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The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell nor do they seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION. DATED MAY 4, 2016.

Preliminary Prospectus Supplement

(to Prospectus dated June 24, 2015)

 

Unum Group

$            

$              % Senior Notes due 2021

$          5.75% Senior Notes due 2042

 

 

We are offering through this prospectus supplement $          aggregate principal amount of our      % senior notes due 2021, which we refer to in this prospectus supplement as the “2021 notes,” and $          aggregate principal amount of our 5.75% senior notes due 2042, which we refer to in this prospectus supplement as the “new 2042 notes” and, together with the 2021 notes, the “senior notes.”

The new 2042 notes offered hereby constitute an additional issuance of the $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount outstanding of our 5.75% senior notes due 2042 issued on August 23, 2012, which we refer to in this prospectus as the “existing 2042 notes” and, together with the new 2042 notes, the “2042 notes,” and will form a single series with the existing 2042 notes. The new 2042 notes offered hereby will have the same terms and CUSIP number as, and will trade interchangeably with, the existing 2042 notes immediately upon settlement. Upon completion of this offering, the aggregate principal amount outstanding of the 2042 notes will be $          .

The 2021 notes will mature on                  , 2021. Interest on the 2021 notes is payable in arrears on each          and          , beginning on                  , 2016. The new 2042 notes will mature on August 15, 2042. Interest on the new 2042 notes is payable in arrears on each February 15 and August 15, beginning on August 15, 2016.

The 2021 notes will be redeemable at our option in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time prior to                  , at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption and (ii) the “2021 Make-Whole Redemption Amount” calculated as described in this prospectus supplement. In addition, on or after                  , we will have the right to redeem the 2021 notes, at our option in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption.

The new 2042 notes will be redeemable at our option in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption and (ii) the “2042 Make-Whole Redemption Amount” calculated as described in this prospectus supplement.

The senior notes are issuable in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

The senior notes are unsecured and rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt. In addition, the senior notes are structurally subordinated to any indebtedness of our subsidiaries.

 

 

Investing in the senior notes involves risks. We urge you to carefully read the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page S-7 of this prospectus supplement and the “Item 1A. Risk Factors” section of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and, to the extent applicable, our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q before you make any decision to invest in the senior notes.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these senior notes or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

		Per 2021 Note				Total 2021 Notes				Per New 2042 Note				Total New 2042 Notes
Public offering price				%		$		(1)				%		$		(2)
Underwriting discount				%		$						%		$
Proceeds to Unum Group				%		$		(1)				%		$		(2)

 

(1)	Plus accrued interest, if any, from and including                  , 2016, if settlement occurs after that date.

(2)

Plus accrued interest from February 15, 2016 to the date of delivery. All such pre-issuance accrued interest from February 15, 2016 will be paid by purchasers of the new 2042 notes. On August 15, 2016, we will pay this pre-issuance accrued interest to the holders of the new 2042 notes who are holders of record on August 1, 2016, along with accrued interest from the date of delivery to August 15, 2016.

The underwriters expect to deliver the senior notes to purchasers through the book-entry delivery system of The Depository Trust Company for the accounts of its participants, including Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, and Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., on or about                  , 2016, against payment in immediately available funds.

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

J.P. Morgan		Barclays

May      , 2016

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
Prospectus Supplement
About this Prospectus Supplement			S-ii
Prospectus Supplement Summary			S-1
Consolidated Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges			S-6
Risk Factors			S-7
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements			S-9
Use of Proceeds			S-11
Capitalization			S-11
Description of the Senior Notes			S-12
U.S. Income Tax Consequences			S-20
Benefit Plan Investor Considerations			S-25
Underwriting			S-27
Validity of the Senior Notes			S-30
Experts			S-30
Where You Can Find More Information			S-31

 

		Page
Prospectus
About this Prospectus			1
Where You Can Find More Information			2
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements			3
Unum Group			4
Unum Group Trusts			5
Use of Proceeds			6
Consolidated Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges			6
Description of Debt Securities			7
Description of Preferred Stock			21
Description of Depositary Shares			24
Description of Common Stock			28
Description of Warrants			31
Description of Stock Purchase Contracts			32
Description of Units			33
Description of Preferred Securities of the Trusts			33
Description of Trust Guarantees			41
Effect of Obligations under the Subordinated Debt Securities and the Trust Guarantees			43
Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance			43
Plan of Distribution			48
Validity of the Securities			50
Experts			50

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

You should read this prospectus supplement along with the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus. The information contained in this prospectus supplement supersedes any inconsistent information contained in the accompanying prospectus. We are responsible for the information contained in this prospectus supplement and contained or incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus, and in any related free writing prospectus we prepare or authorize. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with any other information, and we and the underwriters take no responsibility for other information others may give you. We and the underwriters are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement, or contained or incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus, or in any related free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than their respective dates.

Unless we have indicated otherwise, or the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to “Unum,” “we,” “us,” and “our” or similar terms are to Unum Group and its subsidiaries.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in the senior notes involves risks. In considering whether you should invest in the senior notes, you should consider all of the information we have included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. In particular, you should carefully consider the risk factors described below and in our 2015 10-K and, to the extent applicable, our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and in any other documents incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus prior to the date of this prospectus supplement.

We could incur significant additional indebtedness in the future, which could impair our ability to make payments under the senior notes.

As of March 31, 2016, Unum Group had long-term debt, including senior secured notes and junior subordinated debt securities, totaling $2,442.5 million and $351.4 million in short-term debt, which consists of our 7.125% senior notes due September 2016. The senior notes and the indenture governing the senior notes generally do not contain restrictive covenants, such as a limitation on the payments of dividends, the incurrence of indebtedness or the issuance or repurchase of securities by us. Thus, we may incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future, which could affect our ability to make payments under the senior notes.

Holders of senior notes have only limited rights of acceleration.

Holders of senior notes may accelerate payment of the principal and accrued and unpaid interest on the senior notes only upon the occurrence and continuation of an event of default. An event of default is generally limited to payment defaults, breaches of specific covenants and specific events of bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization relating to us.

Because we are a holding company with no operations of our own, our obligations under the senior notes are effectively subordinated to the obligations of our subsidiaries.

We are a holding company with no operations of our own. Our ability to pay our obligations under the senior notes is dependent upon our ability to obtain cash dividends or other cash payments or loans from our subsidiaries, including our U.S. insurance subsidiaries and Unum Limited. Our insurance company subsidiaries are subject to regulatory limitations on the payment of dividends and on other transfers of funds to us, which could impair our ability to meet our debt obligations under the senior notes. See “Liquidity and Capital Resources” included in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contained in our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 for a discussion of the existing regulatory limitations on dividends.

In addition, because we are a holding company, except to the extent that we have priority or equal claims against our subsidiaries as a creditor, our obligations under the senior notes will be effectively subordinated to the obligations of our subsidiaries.

The senior notes will be unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and will:

 

•

rank equal in right of payment with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness, including other senior unsecured indebtedness issued under the indenture under which the senior notes will be issued;

 

•

be effectively subordinated in right of payment to all our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness;

 

•

be effectively subordinated to all existing and future obligations (including insurance obligations) of our subsidiaries; and

 

•

not be guaranteed by any of our subsidiaries.

 

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At March 31, 2016, the aggregate amount of our outstanding consolidated indebtedness was $2,793.9 million, of which $310.8 million was secured. All unsecured indebtedness would rank equal in right of payment with the senior notes. All obligations (including insurance obligations) of our subsidiaries would be effectively senior to the senior notes. At March 31, 2016, the consolidated obligations of our subsidiaries reflected on our balance sheet were approximately $50,074.8 million.

Furthermore, in the event of insolvency, bankruptcy, liquidation, dissolution, receivership, reorganization or similar event involving a subsidiary, the assets of that subsidiary would be used to satisfy claims of policyholders and creditors of the subsidiary rather than our creditors. As a result of the application of the subsidiary’s assets to satisfy claims of policyholders and creditors, the value of the stock of the subsidiary would be diminished and perhaps rendered worthless. Any such diminution in the value of the shares of our subsidiaries would adversely impact our financial condition and possibly impair our ability to meet our obligations on the debt securities. In addition, any liquidation of the assets of our subsidiaries to satisfy claims of the subsidiary’s policyholders and creditors might make it impossible for such subsidiary to pay dividends to us. This inability to pay dividends would further impair our ability to satisfy our obligations under the senior notes.

If an active trading market does not develop for the senior notes, you may not be able to resell your senior notes.

The 2021 notes are a new issue of securities and even though the new 2042 notes will trade interchangeably with the $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount outstanding of our existing 2042 notes, there is no established trading market for the senior notes. We cannot assure you that an active after-market for the senior notes will develop or be sustained or that holders of the senior notes will be able to sell their senior notes at favorable prices or at all. Although the underwriters have indicated to us that they intend to make a market in the senior notes, as permitted by applicable laws and regulations, they are not obligated to do so and may discontinue any such market-making at any time without notice. Accordingly, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of, or trading markets for, the senior notes. We do not expect to list the senior notes on any national securities exchange or include them on any automated quotation system. The liquidity of any market for the senior notes will depend upon various factors, including:

 

•

the number of holders of the senior notes;

 

•

the interest of securities dealers in making a market for the senior notes;

 

•

the overall market for investment grade securities;

 

•

our financial performance and prospects; and

 

•

the prospects for companies in our industry generally.

In addition, the liquidity of the trading market in the senior notes, and the market price quoted for the senior notes, may be adversely affected by changes in the overall market for fixed income securities generally. As a result, an active trading market may not develop for the senior notes. If no active trading market develops, you may not be able to resell your senior notes at a price that reflects accrued and unpaid interest, if at all.

 

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Act”) provides a “safe harbor” to encourage companies to provide prospective information, as long as those statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. Certain information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus or incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus, or in any other written or oral statements made by us in communications with the financial community or contained in documents filed with the SEC, may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act. Forward-looking statements are those not based on historical information, but rather relate to our outlook, future operations, strategies, financial results, or other developments. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. We undertake no obligation to update these statements, even if made available on our website or otherwise. These statements may be made directly in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or may be made part of the accompanying prospectus by reference to other documents filed by us with the SEC, a practice which is known as “incorporation by reference.” You can find many of these statements by looking for words such as “will,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “plans,” “assumes,” “intends,” “projects,” “goals,” “objectives,” or similar expressions in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or in documents incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus.

These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. We caution investors that the following factors, in addition to other factors mentioned from time to time, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements:

 

•

Sustained periods of low interest rates.

 

•

Fluctuation in insurance reserve liabilities and claim payments due to changes in claim incidence, recovery rates, mortality and morbidity rates, and policy benefit offsets due to, among other factors, the rate of unemployment and consumer confidence, the emergence of new diseases, epidemics, or pandemics, new trends and developments in medical treatments, the effectiveness of our claims operational processes, and changes in government programs.

 

•

Unfavorable economic or business conditions, both domestic and foreign.

 

•

Legislative, regulatory, or tax changes, both domestic and foreign, including the effect of potential legislation and increased regulation in the current political environment.

 

•

Investment results, including, but not limited to, changes in interest rates, defaults, changes in credit spreads, impairments, and the lack of appropriate investments in the market which can be acquired to match our liabilities.

 

•

A cyber attack or other security breach could result in the unauthorized disclosure of confidential data.

 

•

The failure of our business recovery and incident management processes to resume our business operations in the event of a natural catastrophe, cyber attack, or other event.

 

•

Increased competition from other insurers and financial services companies due to industry consolidation, new entrants to our markets, or other factors.

 

•

Execution risk related to our technology needs.

 

•

Changes in our financial strength and credit ratings.

 

•

Damage to our reputation due to, among other factors, regulatory investigations, legal proceedings, external events, and/or inadequate or failed internal controls and procedures.

 

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•

Actual experience that deviates from our assumptions used in pricing, underwriting, and reserving.

 

•

Actual persistency and/or sales growth that is higher or lower than projected.

 

•

Changes in demand for our products due to, among other factors, changes in societal attitudes, the rate of unemployment, consumer confidence, and/or legislative and regulatory changes, including healthcare reform.

 

•

Effectiveness of our risk management program.

 

•

Contingencies and the level and results of litigation.

 

•

Availability of reinsurance in the market and the ability of our reinsurers to meet their obligations to us.

 

•

Ineffectiveness of our derivatives hedging programs due to changes in the economic environment, counterparty risk, ratings downgrades, capital market volatility, changes in interest rates, and/or regulation.

 

•

Changes in accounting standards, practices, or policies.

 

•

Fluctuation in foreign currency exchange rates.

 

•

Ability to generate sufficient internal liquidity and/or obtain external financing.

 

•

Recoverability and/or realization of the carrying value of our intangible assets, long-lived assets, and deferred tax assets.

 

•

Terrorism, both within the U.S. and abroad, ongoing military actions, and heightened security measures in response to these types of threats.

For further discussion of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of our 2015 10-K and, to the extent applicable, our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds from the sale of the senior notes will be approximately $             after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of the senior notes for general corporate purposes, including the repayment at maturity of our outstanding 7.125% senior notes due September 2016.

CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our consolidated capitalization at March 31, 2016, on an actual basis and as adjusted to give effect to this offering of senior notes and repayment of our outstanding 7.125% senior notes due September 2016:

 

		March 31, 2016
		Actual				As Adjusted
		(in millions)
Long-term debt		$	2,442.5			$
Short-term debt			351.4				—
Total debt		$	2,793.9			$
Stockholders’ equity
Unum Group’s stockholders’ equity:
Common stock, at par value		$	30.3			$	30.3
Additional paid-in capital			2,253.6				2,253.6
Retained earnings			8,160.6				8,160.6
Treasury stock, at cost			(1,724.9	)			(1,724.9	)
Accumulated other comprehensive income			200.7				200.7
Total Unum Group’s stockholders’ equity		$	8,920.3			$	8,920.3
Total capitalization		$	11,714.2			$

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE SENIOR NOTES

The following description is a summary of the terms of the senior notes being offered through this prospectus supplement. The description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the indenture dated as of August 23, 2012 (the “indenture”), between us and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee. A copy of the indenture is on file with the SEC and may be obtained by accessing the internet address provided or contacting us as described under “Where You Can Find More Information.” You should read the indenture, the associated documents and the following description carefully to fully understand the terms of the senior notes. In addition, to the extent that the following description is not consistent with that contained in the accompanying prospectus under “Description of Debt Securities,” you should rely on this description.

General

The 2021 notes and the 2042 notes will each be a series of senior debt securities described in the accompanying prospectus. We will issue the senior notes under the indenture. The 2021 notes will initially be limited in aggregate principal amount to $        . The senior notes will be issued only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

The new 2042 notes offered hereby constitute an additional issuance of the $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount outstanding of our existing 2042 notes issued on August 23, 2012 and will form a single series with the existing 2042 notes. The new 2042 notes offered hereby will have the same terms and CUSIP number as, and will trade interchangeably with, the existing 2042 notes immediately upon settlement. Upon completion of this offering, the aggregate principal amount outstanding of the 2042 notes will be $        .

The stated maturity date of the 2021 notes will be                     , 2021, and the 2021 notes will bear interest at the rate of     % per year. Interest on the 2021 notes will accrue from                     , 2016 or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for. Interest on the 2021 notes will be payable semi-annually in arrears on                      and                      of each year, commencing on                     , 2016 (or, if such day is not a business day, on the next succeeding business day (without any interest or other payment in respect of any such delay), with the same force and effect as if made on the date the payment was originally payable), to the persons in whose names the 2021 notes are registered at the close of business on the preceding                      or                     , as the case may be (whether or not a business day), provided that interest payable at the stated maturity date for the 2021 notes or upon redemption will be paid to the person to whom principal is payable.

The stated maturity date of the new 2042 notes will be August 15, 2042, and the new 2042 notes will bear interest at the rate of 5.75% per year. Interest on the new 2042 notes will accrue from February 15, 2016. Interest on the new 2042 notes will be payable semi-annually in arrears on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing on August 15, 2016 (or, if such day is not a business day, on the next succeeding business day (without any interest or other payment in respect of any such delay), with the same force and effect as if made on the date the payment was originally payable), to the persons in whose names the new 2042 notes are registered at the close of business on the preceding February 1 or August 1, as the case may be (whether or not a business day), provided that interest payable at the stated maturity date for the new 2042 notes or upon redemption will be paid to the person to whom principal is payable. The initial interest payment on the new 2042 notes payable on August 15, 2016 to holders of record on August 1, 2016 will be the same amount per note as the interest payment due that day to holders of record on August 1, 2016 of the existing 2042 notes. All pre-issuance accrued interest from February 15, 2016 to the date of delivery will be paid by purchasers of the new 2042 notes on the date of delivery of the new 2042 notes.

Interest on the senior notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. The trustee will act as paying agent for the senior notes.

 

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We may, without the consent of the holders, reopen each series of senior notes and issue additional senior notes of each such series under the indenture with the same terms (other than, if applicable, the initial interest payment date and initial interest accrual date) and with the same CUSIP number as the relevant series of senior notes offered hereby in an unlimited aggregate principal amount, provided that no such additional senior notes may be issued unless they will be fungible with the relevant series of senior notes for U.S. federal income tax and securities law purposes.

“Business day” means, with respect to the senior notes, any day other than (i) a Saturday or Sunday, or (ii) a day that in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City is either a legal holiday or a day on which the federal or state banking institutions located therein are authorized or obligated by law, executive order or regulation to close.

The senior notes will not be entitled to any sinking fund.

The senior notes and the indenture will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

Our ability to pay interest on the senior notes is dependent on our ability to obtain cash dividends or obtain loans from our subsidiaries. See “Risk Factors—Because we are a holding company with no operations of our own, our obligations under the senior notes are effectively subordinated to the obligations of our subsidiaries” in this prospectus supplement.

Ranking

The senior notes are our unsecured senior obligations and will rank equal in right of payment to all of our other existing and future unsecured senior indebtedness. In addition, the senior notes are structurally subordinated to any indebtedness of our subsidiaries. At March 31, 2016, the aggregate amount of indebtedness of our subsidiaries (excluding intercompany liabilities) was approximately $537.3 million.

Optional Redemption

The 2021 notes will be redeemable in whole at any time or in part from time to time prior to                     , at our option, at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

 

•

100% of the principal amount of the 2021 notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount to be redeemed to the date of redemption; and

 

•

the sum, as calculated by the Independent Investment Banker, of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the 2021 notes to be redeemed (exclusive of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted to the date of redemption on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the then current Treasury Rate plus              basis points, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount to be redeemed to the date of redemption, which we refer to as the “2021 Make-Whole Redemption Amount.”

On or after                     , we will have the right to redeem the 2021 notes, at our option in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 2021 notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount to be redeemed to the date of redemption.

The new 2042 notes will be redeemable in whole at any time or in part from time to time at our option, at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

 

•

100% of the principal amount of the new 2042 notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount to be redeemed to the date of redemption; and

 

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•

the sum, as calculated by the Independent Investment Banker, of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the new 2042 notes to be redeemed (exclusive of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted to the date of redemption on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the then current Treasury Rate plus 45 basis points, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount to be redeemed to the date of redemption, which we refer to as the “2042 Make-Whole Redemption Amount.”

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term (“Remaining Life”) of the series of senior notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the senior notes of such series.

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date, the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date.

“Independent Investment Banker” means (i) in the case of the 2021 notes, any of (1) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and (2) Barclays Capital Inc., and their respective successors, as selected by us, or, if any such firm or the successors, if any, to such firm, as the case may be, are unwilling or unable to serve as such, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by us; and (ii) in the case of the new 2042 notes, any of (1) Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, (2) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, (3) Barclays Capital Inc. and (4) Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., and their respective successors, as selected by us, or, if any such firm or the successors, if any, to such firm, as the case may be, are unwilling or unable to serve as such, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by us.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means (i) in the case of the 2021 notes, each of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., each a primary U.S. Government securities dealer (“2021 Primary Treasury Dealer”), and their respective successors; provided, however, that if any of them ceases to be a 2021 Primary Treasury Dealer, we will substitute another 2021 Primary Treasury Dealer; and (ii) in the case of the new 2042 notes, each of (1) Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, (2) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, (3) Barclays Capital Inc. and (4) Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., and their respective successors; provided, however, that if any of them ceases to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer (each a “2042 Primary Treasury Dealer”), we will substitute another 2042 Primary Treasury Dealer.

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and ask prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such redemption date.

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per year equal to:

(1) the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15(519)” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue; provided that, if no maturity is within three months before or after the Remaining Life of the senior notes to be redeemed, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue shall be determined and the Treasury Rate shall be interpolated or extrapolated from those yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month; or

(2) if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per year equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the

 

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Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

The Treasury Rate will be calculated on the third business day preceding the redemption date. As used in the immediately preceding sentence and in the definition of “Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” above, the term “business day” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed.

