0000721371 false 0000721371 2024-02-14 2024-02-14

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

Current Report

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 20, 2024 (February 14, 2024)

 

 

Cardinal Health, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Ohio   1-11373   31-0958666
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
 

(Commission

File Number)

  (IRS Employer
Identification No.)

7000 Cardinal Place, Dublin, Ohio 43017

(614) 757-5000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instructions A.2. below):

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

Title of each class

 

Trading
Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange
on which registered

Common shares (without par value)   CAH   New York Stock Exchange

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

Emerging growth company

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

 

 

 


Item 1.01

Entry Into a Material Definitive Agreement.

The description of the Notes (as defined herein) and the First Supplemental Indenture (as defined herein) in Item 8.01 is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 2.03

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

The description of the Notes and the First Supplemental Indenture in Item 8.01 is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 8.01

Other Events.

On February 20, 2024, Cardinal Health, Inc. (the “Company”) completed a public offering of $650,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.125% Notes due 2029 (the “2029 Notes”) and $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.450% Notes due 2034 (the “2034 Notes,” collectively, the “Notes”). In connection with the offering of the Notes, the Company entered into an underwriting agreement, dated as of February 14, 2024 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), with BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of several underwriters named therein. The offering was made pursuant to the Company’s effective registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration Statement No. 333-268237) previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Registration Statement”).

The Notes will be governed by an Indenture, dated as of June 2, 2008 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 20, 2024 (the “First Supplemental Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee.

A copy of the Underwriting Agreement is filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. The foregoing summary of the Underwriting Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to full text of the Underwriting Agreement.

The foregoing description of the Base Indenture, the First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Base Indenture, which is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit 4.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, and each of the First Supplemental Indenture, the form of 2029 Notes and the form of 2034 Notes, each of which are filed as Exhibits 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

In connection with the issuance of the Notes, Patrick Pope, Esq., Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, counsel to the Company, delivered opinions to the Company regarding the legality of the Notes upon issuance and sale thereof. A copy of each opinion is filed as Exhibits 5.1 and 5.2, respectively.

The Company incorporates by reference the exhibits filed with this Form 8-K into the Registration Statement.

 


Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
No.
  

Description

1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated February 14, 2024, among Cardinal Health, Inc., BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC.
4.1    Indenture, dated as of June 2, 2008, between Cardinal Health, Inc., as issuer, and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Cardinal Health Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 2, 2008)
4.2    First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 20, 2024, between Cardinal Health, Inc., as issuer, and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee.
4.3    Form of 5.125% Senior Notes due 2029 (included in Exhibit 4.2)
4.4    Form of 5.450% Senior Notes due 2034 (included in Exhibit 4.2)
5.1    Opinion of Patrick Pope, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Cardinal Health, Inc.
5.2    Opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
23.1    Consent of Patrick Pope, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Cardinal Health, Inc. (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2    Consent of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2)
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

 


Signatures

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

 

    Cardinal Health, Inc.
    (Registrant)
  Date: February 20, 2024  

 

  By:  

/s/ AARON E. ALT

            Aaron E. Alt
            Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit 1.1

CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

February 14, 2024

To the Representatives named

in Schedule I hereto of

the Underwriters named in

Schedule II hereto

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Cardinal Health, Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the “Underwriters”), the respective amounts set forth in Schedule II of (i) $650,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.125% Notes due 2029 (the “2029 Notes”) and (ii) $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.450% Notes due 2034 (the “2034 Notes” and, collectively with the 2029 Notes, the “Securities”). BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (each a “Representative” and, collectively, the “Representatives”) have agreed to act as the representatives of the several Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

The Securities will be issued pursuant to the indenture (the “Base Indenture”), dated as of June 2, 2008, between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture (together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), dated as of February 20, 2024, between the Company and the Trustee. If the firm or firms listed in Schedule II hereto include only the firm or firms listed in Schedule I hereto, then the terms “Underwriters” and “Representatives,” as used herein, shall each be deemed to refer to such firm or firms.

1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

(a) The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”)) and the Company has not received from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Act objecting to the use of the automatic shelf registration statement. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has filed with the Commission a registration statement on such Form (the file numbers of which are set forth in Schedule I hereto), which became effective upon filing, for the registration under the Act of the Securities. Such registration statement meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x) under the Act and complies in all other material respects with said Rule. The Company proposes to file with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act a supplement to the form of


prospectus included in such registration statement relating to the Securities and the plan of distribution thereof and has previously advised you of all further information (financial and other) with respect to the Company to be set forth therein. Such registration statement, including the exhibits thereto, as amended at the date of this Agreement, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A or 430B under the Act to be part of such registration statement, is hereinafter called the “Registration Statement;” such prospectus in the form in which it appears in the Registration Statement is hereinafter called the “Basic Prospectus;” any such supplemented form of preliminary prospectus relating to the Securities, in the form in which it has been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (including the Basic Prospectus as so supplemented) is hereinafter called a “preliminary prospectus,” and such supplemented form of final prospectus relating to the Securities, in the form in which it shall be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (including the Basic Prospectus as so supplemented) is hereinafter called the “Final Prospectus.” Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein (the “Incorporated Documents”) pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 which were filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) on or before the date of this Agreement, or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the date of this Agreement, or the issue date of the Basic Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.

(b) At or prior to the time when sales of the Securities were first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”): a preliminary prospectus, dated February 14, 2024 (including the Basic Prospectus) hereinafter called the “Preliminary Prospectus,” and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Act) listed on Schedule III hereto.

(c) As of the Time of Sale, when the Final Prospectus is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, when, prior to the Closing Date (as defined in Section 3 hereof), any amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective (including the filing of any document incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement), when any supplement to the Final Prospectus is filed with the Commission and at the Closing Date, (i) the Registration Statement, as amended as of any such time, and the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of any such time, and the Indenture complied and will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”) and the Exchange Act and the respective rules thereunder and (ii) the Registration

 

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Statement, as amended as of any such time, did not contain or will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading and the Final Prospectus, as amended or supplemented as of any such time, did not contain or will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to (1) that part of the Registration Statement which constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification of the Trustee (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act or (2) the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus; it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information set forth in Section 9(b) hereof. No statement of material fact to be included in the Final Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale Information and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is required to be included in the Final Prospectus will be omitted therefrom. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Final Prospectus has been issued by the Commission.

(d) Each preliminary prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Act. The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from the Time of Sale Information made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use in such Time of Sale Information; it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information set forth in Section 9(b) hereof.

(e) Other than the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Act or Rule 134 under the Act, (ii) the documents listed on Schedule III

 

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hereto, and (iii) any other written communications, in each case approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Act, has been filed in accordance with the Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to the information contained in or omitted from each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information set forth in Section 9(b) hereof.

(f) The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Final Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, as applicable, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and during the period when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (or such delivery is required but for Rule 172 under the Act) any further documents so filed during such period and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(g) The financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and the supporting schedules incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus present fairly the information required to be

 

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stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(h) Since the date of the most recent financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change in the financial condition, earnings, business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus.

(i) The Company is a corporation duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the State of Ohio with corporate power and authority to own and hold under lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus and holds all material licenses and is duly qualified to conduct the business in which it is engaged in each jurisdiction or place where the conduct of its business requires such licenses or qualification and where the failure to be so licensed or qualified would have a material adverse effect on the business or financial condition of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

(j) Each of the Company’s significant subsidiaries (as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) is duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation with corporate power and authority to own and hold under lease its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus.

(k) The Indenture has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming due execution and delivery by the Trustee, is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to the applicability of general principles of equity. The Indenture conforms in all material respects to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus and has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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(l) The Securities have been duly authorized and, when executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture and delivered to you against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will have been validly issued and delivered, and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and subject to the applicability of general principles of equity, and the Securities conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus.

(m) (Reserved)

(n) There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending, or to the knowledge of the Company threatened, required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Final Prospectus which are not described as required, and there is no contract or document of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Final Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or any Incorporated Document which is not described or filed as required.

(o) The Company is not in violation of (i) its charter or code of regulations or (ii) in default in the performance of any obligation, agreement or condition contained in any bond, debenture, note or any other evidence of indebtedness or in any indenture, material lease or loan agreement, except, with respect to (ii), where any default would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The issue and sale of the Securities, the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the performance of the obligations of the Company set forth herein and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under, (i) the charter or code of regulations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) any agreement, indenture or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their property is bound, or (iii) any law, administrative regulation or court decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, except, with respect to (ii) and (iii) above, where any breach or default would not have a Material Adverse Effect and except where such breach or default would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities.

(p) Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the fulfillment of the terms herein set forth and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated require any consent, approval, authorization or other order of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body (except such as have been obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act or such as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters).

 

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(q) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(r) The Company is not and, upon the issuance and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” (as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940) and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).

(s) Ernst & Young LLP, which expressed its opinion with respect to the financial statements and supporting schedule included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus as described under “Experts,” is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company as required by the Act and the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).

(t) The Company and its officers and directors are in compliance with applicable provisions of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith.

(u) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(v) The Company is not an ineligible issuer as defined in Rule 405 under the Act in connection with the offering of the Securities, at the time specified in Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act.

(w) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director or officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company any employee, agent, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or

 

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authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government or regulatory official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 and other applicable anti-corruption laws; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce, and will continue to maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 and other applicable anti-corruption laws.

(x) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended by the USA PATRIOT ACT of 2001, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the applicable anti-money laundering laws of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental or regulatory agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental or regulatory agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(y) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, directors or officers nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any employees, agents, or affiliates or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person,” the European Union, HM Treasury, the United Nations Security Council, or other relevant sanctions authority), (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company, any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or the target of comprehensive, geographic-based Sanctions (including, without limitation, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, the non-government-controlled areas of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson or any other Covered Region of Ukraine identified pursuant to Executive Order 14065, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North

 

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Korea and Syria) except as authorized pursuant to an exemption under the Sanctions or under general or specific license issued by the United States government, or as otherwise permitted by law; and, except as authorized pursuant to an exemption under the Sanctions or under general or specific license issued by the United States government, or as otherwise permitted by law, the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any Person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or the target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any country or territory, that at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past 5 years, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any material dealings or material transactions with any Person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any country or territory that is the subject or the target of comprehensive, geographic-based Sanctions, except as authorized pursuant to an exemption under the Sanctions or under general or specific license issued by the United States government or as otherwise permitted by law.

(z) The Company and its subsidiaries have implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation and security of all information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with their businesses. To the Company’s knowledge, there have been no material breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or accesses to the same, nor any material incidents under internal review or investigations relating to same, except for such breaches, violations, outages, uses, accesses, incidents or investigations that have been remedied or resolved without material cost or liability. To the Company’s knowledge, the Company and its subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification.

 

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2. Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof and in reliance upon the representations, warranties and agreements herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price set forth in Schedule I hereto the principal amount of the Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule II hereto.

3. Delivery and Payment. Delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be made at the location, date and time specified in Schedule I hereto (or such later date not later than five Business Days (as hereinafter defined) after such specified date as the Representatives and the Company shall designate), which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 10 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by certified or official bank check or checks drawn in federal funds or similar same day funds, by wire transfer in same day funds or as otherwise agreed by the Company and the Representatives. Certificates for the Securities shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as the Representatives may request not less than one full Business Day in advance of the Closing Date.

The Company agrees to have the Securities available for inspection, checking and packaging by the Representatives in New York, New York, not later than 1:00 PM on the Business Day prior to the Closing Date.

4. Certain Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:

(a) Prior to the later of (i) termination of the offering of the Securities as determined by the Representatives and as evidenced by written notice thereof to the Company from the Representatives or (ii) the Closing Date, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement (including the Final Prospectus but excluding any prospectus supplement relating to a subsequent issuance of securities) to the Basic Prospectus, and will not use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (other than as listed on Schedule III hereto), unless the Company has furnished the Representatives a copy for the Representatives’ review a reasonable time prior to filing thereof. Subject to the foregoing sentence, the Company will cause the Final Prospectus to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act. The Company will not use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the Representatives reasonably object. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (i) when the Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), (ii) when any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission, (iii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement relating to the Securities shall have become effective, (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment of the Registration Statement or amendment of or supplement to the Final

 

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Prospectus or for any additional information, (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use all reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(b) (i) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (or such delivery is required but for Rule 172 under the Act), any event occurs as a result of which the Final Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the first sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 4, an amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission or an amendment which will effect such compliance, and (ii) if at any time prior to the Closing Date, any event occurs as a result of which the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules thereunder, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and promptly prepare and file with the Commission (to the extent required), subject to the first sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 4, and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information which will correct such statement or omission or which will effect such compliance.

(c) The Company will make generally available within the meaning of Section 11(a) of the Act to its security holders an earnings statement, which need not be audited, covering a twelve-month period commencing after the date of this Agreement and ending not later than 15 months thereafter as soon as practicable following the end of such period, which earning statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and may consist of earning statements covering successive fiscal quarters.

(d) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and each amendment thereto which shall become effective on or prior to the Closing Date and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (or such delivery is required but for Rule 172 under the Act), as many copies of the Final Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing all documents relating to the offering unless otherwise agreed with the Representatives.

 

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(e) The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified, take any action that would subject itself to taxation or to take any action that would subject it to the service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

(f) Until the Business Day following the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell, or otherwise dispose of any debt securities of the Company which mature more than one year following the Closing Date and which are substantially similar to the Securities.

