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms.
Except as provided in this Section 2.14(b), a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary with respect to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depositary, by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such a successor Depositary.
The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Security other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.
(c) Legend. Any Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary. This Security is exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a person other than the Depositary or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such a successor Depositary.
(d) Acts of Holders. The Depositary, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.
(e) Payments. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.2, payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on any Global Security shall be made to the Holder thereof.
(f) Consents, Declaration and Directions. Except as provided in Section 2.14(e), the Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of such Series represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depositary with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture.
Section 2.15 CUSIP Numbers.
The Company in issuing the Securities may use CUSIP numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use CUSIP numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other elements of
identification printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers.
ARTICLE III
REDEMPTION
Section 3.1 Notice to Trustee.
The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company wants or is obligated to redeem prior to the Stated Maturity thereof all or part of the Series of Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, it shall notify the Trustee of the redemption date and the principal amount of Series of Securities to be redeemed. The Company shall give the Trustee notice at least 45 days before the redemption date (or such shorter notice as may be acceptable to the Trustee).
Section 3.2 Selection of Securities to be Redeemed.
Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers Certificate, if less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Securities of the Series to be by lot, on a pro-rata basis or by another method that the Trustee deems fair and appropriate and in accordance with DTCs applicable procedures. The Trustee shall make the selection from Securities of the Series outstanding not previously called for redemption. The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of Securities of the Series that have minimum denominations larger than $1,000. Securities of the Series and portions of them it selects shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 or, with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.2(j), the minimum principal denomination for each Series and integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities of a Series called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities of that Series called for redemption.
Section 3.3 Notice of Redemption.
Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers Certificate, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date (provided that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a Redemption Date if such notice is issued in connection with a Legal Defeasance, a Covenant Defeasance or a satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture pursuant to Article 8 hereof. The Company shall send a notice of redemption by first-class mail to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed, with a copy to the Trustee.
The notice shall identify the Securities of the Series to be redeemed and shall state:
(a) the redemption date;
(b) the redemption price;
(c) the name and address of the Paying Agent;
(d) that Securities of the Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;
(e) that interest on Securities of the Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;
(f) the CUSIP number, if any; and
(g) any other information as may be required by the terms of the particular Series or the Securities of a Series being redeemed.
At the Companys written request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption prepared by the Company, in the Companys name and at its expense; provided, however, that the Company has delivered to the Trustee, at least 10 days (unless a shorter time shall be acceptable to the Trustee) prior to the notice date an Officers Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice.
Section 3.4 Effect of Notice of Redemption.
Once notice of redemption is sent or published as provided in Section 3.3, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price. A notice of redemption may not be conditional. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Securities shall be paid at the redemption price plus accrued interest to the redemption date.
Section 3.5 Deposit of Redemption Price.
On or before 11:00 am New York time the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date.
Section 3.6 Securities Redeemed in Part.
Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part, the Trustee, shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security of the same Series and the same maturity equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.
ARTICLE IV
COVENANTS
Section 4.1 Payment of Principal and Interest.
The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each Series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.
Section 4.2 SEC Reports.
The Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 15 days after it files them with the SEC copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company is required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company also shall comply with the other provisions of TIA § 314(a).
Section 4.3 Compliance Certificate.
The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year (which on the date hereof ends on December 31) of the Company, an Officers Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Company and its Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his/her knowledge the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every covenant contained in this Indenture and is not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which he may have knowledge).
The Company will, so long as any of the Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, forthwith upon becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officers Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.
Section 4.4 Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.
The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture or the Securities; and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.
Section 4.5 Corporate Existence.
Subject to Article V, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises of the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise if the Board of Directors shall
determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole and that the loss thereof is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders.The company shall provide to the Trustee written notice of any changes in the name or formation of the Company.
ARTICLE V
SUCCESSORS
Section 5.1 When Company May Merge, Etc.
The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any person (a successor person) unless:
(a) the Company is the surviving corporation or the successor person (if other than the Company) is a corporation organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes the Companys obligations on the Securities and under this Indenture and
(b) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.
The Company shall deliver to the Trustee prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction an Officers Certificate to the foregoing effect and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the proposed transaction and any supplemental indenture comply with this Indenture, that the supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted under the Indenture and such opinion of counsel shall state that this Indenture and the supplemental indenture is the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company or such successor person.
Notwithstanding the above, any Subsidiary of the Company may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties to the Company. Neither an Officers Certificate nor an Opinion of Counsel shall be required to be delivered in connection therewith.
Section 5.2 Successor Corporation Substituted.
Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.1, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor person has been named as the Company herein; provided, however, that the predecessor Company in the case of a sale, conveyance or other disposition (other than a lease) shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.
ARTICLE VI
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
Section 6.1 Events of Default.