Notice of any redemption will be mailed at least 30 but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each holder of record of the senior notes to be redeemed at its registered address. The notice of redemption for such senior notes will state, among other things, the amount of senior notes to be redeemed, the redemption date, the manner of calculation of the redemption price and the place or places that payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of senior notes to be redeemed. If less than all of the senior notes of such series are to be redeemed at our option, the senior notes of such series, or portions of the senior notes of such series, to be redeemed where represented by global notes shall be selected for redemption by DTC in accordance with its selected procedures therefor. Unless we default in the payment of the redemption price, interest will cease to accrue on any senior notes that have been called for redemption at the redemption date.

We will not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any senior notes during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of senior notes selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any senior notes so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any such senior notes being redeemed in part.

Covenants Applicable to the Senior Notes

Limitations on Liens

In addition to the covenants set forth in the indenture that apply to our senior debt securities generally, we have agreed that so long as any senior notes are outstanding, neither we nor any of our restricted subsidiaries may use any voting stock of a restricted subsidiary as security for any of our debt or other obligations unless any debt securities issued under the indenture are secured to the same extent as and for so long as that debt or other obligation is so secured. This restriction does not apply to liens existing at the time a corporation becomes our restricted subsidiary or any renewal or extension of any such existing lien and does not apply to shares of subsidiaries that are not “restricted subsidiaries.”

To qualify as our “subsidiary,” we must control, either directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation. We define “voting stock” as any class or classes of stock having general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect a majority of the board of directors of the corporation in question, except that stock that carries only the right to vote conditionally on the happening of an event is not considered voting stock, and we define our “restricted subsidiaries” as (1) any present or future subsidiary of Unum Group, the total assets of which constitute at least 20% of our total consolidated assets, and (2) any successor to any such subsidiary.

Denominations, Transfer and Exchange

The senior notes will be issued in the form of global securities registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. The senior notes will be issued only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Defeasance

The senior notes will be subject to the defeasance and covenant defeasance provisions of the indenture.

 

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Book-Entry Delivery and Settlement

Global Notes

We will issue the senior notes of each series in the form of one or more global notes in definitive, fully registered, book-entry form. The global notes will be deposited with or on behalf of DTC and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC.

DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear

Beneficial interests in the global notes will be represented through book-entry accounts of financial institutions acting on behalf of beneficial owners as direct and indirect participants in DTC. Investors may hold interests in the global notes through either DTC (in the United States), Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, Luxembourg, which we refer to as Clearstream, or Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System, which we refer to as Euroclear, in Europe, either directly if they are participants in such systems or indirectly through organizations that are participants in such systems. Clearstream and Euroclear will hold interests on behalf of their participants through customers’ securities accounts in Clearstream’s and Euroclear’s names on the books of their U.S. depositaries, which in turn will hold such interests in customers’ securities accounts in the U.S. depositaries’ names on the books of DTC.

DTC has advised us as follows:

 

•

DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a “clearing agency” registered under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

 

•

DTC holds securities that its participants deposit with DTC and facilitates the settlement among participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in participants’ accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates.

 

•

Direct participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other organizations.

 

•

DTC is owned by a number of its direct participants and by the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the American Stock Exchange LLC and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

 

•

Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a direct participant, either directly or indirectly.

 

•

The rules applicable to DTC and its direct and indirect participants are on file with the SEC.

Clearstream has advised us that it is incorporated under the laws of Luxembourg as a professional depositary. Clearstream holds securities for its customers and facilitates the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between its customers through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its customers, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates. Clearstream provides to its customers, among other things, services for safekeeping, administration, clearance and settlement of internationally traded securities and securities lending and borrowing. Clearstream interfaces with domestic markets in several countries. As a professional depositary, Clearstream is subject to regulation by the Luxembourg Commission for the Supervision of the Financial Section. Clearstream customers are recognized financial institutions around the world, including underwriters, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other organizations and may include the underwriters. Indirect access to Clearstream is also available to others, such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Clearstream customer either directly or indirectly.

 

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Euroclear has advised us that it was created in 1968 to hold securities for participants of Euroclear and to clear and settle transactions between Euroclear participants through simultaneous electronic book-entry delivery against payment, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates and any risk from lack of simultaneous transfers of securities and cash. Euroclear provides various other services, including securities lending and borrowing and interfaces with domestic markets in several countries. Euroclear is operated by Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., which we refer to as the Euroclear Operator, under contract with Euroclear Clearance Systems S.C., a Belgian cooperative corporation, which we refer to as the Cooperative. All operations are conducted by the Euroclear Operator, and all Euroclear securities clearance accounts and Euroclear cash accounts are accounts with the Euroclear Operator, not the Cooperative. The Cooperative establishes policy for Euroclear on behalf of Euroclear participants. Euroclear participants include banks (including central banks), securities brokers and dealers, and other professional financial intermediaries and may include the underwriters. Indirect access to Euroclear is also available to other firms that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Euroclear participant, either directly or indirectly.

The Euroclear Operator has advised us that it is licensed by the Belgian Banking and Finance Commission to carry out banking activities on a global basis. As a Belgian bank, it is regulated and examined by the Belgian Banking and Finance Commission.

We have provided the descriptions of the operations and procedures of DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear in this prospectus supplement solely as a matter of convenience. These operations and procedures are solely within the control of those organizations and are subject to change by them from time to time. None of us, the underwriters nor the trustee takes any responsibility for these operations or procedures, and you are urged to contact DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear or their participants directly to discuss these matters.

We expect that under procedures established by DTC:

 

•

upon deposit of the global notes with DTC or its custodian, DTC will credit on its internal system the accounts of direct participants designated by the underwriters with portions of the principal amounts of the global notes; and

 

•

ownership of the senior notes will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership thereof will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC or its nominee, with respect to interests of direct participants, and the records of direct and indirect participants, with respect to interests of persons other than participants.

The laws of some jurisdictions may require that purchasers of securities take physical delivery of those securities in definitive form. Accordingly, the ability to transfer interests in the senior notes represented by a global note to those persons may be limited. In addition, because DTC can act only on behalf of its participants, who in turn act on behalf of persons who hold interests through participants, the ability of a person having an interest in the senior notes represented by a global note to pledge or transfer those interests to persons or entities that do not participate in DTC’s system, or otherwise to take actions in respect of such interest, may be affected by the lack of a physical definitive security in respect of such interest.

So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of a global note, DTC or that nominee will be considered the sole owner or holder of the senior notes represented by that global note for all purposes under the indenture and under the senior notes. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in a global note will not be entitled to have the senior notes represented by that global note registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated notes and will not be considered the owners or holders thereof under the indenture or under the senior notes for any purpose, including with respect to the giving of any direction, instruction or approval to the trustee. Accordingly, each holder owning a beneficial interest in a global note must rely on the procedures of DTC and, if that holder is not a direct or indirect participant, on the procedures of the participant through which that holder owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder of senior notes under the indenture or a global note.

 

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Neither we nor the trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of senior notes by DTC, Clearstream or Euroclear, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records of those organizations relating to the senior notes.

Payments on the senior notes represented by the global notes will be made to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner thereof. We expect that DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any payment on the senior notes represented by a global note, will credit participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the global note as shown in the records of DTC or its nominee. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global note held through such participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practice as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers registered in the names of nominees for such customers. The participants will be responsible for those payments.

Distributions on the senior notes held beneficially through Clearstream will be credited to cash accounts of its customers in accordance with its rules and procedures, to the extent received by the U.S. depositary for Clearstream.

Securities clearance accounts and cash accounts with the Euroclear Operator are governed by the Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear and the related Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System, and applicable Belgian law (collectively, the “Terms and Conditions”). The Terms and Conditions govern transfers of securities and cash within Euroclear, withdrawals of securities and cash from Euroclear, and receipts of payments with respect to securities in Euroclear. All securities in Euroclear are held on a fungible basis without attribution of specific certificates to specific securities clearance accounts. The Euroclear Operator acts under the Terms and Conditions only on behalf of Euroclear participants and has no record of or relationship with persons holding through Euroclear participants.

Distributions on the senior notes held beneficially through Euroclear will be credited to the cash accounts of its participants in accordance with the Terms and Conditions, to the extent received by the U.S. depositary for Euroclear.

Clearance and Settlement Procedures

Initial settlement for the senior notes will be made in immediately available funds. Secondary market trading between DTC participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC rules and will be settled in immediately available funds. Secondary market trading between Clearstream customers and/or Euroclear participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with the applicable rules and operating procedures of Clearstream and Euroclear, as applicable, and will be settled using the procedures applicable to conventional eurobonds in immediately available funds.

Cross-market transfers between persons holding directly or indirectly through DTC, on the one hand, and directly or indirectly through Clearstream customers or Euroclear participants, on the other, will be effected through DTC in accordance with DTC rules on behalf of the relevant European international clearing system by the U.S. depositary; however, such cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to the relevant European international clearing system by the counterparty in such system in accordance with its rules and procedures and within its established deadlines (European time). The relevant European international clearing system will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to the U.S. depositary to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving the senior notes in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Clearstream customers and Euroclear participants may not deliver instructions directly to their U.S. depositaries.

Because of time-zone differences, credits of the senior notes received in Clearstream or Euroclear as a result of a transaction with a DTC participant will be made during subsequent securities settlement processing and

 

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dated the business day following the DTC settlement date. Such credits or any transactions in the senior notes settled during such processing will be reported to the relevant Clearstream customers or Euroclear participants on such business day. Cash received in Clearstream or Euroclear as a result of sales of the senior notes by or through a Clearstream customer or a Euroclear participant to a DTC participant will be received with value on the DTC settlement date but will be available in the relevant Clearstream or Euroclear cash account only as of the business day following settlement in DTC.

Although DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear have agreed to the foregoing procedures to facilitate transfers of the senior notes among participants of DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures and such procedures may be changed or discontinued at any time.

Certificated Notes

We will issue certificated notes to each person that DTC identifies as the beneficial owner of the senior notes represented by a global note upon surrender by DTC of the global note if:

 

•

DTC notifies us that it is no longer willing or able to act as a depositary for such global note or ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and we have not appointed a successor depositary within 90 days of that notice or becoming aware that DTC is no longer so registered;

 

•

an event of default has occurred and is continuing, and DTC requests the issuance of certificated notes; or

 

•

we determine (subject to the procedures of DTC) not to have the senior notes represented by a global note.

Neither we nor the trustee will be liable for any delay by DTC, its nominee or any direct or indirect participant in identifying the beneficial owners of the senior notes. We and the trustee may conclusively rely on, and will be protected in relying on, instructions from DTC or its nominee for all purposes, including with respect to the registration and delivery, and the respective principal amounts, of the certificated notes to be issued.

 

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U.S. INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

The following discussion describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the senior notes. The discussion set forth below is limited to initial investors who hold the senior notes as capital assets for tax purposes. This discussion does not apply to you if you are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules, such as: banks and other financial institutions, tax-exempt organizations, insurance companies, regulated investment companies, persons that are broker-dealers, traders in securities who elect the mark to market method of accounting for their securities, certain former U.S. citizens or long-term residents, persons holding the senior notes as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion transaction” or other integrated transaction for tax purposes, persons that purchase or sell the senior notes as part of a wash sale for tax purposes, or U.S. Holders (as defined below) that have a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar. In addition, this discussion does not address the effect of federal alternative minimum tax, gift or estate tax laws, or any state, local or foreign tax laws.

The discussion below is based upon provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the legislative history thereof, U.S. Treasury regulations thereunder and administrative rulings and judicial decisions thereunder as of the date hereof. Such authorities may be repealed, revoked or modified (including changes in effective dates, and possibly with retroactive effect) so as to result in U.S. federal income tax considerations different from those discussed below.

If a partnership or an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes owns any of the senior notes, the tax treatment of a partner or an equity interest owner of such other entity will generally depend upon the status of the person and the activities of the partnership or other entity treated as a partnership. Partners or other equity interest owners of a partnership or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes should consult their own tax advisors with regard to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of an investment in the senior notes.

PLEASE CONSULT YOUR OWN TAX ADVISOR CONCERNING THE CONSEQUENCES OF OWNING THESE NOTES IN YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER THE CODE AND THE LAWS OF ANY OTHER TAXING JURISDICTION.

U.S. Holders

This subsection describes the tax consequences to a U.S. Holder. You are a U.S. Holder if you are a beneficial owner of a note and you are:

 

•

a citizen or resident of the United States,

 

•

a domestic corporation,

 

•

an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source, or

 

•

a trust if a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust.

If you are not a U.S. Holder, this subsection does not apply to you and you should refer to “— Non-U.S. Holders” below.

Tax Treatment of Issuance of the New 2042 Notes

The issuance of the new 2042 notes will be treated as a “qualified reopening” of the existing 2042 notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

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Payments of Interest

We expect, and this discussion assumes, that the senior notes will not be issued with more than a de minimis amount of original issue discount, if any. As such, and subject to the discussion of amortizable bond premium below, payments of stated interest on the senior notes generally will be taxable to a U.S. Holder as ordinary interest income at the time such payments are received or accrued in accordance with the U.S. Holder’s method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, the portion of the first interest payment on the new 2042 notes that represents a return of the accrued interest the holder paid upon the purchase of such notes will not be treated as an interest payment for United States federal income tax purposes, but will instead be excluded from a U.S. Holder’s income and will reduce the U.S. Holder’s basis in such notes by such amount.

New 2042 Notes Purchased at a Premium

If a U.S. Holder purchases a new 2042 note for an amount in excess of the principal amount of such note, such holder may elect to treat the excess as amortizable bond premium. If a U.S. Holder makes this election, such holder would reduce the amount required to be included in income each year with respect to interest on such new 2042 note by the amount of amortizable bond premium allocable to that year, based on such note’s yield to maturity. If a U.S. Holder makes an election to amortize bond premium, such election would apply to all debt instruments, other than debt instruments the interest on which is excludible from gross income, that the U.S. Holder holds at the beginning of the first taxable year to which the election applies or that such holder thereafter acquires, and such holder may not revoke it without the consent of the Internal Revenue Service.

Sale, Redemption or Other Taxable Disposition of the Senior Notes

Upon the sale, redemption or other taxable disposition of senior notes, a U.S. Holder generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between (1) the amount realized on such disposition (excluding any amount attributable to accrued but unpaid interest) and (2) such holder’s adjusted tax basis in the senior notes. A U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the senior notes generally will equal the amount paid for the senior notes, but with respect to the new 2042 notes, such holder’s adjusted tax basis will be reduced by the portion of the first interest payment on the new 2042 notes that is treated as a return of the accrued interest for which a U.S. Holder paid upon the purchase of such notes, as described above. Gain or loss recognized by a U.S. Holder in respect of the disposition generally will be capital gain or loss, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holder has held the senior notes for more than one year at the time of such disposition. Long-term capital gain of a U.S. Holder that is an individual is generally taxed at preferential rates. The ability of a U.S. Holder to offset capital losses against ordinary income is limited. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any amounts realized in connection with a sale, redemption or other taxable disposition with respect to accrued interest not previously includible in income will be treated as ordinary interest income.

Medicare Tax

A U.S. Holder that is an individual or estate, or a trust that does not fall into a special class of trusts that is exempt from such tax, is subject to a 3.8% tax on the lesser of (1) the U.S. Holder’s “net investment income” (or “undistributed net investment income” in the case of an estate or trust) for the relevant taxable year and (2) the excess of the U.S. Holder’s modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year over a certain threshold (which in the case of individuals is between $125,000 and $250,000, depending on the individual’s circumstances) (the “Medicare tax”). A U.S. Holder’s net investment income generally includes its interest income and its net gains from the disposition of senior notes, unless such interest income or net gains are derived in the ordinary course of the conduct of a trade or business (other than a trade or business that consists of certain passive or trading activities). If you are a U.S. Holder that is an individual, estate or trust, you are urged to consult your tax advisors regarding the applicability of the Medicare tax to your income and gains in respect of your investment in the senior notes.

 

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Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

For a noncorporate U.S. Holder, information reporting requirements, on Internal Revenue Service Form 1099, generally would apply to:

 

•

payments of principal and interest on a note within the United States, including payments made by wire transfer from outside the United States to an account maintained by the noncorporate U.S. Holder in the United States, and

 

•

the payment of the proceeds from the sale of a note effected at a U.S. office of a broker.

Additionally, backup withholding would apply to such payments to a noncorporate U.S. Holder if:

 

•

the noncorporate U.S. Holder fails to provide an accurate taxpayer identification number,

 

•

the person making such payment is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that the noncorporate U.S. Holder has failed to report all interest and dividends required to be shown on its federal income tax returns, or

 

•

the noncorporate U.S. Holder in certain circumstances, fails to comply with applicable certification requirements.

Backup withholding does not represent an additional income tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowable as a credit against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax and may entitle the U.S. Holder to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

Non-U.S. Holders

This subsection describes the tax consequences to a Non-U.S. Holder. A Non-U.S. Holder is a beneficial owner of a senior note that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

•

a nonresident alien individual;

 

•

a foreign corporation; or

 

•

an estate or trust that in either case is not subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis on income or gain from a senior note.

If you are a U.S. Holder, this subsection does not apply to you.

Interest

Subject to the discussions of backup withholding and FATCA below, we and other U.S. payors generally will not be required to deduct U.S. withholding tax from payments of interest to a Non-U.S. Holder if:

 

•

the Non-U.S. Holder does not actually or constructively own 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote,

 

•

the Non-U.S. Holder is not a controlled foreign corporation that is related to us through stock ownership, and

 

•

the U.S. payor does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the Non-U.S. Holder is a U.S. person and the U.S. payor possesses the appropriate documentation and certification upon which it may rely to treat the payment as made to a non-U.S. person that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the beneficial owner of the payments on the senior notes in accordance with U.S. Treasury regulations.

 

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Purchase, Sale, Retirement and Other Disposition of the Senior Notes

Subject to the discussions of backup withholding and FATCA below, a Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized on the sale, exchange or retirement of a senior note unless:

 

•

the gain is effectively connected with such Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States or

 

•

in the case where the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual, such Non-U.S. Holder is present in the United States for 183 or more days during the taxable year in which the gain is realized and certain other conditions exist.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

A Non-U.S. Holder is generally exempt from backup withholding and information reporting requirements with respect to:

 

•

payments of principal and interest made to the Non-U.S. Holder outside the United States by Unum or another non-U.S. payor, and

 

•

other payments of principal and interest and the payment of the proceeds from the sale of a note effected at a U.S. office of a broker, as long as the income associated with such payments is otherwise exempt from U.S. federal income tax, and:

 

•

the payor or broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the holder is a U.S. person and the holder has furnished to the payor or broker:

 

•

an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8 or an acceptable substitute form upon which the holder certifies, under penalties of perjury, that it is a non-U.S. person, or

 

•

other documentation upon which it may rely to treat the payments as made to a non-U.S. person in accordance with U.S. Treasury regulations, or

 

•

the holder otherwise establishes an exemption.

We, or a paying agent, however, are required to report payments of interest on the senior notes on Internal Revenue Service Form 1042-S.

Payment of the proceeds from the sale of a note effected at a foreign office of a broker generally will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, a sale of a note that is effected at a foreign office of a broker would be subject to information reporting and backup withholding if:

 

•

the proceeds are transferred to an account maintained by the holder in the United States,

 

•

the payment of proceeds or the confirmation of the sale is mailed to the holder at a U.S. address, or

 

•

the sale has some other specified connection with the United States as provided in U.S. Treasury regulations,

unless the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the holder is a U.S. person and the documentation requirements described above are met or the holder otherwise establishes an exemption.

In addition, a sale of a note effected at a foreign office of a broker would be subject to information reporting if the broker is:

 

•

a U.S. person,

 

•

a controlled foreign corporation for U.S. tax purposes,

 

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•

a foreign person 50% or more of whose gross income is effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business for a specified three-year period, or

 

•

a foreign partnership, if at any time during its tax year:

 

•

one or more of its partners are “U.S. persons,” as defined in U.S. Treasury regulations, who in the aggregate hold more than 50% of the income or capital interest in the partnership, or

 

•

such foreign partnership is engaged in the conduct of a U.S. trade or business,

unless the broker does not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the holder is a U.S. person and the documentation requirements described above are met or the holder otherwise establishes an exemption. Backup withholding would apply if the sale is subject to information reporting and the broker has actual knowledge that the holder is a U.S. person.

FATCA

Under the U.S. tax rules known as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), and subject to the discussion in the following paragraph, a Non-U.S. Holder of senior notes will generally be subject to 30% U.S. withholding tax on payments made on (and, after December 31, 2018, gross proceeds from the sale or other taxable disposition of) the senior notes if the Non-U.S. Holder (i) is, or holds its senior notes through, a “nonparticipating foreign financial institution” (“NPFFI”), or (ii) fails to provide certain documentation (usually an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E) containing information about its identity, its FATCA status, and if required, its direct and indirect U.S. owners. An NPFFI is a foreign financial institution that has not (i) entered into an agreement with the U.S. government to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities information about its direct and indirect U.S. accountholders (an “FFI agreement”) or (ii) complied with the terms of an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the United States and the jurisdiction in which such foreign financial institution operates, and does not otherwise qualify for an exception from the requirement to enter into an FFI agreement. Unum will not pay additional amounts on account of any withholding tax imposed by FATCA. The adoption of, or implementation of, an intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country, or future U.S. Treasury regulations, may modify these requirements.

