SEC Filing - Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

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Form S-3

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 28, 2017

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington D.C. 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

ORCHID ISLAND CAPITAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland

27-3269228

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

3305 Flamingo Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 3263

(772) 231-1400

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, or registrant’s principal executive offices)

Robert E. Cauley

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

3305 Flamingo Drive

Vero Beach Florida 32963

(772) 231-1400

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copy to:

S. Gregory Cope, Esq.

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

2200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Suite 500 West

Washington, DC 20037

(202) 639-6526

(202) 879-8916 (Facsimile)

From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement

(Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public)

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: ☒

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.


Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☒
Non-accelerated filer	☐ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)	Smaller reporting company	☐
Emerging growth company	☒

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☒

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE



Title of each class of securities to be registered	Amount to be registered	Proposed maximum aggregate offering price per share	Proposed maximum aggregate offering price⁽¹⁾	Amount of registration fee⁽²⁾
Primary Offering:
Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities, Units⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾	⁽³⁾⁽⁵⁾	⁽⁵⁾	$500,000,000	$57,950
Secondary Offering:
Common Stock	1,520,036⁽⁶⁾	$10.95⁽⁶⁾	$16,644,394⁽⁶⁾	$1,929⁽⁶⁾
Total Registration Fee				$59,879⁽⁷⁾

(1)	Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.

(2)	The registration fee has been calculated in accordance with Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933.

(3)

Subject to footnote (1), there is being registered hereunder such indeterminate number or amount of securities of each identified class of securities of Orchid Island Capital, Inc. as may from time to time be issued or sold at indeterminate prices, with an aggregate public offering price not to exceed $500,000,000. Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933 (“Rule 416”), this registration statement shall be deemed to cover any additional number of securities as may be offered or issued from time to time upon stock splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations or similar transactions. Pursuant to Rule 457(j) of the Securities Act of 1933, this includes such indeterminate number of shares of common stock as are issuable upon conversion of preferred stock and debt securities, indeterminate number of shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock or debt securities issuable upon separation of units or indeterminate number of such securities pursuant to the anti-dilution provisions of such securities. No additional consideration will be received for such securities and, therefore, no registration fee is required pursuant to Rule 457(i) under the Securities Act of 1933. For debt securities issued with an original issue discount, the amount to be registered is calculated as the initial accreted value of such debt securities.

(4)	Each unit will be issued under a unit agreement, indenture or other agreement and will represent an interest in one or more shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock or debt securities, in any combination thereof.

(5)	Not required to be included in accordance with General Instruction II.D of Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933.

(6)

Estimated for the sole purpose of computing the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933 (“Rule 457(c)”). Pursuant to Rule 457(c), a $10.95 proposed maximum offering price per share, a $16,644,394 proposed maximum aggregate offering price and a $1,929 registration fee were computed with respect to 1,520,036 shares of common stock based on the average of the high and low price reported for the registrant’s common stock traded on the NYSE on April 27, 2017. In addition, pursuant to Rule 416, the shares of common stock being registered hereunder include such indeterminate number of shares as may be offered or issued from time to time upon stock splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations or similar transactions.

(7)

Pursuant to Rule 457(p) of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration fee is partially offset by $1,212.52, the remaining amount available from previously paid registration fees of $65,970 related to $169,950,732 of unsold securities that were registered pursuant to the registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-195389), filed with the Commission on April 18, 2014. $1,212.52 of the registration fee of $59,879 payable pursuant to this registration statement is offset against the remaining amount available from the registration fee previously paid. The remaining balance of the registration fee, $58,666.48, has been paid in connection with the filing of this registration statement.

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities and the selling stockholders may not resell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities, and we are not soliciting offers to buy these securities, in any state where the offer or sale thereof is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED APRIL 28, 2017

PROSPECTUS

LOGO

$500,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Units

Orchid Island Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation, invests in residential mortgage-backed securities the principal and interest payments of which are guaranteed by a U.S. Government agency or a U.S. Government-sponsored entity, or Agency RMBS. We are externally managed and advised by Bimini Advisors, LLC, or our Manager, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bimini Capital Management, Inc., or Bimini. Our Manager is an investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. Bimini’s common stock is traded on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol “BMNM.”

We may offer and sell, from time to time, in one or more offerings, up to an aggregate of $500,000,000 of the common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and units described in this prospectus. In addition, this prospectus covers the offer and sale from time to time of up to 1,520,036 shares of our common stock beneficially owned by the selling stockholders named herein. The registration of these shares does not necessarily mean that the selling stockholders will offer or sell any or all of these shares. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of any shares of common stock by the selling stockholders, but we will be reimbursed for expenses in connection with the registration of these shares. We, or the selling stockholders, 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.

The specific terms of any securities to be offered, and the specific manner in which they may be offered, will be described in one or more supplements to this prospectus. This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of any of these securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement. Before investing, you should carefully read this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement.

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the symbol “ORC.” The last reported sale price of our common stock on the NYSE on , 2017 was $ per share.

We are organized and intend to continue to conduct our operations to qualify as a real estate investment trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or REIT. To assist us in qualifying as a REIT, among other purposes, ownership of our stock by any person is generally limited to 9.8% in value or number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of any class or series of our stock. Our charter also contains various other restrictions on the ownership and transfer of our common stock. See “Description of Common Stock — Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer,” “Description of Preferred Stock — Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer; Change of Control Provisions” and “Description of Units.”

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully read and consider the information under “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5 of this prospectus and in any prospectus supplement before making a decision to purchase these securities.

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 May , 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS


ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			1
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			2
THE COMPANY			4
RISK FACTORS			5
USE OF PROCEEDS			6
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS			7
DESCRIPTION OF THE SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER			8
DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK			9
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK			13
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES			15
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS			26
GLOBAL SECURITIES			27
CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OUR CHARTER AND BYLAWS			28
MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS			33
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS			60
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			61
LEGAL MATTERS			64
EXPERTS			64
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			64
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE			65

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement or incorporated by reference in these documents. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement. If anyone provides you with different, inconsistent or unauthorized information or representations, you must not rely on them. This prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement are an offer to sell only the securities offered by these documents, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is current only as of the date on the front of those documents.

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a shelf registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC. Under this shelf registration statement, we, and our selling stockholders, may offer and sell any combination of our common stock, preferred stock, debt securities or units in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we, or our selling stockholders, may offer. Each time we, or our selling stockholders, offer to sell securities under this shelf registration statement, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Before you buy any of our securities, it is important for you to consider the information contained in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the headings “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” and “Where You Can Find More Information.”

The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference information that we file with them, 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 information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or set forth in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus. No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representation. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. You should assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

In this prospectus, we refer to Orchid Island Capital, Inc. as “Orchid,” “Company,” “we,” “our” and “us” unless we specifically state otherwise or the context indicates otherwise. References to “our Manager” refer to Bimini Advisors, LLC, our external manager and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bimini Capital Management, Inc. References to “Bimini” and “Bimini Capital” refer to Bimini Capital Management, Inc.

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

We make forward-looking statements in this prospectus that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans and objectives. When we use the words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “should,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “will,” or similar expressions, or the negative of these words, we intend to identify forward-looking statements. Statements regarding the following subjects are forward-looking by their nature:

•

our business and investment strategy;

•

our expected operating results;

•

our ability to acquire investments on attractive terms;

•

the effect of actual or proposed actions of the U.S. Federal Reserve with respect to monetary policy or interest rates;

•

the effect of U.S. government actions on interest rates, fiscal policy and the housing and credit markets;

•

the effect of rising interest rates on unemployment, inflation and mortgage supply and demand;

•

the effect of increased prepayment rates on the value of our assets;

•

our ability to access the capital markets;

•

our ability to obtain future financing arrangements;

•

our ability to successfully hedge the interest rate risk and prepayment risk associated with our portfolio;

•

the federal conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and related efforts, along with any changes in laws and regulations affecting the relationship between Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the U.S. Government;

•

our ability to make distributions to our stockholders in the future;

•

mortgage loan modification programs and future legislative action;

•

our understanding of our competition and our ability to compete effectively;

•

our ability to quantify risk based on historical experience;

•

our ability to qualify and maintain our qualification as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes;

•

our ability to maintain our exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act;

•

our ability to maintain the listing of our common stock on the NYSE;

•

market trends;

•

expected capital expenditures; and

•

the impact of technology on our operations and business.

The forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and expectations of our future performance, taking into account all information currently available to us. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. These beliefs, assumptions and expectations can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known to us. If a change occurs, our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we are not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risks and other cautionary statements set forth in this prospectus, including those contained in “Risk Factors.” Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements, which reflect our views as of the date of this prospectus. You should carefully consider these risks when you make a decision concerning an investment in our securities, along with the following factors, among others, that may cause actual results to vary from our forward-looking statements:

•

general volatility of the securities markets in which we invest and the market price of our securities;

•

our limited operating history;

•

changes in our business or investment strategy;

•

changes in interest rate spreads or the yield curve;

•

availability, terms and deployment of debt and equity capital;

•

availability of qualified personnel;

•

the degree and nature of our competition;

•

increased prepayments of the mortgage loans underlying our Agency RMBS;

•

risks associated with our hedging activities;

•

changes in governmental regulations, tax rates and similar matters; and

•

defaults on our investments.

THE COMPANY

Orchid Island Capital, Inc. is a specialty finance company that invests in residential mortgage-backed securities, or RMBS. The principal and interest payments of these RMBS are guaranteed by the Federal National Mortgage Association, or Fannie Mae, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, or Freddie Mac, or the Government National Mortgage Association, or Ginnie Mae, and are backed primarily by single-family residential mortgage loans. We refer to these types of RMBS as Agency RMBS. Our investment strategy focuses on, and our portfolio consists of, two categories of Agency RMBS: (i) traditional pass-through Agency RMBS and (ii) structured Agency RMBS, such as collateralized mortgage obligations, or CMOs, interest only securities, or IOs, inverse interest only securities, or IIOs, and principal only securities, or POs, among other types of structured Agency RMBS.

Our business objective is to provide attractive risk-adjusted total returns to our investors over the long term through a combination of capital appreciation and the payment of regular monthly distributions. We intend to achieve this objective by investing in and strategically allocating capital between pass-through Agency RMBS and structured Agency RMBS. We seek to generate income from (i) the net interest margin on our leveraged pass-through Agency RMBS portfolio and the leveraged portion of our structured Agency RMBS portfolio, and (ii) the interest income we generate from the unleveraged portion of our structured Agency RMBS portfolio. We also seek to minimize the volatility of both the net asset value of, and income from, our portfolio through a process which emphasizes capital allocation, asset selection, liquidity and active interest rate risk management.

We fund our pass-through Agency RMBS and certain of our structured Agency RMBS, such as fixed and floating rate tranches of CMOs and POs, through repurchase agreements. However, we generally do not employ leverage on our structured Agency RMBS that have no principal balance, such as IOs and IIOs. We may pledge a portion of these assets to increase our cash balance, but we do not intend to invest the cash derived from pledging the assets. Otherwise, we do not use leverage in these instances because the securities contain structural leverage.

We were formed by Bimini Capital Management, Inc. in August 2010, commenced operations on November 24, 2010 and completed our initial public offering on February 20, 2013. On October 8, 2014, we transferred the listing of our common stock from the NYSE MKT to NYSE and trade under the symbol “ORC.”

We are externally managed and advised by Bimini Advisors, LLC, which we refer to as our Manager. Our Manager is an investment advisor registered with the SEC. Additionally, our Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bimini, which has a long track record of managing investments in Agency RMBS.

We are organized and conduct our operations to qualify to be taxed as REIT for federal income tax purposes. As such, we are required to distribute 90% of our taxable net income annually. We generally will not be subject to income taxes on our net taxable income to the extent we currently distribute our net taxable income to our stockholders and maintain our REIT qualification. It is our intention to distribute 100% of our taxable net income, after application of available tax attributes, within the limits prescribed by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), which may extend into the subsequent taxable year.

We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and as such, we are not required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), we have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and we are exempt from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. Although we are an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act, we have elected to opt out of the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards, and such election is irrevocable.

Our offices are located at 3305 Flamingo Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32963, and the telephone number of our offices is (772) 231-1400. Our internet address is www.orchidislandcapital.com. Our internet site and the information contained therein or connected thereto do not constitute a part of this prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto.

RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves substantial risks, including the risk that you might lose your entire investment. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully read and consider the information set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q (which information is incorporated by reference in this prospectus), as well as the other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement hereto. See “Where You Can Find More Information” below. Any one of the risks discussed could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations and could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or not identified may also materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise indicated in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of securities offered by this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement to acquire Agency RMBS and for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of indebtedness.

We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our common stock by the selling stockholders offered by this prospectus.

The selling stockholders will pay any underwriting discounts and commissions and expenses they incur for brokerage, accounting, tax or legal services or any other expenses they incur in disposing of the shares. The selling stockholders will reimburse us for all other costs, fees and expenses incurred in effecting the registration of the selling stockholder’s shares covered by this prospectus. These may include, without limitation, all registration and filing fees, fees and expenses of our counsel and accountants and blue sky fees and expenses.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends for the periods shown:

Three
Months
Ended
March 31,
2017

Year Ended
December 31,

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends⁽¹⁾

1.36

1.13

1.15

9.09

—

⁽²⁾

2.93

(1)	Fixed charges consist of interest expense on all indebtedness. No preferred stock was outstanding during these periods.

(2)	For this period, earnings were less than fixed charges therefore the ratio coverage was less than 1:1. The Company would have needed additional earnings of $698,006 to achieve a coverage ratio of 1:1

The ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends was computed by dividing our earnings by the aggregate of our fixed charges and preferred dividends. To date, we have not issued preferred stock or paid any preferred stock dividends. Therefore, the ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends is the same as the ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods presented. For this purpose, earnings consist of our net income (loss) plus our fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest expense on all indebtedness.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

This prospectus contains a summary description of the common stock, preferred stock, debt securities and units that we may offer from time to time. As further described in this prospectus, these summary descriptions are not meant to be complete descriptions of each security. The particular terms of any security will be described in the accompanying prospectus supplement and other offering material. The accompanying prospectus supplement may update, change or add to the terms and conditions of the securities as described in this prospectus.

DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

The following summary description of our common stock does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to Maryland law, our charter and our bylaws, copies of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

General

Our authorized capital stock consists of 600,000,000 shares of which 500,000,000 shares are designated as common stock with a par value of $0.01 per share. As of April 28, 2017, 34,877,414 shares of common stock were issued and outstanding. Our common stock is currently listed for trading on the NYSE under the symbol “ORC.” We will apply to the NYSE to list any additional shares of common stock to be sold pursuant to any prospectus supplement, and we anticipate that any such shares will be listed on the NYSE.

Dividends, Liquidation and Other Rights

Subject to the preferential rights, if any, of holders of any other class or series of stock and to the provisions of our charter regarding restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to receive distributions if, when and as authorized by our Board of Directors and declared by us out of assets legally available for distribution.

Our charter provides that to the extent we incur any tax under the Code as the result of any “excess inclusion income” of ours being allocated to a “disqualified organization” that holds our stock in record name, our Board of Directors will cause us to reduce distributions payable to such stockholder in an amount equal to such tax paid by us that is attributable to such stockholder’s ownership in accordance with applicable U.S. Treasury regulations. We do not currently intend to make investments or engage in activities that generate “excess inclusion income,” but our charter does not prevent “disqualified organizations” from owning our common stock. See “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — Taxation of Our Company” and “— Requirements for Qualification — Taxable Mortgage Pools” for a discussion of “disqualified organizations” and “excess inclusion income.”

Holders of shares of our common stock generally have no preference, conversion, exchange, sinking fund, redemption or appraisal rights and have no preemptive rights to subscribe for any securities of the Company. Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, all holders of our shares of common stock will have equal liquidation and other rights.

Voting Rights of Common Stock

Subject to the provisions of our charter regarding restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock and except as may otherwise be specified in the terms of any class or series of capital stock, each outstanding share of our common stock entitles the holder thereof to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors. Except as may be provided with respect to any other class or series of stock, the holders of such shares will possess the exclusive voting power. There is no cumulative voting in the election of our directors, and directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast in the election of directors.

Power to Increase or Decrease Authorized Shares of Common Stock and Issue Additional Shares of Common Stock

Our charter provides that we may issue up to 500,000,000 shares of common stock. Our charter authorizes our Board of Directors, with the approval of a majority of our entire Board of Directors, to amend our charter to increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares of stock or the number of authorized shares of

stock of any class or series without stockholder approval. Our charter authorizes our Board of Directors, without stockholder approval, to reclassify any unissued shares of our common stock into other classes or series of stock and to establish the number of shares in each class or series and to set the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers (including voting rights exclusive to such class or series), restrictions (including, without limitation, restrictions on transferability), limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each such class or series.

We believe that the power of our Board of Directors to increase or decrease the number of authorized shares of stock and to classify or reclassify unissued shares of our common stock and thereafter to cause us to issue such classified or reclassified shares of stock will provide us with increased flexibility in structuring possible future financings and acquisitions and in meeting other needs which might arise. The additional classes or series, as well as the additional shares of common stock, will be available for issuance without further action by our stockholders, unless such action is required by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which our securities may be listed or traded. Although our Board of Directors does not intend to do so, it could authorize us to issue a class or series that could, depending upon the terms of the particular class or series, delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control of the Company that might involve a premium price for our common stockholders or otherwise be in their best interests.

Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer

In order to qualify as a REIT under the Code, our shares of stock must be beneficially owned by 100 or more persons during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months or during a proportionate part of a shorter taxable year. Also, no more than 50% of the value of our outstanding shares of capital stock may be owned, directly or constructively, by five or fewer individuals (as defined in the Code to include certain entities) during the second half of any calendar year.

Because our Board of Directors believes it is at present essential for us to qualify as a REIT, our charter provides that, subject to certain exceptions, no person or entity may beneficially or constructively own, or be deemed to own by virtue of the attribution provisions of the Code, more than 9.8% in value or in number of shares, whichever is more restrictive, of the outstanding shares of any class or series of our capital stock, or the ownership limit.

Our charter also prohibits any person from (i) beneficially or constructively owning or transferring shares of our capital stock if such ownership or transfer would result in our being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code (without regard to whether the ownership interest is held during the last half of a taxable year) or otherwise cause us to fail to qualify as a REIT and (ii) transferring shares of our capital stock if such transfer, if effective, would result in our capital stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons (determined under the principles of Section 856(a)(5) of the Code). Any person who acquires or attempts or intends to acquire beneficial or constructive ownership of shares of our stock that will or may violate any of the foregoing restrictions on transfer and ownership, or who is the intended transferee of shares of our stock which are transferred to the trust (as described below), will be required to give written notice immediately to us, or, in the case of a proposed or attempted transaction, to give at least 15 days’ prior written notice, and provide us with such other information as we may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of such transfer on our status as a REIT. The foregoing restrictions on transfer and ownership will not apply if our Board of Directors determines that it is no longer in our best interests to attempt to qualify, or to continue to qualify, as a REIT, or that compliance with the restrictions on transfer and ownership is no longer required for us to qualify as a REIT.

Our Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may exempt (prospectively or retroactively) a person from certain of the limits described above and may establish or increase an excepted holder limit for such person. The person seeking an exemption must provide to our Board of Directors any such representations, covenants and undertakings as our Board of Directors may deem appropriate in order to conclude that granting the exemption and/or establishing or increasing an excepted holder limit, as the case may be, will not cause us to fail to qualify

as a REIT. Our Board of Directors may also require a ruling from the IRS or an opinion of counsel, in either case in form and substance satisfactory to the Board of Directors in its sole discretion, in order to determine that granting the exemption will not cause us to lose our qualification as a REIT. In connection with granting a waiver of the ownership limit or creating an excepted holder limit or at any other time, our Board of Directors may from time to time increase or decrease the ownership limit, subject to certain restrictions.

If shares of our stock are certificated, all such certificates will bear a legend summarizing the restrictions described herein (or a declaration that we will furnish a full statement about certain restrictions on transferability to a stockholder on request and without charge).

Any attempted transfer of our capital stock that, if effective, would result in a violation of the foregoing restrictions, will cause the number of shares causing the violation (rounded up to the nearest whole share) to be automatically transferred to a charitable trust for the benefit of a charitable beneficiary and the proposed transferee will not acquire any rights in such shares, except that any transfer that, if effective, would result in the violation of the restriction relating to shares of our capital stock being beneficially owned by fewer than 100 persons will be void ab initio. The automatic transfer will be effective as of the close of business on the business day (as defined in our charter) prior to the date of the transfer. If, for any reason, the transfer to the trust would not be effective to prevent the violation of the foregoing restrictions, our charter provides that the purported transfer in violation of the restrictions will be void ab initio. Shares of our capital stock held in the trust will be issued and outstanding shares of stock. The proposed transferee will not benefit economically from ownership of any shares of stock held in the trust, will have no rights to dividends or other distributions and no rights to vote or other rights attributable to the shares of stock held in the trust.

The trustee of the trust will have all voting rights and rights to dividends or other distributions with respect to shares held in the trust. These rights will be exercised for the exclusive benefit of the charitable beneficiary. Any dividend or other distribution paid prior to our discovery that shares of stock have been transferred to the trust must be paid by the recipient to the trustee upon demand. Any dividend or other distribution authorized but unpaid will be paid when due to the trustee. Any dividend or other distribution paid to the trustee will be held in trust for the charitable beneficiary. Subject to Maryland law, the trustee will have the authority (at the trustee’s sole discretion) (i) to rescind as void any vote cast by the proposed transferee prior to our discovery that the shares have been transferred to the trust and (ii) to recast the vote in accordance with the desires of the trustee acting for the benefit of the charitable beneficiary. However, if we have already taken irreversible corporate action, then the trustee will not have the authority to rescind and recast the vote.

Within 20 days of receiving notice from us that shares of our stock have been transferred to the trust, the trustee must sell the shares to a person designated by the trustee, whose ownership of the shares will not violate the above ownership and transfer limitations. Upon such sale, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares sold will terminate and the trustee will distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the proposed transferee and to the charitable beneficiary as follows. The proposed transferee will receive the lesser of (i) the price paid by the proposed transferee for the shares or, if the proposed transferee did not give value for the shares in connection with the event causing the shares to be held in the trust (e.g., a gift, devise or other similar transaction), the market price (as defined in our charter) of the shares on the day of the event causing the shares to be held in the trust and (ii) the price received by the trustee from the sale or other disposition of the shares (net of any commissions and other expenses).

Any net sale proceeds in excess of the amount payable to the proposed transferee will be paid immediately to the charitable beneficiary. The trustee may reduce the amount payable to the proposed transferee by the amount of dividends and other distributions paid to the purported transferee and owed by the proposed transferee to the trustee. If, prior to our discovery that shares of our stock have been transferred to the trust, the shares are sold by the proposed transferee, then (i) the shares will be deemed to have been sold on behalf of the trust and (ii) to the extent that the proposed transferee received an amount for the shares that exceeds the amount the proposed transferee was entitled to receive, the excess must be paid to the trustee upon demand.

In addition, shares of our stock held in the trust will be deemed to have been offered for sale to us, or our designee, at a price per share equal to the lesser of (i) the price per share in the transaction that resulted in the transfer to the trust (or, in the case of a devise or gift, the market price at the time of the devise or gift) and (ii) the market price on the date we accept, or our designee accepts, the offer, which we may reduce by the amount of dividends and other distributions paid to the proposed transferee and owed by the proposed transferee to the trustee. We will have the right to accept the offer until the trustee has sold the shares. Upon a sale to us, the interest of the charitable beneficiary in the shares sold will terminate and the trustee will distribute the net proceeds of the sale to the proposed transferee and any dividends or other distributions held by the trustee will be paid to the charitable beneficiary.

Every owner of 5% or more (or such lower percentage as required by the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder) of all classes or series of our stock, including shares of common stock, within 30 days after the end of each taxable year, must give written notice to us stating the name and address of such owner, the number of shares of each class and series of shares of our stock which the owner beneficially owns and a description of the manner in which the shares are held. Each owner must also provide to us such additional information as we may request in order to determine the effect, if any, of the beneficial ownership on our status as a REIT and to ensure compliance with the ownership limit. In addition, each owner of our stock must, upon demand, provide to us such information as we may request, in good faith, in order to determine our status as a REIT and to comply with the requirements of any taxing authority or governmental authority or to determine such compliance and to ensure compliance with the ownership limit.

These ownership limitations could delay, defer or prevent a transaction or a change in control that might involve a premium price for our securities or might otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. Their mailing address is 17 Battery Place, 8th Floor, New York, New York, 10004, Attn: Corporate Actions Department. Their telephone number is (917) 262-2378.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

The following summary description of our preferred stock does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to Maryland law, our charter and our bylaws, copies of which are filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

General

Our authorized capital stock consists of 600,000,000 shares of which 100,000,000 shares are designated as preferred stock with a par value of $0.01 per share. Our charter authorizes our Board of Directors, without stockholder approval, to classify any unissued shares of preferred stock and to reclassify any previously classified but unissued shares of any class or series of preferred stock. Prior to issuance of shares of each class or series, our Board of Directors is required by Maryland law and our charter to set the preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers (including voting rights exclusive to such class or series), restrictions (including, without limitation, restrictions on transferability), limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption for each such class or series. Thus, our Board of Directors could authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock that have priority over our common stock with respect to dividends or rights upon liquidation or with terms and conditions which could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change of control of the Company that might involve a premium price for holders of our common stock or otherwise be in their best interests. As of the date of this prospectus, no shares of preferred stock are outstanding, and we have no present plans to issue any preferred stock.

Terms

When we issue preferred stock, it will be fully paid and non-assessable. The preferred stock will not have any preemptive rights.

Articles supplementary that will become part of our charter will set forth the specific terms of any new series of preferred stock offered. A prospectus supplement will describe these specific terms, including:

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the title and stated value;

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the number of shares, liquidation preference and offering price;

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the dividend rate, dividend periods and payment dates;

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the date on which dividends begin to accrue or accumulate

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any auction and remarketing procedures;

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any retirement or sinking fund requirement;

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the price and the terms and conditions of any redemption right;

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any listing on any securities exchange;

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the price and the terms and conditions of any conversion or exchange right;

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any voting rights;

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the relative ranking and preferences as to dividends, liquidation, dissolution or winding up;

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any limitations on issuing any series of preferred stock ranking senior to or on a parity with the series of preferred stock as to dividends, liquidation, dissolution or winding up;

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any limitations on direct or beneficial ownership and restrictions on transfer; and

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any other specific terms, preferences, rights, limitations or restrictions.

Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer; Change of Control Provisions

As discussed above under “Description of Common Stock — Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer,” our charter contains restrictions on ownership and transfers of our capital stock. In addition, the articles supplementary designating the terms of each series of preferred stock may also contain additional provisions restricting the ownership and transfer of the preferred stock. The prospectus supplement will describe any additional ownership limitation relating to a series of preferred stock.

For a discussion of provisions in our charter that may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control, see “Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and our Charter and Bylaws.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The prospectus supplement will identify the transfer agent and registrar for the preferred stock.

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

General

The debt securities offered by this prospectus will be our direct unsecured general obligations. This prospectus describes certain general terms of the debt securities offered through this prospectus. In the following discussion, we refer to any of our direct unsecured general obligations as the “Debt Securities.” When we offer to sell a particular series of Debt Securities, we will describe the specific terms of that series in a prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus. The Debt Securities will be issued under an open-ended Indenture (for Debt Securities) between us and a trustee to be selected by us at or about the time we offer our Debt Securities. The form of open ended Indenture (for Debt Securities) is incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. In this prospectus we refer to the Indenture (for Debt Securities) as the “Debt Securities Indenture.” We refer to the trustee under any Debt Securities Indenture as the “Debt Securities Trustee.”

The prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus applicable to a particular series of Debt Securities may state that a particular series of Debt Securities will be our subordinated obligations. The form of Debt Securities Indenture referred to above includes optional provisions (designated by brackets (“[ ]”)) that we would expect to appear in a separate indenture for subordinated debt securities in the event we issue subordinated debt securities. In the following discussion, we refer to any of our subordinated obligations as the “Subordinated Debt Securities.” Unless the applicable prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus provides otherwise, we will use a separate Debt Securities Indenture for any Subordinated Debt Securities that we may issue. Our Debt Securities Indenture will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or the Trust Indenture Act, and you should refer to the Trust Indenture Act for the provisions that apply to the Debt Securities.

We have summarized selected provisions of the Debt Securities Indenture below. Each Debt Securities Indenture will be independent of any other Debt Securities Indenture unless otherwise stated in a prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus. The summary that follows is not complete and the summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the provisions of the applicable Debt Securities Indenture. You should consult the applicable Debt Securities, Debt Securities Indenture, any supplemental indentures, officers’ certificates and other related documents for more complete information on the Debt Securities. These documents appear as exhibits to, or are incorporated by reference into, the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will appear as exhibits to other documents that we will file with the SEC, which will be incorporated by reference into this prospectus. In the summary below, we have included references to applicable section numbers of the Debt Securities Indenture so that you can easily locate these provisions.

Ranking

Our Debt Securities that are not designated Subordinated Debt Securities will be effectively subordinated to all secured indebtedness that we have outstanding from time to time to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such secured indebtedness. Our Debt Securities that are designated Subordinated Debt Securities will be subordinate to all outstanding secured indebtedness as well as Debt Securities that are not designated Subordinated Debt Securities. We incur indebtedness from time to time to finance many of our assets primarily pursuant to repurchase agreements. This indebtedness is deemed to be secured indebtedness. As a result, we have a significant amount of secured indebtedness at any given time in relation to our total assets. The Debt Securities Indenture does not limit the amount of secured indebtedness that we may issue or incur.

Our ability to meet our financial obligations with respect to any future Debt Securities, and cash needs generally, is dependent on our operating cash flow, our ability to access various sources of short- and long-term liquidity, including repurchase agreements, financing and the capital markets. Holders of our Debt Securities will effectively have a junior position to claims of our creditors, including trade creditors, debt holders, secured creditors, taxing authorities and guarantee holders.

Provisions of a Particular Series

The Debt Securities may from time to time be issued in one or more series. You should consult the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus relating to any particular series of Debt Securities for the following information:

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the title of the Debt Securities;

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any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities of the series of which they are a part;

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the date(s), or method for determining the date(s), on which the principal of the Debt Securities will be payable;

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the rate, including the method of determination, if applicable, at which the Debt Securities will bear interest, if any, and:

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the date from which the interest will accrue;

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the dates on which we will pay interest;

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to whom the interest is payable, if other than the registered holder;

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our ability, if any, to defer interest payments and any related restrictions during any interest deferral period; and

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the record date for any interest payable on any interest payment date;

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the place where:

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the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Debt Securities will be payable;

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you may register the transfer of the Debt Securities;

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you may exchange the Debt Securities; and

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you may serve notices and demands upon us regarding the Debt Securities;

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the security registrar for the Debt Securities and whether the principal of the Debt Securities is payable without presentment or surrender of them;

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the terms and conditions upon which we may elect to redeem any Debt Securities, including any replacement capital or similar covenants limiting our ability to redeem any Subordinated Debt Securities;

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the denominations in which we may issue Debt Securities, if other than $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000;

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the terms and conditions upon which the Debt Securities must be redeemed or purchased due to our obligations pursuant to any sinking fund or other mandatory redemption or tender provisions, or at the holder’s option, including any applicable exceptions to notice requirements;

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the currency, if other than United States currency, in which payments on the Debt Securities will be payable;

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the terms according to which elections can be made by us or the holder regarding payments on the Debt Securities in currency other than the currency in which the Debt Securities are stated to be payable;

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if any Debt Securities are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars or in a composite currency, the obligations or instruments that will be considered eligible obligations with respect to such Debt Securities and any additional provisions for the reimbursement of the Company’s indebtedness with respect to such Debt Securities after the satisfaction or discharge thereof;

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if payments are to be made on the Debt Securities in securities or other property, the type and amount of the securities and other property or the method by which the amount shall be determined;

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the manner in which we will determine any amounts payable on the Debt Securities that are to be determined with reference to an index or other fact or event ascertainable outside of the applicable indenture;

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if other than the entire principal amount, the portion of the principal amount of the Debt Securities payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity;

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any addition to the events of default applicable to any Debt Securities and any addition to our covenants for the benefit of the holders of the Debt Securities;

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the terms applicable to any rights to convert Debt Securities into or exchange them for other of our securities or those of any other entity;

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whether we are issuing Debt Securities as global securities, and if so:

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the terms and conditions upon which the global securities may be exchanged for certificated Debt Securities;

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the depositary for the global securities; and

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the form of legend to be set forth on the global securities;

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whether we are issuing the Debt Securities as bearer certificates;

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any limitations on transfer or exchange of Debt Securities or the right to obtain registration of their transfer, and the terms and amount of any service charge required for registration of transfer or exchange;

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any exceptions to the provisions governing payments due on legal holidays, or any variations in the definition of business day with respect to the Debt Securities;

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any collateral security, assurance, guarantee or other credit enhancement applicable to the Debt Securities;

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any other terms of the Debt Securities not in conflict with the provisions of the applicable Debt Securities Indenture; and

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the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the Debt Securities.