Event of Default, wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:
(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that Series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by the Company with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent prior to the expiration of such period of 30 days); or
(b) default in the payment of principal of any Security of that Series at its Maturity; or
(c) default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of Series of Securities other than that Series), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a Notice of Default hereunder; or
(d) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(i) commences a voluntary case,
(ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,
(iii) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,
(iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or
(v) generally is unable to pay its debts as the same become due; or
(e) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(i) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case,
(ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or
(iii) orders the liquidation of the Company,
and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or
(f) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.2 (r).
The term Bankruptcy Law means title 11, U.S. Code or any similar Federal or State law for the relief of debtors. The term Custodian means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
Section 6.2 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Section 6.1(d) or (e)) then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may declare the principal amount (or, if any Securities of that Series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the Securities of that Series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1(d) or (e) shall occur, the principal amount (or specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Securities shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.
At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to any Series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that Series, other than the non-payment of the principal and interest, if any, of Securities of that Series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.13.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.3 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.
The Company covenants that if
(a) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or
(b) default is made in the payment of principal of any Security at the Maturity thereof, or
(c) default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment when and as due by the terms of a Security,
then, the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and any overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.
If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or deemed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, if an Event of Default with respect to any Securities of any Series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such Series by pursuing any available remedy by proceeding at law or in equity as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.
Section 6.4 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.
In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and
(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same,
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.8.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
Section 6.5 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.
All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.
Section 6.6 Application of Money Collected.
Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee, its agents and counsel under Section 7.8; and
Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest, respectively; and
Third: To the Company or to such party as a court of competent jurisdiction shall direct.
Section 6.7 Limitation on Suits.
No Holder of any Security of any Series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless
(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that Series;
(b) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;
(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;
(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and
(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series;
it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.
Section 6.8 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest.
Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.
Section 6.9 Restoration of Rights and Remedies.
If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 6.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative.
Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in Section 2.8, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall
not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
Section 6.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver.
No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
Section 6.12 Control by Holders.
The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that
(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,
(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and
(c) the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability.
Section 6.13 Waiver of Past Defaults.
The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such Series waive any past Default hereunder with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of such Series (provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration). Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.14 Undertaking for Costs.
All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion
assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date).
ARTICLE VII
TRUSTEE
Section 7.1 Duties of Trustee.
(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(i) The Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee.
(ii) The Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officers Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, in the case of any such Officers Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officers Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).
(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section.
(ii) The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Responsible Officer was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.
(iii) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
outstanding Securities of such Series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series.
(d) Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to this Section and Section 7.2.
(e) The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power unless it receives security or indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.
(f) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee
(g) may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
(h) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk is not reasonably assured to it.
(i) The Paying Agent, the Registrar, the Conversion Agent, any agent and any authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections, immunities and standard of care as are set forth in paragraphs (b) and (j) of this Section and Section 7.2 with respect to the Trustee.
(j) The Trustee shall not be liable in respect of any payment (as to the correctness of amount, entitlement to receive, or any matters relating to payment) or notice effected by the Company or any Paying Agent, or any records maintained by any Co-Note Registrar with respect to the Notes.
Section 7.2 Rights of Trustee.
(a) The Trustee may rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.
(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel, or both. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers Certificate or Opinion of Counsel. No such Officers Certificate or Opinion of Counsel shall be at the expense of the Trustee. Any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers Certificate.
(c) The Trustee may act through agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care. No Depositary shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or omission by any Depositary.
(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers, provided that the Trustees conduct does not constitute negligence or bad faith. The Trustee shall not be liable for anyindirect or special loss, punitive or consequential damages, even if they were reasonably foreseeable.
(e) The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder, and the Trustee may conclusively rely on any such advice or Opinion of Counsel.
(f) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
(g) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.
(h) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default (other than a payment default under Section 6.1 or 6.2) unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has received written notice of any event which is in fact such a default at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities generally or the Securities of a particular Series and this Indenture and indicates it is a notice of default.
(i) The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including without limitation its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and to each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.
(j) The Trustee may request that the Issuer deliver an Officers Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officers Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officers Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded.
(k) The Trustee shall have no duty to inquire as to or monitor the performance of the Issuer with respect to the covenants contained in Article IV.
(l) The Trustee shall not be required to give any note, bond or surety in respect of the execution of the trusts and powers under this Indenture.
(m) Nothing herein shall be deemed to require the Trustee to submit to the jurisdiction or venue of a non-U.S. court.
(n) The permissive right of the Trustee to take the actions permitted by this Indenture shall not be construed as a duty or obligation to do so.
(o) The Trustee is not responsible for monitoring the performance of the other persons of the for the failure of others to perform their duties.
(p) The Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the performance of its powers and duties hereunder.
Section 7.3 Force Majeure.