However, FATCA includes a grandfathering provision that exempts from withholding any payment under, or gross proceeds from a disposition of, certain obligations that are outstanding on July 1, 2014 unless they are treated as “significantly modified” (within the meaning of the U.S. Treasury Regulations) on or after such date. In addition, obligations that are issued after July 1, 2014 in a “qualified reopening” of obligations that were issued before July 1, 2014 are likewise grandfathered from application of FATCA. The issuance of the new 2042 notes will be a qualified reopening of notes that were issued before July 1, 2014. We accordingly believe that the new 2042 notes are not subject to FATCA. Non-U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding FATCA and whether it may be relevant to their ownership and disposition of the notes.

 

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BENEFIT PLAN INVESTOR CONSIDERATIONS

A fiduciary of a pension, profit-sharing or other employee benefit plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA,” and each such plan, a “Plan”), should consider the fiduciary standards of ERISA in the context of the Plan’s particular circumstances before authorizing an investment in the senior notes. Among other factors, the fiduciary should consider whether the investment would satisfy the prudence and diversification requirements of ERISA and would be consistent with the documents and instruments governing the Plan, and whether the investment would involve a prohibited transaction under ERISA or the Code.

Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit Plans, as well as individual retirement accounts, Keogh plans and any other plans that are subject to Section 4975 of the Code (also “Plans”), from engaging in certain transactions involving “plan assets” with persons who are “parties in interest” under ERISA or “disqualified persons” under the Code with respect to the Plan. A violation of these prohibited transaction rules may result in excise tax or other liabilities under ERISA or the Code for those persons, unless exemptive relief is available under an applicable statutory, regulatory or administrative exemption. Employee benefit plans that are governmental plans (as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA), certain church plans (as defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA) and non-U.S. plans (as described in Section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) (“Non-ERISA Arrangements”) are not subject to the requirements of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code but may be subject to similar provisions under applicable federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws (“Similar Laws”).

The acquisition or holding of senior notes by a Plan or any entity whose underlying assets include “plan assets” by reason of any Plan’s investment in the entity (a “Plan Asset Entity”) with respect to which we, certain of our affiliates, the underwriters or certain of their affiliates are or become a party in interest or disqualified person may result in a prohibited transaction under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the senior notes are acquired and held pursuant to an applicable exemption. Unum, directly or through its affiliates, or the underwriters, directly or through their affiliates, may be considered a “party in interest” or a “disqualified person” to a large number of plans. The U.S. Department of Labor has issued five prohibited transaction class exemptions, or “PTCEs,” that may provide exemptive relief if required for direct or indirect prohibited transactions that may arise from the purchase or holding of senior notes. These exemptions are PTCE 84-14 (for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTCE 90-1 (for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTCE 91-38 (for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds), PTCE 95-60 (for transactions involving certain insurance company general accounts), and PTCE 96-23 (for transactions managed by in-house asset managers). In addition, ERISA Section 408(b)(17) and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code provide an exemption for the acquisition and disposition of securities offered hereby, provided that neither we nor any of our affiliates have or exercise any discretionary authority or control or render any investment advice with respect to the assets of any Plan involved in the transaction, and provided further that the Plan pays no more and receives no less than “adequate consideration” in connection with the transaction (the “service provider exemption”). There can be no assurance that all of the conditions of any such exemptions will be satisfied.

Because of the foregoing, the senior notes should not be acquired or held by any person investing “plan assets” of any Plan, Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement, unless such acquisition and holding will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Code or a similar violation of any applicable Similar Laws.

Any purchaser or holder of senior notes or any interest therein will be deemed to have represented by its purchase and holding of senior notes offered hereby that either (1) it is not a Plan, a Plan Asset Entity or a Non-ERISA Arrangement and is not purchasing the senior notes on behalf of or with the assets of any Plan, a Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement or (2) the purchase, holding, and disposition of the senior notes will not constitute or result in a non-exempt prohibited transaction or a similar violation under any applicable Similar Laws.

 

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Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is important that fiduciaries or other persons considering purchasing senior notes on behalf of or with the assets of any Plan, a Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement consult with their counsel regarding the availability of exemptive relief under any of the PTCEs listed above, the service provider exemption or the potential consequences of any purchase or holding under Similar Laws, as applicable. Purchasers of senior notes have exclusive responsibility for ensuring that their purchase and holding of senior notes do not violate the fiduciary or prohibited transaction rules of ERISA or the Code or any similar provisions of Similar Laws. The sale of any senior notes to a Plan, Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement is in no respect a representation by us or any of our affiliates or representatives, or by the underwriters or any of their affiliates or representatives, that such an investment meets all relevant legal requirements with respect to investments by any such Plans, Plan Asset Entities or Non-ERISA Arrangements generally or any particular Plan, Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement or that such investment is appropriate for such Plans, Plan Asset Entities or Non-ERISA Arrangements generally or any particular Plan, Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement.

 

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UNDERWRITING

We are offering the senior notes described in this prospectus supplement through a number of underwriters. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. are the representatives of the underwriters. We have entered into a firm commitment underwriting agreement with the underwriters. Subject to the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, and each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase, the aggregate principal amount of senior notes listed next to its name in the following table:

 

Underwriter		Principal Amount of 2021 Notes				Principal Amount of New 2042 Notes
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC		$				$
Barclays Capital Inc.
Total		$				$

The underwriting agreement is subject to a number of terms and conditions and provides that the underwriters must buy all of the senior notes if they buy any of them. The underwriters will sell the senior notes to the public when and if the underwriters buy the senior notes from us.

The underwriters have advised us that they propose initially to offer each series of senior notes to the public for cash at the applicable public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus supplement, and may offer the senior notes to certain dealers at such price less a concession not in excess of     % of the principal amount of the 2021 notes and of     % of the principal amount of the new 2042 notes. The underwriters may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession not in excess of     % of the principal amount of the 2021 notes and     % of the principal amount of the new 2042 notes to certain other dealers. After the initial public offering of the senior notes, the public offering price and other selling terms may be changed. The offering of the senior notes by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.

We estimate that our share of the total expenses of the offering, excluding the underwriting discount, will be approximately $         .

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against, or contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect of, certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

The 2021 notes are a new series of senior notes, and even though the new 2042 notes will trade interchangeably with the $250,000,000 aggregate principal amount outstanding of our 2042 notes that we have previously issued, there is no established trading market for any of the senior notes. The senior notes will not be listed on any securities exchange or on any automated dealer quotation system. The underwriters may make a market in the senior notes after completion of the offering, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market-making activities at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for the senior notes or that an active public market for the senior notes will develop. If an active public market for the senior notes does not develop, the market price and liquidity of the senior notes may be adversely affected.

In connection with the offering of the senior notes, the representatives may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the senior notes. Specifically, the representatives may overallot in connection with the offering, creating a short position. In addition, the representatives may bid for, and purchase, the senior notes in the open market to cover short positions or to stabilize the price of the senior notes.

 

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Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of the senior notes above independent market levels, but no representation is made hereby of the magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the market price of the senior notes. The representatives will not be required to engage in these activities, and may engage in these activities, and may end any of these activities, at any time without notice.

The representatives also may impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representatives have repurchased senior notes sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.

The underwriters and certain of their affiliates have provided from time to time, and may provide in the future, investment and commercial banking and financial advisory services to us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business, for which they have received and may continue to receive customary fees and commissions.

Selling Restrictions

Canada

The senior notes may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the senior notes must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.

Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus supplement (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.

Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts (NI 33-105), the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.

Switzerland

The senior notes may not be offered, sold or delivered in Switzerland.

European Economic Area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), each underwriter has represented and agreed that with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”), it has not made and will not make an offer of senior notes to the public in that Relevant Member State other than:

(a) to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;

(b) to fewer than 150 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors, as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

 

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(c) in any other circumstances falling within Article (3)(2) of the Prospectus Directive; provided that no such offer of senior notes shall require us or any underwriters to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

For purposes of the foregoing, the expression an “offer of senior notes to the public” in relation to any senior notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the senior notes to be offered so as to enable you to decide to purchase or subscribe for the senior notes, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member State, and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended, including by Directive 2010/73/EU), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State.

United Kingdom

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that:

(a) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 (financial promotion) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA”)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the senior notes in circumstances in which section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to us; and

(b) it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the senior notes in, from, or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

Hong Kong

The senior notes may not be offered or sold by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the senior notes may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to senior notes which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.

Japan

The senior notes have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law) and each underwriter has agreed that it will not offer or sell any senior notes, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.

 

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Singapore

This prospectus supplement has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus supplement and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the senior notes may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the senior notes be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”), (ii) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where the senior notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 by a relevant person which is: (a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or (b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest in that trust shall not be transferable for six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the senior notes under Section 275 except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA; (2) where no consideration is given for the transfer; or (3) by operation of law.

VALIDITY OF THE SENIOR NOTES

The validity of the senior notes will be passed upon for us by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and for the underwriters by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP.

EXPERTS

Our consolidated financial statements and schedules appearing in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, and incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov. The address of the SEC’s web site is provided for the information of prospective investors and the information contained therein is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. You can also inspect reports, proxy statements and other information about us at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

We “incorporate by reference” into the accompanying prospectus the information in documents we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of the accompanying prospectus and should be read with the same care. When we update the information contained in documents that have been incorporated by reference, by making future filings with the SEC, the information incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus is considered to be automatically updated and superseded. In other words, in all cases, if you are considering whether to rely on information contained in this prospectus supplement or information incorporated by reference into the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later. Information contained in this prospectus supplement supplements, modifies or supersedes, as applicable, the information contained in earlier-dated documents incorporated by reference. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any additional documents we file with the SEC in the future under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act until this offering is completed or terminated:

 

•

our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015;

 

•

our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016; and

 

•

our current reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 26, 2016, March 21, 2016, March 31, 2016, and April 4, 2016.

We will provide you with a copy of the documents containing the information we have incorporated by reference, excluding exhibits to those documents, other than those exhibits to which we specifically refer. You may obtain these documents at no cost by writing or telephoning us at the following address:

Investor Relations

Unum Group

1 Fountain Square

Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402

(423) 294-8996

We have provided you only with the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus or incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus, and in any related free writing prospectus we prepare or authorize. We are responsible for the information contained in this prospectus supplement and contained or incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus, and in any related free writing prospectus we prepare or authorize. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with any other information, and we and the underwriters take no responsibility for other information others may give you. We and the underwriters are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement, or contained or incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus, or in any related free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than their respective dates.

 

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PROSPECTUS

 

UNUM GROUP

SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES

SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES

PREFERRED STOCK

DEPOSITARY SHARES

COMMON STOCK

WARRANTS

STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS

AND

UNITS

UNUM GROUP FINANCING TRUST I

AND

UNUM GROUP FINANCING TRUST II

PREFERRED SECURITIES

FULLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED BY UNUM GROUP

AS SET FORTH IN THIS PROSPECTUS

 

 

This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to the securities and the general manner in which they may be offered. The specific terms of any securities to be offered, and the specific manner in which they may be offered, will be described in a supplement to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement carefully before you invest.

Unum Group Financing Trust I and Unum Group Financing Trust II (each trust is referred to as a “trust” and together as the “trusts”) may offer and sell publicly preferred securities representing preferred beneficial interests in the applicable trust in one or more offerings.

We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis.

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under the symbol “UNM.”

 

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this Prospectus is June 24, 2015.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			1
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			2
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			3
UNUM GROUP			4
UNUM GROUP TRUSTS			5
USE OF PROCEEDS			6
CONSOLIDATED RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES			6
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES			7
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK			21
DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES			24
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK			28
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS			31
DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS			32
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS			33
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED SECURITIES OF THE TRUSTS			33
DESCRIPTION OF TRUST GUARANTEES			41
EFFECT OF OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES AND THE TRUST GUARANTEES			43
LEGAL OWNERSHIP AND BOOK-ENTRY ISSUANCE			43
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			48
VALIDITY OF THE SECURITIES			50
EXPERTS			50

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we and the trusts filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We or the trusts may from time to time offer any combination of the following securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings:

 

•

senior debt securities;

 

•

subordinated debt securities;

 

•

preferred stock;

 

•

depositary shares;

 

•

common stock;

 

•

warrants;

 

•

stock purchase contracts;

 

•

units; and

 

•

preferred securities guaranteed by Unum Group.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we or the trusts may offer. Each time we or the trusts sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement containing specific information about the terms of the securities being offered. A prospectus supplement may include a discussion of any risk factors or other special considerations applicable to those securities or to us or the trusts. A prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION” below.

The registration statement containing this prospectus, including exhibits to the registration statement, provides additional information about us, the trusts and the securities offered under this prospectus. The registration statement can be read at the SEC website or at the SEC public reference room referred to under the heading “WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION” below.

You should rely only on the information we and the trusts have provided in this prospectus and in the applicable prospectus supplement, including the information incorporated by reference. None of us, the trusts, any underwriters or agents have authorized anyone to provide you with different information. Neither we nor the trusts are offering the securities in any state where the offer is prohibited. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, or any document incorporated by reference, is truthful or complete at any date other than the date of the particular document.

We or the trusts may sell securities to underwriters who will sell the securities to the public on terms fixed at the time of sale. In addition, the securities may be sold by us or the trusts directly or through dealers or agents designated from time to time. If we or the trusts, directly or through agents, solicit offers to purchase the securities, we reserve the sole right to accept and, together with any agents, to reject, in whole or in part, any of those offers.

Any prospectus supplement will contain the names of the underwriters, dealers or agents, if any, together with the terms of offering, the compensation of those underwriters and the net proceeds to us. Any underwriters, dealers or agents participating in the offering may be deemed “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

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Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus to “we,” “us,” “our,” or similar references mean Unum Group and its subsidiaries. References to the “trusts” mean Unum Group Financing Trust I and Unum Group Financing Trust II.

When we refer to “you” in this prospectus, we mean those who invest in the securities being offered by this prospectus, whether they are the holders or only indirect owners of those securities. When we refer to “your securities” in this prospectus, we mean the securities in which you will hold a direct or indirect interest. See “LEGAL OWNERSHIP AND BOOK-ENTRY ISSUANCE” for special considerations regarding indirect ownership and global securities.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the Public Reference Room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The address of the SEC’s website is provided for the information of prospective investors and not as an active link. You can also inspect reports, proxy statements and other information about us at the offices of The New York Stock Exchange, 11 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005.

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information in documents we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus and should be read with the same care. When we update the information contained in documents that have been incorporated by reference, by making future filings with the SEC, the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus is considered to be automatically updated and superseded. In other words, in all cases, if you are considering whether to rely on information contained in this prospectus or information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below (excluding any portions of such documents that may have been “furnished” but not “filed” for purposes of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act)) and any additional documents we file with the SEC in the future under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, until all of the offerings by means of this prospectus are complete:

 

•

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 (File No. 001-11294);

 

•

Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on February 3, 2015, February 26, 2015 and May 21, 2015;

 

•

Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2015; and

The description of our common stock set forth in our registration statement filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating any such description.

You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing to or telephoning us at the following address:

Investor Relations

Unum Group

1 Fountain Square

Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402

(423) 294-8996

 

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We have not included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus any separate financial statements of the trusts. We do not believe that these financial statements would provide holders of preferred securities with any important information for the following reasons:

 

•

we will own all of the voting securities of the trusts;

 

•

the trusts do not and will not have any independent operations other than to issue securities and to purchase and hold our junior subordinated debt securities; and

 

•

we are fully and unconditionally guaranteeing the obligations of the trusts as described in this prospectus.

We do not expect that the trusts will be required to file any information with the SEC for as long as we continue to file our information with the SEC.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the Act) provides a “safe harbor” to encourage companies to provide prospective information, as long as those statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. Certain information contained in this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement or information incorporated by reference in this prospectus, or in any other written or oral statements made by us in communications with the financial community or contained in documents filed with the SEC, may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act. Forward-looking statements are those not based on historical information, but rather relate to our outlook, future operations, strategies, financial results, or other developments. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. We undertake no obligation to update these statements, even if made available on our website or otherwise. These statements may be made directly in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement or may be made part of this prospectus by reference to other documents filed by us with the SEC, a practice which is known as “incorporation by reference.” You can find many of these statements by looking for words such as “will,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “plans,” “assumes,” “intends,” “projects,” “goals,” “objectives,” or similar expressions in this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement or in documents incorporated herein.

These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. We caution readers that the following factors, in addition to other factors mentioned from time to time, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements:

 

•

Sustained periods of low interest rates.

 

•

Fluctuation in insurance reserve liabilities and claim payments due to changes in claim incidence, recovery rates, mortality and morbidity rates, and policy benefit offsets due to, among other factors, the rate of unemployment and consumer confidence, the emergence of new diseases, epidemics, or pandemics, new trends and developments in medical treatments, the effectiveness of our claims operational processes, and changes in government programs.

 

•

Unfavorable economic or business conditions, both domestic and foreign.

 

•

Legislative, regulatory, or tax changes, both domestic and foreign, including the effect of potential legislation and increased regulation in the current political environment.

 

•

Investment results, including, but not limited to, changes in interest rates, defaults, changes in credit spreads, impairments, and the lack of appropriate investments in the market which can be acquired to match our liabilities.

 

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•

The failure of cyber or other information security systems, as well as the occurrence of events unanticipated in our disaster recovery systems.

 

•

Increased competition from other insurers and financial services companies due to industry consolidation, new entrants to our markets, or other factors.

 

•

Changes in our financial strength and credit ratings.

 

•

Damage to our reputation due to, among other factors, regulatory investigations, legal proceedings, external events, and/or inadequate or failed internal controls and procedures.

 

•

Actual experience that deviates from our assumptions used in pricing, underwriting, and reserving.

 

•

Actual persistency and/or sales growth that is higher or lower than projected.

 

•

Changes in demand for our products due to, among other factors, changes in societal attitudes, the rate of unemployment, consumer confidence, and/or legislative and regulatory changes, including healthcare reform.

 

•

Effectiveness of our risk management program.

 

•

Contingencies and the level and results of litigation.

 

•

Availability of reinsurance in the market and the ability of our reinsurers to meet their obligations to us.

 

•

Ineffectiveness of our derivatives hedging programs due to changes in the economic environment, counterparty risk, ratings downgrades, capital market volatility, changes in interest rates, and/or regulation.

 

•

Changes in accounting standards, practices, or policies.

 

•

Fluctuation in foreign currency exchange rates.

 

•

Ability to generate sufficient internal liquidity and/or obtain external financing.

 

•

Recoverability and/or realization of the carrying value of our intangible assets, long-lived assets, and deferred tax assets.

 

•

Terrorism, both within the U.S. and abroad, ongoing military actions, and heightened security measures in response to these types of threats.

For further discussion of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” contained in Part I, Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended December 31 and, to the extent applicable, our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and the accompanying prospectus supplement.

All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section.

UNUM GROUP

Unum Group, a Delaware general business corporation, and its insurance and non-insurance subsidiaries operate in the United States, the United Kingdom, and, to a limited extent, in certain other countries. The principal operating subsidiaries in the United States are Unum Life Insurance Company of America, Provident Life and Accident Insurance Company, The Paul Revere Life Insurance Company, and Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company, and in the United Kingdom, Unum Limited. We are the largest provider of disability insurance products in the United States and the United Kingdom. We also provide a complementary portfolio of other insurance products, including employer- and employee-paid group benefits, life insurance, and other related services.

 

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UNUM GROUP TRUSTS

Each of Unum Group Financing Trust I and Unum Group Financing Trust II is a Delaware statutory trust and was created by the certificate of trust that we filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on August 14, 2000. A statutory trust is a separate legal entity that can be formed for the purpose of holding property. For tax purposes, the trusts are both grantor trusts. A grantor trust is a trust that does not pay federal income tax if it is formed solely to facilitate direct investment in the assets of the trust and the trustee cannot change the investment. We created each trust for the limited purpose of:

 

•

issuing preferred securities and common securities, which we collectively refer to as the “trust securities” and which represent undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the trust;

 

•

investing the gross proceeds that the trust receives from its issuance of its preferred securities and common securities in a liquidation amount equal to the principal amount of junior subordinated debt securities issued by us;

 

•

distributing the interest the trust receives from us on our junior subordinated debt securities that the trust owns to the holders of the trust securities; and

 

•

carrying out any other activities that are necessary for or incidental to issuing the trust securities and investing in our junior subordinated debt securities.

The purchasers of the preferred securities that the trusts may issue will own all of the trusts’ preferred securities. We will own all of the common securities. Each trust is subject to the terms of its declaration of trust that we have executed as the depositor of the trust and which has also been executed by trustees of the trust. At the time a trust issues any preferred securities, the applicable declaration of trust will be amended and restated to set the terms of the preferred securities, which we refer to as the “amended declaration.” The common securities will represent an aggregate liquidation amount equal to at least 3% of each trust’s total capitalization. The preferred securities will represent the remaining approximate 97% of each trust’s total capitalization. The terms of the common securities will also be contained in the amended declaration and the common securities will rank equally, and payments will be made ratably, with the preferred securities. However, if there are certain continuing payment events of default under the subordinated indenture and any supplemental indenture which contains the terms of the junior subordinated debt securities, our rights as holder of the common securities to distributions, liquidation, redemption and other payments from the trust will be subordinated to the rights to those payments of the holders of the preferred securities. Each trust will use the proceeds of the sale of the preferred securities and the common securities to invest in junior subordinated debt securities that we will issue to the trust. The preferred securities will be guaranteed by us in the manner described later in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement.