For more information, see Section 3.01 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Debt Securities may be sold at a substantial discount below their principal amount. You should consult the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus for a description of certain material federal income tax considerations that may apply to Debt Securities sold at an original issue discount or denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars.

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus states otherwise, the covenants contained in the applicable indenture will not afford holders of Debt Securities protection in the event we have a change in control or are involved in a highly-leveraged transaction.

Subordination

The applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may provide that a series of Debt Securities will be Subordinated Debt Securities, subordinate and junior in right of payment to all of our Senior Indebtedness, as defined below. If so, we will issue these securities under a separate Debt Securities Indenture for Subordinated Debt Securities. For more information, see Article XV of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus states otherwise, in the event:

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there occur certain acts of bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of our company;

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any Senior Indebtedness is not paid when due;

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any applicable grace period with respect to other defaults with respect to any Senior Indebtedness has ended, the default has not been cured or waived and the maturity of such Senior Indebtedness has been accelerated because of the default; or

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the maturity of the Subordinated Debt Securities of any series has been accelerated because of a default and Senior Indebtedness is then outstanding;

then no payment of principal of, including redemption and sinking fund payments, or any premium or interest on, the Subordinated Debt Securities may be made until all amounts due to holders of Senior Indebtedness have been paid in full.

Upon any distribution of our assets to creditors upon any dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization, whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other proceedings, all principal of, and any premium and interest due or to become due on, all outstanding Senior Indebtedness must be paid in full before the holders of the Subordinated Debt Securities are entitled to payment. For more information, see Section 15.02 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture. The rights of the holders of the Subordinated Debt Securities will be subrogated to the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or distributions applicable to Senior Indebtedness until all amounts owing on the Subordinated Debt Securities are paid in full. For more information, see Section 15.04 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus states otherwise, the term “Senior Indebtedness” means all:

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obligations (other than non-recourse obligations and the indebtedness issued under the applicable Subordinated Debt Securities Indenture) of, or guaranteed or assumed by, us:

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for borrowed money (including both senior and subordinated indebtedness for borrowed money, but excluding the Subordinated Debt Securities); or

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for the payment of money relating to any lease that is capitalized on our consolidated balance sheet in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

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indebtedness evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments;

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obligations with respect to letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or similar facilities issued for our account;

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obligations issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course);

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obligations for claims, as defined in section 101(5) of the United States Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended, in respect of derivative products such as interest and foreign exchange rate contracts, commodity contracts and similar arrangements; and

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obligations of another person for which we have guaranteed or assumed direct or indirect responsibility or liability.

In the case of any such indebtedness or obligations, Senior Indebtedness includes amendments, renewals, extensions, modifications and refundings, whether existing as of the date of the Subordinated Debt Securities Indenture or subsequently incurred by us.

The Subordinated Debt Securities Indenture does not limit the aggregate amount of Senior Indebtedness we may issue.

Form, Exchange and Transfer

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus states otherwise, we will issue Debt Securities only in fully registered form without coupons and in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. For more information, see Sections 2.01 and 3.02 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Holders may present Debt Securities for exchange or for registration of transfer, duly endorsed or accompanied by a duly executed instrument of transfer, at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent we may designate. Exchanges and transfers are subject to the terms of the applicable indenture and applicable limitations for global securities. We may designate ourselves as the security registrar.

No charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Debt Securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that the holder must pay in connection with the transaction. Any transfer or exchange will become effective upon the security registrar or transfer agent, as the case may be, being satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. For more information, see Section 3.05 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

The applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus will state the name of any transfer agent, in addition to the security registrar initially designated by us, for any Debt Securities. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or withdraw the designation of any transfer agent or make a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts. We must, however, maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the Debt Securities of each series. For more information, see Section 6.02 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

We will not be required to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any:

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Debt Securities or any tranche of any Debt Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any Debt Securities called for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of mailing; or

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Debt Securities selected for redemption except the unredeemed portion of any Debt Securities being partially redeemed.

For more information, see Section 3.05 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Payment and Paying Agents

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus states otherwise, we will pay interest on a Debt Security on any interest payment date to the person in whose name the Debt Security is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the interest payment. For more information, see Section 3.07 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus provides otherwise, we will pay principal and any premium and interest on Debt Securities at the office of the paying agent whom we will designate for this purpose. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus states otherwise, the corporate trust office of the Debt Securities Trustee in New York City will be designated as our sole paying agent for payments with respect to Debt Securities of each series. Any other paying agents initially designated by us for the Debt Securities of a particular series will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus. We may at any time add or delete paying agents or change the office through which any paying agent acts. We must, however, maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the Debt Securities of a particular series. For more information, see Section 6.02 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

All money we pay to a paying agent for the payment of the principal and any premium or interest on any Debt Security that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after payment is due will be repaid to us. After that date, the holder of that Debt Security shall be deemed an unsecured general creditor and may look only to us for these payments. For more information, see Section 6.03 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Redemption

You should consult the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus for any terms regarding optional or mandatory redemption of Debt Securities. Except for any provisions in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus regarding Debt Securities redeemable at the holder’s option, Debt Securities may be redeemed only upon notice by mail not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date. Further, if less than all of the Debt Securities of a series, or any tranche of a series, are to be redeemed, the Debt Securities to be redeemed will be selected by the Debt Securities Trustee by the method provided for the particular series. In the absence of a selection provision, the Debt Securities Trustee will select a fair and appropriate method of selection. For more information, see Sections 4.02, 4.03 and 4.04 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

A notice of redemption we provide may state:

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that redemption is conditioned upon receipt by the paying agent on or before the redemption date of money sufficient to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on the Debt Securities; and

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that if the money has not been received, the notice will be ineffective and we will not be required to redeem the Debt Securities.

For more information, see Section 4.04 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

We may not consolidate with or merge into any other corporation, nor may we transfer or lease substantially all of our assets and property to any other person, unless:

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the corporation formed by the consolidation or into which we are merged, or the person that acquires by conveyance or transfer, or that leases, substantially all of our property and assets:

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is organized and validly existing under the laws of a domestic jurisdiction; and

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expressly assumes by supplemental indenture our obligations on the Debt Securities and under the applicable indentures;

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immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no event of default, and no event that (after notice or lapse of time or both) would become an event of default, has occurred and is continuing; and

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we have delivered to the Debt Securities Trustee an officer’s certificate and opinion of counsel as provided in the applicable indentures.

For more information, see Section 11.01 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Events of Default

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus states otherwise, “event of default” under the applicable indenture with respect to Debt Securities of any series means any of the following:

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failure to pay any interest due on any Debt Security of that series within 30 days after it becomes due;

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failure to pay principal or premium, if any, when due on any Debt Security of that series;

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failure to make any required sinking fund payment when due on any Debt Securities of that series;

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breach of or failure to perform any other covenant or warranty in the applicable indenture with respect to Debt Securities of that series for 60 days (subject to extension under certain circumstances for another 120 days) after we receive notice from the Debt Securities Trustee, or we and the Debt Securities Trustee receive notice from the holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the Debt Securities of that series outstanding under the applicable indenture according to the provisions of the applicable indenture;

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certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization; and

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any other event of default set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus.

For more information, see Section 8.01 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

An event of default with respect to a particular series of Debt Securities does not necessarily constitute an event of default with respect to the Debt Securities of any other series issued under the applicable indenture.

If an event of default with respect to a particular series of Debt Securities occurs and is continuing, either the Debt Securities Trustee or the holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of that series may declare the principal amount of all of the Debt Securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. If the Debt Securities of that series are discount Debt Securities or similar Debt Securities, only the portion of the principal amount as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may be immediately due and payable. If an event of default occurs and is continuing with respect to all series of Debt Securities issued under a Debt Securities Indenture, including all events of default relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the Debt Securities Trustee or the holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of all series issued under that Debt Securities Indenture, considered together, may declare an acceleration of the principal amount of all series of Debt Securities issued under that Debt Securities Indenture. There is no automatic acceleration, even in the event of our bankruptcy or insolvency.

The applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may provide, with respect to a series of Debt Securities to which a credit enhancement is applicable, that the provider of the credit enhancement may, if a default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the series, have all or any part of the rights with respect to remedies that would otherwise have been exercisable by the holder of that series.

At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Debt Securities of a particular series, and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained, the event of default giving rise to the declaration of acceleration will, without further action, be deemed to have been waived, and the declaration and its consequences will be deemed to have been rescinded and annulled, if:

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we have paid or deposited with the Debt Securities Trustee a sum sufficient to pay:

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all overdue interest on all Debt Securities of the particular series;

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the principal of and any premium on any Debt Securities of that series that have become due otherwise than by the declaration of acceleration and any interest at the rate prescribed in the Debt Securities;

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interest upon overdue interest at the rate prescribed in the Debt Securities, to the extent payment is lawful; and

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all amounts due to the Debt Securities Trustee under the applicable indenture; and

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any other event of default with respect to the Debt Securities of the particular series, other than the failure to pay the principal of the Debt Securities of that series that has become due solely by the declaration of acceleration, has been cured or waived as provided in the applicable indenture.

For more information, see Section 8.02 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

The applicable Debt Securities Indenture likely will include provisions as to the duties of the Debt Securities Trustee in case an event of default occurs and is continuing. Consistent with these provisions, the Debt Securities Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers at the request or direction of any of the holders unless those holders have offered to the Debt Securities Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that may be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction. For more information, see Section 9.03 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture. Subject to these provisions for indemnification, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of any series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Debt Securities Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Debt Securities Trustee, with respect to the Debt Securities of that series. For more information, see Section 8.12 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

No holder of Debt Securities may institute any proceeding regarding the applicable indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or a trustee, or for any other remedy under the applicable indenture unless:

•

the holder has previously given to the Debt Securities Trustee written notice of a continuing event of default of that particular series;

•

the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of all series with respect to which an event of default has occurred and is continuing have made a written request to the Debt Securities Trustee, and have offered reasonable indemnity to the Debt Securities Trustee, to institute the proceeding as trustee; and

•

the Debt Securities Trustee has failed to institute the proceeding, and has not received from the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of that series a direction inconsistent with the request, within 60 days after notice, request and offer of reasonable indemnity.

For more information, see Section 8.07 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

The preceding limitations do not apply, however, to a suit instituted by a holder of a Debt Security for the enforcement of payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on the Debt Securities on or after the applicable due date stated in the Debt Securities. For more information, see Section 8.08 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

We must furnish annually to the Debt Securities Trustee a statement by an appropriate officer as to that officer’s knowledge of our compliance with all conditions and covenants under each of the indentures for Debt Securities. Our compliance is to be determined without regard to any grace period or notice requirement under the respective indenture. For more information, see Sections 6.05 and 6.06 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Modification and Waiver

We and the Debt Securities Trustee, without the consent of the holders of the Debt Securities, may enter into one or more supplemental indentures for any of the following purposes:

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to evidence the assumption by any permitted successor of our covenants in the applicable indenture and the Debt Securities;

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to add one or more covenants or other provisions for the benefit of the holders of outstanding Debt Securities or to surrender any right or power conferred upon us by the applicable indenture;

•

to add any additional events of default;

•

to change or eliminate any provision of the applicable indenture or add any new provision to it, but if this action would adversely affect the interests of the holders of any particular series of Debt Securities in any material respect, the action will not become effective with respect to that series while any Debt Securities of that series remain outstanding under the applicable indenture;

•

to provide collateral security for the Debt Securities;

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to establish the form or terms of Debt Securities according to the provisions of the applicable indenture;

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to provide for the authentication and delivery of bearer securities (and coupons representing any interest thereon) and for procedures for the registration, exchange and replacement of such bearer securities and for the giving of notice to, and the solicitation of the vote or consent of, the holders of such bearer securities, and for all related incidental matters;

•

to evidence the acceptance of appointment of a successor Debt Securities Trustee under the applicable indenture with respect to one or more series of the Debt Securities and to add to or change any of the provisions of the applicable indenture as necessary to provide for trust administration under the applicable indenture by more than one trustee;

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to provide for the procedures required to permit the use of a non-certificated system of registration for any series of Debt Securities;

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to change any place where:

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the principal of and any premium and interest on any Debt Securities are payable;

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any Debt Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange; or

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notices and demands to or upon us regarding Debt Securities and the applicable indentures may be served; or

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to cure any ambiguity or inconsistency, but only by means of changes or additions that will not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Debt Securities of any series in any material respect.

For more information, see Section 12.01 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

The holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of any series may waive:

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compliance by us with certain provisions of the applicable indenture (see Section 6.06 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture); and

•

any past default under the applicable indenture, except a default in the payment of principal, premium or interest and certain covenants and provisions of the applicable indenture that cannot be modified or amended without consent of the holder of each outstanding Debt Security of the series affected (see Section 8.13 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture).

The Trust Indenture Act of 1939 may be amended after the date of the applicable indenture to require changes to the indenture. In this event, the indenture will be deemed to have been amended so as to effect the changes, and we and the Debt Securities Trustee may, without the consent of any holders, enter into one or more supplemental indentures to evidence or effect the amendment. For more information, see Section 12.01 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Except as provided in this section, the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of all series issued pursuant to a Debt Securities Indenture, considered as one class, is required to change in any manner the Debt Securities Indenture pursuant to one or more supplemental indentures. If there are Debt Securities of more than one series outstanding under a Debt Securities Indenture and

less than all of such series are directly affected by a proposed supplemental indenture, however, only the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of all series directly affected, considered as one class, will be required. Furthermore, if the Debt Securities of any series have been issued in more than one tranche and if the proposed supplemental indenture directly affects the rights of the holders of one or more, but not all, tranches, only the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of all tranches directly affected, considered as one class, will be required. In addition, an amendment or modification:

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may not, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Debt Security affected:

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change the maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Debt Securities;

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reduce the principal amount or the rate of interest, or the amount of any installment of interest, or change the method of calculating the rate of interest;

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reduce any premium payable upon the redemption of the Debt Securities;

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reduce the amount of the principal of any Debt Security originally issued at a discount from the stated principal amount that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of maturity;

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change the currency or other property in which a Debt Security or premium or interest on a Debt Security is payable; or

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impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the stated maturity, or in the case of redemption, on or after the redemption date, of any Debt Securities;

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may not reduce the percentage of principal amount requirement for consent of the holders for any supplemental indenture, or for any waiver of compliance with any provision of or any default under the applicable indenture, or reduce the requirements for quorum or voting, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Debt Security of each series or tranche affected; and

•

may not modify provisions of the applicable indenture relating to supplemental indentures, waivers of certain covenants and waivers of past defaults with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or any tranche of a series, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Debt Security affected.

A supplemental indenture will be deemed not to affect the rights under the applicable indenture of the holders of any series or tranche of the Debt Securities if the supplemental indenture:

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changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of the applicable indenture expressly included solely for the benefit of one or more other particular series of Debt Securities or tranches thereof; or

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modifies the rights of the holders of Debt Securities of any other series or tranches with respect to any covenant or other provision.

For more information, see Section 12.02 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

If we solicit from holders of the Debt Securities any type of action, we may at our option by board resolution fix in advance a record date for the determination of the holders entitled to vote on the action. We shall have no obligation, however, to do so. If we fix a record date, the action may be taken before or after the record date, but only the holders of record at the close of business on the record date shall be deemed to be holders for the purposes of determining whether holders of the requisite proportion of the outstanding Debt Securities have authorized the action. For that purpose, the outstanding Debt Securities shall be computed as of the record date. Any holder action shall bind every future holder of the same security and the holder of every security issued upon the registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of the security in respect of anything done or permitted by the Debt Securities Trustee or us in reliance on that action, whether or not notation of the action is made upon the security. For more information, see Section 1.04 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Defeasance

Unless the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus provides otherwise, any Debt Security, or portion of the principal amount of a Debt Security, will be deemed to have been paid for purposes of the applicable indenture, and, at our election, our entire indebtedness in respect of the Debt Security, or portion thereof, will be deemed to have been satisfied and discharged, if we have irrevocably deposited with the Debt Securities Trustee or any paying agent other than us, in trust money, certain eligible obligations, as defined in the applicable indenture, or a combination of the two, sufficient to pay principal of and any premium and interest due and to become due on the Debt Security or portion thereof, and other required documentation. Included among the documentation we are required to deliver to be deemed to have our indebtedness deemed satisfied and discharged with respect to a Debt Security pursuant to the preceding sentence is an opinion of counsel to the effect that, as a result of a change in law occurring after the date of the form of Debt Security Indenture, the holders of such Debt Security, or portions thereof, will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the satisfaction and discharge of our indebtedness in respect thereof and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, at the same times and in the same manner as if such satisfaction and discharge had not been effected. For more information, see Section 7.01 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture. For this purpose, unless the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus provides otherwise, eligible obligations include direct obligations of, or obligations unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States, entitled to the benefit of full faith and credit of the United States, and certificates, depositary receipts or other instruments that evidence a direct ownership interest in those obligations or in any specific interest or principal payments due in respect of those obligations.

Resignation, Removal of Debt Securities Trustee; Appointment of Successor

The Debt Securities Trustee may resign at any time by giving written notice to us or may be removed at any time by an action of the holders of a majority in principal amount of outstanding Debt Securities delivered to the Debt Securities Trustee and us. No resignation or removal of the Debt Securities Trustee and no appointment of a successor trustee will become effective until a successor trustee accepts appointment in accordance with the requirements of the applicable indenture. So long as no event of default or event that would become an event of default (after notice or lapse of time or both) has occurred and is continuing, and except with respect to a Debt Securities Trustee appointed by an action of the holders, if we have delivered to the Debt Securities Trustee a resolution of our board of directors appointing a successor trustee and the successor trustee has accepted the appointment in accordance with the terms of the applicable indenture, the Debt Securities Trustee will be deemed to have resigned and the successor trustee will be deemed to have been appointed as trustee in accordance with the applicable indenture. For more information, see Section 9.10 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Notices

We will give notices to holders of Debt Securities by mail to their addresses as they appear in the Debt Security Register. For more information, see Section 1.06 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Title

The Debt Securities Trustee and its agents, and we and our agents, may treat the person in whose name a Debt Security is registered as the absolute owner of that Debt Security, whether or not that Debt Security may be overdue, for the purpose of making payment and for all other purposes. For more information, see Section 3.08 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

Governing Law

The Debt Securities Indentures and the Debt Securities, including any Subordinated Debt Securities Indentures and Subordinated Debt Securities, will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York. For more information, see Section 1.12 of the form of Debt Securities Indenture.

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

We may issue units consisting of one or more shares of common stock, shares of preferred stock or any combination of such securities.

The prospectus supplement governing the issuance of any units will specify the following terms in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered:

•

the terms of the units and of any of the shares of common stock or shares of preferred stock constituting the units, including whether and under what circumstances the securities comprising the units may be traded separately;

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the terms of any unit agreement governing the units;

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if appropriate, a discussion of the material U.S. federal income tax considerations applicable to the units; and

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the provisions for the payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units.

Additionally, in order to enable us to preserve our qualification as a REIT, we may take certain actions to restrict ownership and transfer of our outstanding securities, including any units. The prospectus supplement related to the offering of any units will specify any additional ownership limitation relating to the units being offered thereby.

GLOBAL SECURITIES

We may issue some or all of our securities of any series as global securities. We will register each global security in the name of a depositary identified in the applicable prospectus supplement. The global securities will be deposited with a depositary or nominee or custodian for the depositary and will bear a legend regarding restrictions on exchanges and registration of transfer as discussed below and any other matters to be provided pursuant to the indenture.

As long as the depositary or its nominee is the registered holder of a global security, that person will be considered the sole owner and holder of the global security and the securities represented by it for all purposes under the securities and the indenture. Except in limited circumstances, owners of a beneficial interest in a global security:

•

will not be entitled to have the global security or any securities represented by it registered in their names;

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will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated securities in exchange for the global security; and

•

will not be considered to be the owners or holders of the global security or any securities represented by it for any purposes under the securities or the indenture.

We will make all payments of principal and any premium and interest on a global security to the depositary or its nominee as the holder of the global security. The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global security.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be limited to institutions having accounts with the depositary or its nominee, called “participants” for purposes of this discussion, and to persons that hold beneficial interests through participants. When a global security is issued, the depositary will credit on its book-entry, registration and transfer system the principal amounts of securities represented by the global security to the accounts of its participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global security will be shown only on, and the transfer of those ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by:

•

the depositary, with respect to participants’ interests; or

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any participant, with respect to interests of persons held by the participants on their behalf.

Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests held through the participants will be the responsibility of the participants. The depositary may from time to time adopt various policies and procedures governing payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to beneficial interests in a global security. None of the following will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the depositary’s or any participant’s records relating to, or for payments made on account of, beneficial interests in a global security, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial interests:

•

us or our affiliates;

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the trustee under any indenture; or

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any agent of any of the above.

CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND OUR CHARTER AND BYLAWS

The following is a summary of the material provisions of Maryland law applicable to us and of our charter and bylaws and does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified by reference to Maryland law and our charter and bylaws. See the exhibit list for the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” for information on how to find copies of our charter and bylaws.

Our Board of Directors

Our charter and bylaws provide that the number of directors of the Company will not be less than the minimum number required under the Maryland General Corporation Law, or the MGCL, which is one, and, unless our bylaws are amended, not more than fifteen and may be increased or decreased pursuant to our bylaws by a vote of the majority of our entire Board of Directors. Subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of preferred stock, any vacancy may be filled only by a majority of the remaining directors, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and any director elected to fill a vacancy will serve for the remainder of the full term of the directorship in which such vacancy occurred and until a successor is duly elected and qualifies. Pursuant to our charter and bylaws, each member of our Board of Directors is elected by our stockholders to serve until the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies. Holders of shares of our common stock will have no right to cumulative voting in the election of directors, and directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast in the election of directors.

Removal of Directors

Our charter provides that, subject to the rights of holders of one or more classes or series of preferred stock to elect or remove one or more directors, a director may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of holders of shares entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors. “Cause” is defined in our charter, with respect to any particular director, as the conviction of a felony or a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction holding that such director caused demonstrable, material harm to us through bad faith or active and deliberate dishonesty. This provision, when coupled with the exclusive power of our Board of Directors to fill vacant directorships, may preclude stockholders from removing incumbent directors except for cause and by a substantial affirmative vote and filling the vacancies created by such removal with their own nominees.

Business Combinations

Under the MGCL, certain “business combinations” (including a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or, in circumstances specified in the statute, an asset transfer or issuance or reclassification of equity securities) between a Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder (i.e., any person (other than the corporation or any subsidiary) who beneficially owns 10% or more of the voting power of the corporation’s outstanding voting stock after the date on which the corporation had 100 or more beneficial owners of its stock, or an affiliate or associate of the corporation who, at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question, was the beneficial owner of 10% or more of the voting power of the then outstanding stock of the corporation after the date on which the corporation had 100 or more beneficial owners of its stock) or an affiliate of an interested stockholder, are prohibited for five years after the most recent date on which the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder. Thereafter, any such business combination between the Maryland corporation and an interested stockholder generally must be recommended by the board of directors of such corporation and approved by the affirmative vote of at least (1) 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of outstanding shares of voting stock of the corporation and (2) two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of voting stock of the corporation other than shares held by the interested stockholder with whom (or with whose affiliate) the business combination is to be effected or held by an affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder, unless, among other conditions, the corporation’s common stockholders receive a

minimum price (as defined in the MGCL) for their shares and the consideration is received in cash or in the same form as previously paid by the interested stockholder for its shares. A person is not an interested stockholder under the statute if the board of directors approved in advance the transaction by which the person otherwise would have become an interested stockholder. The board of directors may provide that its approval is subject to compliance, at or after the time of approval, with any terms and conditions determined by it.

As permitted by the MGCL, our Board of Directors has adopted a resolution exempting any business combination between us and any other person, provided that the business combination is first approved by our Board of Directors (including a majority of directors who are not affiliates or associates of such persons). However, our Board of Directors may repeal or modify this resolution at any time in the future, in which case the applicable provisions of this statute will become applicable to business combinations between us and interested stockholders.

Control Share Acquisitions

The MGCL provides that a holder of “control shares” of a Maryland corporation acquired in a “control share acquisition” has no voting rights with respect to the control shares except to the extent approved by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter with respect to such shares, excluding votes cast by (1) the person who makes or proposes to make a control share acquisition, (2) an officer of the corporation or (3) an employee of the corporation who is also a director of the corporation. “Control shares” are voting shares of stock which, if aggregated with all other such shares of stock previously acquired by the acquirer or in respect of which the acquirer is able to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power (except solely by virtue of a revocable proxy), would entitle the acquirer to exercise voting power in electing directors within one of the following ranges of voting power: (1) one-tenth or more but less than one-third, (2) one-third or more but less than a majority or (3) a majority or more of all voting power. Control shares do not include shares the acquiring person is then entitled to vote as a result of having previously obtained stockholder approval. A “control share acquisition” means the acquisition of issued and outstanding control shares, subject to certain exceptions.

A person who has made or proposes to make a control share acquisition, upon satisfaction of certain conditions (including an undertaking to pay expenses), may compel the board of directors to call a special meeting of stockholders to be held within 50 days of demand to consider the voting rights of the shares. If no request for a meeting is made, the corporation may itself present the question at any stockholders meeting.

If voting rights are not approved at the meeting or if the acquiring person does not deliver an acquiring person statement as required by the statute, then, subject to certain conditions and limitations, the corporation may redeem any or all of the control shares (except those for which voting rights have previously been approved) for fair value determined, without regard to the absence of voting rights for the control shares, as of the date of the last control share acquisition by the acquirer or of any meeting of stockholders at which the voting rights of such shares are considered and not approved. If voting rights for control shares are approved at a stockholders meeting and the acquirer becomes entitled to vote a majority of the shares entitled to vote, all other stockholders may exercise appraisal rights. The fair value of the shares as determined for purposes of such appraisal rights may not be less than the highest price per share paid by the acquirer in the control share acquisition.

The control share acquisition statute does not apply to, among other things: (1) shares acquired in a merger, consolidation or statutory share exchange if the corporation is a party to the transaction or (2) acquisitions approved or exempted by the charter or bylaws of the corporation.

Our bylaws contain a provision exempting from the control share acquisition statute any acquisition by any person of shares of our stock; however, our Board of Directors may repeal such bylaw provision, in whole or in part at any time. There can be no assurance that such provision will not be amended or eliminated at any time in the future.

Maryland Unsolicited Takeovers Act

Subtitle 8 of Title 3 of the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation with a class of equity securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and at least three independent directors to elect to be subject, by provision in its charter or bylaws or a resolution of its board of directors and notwithstanding any contrary provision in the charter or bylaws, to any or all of five provisions of the MGCL which provide, respectively, that:

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the corporation’s board of directors will be divided into three classes;

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the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast by stockholders generally in the election of directors is required to remove a director;

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the number of directors may be fixed only by vote of the directors;

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a vacancy on the board of directors may be filled only by the remaining directors and that directors elected to fill a vacancy will serve for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred; and

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the request of stockholders entitled to cast at least a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting is required for stockholders to require the calling of a special meeting of stockholders.

Without our having elected to be subject to Subtitle 8, our charter and bylaws already (1) require the affirmative vote of holders of shares entitled to cast at least two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast generally in the election of directors to remove a director from our Board of Directors, (2) vest in our Board of Directors the exclusive power to fix the number of directors, by vote of a majority of our entire Board of Directors, and (3) require, unless called by the Chairman of our Board of Directors, our Chief Executive Officer, our President or our Board of Directors, the request of stockholders entitled to cast not less than a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting to call a special meeting of stockholders. Our charter provides that, subject to our eligibility to make an election under Subtitle 8, vacancies on our Board of Directors may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, even if the remaining directors do not constitute a quorum, and directors elected to fill a vacancy will serve for the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualifies. Our Board of Directors is not currently classified. In the future, our Board of Directors may elect, without stockholder approval, to classify our Board of Directors or elect to be subject to any of the other provisions of Subtitle 8.

Charter Amendments and Extraordinary Transactions

Under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation generally cannot dissolve, amend its charter, merge, convert, sell all or substantially all of its assets, engage in a statutory share exchange or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business unless approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter unless a lesser percentage (but not less than a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter) is set forth in the corporation’s charter. Our charter generally provides that charter amendments requiring stockholder approval must be declared advisable by our Board of Directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, our charter’s provisions regarding the removal of directors and restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock, and amendments to the vote required to amend these provisions, may be amended only if such amendment is declared advisable by our Board of Directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast not less than two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. In addition, we generally may not merge with or into another company, convert, sell all or substantially all of our assets, engage in a share exchange or engage in similar transactions outside the ordinary course of business unless such transaction is declared advisable by our Board of Directors and approved by the affirmative vote of stockholders entitled to cast a majority of all of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter. However, because operating assets may be held by a corporation’s subsidiaries, as in our situation, this may mean that one of our subsidiaries could transfer all of its assets without any vote of our stockholders.

Bylaw Amendments

Our Board of Directors has the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of our bylaws and to make new bylaws.

Advance Notice of Director Nominations and New Business

Our bylaws provide that, with respect to an annual meeting of stockholders, nominations of individuals for election to our Board of Directors and the proposal of other business to be considered by our stockholders at an annual meeting of stockholders may be made only (1) pursuant to our notice of the meeting, (2) by or at the direction of our Board of Directors or (3) by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record both at the time of giving of notice required by our bylaws and at the time of the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of the individual so nominated or on such other business and who has complied with the advance notice procedures set forth in our bylaws, including a requirement to provide certain information about the stockholder and its affiliates and the nominee or business proposal, as applicable.

With respect to special meetings of stockholders, only the business specified in our notice of meeting may be brought before the meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to our Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected only (1) by or at the direction of our Board of Directors or (2) provided that the special meeting has been properly called for the purpose of electing directors, by a stockholder who was a stockholder of record both at the time of giving of notice required by our bylaws and at the time of the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of each individual so nominated and who has complied with the advance notice provisions set forth in our bylaws, including a requirement to provide certain information about the stockholder and its affiliates and the nominee.

Anti-Takeover Effect of Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and of Our Charter and Bylaws

Our charter and bylaws and Maryland law contain provisions that may delay, defer or prevent a change in control or other transaction that might involve a premium price for our common stock or otherwise be in the best interests of our stockholders, including business combination provisions, supermajority vote and cause requirements for removal of directors, provisions that vacancies on our Board of Directors may be filled only by the remaining directors for the full term of the directorship in which the vacancy occurred, the power of our Board of Directors to increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares of stock or the number of shares of any class or series of stock, to cause us to issue additional shares of stock of any class or series and to fix the terms of one or more classes or series of stock without stockholder approval, the restrictions on ownership and transfer of our stock and advance notice requirements for director nominations and stockholder proposals. Likewise, if the provision in the bylaws opting out of the control share acquisition provisions of the MGCL or the resolution of our Board of Directors opting out of the business combination provisions of the MGCL were repealed or rescinded, or if a business combination was not first approved by our Board of Directors, these provisions of the MGCL could have similar anti-takeover effects.

Limitation of Directors’ and Officers’ Liability and Indemnification

The MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from (1) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (2) active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final judgment and is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains a provision that eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

capacity. The MGCL permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:

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the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty;

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the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or

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in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.

However, under the MGCL, a Maryland corporation may not indemnify a director or officer for an adverse judgment in a suit by or in the right of the corporation or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received by such director or officer, unless in either case a court orders indemnification, and then only for expenses. In addition, the MGCL permits a Maryland corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon its receipt of:

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a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation; and

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a written undertaking by the director or officer or on the director’s or officer’s behalf to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the corporation if it is ultimately determined that the director or officer did not meet the standard of conduct.