(a) The Trustee shall have no liability for delays or inability to perform its duties hereunder due to forces majeures, events beyond its control, such as (but not exclusively) civil unrest, earthquakes, hurricanes or other natural disasters, floods, utility failures, transmission interruptions, power failures, wars, governmental declarations or Acts of God; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.
(b) Delivery of reports or information by the Company shall not be deemed to confer actual or constructive knowledge or notice on the Trustee with respect to a Default or Event of Default, or otherwise.
Section 7.4 Individual Rights of Trustee.
The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.11 and 7.12.
Section 7.5 Trustees Disclaimer.
The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities, it shall not be accountable for the Companys use of the proceeds from the Securities, and it shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities other than its authentication.
Section 7.6 Notice of Defaults.
If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series and if it is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall send (or deliver notice subject to the applicable procedures of the Depositary or relevant clearing system) to each Security Holder of the Securities of that Series notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has written notice or obtains actual knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Security of any Series, or in the payment of any sinking fund installment, the Trustee may withhold the
notice if and so long as a Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Security Holders of that Series.
Section 7.7 Reports by Trustee to Holders.
Within 60 days after October 15 in each year, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Security Holders, as their names and addresses appear on the register kept by the Registrar, a brief report dated as of such October 15, in accordance with, and to the extent required under, TIA § 313.
A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Security Holders of any Series shall be filed with the SEC and each stock exchange on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee when Securities in writing of any Series are listed on any stock exchange.
Section 7.8 Compensation and Indemnity.
The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time compensation for its services as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree upon in writing. The Trustees compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by it. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustees agents and counsel.
The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee (including for the cost of defending itself or enforcing this indemnity) against any cost, expense or liability, including taxes (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee) incurred by it as Trustee or Agent under this Indenture except as set forth in the next paragraph in the performance of its duties or exercise of any rights under this Indenture as Trustee or Agent. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any third party claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder. The Company shall defend any third party claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have one separate counsel plus local counsel, if applicable, and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld. This indemnification shall apply to officers, directors, employees, shareholders and agents of the Trustee.
The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee or by any officer, director, employee, shareholder, Agent or agent of the Trustee to the extent it is attributed to its own negligence or willful conduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final, non-appealable order.
To secure the Companys payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Securities of that Series.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.1 (d) or (e) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services (including the fees and expenses of its agents and counsel) are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.
The provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of this Indenture and the resignation and removal of the Trustee.
Section 7.9 Replacement of Trustee.
A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustees acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section.
The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by so notifying the Company of the proposed resignation. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company in writing at least 30 days prior to the date of such removal. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of one or more Series if:
(a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.11;
(b) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;
(c) a Custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or
(d) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.
If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company.
If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Securities of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after that, the retiring Trustee upon payment of its fees and expenses then unpaid shall transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.8, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities for which it is acting as Trustee under this
Indenture. A successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to each Security Holder of each such Series. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.9, the Companys obligations under Section 7.8 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee with respect to expenses and liabilities incurred by it prior to such replacement at the Companys expense.
Section 7.10 Successor Trustee by Merger, etc.
If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.
Section 7.11 Eligibility; Disqualification.
This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA § 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee shall always have a combined capital and surplus of at least $150,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with TIA § 310(b).
Section 7.12 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.
The Trustee is subject to TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated.
ARTICLE VIII
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE
Section 8.1 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.
This Indenture shall upon Company Order cease to be of further effect (except as hereinafter provided in this Section 8.1), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when
(a) either
(i) all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(ii) all such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation
(A) have become due and payable, or
(B) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or
(C) have been called for redemption or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, or
(D) are deemed paid and discharged pursuant to Section 8.3, as applicable;
and the Company, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust an amount sufficient for the purpose of paying and discharging the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable on or prior to the date of such deposit) or to the Stated Maturity or redemption date, as the case may be;
(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and
(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.8, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.2 and 8.5 shall survive.
Section 8.2 Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 8.5, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.1, all money and U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.3 or 8.4 and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.3 or 8.4, shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the persons entitled thereto, of the principal and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or to make mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments as contemplated by Sections 8.3 or 8.4.
(b) The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Sections 8.3 or 8.4 or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.
(c) The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Sections 8.3 or 8.4 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification
thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money were deposited or received. This provision shall not authorize the sale by the Trustee of any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held under this Indenture.
Section 8.3 Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series.
Unless this Section 8.3 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.2(t), to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the outstanding Securities of any Series on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (d) hereof, and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such outstanding Securities of such Series, shall no longer be in effect (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, at Company Request, execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except as to:
(a) the rights of Holders of Securities of such Series to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (d) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of and each installment of principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) the benefit of any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to the Securities of such Series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series;
(b) the provisions of Sections 2.4, 2.7, 2.8, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.5; and
(c) the rights, powers, trust and immunities of the Trustee hereunder;
(d) provided that, the following conditions shall have been satisfied:
(e) the Company shall have deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for and dedicated solely to the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal and such sinking fund payments are due;
(f) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(g) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;
(h) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;
(i) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Securities of such Series over any other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and
(j) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.