The junior subordinated debt securities and the interest we pay to the trusts on the junior subordinated debt securities will be the trusts’ only assets, and our payments to the trusts under the junior subordinated debt securities will be the only revenue of the trusts. Unless stated otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the amended declarations will not permit the trusts to acquire any assets other than the junior subordinated debt securities or to issue any securities other than the trust securities or to incur any other indebtedness.

Each trust has a term of approximately 45 years but may be dissolved earlier under the terms of its amended declaration. The trustees of each trust will conduct the business and affairs of the trust. As holder of the common securities, we are entitled to appoint, remove, replace or increase or reduce the number of trustees. The amended declarations will govern the duties of the trustees. Most of the trustees will be employees, officers or affiliates of ours and will be referred to as administrative trustees. One trustee of each trust, the property trustee, will be a financial institution that is not affiliated with us and that has a minimum of combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million. The property trustee will act as indenture trustee for the purpose of compliance with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. Unless the property trustee has a principal place of business in the State of Delaware, and meets other legal requirements, we will appoint another trustee for each trust who meets these requirements to serve as the Delaware trustee.

 

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We or any subsequent holder of the common securities will pay all fees and expenses related to the trusts and the offering of the preferred securities and will pay all ongoing costs and expenses of the trusts.

The property trustee of each trust is The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., 200 Ashford Center North, Suite 550, Atlanta, Georgia 30338. The Delaware trustee is BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, and its address in the State of Delaware is 301 Bellevue Parkway, 3^rd Floor, Wilmington, Delaware 19809. The principal place of business of each trust is c/o Unum Group, 1 Fountain Square, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402. The telephone number for each trust at that address is (423) 294-1011.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement for any offering of securities, the net proceeds we receive from the sale of these securities will be used for general corporate purposes, which may include:

 

•

reducing or refinancing debt;

 

•

funding investments in, or extensions of credit to, our subsidiaries;

 

•

financing possible acquisitions;

 

•

working capital; and

 

•

redeeming outstanding securities.

Pending such use, we may temporarily invest net proceeds in highly liquid assets.

CONSOLIDATED RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

Our consolidated ratio of earnings to fixed charges including our consolidated subsidiaries is computed by dividing earnings by fixed charges. The following table sets forth our consolidated ratios of earnings to fixed charges for the periods shown:

 

		Three Months Ended March 31				Year Ended December 31
		2015				2014				2013				2012				2011				2010
						(in millions of dollars, except ratios)
Earnings
Income Before Income Tax		$	303.0			$	542.0			$	1,220.0			$	1,265.6			$	347.5			$	1,322.8
Fixed Charges			44.5				184.1				175.1				169.8				165.5				163.1
Adjusted Earnings		$	347.5			$	726.1			$	1,395.1			$	1,435.4			$	513.0			$	1,485.9
Fixed Charges
Interest and Debt Expense, excluding Costs Related to Early Retirement of Debt		$	37.8			$	154.3			$	149.4			$	145.4			$	143.3			$	143.3
Interest Credited on Investment Products			3.1				14.3				10.2				9.7				9.4				8.9
Portion of Rents Deemed Representative of Interest			3.4				14.7				14.7				13.9				12.0				9.8
Other			0.2				0.8				0.8				0.8				0.8				1.1
Total Fixed Charges		$	44.5			$	184.1			$	175.1			$	169.8			$	165.5			$	163.1
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges (1)			7.8				3.9				8.0				8.5				3.1				9.1

 

(1)	Effective January 1, 2015, we adopted an accounting standards update relating to investments in qualified affordable housing projects and applied the amendments retrospectively. Prior period results have been adjusted to reflect our retrospective adoption.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

General

Unless stated otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the following summary outlines the material terms of the senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities (including our junior subordinated debt securities), which we collectively refer to as the “debt securities,” that we may offer from time to time. The specific terms of any debt securities we may offer and the extent, if any, to which these general terms and provisions may or may not apply to the debt securities will be described in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of debt securities.

We will issue the senior debt securities under an indenture which we entered into with The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee, on August 23, 2012. We will issue the subordinated debt securities under an indenture, which we will enter into with The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee. Except for the subordination provisions included in the subordinated indenture, the indentures are substantially identical. The indentures are subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act, and we may supplement the indentures from time to time. The following description of the debt securities may not be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to either the senior indenture or the form of the subordinated indenture relating to the particular series of debt securities, each of which is an exhibit to the registration statement that contains this prospectus. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this description will have the meanings given to them in the indentures. Wherever we refer to particular sections or defined terms of the indentures, it is our intent that those sections or defined terms will be incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

Terms

The debt securities will be our direct, unsecured obligations. The indebtedness represented by the senior debt securities will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt, but will be subordinated to all of our existing and future secured indebtedness, if any. The indebtedness represented by the subordinated debt securities will rank junior in right of payment, under the terms contained in the subordinated indenture, and will be subject to our prior payment in full of our senior debt, all as described under “—Subordination.”

We may issue the debt securities, in one or more series from time to time, as our board of directors may establish by resolution or as we may establish in one or more supplemental indentures. We may issue debt securities with terms different from those of debt securities we previously issued. We may issue debt securities of the same series at more than one time and, unless prohibited by the terms of the series, we may reopen a series for issuances of additional debt securities of the series, without the consent of the holders of the outstanding debt securities of that series. The debt securities may be denominated and payable in foreign currencies or units based on or related to foreign currencies. Special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to any debt securities denominated in foreign currencies will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Each indenture provides that there may be more than one trustee under the indenture, each with respect to one or more series of the debt securities. Any trustee under an indenture may resign or be removed with respect to one or more series of the debt securities, and a successor trustee may be appointed to act with respect to that series. Upon prior written notice, a trustee may be removed by act of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series with respect to which the trustee acts as trustee. If two or more persons are acting as trustee with respect to different series of debt securities, each trustee will be a trustee of a trust under the applicable indenture unrelated to the trust administered by any other trustee. Except as otherwise stated in this prospectus, any action described in this prospectus to be taken by each trustee may only be taken by the trustee with respect to the one or more series of debt securities for which it is trustee under the applicable indenture.

 

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You should refer to the applicable prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of debt securities for the specific terms of the debt securities, including, but not limited to:

 

•

the title of the debt securities of the series and whether the debt securities are senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities and, in the case of subordinated debt securities, whether they are junior subordinated debt securities;

 

•

the total principal amount of the debt securities of the series and any limit on the total principal amount;

 

•

the price (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount of the debt securities) at which we will issue the debt securities of the series;

 

•

the terms, if any, by which holders may convert or exchange the debt securities of the series into or for common stock or other of our securities or property;

 

•

if the debt securities of the series are convertible or exchangeable, any limitations on the ownership or transferability of the securities or property into which holders may convert or exchange the debt securities;

 

•

the date or dates, or the method for determining the date or dates, on which we will be obligated to pay the principal of the debt securities of the series and the amount of principal we will be obligated to pay;

 

•

the rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, at which the debt securities of the series will bear interest, if any, or the method by which the rate or rates will be determined;

 

•

the date or dates, or the method for determining the date or dates, from which any interest will accrue on the debt securities of the series, the dates on which we will be obligated to pay any such interest, the regular record dates if any, for the interest payments, or the method by which the dates shall be determined, the persons to whom we will be obligated to pay interest, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months;

 

•

the place or places where the principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount (as defined in the indentures), interest or Additional Amounts (as defined in the indentures) on, the debt securities of the series will be payable, where the holders of the debt securities may surrender debt securities for conversion, transfer or exchange, and where notices or demands to or upon us in respect of the debt securities and the indenture may be served;

 

•

if other than the trustee, the identity of each security registrar and/or paying agent for debt securities of the series;

 

•

the period or periods during which, the price or prices (including any premium or Make-Whole Amount) at which, the currency or currencies in which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, we may redeem the debt securities of the series, at our option, if we have such an option;

 

•

any mandatory or optional sinking funds or analogous provisions or provisions for redemption at our option or the option of the holder;

 

•

the date, if any, on or after which and the price or prices at which the series of debt securities may, in accordance with any optional or mandatory redemption provisions, be redeemed and the other detailed terms and provisions of those optional or mandatory redemption provisions, if any;

 

•

the currency or currencies in which we will sell the debt securities of the series and in which the debt securities of the series will be denominated and payable;

 

•

whether the amount of payment of principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount, or interest on, the debt securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method and the manner in which the amounts will be determined;

 

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•

whether the principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount, interest or Additional Amounts on, the debt securities of the series are to be payable, at our election or at the election of the holder of the debt securities, in a currency or currencies other than that in which the debt securities are denominated or stated to be payable, the period or periods during which, and the terms and conditions upon which, this election may be made, and the time and manner of, and identity of the exchange rate agent with responsibility for, determining the exchange rate between the currency or currencies in which the debt securities are denominated or stated to be payable and the currency or currencies in which the debt securities will be payable;

 

•

any provisions granting special rights to the holders of the debt securities of the series at the occurrence of certain events;

 

•

any additions to, modifications of or deletions from the terms of the debt securities with respect to the events of default or covenants contained in the applicable indenture;

 

•

whether the debt securities of the series will be issued in certificated or book-entry form and the related terms and conditions;

 

•

whether the debt securities of the series will be in registered or bearer form and the terms and conditions relating to the applicable form, and if in registered form, the denomination in which we will issue the debt securities if other than $1,000 or a multiple of $1,000 and, if in bearer form, the denominations in which we will issue the debt securities if other than $5,000 or a multiple of $5,000;

 

•

the applicability, if any, of the defeasance or covenant defeasance provisions described below under “—Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance”;

 

•

any applicable United States federal income tax consequences, including whether and under what circumstances we will pay any Additional Amounts as contemplated in the applicable indenture on the debt securities, to any holder who is not a United States person in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge withheld or deducted and, if we will pay Additional Amounts, whether we will have the option, and on what terms to redeem the debt securities instead of paying the Additional Amounts;

 

•

whether we may extend the interest payment periods and, if so, the terms of any extension;

 

•

if the principal amount payable on any maturity date will not be determinable on any one or more dates prior to the maturity date, the amount which will be deemed to be the principal amount as of any date for any purpose, including the principal amount which will be due and payable upon any maturity other than the maturity date, or the manner of determining that amount;

 

•

any other covenant or warranty included for the benefit of the debt securities of the series;

 

•

any proposed listing of the debt securities of the series on any securities exchange; and

 

•

any other terms of such debt securities not inconsistent with the provisions of the applicable indenture.

The debt securities of a series may provide for less than their entire principal amount to be payable if we accelerate the maturity of the debt securities as a result of the occurrence and continuation of an event of default. If this is the case, the debt securities of such series would have what is referred to as “original issue discount.” Any special United States federal income tax, accounting and other considerations applicable to original issue discount securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We may issue debt securities of a series from time to time, with the principal amount payable on any principal payment date, or the amount of interest payable on any interest payment date, to be determined by reference to one or more currency exchange rates, commodity prices, equity indices or other factors. Holders of these debt securities may receive a principal amount on any principal payment date, or a payment of interest on any interest payment date, that is greater than or less than the amount of principal or interest otherwise payable on such dates, depending upon the value on the applicable dates of the applicable currency, commodity, equity index or other factors.

 

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Information as to the methods for determining the amount of principal or interest payable on any date, the currencies, commodities, equity indices or other factors to which the amount payable on such date is linked and certain additional tax considerations will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The indentures do not contain any provisions that afford holders of the debt securities protection in the event we engage in a transaction in which we incur or acquire a large amount of additional debt.

Denominations, Interest, Registration and Transfer

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, debt securities we issue in registered form of any series will be issued in denominations of $1,000 and multiples of $1,000. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, debt securities we issue in bearer form will be issued in denominations of $5,000 and multiples of $5,000.

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, the principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount, or interest on, any series of debt securities will be payable in the currency designated in the prospectus supplement at the corporate trust office of the trustee, located at 200 Ashford Center North, Suite 550, Atlanta, Georgia 30338 as of the date of this prospectus. At our option, however, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the person entitled to the interest payment as it appears in the security register for the series or by wire transfer of funds to that person at an account maintained within the United States. We may at any time designate additional paying agents, remove any paying agents, or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for any series. All monies we pay to a paying agent for the payment of principal of, or any premium, Make-Whole Amount, interest or Additional Amounts on, any debt security which remains unclaimed at the end of two years after the principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, subject to any applicable law. After this time, the holder of the debt security will be able to look only to us for payment.

Any interest we do not punctually pay on any interest payment date with respect to a debt security will be defaulted interest and will cease to be payable to the holder on the original regular record date and may either:

 

•

be paid to the holder at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of defaulted interest to be fixed by the applicable trustee; or

 

•

may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner, all as more completely described in the applicable indenture.

If the defaulted interest is to be paid on a special record date, notice of the special record date will be mailed to each holder of such debt security not less than ten days before the special record date.

Subject to certain limitations imposed on debt securities issued in book-entry form, debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series and with the same total principal amount and authorized denomination upon surrender of the debt securities at the corporate trust office of the applicable trustee. In addition, subject to certain limitations imposed upon debt securities issued in book-entry form, the debt securities of any series may be surrendered for conversion, transfer or exchange at the corporate trust office of the applicable trustee. Every debt security surrendered for conversion, transfer or exchange will be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer. There will be no service charge on any transfer or exchange of debt securities, but we may require payment by holders to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with the transfer or exchange.

If the applicable prospectus supplement refers to us designating a transfer agent (in addition to the applicable trustee) for any series of debt securities, we may at any time remove the transfer agent or approve a change in the location at which the transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for any series of debt securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents with respect to any series of debt securities.

 

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Neither we nor any trustee will be required to do any of the following:

 

•

issue, register the transfer of or exchange debt securities of any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before there is a selection of debt securities of that series to be redeemed and ending at the close of business on the day of mailing or publication of the relevant notice of redemption;

 

•

register the transfer of or exchange any debt security, or portion thereof, called for redemption, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security being only partially redeemed;

 

•

exchange any debt security in bearer form that is selected for redemption, except a debt security in bearer form may be exchanged for a debt security in registered form of that series and like denomination, provided that the debt security in registered form shall be simultaneously surrendered for redemption or exchange; or

 

•

issue, register the transfer of or exchange any debt security that has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the holder, except the portion, if any, of the debt security that is not to be repaid.

Form of Debt Securities

We will issue each debt security in global – i.e., book-entry – form only, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. Debt securities in book-entry form will be represented by a global security registered in the name of a depositary, which will be the holder of all the debt securities represented by the global security. Those who own beneficial interests in a global security will do so through participants in the depositary’s securities clearing system, and the rights of these indirect owners will be governed solely by the applicable procedures of the depositary and its participants. We describe book-entry securities below under “LEGAL OWNERSHIP AND BOOK-ENTRY ISSUANCE.”

In addition, we will generally issue each debt security in registered form, without coupons, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we issue a debt security in bearer form, the applicable prospectus supplement will describe special provisions that apply to such securities.

Merger, Consolidation or Sale

We may consolidate with, or sell, lease or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of our assets to, or merge with or into, any other corporation or trust or entity provided that with respect to any series:

 

•

we are the survivor in the merger, or the survivor, if not us, expressly assumes by supplemental indenture the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount, interest or Additional Amounts on, all of the outstanding debt securities of that series and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions contained in the indenture applicable to such series;

 

•

immediately after giving effect to the transaction and treating any indebtedness that becomes an obligation of ours or one of our subsidiaries as a result of the transaction, as having been incurred by us or the subsidiary at the time of the transaction, there is no event of default under the indenture applicable to such series, and no event which, after notice or the lapse of time, or both, would become an event of default; and

 

•

certain other conditions that are described in the indenture applicable to such series are met.

Upon any such consolidation, merger, or sale, the successor corporation formed, or into which we are merged or to which we are sold, shall succeed to, and be substituted for, us under the indentures.

This covenant would not apply to any recapitalization transaction, change of control of us or a transaction in which we incur a large amount of additional debt unless the transactions or change of control included a merger or consolidation or transfer of all or substantially all of our assets. Except as may be described in the applicable

 

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prospectus supplement, there are no covenants or other provisions in the indentures providing for a put or increased interest or that would otherwise afford holders of debt securities additional protection in the event of a recapitalization transaction, a change of control of us or a transaction in which we incur or acquire a large amount of additional debt.

Also, if we merge, consolidate or sell our assets substantially as an entirety and the successor is a non-U.S. entity, neither we nor any successor would have any obligation to compensate you for any resulting adverse tax consequences relating to your debt securities.

Certain Covenants

The following set forth certain covenants applicable to debt securities, any of which may be modified or inapplicable to your debt securities to the extent set forth in the prospectus supplement applicable to your debt securities.

Existence. Except as permitted under “—Merger, Consolidation or Sale” above we will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep our legal existence, rights and franchises in full force and effect; provided, however, that we will not be required to preserve any right or franchise if we determine that the preservation of that right or franchise is no longer desirable in the conduct of our business and that its loss is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the holders of any debt securities.

Provision of Financial Information. We will file with the trustee, within 15 days of filing the same with the SEC, copies of our annual reports, quarterly reports and other documents we file with the SEC pursuant to such Section 13 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and we will promptly, upon written request and payment of the reasonable cost of duplication and delivery, supply copies of those documents to any prospective holder.

Waiver of Certain Covenants. We may choose not to comply with any term, provision or condition of the foregoing covenants, or with certain other terms, provisions or conditions with respect to the debt securities of a series (except any such term, provision or condition which could not be amended without the consent of all holders of such series), if before or after the time for compliance with the covenant, term, provision or condition, the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of the series either waive compliance in that instance or generally waive compliance with that covenant or condition. Unless the holders expressly waive compliance with a covenant and the waiver has become effective, our obligations and the duties of the trustee in respect of the term, provision, or condition will remain in full force and effect.

Covenants Relating to Junior Subordinated Debt Securities. In any subordinated indenture that governs the terms of the junior subordinated debt securities we issue to a trust, in connection with the issuance of trust securities, we will covenant that, so long as any preferred securities of the trust remain outstanding, if there has occurred any event that would constitute an event of default under the applicable trust guarantee or amended declaration or if we have extended the interest payment periods of the junior subordinated debt securities, we will not do any of the following:

 

•

declare or pay any dividend on, make any distributions with respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of our capital stock;

 

•

make any payment of interest, principal or premium on, or repay, repurchase or redeem, any debt securities we have issued which rank equally with or junior to the subordinated debt securities held by the applicable trust; or

 

•

make any guarantee payments on any obligations ranking equally with or junior to the subordinated debt securities held by the trust, except under the applicable trust guarantee, except for:

 

•

repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of stock in connection with any employment agreement, benefit plan or other similar arrangement with or for the benefit of one or more employees, officers, directors or consultants, in connection with a dividend reinvestment or

 

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stockholder stock purchase plan or in connection with the issuance of our capital stock (or securities convertible or exercisable for such capital stock) as consideration in an acquisition transaction entered into prior to any applicable extension period,

 

•

any dividend in the form of stock, warrants, options or other rights where the dividend stock or the stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants, options or other rights is the same stock as that on which the dividend is being paid or ranks on a parity with or junior to such stock,

 

•

as a result of the exchange or conversion of any class or series of our capital stock for another class or series of our capital stock or of any class or series of our indebtedness for any class or series of our capital stock,

 

•

any declaration of a dividend in connection with any stockholder’s rights plan, or the issuance of rights, stock or other property under any stockholder’s plan, or the redemption or repurchase of rights pursuant thereto, or

 

•

the purchase of fractional interests in shares of our capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of the capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged.

Additional Covenants. Any additional covenants with respect to any series of debt securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Events of Default, Notice and Waiver

Except as otherwise described in the applicable prospectus supplement, each of the following “Events of Default” set forth in the indentures will be applicable to each series of debt securities we may issue under those indentures:

 

(1)

we fail for 30 days to pay when due any installment of interest or any Additional Amounts payable on any debt security of that series;

 

(2)

we fail to pay the principal of, or any premium or Make-Whole Amount on, any debt security of that series when due, either at maturity, redemption or otherwise;

 

(3)

we fail to make any sinking fund payment when due as required for any debt security of that series;

 

(4)

we default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or agreement we made in the indenture other than a covenant added to the indenture solely for the benefit of another series of debt securities, which has continued for 60 days after written notice as provided for in accordance with the applicable indenture by the applicable trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the affected series;

 

(5)

we default under a bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness for money borrowed by us or any subsidiary of ours that we have guaranteed that has a principal amount outstanding that is more than $10,000,000 (other than non-recourse indebtedness), which default has caused the indebtedness to become due and payable earlier than it would otherwise have become due and payable, and the acceleration has not been rescinded or annulled within 30 days after written notice was provided to us in accordance with the indenture;

 

(6)

certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occur; and

 

(7)

any other event of default specified in the applicable prospectus supplement occurs.