Our charter authorizes us and our bylaws obligate us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law in effect from time to time, to indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, pay or reimburse reasonable expenses in advance of final disposition of such a proceeding to:

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any present or former director or officer of the Company who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity; and

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any individual who, while a director or officer of the Company and at our request, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, trustee, member or manager of another corporation, REIT, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity.

Our charter and bylaws also permit us, with the approval of our Board of Directors, to indemnify and advance expenses to any individual who served our predecessor in any of the capacities described above and to any employee or agent of the Company or our predecessor.

Upon completion of our initial public offering, we entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers that provide for indemnification and advance of expenses to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

REIT Qualification

Our charter provides that our Board of Directors may revoke or otherwise terminate our REIT election, without approval of our stockholders, if it determines that it is no longer in our best interests to attempt to qualify, or to continue to qualify, as a REIT.

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

This section summarizes the material U.S. federal income tax considerations that you, as a securityholder, may consider relevant in connection with the purchase, ownership and disposition of our securities. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has acted as our counsel, has reviewed this summary, and is of the opinion that the discussion contained herein is accurate in all material respects. Because this section is a summary, it does not address all aspects of taxation that may be relevant to particular securityholders in light of their personal investment or tax circumstances, or to certain types of securityholders that are subject to special treatment under the U.S. federal income tax laws, such as:

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insurance companies;

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tax-exempt organizations (except to the limited extent discussed in “— Taxation of Tax-Exempt Stockholders” below);

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financial institutions or broker-dealers;

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non-U.S. individuals, and non-U.S. corporations (except to the limited extent discussed in “— Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders” below);

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U.S. expatriates;

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persons who mark-to-market our securities;

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subchapter S corporations;

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U.S. stockholders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar;

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regulated investment companies and REITs;

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trusts and estates (except to the extent discussed herein);

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persons who receive our securities through the exercise of employee stock options or otherwise as compensation;

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persons holding our securities as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion transaction,” “synthetic security” or other integrated investment;

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persons subject to the alternative minimum tax provisions of the Code;

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persons holding our securities through a partnership or similar pass-through entity; and

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persons holding a 10% or more (by vote or value) beneficial interest in our stock.

This summary assumes that our securities are held as a capital asset for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which generally means property held for investment.

The statements in this section are not intended to be, and should not be construed as, tax advice. The statements in this section are based on the Code, current, temporary and proposed U.S. Treasury regulations, the legislative history of the Code, current administrative interpretations and practices of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), and court decisions. The reference to IRS interpretations and practices includes the IRS practices and policies endorsed in private letter rulings, which are not binding on the IRS except with respect to the taxpayer that receives the ruling. In each case, these sources are relied upon as they exist on the date of this discussion. Future legislation, U.S. Treasury regulations, administrative interpretations and court decisions could change current law or adversely affect existing interpretations of current law on which the information in this section is based. Any such change could apply retroactively. We have not received any rulings from the IRS concerning our qualification as a REIT. Accordingly, even if there is no change in the applicable law, no assurance can be provided that the statements made in the following discussion, which do not bind the IRS or the courts, will not be challenged by the IRS or will be sustained by a court if so challenged.

WE URGE YOU TO CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE SPECIFIC TAX CONSEQUENCES TO YOU OF THE PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP AND SALE OF OUR SECURITIES AND OF OUR ELECTION TO BE TAXED AS A REIT. SPECIFICALLY, YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN AND OTHER TAX CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP, SALE AND ELECTION, AND REGARDING POTENTIAL CHANGES IN APPLICABLE TAX LAWS.

Taxation of Our Company

We were organized on August 17, 2010 as a Maryland corporation. From the time of our formation until the closing of our initial public offering, we were a “qualified REIT subsidiary” of Bimini. As described below, a corporation that is a “qualified REIT subsidiary” is not treated as a corporation separate from its parent REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We elected to be taxed as a REIT commencing with our short taxable year ended on December 31, 2013. We believe that, commencing with such short taxable year, we have been organized and have operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification as a REIT under the Code, and we intend to continue to operate in a manner that will enable us to meet, on a continuing basis, the requirements for qualification as a REIT, but no assurance can be given that we successfully operate in a manner so as to remain qualified as a REIT. This section discusses the laws governing the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a REIT and its stockholders. These laws are highly technical and complex.

In the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., we qualified to be taxed as a REIT under the U.S. federal income tax laws for our taxable years ended December 31, 2013 through December 31, 2016, and our organization and current and proposed method of operations will enable us to continue to qualify for taxation as a REIT for our taxable years ending December 31, 2017 and thereafter. Investors should be aware that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.’s opinion is based upon customary assumptions, is conditioned upon certain representations made by us and Bimini as to factual matters, including representations regarding the nature of our and Bimini’s assets and the conduct of our and Bimini’s business, is not binding upon the IRS, or any court, and speaks as of the date issued. In addition, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.’s opinion is based on existing U.S. federal income tax law governing qualification as a REIT, which is subject to change either prospectively or retroactively. Moreover, our qualification and taxation as a REIT depend upon our ability to meet on a continuing basis, through actual annual operating results, certain qualification tests set forth in the U.S. federal tax laws. Those qualification tests involve, among others, the percentage of income that we earn from specified sources, the percentage of our assets that falls within specified categories, the diversity of our stock ownership, and the percentage of our earnings that we distribute. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. will not review our compliance with those tests on a continuing basis. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that our actual results of operations for any particular taxable year will satisfy such requirements. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.’s opinion does not foreclose the possibility that we may have to use one or more REIT savings provisions discussed below, which could require us to pay an excise or penalty tax (which could be material) in order for us to maintain our REIT qualification. For a discussion of the tax consequences of our failure to qualify as a REIT, see “— Failure to Qualify.”

As long as we qualify as a REIT, we generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the REIT taxable income that we distribute to our stockholders. However, taxable income generated by any TRSs that we may own will be subject to regular corporate income tax. The benefit of REIT tax treatment is that it avoids the double taxation, or taxation at both the corporate and stockholder levels, that generally results from owning stock in a corporation. However, we will be subject to U.S. federal tax in the following circumstances:

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We will pay U.S. federal income tax on taxable income, including net capital gain, that we do not distribute to stockholders during, or within a specified time period after, the calendar year in which the income is earned.

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We may be subject to the “alternative minimum tax” on any items of tax preference that we do not distribute or allocate to stockholders.

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We will pay income tax at the highest corporate rate on:

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net income from the sale or other disposition of property acquired through foreclosure, or foreclosure property, that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business, and

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other non-qualifying income from foreclosure property.

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We will pay a 100% tax on our net income earned from prohibited transactions involving sales or other dispositions of property, other than foreclosure property, that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business.

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If we fail to satisfy the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test, as described below under “— Gross Income Tests,” and nonetheless continue to qualify as a REIT because we meet other requirements, we will pay a 100% tax on the greater of the amount by which we fail the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test multiplied in either case by a fraction intended to reflect our profitability.

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In the event of a failure of the asset tests (other than a de minimis failure of the 5% asset test or the 10% vote test or the 10% value test (as described below under “— Asset Tests”)), as long as the failure was due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect, we file a description of the assets that caused such failure with the IRS, and we dispose of the assets or otherwise comply with the asset tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which we identify such failure, we will pay a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or 35% of the net income from the nonqualifying assets during the period in which we failed to satisfy any of the asset tests.

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If we fail to satisfy one or more requirements for REIT qualification, other than the gross income tests or the asset tests, as long as such failure was due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect, we will be required to pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure.

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If we fail to distribute during a calendar year at least the sum of:

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85% of our REIT ordinary income for the year,

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95% of our REIT capital gain net income for the year, and

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any undistributed taxable income required to be distributed from earlier periods,

we will pay a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of the required distribution over the sum of (i) the amount we actually distributed and (ii) any retained amounts on which income tax has been paid at the corporate level.

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We may elect to retain and pay income tax on our net long-term capital gain. In that case, a U.S. stockholder would be taxed on its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gain (to the extent that we make a timely designation of such gain to the stockholder) and would receive a credit or refund for its proportionate share of the tax we paid.

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We will be subject to a 100% excise tax on transactions with a TRS that are not conducted on an arm’s-length basis.

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If we acquire any asset from a C corporation, or a corporation that generally is subject to full corporate-level tax, in a merger or other transaction in which we acquire a basis in the asset that is determined by reference either to the C corporation’s basis in the asset or to another asset, we will pay tax at the highest regular corporate rate applicable if we recognize gain on the sale or disposition of the asset during the 5-year period after we acquire the asset. The amount of gain on which we will pay tax is the lesser of:

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the amount of gain that we recognize at the time of the sale or disposition, and

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the amount of gain that we would have recognized if we had sold the asset at the time we acquired it.

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We may be required to pay monetary penalties to the IRS in certain circumstances, including if we fail to meet record-keeping requirements intended to monitor our compliance with rules relating to the composition of a REIT’s stockholders, as described below in “— Recordkeeping Requirements.”

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The earnings of our lower-tier entities that are subchapter C corporations, including any TRS, will be subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax.

In addition, notwithstanding our qualification as a REIT, we may also have to pay certain state and local income taxes, because not all states and localities treat REITs in the same manner that they are treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Moreover, as further described below, TRSs will be subject to federal, state and local corporate income tax on their taxable income.

Although we do not expect to own an equity interest in a taxable mortgage pool, if we were to own such an interest we would be subject to tax on a portion of any excess inclusion income equal to the percentage of our stock that is held in record name by “disqualified organizations.” A “disqualified organization” includes (i) the United States; (ii) any state or political subdivision of the United states; (iii) any foreign government; (iv) any international organization; (v) any agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing; (vi) any other tax-exempt organization (other than a farmer’s cooperative described in Section 521 of the Code) that is exempt from income taxation and is not subject to taxation under the unrelated business taxable income provisions of the Code; and (vii) any rural electrical or telephone cooperative. We do not currently intend to engage in financing activities that may result in treatment of us or a portion of our assets as a taxable mortgage pool. For a discussion of “excess inclusion income,” see “— Requirements for Qualification — Taxable Mortgage Pools.”

Requirements for Qualification

A REIT is a corporation, trust, or association that meets each of the following requirements:

It is managed by one or more trustees or directors.

Its beneficial ownership is evidenced by transferable shares, or by transferable certificates of beneficial interest.

It would be taxable as a domestic corporation, but for the REIT provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws.

It is neither a financial institution nor an insurance company subject to special provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws.

At least 100 persons are beneficial owners of its shares or ownership certificates.

Not more than 50% in value of its outstanding shares or ownership certificates is owned, directly or indirectly, by five or fewer individuals, which the Code defines to include certain entities, during the last half of any taxable year.

It elects to be a REIT, or has made such election for a previous taxable year, and satisfies all relevant filing and other administrative requirements established by the IRS that must be met to elect and maintain REIT status.

It meets certain other qualification tests, described below, regarding the nature of its income and assets and the distribution of its income.

It uses a calendar year for U.S. federal income tax purposes and complies with the recordkeeping requirements of the U.S. federal income tax laws.

10)

It has no earnings and profits from any non-REIT taxable year at the close of any taxable year.

We must meet requirements 1 through 4, 7, 8 and 9 during our entire taxable year, meet requirement 10 at the close of each taxable year, and meet requirement 5 during at least 335 days of a taxable year of 12 months, or

during a proportionate part of a taxable year of less than 12 months. If we comply with all the requirements for ascertaining the ownership of our outstanding stock in a taxable year and have no reason to know that we violated requirement 6, we will be deemed to have satisfied requirement 6 for that taxable year. For purposes of determining share ownership under requirement 6, an “individual” generally includes a supplemental unemployment compensation benefits plan, a private foundation, or a portion of a trust permanently set aside or used exclusively for charitable purposes. An “individual,” however, generally does not include a trust that is a qualified employee pension or profit sharing trust under the U.S. federal income tax laws, and beneficiaries of such a trust will be treated as holding our stock in proportion to their actuarial interests in the trust for purposes of requirement 6.

Our charter provides restrictions regarding the transfer and ownership of our common stock. See “Description of Capital Stock — Restrictions on Ownership and Transfer.” We believe that we have issued sufficient common stock with sufficient diversity of ownership to allow us to satisfy requirements 5 and 6 above. The restrictions in our charter are intended (among other things) to assist us in continuing to satisfy requirements 5 and 6 described above. These restrictions, however, may not ensure that we will, in all cases, be able to satisfy such stock ownership requirements. If we fail to satisfy these stock ownership requirements, our qualification as a REIT may terminate.

As noted above, from the time of our formation until the closing of our initial public offering, we were a “qualified REIT subsidiary” of Bimini. However, under applicable Treasury Regulations, if Bimini failed to qualify as a REIT in any of its 2009 through 2013 taxable years, unless Bimini’s failure to qualify as a REIT was subject to relief under as described below under “— Failure to Qualify,” we would be prevented from electing to qualify as a REIT prior to the fifth calendar year following the year in which Bimini failed to qualify.

Qualified REIT Subsidiaries. A corporation that is a “qualified REIT subsidiary” is not treated as a corporation separate from its parent REIT. A “qualified REIT subsidiary” is disregarded for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and all assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of a “qualified REIT subsidiary” are treated as assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of the REIT. A “qualified REIT subsidiary” is a corporation, other than a TRS, all of the capital stock of which is owned by the REIT and that has not elected to be a TRS. Thus, in applying the requirements described herein, any “qualified REIT subsidiary” that we own will be ignored, and all assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit of such subsidiary will be treated as our assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit for all purposes of the Code, including the REIT qualification tests.

Other Disregarded Entities and Partnerships. An unincorporated domestic entity, such as a partnership or limited liability company that has a single owner, generally is not treated as an entity separate from its parent for U.S. federal income tax purposes. An unincorporated domestic entity with two or more owners generally is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In the case of a REIT that is a partner in a partnership that has other partners, the REIT is treated as owning its proportionate share of the assets of the partnership and as earning its allocable share of the gross income of the partnership for purposes of the applicable REIT qualification tests. For purposes of the 10% value test (see “— Asset Tests”), our proportionate share is based on our proportionate interest in the equity interests and certain debt securities issued by the partnership. For all of the other asset and income tests, our proportionate share is based on our proportionate interest in the capital interests in the partnership. Thus, our proportionate share of the assets, liabilities, and items of income of any partnership, joint venture, or limited liability company that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes in which we acquire an interest, directly or indirectly, will be treated as our assets and gross income for purposes of applying the various REIT qualification requirements.

Taxable REIT Subsidiaries. A REIT is permitted to own up to 100% of the stock of one or more TRSs. A TRS is a fully taxable corporation that may earn income that would not be qualifying income if earned directly by the parent REIT. The subsidiary and the REIT must jointly elect to treat the subsidiary as a TRS. A corporation with respect to which a TRS directly or indirectly owns more than 35% of the voting power or value

of the outstanding securities will automatically be treated as a TRS. However, an entity will not qualify as a TRS if it directly or indirectly operates or manages a lodging or health care facility or, generally, provides to another person, under a franchise, license or otherwise, rights to any brand name under which any lodging facility or health care facility is operated. We generally may not own more than 10%, as measured by voting power or value, of the securities of a corporation that is not a qualified REIT subsidiary or a REIT unless we and such corporation elect to treat such corporation as a TRS. Overall, no more than 25% (20% for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017) of the value of a REIT’s total assets may consist of stock or securities of one or more TRSs.

Domestic TRSs are subject to U.S. federal income tax, as well as state and local income tax where applicable, on their taxable income. To the extent that a domestic TRS is required to pay taxes, it will have less cash available for distribution to us. If dividends are paid to us by any domestic TRSs that we may form, then the dividends we would pay to our stockholders who are taxed at individual rates, up to the amount of dividends we receive from our domestic TRSs, would generally be eligible to be taxed at the 20% rate applicable to qualified dividend income. See “— Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders.”

The TRS rules limit the deductibility of interest paid or accrued by a TRS to its parent REIT to assure that the TRS is subject to an appropriate level of corporate taxation. Further, the rules impose a 100% excise tax on transactions between a TRS and its parent REIT or the REIT’s tenants that are not conducted on an arm’s-length basis. We intend that all of our transactions with any TRS that we form will be conducted on an arm’s-length basis, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in this regard.

Taxable Mortgage Pools. An entity, or a portion of an entity, may be classified as a taxable mortgage pool, or TMP, under the Code if:

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substantially all of its assets consist of debt obligations or interests in debt obligations;

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more than 50% of those debt obligations are real estate mortgage loans or interests in real estate mortgage loans as of specified testing dates;

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the entity has issued debt obligations that have two or more maturities; and

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the payments required to be made by the entity on its debt obligations “bear a relationship” to the payments to be received by the entity on the debt obligations that it holds as assets.

Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if less than 80% of the assets of an entity (or a portion of an entity) consist of debt obligations, these debt obligations are not considered to comprise “substantially all” of its assets, and therefore the entity would not be treated as a TMP.

A TMP is generally treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes. It cannot be included in any consolidated U.S. federal corporate income tax return. However, if a REIT is a TMP, or if a REIT owns a qualified REIT subsidiary that is a TMP, then a portion of the REIT’s income will be treated as “excess inclusion income” and a portion of the dividends the REIT pays to its stockholders will be considered to be excess inclusion income. A stockholder’s share of excess inclusion income (i) would not be allowed to be offset by any losses otherwise available to the stockholder, (ii) would be subject to tax as unrelated business taxable income, or UBTI, in the hands of most types of stockholders that are otherwise generally exempt from U.S. federal income tax, and (iii) would result in the application of U.S. federal income tax withholding at the maximum rate (30%), without reduction under any otherwise applicable income tax treaty, to the extent allocable to most types of foreign stockholders. IRS guidance indicates that a REIT’s excess inclusion income will be allocated among its stockholders in proportion to its dividends paid. However, the manner in which excess inclusion income would be allocated to dividends attributable to a tax year that are not paid until a subsequent tax year or to dividends attributable to a portion of a tax year when no excess inclusion income-generating assets were held or how such income is to be reported to stockholders is not clear under current law. Although the law is unclear, the IRS has taken the position that a REIT is taxable at the highest corporate tax rate on the portion of any excess inclusion

income that it derives from an equity interest in a TMP equal to the percentage of its stock that is held in record name by “disqualified organizations” (as defined above under “— Taxation of Our Company”). In that case, under our charter, we will reduce distributions to such stockholders by the amount of tax paid by us that is attributable to such stockholder’s ownership. U.S. Treasury regulations provide that such a reduction in distributions does not give rise to a preferential dividend that could adversely affect our compliance with the distribution requirement. See “— Distribution Requirements.”

If we own less than 100% of the ownership interests in a subsidiary that is a TMP, the foregoing rules would not apply. Rather, the subsidiary would be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and would be subject to federal corporate income tax. In addition, this characterization would alter our REIT income and asset test calculations and could adversely affect our compliance with those requirements.

Although we leverage our investments in Agency RMBS, we believe that our financing transactions have not and will not cause us or any portion of our assets to be treated as a TMP, and we do not expect that any portion of our dividend distributions will be treated as excess inclusion income.

Gross Income Tests

We must satisfy two gross income tests annually to qualify as a REIT. First, at least 75% of our gross income for each taxable year must consist of defined types of income that we derive, directly or indirectly, from investments relating to real property or mortgage loans on real property or qualified temporary investment income. Qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test generally includes:

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rents from real property;

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interest on debt secured by a mortgage on real property, or on interests in real property;

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dividends or other distributions on, and gain from the sale of, shares in other REITs;

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gain from the sale of real estate assets (effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, excluding gain from the sale of a debt instrument issued by a “publicly offered REIT”, i.e., a REIT which is required to file annual and periodic reports with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, to the extent not secured by real property or an interest in real property) not held for sale to customers;

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income and gain derived from foreclosure property;

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amounts, such as commitment fees, received in consideration for entering into an agreement to make a loan secured by real property, unless such amounts are determined by income and profits;

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income derived from a real estate mortgage investment conduit, or REMIC, in proportion to the real estate assets held by the REMIC, unless at least 95% of the REMIC’s assets are real estate assets, in which case all of the income derived from the REMIC; and

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income derived from the temporary investment of new capital that is attributable to the issuance of our stock or a public offering of our debt with a maturity date of at least five years and that we receive during the one-year period beginning on the date on which we received such new capital.

Second, in general, at least 95% of our gross income for each taxable year must consist of income that is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, other types of interest and dividends, gain from the sale or disposition of stock or securities, or any combination of these. However, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, for purposes of the 95% gross income test, gain from the sale of “real estate assets” includes gain from the sale of a debt instrument issued by a “publicly offered REIT” even if not secured by a real property or an interest in real property. Gross income from our sale of property that we hold primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of business and cancellation of indebtedness, or COD income, is excluded from both the numerator and the denominator in both gross income tests. In addition, income and gain

from “hedging transactions,” as defined in “— Hedging Transactions,” that we enter into to hedge indebtedness incurred or to be incurred to acquire or carry real estate assets and that are clearly and timely identified as such will be excluded from both the numerator and the denominator for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income tests. In addition, certain foreign currency gains will be excluded from gross income for purposes of one or both of the gross income tests. See “— Foreign Currency Gain.” We monitor the amount of our non-qualifying income and seek to manage our investment portfolio to comply at all times with the gross income tests. The following paragraphs discuss the specific application of the gross income tests to us.

Interest. The term “interest,” as defined for purposes of both gross income tests, generally excludes any amount that is based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, interest generally includes the following:

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an amount that is based on a fixed percentage or percentages of receipts or sales; and

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an amount that is based on the income or profits of a debtor, as long as the debtor derives substantially all of its income from the real property securing the debt from leasing substantially all of its interest in the property, and only to the extent that the amounts received by the debtor would be qualifying “rents from real property” if received directly by a REIT.

If a loan contains a provision that entitles a REIT to a percentage of the borrower’s gain upon the sale of the real property securing the loan or a percentage of the appreciation in the property’s value as of a specific date, income attributable to that loan provision will be treated as gain from the sale of the property securing the loan, which generally is qualifying income for purposes of both gross income tests.

Interest on debt secured by a mortgage on real property or on interests in real property, including, for this purpose, market discount, original issue discount, discount points, prepayment penalties, loan assumption fees, and late payment charges that are not compensation for services, generally is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Interest income generally constitutes qualifying mortgage interest for purposes of the 75% gross income test to the extent that the obligation upon which such interest is paid is secured by a mortgage on real property (and, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, a mortgage on an interest in real property). In general under applicable Treasury Regulations, if a loan is secured by real property and other property and the highest principal amount of the loan outstanding during a taxable year exceeds the fair market value of the real property securing the loan as of the date the REIT agreed to originate or acquire the loan, a portion of the interest income from such loan will not be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, but will be qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test. The portion of the interest income that will not be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test will be equal to the portion of the principal amount of the loan that is not secured by real property — that is, the amount by which the loan exceeds the value of the real estate that is security for the loan. Additionally, a portion of the loan will likely be a nonqualifying asset for purposes of the 75% asset test. The nonqualifying portion of such loan would be subject to, among other requirements, the 10% value test. See “— Asset Tests” below. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, in the case of mortgage loans secured by both real property and personal property, if the fair market value of such personal property does not exceed 15% of the total fair market value of all such property securing the loan, then the personal property securing the loan will be treated as real property for purposes of determining whether the mortgage loan is a qualifying asset for the 75% asset test and the related interest income qualifies for purposes of the 75% gross income test.

We intend to continue to invest in Agency RMBS that are pass-through certificates and CMOs (including IOs, IIOs, and POs). Other than income from derivative instruments, as described below, we expect that all of the income on our Agency RMBS will be qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test. We expect that the Agency RMBS that are pass-through certificates will be treated as interests in a grantor trust and that Agency RMBS that are CMOs will be treated as regular interests in a REMIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In the case of Agency RMBS treated as interests in a grantor trust, we would be treated as owning an undivided beneficial ownership interest in the mortgage loans held by the grantor trust. The interest on such

mortgage loans would be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test to the extent that the obligation is secured by real property, as discussed above. Although the IRS has ruled generally that the interest income from non-CMO Agency RMBS is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, it is not clear how this guidance would apply to secondary market purchases of non-CMO Agency RMBS at a time when the loan-to-value ratio of one or more of the mortgage loans backing the Agency RMBS is greater than 100%. In the case of Agency RMBS treated as interests in a REMIC, such as CMOs, income derived from REMIC interests will generally be treated as qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. If less than 95% of the assets of the REMIC are real estate assets, however, then only a proportionate part of our income from our interest in the REMIC will qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test. In addition, some REMIC securitizations include imbedded interest rate swap or cap contracts or other derivative instruments that potentially could produce nonqualifying income for the holders of the related REMIC securities. We expect that a sufficient portion of income from our Agency RMBS will be qualifying income so that we will satisfy both the 95% and 75% gross income tests. However, there can be no assurance that we will satisfy both the 95% and 75% gross income tests.

We have purchased, and may purchase in the future, Agency RMBS through delayed delivery contracts, including TBAs. We may recognize income or gains on the disposition of delayed delivery contracts. For example, rather than take delivery of the Agency RMBS subject to a TBA, we may dispose of the TBA through a “roll” transaction in which we agree to purchase similar securities in the future at a predetermined price or otherwise, which may result in the recognition of income or gains. We will account for roll transactions as purchases and sales. The law is unclear with respect to the qualification of gains from dispositions of delayed delivery contracts as gains from the sale of real property (including interests in real property and interests in mortgages on real property) or other qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Until we receive a favorable private letter ruling from the IRS or we receive an opinion of counsel to the effect that income and gain from the disposition of delayed delivery contracts should be treated as qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, we will limit our gains from dispositions of delayed delivery contracts and any non-qualifying income to no more than 25% of our gross income for each calendar year. Accordingly, our ability to dispose of delayed delivery contracts through roll transactions or otherwise could be limited. Moreover, even if we are advised by counsel that income and gains from dispositions of delayed delivery contracts should be treated as qualifying income, it is possible that the IRS could successfully take the position that such income is not qualifying income. In the event that such income were determined not to be qualifying for the 75% gross income test, we could be subject to a penalty tax or we could fail to qualify as a REIT if such income and any non-qualifying income exceeds 25% of our gross income. See “— Failure to Qualify.”

Dividends. Our share of any dividends received from any corporation (including any TRS, but excluding any REIT) in which we own an equity interest will qualify for purposes of the 95% gross income test but not for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Our share of any dividends received from any other REIT in which we own an equity interest will be qualifying income for purposes of both gross income tests.

Fee Income. Fee income generally is qualifying income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests if it is received in consideration for entering into an agreement to make a loan secured by real property and the fees are not determined by income and profits. Other fees, such as fees received for servicing or originating loans, are not qualifying income for purposes of either gross income test. We currently do not anticipate earning non-qualifying fee income.

COD Income. From time-to-time, we and our subsidiaries may recognize COD income in connection with repurchasing debt at a discount. COD income is excluded from gross income for purposes of both the 95% gross income test and the 75% gross income test.

Foreign Currency Gain. Certain foreign currency gains are excluded from gross income for purposes of one or both of the gross income tests. “Real estate foreign exchange gain” is excluded from gross income for purposes of the 75% gross income test. Real estate foreign exchange gain generally includes foreign currency gain attributable to any item of income or gain that is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income

test, foreign currency gain attributable to the acquisition or ownership of (or becoming or being the obligor under) obligations secured by mortgages on real property or on interest in real property and certain foreign currency gain attributable to certain “qualified business units” of a REIT. “Passive foreign exchange gain” is excluded from gross income for purposes of the 95% gross income test. Passive foreign exchange gain generally includes real estate foreign exchange gain as described above, and also includes foreign currency gain attributable to any item of income or gain that is qualifying income for purposes of the 95% gross income test and foreign currency gain attributable to the acquisition or ownership of (or becoming or being the obligor under) obligations. Because passive foreign exchange gain includes real estate foreign exchange gain, real estate foreign exchange gain is excluded from gross income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests. These exclusions for real estate foreign exchange gain and passive foreign exchange gain do not apply to foreign currency gain derived from dealing, or engaging in substantial and regular trading, in securities. Such gain is treated as nonqualifying income for purposes of both the 75% and 95% gross income tests.

Rents from Real Property. We currently do not hold, and do not intend to acquire, any real property, but we may acquire real property or an interest therein in the future. To the extent that we acquire real property or an interest therein, rents we receive will qualify as “rents from real property” in satisfying the gross income requirements for a REIT described above only if the following conditions are met:

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First, the amount of rent must not be based in whole or in part on the income or profits of any person. However, an amount received or accrued generally will not be excluded from rents from real property solely by reason of being based on fixed percentages of receipts or sales.

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Second, rents we receive from a “related party tenant” will not qualify as rents from real property in satisfying the gross income tests unless the tenant is a TRS, and either (i) at least 90% of the property is leased to unrelated tenants and the rent paid by the TRS is substantially comparable to the rent paid by the unrelated tenants for comparable space or (ii) the TRS leases a qualified lodging facility or qualified health care property and engages an “eligible independent contractor” to operate such facility or property on its behalf. A tenant is a related party tenant if the REIT, or an actual or constructive owner of 10% or more of the REIT, actually or constructively owns 10% or more of the tenant.

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Third, if rent attributable to personal property, leased in connection with a lease of real property, is greater than 15% of the total rent received under the lease, then the portion of rent attributable to the personal property will not qualify as rents from real property.

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Fourth, we generally must not operate or manage our real property or furnish or render noncustomary services to our tenants, other than through an “independent contractor” who is adequately compensated and from whom we do not derive revenue. However, we may provide services directly to tenants if the services are “usually or customarily rendered” in connection with the rental of space for occupancy only and are not considered to be provided for the tenants’ convenience. In addition, we may provide a minimal amount of “noncustomary” services to the tenants of a property, other than through an independent contractor, as long as our income from the services (valued at not less than 150% of our direct cost of performing such services) does not exceed 1% of our income from the related property. Furthermore, we may own up to 100% of the stock of a TRS, which may provide customary and noncustomary services to tenants without tainting our rental income from the related properties.

Hedging Transactions. From time to time, we enter into hedging transactions with respect to one or more of our assets or liabilities. Income and gain from “hedging transactions” is excluded from gross income for purposes of the 75% and 95% gross income test. A “hedging transaction” includes any transaction entered into in the normal course of our trade or business primarily to manage the risk of interest rate changes, price changes, or currency fluctuations with respect to borrowings made or to be made, or ordinary obligations incurred or to be incurred, to acquire or carry real estate assets. A “hedging transaction” also includes any transaction entered into primarily to manage risk of currency fluctuations with respect to any item of income or gain that is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% or 95% gross income test (or any property which generates such income or gain). We are required to clearly identify any such hedging transaction before the close of the day on which it was acquired, originated, or entered into and to satisfy other identification requirements. Effective for taxable

years beginning after December 31, 2015, if we have entered into a qualifying hedging transaction described above (an “Original Hedge”), and a portion of the hedged indebtedness is extinguished or the related property is disposed of and in connection with such extinguishment or disposition we enter into a new clearly identified hedging transaction that would counteract the Original Hedge (a “Counteracting Hedge”), income from the Original Hedge and income from the Counteracting Hedge (including gain from the disposition of the Original Hedge and the Counteracting Hedge) will not be treated as gross income for purposes of the 95% and 75% gross income tests. To the extent that we hedge for other purposes or to the extent that a portion of the assets financed with the applicable borrowing are not treated as “real estate assets” (as described below under “— Asset Tests”) or in certain other situations, the income from those transactions will likely be treated as non-qualifying income for purposes of the gross income tests. We intend to structure any hedging transactions in a manner that is consistent with satisfying the requirements for qualification as a REIT, but we cannot assure you that we will be able to do so. We may, however, find that in certain instances we must hedge risks incurred by us through transactions entered into by a TRS. Hedging our risk through a TRS would be inefficient on an after-tax basis because of the tax liability imposed on the TRS.

Prohibited Transactions. A REIT will incur a 100% tax on the net income (including foreign currency gain) derived from any sale or other disposition of property, other than foreclosure property, that the REIT holds primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business. Any such income will be excluded from the application of the 75% and 95% gross income tests. Whether a REIT holds an asset “primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business” depends, however, on the facts and circumstances in effect from time to time, including those related to a particular asset. We believe that none of our assets will be held primarily for sale to customers and that a sale of any of our assets will not be in the ordinary course of our business. There can be no assurance, however, that the IRS will not successfully assert a contrary position, in which case we would be subject to the prohibited transaction tax on the gain from the sale of those assets. To the extent we intend to dispose of an asset that may be treated as held “primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of a trade or business,” we may contribute the asset to a TRS prior to the disposition.