(g) The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Act.

(h) The Company will assist the Underwriters in arranging for the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through The Depository Trust Company.

(i) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

(a) It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company); provided that the Company consents to the use by any Underwriter of a free writing prospectus that (a) is not an “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Act, and contains only (i) information describing the preliminary terms of the Securities or their offering, (ii) information that describes the final terms of the Securities or their offering and that is included in the Pricing Term Sheet of the Company substantially in the form set forth on Schedule IV or (iii) any Bloomberg L.P. or other electronic communication regarding comparable bond prices that does not require the Company to file any material pursuant to Rule 433(d).

 

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(b) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (or such delivery is required but for Rule 172 under the Act)).

6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy in all material respects of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the date hereof, as of the effectiveness of any amendment to the Registration Statement filed prior to the Closing Date (including the filing of any document incorporated by reference therein) at the Time of Sale and as of the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened, the Final Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission not later than 5:30 P.M., New York City time, on the second Business Day following the date hereof, and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Act.

(b) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives the corporate opinion, tax opinion and negative assurance letter of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates, counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

In rendering the opinions , Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates may (A) assume the genuineness of all signatures, including electronic signatures, the legal capacity and competency of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to such firm as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to such firm as facsimile, electronic, certified or photocopied copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such copies; and (B) as to any facts relevant to the opinions stated therein that such firm did not independently establish or verify, such firm rely upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others and of public officials, including those in the certificates of officers of the Company and the factual representations and warranties contained in this Agreement.

 

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(c) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives the opinion of Patrick Pope, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

(d) The Representatives shall have received from Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions and negative assurance letter, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information, the Final Prospectus and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(e) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company signed by the Chairman of the Board or any Vice President of the Company dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended, has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened; and

(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus, there has been no material adverse change in the financial condition, earnings, business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus.

(f) At the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date, Ernst & Young LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives letters (which, with respect to any letter delivered on the Closing Date, may refer to letters previously delivered to the Representatives, in which case the letter provided at the Closing Date shall state that the previous letter can be relied on), dated respectively as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in or incorporated by reference in the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus.

 

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(g) Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information (exclusive of any supplement thereto) and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto) and prior to the Closing Date, there shall not have been any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the business, properties or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the effect of which is, in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical to proceed with the offering or the delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus.

(h) Subsequent to the execution of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date, there shall not have been any downgrading in the ratings of any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined by the Commission in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act or any public announcement by any such organization that it has under surveillance or review with negative implications, its rating of any of the Company’s debt securities (or proposed rating of the Securities).

(i) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.

(j) The Securities shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through The Depository Trust Company.

(k) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives and its counsel, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company by telephone or in the manner described in Section 14 hereof.

 

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7. Expenses. (a) The Company covenants and agrees with the Representatives that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information and the Final Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivery of copies thereof to Underwriters and dealers; (ii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state securities laws (including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Representatives in connection with such qualification in an amount not to exceed $15,000) and in connection with any blue sky and legal investment surveys; (iii) any fees charged by securities rating services for rating the Securities; (iv) the cost of preparing the Securities; (v) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Trustee in connection with the Indenture and the Securities; (vi) the clearance of the offering, if required, by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA); (vii) any expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors, and (viii) all other reasonable costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, the Representatives will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by them, and any advertising expenses connected with the Securities.

8. Reimbursement of Underwriters Expenses. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 11 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally upon demand for all reasonable and detailed out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel as stated with particularity) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

9. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors and officers, and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or in the Basic Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Final Prospectus, any Issuer Free

 

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Writing Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them as such expenses are incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein; it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the information set forth in Section 9(b) hereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity; it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the following: the fifth paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus, concerning the selling concession and reallowance percentages; the third and fourth sentences of the seventh paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus concerning market-making activities by the Underwriters; and the eighth and ninth paragraphs of text under the caption “Underwriting” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus concerning over-allotment, stabilization and syndicate covering transactions by the Underwriters. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 9 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 9, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party under subsections 9(a) and (b) hereof to the extent it is not prejudiced as a proximate result of such omission. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein, and to the extent that it may elect by written

 

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notice delivered to the indemnified party promptly after receiving the aforesaid notice from such indemnified party, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, that if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assert such legal defenses and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. Upon receipt of notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense of such action and approval by the indemnified party of counsel (which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 9 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel), approved by the Representatives in the case of paragraph (a) of this Section9, representing the indemnified parties under such paragraph (a) who are parties to such action), (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action or (iii) the indemnifying party has authorized the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party; and except that, if clause (i) or (iii) is applicable, such liability shall be only in respect of the counsel referred to in such clause (i) or (iii). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any such action effected without its written consent, but if settled with its written consent, or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified parties against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

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(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Final Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount of total underwriting discounts and commissions actually received by it under this Agreement. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

(e) The remedies provided for in this Section 9 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

 

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10. Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, that in the event that the aggregate principal amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule II hereto, the remaining Underwriter or Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 10, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

11. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if prior to such time (i) trading in any securities of the Company shall have been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or The Nasdaq Global Market shall have been suspended or materially limited, (ii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York shall have been declared either by Federal or state authorities or a material disruption shall have occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other international or domestic calamity, crisis or change in political, financial or economic conditions, the effect of which on the financial markets of the United States is such as to make it, in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to offer, sell or deliver the Securities.

12. No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person affiliated with the Company. Additionally, in connection with the offering of the Securities, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person affiliated with the Company as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

 

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13. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors or controlling persons referred to in Section 9 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7, 8 and 9 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

14. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telexed and confirmed to it, at the addresses specified in Schedule I hereto; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telexed and confirmed to it at 7000 Cardinal Place, Dublin, Ohio 43017, Attention: Chief Legal Officer.

15. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 9 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of the Securities from any of the Underwriters.

16. Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

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

18. Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Underwriters

19. Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

 

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

21. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act, and the Company’s current subsidiaries are as listed in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K on file with the Commission.

22. Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes. In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime. In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime.

As used in this Section:

(1) “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

(2) “Covered Entity” means any of the following:

(i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

(ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

(iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

(3) “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

(4) “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

22


23. Contractual Recognition of U.K. Bail-In. (a) Notwithstanding and to the exclusion of any other term of this Agreement or any other agreements, arrangements, or understanding between the Underwriters and the Company, the Company acknowledges and accepts that a U.K. Bail-in Liability arising under this Agreement may be subject to the exercise of U.K. Bail-in Powers by the relevant U.K. resolution authority, and acknowledges, accepts, and agrees to be bound by: (i) the effect of the exercise of U.K. Bail-in Powers by the relevant U.K. resolution authority in relation to any U.K. Bail-in Liability of the Underwriters to the Company under this Agreement, that (without limitation) may include and result in any of the following, or some combination thereof: (a) the reduction of all, or a portion, of the U.K. Bail-in Liability or outstanding amounts due thereon; (b) the conversion of all, or a portion, of the U.K. Bail-in Liability into shares, other securities or other obligations of Underwriters or another person (and the issue to or conferral on the Company of such shares, securities or obligations); (c) the cancellation of the U.K. Bail-in Liability; (d) the amendment or alteration of any interest, if applicable, thereon, the maturity or the dates on which any payments are due, including by suspending payment for a temporary period; (ii) the variation of the terms of this Agreement, as deemed necessary by the relevant U.K. resolution authority, to give effect to the exercise of U.K. Bail-in Powers by the relevant U.K. resolution authority.

For the purposes of this Section,

U.K. Bail-in Legislation” means Part I of the U.K. Banking Act 2009 and any other law or regulation applicable in the U.K. relating to the resolution of unsound or failing banks, investment firms or other financial institutions or their affiliates (otherwise than through liquidation, administration or other insolvency proceedings).

U.K. Bail-in Liability” means a liability in respect of which the U.K. Bail-in Powers may be exercised.

U.K. Bail-in Powers” means the powers under the U.K. Bail-in Legislation to cancel, transfer or dilute shares issued by a person that is a bank or investment firm or affiliate of a bank or investment firm, to cancel, reduce, modify or change the form of a liability of such a person or any contract or instrument under which that liability arises, to convert all or part of that liability into shares, securities or obligations of that person or any other person such liability, to provide that any such contract or instrument is to have effect as if a right had been exercised under it or to suspend any obligation in respect of such liability.

24. Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right to trial by jury in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

 

23


25. APPLICABLE LAW. THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

24


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement between the Company and the several Underwriters.

 

Very truly yours,

 

CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.

By:  

/s/ Aaron E. Alt

  Name:Aaron E. Alt
  Title:Chief Financial Officer

[Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement]


The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first specified above

 

BOFA SECURITIES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Douglas Muller

  Name:Douglas Muller
  Title:Managing Director

For itself and the other several Underwriters named in Schedule II to this Agreement.

[Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement]


The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first specified above

 

GOLDMAN SACHS & CO. LLC
By:  

/s/ Karim Saleh

  Name: Karim Saleh
  Title:Managing Director

For itself and the other several Underwriters named in Schedule II to this Agreement

[Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement]


The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first specified above

 

MUFG SECURITIES AMERICAS INC.
By:  

/s/ Richard Testa

  Name: Richard Testa
  Title:Managing Director

For itself and the other several Underwriters named in Schedule II to this Agreement

[Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement]


The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first specified above

 

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
By:  

/s/ Carolyn Hurley

  Name: Carolyn Hurley
  Title:Managing Director

For itself and the other several Underwriters named in Schedule II to this Agreement

[Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement]

 


SCHEDULE I

Registration Statement No.: 333-268237

Representatives (including address for notice):

BofA Securities, Inc.

114 West 47th Street

NY8-114-07-01

New York, New York 10036

Attention: High Grade Debt Capital Markets Transaction Management/Legal

Facsimile: (212) 901-7881

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

200 West Street

New York, New York 10282

Attention: Registration Department

Facsimile: (212) 902-9316

Email: registration-syndops@ny.email.gs.com

MUFG Securities Americas Inc.

1221 Avenue of the Americas, 6th Floor

New York, New York 10020

Attention: Capital Markets Group

Facsimile: (646) 434-3455

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

550 South Tryon Street, 5th Floor

Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

Attention: Transaction Management

Email: tmgcapitalmarkets@wellsfargo.com

Title and Purchase Price of the 2029 Notes:

 

Title:    5.125% Notes due 2029
Principal Amount and Currency:    $650,000,000
Issue Price:    $649,499,500 (99.923% of Principal Amount)
Underwriters’ Discount:    $3,900,000 (0.600% of Principal Amount)
Purchase Price:    $645,599,500 (99.323% of Principal Amount)


Title and Purchase Price of the 2034 Notes:

 

Title:    5.450% Notes due 2034
Principal Amount and Currency:    $500,000,000
Issue Price:    $499,660,000 (99.932% of Principal Amount)
Underwriters’ Discount:    $3,250,000 (0.650% of Principal Amount)
Purchase Price:    $496,410,000 (99.282% of Principal Amount)

Closing Date, Time and Location:

February 20, 2024 at 9 a.m. New York City time

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

450 Lexington Avenue,

New York, New York 10017


SCHEDULE II

 

Underwriters

   Principal Amount of 2029
Notes to be Purchased
     Principal Amount of 2034
Notes to be Purchased
 

BofA Securities, Inc.

   $ 91,000,000      $ 70,000,000  

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

     91,000,000        70,000,000  

MUFG Securities Americas Inc.

     91,000,000        70,000,000  

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

     91,000,000        70,000,000  

Barclays Capital Inc.

     52,000,000        40,000,000  

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

     52,000,000        40,000,000  

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

     52,000,000        40,000,000  

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

     26,000,000        20,000,000  

PNC Capital Markets LLC

     26,000,000        20,000,000  

Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.

     26,000,000        20,000,000  

Huntington Securities, Inc.

     13,000,000        10,000,000  

Standard Chartered Bank

     13,000,000        10,000,000  

Truist Securities, Inc.

     13,000,000        10,000,000  

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

     13,000,000        10,000,000  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 650,000,000      $ 500,000,000  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 


SCHEDULE III

List any free-writing prospectuses used in connection with the offering of the Securities:

 

  1.

The term sheet setting forth the terms of the Securities in substantially the form set forth on Schedule IV, dated February 14, 2024

 

  2.

The electronic roadshow presentation, dated February 12-14, 2024


SCHEDULE IV

Free Writing Prospectus

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Registration Statement No. 333-268237

Dated February 14, 2024

Cardinal Health, Inc.

Pricing Term Sheet

$1,150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes offered

5.125% Notes due 2029 (the “2029 Notes”)

5.450% Notes due 2034 (the “2034 Notes”)

 

Issuer:    Cardinal Health, Inc.
Expected Ratings (Moody’s / S&P / Fitch)*:    [* * *]
Trade Date:    February 14, 2024
Settlement Date**:    T+3; February 20, 2024
Joint Book-Running Managers:   

BofA Securities, Inc.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

MUFG Securities Americas Inc.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

Barclays Capital Inc.

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Senior Co-Managers:   

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

PNC Capital Markets LLC

Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.

Co-Managers:   

Huntington Securities, Inc.

Standard Chartered Bank

Truist Securities, Inc.

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.