If there is a continuing event of default under an indenture with respect to outstanding debt securities of a series, then the applicable trustee or the holders of not less than 25% of the total principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series, voting as a single class, may declare immediately due and payable the

 

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principal amount or other amount as may be specified in the terms of the debt securities of, and any premium or Make-Whole Amount on, all of the debt securities of, that series. However, at any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to any or all debt securities of a series then outstanding has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the applicable trustee, the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may cancel the acceleration if:

 

•

we deposit with the applicable trustee all required payments of the principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount, interest or Additional Amounts on, the applicable debt securities, plus certain fees, expenses, disbursements and advances of the applicable trustee; and

 

•

all events of default, other than the nonpayment of accelerated principal, premium, Make-Whole Amount or other amounts or interest, with respect to the applicable debt securities have been cured or waived as provided in the indenture.

Each indenture also provides that the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the applicable outstanding debt securities of any series may waive any past default with respect to those debt securities and its consequences, except a default consisting of:

 

•

our failure to pay the principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount, interest or Additional Amounts on, any debt security; or

 

•

a default relating to a covenant or provision contained in the applicable indenture that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holders of each outstanding debt security affected by the default.

The trustee is generally required to give notice to the holders of the debt securities of each affected series within 90 days of a default of which the trustee has actual knowledge under the applicable indenture unless the default has been cured or waived. The trustee may withhold a notice of default unless the default relates to:

 

•

our failure to pay the principal of, or any premium, Make-Whole Amount, interest or Additional Amounts on, a debt security of that series; or

 

•

any sinking fund installment for any debt security of that series, if the responsible officers of the trustee consider it to be in the interest of the holders.

Each indenture provides that no holder of debt securities of any series may institute a proceeding with respect to the indenture or for any remedy under the indenture, unless the applicable trustee fails to act, for 60 days, after:

 

•

it has received a written request to institute proceedings in respect of an event of default from the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series, as well as an offer of indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the trustee; and

 

•

no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the trustee during that 60-day period by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series.

This provision will not prevent, however, any holder of debt securities from instituting suit for the enforcement of payment of the principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount, interest or Additional Amounts on, debt securities at their respective due dates.

Subject to provisions in each indenture relating to the trustee’s duties in case of default, the trustee is not under an obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under any indenture at the request or direction of any holders of any series of debt securities then outstanding, unless the holders have offered to the trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it. Subject to these provisions for the indemnification of the trustee, the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the applicable outstanding debt securities will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the applicable trustee, or of

 

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exercising any trust or power conferred upon the trustee. However, the trustee may refuse to follow any direction which is in conflict with any law or the applicable indenture, which may involve the trustee in personal liability or which may be unduly prejudicial to the holders of debt securities of the applicable series not joining in the direction.

Within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, we must deliver to each trustee a certificate, signed by one of several specified officers, stating such officer’s knowledge of our compliance with all the conditions and covenants under the applicable indenture and, in the event of any noncompliance, specifying such noncompliance and the nature and status of the noncompliance.

Modification of the Indenture

Modification and amendment of an indenture may be made only with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities issued under the indenture which are affected by the modification or amendment, voting together as one class. However, no modification or amendment may, without the consent of the holder of each debt security affected, do any of the following:

 

•

change the stated maturity of the principal of, or any premium, Make-Whole Amount, installment of principal of, interest or Additional Amounts payable on, any debt security;

 

•

reduce the principal amount of, or the rate or amount of interest on, any premium, Make-Whole Amount payable on redemption of or any Additional Amounts payable with respect to, any debt security;

 

•

reduce the amount of principal of an original issue discount security, indexed security or any Make-Whole Amount that would be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity of an original issue discount security or indexed security, or would be provable in bankruptcy, or adversely affect any right of repayment of the holder of any debt security;

 

•

change the place of payment or the currency or currencies of payment of the principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount, interest or Additional Amounts on, any debt security;

 

•

impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to any debt security;

 

•

reduce the percentage of the holders of outstanding debt securities of any series necessary to modify or amend the applicable indenture, to waive compliance with certain provisions thereof or certain defaults and consequences thereunder, or to reduce the quorum or voting requirements contained in the applicable indenture;

 

•

make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any security or decrease the conversion or exchange rate or increase the conversion or exchange price of any security; or

 

•

modify any of the foregoing provisions or any of the provisions relating to the waiver of certain past defaults or certain covenants, except to increase the required percentage to effect such action or to provide that certain other provisions may not be modified or waived without the consent of the holder of the debt security.

We and the relevant trustee may modify or amend an indenture, without the consent of any holder of debt securities, for any of the following purposes:

 

•

to evidence the succession of another person to us as obligor under the indenture;

 

•

to add to the covenants for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of debt securities or to surrender any right or power conferred upon us in the indenture;

 

•

to add events of default for the benefit of the holders of all or any series of debt securities;

 

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•

to add or change any provisions of an indenture to facilitate the issuance of, or to liberalize certain terms of, debt securities in bearer form, or to permit or facilitate the issuance of debt securities in uncertificated form, provided that such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the debt securities of any series in any material respect;

 

•

to add, change or eliminate any provisions of an indenture, provided that any such addition, change or elimination shall

 

•

become effective only when there are no outstanding debt securities of any series created prior to the change or elimination which are entitled to the benefit of the applicable provision, or

 

•

not apply to any outstanding debt securities created prior to the change or elimination;

 

•

to secure the debt securities;

 

•

to establish the form or terms of debt securities of any series, including the provisions and procedures, if applicable, for the conversion of the debt securities into our common stock or other securities or property of ours;

 

•

to provide for the acceptance or appointment of a successor trustee or facilitate the administration of the trusts under an indenture by more than one trustee;

 

•

to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in an indenture;

 

•

to close an indenture with respect to the authentication and delivery of additional series of debt securities or to qualify, or maintain qualification of, an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

 

•

to supplement any of the provisions of an indenture to the extent necessary to permit or facilitate defeasance and discharge of any series of the debt securities; or

 

•

to make any provisions with respect to the conversion or exchange rights of the holders of any debt securities, including providing for the conversion or exchange of any debt securities into any of our securities or property;

provided that, in each case above, the action does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of the debt securities of any series issued under the indenture in any material respect.

Subordination

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement for a particular series of subordinated debt securities, the following subordinated provisions will apply to the subordinated debt securities.

The subordinated debt securities, including any junior subordinated debt securities we issue in connection with the issuance of any preferred securities by a trust, will be unsecured and subordinated in right of payment to all of our existing and future secured and senior indebtedness. As a result, upon any distribution to our creditors in a liquidation, dissolution, bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the payment of the principal of and interest on the subordinated debt securities will be subordinated to the extent provided in the subordinated indenture in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all our senior debt and our secured debt. Our obligation to make payments of the principal of and interest on the subordinated debt securities will not otherwise be affected.

We may not make payments of principal or interest on the subordinated debt securities at any time we are in default on any payment with respect to our senior debt, or we have defaulted on any of our senior debt resulting in the acceleration of the maturity of the senior debt beyond any applicable grace period, or if there is a judicial proceeding pending with respect to our default on our senior debt and we have received notice of the default. We may resume payments on the subordinated debt securities when the default is cured or waived if the subordination provisions of the subordinated indenture will permit us to do so at that time. After we have paid all

 

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of our senior debt in full, holders of subordinated debt securities will still be subrogated to the rights of holders of our senior debt for the amount of distributions otherwise payable to holders of the subordinated debt securities until the subordinated debt securities are paid in full.

Even if the subordination provisions prevent us from making any payment when due on the subordinated debt securities of any series, we will be in default on our obligations under that series if we do not make the payment when due. This means that the trustee under the subordinated debt indenture and the holders of that series can take action against us, but they will not receive any money until the claims of the holders of senior indebtedness have been fully satisfied.

If payment or distribution on account of the subordinated debt securities of any character or security, whether in cash, securities or other property, is received by a holder of any subordinated debt securities, including any applicable trustee, in contravention of any of the terms of the applicable indenture and before all our senior debt has been paid in full, that payment or distribution or security will be received in trust for the benefit of, and must be paid over or delivered and transferred to, holders of our senior debt at the time outstanding in accordance with the priorities then existing among those holders for application to the payment of all senior debt remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay all senior debt in full.

Upon payment or distribution of assets to creditors upon insolvency, receivership, conservatorship, reorganization, readjustment of debt, marshalling of assets and liabilities or similar proceedings or any liquidation or winding up of or relating to our company as a whole, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of all senior debt securities will first be entitled to receive payment in full before holders of the outstanding subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive any payment in respect of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the outstanding subordinated debt securities.

After we have paid in full all sums we owe on our senior debt, the holders of the subordinated debt securities, if so issued, together with the holders of our obligations ranking on a parity with the subordinated debt securities, will be entitled to be paid from our remaining assets the amounts at the time due and owing on the subordinated debt securities and the other obligations. After we have paid in full all sums we owe on the subordinated debt securities, the holders of the junior subordinated debt securities, together with the holders of our obligations ranking on a parity with the junior subordinated debt securities, will be entitled to be paid from our remaining assets the amounts at the time due and owing on the junior subordinated debt securities and the other obligations. We will make payment on the junior subordinated debt securities before we make any payment or other distribution, whether in cash, property or otherwise, on account of any capital stock or obligations ranking junior to our junior subordinated debt securities.

By reason of this subordination, if we become insolvent, holders of senior debt, as well as certain of our general creditors, may receive more, and holders of subordinated debt securities (including junior subordinated debt securities) may receive less, than our other creditors, including holders of any of our senior debt securities. This subordination will not prevent the occurrence of any event of default on the subordinated debt securities.

Senior debt is defined in the subordinated indenture as the principal, premium, if any, unpaid interest (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to us whether or not a claim for post-filing interest is allowed in such proceeding), fees, charges, expenses, reimbursement and indemnification obligations, and all other amounts payable under or in respect of the types of debt generally described below:

 

(1)

debt for money we have borrowed;

 

(2)

debt evidenced by a bond, note, debenture, or similar instrument (including purchase money obligations) whether or not given in connection with the acquisition of any business, property or assets, whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, but not any account payable or other obligation created or assumed in the ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of materials or services;

 

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(3)

debt which is a direct or indirect obligation which arises as a result of banker’s acceptances or bank letters of credit issued to secure our obligations, or to secure the payment of revenue bonds issued for our benefit, whether contingent or otherwise;

 

(4)

any debt of others described in the preceding clauses (1) through (3) which we have guaranteed or for which we are otherwise liable;

 

(5)

debt secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien, charge, encumbrance or any security interest existing on our property;

 

(6)

our obligation as lessee under any lease of property which is reflected on our balance sheet as a capitalized lease;

 

(7)

any deferral, amendment, renewal, extension, supplement or refunding of any liability of the kind described in any of the preceding clauses (1) through (6); and

 

(8)

our obligations to make payments under the terms of financial instruments such as securities contracts and foreign currency exchange contracts, derivative instruments and other similar financial instruments;

provided, however, that, in computing our debt, any particular debt will be excluded if:

 

•

upon or prior to the maturity thereof, we have deposited in trust with a depositary, money (or evidence of indebtedness if permitted by the instrument creating such indebtedness) in the necessary amount to pay, redeem or satisfy that debt as it becomes due, and the amount so deposited will not be included in any computation of our assets; and

 

•

we have delivered an officers’ certificate to the trustee that certifies that we have deposited in trust with the depositary the sufficient amount.

Senior debt will exclude the following:

 

•

any debt referred to in paragraphs (1) through (6) above as to which, in the instrument creating or evidencing the debt or under which the debt is outstanding, it is provided that the debt is not superior in right of payment to our subordinated debt securities, or ranks equal with the subordinated debt securities;

 

•

our subordinated debt securities;

 

•

any debt of ours which when incurred and without respect to any election under Section 1111(b) of the United States Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended, was without recourse to us;

 

•

debt to any employee of ours; and

 

•

all other junior subordinated debentures issued by us from time to time and sold to subsidiaries of ours, including any limited liability companies, partnerships or trust established or to be established by us, in each case where the subsidiary is similar in purpose to one of the trusts.

There is no limit on the amount of senior debt or other debt that we may incur in the subordinated indenture. At March 31, 2015, our senior debt aggregated approximately $2.2 billion.

Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

Unless the terms of a series of debt securities provide otherwise, under each indenture, we may discharge certain obligations to holders of any series of debt securities that have not already been delivered to the applicable trustee for cancellation and that either have become due and payable or will become due and payable within one year (or are scheduled for redemption within one year). We can discharge these obligations by irrevocably depositing with the applicable trustee funds in such currency or currencies in which the debt

 

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securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay the entire indebtedness on the debt securities including the principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount, interest or Additional Amounts payable on, the debt securities to the date of the deposit, if the debt securities have become due and payable or to the stated maturity or redemption date, as the case may be.

In addition, if the terms of the debt securities of a series permit us to do so, we may elect either of the following:

 

•

to be defeased and be discharged from any and all obligations with respect to the debt securities of that series; except our obligations to

 

•

pay any Additional Amounts upon the occurrence of certain tax and other events,

 

•

register the transfer or exchange of the debt securities,

 

•

replace temporary or mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities,

 

•

maintain an office or agency for the debt securities, and

 

•

to hold moneys for payment in trust; or

 

•

to be defeased and discharged from our obligations with respect to the debt securities of that series described under “—Certain Covenants” or, if the terms of the debt securities of that series permit, our obligations with respect to any other covenant.

If we choose to defease and discharge our obligations under the covenants, any failure to comply with the obligations imposed on us by the defeased covenants will not constitute a default or an event of default with respect to the debt securities of that series. However, to make either election we must irrevocably deposit with the applicable trustee, in trust, an amount, in the currency or currencies in which the debt securities are payable, or in government obligations, or both, that will provide sufficient funds to pay the principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount, interest or Additional Amounts on, the debt securities, and any mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments on the debt securities, on the relevant scheduled due dates or upon redemption.

We may defease and discharge our obligations as described in the preceding paragraphs only if, among other things:

 

•

we have delivered to the applicable trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance or covenant defeasance described in the previous paragraphs and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the defeasance or covenant defeasance had not occurred. In the case of defeasance the opinion of counsel must refer to and be based upon a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or a change in applicable United States federal income tax laws occurring after the date of the indenture;

 

•

any defeasance does not result in, or constitute, a breach or violation of an indenture or any other material agreement which we are a party to or obligated under; and

 

•

no event of default, or event that with notice will be an event of default, has occurred and is continuing with respect to any securities subject to a defeasance.

Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, if, after we have deposited funds and/or government obligations to effect defeasance or covenant defeasance with respect to debt securities of any series:

 

•

the holder of a debt security of such series elects to receive payment in a currency in which the deposit was made in respect of the debt security; or

 

•

a conversion event (as defined below) occurs in respect of the currency in which the deposit was made,

 

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the indebtedness represented by the debt security shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount, interest or Additional Amounts on, the debt security, as they become due, out of the proceeds yielded by converting the amount so deposited in respect of the debt security into the currency in which the debt security becomes payable as a result of the election or such cessation of usage based on the applicable market exchange rate.

Unless otherwise defined in the applicable prospectus supplement, “conversion event” means the cessation of use of:

 

•

a currency, currency unit or composite currency issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States both by the government of the country that issued such currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community; or

 

•

any currency unit or composite currency for the purposes for which it was established.

Unless otherwise described in the applicable prospectus supplement, all payments of principal of, and any premium, Make-Whole Amount, interest or Additional Amounts on, any debt security that is payable in a foreign currency that ceases to be used by its government of issuance will be made in United States dollars.

In the event we effect covenant defeasance with respect to any series of debt securities and the debt securities are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any event of default other than:

 

•

the event of default described in clause (4) of the first paragraph under “—Events of Default, Notice and Waiver,” which would no longer be applicable to the debt securities of that series, or

 

•

the event of default described in clause (7) of the first paragraph under “—Events of Default, Notice and Waiver” with respect to a covenant as to which there has been covenant defeasance,

then the amount on deposit with the trustee will still be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities at the time of their stated maturity but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities at the time of the acceleration resulting from the event of default. In this case, we would remain liable to make payment of such amounts due at the time of acceleration.

The applicable prospectus supplement may describe further provisions, if any, permitting defeasance or covenant defeasance, including any modifications to the provisions described above, with respect to a particular series of debt securities.

Conversion and Exchange Rights

The terms on which debt securities of any series are convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock or other securities or property will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. These terms will include:

 

•

the conversion or exchange price, or manner for calculating a price;

 

•

the exchange or conversion period; and

 

•

whether the conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder, or at our option.

The terms may also include calculations pursuant to which the number of shares of our common stock or other securities or property to be received by the holders of debt securities would be determined according to the market price of our common stock or other securities or property as of a time stated in the prospectus supplement. The conversion or exchange price of any debt securities of any series that are convertible into or exchangeable for our common stock may be adjusted for any stock dividends, stock splits, reclassification, combinations or similar transactions, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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Redemption of Debt Securities

If so specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, debt securities of any series may be wholly or partially redeemed at our option, at any time. The debt securities may also be subject to optional or mandatory redemption on terms and conditions described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

From and after the time that notice has been given as provided in the indenture, if funds for the redemption of any debt securities called for redemption have been made available on the redemption date, the debt securities will cease to bear interest on the date fixed for redemption specified in the notice, and the only right of the holders of the debt securities will be to receive payment of the redemption price.

Governing Law

The indentures are governed by, and will be construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

Concerning the Trustee

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. is one of a number of banks with which we and certain of our subsidiaries maintain banking relationships in the ordinary course of business. The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., provides us and certain of our subsidiaries with custodial services in connection with our bond and stock portfolios, serves as trustee under the indentures involving certain of our existing debt securities, and its affiliate, The Bank of New York Mellon, is a lender under our revolving credit facility and also provides us with other general banking services. Upon the occurrence of an event of default or an event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an event of default under a series of senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities, or upon the occurrence of a default under another indenture under which The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. serves as trustee, the trustee may be deemed to have a conflicting interest with respect to the other debt securities as to which we are not in default for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act and, accordingly, may be required to resign as trustee under the applicable indenture. In that event, we would be required to appoint a successor trustee.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

The following outlines some of the provisions of the preferred stock that we may offer from time to time. The specific terms of a series of preferred stock will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to that series of preferred stock. The following description of the preferred stock and any description of preferred stock in a prospectus supplement may not be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the certificate of designations relating to the particular series of preferred stock, which we will file with the SEC in connection with the issuance of any preferred stock.

General

Under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our board of directors is authorized, without stockholder approval, to adopt resolutions providing for the issuance of up to 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $.10 per share, in one or more series.

For each series of preferred stock the board of directors may fix the voting powers, designations, preferences and rights, and qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the series. The board will fix these terms by resolution adopted before we issue any shares of the series of preferred stock. We may also “reopen” a previously issued series of preferred stock and issue additional preferred stock of that series.

 

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In addition, as described under “DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES,” we may, instead of offering full shares of any series of preferred stock, offer depositary shares evidenced by depositary receipts, each representing a fraction of a share of the particular series of preferred stock issued and deposited with a depositary. The fraction of a share of preferred stock which each depositary share represents will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the depositary shares.

The prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of preferred stock will contain a description of the specific terms of that series as fixed by the board of directors, including, as applicable:

 

•

the offering price at which we will issue the preferred stock;

 

•

the title, designation of number of shares and stated value of the preferred stock;

 

•

the dividend rate or method of calculation, the payment dates for dividends and the place or places where the dividends will be paid, whether dividends will be cumulative or noncumulative, and, if cumulative, the dates from which dividends will begin to cumulate;

 

•

any conversion or exchange rights;

 

•

whether the preferred stock will be subject to redemption and the redemption price and other terms and conditions relative to the redemption rights;

 

•

any liquidation rights;

 

•

any sinking fund provisions;

 

•

any voting rights; and

 

•

any other rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions that are not inconsistent with the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation.

Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of preferred stock, the number of authorized shares of any series of preferred stock may be increased or decreased, but not below the number of shares of that series then outstanding, by resolution adopted by our board of directors and approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote on the matter, voting together as a single class. No separate vote of the holders of any series of preferred stock is required for an increase or decrease in the number of authorized shares of that series.

When we issue and receive payment for shares of preferred stock, the shares will be fully paid and nonassessable, and for each share issued, a sum equal to the stated value will be credited to our preferred stock account. Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series of preferred stock, holders of preferred stock will not have any preemptive or subscription rights to acquire more of our stock and each series of preferred stock will rank on a parity in all respects with each other series of preferred stock and prior to our common stock as to dividends and any distribution of our assets.