Foreclosure Property. We will be subject to tax at the maximum corporate rate on any income (including foreign currency gain) from foreclosure property, other than income that otherwise would be qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test, less expenses directly connected with the production of that income. However, gross income from foreclosure property will qualify under the 75% and 95% gross income tests as long as the property qualifies as foreclosure property (see the discussion below regarding the grace period during which property qualifies as foreclosure property). Foreclosure property is any real property, including interests in real property, and any personal property incident to such real property:

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that is acquired by a REIT as the result of the REIT having bid on such property at foreclosure, or having otherwise reduced such property to ownership or possession by agreement or process of law, after there was a default or default was imminent on a lease of such property or on indebtedness that such property secured;

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for which the related loan or lease was acquired by the REIT at a time when the default was not imminent or anticipated; and

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for which the REIT makes a proper election to treat the property as foreclosure property.

A REIT will not be considered to have foreclosed on a property where the REIT takes control of the property as a mortgagee-in-possession and cannot receive any profit or sustain any loss except as a creditor of the mortgagor. Property generally ceases to be foreclosure property at the end of the third taxable year following the taxable year in which the REIT acquired the property, or longer if an extension is granted by the Secretary of the Treasury. This grace period terminates and foreclosure property ceases to be foreclosure property on the first day:

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on which a lease is entered into for the property that, by its terms, will give rise to income that does not qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test disregarding income from foreclosure property, or

any amount is received or accrued, directly or indirectly, pursuant to a lease entered into on or after such day that will give rise to income that does not qualify for purposes of the 75% gross income test disregarding income from foreclosure property;

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on which any construction takes place on the property, other than completion of a building or any other improvement, where more than 10% of the construction was completed before default became imminent; or

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which is more than 90 days after the day on which the REIT acquired the property and the property is used in a trade or business which is conducted by the REIT, other than through an independent contractor from whom the REIT itself does not derive or receive any income or, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, a TRS.

Failure to Satisfy Gross Income Tests. If we fail to satisfy one or both of the gross income tests for any taxable year, we nevertheless may qualify as a REIT for that year if we qualify for relief under certain provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws. Those relief provisions generally will be available if:

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our failure to meet such tests is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect; and

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following such failure for any taxable year, a schedule of the sources of our income is filed with the IRS.

We cannot predict, however, whether in all circumstances we would qualify for the relief provisions. In addition, as discussed above in “— Taxation of Our Company,” even if the relief provisions apply, we would incur a 100% tax on the gross income attributable to the greater of the amount by which we fail the 75% gross income test or the 95% gross income test, multiplied, in either case, by a fraction intended to reflect our profitability.

Asset Tests

To qualify as a REIT, we also must satisfy the following asset tests at the end of each quarter of each taxable year. First, at least 75% of the value of our total assets must consist of:

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cash or cash items, including certain receivables and money market funds;

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government securities;

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interests in real property, including leaseholds and options to acquire real property and leaseholds;

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interests in mortgage loans secured by real property;

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stock (or transferable certificates of beneficial interest) in other REITs;

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investments in stock or debt instruments during the one-year period following our receipt of new capital that we raise through equity offerings or public offerings of debt with at least a five-year term;

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regular or residual interests in a REMIC. However, if less than 95% of the assets of a REMIC consist of assets that are qualifying real estate-related assets under the U.S. federal income tax laws, determined as if we held such assets, we will be treated as holding directly our proportionate share of the assets of such REMIC; and

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effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015:

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personal property leased in connection with real property to the extent that rents attributable to such personal property are treated as “rents from real property,” and

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debt instruments issued by “publicly offered REITs”.

Second, of our investments not included in the 75% asset class, the value of our interest in any one issuer’s securities (other than any TRS we may own) may not exceed 5% of the value of our total assets, or the 5% asset test.

Third, of our investments not included in the 75% asset class, we may not own (i) more than 10% of the total voting power of any one issuer’s outstanding securities, which we refer to as the 10% vote test, or (ii) more than 10% of the total value of any one issuer’s outstanding securities, which we refer to as the 10% value test.

Fourth, no more than 25% (20% for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017) of the value of our total assets may consist of the securities of one or more TRSs.

Fifth, no more than 25% of the value of our total assets may consist of the securities of TRSs and other non-TRS taxable subsidiaries and other assets that are not qualifying assets for purposes of the 75% asset test, or the 25% securities test.

Finally, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2015, not more than 25% of the value of our total assets may be represented by debt instruments issued by “publicly offered REITs” to the extent not secured by real property or interests in real property.

For purposes of the 5% asset test, the 10% vote test, the 10% value test and the 25% securities test, the term “securities” does not include stock in another REIT, equity or debt securities of a qualified REIT subsidiary, mortgage loans or mortgage-backed securities that constitute real estate assets. For purposes of the 10% value test, the term “securities” does not include:

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“Straight debt” securities, which is defined as a written unconditional promise to pay on demand or on a specified date a sum certain in money if (i) the debt is not convertible, directly or indirectly, into stock, and (ii) the interest rate and interest payment dates are not contingent on profits, the borrower’s discretion, or similar factors. “Straight debt” securities do not include any securities issued by a partnership or a corporation in which we or any controlled TRS (i.e., a TRS in which we own directly or indirectly more than 50% of the voting power or value of the stock) hold non-”straight debt” securities that have an aggregate value of more than 1% of the issuer’s outstanding securities. However, “straight debt” securities include debt subject to the following contingencies:

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a contingency relating to the time of payment of interest or principal, as long as either (i) there is no change to the effective yield of the debt obligation, other than a change to the annual yield that does not exceed the greater of 0.25% or 5% of the annual yield, or (ii) neither the aggregate issue price nor the aggregate face amount of the issuer’s debt obligations held by us exceeds $1 million and no more than 12 months of unaccrued interest on the debt obligations can be required to be prepaid; and

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a contingency relating to the time or amount of payment upon a default or prepayment of a debt obligation, as long as the contingency is consistent with customary commercial practice.

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Any loan to an individual or an estate.

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Any “section 467 rental agreement,” other than an agreement with a related party tenant.

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Any obligation to pay “rents from real property.”

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Certain securities issued by governmental entities.

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Any security issued by a REIT.

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Any debt instrument of an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent of our interest as a partner in the partnership.

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Any debt instrument of an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes not described in the preceding bullet points if at least 75% of the partnership’s gross income, excluding income from prohibited transactions, is qualifying income for purposes of the 75% gross income test described above in “— Gross Income Tests.”

For purposes of the 10% value test, our proportionate share of the assets of a partnership is our proportionate interest in any securities issued by the partnership, without regard to the securities described in the last two bullet points above.

We believe that our investments in Agency RMBS will be qualifying assets for purposes of the 75% asset test because they are real estate assets or government securities. With respect to Agency RMBS that are pass-through certificates, we believe that the Agency RMBS will be treated as interests in a grantor trust and that Agency RMBS that are CMOs (including IOs, IIOs, and POs) will be treated as regular interests in a REMIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In the case of Agency RMBS treated as interests in a grantor trust, we are treated as owning an undivided beneficial ownership interest in the mortgage loans held by the grantor trust. Such mortgage loans will generally qualify as real estate assets to the extent that they are secured by real property.

IRS Revenue Procedure 2014-51 provides a safe harbor under which the IRS has stated that it will not challenge a REIT’s treatment of a loan as being, in part, a qualifying real estate asset in an amount equal to the lesser of: (i) the fair market value of the loan on the relevant quarterly REIT asset testing date; or (ii) the greater of (A) the fair market value of the real property securing the loan on the relevant quarterly REIT asset testing date or (B) the fair market value of the real property securing the loan determined as of the date the REIT committed to originate or acquire the loan. It is unclear how the safe harbor in Revenue Procedure 2014-51 is affected by the recent legislative changes regarding the treatment of loans secured by both real property and personal property where the fair market value of the personal property does not exceed 15% of the sum of the fair market values of the real property and the personal property securing the loan.

Additionally, although the IRS has ruled generally that Agency RMBS that are pass-through certificates are real estate assets for purposes of the 75% asset test, it is not clear how this guidance would apply to secondary market purchases of Agency RMBS that are pass-through certificates at a time when a portion of one or more mortgage loans backing the Agency RMBS is not treated as real estate assets as a result of the loans not being treated as fully secured by real property. In the case of Agency RMBS that are CMOs, which will be treated as regular interests in a REMIC, such interests will generally qualify as real estate assets. If less than 95% of the assets of the REMIC are real estate assets, however, then only a proportionate part of our interest in the REMIC interests will qualify as real estate assets. To the extent any Agency RMBS are not treated as real estate assets, we expect such Agency RMBS will be treated as government securities because they are issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the United States or by a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an instrumentality of the government of the United States pursuant to authority granted by the Congress of the United States.

We have entered and intend to continue to enter into repurchase agreements under which we would nominally sell certain of our Agency RMBS to a counterparty and simultaneously enter into an agreement to repurchase the sold assets in exchange for a purchase price that reflects a financing charge. Based on positions the IRS has taken in analogous situations, we believe that these transactions will be treated as secured debt and that we will be treated for REIT asset and gross income test purposes as the owner of the Agency RMBS that are the subject of any such agreement notwithstanding that such agreements may transfer record ownership of the assets to the counterparty during the term of the agreement. It is possible, however, that the IRS could assert that we did not own the Agency RMBS during the term of the sale and repurchase agreement, in which case we could fail to qualify as a REIT.

We have purchased, and may purchase in the future, Agency RMBS through delayed delivery contracts, including TBAs. The law is unclear with respect to the qualification of delayed delivery contracts as real estate assets or government securities for purposes of the 75% asset test. Until we receive a favorable private letter ruling from the IRS or we receive an opinion from counsel to the effect that delayed delivery contracts should be treated as qualifying assets for purposes of the 75% asset test, we will limit our aggregate investment in delayed delivery contracts, including TBAs, and any nonqualifying assets to no more than 25% of our total assets at the

end of any calendar quarter and will limit our investment in the delayed delivery contracts of any one issuer to less than 5% of our total assets at the end of any calendar quarter. Accordingly, our ability to purchase Agency RMBS through delayed delivery transactions could be limited. Moreover, even if we are advised by counsel that delayed delivery transactions should be treated as qualifying assets, it is possible that the IRS could successfully take the position that such assets are not qualifying assets. In the event that such assets were determined not to be qualifying for the 75% asset test, we could be subject to a penalty tax or we could fail to qualify as a REIT. See “— Failure to Qualify.”

We monitor the status of our assets for purposes of the various asset tests and seek to manage our portfolio to comply at all times with such tests. There can be no assurance, however, that we will be successful in this effort. In this regard, we will need to value our investment in our assets to ensure compliance with the asset tests. Although we seek to be prudent in making these estimates, there can be no assurances that the IRS might not disagree with these determinations and assert that a different value is applicable in which case we might not satisfy the 75% asset test and the other asset tests and, thus could fail to qualify as a REIT. If we fail to satisfy the asset tests at the end of a calendar quarter, we will not lose our REIT status if:

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we satisfied the asset tests at the end of the preceding calendar quarter; and

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the discrepancy between the value of our assets and the asset test requirements arose from changes in the market values of our assets and was not wholly or partly caused by the acquisition of one or more non-qualifying assets.

If we did not satisfy the condition described in the second item, above, we still could avoid disqualification by eliminating any discrepancy within 30 days after the close of the calendar quarter in which it arose.

In the event that we violate the 5% asset test, the 10% vote test or the 10% value test described above at the end of any calendar quarter, we will not lose our REIT qualification if (i) the failure is de minimis (up to the lesser of 1% of the total value of our assets or $10 million) and (ii) we dispose of assets or otherwise comply with the asset tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which we identified such failure. In the event of a failure of any of the asset tests (other than a de minimis failure described in the preceding sentence), as long as the failure was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect, we will not lose our REIT qualification if we (i) dispose of assets or otherwise comply with the asset tests within six months after the last day of the quarter in which we identified such failure, (ii) file a schedule with the IRS describing the assets that caused such failure in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Treasury and (iii) pay a tax equal to the greater of $50,000 or the highest rate of U.S. federal corporate income tax (currently, 35%) on the net income from the nonqualifying assets during the period in which we failed to satisfy the asset tests.

We believe that the investments that we will hold will satisfy the foregoing asset test requirements. However, we have not and will not obtain independent appraisals to support our conclusions as to the value of our assets and securities, or the real estate collateral for the mortgage loans that support our Agency RMBS. Moreover, the values of some assets may not be susceptible to a precise determination. As a result, there can be no assurance that the IRS will not contend that our ownership of securities and other assets violates one or more of the asset tests applicable to REITs.

Distribution Requirements

Each taxable year we must distribute dividends, other than capital gain dividends and deemed distributions of retained capital gain, to our stockholders in an aggregate amount at least equal to:

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the sum of:

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90% of our “REIT taxable income,” computed without regard to the dividends paid deduction and our net capital gain, and

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90% of our after-tax net income, if any, from foreclosure property, minus

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the sum of certain items of non-cash income.

We must pay such distributions in the taxable year to which they relate, or in the following taxable year if either (i) we declare the distribution before we timely file our U.S. federal income tax return for the year and pay the distribution on or before the first regular dividend payment date after such declaration, or (ii) we declare the distribution in October, November or December of the taxable year, payable to stockholders of record on a specified day in any such month, and we actually pay the dividend before the end of January of the following year. The distributions under clause (i) are taxable to the stockholders in the year in which paid, and the distributions in clause (ii) are treated as paid on December 31 of the prior taxable year. In both instances, these distributions relate to our prior taxable year for purposes of the 90% distribution requirement.

We will pay U.S. federal income tax on taxable income, including net capital gain, that we do not distribute to stockholders. Furthermore, if we fail to distribute during a calendar year, or by the end of the following January after the calendar year in the case of distributions with declaration and record dates falling in the last three months of the calendar year, at least the sum of:

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85% of our REIT ordinary income for such year,

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95% of our REIT capital gain income for such year, and

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any undistributed taxable income from prior periods,

we will incur a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the excess of such required distribution over the amounts we actually distribute. We may elect to retain and pay income tax on the net long-term capital gain we receive in a taxable year. If we so elect, we will be treated as having distributed any such retained amount for purposes of the 4% nondeductible excise tax described above. We intend to make timely distributions sufficient to satisfy the annual distribution requirements and to avoid corporate income tax and the 4% nondeductible excise tax.

It is possible that, from time to time, we may experience timing differences between the actual receipt of income and actual payment of deductible expenses and the inclusion of that income and deduction of such expenses in arriving at our REIT taxable income. Possible examples of those timing differences include the following:

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Because we may deduct capital losses only to the extent of our capital gains, we may have taxable income that exceeds our economic income.

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We will recognize taxable income in advance of the related cash flow if any of our Agency RMBS are deemed to have original issue discount. We generally must accrue original issue discount based on a constant yield method that takes into account projected prepayments but that defers taking into account losses until they are actually incurred.

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We may acquire debt instruments in the secondary market for less than their face amount. The amount of such discount may be treated as “market discount” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accrued market discount is reported as income when, and to the extent that, we dispose of the debt investment or any payment of principal of the debt instrument is made, unless we elect to include accrued market discount in income as it accrues. Principal payments on certain debt instruments are made monthly, and consequently accrued market discount may have to be included in income each month as if the debt instrument were assured of ultimately being collected in full. If we collect less on the debt instrument than our purchase price plus the market discount we had previously reported as income, we may not be able to benefit from any offsetting loss deductions.

Although several types of non-cash income are excluded in determining the annual distribution requirement, we will incur corporate income tax and the 4% nondeductible excise tax with respect to those non-cash income items if we do not distribute those items on a current basis. As a result of the foregoing, we may have less cash than is necessary to distribute all of our taxable income and thereby avoid corporate income tax and the excise tax imposed on certain undistributed income. In such a situation, we may need to borrow funds or, if possible, pay taxable dividends of our stock or debt securities.

We may satisfy the REIT annual distribution requirements by making taxable distributions of our stock. The IRS has issued private letter rulings to other REITs treating certain distributions that are paid partly in cash and partly in stock as dividends that would satisfy the REIT annual distribution requirement and qualify for the dividends paid deduction for federal income tax purposes. Those rulings may be relied upon only by taxpayers whom they were issued, but we could request a similar ruling from the IRS. In addition, the IRS previously issued a revenue procedure authorizing publicly traded REITs to make elective cash/stock dividends, but that revenue procedure has expired. Accordingly, it is unclear whether and to what extent we will be able to make taxable dividends payable in cash and stock. We currently do not intend to pay taxable dividends payable in cash and stock.

In general, in order for distributions to be counted towards our distribution requirement and to give rise to a tax deduction by us, they must not be “preferential dividends.” A dividend is not a preferential dividend if it is pro rata among all outstanding shares of stock within a particular class and is in accordance with the preferences among different classes of stock as set forth in the organizational documents. However, for the taxable year that began on January 1, 2015 and all future taxable years, so long as we continue to be a “publicly offered REIT”, the preferential dividend rule will not apply to us.

To qualify as a REIT, we may not have, at the end of any taxable year, any undistributed earnings and profits accumulated in any non-REIT taxable year. We may satisfy the 90% distribution test with taxable distributions of our stock or debt securities.

Under certain circumstances, we may be able to correct a failure to meet the distribution requirement for a year by paying “deficiency dividends” to our stockholders in a later year. We may include such deficiency dividends in our deduction for dividends paid for the earlier year. Although we may be able to avoid income tax on amounts distributed as deficiency dividends, we will be required to pay interest to the IRS based upon the amount of any deduction we take for deficiency dividends.

Recordkeeping Requirements

We must maintain certain records in order to qualify as a REIT. In addition, to avoid a monetary penalty, we must request on an annual basis information from our stockholders designed to disclose the actual ownership of our outstanding stock. We intend to comply with these requirements.

Failure to Qualify

If we fail to satisfy one or more requirements for REIT qualification, other than the gross income tests and the asset tests, we could avoid disqualification if our failure is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect and we pay a penalty of $50,000 for each such failure. In addition, there are relief provisions for a failure of the gross income tests and asset tests, as described in “— Gross Income Tests” and “— Asset Tests.”

If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, and no relief provision applies, we would be subject to U.S. federal income tax and any applicable alternative minimum tax on our taxable income at regular corporate rates. In calculating our taxable income in a year in which we fail to qualify as a REIT, we would not be able to deduct amounts paid out to stockholders. In fact, we would not be required to distribute any amounts to stockholders in that year. In such event, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, all distributions to stockholders would be taxable as ordinary income. Subject to certain limitations of the U.S. federal income tax laws, corporate stockholders might be eligible for the dividends received deduction and stockholders taxed at individual rates might be eligible for the reduced U.S. federal income tax rate of 20% on such dividends. Unless we qualified for relief under specific statutory provisions, we also would be disqualified from taxation as a REIT for the four taxable years following the year during which we ceased to qualify as a REIT. We cannot predict whether in all circumstances we would qualify for such statutory relief.

Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders

The term “U.S. stockholder” means a beneficial owner of our stock that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is:

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a citizen or resident of the United States;

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a corporation (including an entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized under the laws of the United States, any of its states or the District of Columbia;

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

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any trust if (i) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) it has a valid election in place to be treated as a U.S. person.

If a partnership, entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend on the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner and/or partnership level. If you are a partner in a partnership holding shares of our stock, you are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the consequences of the ownership and disposition of our stock by the partnership.

As long as we qualify as a REIT, a taxable U.S. stockholder must generally take into account as ordinary income distributions made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits that we do not designate as capital gain dividends or retained long-term capital gain. For purposes of determining whether a distribution is made out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, our earnings and profits will be allocated first to our preferred stock dividends, if any, and then to our common stock dividends. A corporate U.S. stockholder will not qualify for the dividends received deduction generally available to corporations. In addition, dividends paid to a U.S. stockholder generally will not qualify for the 20% tax rate for “qualified dividend income.” The maximum tax rate for qualified dividend income received by U.S. stockholders taxed at individual rates is currently 20%. The maximum tax rate on qualified dividend income is lower than the maximum tax rate on ordinary income, which is currently 39.6%. Qualified dividend income generally includes dividends paid by domestic C corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations to U.S. stockholders that are taxed at individual rates. Because we are not generally subject to federal income tax on the portion of our REIT taxable income distributed to our stockholders, our dividends generally will not be eligible for the 20% rate on qualified dividend income. As a result, our ordinary REIT dividends will be taxed at the higher tax rate applicable to ordinary income. However, the 20% tax rate for qualified dividend income will apply to our ordinary REIT dividends (i) attributable to dividends received by us from non-REIT corporations, such as a TRS, and (ii) to the extent attributable to income upon which we have paid corporate income tax (e.g., to the extent that we distribute less than 100% of our taxable income). In general, to qualify for the reduced tax rate on qualified dividend income, a stockholder must hold our stock for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the date on which our stock begins trading ex-dividend. Individuals, trusts and estates whose income exceeds certain thresholds are also subject to a 3.8% Medicare tax on dividends received from us. We may pay taxable dividends of our stock or debt securities. In the case of such a taxable distribution of our stock or debt securities, U.S. stockholders would be required to include the dividend as income and would be required to satisfy the tax liability associated with the dividend with cash from other sources, including sales of our stock or debt securities.

A U.S. stockholder generally will take into account as long-term capital gain any distributions that we properly designate as capital gain dividends without regard to the period for which the U.S. stockholder has held our stock. A corporate U.S. stockholder, however, may be required to treat up to 20% of certain capital gain dividends as ordinary income.

We may elect to retain and pay income tax on the net long-term capital gain that we recognize in a taxable year. In that case, to the extent we designate such amount on a timely notice to such stockholder, a U.S.

stockholder would be taxed on its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gain. The U.S. stockholder would receive a credit or refund for its proportionate share of the tax we paid. The U.S. stockholder would increase the basis in its stock by the amount of its proportionate share of our undistributed long-term capital gain, minus its share of the tax we paid.

A U.S. stockholder will not incur tax on a distribution in excess of our current or accumulated earnings and profits if the distribution does not exceed the adjusted basis of the U.S. stockholder’s stock. Instead, the distribution will reduce the adjusted basis of the U.S. stockholder’s stock. A U.S. stockholder will recognize a distribution in excess of both our current and accumulated earnings and profits and the U.S. stockholder’s adjusted basis in his or her stock as long-term capital gain, or short-term capital gain if the stock has been held for one year or less. In addition, if we declare a distribution in October, November or December of any year that is payable to a U.S. stockholder of record on a specified date in any such month, such distribution shall be treated as both paid by us and received by the U.S. stockholder on December 31 of such year, provided that we actually pay the distribution during January of the following calendar year.

Stockholders may not include in their individual income tax returns any of our net operating losses or capital losses. Instead, these losses are generally carried over by us for potential offset against our future income. Taxable distributions from us and gain from the disposition of our stock will not be treated as passive activity income and, therefore, stockholders generally will not be able to apply any “passive activity losses,” such as losses from certain types of limited partnerships in which the stockholder is a limited partner, against such income. In addition, taxable distributions from us and gain from the disposition of our stock generally will be treated as investment income for purposes of the investment interest limitations. We will notify stockholders after the close of our taxable year as to the portions of the distributions attributable to that year that constitute ordinary income, return of capital, and capital gain.

We may recognize taxable income in excess of our economic income, known as phantom income, in the first years that we hold certain investments, and experience an offsetting excess of economic income over our taxable income in later years. As a result, stockholders at times may be required to pay U.S. federal income tax on distributions that economically represent a return of capital rather than a dividend. These distributions would be offset in later years by distributions representing economic income that would be treated as returns of capital for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Taking into account the time value of money, this acceleration of U.S. federal income tax liabilities may reduce a stockholder’s after-tax return on his or her investment to an amount less than the after-tax return on an investment with an identical before-tax rate of return that did not generate phantom income. For example, if an investor with a 30% tax rate purchases a taxable bond with an annual interest rate of 10% on its face value, the investor’s before-tax return on the investment would be 10% and the investor’s after-tax return would be 7%. However, if the same investor purchased our common stock at a time when the before-tax rate of return was 10%, the investor’s after-tax rate of return on such common stock might be somewhat less than 7% as a result of our phantom income. In general, as the ratio of our phantom income to our total income increases, the after-tax rate of return received by a taxable stockholder will decrease.

If excess inclusion income from a taxable mortgage pool is allocated to any stockholder, that income will be taxable in the hands of the stockholder and will not be offset by any net operating losses of the stockholder that would otherwise be available. See “— Requirements for Qualification — Taxable Mortgage Pools.” As required by IRS guidance, we intend to notify our stockholders if a portion of a dividend paid by us is attributable to excess inclusion income.

Taxation of U.S. Stockholders on the Disposition of Our Stock

A U.S. stockholder who is not a dealer in securities must generally treat any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of our stock as long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. stockholder has held the stock for more than one year and otherwise as short-term capital gain or loss. In general, a U.S. stockholder will realize gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the sum of the fair market value of any property and the

amount of cash received in such disposition and the U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis. A stockholder’s adjusted tax basis generally will equal the U.S. stockholder’s acquisition cost, increased by the excess of net capital gains deemed distributed to the U.S. stockholder (discussed above) less tax deemed paid on such gains and reduced by any returns of capital. However, a U.S. stockholder must treat any loss upon a sale or exchange of stock held by such stockholder for six-months or less as a long-term capital loss to the extent of capital gain dividends and any other actual or deemed distributions from us that such U.S. stockholder treats as long-term capital gain. All or a portion of any loss that a U.S. stockholder realizes upon a taxable disposition of our stock may be disallowed if the U.S. stockholder purchases our stock or substantially identical stock within 30 days before or after the disposition.

Taxation of U.S. Stockholders on a Conversion of Our Preferred Stock

Except as provided below, (i) a U.S. stockholder generally will not recognize gain or loss upon the conversion of preferred stock into our common stock, and (ii) a U.S. stockholder’s basis and holding period in our common stock received upon conversion generally will be the same as those of the converted preferred stock (but the basis will be reduced by the portion of adjusted tax basis allocated to any fractional share exchanged for cash). Any of our shares of common stock received in a conversion that are attributable to accumulated and unpaid dividends on the converted preferred stock will be treated as a distribution that is potentially taxable as a dividend. Cash received upon conversion in lieu of a fractional share generally will be treated as a payment in a taxable exchange for such fractional share, and gain or loss will be recognized on the receipt of cash in an amount equal to the difference between the amount of cash received and the adjusted tax basis allocable to the fractional share deemed exchanged. This gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. stockholder has held our preferred shares for more than one year at the time of conversion. U.S. stockholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of any transaction by which such holder exchanges stock received on a conversion of preferred stock for cash or other property.

Taxation of U.S. Stockholders on a Redemption of Our Preferred Stock

A redemption of our preferred stock will be treated under Section 302 of the Code as a distribution that is taxable as dividend income (to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits), unless the redemption satisfies certain tests set forth in Section 302(b) of the Code enabling the redemption to be treated as a sale of the preferred stock (in which case the redemption will be treated in the same manner as a sale described above in “— Taxation of U.S. Stockholders on the Disposition of Our Stock”). The redemption will satisfy such tests if it

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is “substantially disproportionate” with respect to the U.S. stockholder’s interest in our stock,

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results in a “complete termination” of the U.S. stockholder’s interest in all of our classes of stock, or

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is “not essentially equivalent to a dividend” with respect to the stockholder, all within the meaning of Section 302(b) of the Code.

In determining whether any of these tests have been met, stock considered to be owned by the U.S. stockholder by reason of certain constructive ownership rules set forth in the Code, as well as stock actually owned, generally must be taken into account. Because the determination as to whether any of the three alternative tests of Section 302(b) of the Code described above will be satisfied with respect to any particular U.S. stockholder of our preferred stock depends upon the facts and circumstances at the time that the determination must be made, prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors to determine such tax treatment. If a redemption of preferred stock does not meet any of the three tests described above, the redemption proceeds will be treated as a taxable dividend, as described above “— Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders.” In that case, a U.S. stockholder’s adjusted tax basis in the redeemed preferred stock will be transferred to such U.S. stockholder’s remaining stock holdings in us. If the U.S. stockholder does not retain any of our stock, such basis could be transferred to a related person that holds our stock or it may be lost.

Under proposed Treasury regulations, if any portion of the amount received by a U.S. stockholder on a redemption of any class of our preferred stock is treated as a distribution with respect to our stock but not as a taxable dividend, then such portion will be allocated to all shares of the redeemed class held by the redeemed stockholder just before the redemption on a pro-rata, share-by-share, basis. The amount applied to each share will first reduce the redeemed U.S. stockholder’s basis in that share and any excess after the basis is reduced to zero will result in taxable gain. If the redeemed stockholder has different bases in its shares of stock, then the amount allocated could reduce some of the basis in certain shares of stock while reducing all the basis and giving rise to taxable gain in others. Thus, the redeemed U.S. stockholder could have gain even if such U.S. stockholder’s basis in all its shares of the redeemed class exceeded such portion.

The proposed Treasury regulations permit the transfer of basis in the redeemed preferred stock to the redeemed U.S. stockholder’s remaining, unredeemed preferred stock of the same class (if any), but not to any other class of stock held (directly or indirectly) by the redeemed U.S. stockholder. Instead, any unrecovered basis in the redeemed preferred stock would be treated as a deferred loss to be recognized when certain conditions are satisfied. The proposed Treasury regulations would be effective for transactions that occur after the date the regulations are published as final Treasury regulations. There can, however, be no assurance as to whether, when and in what particular form such proposed Treasury regulations will ultimately be finalized.

Capital Gains and Losses

A taxpayer generally must hold a capital asset for more than one year for gain or loss derived from its sale or exchange to be treated as long-term capital gain or loss. The highest marginal individual income tax rate currently is 39.6%. The maximum tax rate on long-term capital gain applicable to taxpayers taxed at individual rates is 20% for sales and exchanges of assets held for more than one year. The maximum tax rate on long-term capital gain from “section 1250 property,” or depreciable real property, is 25%, which applies to the lesser of the total amount of the gain or the accumulated depreciation on the Section 1250 property. In addition, individuals, trusts and estates whose income exceeds certain thresholds are also subject to a 3.8% Medicare tax on gain from the sale of our stock.

With respect to distributions that we designate as capital gain dividends and any retained capital gain that we are deemed to distribute, we generally may designate whether such a distribution is taxable to our stockholders taxed at individual rates at a 20% or 25% rate. Thus, the tax rate differential between capital gain and ordinary income for those taxpayers may be significant. In addition, the characterization of income as capital gain or ordinary income may affect the deductibility of capital losses. A non-corporate taxpayer may deduct capital losses not offset by capital gains against its ordinary income only up to a maximum annual amount of $3,000 ($1,500 for married individuals filing separate returns). A non-corporate taxpayer may carry forward unused capital losses indefinitely. A corporate taxpayer must pay tax on its net capital gain at ordinary corporate rates. A corporate taxpayer may deduct capital losses only to the extent of capital gains, with unused losses being carried back three years and forward five years.

Taxation of Tax-Exempt Stockholders

Tax-exempt entities, including qualified employee pension and profit sharing trusts and individual retirement accounts, generally are exempt from U.S. federal income taxation. However, they are subject to taxation on their UBTI. While many investments in real estate generate UBTI, the IRS has issued a ruling that dividend distributions from a REIT to an exempt employee pension trust do not constitute UBTI, provided that the exempt employee pension trust does not otherwise use the shares of the REIT in an unrelated trade or business of the pension trust. Based on that ruling, amounts that we distribute to tax-exempt stockholders generally should not constitute UBTI. However, if a tax-exempt stockholder were to finance its investment in our stock with debt, a portion of the income that it receives from us would constitute UBTI pursuant to the “debt-financed property” rules. Moreover, social clubs, voluntary employee benefit associations, supplemental unemployment benefit trusts, and qualified group legal services plans that are exempt from taxation under special

provisions of the U.S. federal income tax laws are subject to different UBTI rules, which generally will require them to characterize distributions that they receive from us as UBTI. Furthermore, a tax-exempt stockholder’s share of any excess inclusion income that we recognize would be subject to tax as UBTI.