2029 Notes

 

Principal Amount Offered:    $650,000,000
Maturity Date:    February 15, 2029
Coupon:    5.125%
Price to Public:    99.923% of principal amount
Net Proceeds to Issuer (after the Underwriting Discount but before expenses):    $645,599,500
Benchmark Treasury:    4.000% due January 31, 2029
Benchmark Treasury Price / Yield:    98-29+ / 4.243%
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:    +90 basis points
Yield to Maturity:    5.143%
Interest Payment Dates:    Semi-annually on February 15 and August 15, commencing August 15, 2024
Make-whole Call:    At any time prior to January 15, 2029 at a discount rate of Treasury plus 15 basis points
Par Call:    On or after January 15, 2029 at 100%
CUSIP/ISIN:    14149Y BN7 / US14149YBN76

2034 Notes

 

Principal Amount Offered:    $500,000,000
Maturity Date:    February 15, 2034
Coupon:    5.450%
Price to Public:    99.932% of principal amount
Net Proceeds to Issuer (after the Underwriting Discount but before expenses):    $496,410,000
Benchmark Treasury:    4.000% due February 15, 2034
Benchmark Treasury Price / Yield:    97-29 / 4.259%
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:    +120 basis points
Yield to Maturity:    5.459%

 

B-2


Interest Payment Dates:    Semi-annually on February 15 and August 15, commencing August 15, 2024
Make-whole Call:    At any time prior to November 15, 2033 at a discount rate of Treasury plus 20 basis points
Par Call:    On or after November 15, 2033 at 100%
CUSIP/ISIN:    14149Y BP2 / US14149YBP25

 

*

Note: The ratings above are not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold the securities. The ratings may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time. Each of the ratings above should be evaluated independently of any other securities rating.

 

**

Note: We expect that delivery of the notes will be made against payment therefor on or about February 20, 2024, which will be the third business day following the date of pricing of the notes, or “T+3.” Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes prior to the second business day before delivery will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle in T+3, to specify an alternate settlement arrangement at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of the notes who wish to trade the notes prior to the second business day before delivery should consult their advisors.

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling BofA Securities, Inc. at +1-800-294-1322, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC at +1-866-471-2526, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. at +1-877-649-6848 or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC at +1-800-645-3751.

ANY DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES THAT MAY APPEAR BELOW ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS COMMUNICATION AND SHOULD BE DISREGARDED. SUCH DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES WERE AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED AS A RESULT OF THIS COMMUNICATION BEING SENT VIA BLOOMBERG OR ANOTHER EMAIL SYSTEM.

 

B-3

Exhibit 4.2

CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.

and

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

Trustee

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

Dated as of February 20, 2024

to

INDENTURE

Dated as of June 2, 2008

5.125% Notes due 2029

5.450% Notes due 2034


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICABILITY

 

Section 1.01

  Definition of Terms      2  

Section 1.02

  References to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles      2  

Section 1.03

  Amended Defined Terms      2  

Section 1.04

  Additional Defined Terms      3  

ARTICLE II

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE 2029 NOTES

 

Section 2.01

  Designation and Principal Amount      3  

Section 2.02

  Maturity      3  

Section 2.03

  Further Issues      3  

Section 2.04

  Global Notes      4  

Section 2.05

  Interest      4  

Section 2.06

  Authorized Denominations      4  

Section 2.07

  Redemption      4  

Section 2.08

  Appointment of Agents      4  

ARTICLE III

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE 2034 NOTES

 

Section 3.01

  Designation and Principal Amount      4  

Section 3.02

  Maturity      4  

Section 3.03

  Further Issues      4  

Section 3.04

  Global Notes      5  

Section 3.05

  Interest      5  

Section 3.06

  Authorized Denominations      5  

Section 3.07

  Redemption      5  

Section 3.08

  Appointment of Agents      5  

ARTICLE IV

 

OPTIONAL REDEMPTION; NO SINKING FUND

 

Section 4.01

  Optional Redemption by Issuer      5  

Section 4.02

  Par Call      7  

 

i


Section 4.03

  No Sinking Fund      8  

ARTICLE V

 

REPURCHASE AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS UPON A CHANGE OF CONTROL

 

Section 5.01

  Change of Control Repurchase Event      8  

ARTICLE VI

 

CERTAIN COVENANTS

 

Section 6.01

  Certain Covenants      10  

ARTICLE VII

 

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

Section 7.01

  Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Securityholders      16  

ARTICLE VIII

 

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR CONVEYANCE

 

Section 8.01

  Issuer may Consolidate, etc. on Certain Terms      16  

ARTICLE IX

 

FORMS OF NOTES

 

Section 9.01

  Form of 2029 Note      17  

Section 9.02

  Form of 2034 Note      17  

ARTICLE X

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE AMOUNT OF NOTES

 

Section 10.01

  Original Issue Amount of the 2029 Notes      17  

Section 10.02

  Original Issue Amount of the 2034 Notes      17  

ARTICLE XI

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 11.01

  Ratification of Indenture      18  

Section 11.02

  Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals      18  

Section 11.03

  Governing Law      18  

Section 11.04

  Separability      18  

 

ii


Section 11.05

  Counterparts      18  

Section 11.06

  Trust Indenture Act      18  

Section 11.07

  Electronic Communications      18  

Section 11.08

  Tax Withholding; FATCA      19  

Section 11.09

  Force Majeure      20  

Section 11.10

  Consequential Damages      20  

Section 11.11

  Signatures      20  

Exhibits

 

Exhibit A    Form of 2029 Note
Exhibit B    Form of 2034 Note

 

iii


FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of February 20, 2024 (the “First Supplemental Indenture”), between Cardinal Health, Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Issuer”), and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., a national banking association duly incorporated and existing under the laws of the United States of America, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

WHEREAS, the Issuer executed and delivered the Indenture, dated as of June 2, 2008, to the Trustee (the “Indenture”), to provide for the issuance of the Issuer’s unsecured debentures, notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness (the “Securities”) in an unlimited aggregate principal amount to be issued from time to time in one or more series as provided therein;

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 7.1 of the Indenture, the Issuer desires to facilitate the issuance of (i) a new series of its Securities to be known as its 5.125% Notes due 2029 (the “2029 Notes”) and (ii) a new series of its Securities to be known as its 5.450% Notes due 2034 (the “2034 Notes” and, together with the 2029 Notes, the “Notes”), and to establish the forms and to set forth the terms of the Notes thereof (including to modify, alter, supplement and change certain provisions of the Indenture for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes (except as may be provided in a future supplemental indenture to the Indenture (“Future Supplemental Indenture”)), as provided in Sections 2.1 and 2.3 of the Indenture;

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Issuer, pursuant to resolutions duly adopted, has duly authorized the issuance by the Issuer of $650,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 2029 Notes and $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 2034 Notes, and has authorized the proper officers of the Issuer to execute any and all appropriate documents necessary or appropriate to effect such issuance;

WHEREAS, the Issuer has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver this First Supplemental Indenture; and

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this First Supplemental Indenture a valid agreement of the Issuer, in accordance with its terms, and to make the Notes, when executed by the Issuer and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the valid obligations of the Issuer, have been done.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the purchase and acceptance of the Notes by the Holders thereof, and for the purpose of setting forth, as provided in the Indenture, the forms and terms of the Notes, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Notes, as follows:

 


ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICABILITY

Section 1.01 Definition of Terms. Unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) each term defined in the Indenture has the same meaning when used in this First Supplemental Indenture;

(b) each term defined anywhere in this First Supplemental Indenture has the same meaning throughout;

(c) the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

(d) headings are for convenience of reference only and do not affect interpretation.

Section 1.02 References to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article One of the Indenture shall be amended by deleting the third sentence of the first paragraph of Section 1.1 and replacing it in its entirety as follows:

All accounting terms used herein and not expressly defined shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and the term “generally accepted accounting principles” means such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States at the time of any computation.

Section 1.03 Amended Defined Terms. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article One of the Indenture shall be amended by deleting the definitions of “Business Day” and “Exempted Debt” in Section 1.1 and replacing such definitions in their entirety as follows:

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or any other day on which banking institutions in New York, New York or the city where the corporate trust business of the Trustee with respect to the Indenture is principally administered at any particular time are required or authorized to close or be closed.

Exempted Debt” means the sum of the following items outstanding as of the date Exempted Debt is to be determined: (a) Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Consolidated Subsidiaries incurred after the Issue Date and secured by liens not permitted to be created or assumed pursuant to Section 3.9 of this Indenture, and (b) Attributable Debt of the Issuer and its Consolidated Subsidiaries in respect of every sale and lease-back transaction entered into after the Issue Date, other than those leases expressly permitted by Section 3.10.

 

2


Section 1.04 Additional Defined Terms. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article One of the Indenture shall be amended by adding the following defined terms to Section 1.1 in appropriate alphabetical sequence, as follows:

Consolidated Total Assets” means, as of any date of determination, the total amount of all of the assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, as set forth in the most recently available balance sheet of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries.

Dodd-Frank” means the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines, requirements or directives thereunder, issued in connection therewith or in implementation thereof.

Issue Date” means February 20, 2024.

Rate Hedging Agreement” means an agreement, device or arrangement providing for payments which are related to fluctuations of interest rates, exchange rates, commodity prices or forward rates, including, but not limited to, dollar-denominated or cross-currency interest rate exchange agreements, forward currency exchange agreements, interest rate cap or collar protection agreements, forward rate currency or interest rate options, puts and warrants.

Specified Rate Hedging Agreement” means a Rate Hedging Agreement which is (a) entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which the Issuer or any Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of equity interests of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries) or (b) entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from fixed to floating rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of the Issuer or any Subsidiary.

ARTICLE II

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE 2029 NOTES

Section 2.01 Designation and Principal Amount. There is hereby authorized and established a series of Securities under the Indenture, designated as the “5.125% Notes due 2029,” which is not limited in aggregate principal amount. The aggregate principal amount of the 2029 Notes to be issued on the date hereof is set forth in Article X herein.

Section 2.02 Maturity. The stated maturity of principal of the 2029 Notes is February 15, 2029.

Section 2.03 Further Issues. The Issuer may, at any time, without notice to or the consent of the Holders of the 2029 Notes, create and issue additional 2029 Notes having the same priority and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the 2029 Notes herein provided for (other than the date of issuance, price to public, and, under certain circumstances, the first interest payment date following the issue date of such additional 2029 Notes). Any such additional 2029 Notes, together with the 2029 Notes herein provided for, will form a single series of the 2029 Notes under the Indenture. If the additional 2029 Notes are not fungible for U.S. federal income tax purposes with the 2029 Notes herein provided for, the additional 2029 Notes will have a separate CUSIP number.

 

3


Section 2.04 Global Notes. Upon their original issuance, the 2029 Notes will be represented by one or more Global Securities registered in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”). The Issuer will deposit the Global Securities with DTC or its custodian and register the Global Securities in the name of Cede & Co.

Section 2.05 Interest. The 2029 Notes will bear interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) from February 20, 2024 at the rate of 5.125% per annum, payable semiannually in arrears; interest payable on each interest payment date will include interest accrued from February 20, 2024, or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for; the interest payment dates on which such interest shall be payable are February 15 and August 15, beginning on August 15, 2024; and the record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date is the close of business on the February 1 or August 1 (whether or not a Business Day) immediately preceding the relevant interest payment date. If any interest payment date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the required payment on that day will be due on the next succeeding Business Day as if made on the date the payment was due, and no interest will accrue on that payment for the period from and after that interest payment date to the date of payment on the next succeeding Business Day.

Section 2.06 Authorized Denominations. The 2029 Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Section 2.07 Redemption. The 2029 Notes are subject to redemption at the option of the Issuer as described in Article IV hereof and paragraph 3 of the 2029 Notes.

Section 2.08 Appointment of Agents. The Trustee will initially be the Security Registrar and paying agent for the 2029 Notes and will act as such only at its Corporate Trust Office.

ARTICLE III

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE 2034 NOTES

Section 3.01 Designation and Principal Amount. There is hereby authorized and established a series of Securities under the Indenture, designated as the “5.450% Notes due 2034,” which is not limited in aggregate principal amount. The aggregate principal amount of the 2034 Notes to be issued on the date hereof is set forth in Article X herein.

Section 3.02 Maturity. The stated maturity of principal of the 2034 Notes is February 15, 2034.

Section 3.03 Further Issues. The Issuer may, at any time, without notice to or the consent of the Holders of the 2034 Notes, create and issue additional 2034 Notes having the same priority and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the 2034 Notes herein provided for (other than the date of issuance, price to public, and, under certain circumstances, the first interest payment date following the issue date of such additional 2034 Notes). Any such additional 2034 Notes, together with the 2034 Notes herein provided for, will form a single series of the 2034 Notes under the Indenture. If the additional 2034 Notes are not fungible for U.S. federal income tax purposes with the 2034 Notes herein provided for, the additional 2034 Notes will have a separate CUSIP number.

 

4


Section 3.04 Global Notes. Upon their original issuance, the 2034 Notes will be represented by one or more Global Securities registered in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of DTC. The Issuer will deposit the Global Securities with DTC or its custodian and register the Global Securities in the name of Cede & Co.

