Limitation on TEGSA’s, TE’s and New Irish TE’s Ability to Consolidate, Merge and Sell Assets
The indenture provides that none of TEGSA, TE or New Irish TE will merge or consolidate with any other person and will not sell or convey all or substantially all of its assets to any person, unless:
(1)
any of TEGSA, TE or New Irish TE, as the case may be, shall be the continuing entity, or the successor entity or the person which acquires by sale or conveyance substantially all the assets of TEGSA, TE or New Irish TE, as the case may be (if other than TEGSA, TE or New Irish TE, as the case may be) (A) shall expressly assume the due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the notes or the obligations under the guarantee, as the case may be, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and agreements of the indenture to be performed or observed by TEGSA, TE or New Irish TE, as the case may be, by supplemental indenture satisfactory to the trustee, executed and delivered to the trustee by such person, and (B) is an entity treated as a “corporation” for U.S. tax purposes or TEGSA, TE or New Irish TE, as the case may be, obtains either (x) an opinion, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the trustee, of tax counsel of recognized standing reasonably acceptable to the trustee, or (y) a ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, in either case to the effect that such merger or consolidation, or such sale or conveyance, will not result in an exchange of the notes for new debt instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes; and
(2)
no event of default and no event that, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an event of default shall be continuing immediately after such merger or consolidation, or such sale or conveyance.
In connection with the proposed Merger, pursuant to the indenture governing the notes, upon the contribution by TE Connectivity Ltd. of certain of its assets and liabilities, including its 100% equity ownership of TEGSA, to New Swiss TE, New Swiss TE would assume all obligations of, and become the successor to, TE Connectivity Ltd. under its guarantee of the notes. In addition, upon the Merger, New Irish TE would unconditionally guarantee the notes.
Events of Default
The following are events of default under the indenture with respect to the notes:
•
default in the payment of any installment of interest upon the notes as and when the same shall become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or
•
default in the payment of all or any part of the principal of or premium, if any, on the notes as and when the same shall become due and payable either at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or otherwise; or
•
default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of TEGSA, TE or New Irish TE in respect of the notes and the related guarantee (other than the failure to comply with any covenant or agreement to file with the trustee the information filed or required to be filed with the SEC or a default or breach specifically dealt with elsewhere), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 90 days after the date on which there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to TEGSA, TE and New Irish TE by the trustee or to TEGSA, TE, New Irish TE and the trustee by the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” under the indenture; or
•
the guarantee of the notes shall for any reason cease to be, or shall for any reason be asserted in writing by TEGSA, TE or New Irish TE not to be, in full force and effect and enforceable in accordance with its terms except to the extent contemplated by the indenture and such guarantee; or
•
a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a decree or order for relief in respect of TEGSA, TE or New Irish TE in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee or sequestrator (or similar official) of TEGSA, TE or New Irish TE or for any substantial part