The rights of holders of the preferred stock offered may be adversely affected by the rights of holders of any shares of preferred stock that may be issued in the future. Our board of directors may cause shares of preferred stock to be issued in public or private transactions for any proper corporate purposes and may include issuances to obtain additional financing in connection with acquisitions, and issuances to officers, directors and employees pursuant to benefit plans. Our board of directors’ ability to issue shares of preferred stock may discourage attempts by others to acquire control of us without negotiation with our board of directors, as it may make it difficult for a person to complete an acquisition of us without negotiating with our board.

Redemption

If so specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, a series of preferred stock may be redeemable at any time, in whole or in part, at our option or the holders’, and may be mandatorily redeemed.

 

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Any restriction on the repurchase or redemption by us of our preferred stock while we are in arrears in the payment of dividends will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Any partial redemptions of preferred stock will be made in a way that our board of directors decides is equitable.

Unless we default in the payment of the redemption price, dividends will cease to accrue after the redemption date of shares of preferred stock called for redemption and all rights of holders of these shares will terminate except for the right to receive the redemption price.

Dividends

Holders of each series of preferred stock will be entitled to receive cash dividends when, as and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividends. The rates and dates of payment of dividends will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to each series of preferred stock. Dividends will be payable to holders of record of preferred stock as they appear on our books on the record dates fixed by the board of directors. Dividends on any series of preferred stock may be cumulative or noncumulative.

We may not declare, pay or set apart funds for payment of dividends on a particular series of preferred stock unless full dividends on any other series of preferred stock that ranks equally with or senior to the series of preferred stock have been paid or sufficient funds have been set apart for payment for either of the following:

 

•

all prior dividend periods of the other series of preferred stock that pay dividends on a cumulative basis; or

 

•

the immediately preceding dividend period of the other series of preferred stock that pays dividends on a noncumulative basis.

Partial dividends declared on shares of any series of preferred stock and other series of preferred stock ranking on an equal basis as to dividends will be declared pro rata. A pro rata declaration means that the ratio of dividends declared per share to accrued dividends per share will be the same for both series of preferred stock.

Liquidation Preference

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, holders of each series of our preferred stock will have the right to receive distributions upon liquidation in the amount described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to each series of preferred stock, plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends. These distributions will be made before any distribution is made on the common stock or on any securities ranking junior to the preferred stock upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up.

If the liquidation amounts payable relating to the preferred stock of any series and any other securities ranking on a parity regarding liquidation rights are not paid in full, the holders of the preferred stock of these series and other securities will have the right to a ratable portion of our available assets, up to the full liquidation preference. Holders of these series of preferred stock or other securities will not be entitled to any other amounts from us after they have received their full liquidation preference.

Voting Rights

The holders of shares of preferred stock will have no voting rights, except:

 

•

as otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement;

 

•

as otherwise stated in the certificate of designations establishing the series; or

 

•

as required by applicable law.

 

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Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursement agent for the preferred stock will be stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. The registrar for shares of preferred stock will send notices to stockholders of any meetings at which holders of the preferred stock have the right to elect directors or to vote on any other matter.

Governing Law

The preferred stock will be governed by Delaware law.

DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES

The following briefly summarizes the provisions of the depositary shares and depositary receipts that we may issue from time to time and which would be important to holders of depositary receipts, other than pricing and related terms which will be disclosed in the applicable prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will also state whether any of the generalized provisions summarized below do not apply to the depositary shares or depositary receipts being offered. The following description and any description in a prospectus supplement may not be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to the terms and provisions of the deposit agreement which we will file with the SEC in connection with any issuance of depositary shares.

Description of Depositary Shares

We may offer depositary shares evidenced by depositary receipts. Each depositary receipt represents a fraction of a share, or multiple shares, of the particular series of preferred stock issued and deposited with a depositary. The fraction of a share, or multiple shares, of preferred stock which each depositary share represents will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We will deposit the shares of any series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares according to the provisions of a deposit agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company which we will select as our preferred stock depositary. We will name the depositary in the applicable prospectus supplement. Each owner of a depositary share will be entitled to all the rights and preferences of the underlying preferred stock in proportion to the applicable fraction of a share of preferred stock represented by the depositary share. These rights include dividend, voting, redemption, conversion and liquidation rights. The depositary will send the holders of depositary shares all reports and communications that we deliver to the depositary and which we are required to furnish to the holders of depositary shares.

Depositary Receipts

The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the deposit agreement. Depositary receipts will be distributed to anyone who is buying the fractional shares of preferred stock in accordance with the terms of the applicable prospectus supplement.

While definitive engraved depositary receipts (certificates) are being prepared, we may instruct the depositary to issue temporary depositary receipts, which will entitle holders to all the rights of the definitive depositary receipts and be substantially in the same form. The depositary will prepare definitive depositary receipts without unreasonable delay, and we will pay for the exchange of your temporary depositary receipts for definitive depositary receipts.

 

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Withdrawal of Preferred Stock

Unless the related depositary shares have previously been called for redemption, a holder of depositary shares may receive the number of whole shares of the series of preferred stock and any money or other property represented by the holder’s depositary receipts after surrendering the depositary receipts at the corporate trust office of the depositary, paying any taxes, charges and fees provided for in the deposit agreement and complying with any other requirement of the deposit agreement. Partial shares of preferred stock will not be issued. If the surrendered depositary shares exceed the number of depositary shares that represent the number of whole shares of preferred stock the holder wishes to withdraw, then the depositary will deliver to the holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of depositary shares. Once the holder has withdrawn the preferred stock, the holder will not be entitled to re-deposit that preferred stock under the deposit agreement or to receive depositary shares in exchange for such preferred stock. We do not expect that there will be any public trading market for withdrawn shares of preferred stock.

Dividends and Other Distributions

The depositary will pay to holders of depositary shares the cash dividends or other cash distributions it receives on preferred stock, after deducting its fees and expenses. Each holder will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of depositary shares owned by the holder. The depositary will distribute only whole United States dollars and cents. The depositary will add any fractional cents not distributed to the next sum received for distribution to record holders of depositary shares.

In the event of a non-cash distribution, the depositary will distribute property to the record holders of depositary shares, unless the depositary determines that it is not feasible to make such a distribution. If this occurs, the depositary may, with our approval, sell the property and distribute the net proceeds from the sale to the holders.

The amounts distributed to holders of depositary shares will be reduced by any amounts required to be withheld by the depositary or by us on account of taxes or other governmental charges.

Redemption of Depositary Shares

If the series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares is subject to redemption, then we will give the necessary proceeds to the depositary upon redemption of the preferred stock. The depositary will then redeem the depositary shares using the funds they received from us for the preferred stock. The depositary will notify the record holders of the depositary shares to be redeemed not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption at the holders’ addresses appearing in the depositary’s books. The redemption price per depositary share will be equal to the redemption price payable per share for the applicable series of the preferred stock and any other amounts per share payable with respect to the preferred stock multiplied by the fraction of a share of preferred stock represented by one depositary share. Whenever we redeem shares of preferred stock held by the depositary, the depositary will redeem the depositary shares representing the shares of preferred stock on the same day. If fewer than all the depositary shares of a series are to be redeemed, the depositary shares will be selected by lot or ratably or by any other equitable methods as the depositary will decide.

After the date fixed for redemption, the depositary shares called for redemption will no longer be considered outstanding. Therefore, all rights of holders of the depositary shares will cease, except that the holders will still be entitled to receive any cash payable upon the redemption and any money or other property to which the holder was entitled at the time of redemption. To receive this amount or other property, the holders must surrender the depositary receipts evidencing their depositary shares to the depositary. Any funds that we deposit with the depositary for any depositary shares that the holders fail to redeem will be returned to us after a period of two years from the date we deposit the funds.

 

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Voting the Preferred Stock

Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of preferred stock represented by depositary shares are entitled to vote, the depositary will notify holders of depositary shares of the upcoming vote and arrange to deliver our voting materials to the holders. The record date for determining holders of depositary shares that are entitled to vote will be the same as the record date for the preferred stock. The materials the holders will receive will (1) describe the matters to be voted on and (2) explain how the holders, on a certain date, may instruct the depositary to vote the shares of preferred stock underlying the depositary shares. For instructions to be valid, the depositary must receive them on or before the date specified. The depositary will try, as far as practical, to vote the shares as instructed by the holder. We will take all reasonable actions requested by the depositary in order to enable it to vote as a holder has instructed. If any holder does not instruct the depositary how to vote the holder’s shares, the depositary will abstain from voting those shares or may vote them proportionately with instructions received.

Conversion or Exchange

If the prospectus supplement relating to the depositary shares states that the deposited preferred stock is convertible or exercisable or exchangeable, the following will apply. The depositary will convert or exchange all depositary shares on the same day that the preferred stock underlying the depositary shares is converted or exchanged. In order for the depositary to do so, we will need to deposit the other preferred stock, common stock or other securities into which the preferred stock is to be converted or for which it will be exchanged.

The exchange or conversion rate per depositary share will be equal to:

 

•

the exchange or conversion rate per share of preferred stock, multiplied by the fraction of a share of preferred stock represented by one depositary share;

 

•

plus all money and any other property represented by one depositary share; and

 

•

including all amounts per depositary share paid by us for dividends that have accrued on the preferred stock on the exchange or conversion date and that have not yet been paid.

The depositary shares, as such, cannot be converted or exchanged into other preferred stock, common stock, securities of another issuer or any other securities or property of us. Nevertheless, if so specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, a holder of depositary shares may be able to surrender the depositary receipts to the depositary with written instructions asking the depositary to instruct us to convert or exchange the preferred stock represented by the depositary shares into other shares of our preferred stock or common stock or to exchange the preferred stock for securities of another issuer. If the depositary shares carry this right, we would agree that, upon the payment of any applicable fees, we will cause the conversion or exchange of the preferred stock using the same procedures as we use for the delivery of preferred stock. If a holder is only converting part of the depositary shares represented by a depositary receipt, new depositary receipts will be issued for any depositary shares that are not converted or exchanged.

Amendment and Termination of the Deposit Agreement

We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the form of depositary receipt without consent of the holder at any time. However, if the amendment adds or increases fees or charges, other than any change in the fees of any depositary registrar or transfer agent, or prejudices an important right of holders, it will become effective only with the approval of holders of at least a majority of the affected depositary shares then outstanding. If an amendment becomes effective, holders are deemed to agree to the amendment and to be bound by the amended deposit agreement if they continue to hold their depositary receipts.

The deposit agreement automatically terminates if:

 

•

all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed or converted or exchanged for any other securities into which they or the underlying preferred stock are convertible or exchangeable; or

 

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•

a final distribution in respect of the preferred stock has been made to the holders of depositary receipts in connection with our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up.

We may also terminate the deposit agreement at any time we wish. If we do so, the depositary will give notice of termination to the holders not less than 30 days before the termination date. Once depositary receipts are surrendered to the depositary, it will send to each holder the number of whole or fractional shares of the series of preferred stock underlying that holder’s depositary receipts.

Charges of Depositary and Expenses

We will pay the fees, charges and expenses of the depositary provided in the deposit agreement to be payable by us. Holders of depositary receipts will pay any taxes and governmental charges and any charges provided in the deposit agreement to be payable by them. If the depositary incurs fees, charges or expenses for which it is not otherwise liable at the election of a holder of a depositary receipt or other person, that holder or other person will be liable for those fees, charges and expenses.

Limitations on Our Obligations and Liability to Holders of Depositary Receipts

The deposit agreement will limit our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It will also limit our liability and the liability of the depositary as follows:

 

•

we and the depositary will only be obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement in good faith;

 

•

we and the depositary will not be liable if either of us is prevented or delayed by law or circumstances beyond our control from performing our obligations under the deposit agreement;

 

•

we and the depositary will not be liable if either of us exercises discretion permitted under the deposit agreement;

 

•

we and the depositary will have no obligation to become involved in any legal or other proceeding related to the depositary receipts or the deposit agreement on your behalf or on behalf of any other party, unless you provide us with satisfactory indemnity; and

 

•

we and the depositary will be permitted to rely upon any written advice of counsel or accountants and on any documents we believe in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party.

In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary will agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.

Resignation and Removal of Depositary

The depositary may resign at any time by notifying us of its election to do so. In addition, we may remove the depositary at any time. The resignation or removal will take effect when we appoint a successor depositary and it accepts the appointment. We must appoint the successor depositary within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal.

Form of Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares

We may issue preferred stock in book-entry form. Preferred stock in book-entry form will be represented by a global security registered in the name of a depositary, which will be the holder of all the shares of preferred stock represented by the global security. Those who own beneficial interests in shares of preferred stock will do so through participants in the depositary’s system, and the rights of these indirect owners will be governed solely

 

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by the applicable procedures of the depositary and its participants. However, beneficial owners of any preferred stock in book-entry form will have the right to obtain their shares in non-global form. We describe book-entry securities below under “LEGAL OWNERSHIP AND BOOK-ENTRY ISSUANCE.” All preferred stock will be issued in registered form.

We will issue depositary shares in book-entry form, to the same extent as we describe above for preferred stock. Depositary shares will be issued in registered form.

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

The following briefly summarizes the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that would be important to holders of our common stock. The following description may not be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the terms and provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws which are exhibits to the registration statement which contains this prospectus.

General

Under our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, we are authorized to issue a total of 725,000,000 shares of common stock having a par value of $.10 per share. As of March 31, 2015, 249,481,644 shares of common stock were outstanding. All outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and nonassessable. The common stock is listed on The New York Stock Exchange.

Holders of common stock do not have any conversion, redemption, preemptive or cumulative voting rights. In the event of our dissolution, liquidation or winding-up, common stockholders will share ratably in any assets remaining after all creditors are paid in full, including holders of our debt securities, and after the liquidation preference of holders of preferred stock has been satisfied.

Dividends

Holders of common stock are entitled to participate equally in dividends when the board of directors declares dividends on shares of common stock out of funds legally available for dividends. The rights of holders of common stock to receive dividends are subject to the preferences of holders of preferred stock.

Voting Rights

Holders of common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters voted on by stockholders, including the election of directors.

Liquidation Rights

In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, holders of common stock have the right to a ratable portion of assets remaining after satisfaction in full of the prior rights of our creditors, all liabilities, and the total liquidation preferences of any outstanding shares of preferred stock.

Certain Provisions That May Have an Anti-Takeover Effect

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, and certain portions of Delaware law, contain certain provisions that may have an anti-takeover effect.

 

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Board of Directors Classification. We are in the process of declassifying our board of directors, which is currently divided into three classes. Declassification, however, will not be completed until our 2016 annual meeting of stockholders, at which time all of our directors will be elected annually. Until our board of directors is completely declassified, certain provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation could have the effect of slowing or impeding a change in membership of our board of directors that would effect a change in control.

Removal of Directors. Stockholders only have the right to remove directors by the affirmative vote of the holders of 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of all outstanding voting stock voting as a single class; provided, however that until our 2016 annual meeting of stockholders directors may be removed only for cause.

Business Combination. We cannot enter into a business combination with a person who is an “interested stockholder” unless the business combination transaction is approved by a vote of not less than 80% of the votes entitled to be cast on the transaction, including a majority of the votes that are not the votes of the interested stockholder.

An “interested stockholder” is generally any person who owns, or has owned in the two-year period prior to the date in question, shares of our voting stock that represent 15% or more of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the shares of our outstanding voting stock.

A “business combination” is generally a merger or consolidation involving our company or any of our subsidiaries, a disposition of a substantial part of the assets or securities of our company, a liquidation or dissolution of our company, or a certain type of reclassification of our securities.

The supermajority vote requirements described above will not apply to business combinations with interested stockholders if the transaction has been approved by a majority of our directors (or their successors) who are not affiliates of the interested stockholder and were our directors before the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder.

We are also subject to restrictions imposed by Delaware law on transactions with interested stockholders. These restrictions are similar to the restrictions contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation described above. In order to engage in any transaction that is subject to the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or the provisions of Delaware law, the requirements of both the amended and restated certificate of incorporation and Delaware law must be satisfied.

Special Meetings of Stockholders. Only our Chairman of the Board, our Chief Executive Officer or our President may call a special meeting of our stockholders and these meetings are to be called by any such officer at the written request of a majority of the board of directors.

Advance Notice Requirements for Nomination of Directors and Presentation of New Business at Meetings. Our amended and restated bylaws establish advance notice procedures for stockholder proposals concerning nominations for election to the board of directors and new business to be brought before meetings of stockholders. These procedures require that notice of such stockholder proposals must be timely given in writing to our corporate secretary prior to the meeting at which the action is to be taken. To be timely, we must receive the notice at our principal executive offices within certain dates prior to the anniversary date of the annual meeting of stockholders before the one in which the stockholder proposal is to be considered. The notice must contain information required by the amended and restated bylaws. These provisions make it procedurally more difficult for a stockholder to place a proposed nomination or new business proposal on the meeting agenda and therefore may reduce the likelihood that a stockholder will seek to take independent action to replace directors or with respect to other matters that are not supported by management.

Action of Stockholders Without a Meeting. Any action of our stockholders may be taken at a meeting only and may not be taken by written consent.

 

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Amendment of Certificate of Incorporation. For us to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, Delaware law requires that our board of directors adopt a resolution setting forth any amendment, declare the advisability of the amendment and call a stockholders’ meeting to adopt the amendment. Generally, amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation require the affirmative vote of a majority of our outstanding stock. As described below, however, certain amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may require a supermajority vote.

The vote of the holders of not less than 80% of the votes entitled to be cast is required to adopt any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that relates to the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that govern the following matters:

 

•

management of our business by the directors, the number of directors, and the process by which we are declassifying our board of directors;

 

•

the ability of our stockholders to act by written consent and to inspect our accounts, books and records; and

 

•

the power of the board of directors and the stockholders to amend the bylaws.

The vote of the holders of not less than 80% of the votes entitled to be cast, including the majority of the votes that are not the votes of an interested stockholder, is required to adopt any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that relates to the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that govern the following matters:

 

•

“business combinations” with interested stockholders; and

 

•

the supermajority vote requirements for amending the amended and restated certificate of incorporation.

These supermajority vote provisions for amending the amended and restated certificate of incorporation do not apply if the amendment is recommended by a majority of our directors (or their successors) who are not affiliates of an interested stockholder and were our directors before the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder.

The provisions described above may discourage attempts by others to acquire control of us without negotiation with our board of directors. This enhances our board of directors’ ability to attempt to promote the interests of all of our stockholders. However, to the extent that these provisions make us a less attractive takeover candidate, they may not always be in our best interests or in the best interests of our stockholders. None of these provisions is the result of any specific effort by a third party to accumulate our securities or to obtain control of us by means of merger, tender offer, solicitation in opposition to management or otherwise.

Restriction on Ownership Under Insurance Laws

Most states, including the states in which our insurance company subsidiaries are domiciled, have laws and regulations that require regulatory approval of a change in control of an insurer or an insurer’s holding company. Where such laws and regulations apply to us and our insurance company subsidiaries, there can be no effective change in control unless the person seeking to acquire control has filed a statement with specified information with the insurance regulators and has obtained prior approval for the proposed change in control from such regulators. The usual measure for a presumptive change in control pursuant to these laws is the acquisition of 10% or more of the voting stock of an insurance company or its parent, although this presumption is rebuttable. Consequently, a person may not acquire, including by purchases of shares in this offering, 10% or more of our common stock without the prior approval of the insurance regulators in the states in which we and our insurance company subsidiaries are domiciled.

 

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Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for shares of the common stock is Computershare Investor Services.

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

General

We may issue warrants to purchase senior debt securities, subordinated debt securities, preferred stock, depositary shares, common stock or any combination of these securities and these warrants may be issued independently or together with any underlying securities and may be attached or separate from the underlying securities. We will issue each series of warrants under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants of such series and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency for or with holders or beneficial owners of warrants. The following outlines some of the general terms and provisions of the warrants. Further material terms of the warrants and the applicable warrant agreement will be stated in the applicable prospectus supplement. The following description and any description of the warrants in a prospectus supplement may not be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the terms and provisions of the warrant agreement which we will file with the SEC in connection with any issuance of warrants.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any warrants, including the following:

 

•

the title of the warrants;

 

•

the total number of warrants;

 

•

the price or prices at which we will issue the warrants;

 

•

the currency or currencies investors may use to pay for the warrants;

 

•

the designation and terms of the underlying securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants;

 

•

the price at which and the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which investors may purchase the underlying securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants;

 

•

the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and the date on which the right will expire;

 

•

whether we will issue the warrants in registered form or bearer form;

 

•

information with respect to book-entry procedures, if any;

 

•

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of warrants which may be exercised at any one time;

 

•

if applicable, the designation and terms of the underlying securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each underlying security;

 

•

if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the related underlying securities will be separately transferable;

 

•

if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations;

 

•

the identity of the warrant agent;

 

•

the procedures and conditions relating to the exercise of the warrants; and

 

•

any other terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants.

 

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Warrant certificates may be exchanged for new warrant certificates of different denominations, and warrants may be exercised at the warrant agent’s corporate trust office or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Prior to the exercise of their warrants, holders of warrants exercisable for debt securities will not have any of the rights of holders of the debt securities purchasable upon such exercise and will not be entitled to payments of principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the debt securities purchasable upon such exercise. Prior to the exercise of their warrants, holders of warrants exercisable for shares of preferred stock or common stock or for depositary shares will not have any rights of holders of the preferred stock, common stock or depositary shares purchasable upon such exercise and will not be entitled to dividend payments, if any, or voting rights of the preferred stock, common stock or depositary shares purchasable upon such exercise.