Section 3.05 Interest. The 2034 Notes will bear interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) from February 20, 2024 at the rate of 5.450% per annum, payable semiannually in arrears; interest payable on each interest payment date will include interest accrued from February 20, 2024, or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for; the interest payment dates on which such interest shall be payable are February 15 and August 15, beginning on August 15, 2024; and the record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date is the close of business on the February 1 or August 1 (whether or not a Business Day) immediately preceding the relevant interest payment date. If any interest payment date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the required payment on that day will be due on the next succeeding Business Day as if made on the date the payment was due, and no interest will accrue on that payment for the period from and after that interest payment date to the date of payment on the next succeeding Business Day.

Section 3.06 Authorized Denominations. The 2034 Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Section 3.07 Redemption. The 2034 Notes are subject to redemption at the option of the Issuer as described in Article IV hereof and paragraph 3 of the 2034 Notes.

Section 3.08 Appointment of Agents. The Trustee will initially be the Security Registrar and paying agent for the 2034 Notes and will act as such only at its Corporate Trust Office.

ARTICLE IV

OPTIONAL REDEMPTION; NO SINKING FUND

Section 4.01 Optional Redemption by Issuer.

(a) At the Issuer’s option, the 2029 Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, prior to January 15, 2029 (one month prior to the stated maturity of the 2029 Notes (the “2029 Par Call Date”; and the date of any such redemption a “2029 Redemption Date”)), at a redemption price (the “2029 Redemption Price”) (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) equal to the greater of:

(i) (x) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the 2029 Notes being redeemed discounted to the 2029 Redemption Date (assuming the 2029 Notes being redeemed matured on the 2029 Par Call Date) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 15 basis points less (y) interest accrued to, but excluding, the 2029 Redemption Date, and

 

5


(ii) 100% of the principal amount of the 2029 Notes being redeemed on the relevant 2029 Redemption Date,

plus, in each of the cases of (a)(i) and (a)(ii) above, accrued and unpaid interest on the 2029 Notes being redeemed to, but excluding, such 2029 Redemption Date.

(b) At the Issuer’s option, the 2034 Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, prior to November 15, 2033 (three months prior to the stated maturity of the 2034 Notes (the “2034 Par Call Date” and, together with the 2029 Par Call Date, each “Par Call Date”; and the date of any such redemption a “2034 Redemption Date” and, together with the 2029 Redemption Date, each a “Redemption Date”)), at a redemption price (the “2034 Redemption Price” and, together with the 2029 Redemption Price, each a “Redemption Price”) (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) equal to the greater of:

(i) (x) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the 2034 Notes being redeemed discounted to the 2034 Redemption Date (assuming the 2034 Notes being redeemed matured on the 2034 Par Call Date) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 20 basis points less (y) interest accrued to, but excluding, the 2034 Redemption Date, and

(ii) 100% of the principal amount of the 2034 Notes being redeemed on the relevant 2034 Redemption Date,

plus, in each of the cases of (b)(i) and (b)(ii) above, accrued and unpaid interest on the 2034 Notes being redeemed to, but excluding, such 2034 Redemption Date.

(c) The following defined terms used in this Article IV shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the meanings specified below.

Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the yield determined by the Issuer in accordance with the following two paragraphs.

The Treasury Rate shall be determined by the Issuer after 4:15 p.m., New York City time (or after such time as yields on U.S. government securities are posted daily by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), on the third Business Day preceding the applicable Redemption Date based upon the yield or yields for the most recent day that appear after such time on such day in the most recent statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System designated as “Selected Interest Rates (Daily) – H.15” (or any successor designation or publication) (“H.15”) under the caption “U.S. government securities–Treasury constant maturities–Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) (“H.15 TCM”). In determining the Treasury Rate, the Issuer shall select, as applicable: (1) the yield for the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the period from the applicable Redemption Date to the

 

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applicable Par Call Date (the “Remaining Life”); or (2) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the applicable Remaining Life, the two yields – one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately shorter than and one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately longer than the applicable Remaining Life – and shall interpolate to the applicable Par Call Date on a straight-line basis (using the actual number of days) using such yields and rounding the result to three decimal places; or (3) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 shorter than or longer than the applicable Remaining Life, the yield for the single Treasury constant maturity on H.15 closest to the applicable Remaining Life. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable Treasury constant maturity or maturities on H.15 shall be deemed to have a maturity date equal to the relevant number of months or years, as applicable, of such Treasury constant maturity from the applicable Redemption Date.

If on the third Business Day preceding the applicable Redemption Date H.15 TCM is no longer published, the Issuer shall calculate the applicable Treasury Rate based on the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second Business Day preceding such Redemption Date of the United States Treasury security maturing on, or with a maturity that is closest to, the applicable Par Call Date, as applicable. If there is no United States Treasury security maturing on the applicable Par Call Date but there are two or more United States Treasury securities with a maturity date equally distant from the applicable Par Call Date, one with a maturity date preceding the applicable Par Call Date and one with a maturity date following the applicable Par Call Date, the Issuer shall select the United States Treasury security with a maturity date preceding the applicable Par Call Date. If there are two or more United States Treasury securities maturing on the applicable Par Call Date or two or more United States Treasury securities meeting the criteria of the preceding sentence, the Issuer shall select from among these two or more United States Treasury securities the United States Treasury security that is trading closest to par based upon the average of the bid and asked prices for such United States Treasury securities at 11:00 a.m., New York City time. In determining the applicable Treasury Rate in accordance with the terms of this paragraph, the semi-annual yield to maturity of the applicable United States Treasury security shall be based upon the average of the bid and asked prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, of such United States Treasury security, and rounded to three decimal places.

The Issuer’s actions and determinations in determining the Redemption Price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

(d) The Issuer will notify the Trustee of the Redemption Price promptly after the calculation thereof. The Trustee shall have no responsibility for any calculation or determination in respect of the Redemption Price of any Notes, or any component thereof, and shall be entitled to receive, and fully-protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate from the Issuer that states such Redemption Price.

Section 4.02 Par Call. Any time on or after the 2029 Par Call Date, with respect to the 2029 Notes, and the 2034 Par Call Date, with respect to the 2034 Notes, the Issuer may redeem the applicable series of Notes, in whole or in part, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus in each case, accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes being redeemed to, but excluding, such Redemption Date.

 

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Section 4.03 No Sinking Fund. None of the Notes are entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

ARTICLE V

REPURCHASE AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS UPON A CHANGE OF CONTROL

Section 5.01 Change of Control Repurchase Event.

(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Repurchase Event, unless the Issuer has exercised its right to redeem the Notes pursuant to Article IV and paragraph 3 of the applicable Notes, the Issuer shall be required to make an offer to each Holder of the Notes to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) of that Holder’s Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of such Notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the date of repurchase (the “Change of Control Payment”). Within 30 days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at the Issuer’s option, prior to any proposed Change of Control, but after the public announcement of the proposed Change of Control, the Issuer shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, a notice (a “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, describing the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Repurchase Event and shall specify, without limitation, the following:

(i) that the Change of Control Offer is being made and that all Notes tendered will be accepted for payment;

(ii) the Change of Control Payment and the purchase date, which shall be a Business Day no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is delivered (the “Change of Control Payment Date”);

(iii) the CUSIP numbers for the Notes;

(iv) that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest;

(v) that, unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest after the Change of Control Payment Date;

(vi) that Holders whose Notes of any series are being purchased only in part will be issued new Notes of such series equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, which unpurchased portion will be equal to $2,000 in principal amount or in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof; and

(vii) if the notice is delivered prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, that the Change of Control Offer is conditioned on the Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the Change of Control Payment Date.

 

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(b) The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Repurchase Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions hereof, the Issuer will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations hereunder by virtue of such conflict.

(c) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuer will, to the extent lawful:

(i) accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

(ii) deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and

(iii) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased by the Issuer.

The paying agent shall promptly deliver to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee pursuant to a Company Order will promptly authenticate and deliver (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new Note of the same series equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each new Note will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

(d) The Issuer shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth herein applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Issuer and purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.

(e) The following defined terms used in this Article V shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the meanings specified below.

Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the Notes are rated below Investment Grade by each of the Rating Agencies on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of a Change of Control (which period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by any of the Rating Agencies).

 

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Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than the Issuer or one of its Subsidiaries; or (2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Issuer’s Voting Stock, measured by voting power rather than number of shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed to involve a Change of Control if (i) the Issuer becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of a holding company and (ii) the holders of the Voting Stock of such holding company immediately following that transaction are substantially the same as the holders of Voting Stock immediately prior to that transaction.

Change of Control Repurchase Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

Fitch,” “Moody’s” and “S&P” mean Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global, Inc., respectively, or any successors thereto.

Investment Grade” means a rating of BBB- or better by Fitch (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Fitch), Baa3 or better by Moody’s (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Moody’s); BBB- or better by S&P (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of S&P); or the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any additional Rating Agency or Rating Agencies selected by the Issuer.

Rating Agency” means (i) each of Fitch, Moody’s and S&P; and (ii) if any of Fitch, Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Notes or fails to make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Issuer’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act, or any successor definition, selected by the Issuer as a replacement agency for Fitch, Moody’s or S&P, or all of them, as the case may be.

Voting Stock” of any specified “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) as of any date means the capital stock of such person that is at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the board of directors of such person.

ARTICLE VI

CERTAIN COVENANTS

Section 6.01 Certain Covenants. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article Three of the Indenture shall be amended by deleting Sections 3.9, 3.10 and 3.11 and replacing such Sections in their entirety as follows:

 

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Section 3.9. Limitations on Liens. The Issuer will not create or assume, and will not permit any Consolidated Subsidiary to create or assume, any Indebtedness for money borrowed which is secured by a mortgage, pledge, security interest or lien (“liens”) of or upon any assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, of the Issuer or any such Consolidated Subsidiary without equally and ratably securing the Notes by a lien upon such assets. The foregoing restriction, however, will not apply to:

 

  (a)

liens existing on the Issue Date;

 

  (b)

liens on any assets of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Consolidated Subsidiary;

 

  (c)

liens on any assets existing at the time of acquisition of such assets by the Issuer or a Consolidated Subsidiary, or liens to secure the payment of all or any part of the purchase price of such assets upon the acquisition of such assets by the Issuer or a Consolidated Subsidiary or to secure any Indebtedness incurred or guaranteed by the Issuer or a Consolidated Subsidiary prior to, at the time of, or within 360 days after such acquisition (or in the case of real property, the completion of construction (including any improvements on an existing asset) or commencement of full operation of such asset, whichever is later) which Indebtedness is incurred or guaranteed for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price thereof or, in the case of real property, construction or improvements thereon; provided, however, that in the case of any such acquisition, construction or improvement, the lien shall not apply to any assets theretofore owned by the Issuer or a Consolidated Subsidiary, other than, in the case of any such construction or improvement, any real property on which the property so constructed, or the improvement, is located;

 

  (d)

liens on any assets to secure Indebtedness of a Consolidated Subsidiary to the Issuer or to another wholly-owned domestic Subsidiary;

 

  (e)

liens on any assets of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged into or consolidated with the Issuer or a Subsidiary or at the time of a purchase, lease or other acquisition of the assets of a Person as an entirety or substantially as an entirety by the Issuer or a Subsidiary;

 

  (f)

liens on any assets of the Issuer or a Consolidated Subsidiary in favor of the United States of America or any State thereof, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision of the United States of America or any State thereof, or in favor of any other country, or any political subdivision thereof, to secure partial, progress, advance or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute or to secure any Indebtedness incurred or guaranteed for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price (or, in the case of real property, the cost of construction), of the assets subject to such liens (including, but not limited to, liens incurred in connection with pollution control, industrial revenue or similar financings);

 

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  (g)

liens securing Rate Hedging Obligations in an aggregate amount at no time exceeding $100,000,000, which liens (i) arise pursuant to Specified Rate Hedging Agreements and (ii) are required as a condition of such Specified Rate Hedging Agreement by Dodd-Frank (and not merely as a matter of contract or pricing);

 

  (h)

any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements) in whole or in part of any lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) to (g), inclusive; provided, however, that the principal amount of Indebtedness secured thereby shall not exceed the principal amount of Indebtedness so secured at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement and that such extension, renewal or replacement shall be limited to all or a part of the assets which secured the lien so extended, renewed or replaced (plus improvements and construction on such real property);

 

  (i)

liens imposed by law, such as mechanics’, workmen’s, repairmen’s, materialmen’s, carriers’, warehousemen’s, vendors’ or other similar liens arising in the ordinary course of business, or governmental (federal, state or municipal) liens arising out of contracts for the sale of products or services by the Issuer or any Consolidated Subsidiary, or deposits or pledges to obtain the release of any of the foregoing liens;

 

  (j)

pledges, liens or deposits under worker’s compensation laws or similar legislation and liens or judgments thereunder which are not currently dischargeable, or in connection with bids, tenders, contracts (other than for the payment of money) or leases to which the Issuer or any Consolidated Subsidiary is a party, or to secure public or statutory obligations of the Issuer or any Consolidated Subsidiary, or in connection with obtaining or maintaining self-insurance or to obtain the benefits of any law, regulation or arrangement pertaining to unemployment insurance, old age pensions, social security or similar matters, or to secure surety, appeal or customs bonds to which the Issuer or any Consolidated Subsidiary is a party, or in litigation or other proceedings such as, but not limited to, inter-pleader proceedings, and other similar pledges, liens or deposits made or incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

  (k)

liens created by or resulting from any litigation or other proceeding which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, including liens arising out of judgments or awards against the Issuer or any Consolidated Subsidiary with respect to which the Issuer or such Consolidated Subsidiary is in good faith prosecuting an appeal or proceedings for review or for which the time to make an appeal has not yet expired; or final unappealable judgment liens which are satisfied within 15 days of the date of judgment; or liens incurred by the Issuer or any Consolidated Subsidiary for the purpose of obtaining a stay or discharge in the course of any litigation or other proceeding to which the Issuer or such Consolidated Subsidiary is a party;

 

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  (l)

liens for taxes or assessments or governmental charges or levies not yet due or delinquent, or which can thereafter be paid without penalty, or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; landlord’s liens on property held under lease; and any other charges incidental to the conduct of the business of the Issuer or any Consolidated Subsidiary or the ownership of the assets of any of them which were not incurred in connection with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of advances or credit and which do not, in the opinion of the Issuer, materially impair the use of such assets in the operation of the business of the Issuer or such Consolidated Subsidiary or the value of such assets for the purposes of such business; or

(m) liens on any assets of a Financing Subsidiary.