Finally, in certain circumstances, a qualified employee pension or profit sharing trust that owns more than 10% of our stock is required to treat a percentage of the dividends that it receives from us as UBTI. Such percentage is equal to the gross income that we derive from an unrelated trade or business, determined as if we were a pension trust, divided by our total gross income for the year in which we pay the dividends. That rule applies to a pension trust holding more than 10% of our stock only if:

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the percentage of our dividends that the tax-exempt trust would be required to treat as UBTI is at least 5%;

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we qualify as a REIT by reason of the modification of the rule requiring that no more than 50% of our stock be owned by five or fewer individuals that allows the beneficiaries of the pension trust to be treated as holding our stock in proportion to their actuarial interests in the pension trust; and

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either: (i) one pension trust owns more than 25% of the value of our stock or (ii) a group of pension trusts individually holding more than 10% of the value of our stock collectively owns more than 50% of the value of our stock.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Stockholders

The following discussion addresses the rules governing U.S. federal income taxation of the purchase, ownership and sale of our stock by non-U.S. stockholders. When we use the term “non-U.S. stockholder,” we mean beneficial owners of our stock who are not U.S. stockholders, as described above in “— Taxation of Taxable U.S. Stockholders,” or partnerships (or entities or arrangements treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes). The rules governing U.S. federal income taxation of non-U.S. stockholders are complex. This section is only a summary of such rules. We urge non-U.S. stockholders to consult their tax advisers to determine the impact of federal, state, and local income tax laws on ownership of our stock, including any reporting requirements.

Distributions

A non-U.S. stockholder that receives a distribution that is not attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of a “United States real property interest,” or USRPI, as defined below, and that we do not designate as a capital gain dividend or retained capital gain will recognize ordinary income to the extent that we pay the distribution out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. A withholding tax equal to 30% of the gross amount of the distribution ordinarily will apply unless an applicable tax treaty reduces or eliminates the tax. However, if a distribution is treated as effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s conduct of a U.S. trade or business, the non-U.S. stockholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the distribution at graduated rates, in the same manner as U.S. stockholders are taxed on distributions and also may be subject to the 30% branch profits tax in the case of a corporate non-U.S. stockholder. It is expected that the applicable withholding agent will withhold U.S. income tax at the rate of 30% on the gross amount of any distribution paid to a non-U.S. stockholder unless either:

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a lower treaty rate applies and the non-U.S. stockholder files with the applicable withholding agent an IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E evidencing eligibility for that reduced rate, or

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the non-U.S. stockholder files with the applicable withholding agent an IRS Form W-8ECI claiming that the distribution is effectively connected income.

However, reduced treaty rates are not available to the extent income allocated to the non-U.S. stockholder is excess inclusion income.

A non-U.S. stockholder will not incur U.S. tax on a distribution in excess of our current or accumulated earnings and profits if the excess portion of the distribution does not exceed the adjusted basis of its stock. Instead, the excess portion of the distribution will reduce the adjusted basis of that stock. A non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to tax on a distribution that exceeds both our current and accumulated earnings and profits and the adjusted basis of its stock, if the non-U.S. stockholder otherwise would be subject to tax on gain from the sale or disposition of its stock, as described below. Because we generally cannot determine at the time we make a distribution whether or not the distribution will exceed both our current and accumulated earnings and profits, it is expected that the applicable withholding agent normally will withhold tax on the entire amount of any distribution at the same rate as it would withhold on a dividend. However, by filing a U.S. tax return, a non-U.S. stockholder may obtain a refund of amounts that the applicable withholding agent withheld if we later determine that a distribution in fact exceeded our current and accumulated earnings and profits.

A U.S. withholding tax at a 30% rate will be imposed on dividends paid on our stock received by certain non-U.S. stockholders if certain disclosure requirements related to U.S. accounts or ownership are not satisfied. In addition, if those disclosure requirements are not satisfied, a U.S. withholding tax at a 30% rate will be imposed, for payments made after December 31, 2018, on proceeds from the sale of our stock received by certain non-U.S. stockholders. If payment of withholding taxes is required, non-U.S. stockholders that are otherwise eligible for an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. withholding taxes with respect of such dividends and proceeds will be required to seek a refund from the IRS to obtain the benefit or such exemption or reduction. We will not pay any additional amounts in respect of any amounts withheld.

For any year in which we qualify as a REIT, a non-U.S. stockholder could incur tax on distributions that are attributable to gain from our sale or exchange of USRPI, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act of 1980, or FIRPTA. A USRPI includes certain interests in real property and shares in corporations at least 50% of whose assets consist of interests in real property. The term “USRPI” does not generally include mortgage loans or RMBS, such as Agency RMBS. As a result, we do not anticipate that we will generate material amounts of gain that would be subject to FIRPTA. Under the FIRPTA rules, a non-U.S. stockholder is taxed on distributions attributable to gain from sales of USRPIs as if the gain were effectively connected with a U.S. business of the non-U.S. stockholder. A non-U.S. stockholder thus would be taxed on such a distribution at the normal capital gain rates applicable to U.S. stockholders, subject to applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of a nonresident alien individual. A non-U.S. corporate stockholder not entitled to treaty relief or exemption also might be subject to the 30% branch profits tax on such a distribution. The applicable withholding agent would be required to withhold 35% of any such distribution that we could designate as a capital gain dividend. A non-U.S. stockholder might receive a credit against its tax liability for the amount withheld.

However, subject to the discussion below regarding distributions to “qualified shareholders” and “qualified foreign pension funds,” under FIRPTA, if the applicable class of our stock is regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States, capital gain distributions on our stock that are attributable to our sale of a USRPI will be treated as ordinary dividends rather than as gain from the sale of a USRPI, as long as the non-U.S. stockholder does not own more than 5% (10% as applied to distributions on or after December 18, 2015) of that class of our stock during the one-year period preceding the date of the distribution. As a result, non-U.S. stockholders generally will be subject to withholding tax on such capital gain distributions in the same manner as they are subject to withholding tax on ordinary dividends. We believe that our common stock currently is treated as regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States. If the applicable class of our stock is not regularly traded on an established securities market in the United States or the non-U.S. stockholder owned more than 10% of the applicable class of our stock any time during the one-year period prior to the distribution, capital gain distributions that are attributable to our sale of real property would be subject to tax under FIRPTA. Moreover, if a non-U.S. stockholder disposes of our stock during the 30-day period preceding a dividend payment, and such non-U.S. stockholder (or a person related to such non-U.S. stockholder) acquires or enters into a contract or option to acquire our stock within 61 days of the 1st day of the 30 day period described above, and any portion of such dividend payment would, but for the disposition, be treated as a USRPI capital gain to

such non-U.S. stockholder, then such non-U.S. stockholder shall be treated as having USRPI capital gain in an amount that, but for the disposition, would have been treated as USRPI capital gain.

Qualified Shareholders. Subject to the exception discussed below, any distribution on or after December 18, 2015 to a “qualified shareholder” who holds our stock directly or indirectly (through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to U.S. tax as income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business and thus will not be subject to special withholding rules under FIRPTA. While a “qualified shareholder” will not be subject to FIRPTA withholding on REIT distributions, certain investors of a “qualified shareholder” (i.e., non-U.S. persons who hold interests in the “qualified shareholder” (other than interests solely as a creditor), and hold more than 10% of REIT stock (whether or not by reason of the investor’s ownership in the “qualified shareholder”)) may be subject to FIRPTA withholding.

A “qualified shareholder” is a foreign person that (i) either is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty which includes an exchange of information program and whose principal class of interests is listed and regularly traded on one or more recognized stock exchanges (as defined in such comprehensive income tax treaty), or is a foreign partnership that is created or organized under foreign law as a limited partnership in a jurisdiction that has an agreement for the exchange of information with respect to taxes with the U.S. and has a class of limited partnership units representing greater than 50% of the value of all the partnership units that is regularly traded on the NYSE or NASDAQ markets, (ii) is a qualified collective investment vehicle (defined below), and (iii) maintains records on the identity of each person who, at any time during the foreign person’s taxable year, is the direct owner of 5% or more of the class of interests or units (as applicable) described in (i), above.

A qualified collective investment vehicle is a foreign person that (i) would be eligible for a reduced rate of withholding under the comprehensive income tax treaty described above, even if such entity holds more than 10% of the stock of such REIT, (ii) is publicly traded, is treated as a partnership under the Code, is a withholding foreign partnership, and would be treated as a U.S. real property holding corporation if it were a domestic corporation, or (iii) is designated as such by the Secretary of the Treasury and is either (a) fiscally transparent within the meaning of section 894 of the Code, or (b) required to include dividends in its gross income, but is entitled to a deduction for distributions to its investors.

Qualified Foreign Pension Funds. Any distribution on or after December 18, 2015 to a “qualified foreign pension fund” or an entity all of the interests of which are held by a “qualified foreign pension fund” who holds our stock directly or indirectly (through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to U.S. tax as income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business and thus will not be subject to the withholding rules under FIRPTA.

A qualified foreign pension fund is any trust, corporation, or other organization or arrangement (A) which is created or organized under the law of a country other than the U.S., (B) which is established to provide retirement or pension benefits to participants or beneficiaries that are current or former employees (or persons designated by such employees) of one or more employers in consideration for services rendered, (C) which does not have a single participant or beneficiary with a right to more than 5% of its assets or income, (D) which is subject to government regulation and provides annual information reporting about its beneficiaries to the relevant tax authorities in the country in which it is established or operates, and (E) with respect to which, under the laws of the country in which it is established or operates, (i) contributions to such organization or arrangement that would otherwise be subject to tax under such laws are deductible or excluded from the gross income of such entity or taxed at a reduced rate, or (ii) taxation of any investment income of such organization or arrangement is deferred or such income is taxed at a reduced rate.

The provisions of the PATH Act (as defined below) relating to qualified shareholders and qualified foreign pension funds are complex. Stockholders should consult their tax advisors with respect to the impact of the PATH Act on them.

Dispositions

A non-U.S. stockholder generally will not incur tax under FIRPTA with respect to gain realized upon a disposition of our stock as long as we are not a United States real property holding corporation during a specified testing period. If at least 50% of a REIT’s assets are USRPIs, then the REIT will be a United States real property holding corporation. We do not believe that we are a United States real property holding corporation based on our asset mix and investment strategy. In the unlikely event that at least 50% of the assets we hold were determined to be USRPIs, gains from the sale of our stock by a non-U.S. stockholder could be subject to a FIRPTA tax.

However, even if that event were to occur, a non-U.S. stockholder generally would not incur tax under FIRPTA on gain from the sale of our stock if we were a “domestically controlled qualified investment entity.” A “domestically controlled qualified investment entity” includes a REIT in which, at all times during a specified testing period, less than 50% in value of its shares are held directly or indirectly by non-U.S. persons. We cannot assure you that this test will be met. If the applicable class of our stock is regularly traded on an established securities market, an additional exception to the tax under FIRPTA will be available with respect to such class of our stock, even if we do not qualify as a domestically controlled qualified investment entity at the time the non-U.S. stockholder sells such stock. Under that exception, the gain from such a sale by such a non-U.S. stockholder will not be subject to tax under FIRPTA if:

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the applicable class of our stock is treated as being regularly traded under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations on an established securities market; and

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the non-U.S. stockholder owned, actually or constructively, 5% (10% on or after December 18, 2015) or less of the applicable class of our stock at all times during a specified testing period.

As noted above, we believe that our common stock is currently treated as regularly traded on an established securities market.

On or after December 18, 2015, a sale of our shares by:

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a “qualified shareholder” or

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a “qualified foreign pension fund”

who holds our shares directly or indirectly (through one or more partnerships) will not be subject to federal income taxation under FIRPTA. While a “qualified shareholder” will not be subject to FIRPTA withholding upon sale of our shares, certain investors of a “qualified shareholder” (i.e., non-U.S. persons who hold interests in the “qualified shareholder” (other than interests solely as a creditor), and hold more than 10% of REIT stock (whether or not by reason of the investor’s ownership in the “qualified shareholder”)) may be subject to FIRPTA withholding.

If the gain on the sale of our stock were taxed under FIRPTA, a non-U.S. stockholder would be taxed on that gain in the same manner as U.S. stockholders, subject to applicable alternative minimum tax and a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals and, if the applicable class of our stock were not regularly traded on an established securities market, the purchaser of shares of our stock also may be required to withhold 10% (15% as applied to dispositions occurring on or after February 16, 2016) of the purchase price and remit this amount to the IRS on behalf of the selling non-U.S. stockholder.

Furthermore, a non-U.S. stockholder generally will incur tax on gain not subject to FIRPTA if:

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the gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. stockholder’s U.S. trade or business, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will be subject to the same treatment as U.S. stockholders with respect to such gain, or

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the non-U.S. stockholder is a nonresident alien individual who was present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and has a “tax home” in the United States, in which case the non-U.S. stockholder will incur a tax of 30% on his or her net capital gains.

Information Reporting Requirements and Backup Withholding, Shares Held Offshore

We will report to our stockholders and to the IRS the amount of distributions we pay during each calendar year, and the amount of tax we withhold, if any. Under the backup withholding rules, a stockholder may be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 28% with respect to distributions unless the holder:

is a corporation or qualifies for certain other exempt categories and, when required, demonstrates this fact; or

provides a taxpayer identification number, certifies as to no loss of exemption from backup withholding, and otherwise complies with the applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules.

A stockholder who does not provide the applicable withholding agent with its correct taxpayer identification number also may be subject to penalties imposed by the IRS. Any amount paid as backup withholding will be creditable against the stockholder’s income tax liability. In addition, the applicable withholding agent may be required to withhold a portion of capital gain distributions to any stockholders who fail to certify their U.S. status.

Backup withholding will generally not apply to payments of dividends made by us or our paying agents, in their capacities as such, to a non-U.S. stockholder provided that the non-U.S. stockholder furnishes to the applicable withholding agent the required certification as to its non-U.S. status, such as providing a valid IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8ECI, or certain other requirements are met. Notwithstanding the foregoing, backup withholding may apply if the applicable withholding agent has actual knowledge, or reason to know, that the holder is a U.S. person that is not an exempt recipient. Payments of the net proceeds from a disposition or a redemption effected outside the United States by a non-U.S. stockholder made by or through a foreign office of a broker generally will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, information reporting (but not backup withholding) generally will apply to such a payment if the broker has certain connections with the U.S. unless the broker has documentary evidence in its records that the beneficial owner is a non-U.S. stockholder and specified conditions are met or an exemption is otherwise established. Payment of the net proceeds from a disposition by a non-U.S. stockholder of stock made by or through the U.S. office of a broker is generally subject to information reporting and backup withholding unless the non-U.S. stockholder certifies under penalties of perjury that it is not a U.S. person and satisfies certain other requirements, or otherwise establishes an exemption from information reporting and backup withholding.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be refunded or credited against the stockholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability if certain required information is timely furnished to the IRS. Stockholders are urged consult their tax advisors regarding application of backup withholding to them and the availability of, and procedure for obtaining an exemption from, backup withholding.

A U.S. withholding tax at a 30% rate will be imposed on proceeds from the sale of our stock received after December 31, 2018, by certain non-U.S. stockholders if certain disclosure requirements related to U.S. accounts or ownership are not satisfied. If payment of withholding taxes is required, non-U.S. stockholders that are otherwise eligible for an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. withholding taxes with respect to such proceeds will be required to seek a refund from the IRS to obtain the benefit of such exemption or reduction. We will not pay any additional amounts in respect of any amounts withheld.

Legislative or Other Actions Affecting REITs

Several REIT rules were amended under the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, which we refer to as the PATH Act, which was enacted on December 18, 2015. These rules were enacted with varying

effective dates, some of which are retroactive. Investors should consult with their tax advisors regarding the effect of the PATH Act in their particular circumstances.

The present U.S. federal income tax treatment of REITs may be modified, possibly with retroactive effect, by legislative, judicial or administrative action at any time, which could affect the U.S. federal income tax treatment of an investment in us. The REIT rules are constantly under review by persons involved in the legislative process and by the IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department, which may result in statutory changes as well as revisions to regulations and interpretations. Changes to the U.S. federal tax laws and interpretations thereof could adversely affect an investment in our securities. According to publicly released statements, a top legislative priority of the new Congress and administration may be to enact significant reform of the Code, including significant changes to taxation of business entities and the deductibility of interest expense and capital investment. There is a substantial lack of clarity around the likelihood, timing and details of any such tax reform and the impact of any potential tax reform on us or an investment in our securities.

Any such changes to the tax laws or interpretations thereof, with or without retroactive application, could materially and adversely affect our securityholders or us. We cannot predict how changes in the tax laws might affect our stockholders or us. New legislation, U.S. Treasury Regulations, administrative interpretations or court decisions could significantly and negatively affect our ability to continue to qualify as a REIT, or the U.S. federal income tax consequences to our securityholders and us of such qualification, or could have other adverse consequences, including with respect to ownership of our securities. For example, lower revised tax rates for corporations, or for individuals, trusts and estates, might cause current or potential securityholders to perceive investments in REITs to be relatively less attractive than is the case under current law. Investors are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to the status of legislative, regulatory, or administrative developments and proposals and their potential effect on an investment in our securities.

State, Local and Foreign Taxes

We and our subsidiaries and stockholders may be subject to state, local or foreign taxation in various jurisdictions, including those in which we or they transact business, own property or reside. The state, local or foreign tax treatment of us and our stockholders may not conform to the U.S. federal income tax treatment discussed above. Any foreign taxes incurred by us would not pass through to our securityholders against their U.S. federal income tax liability. Prospective stockholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application and effect of state, local and foreign income and other tax laws on an investment in our securities.

SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the selling stockholder’s beneficial ownership of our common stock as of April 28, 2017. We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Except as indicated by the footnotes below, we believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the selling stockholders have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock that it beneficially owns. Based on the information provided to us by the selling stockholders, the selling stockholders are not broker-dealers or affiliates of a broker-dealer.

Our Manager, Bimini Advisors, LLC, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bimini Capital Management, Inc., one of the selling stockholders. Information about additional selling stockholders may be set forth in a prospectus supplement, in a post-effective amendment or in filings that we make with the SEC under the Exchange Act, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

The selling stockholders named below and its permitted transferees, pledgees, orderees or other successors may from time to time offer and sell the shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus.


Name of Selling Stockholder	Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership of Our Common Stock		Number of Shares of Stock Offered		Percent of Class			Number and Nature of Common Stock Owned After Resale		Percent of Class After Resale⁽³⁾
Bimini Capital Management, Inc.⁽¹⁾		981,655		981,665		2.81	%		—		—
Royal Palm Capital, LLC⁽²⁾		538,371		538,371		1.54	%		—		—

(1)

Bimini Advisors, LLC, our Manager, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bimini Capital Management, Inc., or Bimini. Robert E. Cauley and G. Hunter Haas, IV, who comprise Bimini’s and our Manager’s senior management team, also serve as our executive officers. The board of directors and senior management team of Bimini control the voting and dispositive powers over the shares held by Bimini. Robert E. Cauley, Robert J. Dwyer and Frank E. Jaumot serve as Bimini’s board of directors.

(2)

Royal Palm Capital, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bimini Capital Management, Inc. Robert E. Cauley, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of our Board, and Hunter G. Haas, IV, our Chief Financial Officer, Chief Investment Officer, Secretary, and a member of our Board, are members of the Board of Managers of Royal Palm Capital, LLC.

(3)

Assumes that each selling stockholder sells all of its shares of our common stock offered pursuant to this prospectus. It is difficult to estimate with any degree of certainty the amount and percentage of shares of common stock that would be held by each selling stockholder after completion of the offering. Each selling stockholder may offer all, some or none of such its shares of common stock.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We, or the selling stockholders, may sell the securities offered by this prospectus from time to time in one or more transactions, including without limitation:

•

through underwriters or dealers;

•

directly to purchasers;

•

in a rights offering;

•

in “at the market” offerings within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market on an exchange or otherwise;

•

through agents;

•

through a combination of any of these methods; or

•

through any other method permitted by applicable law and described in a prospectus supplement.

The prospectus supplement with respect to any offering of securities will include the following information:

•

the terms of the offering;

•

the names of any underwriters or agents;

•

the name or names of any managing underwriter or underwriters;

•

the purchase price or initial public offering price of the securities;

•

the net proceeds from the sale of the securities;

•

any delayed delivery arrangements;

•

any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation;

•

any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers;

•

any commissions paid to agents; and

•

any securities exchange on which the securities may be listed.

Sale Through Underwriters or Dealers

If underwriters are used in the sale, the underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Underwriters may offer securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the offered securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.

We will describe the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents and the purchase price of the securities in a prospectus supplement relating to the securities.

In connection with the sale of the securities, underwriters may receive compensation from us or the selling stockholders 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 these 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, which is not expected to exceed that customary in the types of transactions involved. 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 the selling stockholders, and any profit on the resale of the securities they realize may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions, under the Securities Act. The prospectus supplement will identify any underwriter or agent and will describe any compensation they receive from us or the selling stockholders.

Underwriters could make sales in privately negotiated transactions and/or any other method permitted by law, including sales deemed to be an “at-the-market” offering, sales made directly on the NYSE, the existing trading market for our common stock, or such other exchange or automated quotation system on which our securities trade, or sales made to or through a market maker other than on an exchange. The name of any such underwriter or agent involved in the offer and sale of our securities, the amounts underwritten, and the nature of its obligations to take our securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, each series of the securities will be a new issue with no established trading market, other than our common stock, which is currently listed on the NYSE. We currently intend to list any shares of common stock sold or resold pursuant to this prospectus on the NYSE. We may elect to list any series of preferred stock 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 underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Therefore, we can give no assurance about the liquidity of or the trading market for any of the securities.

Under agreements we, or our selling stockholders, may enter into, we, or our selling stockholders, may indemnify underwriters, dealers, and agents who participate in the distribution of the securities against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribute with respect to payments that the underwriters, dealers or agents may be required to make. Unless otherwise set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement, the obligations of any underwriters to purchase any of the securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent.

In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, the maximum aggregate discounts, commissions, agency fees or other items constituting underwriting compensation to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer will not exceed 8% of the aggregate offering price of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.

To facilitate the offering of securities, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities. This may include over-allotments or short sales of the securities, which involve the sale by persons participating in the offering of more securities than we sold to them. In these circumstances, these persons would cover such over-allotments or short positions by making purchases in the open market or by exercising their over-allotment option, if any. In addition, these persons may stabilize or maintain the price of the securities by bidding for or purchasing securities in the open market or by imposing penalty bids, whereby selling concessions allowed to dealers participating in the offering may be reclaimed if securities sold by them are repurchased in connection with stabilization transactions. The effect of these transactions may be to stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. These transactions may be discontinued at any time.

From time to time, we or our affiliates may engage in transactions with these underwriters, dealers and agents in the ordinary course of business. Underwriters have from time to time in the past provided, and may from time to time in the future provide, investment banking services to us, or the selling stockholders, for which they have in the past received, and may in the future receive, customary fees.

Direct Sales and Sales through Agents

We, or the selling stockholders, may sell the securities directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We, or the selling stockholders, may also sell the securities through agents designated by us and the selling stockholders from time to time. In the applicable prospectus supplement, we will name any agent involved in the offer, sale or resale of the offered securities, and we will describe any commissions payable to the agent. Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.

We, or the selling stockholders, may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. We will describe the terms of any sales of these securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Remarketing Arrangements

Securities may also be offered and sold, if so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, in connection with a remarketing upon their purchase, in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to their terms, or otherwise, by one or more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us or the selling stockholders. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreements, if any, with us and the selling stockholders and its compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Delayed Delivery Contracts

If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we, or the selling stockholders, may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. Institutions with which we, or the selling stockholders, may make these delayed delivery contracts include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions and others. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The obligations of any purchaser under any such delayed delivery contract will be subject to the condition that the purchase of the securities shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of the jurisdiction to which the purchaser is subject. The underwriters and other agents will not have any responsibility with regard to the validity or performance of these delayed delivery contracts. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.

General Information

We, or the selling stockholders, may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers, agents and remarketing firms to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute with respect to payments that the underwriters, dealers, agents or remarketing firms may be required to make. Underwriters, dealers, agents and remarketing firms may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us, or the selling stockholders, in the ordinary course of their businesses.

LEGAL MATTERS

Certain legal matters in connection with this offering including the validity of the shares being offered by this prospectus and certain tax matters will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. Venable LLP will issue an opinion to us regarding certain matters of Maryland law, including the validity of the shares of common stock offered by this prospectus. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the underwriters or agents, if any, by the counsel named in the prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The financial statements as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2016 incorporated by reference in this prospectus have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of BDO USA, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3, including exhibits and schedules filed with the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, under the Securities Act with respect to the securities covered by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement and exhibits and schedules to the registration statement. For further information with respect to us and the securities covered by this prospectus, reference is made to the registration statement, including the exhibits and schedules to the registration statement. Copies of the registration statement, including the exhibits and schedules to the registration statement, may be examined without charge at the public reference room of the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, DC 20549. Information about the operation of the public reference room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0300. Copies of all or a portion of the registration statement can be obtained from the public reference room of the SEC upon payment of prescribed fees. Our SEC filings, including our registration statement, are also available to you for free on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

We are subject to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and file periodic reports and proxy statements and make available to our stockholders annual reports containing audited financial information for each year and quarterly reports for the first three quarters of each fiscal year containing unaudited interim financial information.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus certain information filed with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you directly to certain documents. Any statement in a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent a statement contained in this prospectus modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below:

•

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016;

•

the information specifically incorporated by reference into our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 from our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A for our 2017 annual meeting of stockholders;

•

our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2017;

•

our current reports on Form 8-K filed on January 11, 2017, February 9, 2017, February 23, 2017, March 8, 2017, April 13, 2017 and April 27, 2017 (but only as to Item 2.02 and Exhibit 99.2 of Item 9.01 of the April 27, 2017 Form 8-K);

•

the description of our capital stock in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A filed on February 13, 2013; and

•

all documents filed by us under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act on or after the date of this prospectus and before the termination of this offering.

We also specifically incorporate by reference any documents filed by us with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date on which the registration statement which this prospectus forms a part was initially filed by us with the SEC and prior to effectiveness of the registration statement.

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

Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

3350 Flamingo Drive

Vero Beach, Florida 32963

(772) 231-1400

You may also obtain copies of this information by visiting our website at http://www.orchidislandcapital.com.

To the extent that any information contained in any Current Report on Form 8-K, or any exhibit thereto, was furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, such information or exhibit is specifically not incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

You should rely only on the information provided or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus.

LOGO

$500,000,000

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Units

PROSPECTUS

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 14.

OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION

The following table itemizes the expenses incurred by us or the selling stockholders (as indicated) in connection with the issuance and registration of the securities being registered hereunder. All amounts shown are estimates except the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee.


Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee	$	59,879
FINRA filing fee		—
NYSE fees		*
Printing and engraving fees		*
Legal fees and expenses		*
Accounting fees and expenses		*
Transfer Agent and Registrar fees		*
Miscellaneous expenses		*

Total	$

*	Estimated expenses are not presently known.

ITEM 15.

INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

The Maryland General Corporation Law (“MGCL”) permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision limiting the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from (1) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (2) active and deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final judgment and is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains a provision that eliminates such liability to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

The MGCL requires a corporation (unless its charter provides otherwise, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. The MGCL permits a corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made, or threatened to be made, a party by reason of their service in those or other capacities unless it is established that:

•

the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty;

•

the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or

•

in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful.

•

a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the corporation; and

II-1

•

any present or former director or officer of the Company who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity; and

•

any individual who, while a director or officer of the Company and at our request, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, trustee, member or manager of another corporation, real estate investment trust, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise and who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity.

We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers that provide for indemnification to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law.

Insofar as the foregoing provisions permit indemnification of directors, officers or persons controlling us for liability arising under the Securities Act, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

ITEM 16.

EXHIBITS


Exhibit No.		Description

1.1*		Form of Underwriting Agreement

3.1**		Articles of Amendment and Restatement of Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

3.2**		Amended and Restated Bylaws of Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

4.1**		Specimen Certificate of common stock of Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

4.2*		Form of Articles Supplementary (for preferred stock)

4.3*		Form of Certificate representing shares of preferred stock

4.4		Form of Indenture (for [Subordinated] Debt Securities) (open-ended)

4.5*		Form of Debt Security

4.6*		Form of Unit Certificate

5.1		Opinion of Venable LLP as to the legality of the securities being registered

8.1		Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to certain U.S. federal income tax matters

12.1		Statement re: Computation of Ratios

23.1		Consent of BDO USA, LLP

23.2		Consent of Venable LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

23.3		Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 8.1)

24.1		Power of Attorney (included on signature page)

25.1***		Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1

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*	To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference into this registration statement subsequent to its effectiveness.

**	Incorporated by reference to our Registration Statement on Form S-11 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 333-184538).

***	Where applicable, to be filed subsequently in accordance with Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

ITEM 17.

UNDERTAKINGS

(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this registration statement or any material change to such information in this registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference into this registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 that is part of this registration statement;

(2) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and

(3) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(A) each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) under the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in this registration statement; and

(B) each prospectus required to be filed by pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) under the Securities Act of 1933 as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B under the Securities Act of 1933 relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) under the Securities Act of

II-3

1933 for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in this registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B under the Securities Act of 1933, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of this registration statement relating to the securities in this registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of this registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into this registration statement or prospectus that is part of this registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in this registration statement or prospectus that was part of this registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii) any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii) the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(d) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference into this registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(e) To file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Commission under section 305(b)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933.

(f) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described under Item 15 above, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by final adjudication of such issue.

II-4

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that the registrant meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Vero Beach, in the State of Florida, on this 28th day of April, 2017.


ORCHID ISLAND CAPITAL, INC.

By:		/s/ ROBERT E. CAULEY
Name:		Robert E. Cauley
Title:		Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Robert E. Cauley and G. Hunter Haas, IV and each of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all instruments that such attorney may deem necessary or advisable under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with this registration statement on Form S-3 and any and all amendments thereto, and any other documents in connection therewith, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 28th day of April, 2017.


Name	Title	Date

/s/ ROBERT E. CAULEY Robert E. Cauley	Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)	April 28, 2017

/s/ G. HUNTER HAAS, IV G. Hunter Haas, IV	Chief Financial Officer and Director (Principal Financial Officer)	April 28, 2017

/s/ JERRY SINTES Jerry Sintes	Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)	April 28, 2017

/s/ W COLEMAN BITTING W Coleman Bitting	Independent Director	April 28, 2017

/s/ JOHN B. VAN HEUVELEN John B. Van Heuvelen	Independent Director	April 28, 2017

/s/ FRANK P. FILIPPS Frank P. Filipps	Independent Director	April 28, 2017

/s/ AVA L. PARKER Ava L. Parker	Independent Director	April 28, 2017

II-5

EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No.		Description

1.1*		Form of Underwriting Agreement

3.1**		Articles of Amendment and Restatement of Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

3.2**		Amended and Restated Bylaws of Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

4.1**		Specimen Certificate of common stock of Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

4.2*		Form of Articles Supplementary (for preferred stock)

4.3*		Form of Certificate representing shares of preferred stock

4.4		Form of Indenture (for [Subordinated] Debt Securities) (open-ended)

4.5*		Form of Debt Security

4.6*		Form of Unit Certificate

5.1		Opinion of Venable LLP as to the legality of the securities being registered

8.1		Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to certain U.S. federal income tax matters

12.1		Statement re: Computation of Ratios

23.1		Consent of BDO USA, LLP

23.2		Consent of Venable LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

23.3		Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 8.1)

24.1		Power of Attorney (included on signature page)

25.1***		Statement of Eligibility of Trustee on Form T-1

*	To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference into this registration statement subsequent to its effectiveness.

**	Incorporated by reference to our Registration Statement on Form S-11 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 333-184538).

***	Where applicable, to be filed subsequently in accordance with Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

II-6

EX-4.4

Exhibit 4.4

ORCHID ISLAND CAPITAL, INC.

Trustee

INDENTURE

(FOR [SUBORDINATED]* DEBT SECURITIES)

Dated as of , 20

*	Bracketed language will be inserted in the Indenture under which subordinated Debt Securities will be issued.