Section 8.4 Covenant Defeasance.
Unless this Section 8.4 is otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.2(t) to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company may omit to comply with respect to the Securities of any Series with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, and 5.1 as well as any additional covenants specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officers Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(t) (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to such Series under Section 6.1) and the occurrence of any event specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officers Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(r) and designated as an Event of Default shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default hereunder, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:
(a) With reference to this Section 8.4, the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.2(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in
the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal and such sinking fund payments are due;
(b) Such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(c) No Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;
(d) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and covenant defeasance had not occurred;
(e) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate stating the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Securities of such Series over any other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company; and
(f) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with.
Section 8.5 Repayment to Company.
Subject to any unclaimed property laws, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon written request any money held by them for the payment of principal and interest that remains unclaimed for two years. After that, Security Holders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another person.
ARTICLE IX
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES, AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS
Section 9.1 Without Consent of Holders.
The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without the consent of any Security Holder:
(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;
(b) to comply with Article V;
(c) to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities;
(d) to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Security Holder;
(e) to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of Securities of any Series as permitted by this Indenture;
(f) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more Series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee; or
(g) to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the TIA.
Section 9.2 With Consent of Holders.
The Company and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series), for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Security Holders of each such Series. Except as provided in Section 6.13, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series by notice and evidence of consent to the Trustee (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series) may waive compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series.
It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Securities under this Section 9.2 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After a supplemental indenture or waiver under this section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders of Securities affected thereby, a notice briefly describing the supplemental indenture or waiver. Any failure by the Company to mail or publish such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.
Section 9.3 Limitations.
Without the consent of each Security Holder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:
(a) reduce the principal amount of Securities whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
(b) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any Security;
(c) reduce the principal or change the Stated Maturity of any Security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;
(d) reduce the principal amount of Discount Securities payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;
(e) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
(f) make the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security payable in any currency other than that stated in the Security;
(g) make any change in Sections 6.8, 6.13 or 9.3 (this sentence); or
(h) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Security, provided that such redemption is made at the Companys option.
Section 9.4 Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.
Every amendment or waiver to this Indenture or the issuance of and establishment of the form and terms and conditions of Securities of one or more Series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the TIA as then in effect.
Section 9.5 Revocation and Effect of Consents.
Until an amendment is set forth in a supplemental indenture or a waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holders Security, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date of the supplemental indenture or the date the waiver becomes effective.
Any amendment or waiver once effective shall bind every Security Holder of each Series affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (h) of Section 9.3. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holders Security.
Section 9.6 Notation on or Exchange of Securities.
The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on any Security of any Series thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for Securities of that Series may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon receipt of a Company Order new Securities of that Series that reflect the amendment or waiver.
Section 9.7 Trustee Protected.
In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 7.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon (in addition to the matters set forth in Section 10.5), and Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The opinion of counsel shall also state that the supplemental indenture constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company. The Trustee shall sign all supplemental indentures, except that the Trustee need not sign any supplemental indenture that adversely affects its rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Indenture.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 10.1 Trust Indenture Act Controls.
If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.
Section 10.2 Notices.
Any notice or communication by the Company or the Trustee to the other, or by a Holder to the Company or the Trustee, is duly given if in writing, in the English language, referencing this Indenture and the applicable securities or series of securities, and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail, or by facsimile transmission:
if to the Company:
China Lodging Group, Limited
No. 2266 Hongqiao Road
Changning District
Shanghai 200336
Peoples Republic of China
Fax No: +86-21-6195-9586
Attention: Min (Jenny) Zhang, Chief Executive Officer
if to the Trustee:
[ ]
The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
Any notice or communication to a Security Holder shall be mailed by first-class mail to his address shown on the register kept by the Registrar or delivered subject to the applicable procedures of Depositary or relevant clearing system. Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Security Holder of any Series or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Security Holders of that or any other Series.
If a notice or communication is mailed or published in the manner provided above, within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the Security Holder receives it.
If the Company mails a notice or communication to Security Holders, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.
Section 10.3 Communication by Holders with Other Holders.
Security Holders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Security Holders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or all Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).
Section 10.4 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.
Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:
(a) an Officers Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and
(b) an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.
Section 10.5 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.
Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA § 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA § 314(e) and shall include:
(a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
Section 10.6 Rules by Trustee and Agents.
The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Security Holders of one or more Series. Any Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.
Section 10.7 Legal Holidays.
Unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, a Legal Holiday is any day that is not a Business Day. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.