Notwithstanding the restrictions set forth in the preceding paragraph, the Issuer or any Consolidated Subsidiary will be permitted to create or assume any Indebtedness which is secured by a lien without equally and ratably securing the Notes; provided that at the time of such creation or assumption, and immediately after giving effect thereto, Exempted Debt does not exceed 3.0% of Consolidated Total Assets.

Section 3.10. Limitation on Sale and Lease-Back. The Issuer will not, nor will it permit any Consolidated Subsidiary to, enter into any sale and lease-back transaction with respect to any assets, other than any such transaction involving a lease for a term of less than three years, unless either:

 

  (a)

the Issuer or such Consolidated Subsidiary would be entitled to incur Indebtedness secured by a lien on the assets to be leased, in an amount at least equal to the Attributable Debt with respect to such sale and lease-back transaction, without equally and ratably securing the Notes, pursuant to clauses (a) through (l) inclusive of Section 3.9, or

 

  (b)

the proceeds of the sale of the assets to be leased are at least equal to the fair value of such assets (as determined by the Board of Directors of the Issuer) and the proceeds are applied to the purchase or acquisition (or, in the case of property, the construction) of assets or to the retirement (other than at maturity or pursuant to a mandatory sinking fund or redemption provision) of Senior Funded Indebtedness.

The foregoing limitation, however, will not apply if at the time the Issuer or any Consolidated Subsidiary enters into such sale and lease-back transaction, and immediately after giving effect thereto, Exempted Debt then outstanding at such time does not exceed 3.0% of Consolidated Total Assets.

Section 3.11. Limitations on Subsidiary Indebtedness. The Issuer will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to create, incur, assume, guarantee, acquire, or become liable, contingently or otherwise, with respect to, or otherwise become responsible for payment of (collectively, “incur”), any Indebtedness for money borrowed; provided, however, that the foregoing limitations will not apply to the incurrence of any of the following, each of which shall be given independent effect:

 

  (a)

Indebtedness outstanding on the Issue Date;

 

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  (b)

Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that represents the assumption by such Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness of another Subsidiary, and Indebtedness owed by any Restricted Subsidiary to the Issuer or to another Subsidiary; provided that any such Indebtedness shall be at all times held by a Person which is either the Issuer or a Subsidiary; and provided further that upon the transfer or other disposition of any such Indebtedness to a Person other than the Issuer or another Subsidiary, the incurrence of such Indebtedness shall be deemed to be an incurrence that is not permitted by this clause (b);

 

  (c)

Indebtedness arising from (i) the endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; or (ii) the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument inadvertently (except in the case of daylight overdrafts) drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business;

 

  (d)

Indebtedness arising from guarantees of loans and advances by third parties to employees and officers of a Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business for bona fide business purposes, provided that the aggregate amount of such guarantees by all Restricted Subsidiaries does not exceed $100,000,000;

 

  (e)

Indebtedness incurred by a foreign Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

 

  (f)

Indebtedness of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged into or consolidated with a Restricted Subsidiary or at the time of a purchase, lease or other acquisition by a Restricted Subsidiary of assets of such Person as an entirety or substantially as an entirety;

 

  (g)

Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary arising from agreements providing for indemnification, adjustment of purchase price or similar obligations or from guarantees, letters of credit, surety bonds or performance bonds securing any obligations of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries incurred or assumed in connection with the disposition of any business, property or Subsidiary, other than guarantees or similar credit support by any Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness incurred by any Person acquiring all or any portion of such business, property or Subsidiary for the purpose of financing such acquisition;

 

  (h)

Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary in respect of performance, surety and other similar bonds, bankers’ acceptances and letters of credit provided by such Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;

 

  (i)

Indebtedness secured by a lien permitted by Section 3.9 or arising in respect of a sale and lease-back transaction permitted by Section 3.10 or any Indebtedness incurred to finance all or any part of the purchase price or cost of construction of improvements in respect of property or assets acquired by a Person after the date of this Indenture and incurred prior to, at the time of, or within 360 days after, the acquisition of any such property or assets or the completion of any such construction or improvements;

 

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  (j)

Indebtedness that is issued, assumed or guaranteed in connection with, or with a view to, compliance by a Restricted Subsidiary with the requirements of any program adopted by any federal, state or local governmental authority and applicable to such Restricted Subsidiary and providing financial or tax benefits to such Restricted Subsidiary which are not available directly to the Issuer;

 

  (k)

Indebtedness arising from Rate Hedging Obligations incurred to limit risks of currency or interest rate fluctuations to which a Subsidiary is otherwise subject by virtue of the operations of its business, and not for speculative purposes;

 

  (l)

Indebtedness outstanding under investment grade commercial paper programs;

 

  (m)

Indebtedness consisting of the financing of insurance premiums in the ordinary course of business;

 

  (n)

Indebtedness incurred by any Financing Subsidiary; and

 

  (o)

Indebtedness incurred in connection with or given in exchange for the renewal, extension, substitution, refunding, defeasance, refinancing or replacement of any Indebtedness described in clauses (a), (b), (f), (g) and (i) above (“Refinancing Indebtedness”); provided that (i) the principal amount of such Refinancing Indebtedness shall not exceed the principal amount of the Indebtedness so renewed, extended, substituted, refunded, defeased, refinanced or replaced (plus the premiums paid in connection therewith (which shall not exceed the stated amount of any premium or other payment required to be paid in connection with such a refinancing pursuant to the terms of the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, substituted, refunded, defeased, refinanced or replaced) and the expenses incurred in connection therewith); (ii) the Refinancing Indebtedness shall have a weighted average life to maturity equal to or greater than the weighted average life to maturity of the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, substituted, refunded, defeased, refinanced or replaced; and (iii) the Refinancing Indebtedness shall rank no more senior, and shall be at least as subordinated, in right of payment as the Indebtedness being renewed, extended, substituted, refunded, defeased, refinanced or replaced.

Notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions, Restricted Subsidiaries will be permitted to incur any Indebtedness for money borrowed that would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions in an aggregate principal amount which, together with the aggregate principal amount of other such Indebtedness for money borrowed that is incurred by Restricted Subsidiaries (not including Indebtedness permitted pursuant to the foregoing paragraphs (a) through (o)), does not, at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, exceed 3.0% of Consolidated Total Assets.

 

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ARTICLE VII

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 7.01 Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Securityholders. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article Seven of the Indenture shall be amended by adding the following new clause (j) to Section 7.1:

 

  (j)

to conform the text of the Indenture, any guarantee or any applicable series of Notes to any provision of the description thereof set forth in a prospectus supplement to the extent that such provision in a prospectus supplement was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision in the applicable Indenture, any guarantee or any applicable series of Notes.

ARTICLE VIII

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR CONVEYANCE

Section 8.01 Issuer may Consolidate, etc. on Certain Terms. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article Eight of the Indenture shall be amended by deleting Sections 8.1 and 8.2 and replacing each such Section in their entirety as follows:

Section 8.1. Issuer May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms. The Issuer covenants that it will not merge or consolidate with any other Person or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of its assets to any Person, unless (i) either the Issuer shall be the continuing corporation, or the successor Person formed by such consolidation, or into which the Issuer is merged, or the Person which acquires by sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all the assets of the Issuer (if other than the Issuer) shall be a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, business trust, trust or other legal entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume the due and punctual payment of the principal of and interest on all the Notes, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed or observed by the Issuer, by supplemental indenture satisfactory to the Trustee, executed and delivered to the Trustee by such entity, and (ii) the Issuer or such successor Person, as the case may be, shall not, immediately after such merger or consolidation, or such sale, lease or conveyance, be in default in the performance of any such covenant or condition.

 

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Section 8.2. Successor Person Substituted. In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance, and following such an assumption by the successor Person, such successor Person shall succeed to and be substituted for the Issuer, with the same effect as if it had been named herein. Such successor Person may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the name of the Issuer prior to such succession any or all of the Notes issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor corporation instead of the Issuer and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Notes which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Issuer to the Trustee for authentication, and any Notes which such successor Person thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All of the Notes so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Notes theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Notes had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.

In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Notes thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.

In the event of any such sale or conveyance (other than a conveyance by way of lease) the Issuer or any successor Person which shall theretofore have become such in the manner described in this Article shall be discharged from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Notes and may be liquidated and dissolved.

ARTICLE IX

FORMS OF NOTES

Section 9.01 Form of 2029 Note. The 2029 Notes and the Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication to be endorsed thereon are to be substantially in the forms set forth in Exhibit A hereto.

Section 9.02 Form of 2034 Note. The 2034 Notes and the Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication to be endorsed thereon are to be substantially in the forms set forth in Exhibit B hereto.

ARTICLE X

ORIGINAL ISSUE AMOUNT OF NOTES

Section 10.01 Original Issue Amount of the 2029 Notes. 2029 Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $650,000,000 may, upon execution of this First Supplemental Indenture, be executed by the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee for authentication, and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of a Company Order, authenticate and deliver said 2029 Notes as provided in said Company Order.

Section 10.02 Original Issue Amount of the 2034 Notes. 2034 Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $500,000,000 may, upon execution of this First Supplemental Indenture, be executed by the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee for authentication, and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of a Company Order, authenticate and deliver said 2034 Notes as provided in said Company Order.

 

17


ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 11.01 Ratification of Indenture. The Indenture, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and this First Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed part of the Indenture in the manner and to the extent herein and therein provided.

Section 11.02 Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals. The recitals and statements herein contained are made by the Issuer and not by the Trustee, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness thereof. The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this First Supplemental Indenture.

Section 11.03 Governing Law. This First Supplemental Indenture and each Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Section 11.04 Separability. In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this First Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture or of the Notes, but this First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be construed as if such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein or therein.

Section 11.05 Counterparts. This First Supplemental Indenture, and each of the other documents executed on the date hereof in connection with this First Supplemental Indenture and the authentication and delivery of the Notes, may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be an original; but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. The exchange of copies of this First Supplemental Indenture, such other documents and of signature pages by facsimile or electronic format (i.e., “pdf” or “tif”) transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture and such other documents as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original First Supplemental Indenture and such other documents for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or electronic format (i.e., “pdf” or “tif”) shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

Section 11.06 Trust Indenture Act. This First Supplemental Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of the Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions. If any provision in this First Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision of hereof which is required to be included herein by any provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall control.

Section 11.07 Electronic Communications. The Trustee shall have the right to accept and act upon instructions, including funds transfer instructions (“Instructions”) given pursuant to this First Supplemental Indenture and delivered using Electronic Means; provided, however, that the Issuer shall provide to the Trustee an incumbency certificate listing officers with the authority to provide such Instructions (“Authorized Officers”) and containing specimen signatures of such

 

18


Authorized Officers, which incumbency certificate shall be amended by the Issuer whenever a person is to be added or deleted from the listing. If the Issuer elects to give the Trustee Instructions using Electronic Means and the Trustee in its discretion elects to act upon such Instructions, the Trustee’s understanding of such Instructions shall be deemed controlling. The Issuer understands and agrees that the Trustee cannot determine the identity of the actual sender of such Instructions and that the Trustee shall conclusively presume that directions that purport to have been sent by an Authorized Officer listed on the incumbency certificate provided to the Trustee have been sent by such Authorized Officer. The Issuer shall be responsible for ensuring that only Authorized Officers transmit such Instructions to the Trustee and that the Issuer, and all Authorized Officers are solely responsible to safeguard the use and confidentiality of applicable user and authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys upon receipt by the Issuer. The Trustee shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Trustee’s reliance upon and compliance with such Instructions notwithstanding such directions conflict or are inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction. The Issuer agrees: (i) to assume all risks arising out of the use of Electronic Means to submit Instructions to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on unauthorized Instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties; (ii) that it is fully informed of the protections and risks associated with the various methods of transmitting Instructions to the Trustee and that there may be more secure methods of transmitting Instructions than the method(s) selected by the Issuer; (iii) that the security procedures (if any) to be followed in connection with its transmission of Instructions provide to it a commercially reasonable degree of protection in light of its particular needs and circumstances; and (iv) to notify the Trustee immediately upon learning of any compromise or unauthorized use of the security procedures. As used in this Section 11.07, “Electronic Means” shall mean the following communications methods: e-mail, facsimile transmission, secure electronic transmission containing applicable authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys issued by the Trustee, or another method or system specified by the Trustee as available for use in connection with its services hereunder.