TABLE OF CONTENTS


		Page
RECITAL OF THE COMPANY		1
ARTICLE I	DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION	1
Section 1.01	Definitions	1
Section 1.02	Compliance Certificates and Opinions	8
Section 1.03	Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee	8
Section 1.04	Acts of Holders	9
Section 1.05	Notices, Etc. to Trustee and Company	11
Section 1.06	Notice to Holders of Debt Securities; Waiver	11
Section 1.07	Conflict with Trust Indenture Act	12
Section 1.08	Effect of Headings and Table of Contents	12
Section 1.09	Successors and Assigns	12
Section 1.10	Separability Clause	12
Section 1.11	Benefits of Indenture	12
Section 1.12	Governing Law	13
Section 1.13	Legal Holidays	13
ARTICLE II	DEBT SECURITY FORMS	13
Section 2.01	Forms Generally	13
Section 2.02	Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication	14
Section 2.03	Debt Securities Issuable in the Form of a Global Security	14
ARTICLE III	THE DEBT SECURITIES	16
Section 3.01	Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series	16
Section 3.02	Denominations	20
Section 3.03	Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating	20
Section 3.04	Temporary Debt Securities	22
Section 3.05	Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange	23
Section 3.06	Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Debt Securities	24
Section 3.07	Payment of Interest and Additional Interest; Interest Rights Preserved	25
Section 3.08	Persons Deemed Owners	26
Section 3.09	Cancellation by Debt Security Registrar	26
Section 3.10	Computation of Interest	27
Section 3.11	Payment to be in Proper Currency	27
Section 3.12	[Extension of Interest Payment]*	27
ARTICLE IV	REDEMPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES	27
Section 4.01	Applicability of Article	27
Section 4.02	Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee	28
Section 4.03	Selection of Debt Securities to be Redeemed	28
Section 4.04	Notice of Redemption	28
Section 4.05	Debt Securities Payable on Redemption Date	30
Section 4.06	Debt Securities Redeemed in Part	30
ARTICLE V	SINKING FUNDS	30
Section 5.01	Applicability of Article	30

†	This table of contents shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.


Section 5.02	Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Debt Securities	31
Section 5.03	Redemption of Debt Securities for Sinking Fund	31
ARTICLE VI	COVENANTS	32
Section 6.01	Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest	32
Section 6.02	Maintenance of Office or Agency	32
Section 6.03	Money for Debt Securities Payments to be Held in Trust	33
Section 6.04	Corporate Existence	34
Section 6.05	Annual Officer’s Certificate as to Compliance	34
Section 6.06	Waiver of Certain Covenants	34
ARTICLE VII	SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE	35
Section 7.01	Satisfaction and Discharge of Debt Securities	35
Section 7.02	Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture	37
Section 7.03	Application of Trust Money	38
ARTICLE VIII	EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES	39
Section 8.01	Events of Default	39
Section 8.02	Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment	40
Section 8.03	Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee	41
Section 8.04	Trustee May File Proofs of Claim	42
Section 8.05	Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Debt Securities	42
Section 8.06	Application of Money Collected	43
Section 8.07	Limitation on Suits	43
Section 8.08	Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest	44
Section 8.09	Restoration of Rights and Remedies	44
Section 8.10	Rights and Remedies Cumulative	44
Section 8.11	Delay or Omission Not Waiver	44
Section 8.12	Control by Holders of Debt Securities	44
Section 8.13	Waiver of Past Defaults	45
Section 8.14	Undertaking for Costs	45
Section 8.15	Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws	46
ARTICLE IX	THE TRUSTEE	46
Section 9.01	Certain Duties and Responsibilities	46
Section 9.02	Notice of Defaults	47
Section 9.03	Certain Rights of Trustee	47
Section 9.04	Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Debt Securities	48
Section 9.05	May Hold Debt Securities	49
Section 9.06	Money Held in Trust	49
Section 9.07	Compensation and Reimbursement	49
Section 9.08	Disqualification; Conflicting Interests	50
Section 9.09	Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility	50
Section 9.10	Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor	51
Section 9.11	Acceptance of Appointment by Successor	52
Section 9.12	Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business	53
Section 9.13	Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company	54
Section 9.14	Co-Trustees and Separate Trustees	54

†	This table of contents shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.


Section 9.15	Appointment of Authenticating Agent	55
ARTICLE X	HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY	57
Section 10.01	Lists of Holders	57
Section 10.02	Reports by Trustee and Company	57
ARTICLE XI	CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR OTHER TRANSFER	58
Section 11.01	Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms	58
Section 11.02	Successor Corporation Substituted	58
ARTICLE XII	SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES	59
Section 12.01	Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders	59
Section 12.02	Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders	60
Section 12.03	Execution of Supplemental Indentures	62
Section 12.04	Effect of Supplemental Indentures	62
Section 12.05	Conformity With Trust Indenture Act	62
Section 12.06	Reference in Debt Securities to Supplemental Indentures	62
Section 12.07	Modification without Supplemental Indenture	63
ARTICLE XIII	MEETINGS OF HOLDERS; ACTION WITHOUT MEETING	63
Section 13.01	Purposes for which Meetings may be Called	63
Section 13.02	Call, Notice and Place of Meetings	63
Section 13.03	Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings	64
Section 13.04	Quorum; Action	64
Section 13.05	Attendance at Meetings; Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings	65
Section 13.06	Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings	66
Section 13.07	Action Without Meeting	66
ARTICLE XIV	IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS	66
Section 14.01	Liability Solely Corporate	66
ARTICLE XV	[SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES]*	67
Section 15.01	Securities Subordinate to Senior Indebtedness	67
Section 15.02	Payment Over of Proceeds of Securities	67
Section 15.03	Disputes with Holders of Certain Senior Indebtedness	69
Section 15.04	Subrogation	69
Section 15.05	Unconditional Obligation of the Company	70
Section 15.06	Priority of Senior Indebtedness Upon Maturity	70
Section 15.07	Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness	71
Section 15.08	Notice to Trustee to Effectuate Subordination	71
Section 15.09	Modification, Extension, Etc. of Senior Indebtedness	71
Section 15.10	Trustee Has No Fiduciary Duty to Holders of Senior Indebtedness	71
Section 15.11	Paying Agents other than the Trustee	72
Section 15.12	Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness Not Impaired	72
Section 15.13	This Article Not To Prevent Events of Default	72
Section 15.14	Effect of Subordination Provisions; Termination	72

†	This table of contents shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.

iii

ORCHID ISLAND CAPITAL, INC.

RECONCILIATION AND TIE BETWEEN TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939

AND INDENTURE, DATED AS OF , 20


Trust Indenture Act Section		Indenture Section
§310	(a)(1)	9.09
	(a)(2)	9.09
	(a)(3)	9.14
	(a)(4)	Not Applicable
	(b)	9.08, 9.10
§311	(a)	9.13
	(b)	9.13
	(c)	9.13
§312	(a)	10.01
	(b)	10.01
	(c)	10.01
§313	(a)	10.01
	(b)	10.01
	(c)	10.01
	(d)	10.01
§314	(a)(4)	6.06
	(b)	Not Applicable
	(c)(1)	1.02
	(c)(2)	1.02
	(c)(3)	Not Applicable
	(d)	Not Applicable
	(e)	1.02
§315	(a)	9.01, 9.03
	(b)	9.02
	(c)	9.01
	(d)	9.01
	(e)	8.14
§316	(a)	8.12, 8.13
	(a)(1)(A)	8.02, 8.12
	(a)(1)(B)	8.13
	(a)(2)	Not Applicable
	(b)	8.04
	(c)	1.04(g)
§317	(a)(1)	8.03
	(a)(2)	8.04
	(b)	6.03
§318	(a)	1.07

†	This table of contents shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.

INDENTURE (FOR [SUBORDINATED]* DEBT SECURITIES), dated as of , 20 , between ORCHID ISLAND CAPITAL, INC., a Maryland corporation (herein called the “Company”), having its principal office at 3305 Flamingo Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32963, and [TRUSTEE], a , having its principal corporate trust office at , as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”).

RECITAL OF THE COMPANY

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of certain of its [subordinated]* debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (herein called the “Debt Securities”), in an unlimited aggregate principal amount, to be issued in one or more series as contemplated herein; and all acts necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company have been performed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires, capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in Article I of this Indenture.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Debt Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Debt Securities or of series thereof, as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

Section 1.01 Definitions.

For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

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

(b) all terms used herein without definition that are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(c) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term “generally accepted accounting principles” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States at the date of such computation or, at the election of the Company from time to time, at the date of the execution and delivery of this Indenture; provided, however, that in determining generally accepted accounting principles applicable to the Company, the Company shall, to the extent required, conform to any order, rule or regulation of any administrative agency, regulatory authority or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company; and

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

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

Certain terms, used principally in Article IX, are defined in that Article.

“Act” when used with respect to any Holder of a Debt Security, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.

“Additional Interest” means the interest, if any, that shall accrue on any interest on the Debt Securities of any series, the payment of which has not been made on the applicable Interest Payment Date and which shall accrue at the rate per annum specified or determined as specified in such Debt Security.

“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

“Authenticating Agent” means any Person (other than the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 9.15 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate one or more series of Debt Securities or Tranche thereof.

“Authorized Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer.

“Board of Directors” means either the board of directors of the Company or any committee thereof duly authorized to act or any director or directors and/or officer or officers of the Company to whom that board or committee shall have duly delegated its authority in respect of matters relating to this Indenture.

“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

“Business Day,” when used with respect to a Place of Payment or any other particular location specified in the Debt Securities or this Indenture, means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, which is not a day on which banking institutions or trust companies in such Place of Payment or other location are generally authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed, except as may be otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01.

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or, if at any time after the date of execution and delivery of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body, if any, performing such duties at such time.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

“Company” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person.

“Company Request” or “Company Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by an Authorized Officer and delivered to the Trustee.

“Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time this Indenture shall be principally administered, which office at the date of execution and delivery of this Indenture is located at .

“Corporation” means a real estate investment trust, corporation, association, company, limited liability company, joint stock company or business trust.

“Debt Securities” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means any securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

“Debt Security Register” and “Debt Security Registrar” have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.

“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.

“Depositary” shall mean, with respect to Debt Securities of any series, for which the Company shall determine that such Debt Securities will be issued as a Global Security, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, another clearing agency or any successor registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act or other applicable statute or regulation, which, in each case, shall be designated by the Company pursuant to Section 2.03(c).

“Discount Debt Security” means any Debt Security that provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 8.02.

“Dollar” or “$” means a dollar or other equivalent unit in such coin or currency of the United States as at the time shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

“Eligible Obligations” means:

(a) with respect to Debt Securities denominated in Dollars, Government Obligations; or

(b) with respect to Debt Securities denominated in a currency other than Dollars or in a composite currency, such other obligations or instruments as shall be specified with respect to such Debt Securities, as contemplated by Section 3.01.

“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.

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

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

“Global Security” means, with respect to the Debt Securities, a Debt Security executed by the Company and delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary or pursuant to the Depositary’s instruction, all in accordance with this Indenture, which shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee.

“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or of any state or territory thereof or of the District of Columbia or of any county, municipality or other political subdivision of any thereof, or any department, agency, authority or other instrumentality of any of the foregoing.

“Government Obligations” means:

(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the timely payment of principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States entitled to the benefit of the full faith and credit thereof; and

(b) certificates, depositary receipts or other instruments that evidence a direct ownership interest in obligations described in clause (a) above or in any specific interest or principal payments due in respect thereof; provided, however, that the custodian of such obligations or specific interest or principal payments shall be a bank or trust company (which may include the Trustee or any Paying Agent) subject to federal or state supervision or examination with a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000; and provided, further, that except as may be otherwise required by law, such custodian shall be obligated to pay to the holders of such certificates, depositary receipts or other instruments the full amount received by such custodian in respect of such obligations or specific payments and shall not be permitted to make any deduction therefrom.

“Holder” means a Person in whose name a Debt Security is registered in the Debt Security Register.

“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed and delivered and as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures or Officer’s Certificates supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of particular series of Debt Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.01.

“Interest” with respect to a Discount Debt Security means interest, if any, borne by such Debt Security at a Stated Interest Rate.

“Interest Payment Date,” when used with respect to any Debt Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Debt Security.

“Maturity,” when used with respect to any Debt Security, means the date on which the principal of such Debt Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in such Debt Security or in this Indenture, whether at the Stated Maturity, by declaration of acceleration, upon call for redemption or otherwise.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by an Authorized Officer and delivered to the Trustee.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel for the Company, or other counsel acceptable to the Trustee.

“Outstanding,” when used with respect to Debt Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Debt Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

(a) Debt Securities theretofore canceled by the Trustee or the Debt Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Debt Security Registrar for cancellation;

(b) Debt Securities deemed to have been paid in accordance with Section 7.01; and

(c) Debt Securities that have been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Debt Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Debt Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it and the Company that such Debt Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser or purchasers in whose hands such Debt Securities are valid obligations of the Company;

provided, however, that in determining whether or not the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Debt Securities Outstanding under this Indenture, or the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series or Tranche, have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or whether or not a quorum is present at a meeting of Holders of Debt Securities,

(x) Debt Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Debt Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor (unless the Company, such Affiliate or such obligor owns all Debt Securities Outstanding under this Indenture, or all Outstanding Debt Securities of each such series and each such Tranche, as the case may be, determined without regard to this clause (x)) shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver or upon any such determination as to the presence of a quorum, only Debt Securities that the Trustee knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded; provided, however, that Debt Securities so owned that have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Debt Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Debt Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor; and

(y) he principal amount of a Discount Debt Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 8.02;

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

provided, further, that, in the case of any Debt Security the principal of which is payable from time to time without presentment or surrender, the principal amount of such Debt Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding at any time for all purposes of this Indenture shall be the original principal amount thereof less the aggregate amount of principal thereof theretofore paid.

“Paying Agent” means any Person, including the Company, authorized by the Company to pay the principal of and premium, if any, or interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on any Debt Securities on behalf of the Company.

“Periodic Offering” means an offering of Debt Securities of a series from time to time any or all of the specific terms of which Debt Securities, including without limitation the rate or rates of interest (including Additional Interest), if any, thereon, the Stated Maturity or Maturities thereof and the redemption provisions, if any, with respect thereto, are to be determined by the Company or its agents upon the issuance of such Debt Securities.

“Person” means any individual, Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or unincorporated organization or any Governmental Authority.

“Place of Payment,” when used with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or Tranche thereof, means the place or places, specified as contemplated by Section 3.01, at which, subject to Section 6.02, principal of and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on the Debt Securities of such series or Tranche are payable.

“Predecessor Debt Security” of any particular Debt Security means every previous Debt Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Debt Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Debt Security authenticated and delivered under Section 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security shall be deemed (to the extent lawful) to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security.

“Redemption Date,” when used with respect to any Debt Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

“Redemption Price,” when used with respect to any Debt Security to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.

“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Debt Securities of any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 3.01.

“Required Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 3.11.

“Responsible Officer,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means the officer of the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office assigned by the Trustee to administer this Indenture, and any other duly authorized officer of the Trustee to whom a matter arising under this Indenture may be referred.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

[“Senior Indebtedness” means all (i) obligations (other than non-recourse obligations and the indebtedness issued under this Indenture) of, or guaranteed or assumed by, the Company for borrowed money, including both senior and subordinated indebtedness for borrowed money (other than the Debt Securities), or for the payment of money relating to any lease that is capitalized on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its subsidiaries in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles as in effect from time to time, (ii) indebtedness evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, (iii) obligations with respect to letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances or similar facilities issued for the account of the Company, (iv) obligations issued or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services, but excluding trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business, (v) obligations for claims, as defined in Section 101(5) of the United States Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended, in respect of derivative products such as interest and foreign exchange rate contracts, commodity contracts and similar arrangements; and (vi) obligations of the type referred to in each of the preceding clauses (i) through (v) of another Person, the payment of which the Company has guaranteed or is responsible or liable for directly or indirectly, as obligor or otherwise; and in each case, amendments, renewals, extensions, modifications and refundings of any such indebtedness or obligations, whether existing as of the date of this Indenture or subsequently incurred by the Company.]*

“Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Debt Securities of any series means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.07.

“Stated Interest Rate” means a rate (whether fixed or variable) at which an obligation by its terms is stated to bear interest. Any calculation or other determination to be made under this Indenture by reference to the Stated Interest Rate on a Debt Security shall be made without regard to the effective interest cost to the Company of such Debt Security and without regard to the Stated Interest Rate on, or the effective cost to the Company of, any other indebtedness in respect of which the Company’s obligations are evidenced or secured in whole or in part by such Debt Security.

“Stated Maturity,” when used with respect to any obligation or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date on which the principal of such obligation or such installment of principal or interest is stated to be due and payable (without regard to any provisions for redemption, prepayment, acceleration, purchase or extension).

“Tranche” means a group of Debt Securities that (a) are of the same series and (b) have identical terms except as to principal amount.

“Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, as in force and effect as of the date of execution of this Indenture; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is succeeded by another statute or is amended after such date, “Trust Indenture Act” shall mean such successor statute or the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as so amended, to the extent such successor statute or amendment is applicable to this Indenture or to the actions of the Company or the Trustee under or pursuant to this Indenture.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

“Trustee” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Debt Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Debt Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Debt Securities of that series.

“United States” means the United States of America, its territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its political jurisdiction.

Section 1.02 Compliance Certificates and Opinions.

Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

(a) a statement that each Person signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating thereto;

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of each such Person, such Person has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable such Person to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such Person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Section 1.03 Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee.

In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which such officer’s certificate or opinion are based are erroneous. Any such certificate or Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

Whenever, subsequent to the receipt by the Trustee of any Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate, Opinion of Counsel or other document or instrument, a clerical, typographical or other inadvertent or unintentional error or omission shall be discovered therein, a new document or instrument may be substituted therefor in corrected form with the same force and effect as if originally filed in the corrected form and, irrespective of the date or dates of the actual execution and/or delivery thereof, such substitute document or instrument shall be deemed to have been executed and/or delivered as of the date or dates required with respect to the document or instrument for which it is substituted. Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, if any such corrective document or instrument indicates that action has been taken by or at the request of the Company which could not have been taken had the original document or instrument not contained such error or omission, the action so taken shall not be invalidated or otherwise rendered ineffective but shall be and remain in full force and effect (except to the extent that such action was a result of willful misconduct or bad faith or had or could be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Holders of any Debt Securities issued hereunder).

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any Debt Securities issued under the authority of such defective document or instrument shall nevertheless be the valid obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of this Indenture equally and ratably with all other Outstanding Debt Securities.

Section 1.04 Acts of Holders.

(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing or, alternatively, may be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders voting in favor thereof, either in person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article XIII, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments and so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

any Person of a Debt Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 9.01) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 13.06.

(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof or may be proved in any other manner that the Trustee and the Company deem sufficient. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority.

(c) The principal amount (except as otherwise contemplated in clause (y) of the proviso to the definition of Outstanding) and serial numbers of Debt Securities held by any Person, and the date of holding the same, shall be proved by the Debt Security Register.

(d) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or other Act of a Holder shall bind every future Holder of the same Debt Security and the Holder of every Debt Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Debt Security.

(e) Until such time as written instruments shall have been delivered to the Trustee with respect to the requisite percentage of principal amount of Debt Securities for the action contemplated by such instruments, any such instrument executed and delivered by or on behalf of a Holder may be revoked with respect to any or all of such Debt Securities by written notice by such Holder or any subsequent Holder, proven in the manner in which such instrument was proven.

(f) Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, authenticated and delivered after any Act of Holders may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any action taken by such Act of Holders. If the Company shall so determine, new Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to such action may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Debt Securities of such series or Tranche.

(g) If the Company shall solicit from Holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on the record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of the Outstanding Debt Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Debt Securities shall be computed as of the record date.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 1.05 Notices, Etc. to Trustee and Company.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with, the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company, or the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder, shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and delivered personally to an officer or other responsible employee of the addressee, or transmitted by facsimile transmission or other direct written electronic means to such telephone number or other electronic communications address as the parties hereto shall from time to time designate, or transmitted by certified or registered mail, charges prepaid, to the applicable address set opposite such party’s name below or to such other address as either party hereto may from time to time designate:


If to the Trustee, to:

[Trustee]
[Address]
Attention:
Telephone:
Facsimile:

If to the Company, to:		With copy to:

Orchid Island Capital, Inc.
3305 Flamingo Avenue
Vero Beach, Florida 32963
Attention:		Attention:
Telephone:		Telephone:
Facsimile:		Facsimile:

Any communication contemplated herein shall be deemed to have been made, given, furnished and filed if personally delivered, on the date of delivery, if transmitted by facsimile transmission or other direct written electronic means, upon date of receipt of the transmission, and if transmitted by certified or registered mail, on the date of receipt.

Section 1.06 Notice to Holders of Debt Securities; Waiver.

Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given, and shall be deemed given, to Holders if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at the address of such Holder as it appears in the Debt Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice to Holders by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders.

Any notice required by this Indenture may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event otherwise to be specified therein, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

Section 1.07 Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.

If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof that is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by, or is otherwise governed by, any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such other provision shall control; and if any provision hereof otherwise conflicts with the Trust Indenture Act, the Trust Indenture Act shall control.

Section 1.08 Effect of Headings and Table of Contents.

The Article and Section headings in this Indenture and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 1.09 Successors and Assigns.

All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 1.10 Separability Clause.

In case any provision in this Indenture or the Debt Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

Section 1.11 Benefits of Indenture.

Nothing in this Indenture or the Debt Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, their successors hereunder, the Holders, [and so long as the notice described in Section 15.14 hereof has not been given, the holders of Senior Indebtedness,]* any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 1.12 Governing Law.

This Indenture and the Debt Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of law principles thereof, except to the extent that the law of any other jurisdiction shall be mandatorily applicable.

Section 1.13 Legal Holidays.

In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity of any Debt Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Debt Securities other than a provision in Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, or in the indenture supplemental hereto, Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate that establishes the terms of the Debt Securities of such series or Tranche, which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section) payment of interest or principal and premium, if any, need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at the Stated Maturity, and, if such payment is made or duly provided for on such Business Day, no interest shall accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity, as the case may be, to such Business Day.

ARTICLE II

DEBT SECURITY FORMS

Section 2.01 Forms Generally.

The definitive Debt Securities of each series shall be in substantially the form or forms thereof established in the indenture supplemental hereto establishing such series or in a Board Resolution establishing such series, or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to such supplemental indenture or Board Resolution, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Debt Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the Debt Securities. If the form or forms of Debt Securities of any series are established in a Board Resolution or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to an indenture supplement hereto or to a Board Resolution, such Board Resolution and Officer’s Certificate, if any, shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 3.03 for the authentication and delivery of such Debt Securities.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Sections 3.01 or 12.01(g), the Debt Securities of each series shall be issuable in registered form without coupons. The definitive Debt Securities shall be produced in such manner as shall be determined by the officers executing such Debt Securities, as evidenced by their execution thereof.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 2.02 Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.

The Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the form set forth below:

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

Dated:

, as Trustee

By:

Authorized Representative

Section 2.03 Debt Securities Issuable in the Form of a Global Security.

(a) If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 3.01 that the Debt Securities of a particular series are to be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, then the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with Section 3.03 and the Company Order delivered to the Trustee thereunder, authenticate and deliver such Global Security or Securities, which (i) shall represent, and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series to be represented by such Global Security or Securities, (ii) may provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Debt Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges, (iii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities or its nominee, (iv) shall be delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary or pursuant to the Depositary’s instruction and (v) shall bear a legend in accordance with the requirements of the Depositary. The Trustee shall enter into any agreement with the Depositary related to such Global Securities as the Company may direct in such Company Order.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section or of Section 3.05, except as contemplated by the provisions of paragraph (c) below, unless the terms of a Global Security expressly permit such Global Security to be exchanged in whole or in part for individual Debt Securities, a Global Security may be transferred, in whole but not in part and in the manner provided in Section 3.05, only to a nominee of the Depositary for such Global Security, or to the Depositary, or to a successor Depositary for such Global Security selected or approved by the Company, or to a nominee of such successor Depositary.

(c) (1) If at any time the Depositary for a Global Security notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as the Depositary for such Global Security or if at any time the Depositary for the Debt Securities for such series shall no longer be eligible or in good standing under the Exchange Act, or other applicable statute or regulation, the Company shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to such Global Security. If a successor Depositary for such Global Security is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of Debt Securities of such series in the form of definitive certificates in exchange for such Global Security, will

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

authenticate and deliver Debt Securities of such series in the form of definitive certificates of like tenor and terms in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security in exchange for such Global Security. Such Debt Securities will be issued to and registered in the name of such Person or Persons as are specified by the Depositary.

(2) To the extent legally permitted and subject to the rules and regulations of the acting Depositary, the Company may at any time and in its sole discretion determine that the Debt Securities of any series issued or issuable in the form of one or more Global Securities shall no longer be represented by such Global Security or Securities. In any such event the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Request for the authentication and delivery of Debt Securities in the form of definitive certificates in exchange in whole or in part for such Global Security, will authenticate and deliver without service charge to each Person specified by the Depositary Debt Securities in the form of definitive certificates of like tenor and terms in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Global Security representing such series, or the aggregate principal amount of such Global Securities representing such series, in exchange for such Global Security or Securities.

(3) If specified by the Company pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to Debt Securities issued or issuable in the form of a Global Security, the Depositary for such Global Security may surrender such Global Security in exchange in whole or in part for Debt Securities in the form of definitive certificates of like tenor and terms on such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depositary. Thereupon the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge, (A) to each Person specified by such Depositary a new Debt Security or Securities of the same series of like tenor and terms and any authorized denomination as requested by such Person in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Global Security and (B) to such Depositary a new Global Security of like tenor and terms and in an authorized denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Global Security and the aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities delivered to Holders thereof.

(4) In any exchange provided for in any of the preceding three subparagraphs, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver Debt Securities in the form of definitive certificates in authorized denominations. Upon the exchange of the entire principal amount of a Global Security for Debt Securities in the form of definitive certificates, such Global Security shall be canceled by the Trustee. Except as provided in the immediately preceding subparagraph, Debt Securities issued in exchange for a Global Security pursuant to this Section shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Global Security, acting pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee. Provided that the Company and the Trustee have so agreed, the Trustee shall deliver such Debt Securities to the Persons in whose names the Debt Securities are so to be registered.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(5) Any endorsement of a Global Security to reflect the principal amount thereof, or any increase or decrease in such principal amount, or changes in the rights of Holders of Outstanding Debt Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified in or pursuant to any applicable letter of representations or other arrangement entered into with, or procedures of, the Depositary with respect to such Global Security or in the Company Order delivered or to be delivered pursuant to Section 3.03 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.03, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver any such Global Security in the manner and upon instructions given by the Person or Persons specified in or pursuant to any applicable letter of representations or other arrangement entered into with, or procedures of, the Depositary with respect to such Global Security or in any applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 3.03 is so delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to such Global Security contained therein shall be in writing but need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officer’s Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel.

(6) The Depositary or, if there be one, its nominee, shall be the Holder of a Global Security for all purposes under this Indenture; and beneficial owners with respect to such Global Security shall hold their interests pursuant to applicable procedures of such Depositary. The Company, the Trustee and the Debt Security Registrar shall be entitled to deal with such Depositary for all purposes of this Indenture relating to such Global Security (including the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest) and the giving of instructions or directions by or to the beneficial owners of such Global Security as the sole Holder of such Global Security, and shall have no obligations to the beneficial owners thereof (including any direct or indirect participants in such Depositary)). None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Debt Security Registrar shall have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Global Security in or pursuant to any applicable letter of representations or other arrangement entered into with, or procedures of, the Depositary with respect to such Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

ARTICLE III

THE DEBT SECURITIES

Section 3.01 Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series.

The aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

The Debt Securities may be issued in one or more series. Subject to the last paragraph of this Section, prior to the authentication and delivery of Debt Securities of any series there shall be established by specification in a supplemental indenture or in a Board Resolution, or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a supplemental indenture or a Board Resolution:

(a) the title of the Debt Securities of such series (which shall distinguish the Debt Securities of such series from Debt Securities of all other series);

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities of such series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Debt Securities of the series pursuant to Section 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 4.06 or 12.06 and, except for any Debt Securities that, pursuant to Section 3.03, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);

(c) the Person or Persons (without specific identification) to whom interest on Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable on any Interest Payment Date, if other than the Persons in whose names such Debt Securities (or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities) are registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest;

(d) the date or dates on which the principal of the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, is payable or any formulary or other method or other means by which such date or dates shall be determined, by reference to an index or other fact or event ascertainable outside of this Indenture or otherwise (without regard to any provisions for redemption, prepayment, acceleration, purchase or extension);

(e) (i) the rate or rates at which the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall bear interest, if any (including the rate or rates at which overdue principal shall bear interest, if different from the rate or rates at which such Debt Securities shall bear interest prior to Maturity, (ii) and, if applicable, the rate or rates at which overdue premium shall bear interest, if any, and (iii) the rate or rates and the extent to which Additional Interest, if any, shall be payable), the period or periods during which such rate or rates shall be applicable, or any formulary or other method or other means by which such rate or rates, and any period or periods, shall be determined, by reference to an index or other fact or event ascertainable outside of this Indenture or otherwise; the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue; the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on such Debt Securities on any Interest Payment Date[; the right of the Company, if any, to extend the interest payment periods and the duration of any such extension as contemplated by Section 3.12]*; and the basis of computation of interest, if other than as provided in Section 3.10;

(f) the place or places at which or methods by which (1) the principal of and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable, (2) registration of transfer of Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be effected, (3) exchanges of Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be effected and (4) notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, and this Indenture may be served; the Debt Security Registrar for such series; and if such is the case, that the principal of such Debt Securities shall be payable without presentment or surrender thereof;

(g) the period or periods within which, or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company and any restrictions on such redemptions, including but not limited to a restriction on a partial redemption by the Company of the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, resulting in delisting of such Debt Securities from any national exchange;

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(h) the obligation or obligations, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, pursuant to any sinking fund or other mandatory redemption or tender provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which or the date or dates on which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which such Debt Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and applicable exceptions to the requirements of Section 4.04 in the case of mandatory redemption or redemption at the option of the Holder;

(i) the denominations in which Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be issuable if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;

(j) the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable (if other than in Dollars);

(k) if the principal of or premium, if any, or interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in a coin or currency other than that in which the Debt Securities are stated to be payable, the period or periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made;

(l) if the principal of or premium, if any, or interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be payable, or are to be payable at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in securities or other property, the type and amount of such securities or other property, or the formulary or other method or other means by which such amount shall be determined, and the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, any such election may be made;

(m) if the amount payable in respect of principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be determined with reference to an index or other fact or event ascertainable outside this Indenture, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined to the extent not established pursuant to clause (e) of this paragraph;

(n) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 8.02;

(o) any Events of Default, in addition to those specified in Section 8.01, with respect to the Debt Securities of such series, and any covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, in addition to those set forth in Article VI;

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(p) the terms, if any, pursuant to which the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, may be converted into or exchanged for shares of common stock or other securities of the Company or any other Person;

(q) the obligations or instruments, if any, that shall be considered to be Eligible Obligations in respect of the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, denominated in a currency other than Dollars or in a composite currency, and any additional or alternative provisions for the reinstatement of the Company’s indebtedness in respect of such Debt Securities after the satisfaction and discharge thereof as provided in Section 7.01;

(r) whether the Debt Securities of the series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of a Global Security or Securities; the terms and conditions, if any, upon which such Global Security or Securities may be exchanged in whole or in part for certificated Debt Securities of such series and of like tenor of any authorized denomination and the circumstances under which such exchange may occur, if other than in the manner provided for in Section 2.03; the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities; and the form of any legend or legends to be borne by any such Global Security in addition to or in lieu of the legend referred to in Section 2.03;

(s) if the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be issuable in bearer form, any and all matters incidental thereto that are not specifically addressed in a supplemental indenture as contemplated by Section 12.01(g);

(t) to the extent not established pursuant to clause (r) of this paragraph, any limitations on the rights of the Holders of the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, to transfer or exchange such Debt Securities or to obtain the registration of transfer thereof; and if a service charge will be made for the registration of transfer or exchange of Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, the amount or terms thereof;

(u) any exceptions to Section 1.13, or variation in the definition of Business Day, with respect to the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof;

(v) any collateral security, assurance or guarantee for such series of Debt Securities;

(w) any credit enhancement applicable to the Debt Securities of such series; and

(x) any other terms of the Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture.

[The Debt Securities of each series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be subordinated in the right of payment to Senior Indebtedness as provided in Article XV.]*

With respect to Debt Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the indenture supplemental hereto or the Board Resolution that establishes such series, or the Officer’s Certificate pursuant to such supplemental indenture or Board Resolution, as the case may be, may provide general terms or parameters for Debt Securities of such series and provide either that the specific terms of Debt Securities of such series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be specified in a Company Order or that such terms shall be determined by the Company or its agents in accordance with procedures specified in a Company Order as contemplated by clause (b) of the third paragraph of Section 3.03.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 3.02 Denominations.

Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to any series of Debt Securities, or any Tranche thereof, the Debt Securities of each series shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof.

Section 3.03 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.

Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to any series of Debt Securities, or any Tranche thereof, the Debt Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Officer and may have the corporate seal of the Company affixed thereto or reproduced thereon attested by any other Authorized Officer. The signature of any or all of these officers on the Debt Securities may be manual or facsimile.

Debt Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at the time of execution Authorized Officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Debt Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Debt Securities.

The Trustee shall authenticate and deliver Debt Securities of a series, for original issue, at one time or from time to time in accordance with the Company Order referred to below, upon receipt by the Trustee of:

(a) the instrument or instruments establishing the form or forms and terms of such series, as provided in Sections 2.01 and 3.01;

(b) a Company Order requesting the authentication and delivery of such Debt Securities and, to the extent that the terms of such Debt Securities shall not have been established in an indenture supplemental hereto or in a Board Resolution, or in an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a supplemental indenture or Board Resolution, all as contemplated by Sections 2.01 and 3.01, either (i) establishing such terms or (ii) in the case of Debt Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, specifying procedures, acceptable to the Trustee, by which such terms are to be established (which procedures may provide, to the extent acceptable to the Trustee, for authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions from the Company or any agent or agents thereof, which oral instructions are to be promptly confirmed electronically or in writing), in either case in accordance with the instrument or instruments delivered pursuant to clause (a) above;

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(d) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that:

(i) the form or forms of such Debt Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

(ii) the terms of such Debt Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

(iii) assuming authentication and delivery by the Trustee and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, such Debt Securities will have been duly issued under this Indenture and will be legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement, to laws relating to or affecting generally the enforcement of creditors’ rights, including, without limitation, bankruptcy and insolvency laws and to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law);

provided, however, that, with respect to Debt Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive such Opinion of Counsel only once at or prior to the time of the first authentication of such Debt Securities (provided that such Opinion of Counsel addresses the authentication and delivery of all Debt Securities of such series) and that in lieu of the opinions described in clauses (ii) and (iii) above Counsel may opine that:

(x) when the terms of such Debt Securities shall have been established pursuant to a Company Order or Orders or pursuant to such procedures (acceptable to the Trustee) as may be specified from time to time by a Company Order or Orders, all as contemplated by and in accordance with the instrument or instruments delivered pursuant to clause (a) above, such terms will have been duly authorized by the Company and will have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

(y) such Debt Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in accordance with this Indenture and the Company Order or Orders or specified procedures referred to in paragraph (x) above and issued and delivered by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will have been duly issued under this Indenture and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture, and enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement, to laws relating to or affecting generally the enforcement of creditors’ rights, including, without limitation, bankruptcy and insolvency laws and to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

With respect to Debt Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the authorization by the Company of any of such Debt Securities, the form and terms thereof and the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof, upon the Opinion of Counsel and other documents delivered pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 3.01 and this Section, as applicable, at or prior to the time of the first authentication of Debt Securities of such series unless and until such opinion or other documents have been superseded or revoked or expire by their terms. In connection with the authentication and delivery of Debt Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, the Trustee shall be entitled to assume that the Company’s instructions to authenticate and deliver such Debt Securities do not violate any rules, regulations or orders of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Company.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

If the form or terms of the Debt Securities of any series have been established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate as permitted by Sections 2.01 or 3.01, the Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Debt Securities if the issuance of such Debt Securities pursuant to this Indenture will materially or adversely affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Debt Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner that is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to any series of Debt Securities, or any Tranche thereof, each Debt Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to any series of Debt Securities, or any Tranche thereof, no Debt Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Debt Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee or its agent by manual signature, and such certificate upon any Debt Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Debt Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Debt Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder to the Company, or any Person acting on its behalf, but shall never have been issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Debt Security to the Debt Security Registrar for cancellation as provided in Section 3.09 together with a written statement (which need not comply with Section 1.02 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel) stating that such Debt Security has never been issued and sold by the Company, for all purposes of this Indenture such Debt Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits hereof.

Section 3.04 Temporary Debt Securities.

Pending the preparation of definitive Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Debt Securities that are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Debt Securities in lieu of which they are issued, with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Debt Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Debt Securities; provided, however, that temporary Debt Securities need not recite specific redemption, sinking fund, conversion or exchange provisions.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, after the preparation of definitive Debt Securities of such series or Tranche, the temporary Debt Securities of such series or Tranche shall be exchangeable, without charge to the Holder thereof, for definitive Debt Securities of such series or Tranche, upon surrender of such temporary Debt Securities at the office or agency of the Company maintained pursuant to Section 6.02 in a Place of Payment for such Debt

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Securities. Upon such surrender of temporary Debt Securities, the Company shall, except as aforesaid, execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor definitive Debt Securities of the same series and Tranche, of authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

Until exchanged in full as hereinabove provided, temporary Debt Securities shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Debt Securities of the same series and Tranche and of like tenor authenticated and delivered hereunder.

Section 3.05 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange.

The Company shall cause to be kept in each office designated pursuant to Section 6.02, with respect to the Debt Securities of each series or any Tranche thereof, a register (all registers kept in accordance with this Section being collectively referred to as the “Debt Security Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Debt Securities of such series or Tranche and the registration of transfer thereof. The Company shall designate one Person to maintain the Debt Security Register for the Debt Securities of each series on a consolidated basis, and such Person is referred to herein, with respect to such series, as the “Debt Security Registrar.” Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company may designate one or more of its offices as an office in which the Debt Security Register shall be maintained, and the Company may designate itself the Debt Security Registrar with respect to one or more of such series. The Debt Security Register shall be open for inspection by the Trustee and the Company at all reasonable times.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Debt Security of such series or Tranche at the office or agency of the Company maintained pursuant to Section 6.02 in a Place of Payment for such series or Tranche, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Debt Securities of the same series and Tranche, of authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, any Debt Security of such series or Tranche may be exchanged at the option of the Holder for one or more new Debt Securities of the same series and Tranche, of authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Debt Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency. Whenever any Debt Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Debt Securities that the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

All Debt Securities delivered upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Debt Securities shall be valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Debt Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Every Debt Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company, the Trustee or the Debt Security Registrar) be duly endorsed or shall be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee or the Debt Security Registrar, as the case may be, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, no service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Debt Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Debt Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 3.04, 4.06 or 12.06 not involving any transfer.

The Company shall not be required to execute or to provide for the registration of transfer of or the exchange of (a) Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, during a period of 15 days immediately preceding the day the mailing of a notice of redemption of the Debt Securities of such series or Tranche is to be made or (b) any Debt Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Debt Security being redeemed in part.

None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Debt Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

Section 3.06 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Debt Securities.

If any mutilated Debt Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Debt Security of the same series, and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (a) evidence to their satisfaction of the ownership of and the destruction, loss or theft of any Debt Security and (b) such security or indemnity as may be reasonably required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Debt Security is held by a Person purporting to be the owner of such Debt Security, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security, a new Debt Security of the same series and Tranche, and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Debt Security, pay such Debt Security.

Upon the issuance of any new Debt Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other reasonable expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Every new Debt Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone other than the Holder of such new Debt Security, and any such new Debt Security shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Debt Securities of such series duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Securities.

Section 3.07 Payment of Interest and Additional Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, interest and Additional Interest, if any, on any Debt Security that is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Debt Security (or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

[Subject to Section 3.12]* any interest on any Debt Security of any series that is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the related Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (a) or (b) below:

(a) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Debt Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Debt Securities) are registered at the close of business on a date (herein called a “Special Record Date”) for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Debt Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall promptly cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of Debt Securities of such series at the address of such Holder as it appears in the Debt Security

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Debt Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Debt Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date.

(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Debt Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Debt Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 3.05, each Debt Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Debt Security shall carry the rights to interest (including any Additional Interest) accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, that were carried by such other Debt Security.

Section 3.08 Persons Deemed Owners.

Prior to due presentment of a Debt Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Debt Security is registered as the absolute owner of such Debt Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and premium, if any, and (subject to Sections 3.05 and 3.07) interest, if any, on such Debt Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Debt Security is overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Section 3.09 Cancellation by Debt Security Registrar.

All Debt Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Debt Security Registrar, be delivered to the Debt Security Registrar and, if not theretofore canceled, shall be promptly canceled by the Debt Security Registrar. The Company may at any time deliver to the Debt Security Registrar for cancellation any Debt Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever or which the Company shall not have issued and sold, and all Debt Securities so delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Debt Security Registrar. No Debt Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Debt Securities canceled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All certificates representing canceled Debt Securities held by the Debt Security Registrar shall be disposed of in accordance with the customary practices of the Debt Security Registrar at the time in effect, and the Debt Security Registrar shall not be required to destroy any such certificates. The Debt Security Registrar, if other than the Trustee, shall promptly deliver a certificate of disposition with respect to such disposed certificates to the Trustee and the Company unless, by a Company Order, similarly delivered, the Company shall direct that canceled Debt Securities be returned to it. The Debt Security Registrar shall promptly deliver evidence of any cancellation of a Debt Security in accordance with this Section to the Trustee

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

and the Company. If the Trustee is the entity acting as Debt Security Registrar, it shall promptly deliver to the Company a certificate of disposition with respect to any certificates disposed of and/or evidence of any cancellation of a Debt Security, in each case in accordance with this Section, if so requested by a Company Order.

Section 3.10 Computation of Interest.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, interest on the Debt Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months and on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed within any month in relation to the deemed 30 days of such month.

Section 3.11 Payment to be in Proper Currency.

In the case of the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, denominated in any currency other than Dollars or in a composite currency (the “Required Currency”), except as otherwise specified with respect to such Debt Securities as contemplated by Section 3.01, the obligation of the Company to make any payment of the principal thereof, or the premium or interest thereon, shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender by the Company, or recovery by the Trustee, in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the Trustee timely holding the full amount of the Required Currency then due and payable. If any such tender or recovery is in a currency other than the Required Currency, the Trustee may take such actions as it considers appropriate to exchange such currency for the Required Currency. The costs and risks of any such exchange, including without limitation the risks of delay and exchange rate fluctuation, shall be borne by the Company, the Company shall remain fully liable for any shortfall or delinquency in the full amount of Required Currency then due and payable, and in no circumstances shall the Trustee be liable therefor except in the case of its negligence or willful misconduct.

Section 3.12 [Extension of Interest Payment]*.

[The Company shall have the right at any time, so long as the Company is not in default in the payment of interest on the Debt Securities of any series hereunder, to extend interest payment periods on all Debt Securities of one or more series, or Tranches thereof, if so specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to such Debt Securities and upon such terms as may be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to such Debt Securities.]*

ARTICLE IV

REDEMPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

Section 4.01 Applicability of Article.

Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, that are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Debt Securities of such series or Tranche) in accordance with this Article.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 4.02 Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee.

The election of the Company to redeem any Debt Securities shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution and/or an Officer’s Certificate. The Company shall, at least 45 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of such Debt Securities to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Debt Securities (a) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Debt Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture or (b) pursuant to an election of the Company that is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Debt Securities, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officer’s Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition.

Section 4.03 Selection of Debt Securities to be Redeemed.

If less than all the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, are to be redeemed, the particular Debt Securities to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee from the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series or Tranche not previously called for redemption, by such method as shall be provided for any particular series, or, in the absence of any such provision, by such method of random selection as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and which may, in any case, provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Debt Securities of such series or Tranche or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Debt Securities of such series or Tranche of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Debt Securities of such series or Tranche; provided, however, that if, as indicated in an Officer’s Certificate, the Company shall have offered to purchase all or any principal amount of the Debt Securities then Outstanding of any series, or any Tranche thereof, and less than all of such Debt Securities as to which such offer was made shall have been tendered to the Company for such purchase, the Trustee, if so directed by Company Order, shall select for redemption all or any principal amount of such Debt Securities that have not been so tendered.

If the Debt Securities are then held in the form of a Global Security, the Debt Securities to be redeemed shall be selected in accordance with the customary procedures of the Depositary.

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Debt Security Registrar in writing of the Debt Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Debt Securities selected to be redeemed in part, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Debt Securities shall relate, in the case of any Debt Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Debt Securities that has been or is to be redeemed.

Section 4.04 Notice of Redemption.

Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 1.06 to the Holders of the Debt Securities to be redeemed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

All notices of redemption shall state:

(a) the Redemption Date,

(b) the Redemption Price,

(c) if less than all the Debt Securities of any series or Tranche are to be redeemed, the identification of the particular Debt Securities to be redeemed and the portion of the principal amount of any Debt Security to be redeemed in part,

(d) that on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest (including Additional Interest), if any, to the Redemption Date, will become due and payable upon each such Debt Security to be redeemed and, if applicable and provided that the Redemption Price is received by the Paying Agent or Agents on or prior to the Redemption Date, that interest (including any Additional Interest) thereon will cease to accrue on and after said date,

(e) the place or places where such Debt Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest, if any, unless it shall have been specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to such Debt Securities that such surrender shall not be required,

(f) that the redemption is for a sinking or other fund, if such is the case, and

(g) such other matters as the Company shall deem desirable or appropriate (including CUSIP numbers with respect to such Debt Securities, if the Company shall so elect, in which event such notice of redemption may contain a disclaimer as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Debt Securities or on such notice of redemption).

Unless otherwise specified with respect to any Debt Securities in accordance with Section 3.01, with respect to any notice of redemption of Debt Securities at the election of the Company, unless, upon the giving of such notice, such Debt Securities shall be deemed to have been paid in accordance with Section 7.01, such notice may state that such redemption shall be conditional upon the receipt by the Paying Agent or Agents for such Debt Securities, on or prior to the date fixed for such redemption, of money sufficient to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on such Debt Securities and that if such money shall not have been so received such notice shall be of no force or effect and the Company shall not be required to redeem such Debt Securities. In the event that such notice of redemption contains such a condition and such money is not so received, the redemption shall not be made and within a reasonable time thereafter notice shall be given, in the manner in which the notice of redemption was given, that such money was not so received and such redemption was not required to be made, and the Paying Agent or Agents for the Debt Securities otherwise to have been redeemed shall promptly return to the Holders thereof any of such Debt Securities that had been surrendered for payment upon such redemption.

Notice of redemption of Debt Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company, and any notice of non-satisfaction of a condition for redemption as aforesaid, shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Debt Security Registrar in the name and at the expense of the Company. Notice of mandatory redemption of Debt Securities shall be given by the Debt Security Registrar in the name and at the expense of the Company.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 4.05 Debt Securities Payable on Redemption Date.

Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, and the conditions, if any, set forth in such notice having been satisfied, the Debt Securities or portions thereof so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless, in the case of an unconditional notice of redemption, the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest (including Additional Interest), if any) such Debt Securities or portions thereof, if interest-bearing, shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Debt Security for redemption in accordance with such notice, such Debt Security or portion thereof shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest (including Additional Interest), if any, to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that no such surrender shall be a condition to such payment if so specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to such Debt Security; and provided, further, that except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to such Debt Security, any installment of interest on any Debt Security the Stated Maturity of which installment is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holder of such Debt Security, or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the related Regular Record Date according to the terms of such Debt Security and subject to the provisions of Section 3.07.

Section 4.06 Debt Securities Redeemed in Part.

Upon the surrender of any Debt Security that is to be redeemed only in part at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing), the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Debt Security, without service charge, a new Debt Security or Debt Securities of the same series and Tranche, of any authorized denomination requested by such Holder and of like tenor and in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Debt Security so surrendered.

ARTICLE V

SINKING FUNDS

Section 5.01 Applicability of Article.

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Debt Securities of such series or Tranche.

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, is herein referred to as an “optional

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 5.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Debt Securities of the series or Tranche in respect of which it was made as provided for by the terms of such Debt Securities.

Section 5.02 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Debt Securities.

The Company (a) may deliver to the Trustee Outstanding Debt Securities (other than any previously called for redemption) of a series or Tranche in respect of which a mandatory sinking fund payment is to be made and (b) may apply as a credit Debt Securities of such series or Tranche that have been purchased by the Company or redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Debt Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Debt Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of such mandatory sinking fund payment; provided, however, that no Debt Securities shall be applied in satisfaction of a mandatory sinking fund payment if such Debt Securities shall have been previously so applied. Debt Securities so applied shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Debt Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such mandatory sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.

Section 5.03 Redemption of Debt Securities for Sinking Fund.

Not less than 45 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying:

(a) the amount of the next succeeding mandatory sinking fund payment for such series or Tranche;

(b) the amount, if any, of the optional sinking fund payment to be made together with such mandatory sinking fund payment;

(d) the portion, if any, of such aggregate sinking fund payment that is to be satisfied by the payment of cash; and

(e) the portion, if any, of such aggregate sinking fund payment that is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Debt Securities of such series or Tranche pursuant to Section 5.02 and stating the basis for such credit and that such Debt Securities have not previously been so credited, and, if it has not already done so, the Company shall also deliver to the Trustee any Debt Securities to be so delivered.

If the Company shall not have delivered such Officer’s Certificate and, to the extent applicable, all such Debt Securities, on or prior to the 45th day prior to such sinking fund payment date, the sinking fund payment for such series or Tranche in respect of such sinking fund payment date shall be made entirely in cash in the amount of the mandatory sinking fund

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

payment. Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Debt Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 4.03 and the Debt Security Registrar shall cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 4.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Debt Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 4.05 and 4.06.

ARTICLE VI

COVENANTS

Section 6.01 Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest.

The Company shall pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Debt Securities of each series in accordance with the terms of such Debt Securities and this Indenture.

Section 6.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency.

The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for the Debt Securities of each series, or any Tranche thereof, an office or agency where payment of such Debt Securities shall be made, where the registration of transfer or exchange of such Debt Securities may be effected and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Debt Securities and this Indenture may be served. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of each such office or agency and prompt notice to the Holders of any such change in the manner specified in Section 1.06. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency in respect of Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, payment of such Debt Securities shall be made, registration of transfer or exchange thereof may be effected and notices and demands in respect thereof may be served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent for all such purposes in any such event.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more series, or any Tranche thereof, for any or all of the foregoing purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 with respect to the Debt Securities of such series or Tranche no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency for such purposes in each Place of Payment for such Debt Securities in accordance with the requirements set forth above. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee, and prompt notice to the Holders in the manner specified in Section 1.06, of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, any office or agency required by this Section may be maintained at an office of the Company, in which event the Company shall perform all functions to be performed at such office or agency.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 6.03 Money for Debt Securities Payments to be Held in Trust.

If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on any of such Debt Securities, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal and premium or interest (including Additional Interest) so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of any failure by the Company (or any other obligor on such Debt Securities) to make any payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on such Debt Securities.

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on such Debt Securities, deposit with such Paying Agents sums sufficient (without duplication) to pay the principal and premium or interest (including Additional Interest) so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium or interest (including Additional Interest), and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of any failure by it so to act.

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, other than the Company or the Trustee, to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

(a) hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on such Debt Securities in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided;

(b) give the Trustee notice of any failure by the Company (or any other obligor upon such Debt Securities) to make any payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest, (including Additional Interest) if any, on such Debt Securities; and

(c) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent and furnish to the Trustee such information as it possesses regarding the names and addresses of the Persons entitled to such sums.

The Company may at any time pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent and, if so stated in a Company Order delivered to the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of Article VII; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on any Debt Security and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal and premium, if any, or interest (including Additional Interest) has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or, if then held by the Company, shall be discharged from such trust; and, upon such payment or discharge, the Holder of such Debt Security shall, as an unsecured general creditor and not as a Holder of an Outstanding Debt Security, look only to the Company for payment of the amount so due and payable and remaining unpaid, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such payment to the Company, may at the expense of the Company cause to be mailed, on one occasion only, notice to such Holder that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such mailing, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be paid to the Company.

Section 6.04 Corporate Existence.

Subject to the rights of the Company under Article XI, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence.

Section 6.05 Annual Officer’s Certificate as to Compliance.

Not later than in each year, commencing , the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate, which need not comply with Section 1.02, executed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, stating whether, to such officer’s knowledge, the Company is in compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture, such compliance to be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice under this Indenture, and making any other statements as may be required by the provisions of Section 314(a)(4) of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 6.06 Waiver of Certain Covenants.

The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in (a) Section 6.02 or any additional covenant or restriction specified with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, as contemplated by Section 3.01 if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all series and Tranches with respect to which compliance with Section 6.02 or such additional covenant or restriction is to be omitted, considered as one class, shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition and (b) Sections 6.04 and 6.05 or Article XI if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of Debt Securities Outstanding under this Indenture shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition; but, in the case of (a) or (b), no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

ARTICLE VII

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

Section 7.01 Satisfaction and Discharge of Debt Securities.

Any Debt Security or Debt Securities, or any portion of the principal amount thereof, shall be deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this Indenture, and the entire indebtedness of the Company in respect thereof shall be deemed to have been satisfied and discharged, if there shall have been irrevocably deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company), in trust:

(a) money in an amount that shall be sufficient, or

(b) in the case of a deposit made prior to the Maturity of such Debt Securities or portions thereof, Eligible Obligations, which shall not contain provisions permitting the redemption or other prepayment thereof at the option of the issuer thereof, the principal of and the interest on that when due, without any regard to reinvestment thereof, will provide moneys which, together with the money, if any, deposited with or held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent, shall be sufficient, or

to pay when due the principal of and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, due and to become due on such Debt Securities or portions thereof on or prior to Maturity; provided, however, that in the case of the provision for payment or redemption of less than all the Debt Securities of any series or Tranche, such Debt Securities or portions thereof shall have been selected by the Trustee as provided herein and, in the case of a redemption, the notice requisite to the validity of such redemption shall have been given or irrevocable authority shall have been given by the Company to the Trustee to give such notice, under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee; and provided, further, that the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee and such Paying Agent:

(x) if such deposit shall have been made prior to the Maturity of such Debt Securities, a Company Order stating that the money and Eligible Obligations deposited in accordance with this Section shall be held in trust, as provided in Section 7.03;

(y) if Eligible Obligations shall have been deposited, an Opinion of Counsel that the obligations so deposited constitute Eligible Obligations and do not contain provisions permitting the redemption or other prepayment at the option of the issuer thereof, and an opinion of an independent public accountant of nationally recognized standing, selected by the Company, to the effect that the requirements set forth in clause (b) above have been satisfied; and

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(z) if such deposit shall have been made prior to the Maturity of such Debt Securities, an Officer’s Certificate stating the Company’s intention that, upon delivery of such Officer’s Certificate, its indebtedness in respect of such Debt Securities or portions thereof will have been satisfied and discharged as contemplated in this Section.

If the Company shall make any deposit of money and/or Eligible Obligations with respect to any Debt Securities, or any portion of the principal amount thereof, as contemplated by this section, the Company shall not deliver an Officer’s Certificate described in clause (z) above unless the Company shall also deliver to the Trustee, together with such Officer’s Certificate, an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, as a result of a change in law occurring after the date of this Indenture, the Holders of such Debt Securities, or portions thereof, will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the satisfaction and discharge of the Company’s indebtedness in respect thereof and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, at the same times and in the same manner as if such satisfaction and discharge had not been effected.

Upon the deposit of money or Eligible Obligations, or both, in accordance with this Section, together with the documents required by clauses (x), (y) and (z) above, the Trustee shall, upon receipt of a Company Request, acknowledge in writing that the Debt Security or Debt Securities or portions thereof with respect to which such deposit was made are deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this Indenture and that the entire indebtedness of the Company in respect thereof has been satisfied and discharged as contemplated in this Section. In the event that all of the conditions set forth in the first paragraph of this Section shall have been satisfied in respect of any Debt Securities or portions thereof except that, for any reason, the Officer’s Certificate specified in clause (z) shall not have been delivered, such Debt Securities or portions thereof shall nevertheless be deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this Indenture, and the Holders of such Debt Securities or portions thereof shall nevertheless be no longer entitled to the benefits of this Indenture or of any of the covenants of the Company under Article VI (except the covenants contained in Sections 6.02 and 6.03) or any other covenants made in respect of such Debt Securities or portions thereof as contemplated by Section 3.01, but the indebtedness of the Company in respect of such Debt Securities or portions thereof shall not be deemed to have been satisfied and discharged prior to Maturity for any other purpose, and the Holders of such Debt Securities or portions thereof shall continue to be entitled to look to the Company for payment of the indebtedness represented thereby; and, upon receipt of a Company Request, the Trustee shall acknowledge in writing that such Debt Securities or portions thereof are deemed to have been paid for all purposes of this Indenture.

If payment at Stated Maturity of less than all of the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, is to be provided for in the manner and with the effect provided in this Section, the Trustee shall select such Debt Securities, or portions of principal amount thereof, in the manner specified by Section 4.03 for selection for redemption of less than all the Debt Securities of a series or Tranche.

In the event that Debt Securities that shall be deemed to have been paid for purposes of this Indenture, and, if such is the case, in respect of which the Company’s indebtedness shall have been satisfied and discharged, all as provided in this Section, do not mature and are not to be redeemed within the 60-day period commencing with the date of the deposit of moneys or Eligible Obligations, as aforesaid, the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, give a notice, in the same manner as a notice of redemption with respect to such Debt Securities, to the Holders of such Debt Securities to the effect that such deposit has been made and the effect thereof.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Notwithstanding that any Debt Securities shall be deemed to have been paid for purposes of this Indenture, as aforesaid, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee in respect of such Debt Securities under Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 4.04, 5.03 (as to notice of redemption), 6.02, 6.03, 9.07, 9.14 and 9.15 and this Article shall survive.

The Company shall pay, and shall indemnify the Trustee or any Paying Agent with which Eligible Obligations shall have been deposited as provided in this Section against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against such Eligible Obligations or the principal or interest received in respect of such Eligible Obligations, including, but not limited to, any such tax payable by any entity deemed, for tax purposes, to have been created as a result of such deposit.

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, (a) if, at any time after a Debt Security would be deemed to have been paid for purposes of this Indenture, and, if such is the case, the Company’s indebtedness in respect thereof would be deemed to have been satisfied or discharged, pursuant to this Section (without regard to the provisions of this paragraph), the Trustee or any Paying Agent, as the case may be, shall be required to return the money or Eligible Obligations, or combination thereof, deposited with it as aforesaid to the Company or its representative under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, such Debt Security shall thereupon be deemed retroactively not to have been paid and any satisfaction and discharge of the Company’s indebtedness in respect thereof shall retroactively be deemed not to have been effected, and such Debt Security shall be deemed to remain Outstanding and (b) any satisfaction and discharge of the Company’s indebtedness in respect of any Debt Security shall be subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 6.03.

Section 7.02 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.

This Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect (except as hereinafter expressly provided), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

(a) no Debt Securities remain Outstanding hereunder; and

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company;

provided, however, that if, in accordance with the last paragraph of Section 7.01, any Debt Security, previously deemed to have been paid for purposes of this Indenture, shall be deemed retroactively not to have been so paid, this Indenture shall thereupon be deemed retroactively not to have been satisfied and discharged, as aforesaid, and to remain in full force and effect, and the Company shall execute and deliver such instruments as the Trustee shall reasonably request to evidence and acknowledge the same.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as aforesaid, the obligations of the Company and the Trustee under Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 4.04, 5.03 (as to notice of redemption), 6.02, 6.03, 9.07, 9.14 and 9.15 and this Article shall survive.

Upon satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as provided in this Section, the Trustee shall assign, transfer and turn over to the Company, subject to the lien provided by Section 9.07, any and all money, securities and other property then held by the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Debt Securities other than money and Eligible Obligations held by the Trustee pursuant to Section 7.03.

Section 7.03 Application of Trust Money.

Neither the Eligible Obligations nor the money deposited pursuant to Section 7.01, nor the principal or interest payments on any such Eligible Obligations, shall be withdrawn or used for any purpose other than, and shall be held in trust for, the payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on, the Debt Securities or portions of principal amount thereof in respect of which such deposit was made, all subject, however, to the provisions of Section 6.03; provided, however, that, so long as there shall not have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default, or an event that, with the giving of notice or the passage of time, would become an Event of Default, any cash received from such principal or interest payments on such Eligible Obligations, if not then needed for such purpose, shall, to the extent practicable, be invested in Eligible Obligations of the type described in Section 7.01(b) maturing at such times and in such amounts as shall be sufficient to pay when due the principal of and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, due and to become due on such Debt Securities or portions thereof on and prior to the Maturity thereof, and interest earned from such reinvestment shall be paid over to the Company as received, free and clear of any trust, lien or pledge under this Indenture except the lien provided by Section 9.07; and provided, further, that, so long as there shall not have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default, or an event that, with the giving of notice or the passage of time, would become an Event of Default, any moneys held in accordance with this Section on the Maturity of all such Debt Securities in excess of the amount required to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, then due on such Debt Securities shall be paid over to the Company free and clear of any trust, lien or pledge under this Indenture except the lien provided by Section 9.07; and provided, further, that if an Event of Default, or an event that, with the giving of notice or the passage of time, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing, moneys to be paid over to the Company pursuant to this Section shall be held until such Event of Default, or event that, with the giving of notice or the passage of time, would become an Event of Default, shall have been waived or cured.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

ARTICLE VIII

EVENTS OF DEFAULT; REMEDIES

Section 8.01 Events of Default.

“Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Debt Securities of any series, means any one of the following events:

(a) failure to pay interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on any Debt Security of such series within 30 days after the same becomes due and payable [(whether or not payment is prohibited by the provisions of Article XV hereof);]* [provided, however, that a valid extension of the interest payment period by the Company as contemplated in Section 3.12 of this Indenture shall not constitute a failure to pay interest for this purpose]*; or

(b) failure to pay the principal of or premium, if any, on any Debt Security of such series when due and payable under this Indenture [(whether or not payment is prohibited by the provisions of Article XV hereof)]*; or

(d) failure to perform or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the performance of which or breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of one or more series of Debt Securities other than such series) for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee, or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder, unless the Trustee, or the Trustee and the Holders of a principal amount of Debt Securities of such series not less than the principal amount of Debt Securities the Holders of which gave such notice, as the case may be, shall agree in writing to an extension of such period prior to its expiration; provided, however, that the Trustee, or the Trustee and the Holders of such principal amount of Debt Securities of such series, as the case may be, shall be deemed to have agreed to an extension of such period for a maximum of one hundred twenty (120) days if corrective action is initiated by the Company within such period and is being diligently pursued; or

(e) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (1) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or (2) a decree or order adjudging the Company a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition by one or more Persons other than the Company seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company under any applicable federal or state law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official for the Company or for any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order shall have remained unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

(f) the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in a case or proceeding under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable federal or

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

state law, or the consent by it to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the authorization of such action by the Board of Trustees; or

(g) any other Event of Default specified with respect to Debt Securities of such series.

Section 8.02 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

If an Event of Default due to the default in payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest (including Additional Interest) on, any series of Debt Securities or due to the default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty of the Company applicable to the Debt Securities of such series but not applicable to all Outstanding Debt Securities shall have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 33% in principal amount of the Debt Securities of such series may then declare the principal amount (or, if any of the Debt Securities of such series are Discount Debt Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms thereof as contemplated by Section 3.01) of all Debt Securities of such series and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest) accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders). If an Event of Default due to default in the performance of any other of the covenants or warranties herein applicable to all Outstanding Debt Securities or an Event of Default specified in Sections 8.01(e) or (f) shall have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 33% in principal amount of all Debt Securities then Outstanding (considered as one class), and not the Holders of the Debt Securities of any one of such series, may declare the principal amount (or, if any of the Debt Securities are Discount Debt Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Debt Securities as may be specified in the terms thereof as contemplated by Section 3.01) of all Debt Securities and premium, if any, and interest accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders). As a consequence of each such declaration (herein referred to as a declaration of acceleration) with respect to Debt Securities of any series, the principal amount (or portion thereof in the case of Discount Debt Securities) of such Debt Securities, premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest) accrued thereon shall become due and payable immediately [(provided that the payment of principal of such Debt Securities shall remain subordinated to the extent provided in Article XV hereof)]*.

With respect to a series of Debt Securities to which a credit enhancement is applicable, the applicable supplemental indenture may provide that the provider of such credit enhancement may, if default has occurred and is continuing with respect to such series, and subject to certain conditions, have all the rights with respect to remedies that would otherwise have been exercisable by the Holders of Debt Securities of that series.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Debt Securities of any series shall have been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due shall have been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Event or Events of Default giving rise to such declaration of acceleration shall, without further act, be deemed to have been waived, and such declaration and its consequences shall, without further act, be deemed to have been rescinded and annulled, if

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(a) the Company shall have paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay

(1) all overdue interest on all Debt Securities of such series;

(2) the principal of and premium, if any, on any Debt Securities of such series that have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest (including Additional Interest) thereon at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Debt Securities;

(3) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Debt Securities;

(4) all amounts due to the Trustee under Section 9.07; and

(b) any other Event or Events of Default with respect to Debt Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Debt Securities of such series that shall have become due solely by reason of such declaration of acceleration, shall have been cured or waived as provided in Section 8.13.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 8.03 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

If an Event of Default described in clause (a), (b) or (c) of Section 8.01 shall have occurred and be continuing, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of the Debt Securities of the series with respect to which such Event of Default shall have occurred, the whole amount then due and payable on such Debt Securities for principal and premium, if any, and interest, if any, and, to the extent permitted by law, (i) interest on premium, if any, (ii) interest on any overdue principal and (iii) Additional Interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Debt Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover any amounts due to the Trustee under Section 9.07.