Section 10.8 No Recourse Against Others.
A director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Security Holder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.
Section 10.9 Counterparts.
This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
Section 10.10 Governing Laws; Waiver of Jury Trial; Jurisdiction
THE COMPANY, THE TRUSTEE AND THE HOLDERS (BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES) EACH HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR
RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.
Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Indenture or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the City of New York (collectively, the Specified Courts), and each party irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail (to the extent allowed under any applicable statute or rule of court) to such partys address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The Company, the Trustee and the Holders (by their acceptance of the Securities) each hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim any such suit, action or other proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
Section 10.11 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.
This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.
Section 10.12 Successors.
All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind its successor. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.
Section 10.13 Severability.
In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 10.14 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.
The Table of Contents, Cross Reference Table, and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
Section 10.15 Securities in a Foreign Currency or in ECU.
Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.2 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in a coin or currency other than
Dollars (including ECUs), then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be that amount of U.S. Dollars that could be obtained for such amount at the Market Exchange Rate at such time. For purposes of this Section 10.15, Market Exchange Rate shall mean the noon Dollar buying rate in New York City for cable transfers of that currency as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; provided, however, in the case of ECUs, Market Exchange Rate shall mean the rate of exchange determined by the Commission of the European Union (or any successor thereto) as published in the Official Journal of the European Union (such publication or any successor publication, the Journal). If such Market Exchange Rate is not available for any reason with respect to such currency, the Paying Agent shall use, in its sole discretion and without liability on its part, such quotation of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or, in the case of ECUs, the rate of exchange as published in the Journal, as of the most recent available date, or quotations or, in the case of ECUs, rates of exchange from one or more major banks in The City of New York or in the country of issue of the currency in question or, in the case of ECUs, in Luxembourg or such other quotations or, in the case of ECUs, rates of exchange as the Paying Agent, upon consultation with the Company, shall deem appropriate. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in currency other than U.S. Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.
All decisions and determinations of the Paying Agent regarding the Market Exchange Rate or any alternative determination provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be in its sole discretion and shall, in the absence of manifest error, to the extent permitted by law, be conclusive for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Company and all Holders.
Section 10.16 Judgment Currency.
The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest or other amount on the Securities of any Series (the Required Currency) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the Judgment Currency), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, New
York Banking Day means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.
ARTICLE XI
SINKING FUNDS
Section 11.1 Applicability of Article.
The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of a Series, except as otherwise permitted or required by any form of Security of such Series issued pursuant to this Indenture.
The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a mandatory sinking fund payment and any other amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series is herein referred to as an optional sinking fund payment. If provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 11.2. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of such Series.
Section 11.2 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.
The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any Series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (1) deliver outstanding Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable (other than any of such Securities previously called for mandatory sinking fund redemption) and (2) apply as credit Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable and which have been repurchased by the Company or redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Series of Securities (except pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund) or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments or other optional redemptions pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received by the Trustee, together with an Officers Certificate with respect thereto, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the Trustee begins the process of selecting Securities for redemption, and shall be credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 11.2, the principal amount of Securities of such Series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such Series for redemption, except upon receipt of a Company Order that such action be taken, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall from time to time upon receipt of a Company Order pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the
Company to the Trustee of Securities of that Series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment required to be released to the Company.
Section 11.3 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.
Not less than 45 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers Certificate in respect of a particular Series of Securities) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of that Series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 11.2, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, Officers Certificate or supplemental indenture in respect of a particular Series of Securities) before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 3.2 and cause notice of the redemption thereof (which shall be prepared by the Company)to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 3.3. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
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China Lodging Group, Limited | |
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as Trustee | |
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[Signature Page to Indenture]
Exhibit 5.1
26 October 2017
Matter No.: 825391
Doc Ref: 103696824v1
Tel No.: 852 2842 9530
E-mail: Richard.Hall@conyersdill.com
China Lodging Group, Limited
No.2266 HongQiao Road
Changning District
Shanghai (200336)
Peoples Republic of China
Dear Sirs,
Re: China Lodging Group, Limited (the Company)
We have acted as special Cayman Islands legal counsel to the Company in connection with a registration statement on Form F-3 (the Registration Statement) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) on or about 26 October 2017 under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the Securities Act) through which the Company may periodically offer (i) ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001 per share, in the Company (the Ordinary Shares, which includes any Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to the conversion, exchange or exercise of any other securities), (ii) debt securities of the Company (the Debt Securities), or (iii) warrants to subscribe for Ordinary Shares (the Warrants and collectively with the Ordinary Shares and the Debt Securities, the Securities).
For the purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined the following documents:
(i) a copy of the Registration Statement; and
(ii) the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement;
The documents listed in items (i) and (ii) above are herein sometimes collectively referred to as the Documents (which term does not include any other instrument or agreement whether or not specifically referred to therein or attached as an exhibit or schedule thereto).