Exercise of Warrants

A warrant will entitle the holder to purchase for cash an amount of securities at an exercise price that will be stated in, or that will be determinable as described in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.

Warrants may be exercised as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Upon receipt of payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If less than all of the warrants represented by such warrant certificate are exercised, a new warrant certificate will be issued for the remaining warrants.

Enforceability of Rights; Governing Law

The holders of warrants, without the consent of the warrant agent, may, on their own behalf and for their own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against us to enforce their rights to exercise and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of their warrants. Unless otherwise stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, each issue of warrants and the applicable warrant agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS

We may issue stock purchase contracts, representing contracts obligating holders to purchase from or sell to us, and obligating us to purchase from or sell to the holders, a specified or variable number of shares of our common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares, as applicable, at a future date or dates. The price per share of common stock, preferred stock or depositary shares, as applicable, may be fixed at the time the stock purchase contracts are entered into or may be determined by reference to a specific formula contained in the stock purchase contracts. Any stock purchase contract may include anti-dilution provisions to adjust the number of shares to be delivered pursuant to such stock purchase contract upon the occurrence of certain events. We may issue the stock purchase contracts in such amounts and in as many distinct series as we wish.

The stock purchase contracts may be entered into separately or as a part of units consisting of a stock purchase contract and a beneficial interest in other securities described in this prospectus or of third parties, including U.S. Treasury securities. The stock purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to holders of the stock purchase contracts, or vice versa, and such payments may be unsecured or prefunded and may be paid on a current or on a deferred basis. The stock purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations under those contracts in a specified manner.

The applicable prospectus supplement may contain, where applicable, the following information about the stock purchase contracts issued under it:

 

•

whether the stock purchase contracts obligate the holder to purchase or sell, or both purchase and sell, our common stock or preferred stock or depositary shares, as applicable, and the nature and amount of each of those securities, or the method of determining those amounts;

 

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•

whether the stock purchase contracts are to be prepaid or not;

 

•

whether the stock purchase contracts are to be settled by delivery, or by reference or linkage to the value, performance or level of our common stock or preferred stock or depositary shares;

 

•

any acceleration, cancellation, termination or other provisions relating to the settlement of the stock purchase contracts;

 

•

whether the stock purchase contracts will be issued in fully registered or global form; and

 

•

any other terms of the stock purchase contracts.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the material terms of any stock purchase contracts. The preceding description and any description of stock purchase contracts in the applicable prospectus supplement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the stock purchase contract agreement and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements relating to such stock purchase contracts.

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

We may issue units comprised of one or more of the other securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Units may also include debt obligations of third parties, such as U.S. Treasury securities. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately at any time or at any time before a specified date.

The applicable prospectus supplement may describe:

 

•

the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;

 

•

any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; and

 

•

whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the material terms of any units. The preceding description and any description of units in the applicable prospectus supplement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the unit agreement and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depositary arrangements relating to such units.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED SECURITIES OF THE TRUSTS

General

The following summary outlines the material terms and provisions of the preferred securities that the trusts may offer. The particular material terms of any preferred securities a trust offers and the extent, if any, to which these general terms and provisions may or may not apply to the preferred securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Each trust will issue the preferred securities under an amended declaration, which we will enter into with the trustees. The amended declaration for each trust is subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act, and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., an independent trustee, will act as property trustee under each amended declaration for the purposes of compliance with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act. The terms of the preferred securities will be those contained in the applicable amended declaration and those made part of the

 

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amended declaration by the Trust Indenture Act. The following summary may not be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the form of amended declaration, which is an exhibit to the registration statement which contains this prospectus, and the Trust Indenture Act.

Terms

Each amended declaration will provide that a trust may issue, from time to time, only one series of preferred securities and one series of common securities. The preferred securities will be offered to investors and the common securities will be held by us. The terms of the preferred securities, as a general matter, will mirror the terms of the junior subordinated debt securities that we will issue to a trust in exchange for the net proceeds of the sales of the trust securities. If we fail to make a payment on the junior subordinated debt securities, the trust holding those securities will not have sufficient funds to make related payments, including distributions, on its preferred securities.

You should refer to the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the preferred securities for specific terms of the preferred securities, including, but not limited to:

 

•

the distinctive designation of the preferred securities;

 

•

the total and per security liquidation amount of the preferred securities;

 

•

the annual distribution rate, or method of determining the rate at which the trust issuing the securities will pay distributions, on the preferred securities and the date or dates from which distributions will accrue;

 

•

the date or dates on which the distributions will be payable and any corresponding record dates;

 

•

whether distributions on preferred securities will be cumulative, and, in the case of preferred securities having cumulative distribution rights, the date or dates or method of determining the date or dates from which distributions on preferred securities will be cumulative;

 

•

the right, if any, to defer distributions on the preferred securities upon extension of the interest payment period of the related junior subordinated debt securities;

 

•

whether the preferred securities are to be issued in book-entry form and represented by one or more global certificates and, if so, the depositary for the global certificates and the specific terms of the depositary arrangement;

 

•

the amount or amounts which will be paid out of the assets of the trust issuing the securities to the holders of preferred securities upon voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the trust issuing the securities;

 

•

any obligation of the trust issuing the securities to purchase or redeem preferred securities and the terms and conditions relating to any redemption obligation;

 

•

any voting rights of the preferred securities;

 

•

certain U.S. federal income tax considerations;

 

•

any terms and conditions upon which the junior subordinated debt securities held by the trust issuing the securities may be distributed to holders of preferred securities;

 

•

if the preferred securities may be converted into or exercised or exchanged for our common stock or preferred stock or any other of our securities, the terms on which conversion, exercise or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at the option of each trust, the date on or the period during which conversion, exercise or exchange may occur, the initial conversion, exercise or exchange price or rate and the circumstances or manner in which the amount of common stock or preferred stock or other securities issuable upon conversion, exercise or exchange may be adjusted;

 

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whether the preferred securities are subject to mandatory or optional remarketing or other mandatory or optional resale provisions, and, if applicable, the date or period during which such resale may occur, any conditions to such resale and any right of a holder to substitute securities for the securities subject to resale;

 

•

any securities exchange on which the preferred securities will be listed; and

 

•

any other relevant rights, preferences, privileges, limitations or restrictions of the preferred securities not inconsistent with the amended declaration or with applicable law.

We will guarantee the preferred securities to the extent described below under “DESCRIPTION OF TRUST GUARANTEES.” Our guarantee, when taken together with our obligations under the junior subordinated debt securities and the related subordinated indenture, and our obligations under the amended declaration, would provide a full and unconditional guarantee of amounts due on any preferred securities. Certain United States federal income tax considerations applicable to any offering of preferred securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Liquidation Distribution Upon Dissolution

Unless otherwise specified in an applicable prospectus supplement, each amended declaration states that each trust will be dissolved:

 

•

on the expiration of the term of that trust;

 

•

upon our bankruptcy, dissolution or liquidation;

 

•

upon our written direction to the property trustee to dissolve the trust and distribute the related junior subordinated debt securities directly to the holders of the trust securities;

 

•

upon the redemption of all of the preferred securities in connection with the redemption of all of the related junior subordinated debt securities; or

 

•

upon entry of a court order for the dissolution of the trust.

Unless otherwise specified in an applicable prospectus supplement, in the event of a dissolution as described above other than in connection with redemption, after a trust satisfies all liabilities to its creditors as provided by applicable law, each holder of the preferred or common securities issued by that trust will be entitled to receive:

 

•

the related junior subordinated debt securities in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of the preferred or common securities held by the holder; or

 

•

if any distribution of the related junior subordinated debt securities is determined by the property trustee not to be practical, cash equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of the preferred or common securities held by the holder, plus accumulated and unpaid distributions to the date of payment.

If a trust cannot pay the full amount due on its preferred and common securities because it has insufficient assets available for payment, then the amounts payable by that trust on its preferred and common securities will be paid on a pro rata basis. However, if certain payment events of default under the subordinated indenture have occurred and are continuing with respect to any series of related junior subordinated debt securities, the total amounts due on the preferred securities will be paid before any distribution on the common securities.

Events of Default

The following will be events of default under each amended declaration:

 

•

an event of default under the subordinated indenture occurs with respect to any related series of junior subordinated debt securities; or

 

•

any other event of default specified in the applicable prospectus supplement occurs.

 

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If an event of default with respect to a related series of junior subordinated debt securities occurs and is continuing under the subordinated indenture, and the subordinated indenture trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the related junior subordinated debt securities outstanding fail to declare the principal amount of all of such junior subordinated debt securities to be immediately due and payable, the holders of at least 25% in aggregate liquidation amount of the outstanding preferred securities of the trust holding the junior subordinated debt securities, will have the right to declare such principal amount immediately due and payable by providing written notice to us, the applicable property trustee and the subordinated indenture trustee. The existence of an event of default does not entitle the holders of affected preferred securities to accelerate the maturity of the affected preferred securities.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration has been made with respect to a related series of junior subordinated debt securities and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained, the holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the affected preferred securities may rescind any declaration of acceleration with respect to the related junior subordinated debt securities and its consequences:

 

•

if we deposit with the subordinated indenture trustee funds sufficient to pay all overdue principal of and premium and interest on the related junior subordinated debt securities and other amounts due to the subordinated indenture trustee and the property trustee; and

 

•

if all existing events of default with respect to the related junior subordinated debt securities have been cured or waived except non-payment of principal on the related junior subordinated debt securities that has become due solely because of the acceleration.

The holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the affected preferred securities may waive any past default under the subordinated debenture indenture with respect to related junior subordinated debt securities, other than a default in the payment of principal of, or any premium or interest on, any related junior subordinated debenture or a default with respect to a covenant or provision that cannot be amended or modified without the consent of the holder of each affected outstanding related junior subordinated debenture. In addition, the holders of at least a majority in liquidation amount of the affected preferred securities may waive any past default under the amended declaration.

The holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the affected preferred securities shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceedings for any remedy available to the property trustee or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred on the property trustee under the amended declaration.

A holder of preferred securities may institute a legal proceeding directly against us, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the property trustee or anyone else, for enforcement of payment to the holder of principal and any premium or interest on the related series of junior subordinated debt securities having a principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of the preferred securities of the holder, if we fail to pay principal and any premium or interest on the related series of junior subordinated debt securities when payable.

We are required to furnish annually, to the property trustee for each trust, officers’ certificates to the effect that, to the best knowledge of the individuals providing the certificates, we and each trust are not in default under the applicable amended declaration or, if there has been a default, specifying the default and its status.

Consolidation, Merger or Amalgamation of the Trust

No trust may merge with or into, amalgamate, consolidate, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, any entity, except as described below or as described in “—Liquidation Distribution Upon Dissolution.” A trust may, with the consent of the administrative trustees but without the consent of the holders of the outstanding preferred securities or the other trustees of that trust, merge with or into, amalgamate, consolidate, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, a trust organized under the laws of any state if:

 

•

the successor entity either:

 

•

expressly assumes all of the obligations of the trust relating to its preferred securities, or

 

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substitutes for the trust’s preferred securities other securities having substantially the same terms as the preferred securities, so long as the substituted successor securities rank the same as the preferred securities for distributions and payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise;

 

•

we appoint a trustee of the successor entity who has substantially the same powers and duties as the property trustee of the trust;

 

•

the successor securities are listed or traded, or any substituted successor securities will be listed upon notice of issuance, on the same national securities exchange or other organization on which the preferred securities are then listed or traded;

 

•

the transaction does not cause the preferred securities or any substituted successor securities to be downgraded by any national rating agency;

 

•

the transaction does not adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the preferred securities or any substituted successor securities in any material respect;

 

•

the successor entity has a purpose substantially identical to that of the trust that issued the securities;

 

•

prior to the transaction, we shall provide to the property trustee an opinion of counsel from a nationally recognized law firm stating that:

 

•

the transaction does not adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the trust’s preferred securities in any material respect, and

 

•

following the transaction, neither the trust nor the successor entity will be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940; and

 

•

we own or our permitted transferee owns, all of the common securities of the successor entity and we guarantee or our permitted transferee guarantees the obligations of the successor entity under the substituted successor securities at least to the extent provided under the applicable preferred securities guarantee.

In addition, unless all of the holders of the preferred securities approve otherwise, no trust may consolidate, amalgamate or merge with or into, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, any other entity, or permit any other entity to consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into or replace it if the transaction would cause that trust or the successor entity to be taxable as a corporation or classified other than as a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes.

Voting Rights

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holders of the preferred securities will have no voting rights except as discussed below and under “—Amendment to an Amended Declaration” and “DESCRIPTION OF TRUST GUARANTEES—Modification of the Trust Guarantee; Assignment” and as otherwise required by law.

If any proposed amendment to an amended declaration provides for, or the trustees of a trust otherwise propose to effect:

 

•

any action that would adversely affect the powers, preferences or special rights of the preferred securities in any material respect, whether by way of amendment to the amended declaration or otherwise; or

 

•

the dissolution, winding-up or termination of a trust other than pursuant to the terms of the amended declaration,

then the holders of the affected preferred securities as a class will be entitled to vote on the amendment or proposal. In that case, the amendment or proposal will be effective only if approved by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate liquidation amount of the affected preferred securities.

 

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Without obtaining the prior approval of the holders of a majority in aggregate liquidation amount of the preferred securities issued by a trust, the trustees of that trust may not:

 

•

direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the subordinated indenture trustee for any related junior subordinated debt securities or direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred on the property trustee with respect to the related junior subordinated debt securities;

 

•

waive any default that is waivable under the subordinated indenture with respect to any related junior subordinated debt securities;

 

•

cancel an acceleration of the principal of the related junior subordinated debt securities; or

 

•

consent to any amendment, modification or termination of the subordinated indenture or any related junior subordinated debt securities where consent is required.

However, if a consent under the subordinated indenture requires the consent of each affected holder of the related junior subordinated debt securities, then the property trustee must obtain the prior consent of each holder of the preferred securities of the trust that holds the related junior subordinated debt securities. In addition, before taking any of the foregoing actions, we will provide to the property trustee an opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result of such actions, the trust will not be taxable as a corporation or classified as other than a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes.

The property trustee will notify all preferred securities holders of a trust of any notice of default received from the subordinated indenture trustee with respect to the junior subordinated debt securities held by that trust.

Any required approval of the holders of preferred securities may be given at a meeting of the holders of the preferred securities convened for the purpose or pursuant to written consent. The applicable property trustee will cause a notice of any meeting at which holders of securities are entitled to vote to be given to each holder of record of the preferred securities at the holder’s registered address at least 15 days and not more than 90 days before the meeting.

No vote or consent of the holders of the trust securities will be required for a trust to redeem and cancel its trust securities in accordance with its amended declaration.

Notwithstanding that holders of the preferred securities are entitled to vote or consent under any of the circumstances described above, any of the preferred securities that are owned by us, any trustee or any affiliate of a trustee or ours will, for purposes of any vote or consent, be treated as if they were not outstanding. Preferred securities held by us or any of our affiliates may be exchanged for related junior subordinated debt securities at the election of the holder.

Amendment to an Amended Declaration

An amended declaration may be amended from time to time by us and the property trustee and the administrative trustees of each trust without the consent of the holders of the preferred securities of that trust to:

 

•

cure any ambiguity or correct or supplement any provision which may be inconsistent with any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the amended declaration, in each case to the extent that the amendment does not adversely affect the interests of any holder of the preferred securities in any material respect; or

 

•

modify, eliminate or add to any provisions to the extent necessary to ensure that the trust will not be taxable as a corporation or classified as other than a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes, to ensure that the junior subordinated debt securities held by the trust are treated as indebtedness for United States federal income tax purposes or to ensure that the trust will not be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

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Other amendments to an amended declaration may be made by us and the trustees of that trust upon approval of the holders of a majority in aggregate liquidation amount of the outstanding preferred securities of that trust and receipt by the trustees of an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not cause the trust to be taxable as a corporation or classified as other than a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes, affect the treatment of the junior subordinated debt securities held by the trust as indebtedness for United States federal income tax purposes or affect the trust’s exemption from the Investment Company Act of 1940.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, without the consent of each affected holder of common or preferred securities of each trust, an amended declaration may not be amended to:

 

•

change the amount or timing of any distribution on the common or preferred securities of a trust or otherwise adversely affect the amount of any distribution required to be made in respect of the securities as of a specified date; or

 

•

restrict the right of a holder of any securities to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the distribution date.

In addition, no amendment may be made to an amended declaration if the amendment would:

 

•

cause a trust to be taxable as a corporation or characterized as other than a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes;

 

•

cause the junior subordinated debt securities held by a trust to not be treated as indebtedness for United States federal income tax purposes;

 

•

cause a trust to be deemed to be an investment company required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940; or

 

•

impose any additional obligation on us without our consent.

Removal and Replacement of Trustees

The holder of a trust’s common securities may, upon prior written notice, remove or replace any of the administrative trustees and, unless an event of default has occurred and is continuing under the subordinated indenture, the property and Delaware trustee of the trust. If an event of default has occurred and is continuing under the subordinated indenture, only the holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the trust’s preferred securities may remove or replace the property trustee and Delaware trustee. The resignation or removal of any trustee will be effective only upon the acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee in accordance with the provisions of the applicable amended declaration.

Merger or Consolidation of Trustees

Any entity into which a property trustee or the Delaware trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any entity resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the trustee shall be a party, or any entity succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the trustee, shall be the successor of the trustee under the applicable amended declaration; provided, however, that the entity shall be otherwise qualified and eligible.

Information Concerning the Property Trustee

For matters relating to compliance with the Trust Indenture Act, the property trustee for each trust will have all of the duties and responsibilities of an indenture trustee under the Trust Indenture Act. The property trustee, other than during the occurrence and continuance of a default under an amended declaration, undertakes to perform only the duties as are specifically set forth in the amended declaration and, after a default, must use the same degree of care and skill as a prudent person would exercise or use in the conduct of his or her own affairs. The property trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers given it by an amended declaration at

 

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the request of any holder of the preferred securities unless it is offered security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities that it might incur. If the property trustee is required to decide between alternative courses of action, construe ambiguous provisions in an amended declaration or is unsure of the application of any provision of the amended declaration, and the matter is not one on which the holders of the preferred securities are entitled to vote, then the property trustee will deliver notice to us requesting written instructions as to the course of action to be taken and the property trustee will take or refrain from taking that action as instructed. If we do not provide these instructions within ten business days, then the property trustee will take such action as it deems advisable and in the best interests of the holders of the preferred and common securities. In this event, the property trustee will have no liability except for its own bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct.

The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., which is the property trustee for each trust, also serves as the senior indenture trustee, the subordinated indenture trustee and the guarantee trustee under each trust guarantee described below. We and certain of our subsidiaries maintain banking relationships with The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. and certain of its affiliates, which are described above under “DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES—Concerning the Trustee.”

Miscellaneous

The administrative trustees of each trust are authorized and directed to conduct the affairs of and to operate each trust in such a way so that:

 

•

each trust will not be taxable as a corporation or classified as other than a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes;

 

•

the junior subordinated debt securities held by each trust will be treated as indebtedness of ours for United States federal income tax purposes; and

 

•

each trust will not be deemed to be an investment company required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

We and the trustees of each trust are authorized to take any action, so long as it is consistent with applicable law, the certificate of trust or amended declaration, that we and the trustees determine to be necessary or desirable for the above purposes.

Registered holders of the preferred securities have no preemptive or similar rights.

A trust may not incur indebtedness or place a lien on any of its assets.

Governing Law

Each amended declaration and the preferred securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.

Description of the Expense Agreement

We will execute an expense agreement at the same time that a trust issues the preferred securities. Under the expense agreement, we will irrevocably and unconditionally guarantee to each creditor of each trust the full amount of that trust’s costs, expenses and liabilities, other than the amounts owed to holders of its preferred and common securities pursuant to the terms of those securities. Third parties will be entitled to enforce the expense agreement. The expense agreement, once executed, will be filed with the SEC on Form 8-K or by a post-effective amendment to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

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Our obligation under an expense agreement will be subordinated in right of payment to the same extent as the trust guarantees. The expense agreement will contain provisions regarding amendment, termination, assignment, succession and governing law similar to those contained in the trust guarantees.

DESCRIPTION OF TRUST GUARANTEES

The following describes the material terms and provisions of the trust guarantees which we will execute and deliver for the benefit of the holders from time to time of preferred securities. Each trust guarantee will be qualified as an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., an independent trustee, will act as indenture trustee under each trust guarantee for the purposes of compliance with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act. The terms of each trust guarantee will be those contained in each trust guarantee and those made part of each trust guarantee by the Trust Indenture Act. The following summary may not be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the form of trust guarantee, which is an exhibit to the registration statement which contains this prospectus, and the Trust Indenture Act. Each trust guarantee will be held by the guarantee trustee of each trust for the benefit of the holders of the preferred securities.