Section 11.08 Tax Withholding; FATCA. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Indenture, the Issuer and the Trustee may, to the extent it required to do so by law, deduct or withhold income or other similar taxes from principal or interest payments in respect of the Notes without liability therefor. The Issuer and Trustee shall have no obligation to gross up any payment hereunder or pay any additional amount as a result of any such deduction or withholding.

In order to comply with Sections 1471 through 1474 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as in effect from time to time, collectively, the “Applicable Law”), the Issuer agrees (i) to use commercially reasonable efforts to provide to the Trustee upon its reasonable request information in the Issuer’s possession about holders or other applicable parties and/or transactions (including any modification to the terms of such transactions) so the Trustee can determine whether it has tax related obligations under the Applicable Law, and (ii) that the Trustee shall be entitled to make any withholding or deduction from payments under this First Supplemental Indenture to the extent it is required to do so by Applicable Law without liability therefor. The terms of this Section 11.08 shall survive the termination of this First Supplemental Indenture.

 

19


Section 11.09 Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

Section 11.10 Consequential Damages. In no event shall the Trustee be liable for special, indirect, punitive, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to loss of profit), even if the Trustee, as the case may be, has been advised as to the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

Section 11.11 Signatures. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this First Supplemental Indenture or any document to be signed in connection with this First Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, and the parties hereto consent to conduct the transactions contemplated hereunder by electronic means.

 

20


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

 

CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.
By:  

/s/ Scott Zimmerman

  Name:   Scott Zimmerman
  Title:   Senior Vice President and Treasurer
By:  

/s/ Jeff Cui

  Name:   Jeff Cui
  Title:   Assistant Treasurer
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as Trustee
By:  

/s/ Marie A. Hattinger

  Name:   Marie A. Hattinger
  Title:   Vice President

[Signature Page to First Supplemental Indenture]


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF 2029 NOTE

(face of security)

THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS NOTE 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, UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.

CUSIP No.: 14149Y BN7

CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.

5.125% Notes due 2029

 

No. ______

   $______________
   As revised by the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Notes attached hereto

CARDINAL HEALTH, INC., an Ohio corporation (the “Issuer”), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of _____________ ($___________), as revised by the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Notes attached hereto, on February 15, 2029, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, and to pay interest, semi-annually on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing August 15, 2024, on said principal sum at said office or agency, in like coin or currency, at the rate per annum specified in the title of this Note, from the February 15 or the August 15, as the case may be, next preceding the date of this Note to which interest has been paid, unless the date hereof is a date to which interest has been paid, in which case from the date of this Note, or unless no interest has

 

Exhibit A - 1


been paid on these Notes, in which case from February 20, 2024, until payment of said principal sum has been made or duly provided for, provided that, payment of interest may be made at the option of the Issuer by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address shall appear on the Security Register. The interest so payable on any February 15 or August 15 will, subject to certain exceptions provided in the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof, be paid to the person in whose name this Note is registered at the close of business on the February 1 or August 1, as the case may be, next preceding such February 15 or August 15.

Reference is made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on the reverse hereof. Such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

This Note shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been signed by the Trustee under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof.

 

Exhibit A - 2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, CARDINAL HEALTH, INC. has caused this instrument to be signed by its duly authorized officers.

Dated:

 

CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
Attest:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

Exhibit A - 3


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

Dated:

 

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

 

  Authorized Officer

 

Exhibit A - 4


(back of security)

CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.

5.125% Notes due 2029

This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of debentures, notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness of the Issuer (hereinafter called the “Securities”) of the series hereinafter specified, all issued or to be issued under and pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of June 2, 2008, as supplemented by a First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 20, 2024 (as so supplemented, herein called the “Indenture”), duly executed and delivered by the Issuer to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Issuer and the Holders of the Securities. The Securities may be issued in one or more series, which different series may be issued in various aggregate principal amounts, may mature at different times, may bear interest (if any) at different rates, may be subject to different redemption provisions (if any), may be subject to different sinking, purchase or analogous funds (if any) and may otherwise vary as in the Indenture provided. This Note is one of a series designated as the 5.125% Notes due 2029 of the Issuer, limited in initial aggregate principal amount to $650,000,000 (collectively, the “Notes”). The Issuer may, at any time, without notice to or the consent of the Holders of the Securities, issue further notes having the same priority and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes (other than the date of issuance and, under certain circumstances, the first interest payment date following the issue date of such further notes). Any such further notes, together with this Note, will form a single series of Securities under the Indenture.

 

1.

Principal and Interest

The Notes will mature on February 15, 2029.

In case an Event of Default with respect to the Notes, as defined in the Indenture, shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal hereof may be declared, and upon such declaration shall become, due and payable, in the manner, with the effect and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.

Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 30-day month and a 360-day year.

 

2.

Amendment; Supplement; Waiver

The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Issuer and the Trustee, with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in the aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of all series to be affected (voting as one class), evidenced as provided in the Indenture, to execute supplemental indentures for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each such series; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall (i) extend the final maturity of any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or any premium thereon, or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of any interest thereon, or reduce or impair or affect the

 

Exhibit A - 5


rights of any Holder to institute suit for the payment thereof or any right of repayment at the option of the Holder, without the consent of the Holder of each Security so affected, or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Securities, the Holders of which are required to consent to any such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Security affected. It is also provided in the Indenture that, with respect to certain defaults or Events of Default regarding the Securities of any series, prior to any declaration accelerating the maturity of such Securities, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount Outstanding of the Securities of such series (or, in the case of certain defaults or Events of Default, all or certain series of the Securities) may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series (or all or certain series of the Securities, as the case may be) waive any such past default or Event of Default and its consequences. The preceding sentence shall not, however, apply to a default in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any of the Securities. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note (unless revoked as provided in the Indenture) shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders and owners of this Note and any Notes which may be issued in exchange or substitution herefor, irrespective of whether or not any notation thereof is made upon this Note or such other Notes.

 

3.

Optional Redemption

At the Issuer’s option, the Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, prior to January 15, 2029 (one month prior to the stated maturity of the Notes (the “Par Call Date”; and the date of any such redemption a “Redemption Date”)), at a redemption price (the “Redemption Price”) (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) equal to the greater of:

(a) (x) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes being redeemed discounted to the Redemption Date (assuming the Notes being redeemed matured on the Par Call Date) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 15 basis points less (y) interest accrued to, but excluding, the Redemption Date, and

(b) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed on the relevant Redemption Date,

plus, in each of the cases of (a) and (b) above, accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes being redeemed to, but excluding, such Redemption Date.

Any time on or after the Par Call Date, the Issuer may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes being redeemed to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

For purposes of determining the Redemption Price, the following definitions are applicable:

Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the yield determined by the Issuer in accordance with the following two paragraphs.

 

Exhibit A - 6


The Treasury Rate shall be determined by the Issuer after 4:15 p.m., New York City time (or after such time as yields on U.S. government securities are posted daily by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), on the third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date based upon the yield or yields for the most recent day that appear after such time on such day in the most recent statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System designated as “Selected Interest Rates (Daily) – H.15” (or any successor designation or publication) (“H.15”) under the caption “U.S. government securities–Treasury constant maturities–Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) (“H.15 TCM”). In determining the Treasury Rate, the Issuer shall select, as applicable: (1) the yield for the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the period from the Redemption Date to the Par Call Date (the “Remaining Life”); or (2) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the Remaining Life, the two yields – one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately shorter than and one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately longer than the Remaining Life – and shall interpolate to the Par Call Date on a straight-line basis (using the actual number of days) using such yields and rounding the result to three decimal places; or (3) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 shorter than or longer than the Remaining Life, the yield for the single Treasury constant maturity on H.15 closest to the Remaining Life. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable Treasury constant maturity or maturities on H.15 shall be deemed to have a maturity date equal to the relevant number of months or years, as applicable, of such Treasury constant maturity from the Redemption Date.

If on the third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date H.15 TCM is no longer published, the Issuer shall calculate the Treasury Rate based on the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second Business Day preceding the Redemption Date of the United States Treasury security maturing on, or with a maturity that is closest to, the Par Call Date, as applicable. If there is no United States Treasury security maturing on the Par Call Date but there are two or more United States Treasury securities with a maturity date equally distant from the Par Call Date, one with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date and one with a maturity date following the Par Call Date, the Issuer shall select the United States Treasury security with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date. If there are two or more United States Treasury securities maturing on the Par Call Date or two or more United States Treasury securities meeting the criteria of the preceding sentence, the Issuer shall select from among these two or more United States Treasury securities the United States Treasury security that is trading closest to par based upon the average of the bid and asked prices for such United States Treasury securities at 11:00 a.m., New York City time. In determining the Treasury Rate in accordance with the terms of this paragraph, the semi-annual yield to maturity of the applicable United States Treasury security shall be based upon the average of the bid and asked prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, of such United States Treasury security, and rounded to three decimal places.

The Issuer’s actions and determinations in determining the Redemption Price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

The Issuer will notify the Trustee of the Redemption Price promptly after the calculation thereof. The Trustee shall have no responsibility for any calculation or determination in respect of the Redemption Price of any Notes, or any component thereof, and shall be entitled to receive, and fully-protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate from the Issuer that states such Redemption Price.

 

Exhibit A - 7


Notwithstanding the foregoing, installments of interest on Notes that are due and payable on an interest payment date falling on or prior to a Redemption Date will be payable on such interest payment date to the registered Holders as of the close of business on the relevant record date immediately preceding such interest payment date.

Notice of any redemption will be mailed or electronically delivered (or otherwise transmitted in accordance with the depositary’s procedures) at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed. Subject to any delay in the Redemption Date or rescission of the notice of redemption described below, once notice of redemption is mailed or delivered, the Notes called for redemption will become due and payable on the Redemption Date; provided that any notice of redemption may, at the Issuer’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including completion of a corporate transaction. In such event, the related notice of redemption will describe each such condition and, if applicable, will state that, at the Issuer’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time (including more than 60 days after the notice of redemption was given) as any or all such conditions are satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion), or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions have not been satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion) by the Redemption Date, or by the Redemption Date as so delayed. If any such redemption has been rescinded or delayed, the Issuer will provide written notice to the Trustee prior to the close of business on the Business Day prior to the Redemption Date and, upon receipt, the Trustee will provide such notice to each registered Holder.

In the case of a partial redemption, selection of the Notes for redemption will be made by lot or pursuant to applicable Depositary procedures. No Notes of a principal amount of $2,000 or less will be redeemed in part. If any Notes are to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to the Notes will state the portion of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed. A new Note in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Note will be issued in the name of the Holder of the Note upon surrender for cancellation of the original Note. For so long as the Notes are held by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) (or another Depositary), the redemption of the Notes shall be done in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Depositary.

Unless the Issuer defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, on and after the Redemption Date interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

 

4.

Repurchase at the Option of Holders Upon a Change of Control

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Repurchase Event, unless all Notes have been called for redemption pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Note, each Holder of the Notes shall have the right to require the Issuer to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) of such Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of such Notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the date of repurchase (the “Change of Control Payment”).

 

Exhibit A - 8


Within 30 days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at the Issuer’s option, prior to any proposed Change of Control, but after the public announcement of the proposed Change of Control, the Issuer shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, a notice (a “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, describing the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Repurchase Event and shall specify, without limitation, the following:

 

(a)

that the Change of Control Offer is being made and that all Notes tendered will be accepted for payment;

 

(b)

the Change of Control Payment and the purchase date, which shall be a Business Day no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is delivered (the “Change of Control Payment Date”);

 

(c)

the CUSIP numbers for the Notes;

 

(d)

that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest;

 

(e)

that, unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest after the Change of Control Payment Date;

 

(f)

that Holders whose Notes of any series are being purchased only in part will be issued new Notes of such series equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, which unpurchased portion will be equal to $2,000 in principal amount or in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof; and

 

(g)

if the notice is delivered prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, that the Change of Control Offer is conditioned on the Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the Change of Control Payment Date.

The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Repurchase Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions hereof, the Issuer will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations hereunder by virtue of such conflict.

On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuer will, to the extent lawful:

 

(a)

accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

 

(b)

deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and

 

Exhibit A - 9


(c)

deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased by the Issuer.

The paying agent shall promptly deliver to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee pursuant to a Company Order will promptly authenticate and deliver (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new Note of the same series equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each new Note will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

The Issuer shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth herein applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Issuer and purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.

Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the Notes are rated below Investment Grade by each of the Rating Agencies on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of a Change of Control (which period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by any of the Rating Agencies).

Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer and its subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than the Issuer or one of its subsidiaries; or (2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Issuer’s Voting Stock, measured by voting power rather than number of shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed to involve a Change of Control if (i) the Issuer becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of a holding company and (ii) the holders of the Voting Stock of such holding company immediately following that transaction are substantially the same as the holders of Voting Stock immediately prior to that transaction.

Change of Control Repurchase Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

Fitch,” “Moody’s” and “S&P” mean Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global, Inc., respectively, or any successors thereto.

Investment Grade” means a rating of BBB- or better by Fitch (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Fitch), Baa3 or better by Moody’s (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Moody’s); BBB- or better by S&P (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of S&P); or the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any additional Rating Agency or Rating Agencies selected by the Issuer.