We have also reviewed the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company, each certified by the secretary of the Company on 24 October 2017, written resolutions of its directors dated 22 September 2017 (the Resolutions), a Certificate of Good Standing issued by the Registrar of Companies in relation to the Company on 19 October 2017 (the Certificate Date) and such other documents and made such enquiries as to questions of law as we have deemed necessary in order to render the opinion set forth below.
We have assumed (a) the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures and the conformity to the originals of all copies (whether or not certified) examined by us and the authenticity and completeness of the originals from which such copies were taken; (b) that where a document has been examined by us in draft form, it will be or has been executed in the form of that draft, and where a number of drafts of a document have been examined by us all changes thereto have been marked or otherwise drawn to our attention; (c) the capacity, power and authority of each of the parties to the Documents, other than the Company, to enter into and perform its respective obligations under the Documents; (d) the due execution and delivery of the Documents by each of the parties thereto, other than the Company, and the physical delivery thereof by the Company with an intention to be bound thereby; (e) the accuracy and completeness of all factual representations made in the Documents and other documents reviewed by us; (f) that the Resolutions were passed at one or more duly convened, constituted and quorate meetings or by unanimous written resolutions, remain in full force and effect and have not been rescinded or amended; (g) that there is no provision of the law of any jurisdiction, other than the Cayman Islands, which would have any implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein; (h) the validity and binding effect under the laws of the State of New York, United States of America (the Foreign Laws) of the Documents which are expressed to be governed by such Foreign Laws in accordance with their respective terms; (i) the validity and binding effect under the Foreign Laws of the submission by the Company pursuant to the Documents to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York, United States of America (the Foreign Courts); (j) that on the date of entering into the Documents the Company is and after entering into the Documents will be able to pay its liabilities as they become due; (k) that the form and terms of any and all Securities or other securities (or other obligations, rights, currencies, commodities or other subject matter) comprising the same or subject thereto (in the case of the Warrants), the issuance and sale thereof by the Company, and the Companys incurrence and performance of its obligations thereunder or in respect thereof (including, without limitation, its obligations under any related agreement, indenture or supplement thereto) in accordance with the terms thereof will not violate the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company nor any applicable law, regulation, order or decree in the Cayman Islands; (l) that all necessary corporate action will be taken to authorise and approve any issuance of Securities, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters, and that the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement and, if Debt Securities are to be issued, the applicable indenture and any applicable supplements thereto, will be duly approved, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Company and all other parties thereto; (m) that the applicable purchase, underwriting or similar agreement, any Debt Security, any indenture and any supplement thereto and any other agreement or other document relating to any Securities will be valid and binding in accordance with its terms pursuant to its governing law; (n) that the issuance and sale of and payment for the Securities will be in accordance with the applicable purchase, underwriting or similar agreement duly approved by the board of directors of the Company or a duly authorised committee thereof, the Registration Statement (including the prospectus set forth therein and any applicable supplement thereto) and, if Debt Securities are to be issued, the applicable indenture and any applicable supplements thereto; (o) that, upon the issue of any Ordinary Shares, the Company will receive consideration for the final issue price thereof which shall be equal to at least the par value thereof; (p) the capacity, power and authority of all parties other than the Company to enter into and perform their obligations under any and all documents entered into by such parties in connection with the issuance of the Securities, and the due execution and delivery thereof by each party thereto.
The obligations of the Company under the Documents and any Securities (a) will be subject to the laws from time to time in effect relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, possessory liens, rights of set off, reorganisation, amalgamation, merger, consolidation, moratorium or any other laws or legal procedures, whether of a similar nature or otherwise, generally affecting the rights of creditors as well as applicable international sanctions; (b) will be subject to statutory limitation of the time within which proceedings may be brought; (c) will be subject to general principles of equity and, as such, specific performance and injunctive relief, being equitable remedies, may not be available; (d) may not be given effect to by a Cayman Islands court, whether or not it was applying the Foreign Laws, if and to the extent they constitute the payment of an amount which is in the nature of a penalty; (e) may not be given effect by a Cayman Islands court to the extent that they are to be performed in a jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and such performance would be illegal under the laws of that jurisdiction. Notwithstanding any contractual submission to the jurisdiction of specific courts, a Cayman Islands court has inherent discretion to stay or allow proceedings in the Cayman Islands against the Company under the Documents if there are other proceedings in respect of those Documents simultaneously underway against the Company in another jurisdiction.
We express no opinion as to the enforceability of any provision of the Documents which provides for the payment of a specified rate of interest on the amount of a judgment after the date of judgment or which purports to fetter the statutory powers of the Company.