General

We will irrevocably and unconditionally agree to pay the following payments or distributions with respect to preferred securities, in full on a subordinated basis, to the holders of the preferred securities, as and when they become due regardless of any defense, right of set-off or counterclaim that a trust may have except for the defense of payment:

 

•

any accrued and unpaid distributions which are required to be paid on the preferred securities, to the extent the trust that issued the securities does not make such payments or distributions but has sufficient funds available to do so;

 

•

the redemption price and all accrued and unpaid distributions to the date of redemption with respect to any preferred securities called for redemption, to the extent the trust that issued the securities does not make such payments or distributions but has sufficient funds available to do so; and

 

•

upon a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the trust that issued the securities (other than in connection with the distribution of junior subordinated debt securities to the holders of preferred securities or the redemption of all of the preferred securities), the lesser of:

 

•

the total liquidation amount and all accrued and unpaid distributions on the preferred securities to the date of payment, to the extent the trust that issued the securities does not make such payments or distributions but has sufficient funds available to do so, and

 

•

the amount of assets of the trust that issued the securities remaining available for distribution to holders of such preferred securities in liquidation of the trust.

Our obligation to make a payment under a trust guarantee may be satisfied by our direct payment of the required amounts to the holders of preferred securities to which the trust guarantee relates or by causing the applicable trust to pay the amounts to the holders.

Modification of the Trust Guarantee; Assignment

Except with respect to any changes which do not adversely affect the rights of holders of preferred securities in any material respect (in which case no vote will be required), each trust guarantee may be amended only with the prior approval of the holders of not less than a majority in liquidation amount of the outstanding preferred securities to which the trust guarantee relates. The manner of obtaining the approval of holders of the preferred securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. All guarantees and agreements contained in each trust guarantee will bind our successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives and will be for the benefit of the holders of the outstanding preferred securities to which the trust guarantee relates.

 

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Termination

Each trust guarantee will terminate when any of the following has occurred:

 

•

all preferred securities to which the trust guarantee relates have been paid in full or redeemed in full by us, the trust that issued the securities or both;

 

•

the junior subordinated debt securities held by the trust that issued the securities have been distributed to the holders of the preferred securities; or

 

•

the amounts payable in accordance with the applicable amended declaration upon liquidation of the trust that issued the securities have been paid in full.

Each trust guarantee will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any holder of preferred securities to which the trust guarantee relates must restore payment of any amounts paid on the preferred securities or under the trust guarantee.

Events of Default

An event of default under a trust guarantee will occur if we fail to perform any of our payment obligations under a trust guarantee or we fail to perform any other obligation under a trust guarantee and the failure to perform such other obligation continues for 60 days.

Each trust guarantee will constitute a guarantee of payment and not of collection. The holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the preferred securities to which the trust guarantee relates have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the guarantee trustee in respect of the trust guarantee or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the guarantee trustee under the trust guarantee. If the guarantee trustee fails to enforce the trust guarantee, any holder of preferred securities to which the trust guarantee relates may institute a legal proceeding directly against us to enforce the holder’s rights under the trust guarantee, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the trust, the guarantee trustee or anyone else. If we do not make a guarantee payment, a holder of preferred securities may directly institute a proceeding against us for enforcement of the trust guarantee for such payment.

Status of the Trust Guarantees

Each trust guarantee will be our general unsecured obligation and will rank subordinate and junior in right of payment, and will be subject to our prior payment in full of our senior debt as described under “DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES—Subordination.”

The terms of the preferred securities provide that each holder of preferred securities by acceptance of the preferred securities agrees to the subordination provisions and other terms of a trust guarantee relating to the subordination. As of March 31, 2015, we had approximately $2.2 billion of indebtedness that would rank senior to a trust guarantee.

Information Concerning the Guarantee Trustee

The guarantee trustee, prior to the occurrence of a default with respect to a trust guarantee, undertakes to perform only those duties as are specifically contained in the trust guarantee and, after default, shall exercise the same degree of care as a prudent individual would exercise in the conduct of his or her own affairs. The guarantee trustee is under no obligation to exercise any of the powers vested in it by the applicable trust guarantee at the request of any holder of preferred securities to which the trust guarantee relates, unless it is offered indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which it might incur by exercising these powers; however the guarantee trustee will not be, upon the occurrence of an event of default under the applicable trust guarantee, relieved from exercising the rights and powers vested in it by such trust guarantee.

 

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Governing Law

The trust guarantees will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

EFFECT OF OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE SUBORDINATED DEBT SECURITIES AND THE TRUST GUARANTEES

As long as we may make payments of interest and any other payments when they are due on the junior subordinated debt securities held by a particular trust, those payments will be sufficient to cover distributions and any other payments due on the trust securities issued by that trust because of the following factors:

 

•

the total principal amount of the junior subordinated debt securities held by the trust will be equal to the total stated liquidation amount of the trust securities issued by the trust;

 

•

the interest rate and the interest payment dates and other payment dates on the junior subordinated debt securities held by the trust will match the distribution rate and distribution payment dates and other payment dates for the trust securities issued by the trust;

 

•

we will pay, and the trust will not be obligated to pay, directly or indirectly, all costs, expenses, debt, and obligations of the trust (other than obligations under the trust securities); and

 

•

each amended declaration will further provide that the trustees shall not take or cause or permit the trust to engage in any activity that is not consistent with the purposes of the trust, which consist solely of issuing the trust securities, investing in the junior subordinated debt securities and anything necessary or incident to those activities.

We will guarantee payments of distributions, to the extent the trust obligated to pay those distributions has sufficient funds available to make the payments due on the preferred securities, to the extent described under “DESCRIPTION OF TRUST GUARANTEES.” If we do not make interest payments on the junior subordinated debt securities held by a trust, that trust will not have sufficient funds to pay distributions on the preferred securities. Each trust guarantee covers the payment of distributions and other payments on the preferred securities only if and to the extent that we have made a payment of interest or principal on the junior subordinated debt securities held by the trust as its sole asset. If we have not made such a payment, the remedy of a holder of any preferred securities is to institute a legal proceeding directly against us pursuant to the terms of the subordinated debt indenture for enforcement of our obligations under the corresponding subordinated debt securities. Our obligations under each guarantee are subordinate and junior in right of payment to all of our senior indebtedness. However, we believe that the trust guarantees, when taken together with our obligations under the junior subordinated debt securities and the subordinated indenture and our obligations under the amended declarations, including our obligations to pay the costs, expenses, debts and liabilities of the trusts, provide a full and unconditional guarantee of payment on the preferred securities.

A holder of preferred securities may sue us to enforce its rights under the trust guarantee which relates to the holder’s preferred securities without first suing the guarantee trustee, the trust or any other person or entity.

LEGAL OWNERSHIP AND BOOK-ENTRY ISSUANCE

In this section, we describe special considerations that will apply to registered securities issued in global – i.e., book-entry – form. First we describe the differences between legal ownership and indirect ownership of registered securities. Then we describe special provisions that apply to global securities.

 

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Who Is the Legal Owner of a Registered Security?

Each debt security, warrant, purchase contract, unit, share of preferred stock and depositary share in registered form will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing the entire issuance of securities. We refer to those who have securities registered in their own names, on the books that we or the trustee maintain for this purpose, as the “holders” of those securities. These persons are the legal holders of the securities. We refer to those who, indirectly through others, own beneficial interests in securities that are not registered in their own names as indirect owners of those securities. As we discuss below, indirect owners are not legal holders, and investors in securities issued in book-entry form or in street name will be indirect owners.

Book-Entry Owners

We or the trusts, as applicable, will issue each security in book-entry form only, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. This means securities will be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a financial institution that holds them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the securities on behalf of themselves or their customers.

Under each indenture, only the person in whose name a security is registered is recognized as the holder of that security. Consequently, for securities issued in global form, we or the trusts will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the securities and we or the trusts will make all payments on the securities, including deliveries of any property other than cash, to the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the securities.

As a result, investors will not own securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the securities are issued in global form, investors will be indirect owners, and not holders, of the securities.

Street Name Owners

In the future, we or the trusts, as applicable, may terminate a global security or issue securities initially in non-global form. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their securities in their own names or in street name. Securities held by an investor in street name would be registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution that the investor chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest in those securities through an account he or she maintains at that institution.

For securities held in street name, we or the trusts will recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the securities are registered as the holders of those securities and we or the trusts will make all payments on those securities, including deliveries of any property other than cash, to them. The institutions pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold securities in street name will be indirect owners, not holders, of those securities.

Legal Holders

Our obligations, the obligations of the trusts, as well as the obligations of the trustee under any indenture and the obligations, if any, of any warrant agents and unit agents and any other third parties employed by us or the trusts, the trustee or any of those agents, run only to the holders of the securities. Neither we nor the trusts have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect owner of a security or has no choice because we or the trusts, as applicable, are issuing the securities only in global form.

 

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For example, once we or the trusts, as applicable, make a payment or give a notice to the holder, we or the trusts, as applicable, will have no further responsibility for that payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect owners but does not do so. Similarly, if we or the trusts want to obtain the approval of the holders for any purpose – e.g., to amend the indenture for a series of debt securities or warrants or the warrant agreement for a series of warrants or to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of our obligation to comply with a particular provision of an indenture – we or the trusts would seek the approval only from the holders, and not the indirect owners, of the relevant securities. Whether and how the holders contact the indirect owners is up to the holders.

Special Considerations for Indirect Owners

If you hold securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:

 

•

how it handles payments and notices;

 

•

whether it imposes fees or charges;

 

•

whether and how you can instruct it to exercise any rights to purchase or sell warrant property under a warrant or purchase contract property under a purchase contract or to exchange or convert a security for or into other property;

 

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how it would handle a request for the holders’ consent, if ever required;

 

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whether and how you can instruct it to send you securities registered in your own name so you can be a holder, if that is permitted in the future;

 

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how it would exercise rights under the securities if there were a default or other event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests; and

 

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if the securities are in book-entry form, how the depositary’s rules and procedures will affect these matters.

What is a Global Security?

Each security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we or the trusts deposit with and register in the name of one or more financial institutions or clearing systems, or their nominees, which we select. A financial institution or clearing system that we or the trusts select for any security for this purpose is called the “depositary” for that security. A security will usually have only one depositary but it may have more.

Each series of securities will have one or more of the following as the depositaries:

 

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The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, which is known as “DTC”;

 

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a financial institution holding the securities on behalf of Euroclear Bank SA/NV, which is known as “Euroclear”;

 

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a financial institution holding the securities on behalf of Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, which is known as “Clearstream”; and

 

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any other clearing system or financial institution named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The depositaries named above may also be participants in one another’s clearing systems. Thus, for example, if DTC is the depositary for a global security, investors may hold beneficial interests in that security through Euroclear or Clearstream, as DTC participants. If your securities are issued in the form of global securities, the depositary or depositaries for your securities will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement; if none is named, the depositary will be DTC.

 

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A global security may represent one or any other number of individual securities. Generally, all securities represented by the same global security will have the same terms. We or the trusts may, however, issue a global security that represents multiple securities of the same kind, such as debt securities, that have different terms and are issued at different times. We call this kind of global security a “master global security.” The applicable prospectus supplement will not indicate whether your securities are represented by a master global security.

A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary or its nominee, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under “—Holder’s Option to Obtain a Non-Global Security; Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated.” If termination occurs, we or the trusts may issue the securities through another book-entry clearing system or decide that the securities may no longer be held through any book-entry clearing system.

The depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only indirect interests in a global security. Indirect interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that does. Thus, an investor whose security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the security, but only an indirect owner of an interest in the global security.

Special Investor Considerations for Global Securities

As an indirect owner, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the depositary and those of the investor’s financial institution or other intermediary through which it holds its interest (e.g., Euroclear or Clearstream, if DTC is the depositary), as well as general laws relating to securities transfers. We or the trusts, as applicable, do not recognize this type of investor or any intermediary as a holder of securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.

If securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:

 

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An investor cannot cause the securities to be registered in his or her own name, and cannot obtain non-global certificates for his or her interest in the securities, except in the special situations we describe below;

 

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An investor will be an indirect holder and must look to his or her own bank or broker for payments on the securities and protection of his or her legal rights relating to the securities, as we describe above under “—Who Is the Legal Owner of a Registered Security?”;

 

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An investor may not be able to sell interests in the securities to some insurance companies and other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in non-book-entry form;

 

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An investor may not be able to pledge his or her interest in a global security in circumstances where certificates representing the securities must be delivered to the lender or other beneficiary of the pledge in order for the pledge to be effective;

 

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The depositary’s policies will govern payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other matters relating to an investor’s interest in a global security, and those policies may change from time to time. We, the trusts, the trustee and any warrant agents and unit agents will have no responsibility for any aspect of the depositary’s policies, actions or records of ownership interests in a global security. We, the trusts, the trustee and any warrant agents and unit agents also do not supervise the depositary in any way;

 

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The depositary will require that those who purchase and sell interests in a global security within its book-entry system use immediately available funds and your broker or bank may require you to do so as well; and

 

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Financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system and through which an investor holds its interest in the global securities, directly or indirectly, may also have their own policies affecting payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other matters relating to the securities, and those policies may change from time to time. For example, if you hold an interest in a global security through Euroclear or Clearstream, when DTC is the depositary, Euroclear or Clearstream, as applicable, will require those who purchase and sell interests in that security through them to use immediately available funds and comply with other policies and procedures, including deadlines for giving instructions as to transactions that are to be effected on a particular day. There may be more than one financial intermediary in the chain of ownership for an investor. We or the trusts, as applicable, do not monitor and are not responsible for the policies or actions or records of ownership interests of any of those intermediaries.

Holder’s Option to Obtain a Non-Global Security; Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated

If we or the trusts, as applicable, issue any series of securities in book-entry form but we choose to give the beneficial owners of that series the right to obtain non-global securities, any beneficial owner entitled to obtain non-global securities may do so by following the applicable procedures of the depositary, any transfer agent or registrar for that series and that owner’s bank, broker or other financial institution through which that owner holds its beneficial interest in the securities. For example, in the case of a global security representing preferred stock or depositary shares, a beneficial owner will be entitled to obtain a non-global security representing its interest by making a written request to the transfer agent or other agent designated by us or the trusts. If you are entitled to request a non-global certificate and wish to do so, you will need to allow sufficient lead time to enable us, the trusts or our agent to prepare the requested certificate.

In addition, in a few special situations described below, the global security will be terminated and interests in it will be exchanged for certificates in non-global form representing the securities it represented. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold the securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks or brokers to find out how to have their interests in a global security transferred on termination to their own names, so that they will be holders. We have described the rights of holders and street name investors above under “—Who is the Legal Owner of a Registered Security?”.

The special situations for termination of a global security are as follows:

 

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if the depositary notifies us or a trust that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global security and we or the trust, as applicable, do not appoint another institution to act as depositary within the time provided for in the indenture or other agreement;

 

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if we or a trust notify the trustee, warrant agent or unit agent, as applicable, that we or the trust wish to terminate that global security; or

 

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in the case of a global security representing debt securities or warrants issued under an indenture, if an event of default has occurred with regard to those securities and has not been cured or waived.

DTC’s current rules provide that it would notify its participants of a request by us or a trust to terminate a global security, but will only withdraw beneficial interests from the global security at the request of each DTC participant.

If a global security is terminated, only the depositary, and not we, any trust, the trustee for any debt securities, the warrant agent for any warrants or the unit agent for any units, is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions in whose names the securities represented by the global security will be registered and, therefore, who will be the holders of those securities.

 

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Considerations Relating to Euroclear and Clearstream

Euroclear and Clearstream are securities clearing systems in Europe. Both systems clear and settle securities transactions between their participants through electronic, book-entry delivery of securities against payment.

Euroclear and Clearstream may be despositaries for a global security. In addition, if DTC is the depositary for a global security, Euroclear and Clearstream may hold interests in the global security as participants in DTC.

As long as any global security is held by Euroclear or Clearstream, as depositary, you may hold an interest in the global security only through an organization that participates, directly or indirectly, in Euroclear or Clearstream. If Euroclear or Clearstream is the depositary for a global security and there is no depositary in the United States, you will not be able to hold interests in that global security through any securities clearance system in the United States.

Payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other matters relating to the securities made through Euroclear or Clearstream must comply with the rules and procedures of those systems. Those clearing systems could change their rules and procedures at any time. Neither we nor the trusts have control over those systems or their participants, and neither we nor the trusts take responsibility for their activities. Transactions between participants in Euroclear or Clearstream, on the one hand, and participants in DTC, on the other hand, when DTC is the depositary, would also be subject to DTC’s rules and procedures.

Special Timing Considerations for Transactions in Euroclear and Clearstream

Investors will be able to make and receive through Euroclear and Clearstream payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other transactions involving any securities held through those clearing systems only on days when those systems are open for business. These clearing systems may not be open for business on days when banks, brokers and other institutions are open for business in the United States.

In addition, because of time-zone differences, U.S. investors who hold their interests in the securities through these clearing systems and wish to transfer their interests, or to receive or make a payment or delivery or exercise any other right with respect to their interests, on a particular day may find that the transaction will not be effected until the next business day in Luxembourg or Brussels, as applicable. Thus, investors who wish to exercise rights that expire on a particular day may need to act before the expiration date. In addition, investors who hold their interests through both DTC and Euroclear or Clearstream may need to make special arrangements to finance any purchases or sales of their interests between the U.S. and European clearing systems, and those transactions may settle later than would be the case for transactions within one clearing system.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We and the trusts may offer and sell the securities to or through underwriters or dealers for resale, and also may offer and sell the securities directly to other purchasers or through designated agents or a combination of these methods. Any underwriter or agent involved in the offer and sale of the securities will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may also use this prospectus in connection with any rescission offer for securities described in this prospectus on the terms and conditions described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. We and the trusts may solicit offers to purchase securities directly from the public from time to time. We and the trusts also may, from time to time, authorize underwriters acting as our agents to offer and sell the securities upon the terms and conditions set forth in any prospectus supplement.

 

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In addition, we may issue the securities as a dividend or distribution or in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders. In some cases, we or dealers acting with us or on our behalf may also purchase securities and reoffer them to the public by one or more of the methods described above. This prospectus may be used in connection with any offering of the securities through any of these methods or other methods described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

In connection with the sale of securities, underwriters may receive compensation from us or a trust or from purchasers of the securities, for whom they may act as agents, in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts or commissions they receive from us or a trust, and any profit on the resale of the securities they realize may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act of 1933. Any such underwriter, dealer or agent will be identified, and any such compensation received will be described as required in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement or a post-effective amendment.

If we offer securities in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders, we may enter into a standby underwriting agreement with dealers, acting as standby underwriters. We may pay the standby underwriters a commitment fee for the securities they commit to purchase on a standby basis. If we do not enter into a standby underwriting arrangement, we may retain a dealer-manager to manage a subscription rights offering for us.

Unless otherwise specified in the related prospectus supplement, each series of the securities will be a new issue with no established trading market, other than the common stock. Any common stock sold pursuant to a prospectus supplement will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance. We and the trusts may elect to list any of the other securities on an exchange, but are not obligated to do so. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in a series of the securities, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Therefore, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for the securities.

If dealers are utilized in the sale of the securities, we and the trusts will sell the securities to the dealers as principals. The dealers may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealers at the time of resale. The names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We and the trusts may enter into agreements with underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution of the securities which may entitle these persons to indemnification by us and the trusts against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments which such underwriters, dealers or agents may be required to make in respect thereof. Any agreement in which we agree to indemnify underwriters, dealers and agents against civil liabilities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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Underwriters, dealers and agents may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, or be customers of ours in the ordinary course of business.

If so indicated in an applicable prospectus supplement, we and/or a trust may authorize dealers acting as our or its agents to solicit offers by institutions to purchase the securities from us or it at the public offering price set forth in the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on the date or dates stated in the prospectus supplement. Each delayed delivery contract will be for an amount not less than, and the aggregate principal amount or offering price of the securities sold pursuant to delayed delivery contracts will not be less nor more than, the respective amounts stated in the prospectus supplement. Institutions with whom delayed delivery contracts, when authorized, may be entered into include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and other institutions, but will in all cases be subject to approval by us and/or a trust. The obligations of any purchaser under any delayed delivery contract will not be subject to any conditions except that any related sale of offered securities to underwriters shall have occurred and the purchase by an institution of the securities covered by its delayed delivery contract shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction in the United States to which that institution is subject. The prospectus supplement will state any commission payable for solicitation of these offers.

We and our designated agents or dealers, if any, may also use this prospectus in connection with a rescission offer with respect to any securities described in this prospectus. The accompanying prospectus supplement will describe the terms and conditions of any rescission offer.

VALIDITY OF THE SECURITIES

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the securities issued by us will be passed upon for us by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, New York, New York. The validity of the securities issued by the trusts will be passed upon for the trusts and us by Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., Wilmington, Delaware.

EXPERTS

Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, has audited our consolidated financial statements and schedules included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014, as set forth in their reports, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements and schedules are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s reports, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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