 

Exhibit A - 10


Rating Agency” means (i) each of Fitch, Moody’s and S&P; and (ii) if any of Fitch, Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Notes or fails to make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Issuer’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act, or any successor definition, selected by the Issuer as a replacement agency for Fitch, Moody’s or S&P, or all of them, as the case may be.

Voting Stock” of any specified “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) as of any date means the capital stock of such person that is at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the board of directors of such person.

 

5.

Persons Deemed Owners

The Issuer, the Trustee and any authorized agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may deem and treat the registered Holder hereof as the absolute owner of this Note (whether or not this Note shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing hereon) for the purpose of receiving payment of, or on account of, the principal hereof and premium, if any, and subject to the provisions on the face hereof, interest hereon, and for all other purposes, and neither the Issuer nor the Trustee nor any authorized agent of the Issuer or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

6.

Transfers and Exchanges

This Note is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of a Depositary or a nominee of a Depositary. This Note is exchangeable for 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 or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

Transfers and exchanges of the Notes are only available under limited circumstances and are required to be registered in accordance with the Indenture. The Holder may be required, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and to pay certain transfer taxes or similar governmental charges payable in connection therewith as permitted by the Indenture.

 

7.

Miscellaneous

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

 

Exhibit A - 11


No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Issuer in the Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto or in any Note, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, as such, or against any past, present or future stockholder, officer or director, as such, of the Issuer or of any successor, either directly or through the Issuer or any successor, under any rule of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof.

This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except as otherwise may be required by mandatory provisions of law.

Terms used herein which are defined in the Indenture shall have the respective meanings assigned thereto in the Indenture.

 

Exhibit A - 12


ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 

(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax ID no.)

 

 

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

and irrevocably appoint agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The Agent may substitute another to act for it.

 

Date:    Signature:                  
   (sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note)

 

Exhibit A - 13


SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE

The following exchanges of a part of this Global Security for an interest in another Global Security or for a certificated Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global Security or certificated Note for an interest in this Global Security, have been made:

 

Date of Exchange

 

Amount of

decrease in

Principal

Amount of this

Global Security

 

Amount of

increase in

Principal

Amount of this

Global Security

  

Principal

Amount of this

Global Security

following such

decrease

(or increase)

  

Signature of

authorized

officer of

Trustee

 

Exhibit A - 14


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF 2034 NOTE

(face of security)

THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS NOTE 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, UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.

CUSIP No.: 14149Y BP2

CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.

5.450% Notes due 2034

 

No. ______    $______________
   As revised by the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Notes attached hereto

CARDINAL HEALTH, INC., an Ohio corporation (the “Issuer”), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of _____________ ($___________), as revised by the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Notes attached hereto, on February 15, 2034, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, and to pay interest, semi-annually on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing August 15, 2024, on said principal sum at said office or agency, in like coin or currency, at the rate per annum specified in the title of this Note, from the February 15 or the August 15, as the case may be, next preceding the date of this Note to which interest has been paid, unless the date hereof is a date to which interest has been paid, in which case from the date of this Note, or unless no interest has been paid on these Notes, in which case from February 20, 2024, until payment of said principal

 

Exhibit B - 1


sum has been made or duly provided for, provided that, payment of interest may be made at the option of the Issuer by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address shall appear on the Security Register. The interest so payable on any February 15 or August 15 will, subject to certain exceptions provided in the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof, be paid to the person in whose name this Note is registered at the close of business on the February 1 or August 1, as the case may be, next preceding such February 15 or August 15.

Reference is made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on the reverse hereof. Such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

This Note shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been signed by the Trustee under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof.

 

Exhibit B - 2


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, CARDINAL HEALTH, INC. has caused this instrument to be signed by its duly authorized officers.

Dated:

 

CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:
Attest:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

Exhibit B - 3


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

Dated:

 

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

 

  Authorized Officer

 

Exhibit B - 4


(back of security)

CARDINAL HEALTH, INC.

5.450% Notes due 2034

This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of debentures, notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness of the Issuer (hereinafter called the “Securities”) of the series hereinafter specified, all issued or to be issued under and pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of June 2, 2008, as supplemented by a First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 20, 2024 (as so supplemented, herein called the “Indenture”), duly executed and delivered by the Issuer to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Issuer and the Holders of the Securities. The Securities may be issued in one or more series, which different series may be issued in various aggregate principal amounts, may mature at different times, may bear interest (if any) at different rates, may be subject to different redemption provisions (if any), may be subject to different sinking, purchase or analogous funds (if any) and may otherwise vary as in the Indenture provided. This Note is one of a series designated as the 5.450% Notes due 2034 of the Issuer, limited in initial aggregate principal amount to $500,000,000 (collectively, the “Notes”). The Issuer may, at any time, without notice to or the consent of the Holders of the Securities, issue further notes having the same priority and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the Notes (other than the date of issuance and, under certain circumstances, the first interest payment date following the issue date of such further notes). Any such further notes, together with this Note, will form a single series of Securities under the Indenture.

 

1.

Principal and Interest

The Notes will mature on February 15, 2034.

In case an Event of Default with respect to the Notes, as defined in the Indenture, shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal hereof may be declared, and upon such declaration shall become, due and payable, in the manner, with the effect and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.

Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 30-day month and a 360-day year.

 

2.

Amendment; Supplement; Waiver

The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Issuer and the Trustee, with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in the aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of all series to be affected (voting as one class), evidenced as provided in the Indenture, to execute supplemental indentures for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each such series; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall (i) extend the final maturity of any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or any premium thereon, or reduce

 

Exhibit B - 5


the rate or extend the time of payment of any interest thereon, or reduce or impair or affect the rights of any Holder to institute suit for the payment thereof or any right of repayment at the option of the Holder, without the consent of the Holder of each Security so affected, or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Securities, the Holders of which are required to consent to any such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Security affected. It is also provided in the Indenture that, with respect to certain defaults or Events of Default regarding the Securities of any series, prior to any declaration accelerating the maturity of such Securities, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount Outstanding of the Securities of such series (or, in the case of certain defaults or Events of Default, all or certain series of the Securities) may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series (or all or certain series of the Securities, as the case may be) waive any such past default or Event of Default and its consequences. The preceding sentence shall not, however, apply to a default in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any of the Securities. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note (unless revoked as provided in the Indenture) shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders and owners of this Note and any Notes which may be issued in exchange or substitution herefor, irrespective of whether or not any notation thereof is made upon this Note or such other Notes.

 

3.

Optional Redemption

At the Issuer’s option, the Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, prior to November 15, 2033 (three months prior to the stated maturity of the Notes (the “Par Call Date”; and the date of any such redemption a “Redemption Date”)), at a redemption price (the “Redemption Price”) (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) equal to the greater of:

(a) (x) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes being redeemed discounted to the Redemption Date (assuming the Notes being redeemed matured on the Par Call Date) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 20 basis points less (y) interest accrued to, but excluding, the Redemption Date, and

(b) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed on the relevant Redemption Date,

plus, in each of the cases of (a) and (b) above, accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes being redeemed to, but excluding, such Redemption Date.

Any time on or after the Par Call Date, the Issuer may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes being redeemed to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

For purposes of determining the Redemption Price, the following definitions are applicable:

 

Exhibit B - 6


Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the yield determined by the Issuer in accordance with the following two paragraphs.

The Treasury Rate shall be determined by the Issuer after 4:15 p.m., New York City time (or after such time as yields on U.S. government securities are posted daily by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), on the third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date based upon the yield or yields for the most recent day that appear after such time on such day in the most recent statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System designated as “Selected Interest Rates (Daily) – H.15” (or any successor designation or publication) (“H.15”) under the caption “U.S. government securities–Treasury constant maturities–Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) (“H.15 TCM”). In determining the Treasury Rate, the Issuer shall select, as applicable: (1) the yield for the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the period from the Redemption Date to the Par Call Date (the “Remaining Life”); or (2) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the Remaining Life, the two yields – one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately shorter than and one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately longer than the Remaining Life – and shall interpolate to the Par Call Date on a straight-line basis (using the actual number of days) using such yields and rounding the result to three decimal places; or (3) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 shorter than or longer than the Remaining Life, the yield for the single Treasury constant maturity on H.15 closest to the Remaining Life. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable Treasury constant maturity or maturities on H.15 shall be deemed to have a maturity date equal to the relevant number of months or years, as applicable, of such Treasury constant maturity from the Redemption Date.

If on the third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date H.15 TCM is no longer published, the Issuer shall calculate the Treasury Rate based on the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second Business Day preceding the Redemption Date of the United States Treasury security maturing on, or with a maturity that is closest to, the Par Call Date, as applicable. If there is no United States Treasury security maturing on the Par Call Date but there are two or more United States Treasury securities with a maturity date equally distant from the Par Call Date, one with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date and one with a maturity date following the Par Call Date, the Issuer shall select the United States Treasury security with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date. If there are two or more United States Treasury securities maturing on the Par Call Date or two or more United States Treasury securities meeting the criteria of the preceding sentence, the Issuer shall select from among these two or more United States Treasury securities the United States Treasury security that is trading closest to par based upon the average of the bid and asked prices for such United States Treasury securities at 11:00 a.m., New York City time. In determining the Treasury Rate in accordance with the terms of this paragraph, the semi-annual yield to maturity of the applicable United States Treasury security shall be based upon the average of the bid and asked prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, of such United States Treasury security, and rounded to three decimal places.

The Issuer’s actions and determinations in determining the Redemption Price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

Exhibit B - 7


The Issuer will notify the Trustee of the Redemption Price promptly after the calculation thereof. The Trustee shall have no responsibility for any calculation or determination in respect of the Redemption Price of any Notes, or any component thereof, and shall be entitled to receive, and fully-protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate from the Issuer that states such Redemption Price.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, installments of interest on Notes that are due and payable on an interest payment date falling on or prior to a Redemption Date will be payable on such interest payment date to the registered Holders as of the close of business on the relevant record date immediately preceding such interest payment date.

Notice of any redemption will be mailed or electronically delivered (or otherwise transmitted in accordance with the depositary’s procedures) at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed. Subject to any delay in the Redemption Date or rescission of the notice of redemption described below, once notice of redemption is mailed or delivered, the Notes called for redemption will become due and payable on the Redemption Date; provided that any notice of redemption may, at the Issuer’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including completion of a corporate transaction. In such event, the related notice of redemption will describe each such condition and, if applicable, will state that, at the Issuer’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time (including more than 60 days after the notice of redemption was given) as any or all such conditions are satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion), or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions have not been satisfied (or waived by the Issuer in its sole discretion) by the Redemption Date, or by the Redemption Date as so delayed. If any such redemption has been rescinded or delayed, the Issuer will provide written notice to the Trustee prior to the close of business on the Business Day prior to the Redemption Date and, upon receipt, the Trustee will provide such notice to each registered Holder.

In the case of a partial redemption, selection of the Notes for redemption will be made by lot or pursuant to applicable Depositary procedures. No Notes of a principal amount of $2,000 or less will be redeemed in part. If any Notes are to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to the Notes will state the portion of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed. A new Note in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Note will be issued in the name of the Holder of the Note upon surrender for cancellation of the original Note. For so long as the Notes are held by The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) (or another Depositary), the redemption of the Notes shall be done in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Depositary.

Unless the Issuer defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, on and after the Redemption Date interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

 

4.

Repurchase at the Option of Holders Upon a Change of Control

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Repurchase Event, unless all Notes have been called for redemption pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Note, each Holder of the Notes shall have the right to require the Issuer to repurchase all or any part (equal to $2,000 or in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) of such Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of such Notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to, but excluding, the date of repurchase (the “Change of Control Payment”).

 

Exhibit B - 8


Within 30 days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at the Issuer’s option, prior to any proposed Change of Control, but after the public announcement of the proposed Change of Control, the Issuer shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, a notice (a “Change of Control Offer”) to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, describing the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Repurchase Event and shall specify, without limitation, the following:

 

(a)

that the Change of Control Offer is being made and that all Notes tendered will be accepted for payment;

 

(b)

the Change of Control Payment and the purchase date, which shall be a Business Day no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is delivered (the “Change of Control Payment Date”);

 

(c)

the CUSIP numbers for the Notes;

 

(d)

that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest;

 

(e)

that, unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest after the Change of Control Payment Date;

 

(f)

that Holders whose Notes of any series are being purchased only in part will be issued new Notes of such series equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, which unpurchased portion will be equal to $2,000 in principal amount or in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof; and

 

(g)

if the notice is delivered prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, that the Change of Control Offer is conditioned on the Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the Change of Control Payment Date.

The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Repurchase Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions hereof, the Issuer will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations hereunder by virtue of such conflict.

On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuer will, to the extent lawful:

 

(a)

accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

 

Exhibit B - 9


(b)

deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and

 

(c)

deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased by the Issuer.

The paying agent shall promptly deliver to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee pursuant to a Company Order will promptly authenticate and deliver (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new Note of the same series equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each new Note will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

The Issuer shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth herein applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Issuer and purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.

Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the Notes are rated below Investment Grade by each of the Rating Agencies on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of a Change of Control (which period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by any of the Rating Agencies).

Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer and its subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than the Issuer or one of its subsidiaries; or (2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Issuer’s Voting Stock, measured by voting power rather than number of shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed to involve a Change of Control if (i) the Issuer becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of a holding company and (ii) the holders of the Voting Stock of such holding company immediately following that transaction are substantially the same as the holders of Voting Stock immediately prior to that transaction.