We have made no investigation of and express no opinion in relation to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands. This opinion is to be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands and is limited to and is given on the basis of the current law and practice in the Cayman Islands. This opinion is issued solely for your benefit and use in connection with the matter described herein and is not to be relied upon by any other person, firm or entity or in respect of any other matter.
On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Company is duly incorporated and existing under the law of the Cayman Islands and, based on the Certificate of Good Standing, is in good standing as at the Certificate Date. Pursuant to the Companies Law (the Law), a company is deemed to be in good standing if all fees and penalties under the Law have been paid and the Registrar of Companies has no knowledge that the Company is in default under the Law.
2. Based solely upon our review of the memorandum of association of the Company, the he authorised share capital of the Company is US$900,000 divided into 8,000,000,000 ordinary shares of par value US$0.0001 each and 1,000,000,000 preferred shares of par value US$0.0001 each.
3. Upon the due issuance of Ordinary Shares and payment of the consideration therefor, such Ordinary Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (which term means when used herein that no further sums are required to be paid by the holders thereof in connection with the issue of such shares).
4. Upon the due issuance of (a) Debt Securities, or (b) Warrants, and payment of the consideration therefor, such Debt Securities or Warrants will be validly issued and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company in accordance with the terms thereof.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the references to our firm under the captions Enforcement of Civil Liabilities and Legal Matters in the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are experts within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act or that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Exhibit 5.2
October 26, 2017
China Lodging Group, Limited
No. 2266 Hongqiao Road
Changning District
Shanghai 200336
Peoples Republic of China
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special United States counsel to China Lodging Group, Limited, a Cayman Islands corporation (the Company), in connection with the preparation and filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), of a registration statement on Form F-3 (the Registration Statement) relating to the offering from time to time, as set forth in the Registration Statement, the prospectus (the Prospectus) contained therein and one or more supplements to the Prospectus, of (i) ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001 per share, of the Company (the Ordinary Shares), (ii) debt securities of the Company (the Debt Securities) and (iii) warrants of the Company to purchase the Ordinary Shares or the Debt Securities (the Warrants). The Ordinary Shares, the Debt Securities and the Warrants are hereinafter referred to, collectively, as the Securities.
The Securities will be offered on an immediate, continuous or delayed basis pursuant to the provisions of Rule 415 under the Securities Act.
The Debt Securities are to be issued in one or more series under an indenture (the Base Indenture) to be entered into between the Company and the trustee to be named therein (the Trustee), the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, as such indenture may be amended or supplemented from time to time (the Base Indenture, as so amended or supplemented, the Indenture).
In arriving at the opinion expressed below, we have reviewed the following documents:
(a) the Registration Statement and the documents incorporated by reference therein;
(b) the Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein; and
(c) the form of the Base Indenture.
In addition, we have reviewed the originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of all such other documents, and we have made such investigations of law as we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinion expressed below.
In rendering the opinion expressed below, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies. In addition, we have assumed and have not verified the accuracy as to factual matters of each document we have reviewed.
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the further assumptions and qualifications set forth below, it is our opinion that when the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, when the issuance, execution and delivery by the Company of the Debt Securities of a series have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, and when such Debt Securities have been duly executed and delivered by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee and sold as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any supplement or supplements to the Prospectus relating to such Debt Securities, such Debt Securities will constitute valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
Insofar as the foregoing opinion relates to the validity, binding effect or enforceability of any agreement or obligation of the Company, (a) we have assumed that the Company and each other party to such agreement or obligation has satisfied, or prior to the issuance of the Debt Securities, will satisfy, those legal requirements that are applicable to it to the extent necessary to make such agreement or obligation enforceable against it (except that no such assumption is made as to the Company regarding matters of the federal law of the United States of America or the law of the State of New York that in our experience normally would be applicable to general business entities with respect to such agreement or obligation), (b) we have assumed that any Debt Securities denominated in a currency other than the U.S. dollar will comply in all respects with the applicable law of the country in whose currency such Debt Securities are denominated in respect of the use of or payment in such currency, (c) we have assumed that at the time of the issuance, sale and delivery of each Debt Security, the authorization thereof by the Company will not have been modified or rescinded and there will not have occurred any change in law affecting the validity, binding effect and enforceability of such Debt Security, (d) such opinion is subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors rights generally and to general principles of equity and (e) such opinion is subject to the effect of judicial application of foreign laws or foreign governmental actions affecting creditors rights.
In rendering the opinion expressed above, we have further assumed that (i) the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments) will be or have been prepared and filed with the Commission describing the Debt Securities offered thereby and will comply with all applicable laws, (ii) the Registration Statement will be effective and will comply with all applicable laws at the time the Debt Securities are offered or issued as contemplated by the Registration Statement, (iii) the terms of the Debt Securities will conform to the forms thereof that will be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement, and the terms of the Indenture will not violate any applicable law, result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, or violate any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company, (iv) the Debt Securities will be sold and delivered to, and paid for by, the purchasers at the price specified in, and in accordance with the terms of, an agreement or agreements duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto, (v) the Company will authorize the offering and issuance of the Debt Securities and will authorize, approve and establish the final terms and conditions thereof and will take any other appropriate additional corporate action and (vi) certificates, if required, representing the Debt Securities will be duly executed and delivered and, to the extent required by the Indenture, duly authenticated and countersigned.
In addition, in rendering the opinion above, we have assumed that with respect to any Debt Security that includes any alternative or additional terms that are not specified in the forms thereof examined by us, such inclusion would not cause such Debt Security not to be valid, binding or enforceable.
In rendering the opinion expressed above, we have assumed that each series of Debt Securities will be issued with an original aggregate principal amount (or in the case of Debt Securities issued at original issue discount, an aggregate issue price) of US$2,500,000 or more.
We note that by statute New York provides that a judgment or decree rendered in a currency other than the currency of the United States shall be converted into U.S. dollars at the rate of exchange prevailing on the date of entry of the judgment or decree. There is no corresponding Federal statute and no controlling Federal court decision on this issue. Accordingly, we express no opinion as to whether a Federal court would award a judgment in a currency other than U.S. dollars or, if it did so, whether it would order conversion of the judgment into U.S. dollars.
We express no opinion as to the enforceability of Section 10.16 of the Base Indenture relating to currency indemnity.
The foregoing opinion is limited to the federal law of the United States of America and the law of the State of New York.
We hereby consent to the use of our name in the Prospectus under the heading Legal Matters and in any prospectus supplement related thereto, and to the use of this opinion as a part (Exhibit 5.2) of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
Exhibit 12.1
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China Lodging Group, Limited |
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Six months ended |
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2012 |
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2013 |
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2014 |
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2015 |
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2016 |
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2017 |
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(RMB000 except ratio) |
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Computation of Fixed Charges: |
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Interest expensed and capitalized |
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859 |
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1,084 |
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14,733 |
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5,383 |
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11,056 |
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18,228 |
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An estimate of the interest within rental expense |
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486,895 |
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600,296 |
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649,689 |
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639,610 |
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625,242 |
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396,452 |
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Fixed charges |
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487,754 |
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601,380 |
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664,422 |
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644,993 |
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636,298 |
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414,680 |
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Computation of Earnings: |
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Add |
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Pre-tax income from continuing operations before adjustment for income or loss from equity investees |
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233,673 |
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388,515 |
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413,631 |
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638,805 |
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1,077,445 |
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723,351 |
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Fixed charges |
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487,754 |
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601,380 |
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664,422 |
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644,993 |
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636,298 |
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414,680 |
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Amortization of capitalized interest |
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1,300 |
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1,321 |
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1,919 |
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2,474 |
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2,552 |
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1,228 |
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Subtract |
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Interest capitalized |
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37 |
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271 |
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13,200 |
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1,529 |
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Adjusted Earnings |
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722,690 |
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990,945 |
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1,066,772 |
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1,284,743 |
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1,716,295 |
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1,139,259 |
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Ratio of earnings to fixed charges |
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1.5 |
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1.6 |
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1.6 |
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2.0 |
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2.7 |
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2.7 |
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Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form F-3 of our reports dated April 21, 2017, relating to (1) the financial statements and financial statement schedules of China Lodging Group, Limited and its subsidiaries (the Group) (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph regarding the translation of Renminbi amounts to U.S. dollar amounts for the convenience of the readers in the United States of America), and (2) the effectiveness of the Groups internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 20-F of the Group for the year ended December 31, 2016.
We also consent to the reference to us under the heading Experts in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement.
/s/ Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP
Shanghai, China
October 26, 2017
Exhibit 23.2
Consent of Independent Auditors
We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption Experts in the Registration Statement on Form F-3 and related Prospectus of China Lodging Group, Limited dated October 26, 2017 and to the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated July 20, 2017 (except Note 17, as to which the date is October 26, 2017), with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Crystal Orange Hotel Holding Limited as of December 31, 2016 and for the year ended December 31, 2016.
/s/ Ernst & Young Hua Ming LLP
Beijing, the Peoples Republic of China
October 26, 2017
Exhibit 23.5
October 26, 2017
To: China Lodging Group, Limited
No. 2266 Hongqiao Road
Changning District
Shanghai 200336
Peoples Republic of China
(86) 21 6195-2011
Dear Sirs,
We hereby consent to the use of our name under the captions Enforceability of Civil Liabilities and Legal Matters in the prospectus included in the registration statement on Form F-3, originally filed by China Lodging Group, Limited on October 26, 2017, with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the regulations promulgated thereunder.
Yours faithfully |
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/s/ Jingtian & Gongcheng |
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Jingtian & Gongcheng |
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