Change of Control Repurchase Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

Fitch,” “Moody’s” and “S&P” mean Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global, Inc., respectively, or any successors thereto.

 

Exhibit B - 10


Investment Grade” means a rating of BBB- or better by Fitch (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Fitch), Baa3 or better by Moody’s (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Moody’s); BBB- or better by S&P (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of S&P); or the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any additional Rating Agency or Rating Agencies selected by the Issuer.

Rating Agency” means (i) each of Fitch, Moody’s and S&P; and (ii) if any of Fitch, Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Notes or fails to make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Issuer’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act, or any successor definition, selected by the Issuer as a replacement agency for Fitch, Moody’s or S&P, or all of them, as the case may be.

Voting Stock” of any specified “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) as of any date means the capital stock of such person that is at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the board of directors of such person.

 

5.

Persons Deemed Owners

The Issuer, the Trustee and any authorized agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may deem and treat the registered Holder hereof as the absolute owner of this Note (whether or not this Note shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing hereon) for the purpose of receiving payment of, or on account of, the principal hereof and premium, if any, and subject to the provisions on the face hereof, interest hereon, and for all other purposes, and neither the Issuer nor the Trustee nor any authorized agent of the Issuer or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

6.

Transfers and Exchanges

This Note is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of a Depositary or a nominee of a Depositary. This Note is exchangeable for 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 or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

Transfers and exchanges of the Notes are only available under limited circumstances and are required to be registered in accordance with the Indenture. The Holder may be required, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and to pay certain transfer taxes or similar governmental charges payable in connection therewith as permitted by the Indenture.

 

7.

Miscellaneous

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

 

Exhibit B - 11


No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Issuer in the Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto or in any Note, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, as such, or against any past, present or future stockholder, officer or director, as such, of the Issuer or of any successor, either directly or through the Issuer or any successor, under any rule of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof.

This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, except as otherwise may be required by mandatory provisions of law.

Terms used herein which are defined in the Indenture shall have the respective meanings assigned thereto in the Indenture.

 

Exhibit B - 12


ASSIGNMENT FORM

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 

(Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax ID no.)

 

 

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

and irrevocably appoint agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The Agent may substitute another to act for it.

 

Date:    Signature:                  
   (sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note)

 

Exhibit B - 13


SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE

The following exchanges of a part of this Global Security for an interest in another Global Security or for a certificated Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global Security or certificated Note for an interest in this Global Security, have been made:

 

Date of Exchange

 

Amount of

decrease in

Principal

Amount of this

Global Security

 

Amount of

increase in

Principal

Amount of this

Global Security

  

Principal

Amount of this

Global Security

following such

decrease

(or increase)

  

Signature of

authorized

officer of

Trustee

 

Exhibit B - 14

Exhibit 5.1

February 20, 2024

Cardinal Health, Inc.

7000 Cardinal Place

Dublin, Ohio 43017

 

Re:

Cardinal Health, Inc.

$650,000,000 5.125% Notes due 2029

$500,000,000 5.450% Notes due 2034

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Cardinal Health, Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), and I and other attorneys in the Company’s Legal Department have acted as counsel to the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of (i) $650,000,000 principal amount of the Company’s 5.125% Notes due 2029 (the “2029 Notes”) and (ii) $500,000,000 principal amount of the Company’s 5.450% Notes due 2034 (the “2034 Notes” and, together with the 2029 Notes, the “Notes”), subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Underwriting Agreement, dated February 14, 2024 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), among the Company and the several underwriters named on Schedule II thereto. The Notes are to be issued under an Indenture dated as of June 2, 2008 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture (together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), dated as of February 20, 2024, between the Company and the Trustee.

In that connection, I, or other attorneys in the Company’s Legal Department, have reviewed originals or copies of the following documents:

(a) the Underwriting Agreement;

(b) the Indenture;

(c) the form of the Notes;

(d) the registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-268237) filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on November 8, 2022 (such registration statement, including the information deemed to be part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act and the documents incorporated by reference therein, being hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Registration Statement”);

(e) the prospectus dated November 8, 2022, forming a part of the Registration Statement with respect to the offering from time to time of the Company’s securities (the “Base Prospectus”), as supplemented by the final prospectus supplement dated February 14, 2024 relating to the Notes (the “Final Prospectus Supplement”) (the Base Prospectus, as supplemented by the Final Prospectus Supplement, in the forms filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, being hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Final Prospectus”);


Cardinal Health, Inc.

February 20, 2024

Page 2

 

(f) The First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of February 20, 2024, between the Company and the Trustee; and

(g) Originals or copies of such other corporate records of the Company, certificates of public officials and officers of the Company and agreements and other documents as I have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinion expressed below.

In my review, I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, including electronic signatures, the authenticity of the originals of the documents submitted to me and the conformity to authentic originals of any documents submitted to me as copies. I have further assumed, as to matters of fact, the truthfulness of the representations made in certificates of public officials and officers of the Company; that the Indenture has been duly authorized, and upon the execution and delivery thereby, will be the legal, valid and binding obligation of, each party thereto, other than the Company, enforceable against each such party in accordance with its terms. Further, this opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Ohio.

Based upon the foregoing, and upon such other investigation as I have deemed necessary and subject to the qualifications set forth below, I am of the opinion that:

The Indenture and the Notes and the execution and delivery thereof have been duly authorized by the Company.

I understand that this opinion is to be used in connection with the Registration Statement. I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of my name in the Final Prospectus under the caption “Legal Matters.” In giving this consent, I do not hereby admit that I am in 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.

[The Remainder of This Page Intentionally Left Blank, Signature Page Follows]


Very truly yours,

/s/ Patrick Pope

Patrick Pope

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary — Cardinal Health, Inc.

[Signature Page to the Exhibit 5.1 Opinion]

Exhibit 5.2

 

   SKADDEN, A RPS, S LATE, MEAGHER & FLOM LLP   
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February 20, 2024

Cardinal Health, Inc.

7000 Cardinal Place

Dublin, Ohio 43017

 

  Re:

Cardinal Health, Inc. – Senior Notes Offering

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special United States counsel to Cardinal Health, Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the public offering of $650,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.125% Notes due 2029 (the “2029 Notes”) and $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.450% Notes due 2034 (the “2034 Notes” and, together with the 2029 Notes, the “Securities”) to be issued under the Indenture, dated as of June 2, 2008 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture (together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), dated as of February 20, 2024, between the Company and the Trustee.

This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”).


Cardinal Health, Inc.

February 20, 2024

Page 2

 

In rendering the opinions stated herein, we have examined and relied upon the following:

(a) the registration statement on Form S-3 (File No.333-268237) of the Company relating to debt securities and other securities of the Company filed on November 8, 2022 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act allowing for delayed offerings pursuant to Rule 415 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Act (the “Rules and Regulations”), including the information deemed to be a part of the registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B of the Rules and Regulations (such registration statement being hereinafter referred to as the “Registration Statement”);

(b) the prospectus, dated November 8, 2022 (the “Base Prospectus”), which forms a part of and is included in the Registration Statement;

(c) the preliminary prospectus supplement, dated February 14, 2024 (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Preliminary Prospectus”) relating to the offering of the Securities, in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;

(d) the prospectus supplement, dated February 14, 2024 (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”), relating to the offering of the Securities, in the form filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;

(e) an executed copy of the Underwriting Agreement, dated February 14, 2024 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and among BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as representatives of the several Underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”), relating to the sale by the Company to the Underwriters of the Securities;

(f) an executed copy of the Indenture; and

(g) the global certificates evidencing the Securities registered in the name of Cede & Co. (the “Note Certificates”), delivered by the Company to the Trustee for authentication and delivery.

We have also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records of the Company and such agreements, certificates and receipts of public officials, certificates of officers or other representatives of the Company and others, and such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions stated below.


Cardinal Health, Inc.

February 20, 2024

Page 3

 

In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, including electronic signatures, the legal capacity and competency of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as facsimile, electronic, certified or photocopied copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such copies. As to any facts relevant to the opinions stated herein that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others and of public officials, including those in the Secretary’s Certificate and the factual representations and warranties contained in the Underwriting Agreement.

We do not express any opinion with respect to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of New York (the foregoing being referred to as “Opined-on Law”).

As used herein, “Transaction Documents” means the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Note Certificates.

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the qualifications and assumptions stated herein, we are of the opinion that, the Note Certificates will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms under the laws of the State of New York.

The opinions stated herein are subject to the following qualifications:

(a) we do not express any opinion with respect to the effect on the opinions stated herein of any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer, preference and other similar laws or governmental orders affecting creditors’ rights generally, and the opinions stated herein are limited by such laws and governmental order and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in equity or at law);

(b) we do not express any opinion with respect to any law, rule or regulation that is applicable to any party to any of the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby solely because such law, rule or regulation is part of a regulatory regime applicable to any such party or any of its affiliates as a result of the specific assets or business operations of such party or such affiliates;


Cardinal Health, Inc.

February 20, 2024

Page 4

 

(c) except to the extent expressly stated in the opinions contained herein, we have assumed that each of the Transaction Documents constitutes the valid and binding obligation of each party to such Transaction Document, enforceable against such party in accordance with its terms;

(d) we do not express any opinion with respect to the enforceability of any provision contained in any Transaction Document relating to any indemnification, contribution, exculpation, release or waiver that may be contrary to public policy or violative of federal or state securities laws, rules or regulations;

(e) we call to your attention that irrespective of the agreement of the parties to any Transaction Document, a court may decline to hear a case on grounds of forum non conveniens or other doctrine limiting the availability of such court as a forum for resolution of disputes; in addition, we call to your attention that we do not express any opinion with respect to the subject matter jurisdiction of the federal courts of the United States of America in any action arising out of or relating to any Transaction Document;

(f) we call to your attention that the opinions stated herein are subject to possible judicial action giving effect to governmental actions or laws of jurisdictions other than those with respect to which we express our opinion;

(g) to the extent that any opinion relates to the enforceability of the choice of New York law and choice of New York forum provisions contained in any Transaction Document, the opinions stated herein are subject to the qualification that such enforceability may be subject to, in each case, (i) the exceptions and limitations in New York General Obligations Law sections 5-1401 and 5-1402 and (ii) principles of comity and constitutionality; and

(h) we do not express any opinion whether the execution or delivery of any Transaction Document by the Company, or the performance by the Company of its obligations under any Transaction Document will constitute a violation of, or a default under, any covenant, restriction or provision with respect to financial ratios or tests or any aspect of the financial condition or results of operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

In addition, in rendering the foregoing opinions we have assumed that, at all applicable times:

(a) the Company (i) was duly incorporated and was validly existing and in good standing, (ii) had requisite legal status and legal capacity under the laws of the State of Ohio and (iii) has complied and will comply with all aspects of the laws of the State of Ohio in connection with the transactions contemplated by, and the performance of its obligations under, the Transaction Agreements;


Cardinal Health, Inc.

February 20, 2024

Page 5

 

(b) the Company had the corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform all its obligations under each of the Transaction Agreements;

(c) each of the Transaction Documents had been duly authorized, executed and delivered by all requisite corporate action on the part of the Company;

(d) neither the execution and delivery by the Company of the Transaction Agreements nor the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder, including the issuance and sale of the Securities: (i) conflicted or will conflict with the certificate of incorporation, (ii) constituted or will constitute a violation of, or a default under, any lease, indenture, instrument or other agreement to which the Company or its property is subject (except that we do not make the assumption set forth in this clause (ii) with respect to those agreements or instruments expressed to be governed by the laws of the State of New York which are listed in Part II of the Registration Statement or the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2023), (iii) contravened or will contravene any order or decree of any governmental authority to which the Company or its property is subject, or (iv) violated or will violate any law, rule or regulation to which the Company or its property is subject (except that we do not make the assumption set forth in this clause (iv) with respect to the Opined-on Law);

(e) neither the execution and delivery by the Company of the Transaction Documents nor the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder, including the issuance and sale of the Securities, required or will require the consent, approval, licensing or authorization of, or any filing, recording or registration with, any governmental authority under any law, rule or regulation of any jurisdiction; and

(f) subsequent to the effectiveness of the Indenture, the Indenture has not been amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified in any way that affects or relates to the Securities.


We hereby consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. 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. We also hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K being filed on the date hereof and incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement. This opinion is expressed as of the date hereof unless otherwise expressly stated, and we disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed herein or of any subsequent changes in applicable laws.

 

Very truly yours,
/s/ Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

LKB

v3.24.0.1
Document and Entity Information
Feb. 14, 2024
Cover [Abstract]  
Document Type 8-K
Document Period End Date Feb. 14, 2024
Entity Registrant Name Cardinal Health, Inc.
Entity Incorporation State Country Code OH
Entity File Number 1-11373
Entity Tax Identification Number 31-0958666
Entity Address Address Line 1 7000 Cardinal Place
Entity Address City Or Town Dublin
Entity Address State Or Province OH
Entity Address Postal Zip Code 43017
City Area Code 614
Local Phone Number 757-5000
Written Communications false
Soliciting Material false
Pre Commencement Tender Offer false
Pre Commencement Issuer Tender Offer false
Security 12b Title Common shares (without par value)
Trading Symbol CAH
Security Exchange Name NYSE
Entity Emerging Growth Company false
Entity Central Index Key 0000721371
Amendment Flag false

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