If the Company shall fail to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Debt Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Debt Securities, wherever situated.

If an Event of Default with respect to Debt Securities of any series shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Debt Securities of such series under the Indenture by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 8.04 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Debt Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Debt Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest (including Additional Interest)) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal, premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, owing and unpaid in respect of the Debt Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for amounts due to the Trustee under Section 9.07) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same,

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amounts due it under Section 9.07.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Debt Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

Section 8.05 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Debt Securities.

All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Debt Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Debt Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 8.06 Application of Money Collected.

[Subject to the provisions of Article XV,]* any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or premium, if any, or interest (including Additional Interest), if any, upon presentation of the Debt Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money shall have been collected and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 9.07;

SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Debt Securities for principal of and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Debt Securities for principal, premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, respectively; and

THIRD: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company, or to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same or as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

Section 8.07 Limitation on Suits.

No Holder shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

(a) such Holder shall have previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Debt Securities of such series;

(b) the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all series in respect of which an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, considered as one class, shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

(c) such Holder or Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity shall have failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request shall have been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all series in respect of which an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, considered as one class;

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such Holders.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 8.08 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Debt Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and (subject to Section 3.07 [and 3.12]*) interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on such Debt Security on the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Debt Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

Section 8.09 Restoration of Rights and Remedies.

If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding shall have been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, Trustee and such Holder shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

Section 8.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

Except as otherwise provided in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

Section 8.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver.

No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

Section 8.12 Control by Holders of Debt Securities.

If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing in respect of a series of Debt Securities, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Debt Securities of such series; provided, however, that if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to more than one series of Debt Securities, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all such series, considered as one class, shall have the right to make such direction, and not the Holders of the Debt Securities of any one of such series; and provided, further, that

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture, and may not involve the Trustee in personal liability in circumstances where indemnity would not in the Trustee’s reasonable discretion be adequate, and

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.

Before proceeding to exercise any right or power hereunder at the direction of such Holders, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive from such Holders reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with any such direction.

Section 8.13 Waiver of Past Defaults.

The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Debt Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default:

(a) in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on any Debt Security of such series, or

(b) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof that under Section 12.02 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Debt Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any and all Events of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 8.14 Undertaking for Costs.

The Company and the Trustee agree, and each Holder by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all series in respect of which such suit may be brought, considered as one class, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on any Debt Security on or after the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Debt Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date).

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 8.15 Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws.

The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

ARTICLE IX

THE TRUSTEE

Section 9.01 Certain Duties and Responsibilities.

(a) The Trustee shall have and be subject to all the duties and responsibilities specified with respect to an indenture trustee in the Trust Indenture Act, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee.

(b) The Trustee, prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default that may have occurred, undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture. In case an Event of Default of which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has knowledge has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default that may have occurred:

(i) the duties and obligations of the Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of, or failure to perform, such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

(ii) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but, in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(d) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith, in accordance with the direction of the Holders of Debt Securities pursuant to Section 8.12, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture.

(e) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that it is not reasonably assured of receiving (i) repayment of such funds or (ii) indemnity, in an amount deemed adequate to the Trustee in its reasonable judgment, against such risk or liability.

(f) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Indenture to the contrary, the duties and responsibilities of the Trustee under this Indenture shall be subject to the protections, exculpations and limitations on liability afforded to the Trustee under the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, including those provisions of such Act deemed by such Act to be included herein.

(g) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.

Section 9.02 Notice of Defaults.

The Trustee shall give the Holders notice of any default hereunder with respect to the Debt Securities of any series to the Holders of Debt Securities of such series of which it has knowledge (within the meaning of Section 9.03(h)) in the manner and to the extent required to do so by the Trust Indenture Act, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided, however, that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 8.01(d), no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 60 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event that is, or after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become, an Event of Default.

Section 9.03 Certain Rights of Trustee.

Subject to the provisions of Section 9.01 and to the applicable provisions of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order, or as otherwise expressly provided herein, and any resolution of the Board of Trustees may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officer’s Certificate;

(d) the Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any Holder pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holder shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall (subject to applicable legal requirements) be entitled to examine, during normal business hours, the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder; and

(h) the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any default or Event of Default with respect to the Debt Securities of any series for which it is acting as Trustee unless either (1) a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have knowledge of the default or Event of Default or (2) written notice of such default or Event of Default shall have been given to the Trustee by the Company, any other obligor on such Debt Securities or by any Holder of such Debt Securities.

Section 9.04 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Debt Securities.

The recitals contained herein and in the Debt Securities (except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication) shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Debt Securities. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Debt Securities or the proceeds thereof. The Trustee shall not incur any liability for non-performance or breach of any obligation hereunder to the extent that the Trustee

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

is delayed in performing, unable to perform or breaches such obligation because of acts of God, war, terrorism, fire, floods, electrical outages or other causes reasonably beyond its control; provided, however, that the Trustee shall use commercially reasonable efforts consistent with accepted practices for corporate trustees to maintain performance without delay or resume performance as soon as reasonably practicable under the circumstances.

Section 9.05 May Hold Debt Securities.

Each of the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Debt Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Debt Securities and, subject to Sections 9.08 and 9.13, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Debt Security Registrar or such other agent.

Section 9.06 Money Held in Trust.

Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds, except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on investment of any money received by it hereunder except as expressly provided herein or otherwise agreed with, and for the sole benefit of, the Company.

Section 9.07 Compensation and Reimbursement.

The Company shall:

(a) pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances reasonably incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture, including the costs of collection (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except to the extent that any such expense, disbursement or advance may be attributable to its negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith; and

(c) indemnify the Trustee and hold it harmless from and against any and all losses, demands, claims, liabilities, causes of action or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred by it arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder or the performance of its duties hereunder, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent any such loss, demand, claim, liability, cause of action or expense may be attributable to its negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith and may assume the defense of the Trustee with counsel acceptable to the Trustee, unless the Trustee shall have been advised by counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it that are different from or additional to those available to the Company, in which case the Trustee may engage separate counsel, and the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be assumed by the Company.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Debt Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such other than property and funds held in trust for the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on Debt Securities. “Trustee” for purposes of this Section shall include any predecessor Trustee; provided, however, that the negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of any Trustee hereunder shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee hereunder. When a Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Sections 8.01(e) or (f), the expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law. The provisions of this Section shall survive termination of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee.

Section 9.08 Disqualification; Conflicting Interests.

If the Trustee shall have or acquire any conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, it shall either eliminate such conflicting interest or resign to the extent, in the manner and with the effect, and subject to the conditions, provided in the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. For purposes of Section 310(b)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act and to the extent permitted thereby, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest by virtue of being a Trustee under (i) this Indenture with respect to Debt Securities of one or more series or (ii) any other indenture to which the Trustee and the Company are a party, if any, or with respect to the securities issued thereunder, if any.

Section 9.09 Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility.

There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall be

(a) a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States, any state or territory thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority, or

(b) if and to the extent permitted by the Commission by rule, regulation or order upon application, a corporation or other Person organized and doing business under the laws of a foreign government, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $100,000,000 or the Dollar equivalent of the applicable foreign currency and subject to supervision or examination by authority of such foreign government or a political subdivision thereof substantially equivalent to supervision or examination applicable to United States institutional trustees,

and, in either case, qualified and eligible under this Article and the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of such supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 9.10 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

(a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 9.11.

(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 9.11 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of such series.

(c) The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Debt Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series delivered to the Trustee and to the Company.

(d) If at any time:

(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 9.08 after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder for at least six months, or

(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 9.09 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder, or

(3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

then, in any such case, (x) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee with respect to all Debt Securities or (y) subject to Section 8.14, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Debt Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

(e) If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause (other than as contemplated in clause (y) in Subsection (d) of this Section), with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more series, the Company, by a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Debt Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 9.11. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 9.11, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 9.11, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Debt Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of itself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of such series.

(f) So long as no event that is, or after notice or lapse of time, or both, would become, an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and except with respect to a Trustee appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities pursuant to Subsection (e) of this Section, if the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee (i) a Board Resolution appointing a successor Trustee, effective as of a date specified therein, and (ii) an instrument of acceptance of such appointment, effective as of such date, by such successor Trustee in accordance with Section 9.11, the Trustee shall be deemed to have resigned as contemplated in Subsection (b) of this Section, the successor Trustee shall be deemed to have been appointed by the Company pursuant to Subsection (e) of this Section and such appointment shall be deemed to have been accepted as contemplated in Section 9.11, all as of such date, and all other provisions of this Section and Section 9.11 shall be applicable to such resignation, appointment and acceptance except to the extent inconsistent with this Subsection (f).

(g) The Company or, should the Company fail so to act promptly, the successor Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Debt Securities of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Debt Security Register. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of such series and the address of its corporate trust office.

Section 9.11 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

(a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of all series, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of all sums owed to it, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Debt Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of all sums owed to it, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Debt Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

(c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any instruments that fully vest in and confirm to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in Subsection (a) or (b) of this Section, as the case may be.

(d) No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

Section 9.12 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.

Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Debt Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Debt Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Debt Securities.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 9.13 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.

If the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company or any other obligor upon the Debt Securities (other than by reason of a relationship described in Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act), the Trustee shall be subject to any and all applicable provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company or such other obligor. For purposes of Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act:

(a) the term “cash transaction” means any transaction in which full payment for goods or securities sold is made within seven days after delivery of the goods or securities in currency or in checks or other orders drawn upon banks or bankers and payable upon demand; and

(b) the term “self-liquidating paper” means any draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation that is made, drawn, negotiated or incurred by the Company for the purpose of financing the purchase, processing, manufacturing, shipment, storage or sale of goods, wares or merchandise and that is secured by documents evidencing title to, possession of, or a lien upon, the goods, wares or merchandise or the receivables or proceeds arising from the sale of the goods, wares or merchandise previously constituting the security, provided the security is received by the Trustee simultaneously with the creation of the creditor relationship with the Company arising from the making, drawing, negotiating or incurring of the draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation.

Section 9.14 Co-Trustees and Separate Trustees.

At any time or times, for the purpose of meeting the legal requirements of any applicable jurisdiction, the Company and the Trustee shall have power to appoint, and, upon the written request of the Trustee or of the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the Debt Securities then Outstanding, the Company shall for such purpose join with the Trustee in the execution and delivery of all instruments and agreements necessary or proper to appoint, one or more Persons approved by the Trustee either to act as co-trustee, jointly with the Trustee, or to act as separate trustee, in either case with such powers as may be provided in the instrument of appointment, and to vest in such Person or Persons, in the capacity aforesaid, any property, title, right or power deemed necessary or desirable, subject to the other provisions of this Section. If the Company does not join in such appointment within 15 days after the receipt by it of a request so to do, or if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee alone shall have power to make such appointment.

Should any written instrument or instruments from the Company be required by any co-trustee or separate trustee so appointed to more fully confirm to such co-trustee or separate trustee such property, title, right or power, any and all such instruments shall, on request, be executed, acknowledged and delivered by the Company.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Every co-trustee or separate trustee shall, to the extent permitted by law, but to such extent only, be appointed subject to the following conditions:

(a) the Debt Securities shall be authenticated and delivered, and all rights, powers, duties and obligations hereunder in respect of the custody of securities, cash and other personal property held by, or required to be deposited or pledged with, the Trustee hereunder, shall be exercised solely, by the Trustee;

(b) the rights, powers, duties and obligations hereby conferred or imposed upon the Trustee in respect of any property covered by such appointment shall be conferred or imposed upon and exercised or performed either by the Trustee or by the Trustee and such co-trustee or separate trustee jointly, as shall be provided in the instrument appointing such co-trustee or separate trustee, except to the extent that under any law of any jurisdiction in which any particular act is to be performed, the Trustee shall be incompetent or unqualified to perform such act, in which event such rights, powers, duties and obligations shall be exercised and performed by such co-trustee or separate trustee;

(c) the Trustee at any time, by an instrument in writing executed by it, with the concurrence of the Company, may accept the resignation of or remove any co-trustee or separate trustee appointed under this Section, and, if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Trustee shall have power to accept the resignation of, or remove, any such co-trustee or separate trustee without the concurrence of the Company. Upon the written request of the Trustee, the Company shall join with the Trustee in the execution and delivery of all instruments and agreements necessary or proper to effectuate such resignation or removal. A successor to any co-trustee or separate trustee so resigned or removed may be appointed in the manner provided in this Section;

(d) no co-trustee or separate trustee hereunder shall be personally liable by reason of any act or omission of the Trustee, or any other such trustee hereunder, and the Trustee shall have no liability, personally or in its capacity as Trustee, for any act or omission of any co-trustee or separate trustee hereunder; and

(e) any Act of Holders delivered to the Trustee shall be deemed to have been delivered to each such co-trustee and separate trustee.

Section 9.15 Appointment of Authenticating Agent.

The Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more series, or any Tranche thereof, which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Debt Securities of such series or Tranche issued upon original issuance, exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof or pursuant to Section 3.06, and Debt Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Debt Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States, any state or territory thereof or the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, authorized

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving 45 days written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent that shall be acceptable to the Company. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

The provisions of Sections 3.08, 9.04 and 9.05 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

If an appointment with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more series, or any Tranche thereof, shall be made pursuant to this Section, the Debt Securities of such series or Tranche may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication substantially in the following form:

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

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.


Date:	By:
		As Trustee

	By:
		As Authenticating Agent

	By:
		Authorized Signatory

If all of the Debt Securities of a series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Debt Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Debt Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested by the Company in writing (which writing need not comply with Section 1.02 and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), shall appoint, in accordance with this Section and in accordance with such procedures as shall be acceptable to the Trustee, an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Debt Securities.

ARTICLE X

HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

Section 10.01 Lists of Holders.

Semiannually, not later than and in each year, commencing with the year 20 , and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee information as to the names and addresses of the Holders, and the Trustee shall preserve such information and similar information received by it in any other capacity and afford to the Holders access to information so preserved by it, all to such extent, if any, and in such manner as shall be required by the Trust Indenture Act; provided, however, that no such list need be furnished so long as the Trustee shall be the Debt Security Registrar. Every holder of Debt Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any agent of either of them shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Debt Securities in accordance with Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act, or any successor Section of such Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, or any successor Section of such Act.

Section 10.02 Reports by Trustee and Company.

Annually, not later than in each year, commencing , the Trustee shall transmit to the Holders, the Commission and each securities exchange upon which any Debt Securities are listed, a report, dated as of the next preceding , with respect to any events and other matters described in Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, in such manner and to the extent required by the Trust Indenture Act. The Trustee shall transmit to the Holders, the Commission and each securities exchange upon which any Debt Securities are listed, and the Company shall file with the Trustee (within 30 days after filing with the

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Commission in the case of reports that pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act must be filed with the Commission and furnished to the Trustee) and transmit to the Holders, such other information, reports and other documents, if any, at such times and in such manner, as shall be required by the Trust Indenture Act.

The Company shall notify the Trustee of the listing of any Debt Securities on any securities exchange. Delivery of such reports, information and documents by the Company to the Trustee is for informational purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates).

ARTICLE XI

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR OTHER TRANSFER

Section 11.01 Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms.

The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other corporation, or convey or otherwise transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, unless:

(a) the corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person that acquires by conveyance or transfer, or that leases, the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety shall be a Person organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on all Outstanding Debt Securities and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed;

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness for borrowed money that becomes an obligation of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event that, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing; and

(c) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, or other transfer or lease and such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transactions have been complied with.

Section 11.02 Successor Corporation Substituted.

Upon any consolidation by the Company with or merger by the Company into any other corporation or any conveyance or other transfer or lease of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety in accordance with Section 11.01, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person to which such

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Debt Securities Outstanding hereunder.

ARTICLE XII

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 12.01 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders.

Without the consent of any Holders, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company herein and in the Debt Securities, all as provided in Article XI; or

(b) to add one or more covenants of the Company or other provisions for the benefit of all Holders or for the benefit of the Holders of, or to remain in effect only so long as there shall be Outstanding, Debt Securities of one or more specified series, or one or more specified Tranches thereof, or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company; or

(c) to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Debt Securities Outstanding hereunder; or

(d) to change or eliminate any provision of this Indenture or to add any new provision to this Indenture; provided, however, that if such change, elimination or addition shall adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Debt Securities of any series or Tranche Outstanding on the date of such indenture supplemental hereto in any material respect, such change, elimination or addition shall become effective with respect to such series or Tranche only pursuant to the provisions of Section 12.02 hereof or when no Debt Security of such series or Tranche remains Outstanding; or

(e) to provide collateral security for the Debt Securities of any series or Tranche; or

(f) to establish the form or terms of Debt Securities of any series or Tranche as contemplated by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or

(g) to provide for the authentication and delivery of bearer securities and coupons appertaining thereto representing interest, if any, thereon and for the procedures for the registration, exchange and replacement thereof and for the giving of notice to, and the solicitation of the vote or consent of, the holders thereof, and for any and all other matters incidental thereto; or

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(h) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a separate or successor Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 9.11(b); or

(i) to provide for the procedures required to permit the Company to utilize, at its option, a non-certificated system of registration for all, or any series or Tranche of, the Debt Securities; or

(j) to change any place or places where (1) the principal of and premium, if any, and interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on all or any series of Debt Securities, or any Tranche thereof, shall be payable, (2) all or any series of Debt Securities, or any Tranche thereof, may be surrendered for registration of transfer, (3) all or any series of Debt Securities, or any Tranche thereof, may be surrendered for exchange and (4) notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of all or any series of Debt Securities, or any Tranche thereof, and this Indenture may be served; or

(k) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein; provided that no such changes or additions shall adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Debt Securities of any series or Tranche in any material respect.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if the Trust Indenture Act as in effect at the date of the execution and delivery of this Indenture or at any time thereafter shall be amended and:

(x) if any such amendment shall require one or more changes to any provisions hereof or the inclusion herein of any additional provisions, or shall by operation of law be deemed to effect such changes or incorporate such provisions by reference or otherwise, this Indenture shall be deemed to have been amended so as to conform to such amendment to the Trust Indenture Act, and the Company and the Trustee may, without the consent of any Holders, enter into an indenture supplemental hereto to effect or evidence such changes or additional provisions; or

(y) if any such amendment shall permit one or more changes to, or the elimination of, any provisions hereof that, at the date of the execution and delivery hereof or at any time thereafter, are required by the Trust Indenture Act to be contained herein, this Indenture shall be deemed to have been amended to effect such changes or elimination, and the Company and the Trustee may, without the consent of any Holders, enter into an indenture supplemental hereto to evidence such amendment hereof, provided such amendment does not have a material adverse effect on any Holders.

Section 12.02 Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders.

With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities of all series then Outstanding under this Indenture, considered as one class, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to, or changing in any manner or

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

eliminating any of the provisions of, this Indenture; provided, however, that if there shall be Debt Securities of more than one series Outstanding hereunder and if a proposed supplemental indenture shall directly affect the rights of the Holders of Debt Securities of one or more, but less than all, of such series, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all series so directly affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided, further, that if the Debt Securities of any series shall have been issued in more than one Tranche and if the proposed supplemental indenture shall directly affect the rights of the Holders of Debt Securities of one or more, but less than all, of such Tranches, then the consent only of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all Tranches so directly affected, considered as one class, shall be required; and provided, further, that no such supplemental indenture shall:

(a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest (including Additional Interest) on [(except as provided in Section 3.12)]* any Debt Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon (or the amount of any installment of interest thereon) or change the method of calculating such rate or reduce any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of the principal of a Discount Debt Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 8.02, or change the coin or currency (or other property) in which any Debt Security or any premium or the interest (including Additional Interest) thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity of any Debt Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date), without, in any such case, the consent of the Holder of such Debt Security, or

(b) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series or any Tranche thereof, the consent of the Holders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of the Holders of which is required for any waiver of compliance with any provision of this Indenture or of any default hereunder and its consequences, or reduce the requirements of Section 13.04 for quorum or voting, without, in any such case, the consent of the Holders of each Outstanding Debt Security of such series or Tranche, or

(c) modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 6.06 or Section 8.13 with respect to the Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof (except to increase the percentages in principal amount referred to in this Section or such other Sections or to provide that other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Debt Security affected thereby); provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 9.11(b), 9.14 and 12.01(h).

A supplemental indenture that changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture that has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Debt Securities, or of one or more Tranches thereof, or that modifies the rights of the Holders of Debt Securities of such series or Tranches with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Debt Securities of any other series or Tranche.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Upon the request of the Company, accompanied by a copy of the Board Resolution authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, compliance by the Company with Section 12.03 hereof, and the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of the Holders of the Debt Securities required hereunder with respect to the proposed supplemental indenture, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless the supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture, or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion but shall not be obligated to enter into such supplemental indenture.

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof. A waiver by a Holder of such Holder’s right to consent under this Section shall be deemed to be a consent of such Holder.

Section 12.03 Execution of Supplemental Indentures.

In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be provided and (subject to Section 9.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel, each stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture.

Section 12.04 Effect of Supplemental Indentures.

Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Debt Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby. Any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article may restate this Indenture in its entirety, and, upon the execution and delivery thereof, any such restatement shall supersede this Indenture as theretofore in effect for all purposes.

Section 12.05 Conformity With Trust Indenture Act.

Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

Section 12.06 Reference in Debt Securities to Supplemental Indentures.

Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Debt Securities of any series, or any Tranche thereof, so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Debt Securities of such series or Tranche.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 12.07 Modification without Supplemental Indenture.

If the terms of any particular series of Debt Securities shall have been established in a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a Board Resolution as contemplated by Section 3.01, and not in an indenture supplemental hereto, additions to, changes in or the elimination of any of such terms may be effected by means of a supplemental Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate, as the case may be, delivered to, and accepted by, the Trustee; provided, however, that such supplemental Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate shall not be accepted by the Trustee or otherwise be effective unless all conditions set forth in this Indenture that would be required to be satisfied if such additions, changes or elimination were contained in a supplemental indenture shall have been appropriately satisfied. Upon the acceptance thereof by the Trustee, any such supplemental Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate shall be deemed to be a “supplemental indenture” for purposes of Sections 12.04 and 12.06.

ARTICLE XIII

MEETINGS OF HOLDERS; ACTION WITHOUT MEETING

Section 13.01 Purposes for which Meetings may be Called.

A meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Debt Securities of such series or Tranches.

Section 13.02 Call, Notice and Place of Meetings.

(a) The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, for any purpose specified in Section 13.01, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, as the Trustee shall determine, or, with the approval of the Company, at any other place. Notice of every such meeting, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 1.06, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

(b) If the Trustee shall have been requested to call a meeting of the Holders of Debt Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, by the Company or by the Holders of at least 33% in aggregate principal amount of all of such series and Tranches, considered as one class, for any purpose specified in Section 13.01, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have given the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Debt Securities of such series and Tranches in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or in such other place as shall be determined or approved by the Company, for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in Subsection (a) of this Section.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(c) Any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, shall be valid without notice if the Holders of all Outstanding Debt Securities of such series or Tranches are present in person or by proxy and if representatives of the Company and the Trustee are present, or if notice is waived in writing before or after the meeting by the Holders of all Outstanding Debt Securities of such series, or by such of them as are not present at the meeting in person or by proxy, and by the Company and the Trustee.

Section 13.03 Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings.

To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of one or more, or all, series, or any Tranche or Tranches thereof, a Person shall be (a) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Debt Securities of such series or Tranches, or (b) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Debt Securities of such series or Tranches by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to attend any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of any series or Tranche shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

Section 13.04 Quorum; Action.

The Persons entitled to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of the series and Tranches with respect to which a meeting shall have been called as hereinbefore provided, considered as one class, shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of Holders of Debt Securities of such series and Tranches; provided, however, that if any action is to be taken at such meeting that this Indenture expressly provides may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series and Tranches, considered as one class, the Persons entitled to vote such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series and Tranches, considered as one class, shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum within one hour of the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Debt Securities of such series and Tranches, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for such period as may be determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any such adjourned meeting, such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for such period as may be determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such adjourned meeting. Except as provided by Section 13.05(e), notice of the reconvening of any meeting adjourned for more than 30 days shall be given as provided in Section 13.02(a) not less than ten days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series and Tranches that shall constitute a quorum.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Except as limited by Section 12.02, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of the series and Tranches with respect to which such meeting shall have been called, considered as one class; provided, however, that, except as so limited, any resolution with respect to any action that this Indenture expressly provides may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series and Tranches, considered as one class, may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of such series and Tranches, considered as one class.

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Debt Securities of the series and Tranches with respect to which such meeting shall have been held, whether or not present or represented at the meeting.

Section 13.05 Attendance at Meetings; Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings.

(a) Attendance at meetings of Holders of Debt Securities may be in person or by proxy; and, to the extent permitted by law, any such proxy shall remain in effect and be binding upon any future Holder of the Debt Securities with respect to which it was given unless and until specifically revoked by the Holder or future Holder of such Debt Securities before being voted.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Debt Securities in regard to proof of the holding of such Debt Securities and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Debt Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 1.04. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 1.04 or other proof.

(c) The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders as provided in Section 13.02(b), in which case the Company or the Holders of Debt Securities of the series and Tranches calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all series and Tranches represented at the meeting, considered as one class.

(d) At any meeting each Holder or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $1 principal amount of Debt Securities held or represented by him; provided, however, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Debt Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Debt Security or proxy.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

(e) Any meeting duly called pursuant to Section 13.02 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of all series and Tranches represented at the meeting, considered as one class; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

Section 13.06 Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings.

The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Debt Securities, of the series and Tranches with respect to which the meeting shall have been called, held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports of all votes cast at the meeting. A record of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 13.02 and, if applicable, Section 13.04. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

Section 13.07 Action Without Meeting.

In lieu of a vote of Holders at a meeting as hereinbefore contemplated in this Article, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action may be made, given or taken by Holders by written instruments as provided in Section 1.04.

ARTICLE XIV

IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND

DIRECTORS

Section 14.01 Liability Solely Corporate.

No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest (including Additional Interest), if any, on any Debt Securities, or any part thereof, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, or of the indebtedness represented thereby, or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement under this Indenture, against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation (either directly or through the Company or a predecessor or successor corporation), whether by virtue of any constitutional provision, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly agreed and understood that this Indenture and all the Debt Securities are solely

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

corporate obligations, and that no personal liability whatsoever shall attach to, or be incurred by, any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly or indirectly through the Company or any predecessor or successor corporation, because of the indebtedness hereby authorized or under or by reason of any of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any of the Debt Securities or to be implied herefrom or therefrom, and that any such personal liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as part of the consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of the Debt Securities.

ARTICLE XV

[SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES]*

Section 15.01 Securities Subordinate to Senior Indebtedness.

[The Company, for itself, its successors and assigns, covenants and agrees, and each Holder of the Debt Securities of each series, by its acceptance thereof, likewise covenants and agrees, that the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on each and all of the Debt Securities is hereby expressly subordinated, to the extent and in the manner set forth in this Article, in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness.

Each Holder of the Debt Securities of each series, by its acceptance thereof, authorizes and directs the Trustee on its behalf to take such action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination as provided in this Article, and appoints the Trustee its attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, nothing contained in this Article shall restrict the right of the Trustee or the Holders of Debt Securities to take any action to declare the Debt Securities to be due and payable prior to their stated maturity pursuant to Section 8.02 or to pursue any rights or remedies hereunder; provided, however, that all Senior Indebtedness then due and payable shall first be paid in full before the Holders of the Debt Securities or the Trustee are entitled to receive any direct or indirect payment from the Company of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the Debt Securities.

Section 15.02 Payment Over of Proceeds of Securities.

In the event (a) of any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings or any receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar proceedings in respect of the Company or a substantial part of its property, or of any proceedings for liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of the Company, whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy, whether voluntary or involuntary or (b) subject to the provisions of Section 15.03, that (i) a default shall have occurred with respect to the payment of principal of or interest on or other monetary amounts due and payable on any Senior Indebtedness, or (ii) there shall have occurred a default (other than a default in the payment of principal or interest or other monetary amounts due and payable) in respect of any Senior Indebtedness, as defined therein or in the instrument under which the same is outstanding, permitting the holder or holders thereof to accelerate the maturity thereof (with notice or lapse of time, or both), and such default shall have continued beyond the period of grace, if any, in respect thereof, and, in the cases of subclauses (i) and (ii) of this clause (b), such

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

default shall not have been cured or waived or shall not have ceased to exist, and, in the case of subclause (ii) of this clause (b), the maturity of such Senior Indebtedness shall have been accelerated in accordance with the default provisions thereof or (c) that the principal of and accrued interest on the Debt Securities of any series shall have been declared due and payable pursuant to Section 8.01 and such declaration shall not have been rescinded and annulled as provided in Section 8.02, then:

(1) the holders of all Senior Indebtedness shall first be entitled to receive payment of the full amount due thereon, or provision shall be made for such payment in money or money’s worth, before the Holders of any of the Debt Securities are entitled to receive a payment on account of the principal of or interest on the indebtedness evidenced by the Debt Securities, including, without limitation, any payments made pursuant to Articles IV and V;

(2) any payment by, or distribution of assets of, the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to which any Holder or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this Article, shall be paid or delivered by the person making such payment or distribution, whether a trustee in bankruptcy, a receiver or liquidating trustee or otherwise, directly to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture under which any instruments evidencing any of such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, ratably according to the aggregate amounts remaining unpaid on account of such Senior Indebtedness held or represented by each, to the extent necessary to make payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution (or provision therefor) to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the Holder of the indebtedness evidenced by the Debt Securities or to the Trustee under this Indenture; and

(3) in the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment by, or distribution of assets of, the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, in respect of principal of or interest on the Debt Securities or in connection with any repurchase by the Company of the Debt Securities, shall be received by the Trustee or any Holder before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full to the extent required by Subsection (1) of this Section 15.02, or provision is made for such payment in money or money’s worth, such payment or distribution in respect of principal of or interest on the Debt Securities or in connection with any repurchase by the Company of the Debt Securities shall be paid over to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or representatives or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture under which any instruments evidencing any such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, ratably as aforesaid, for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid until all such Senior Indebtedness shall have been paid in full, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution (or provision therefor) to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time after the 123rd day following the date of deposit of cash or Eligible Obligations pursuant to Section 7.01 (provided all conditions set out in such Section shall have been satisfied), the funds so deposited and any interest thereon will not be subject to any rights of holders of Senior Indebtedness, including, without limitation, those arising under this Article; provided that no event described in clauses (e) and (f) of Section 8.01 with respect to the Company has occurred during such 123-day period.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

For purposes of this Article only, the words “cash, property or securities” shall not be deemed to include shares of common stock of the Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment that are subordinate in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness that may at the time be outstanding to the same extent as, or to a greater extent than, the Debt Securities are so subordinated as provided in this Article. The consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another corporation or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another corporation upon the terms and conditions provided for in Article XI hereof shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 15.02 if such other corporation shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article XI hereof. Nothing in Section 15.01 or in this Section 15.02 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 9.07.

Section 15.03 Disputes with Holders of Certain Senior Indebtedness.

Any failure by the Company to make any payment on or perform any other obligation in respect of Senior Indebtedness, other than any indebtedness incurred by the Company or assumed or guaranteed, directly or indirectly, by the Company for money borrowed (or any deferral, renewal, extension or refunding thereof) or any other obligation as to which the provisions of this Section shall have been waived by the Company in the instrument or instruments by which the Company incurred, assumed, guaranteed or otherwise created such indebtedness or obligation, shall not be deemed a default under clause (b) of Section 15.02 if (i) the Company shall be disputing its obligation to make such payment or perform such obligation and (ii) either (A) no final judgment relating to such dispute shall have been issued against the Company that is in full force and effect and is not subject to further review, including a judgment that has become final by reason of the expiration of the time within which a party may seek further appeal or review, or (B) in the event that a judgment that is subject to further review or appeal has been issued, the Company shall in good faith be prosecuting an appeal or other proceeding for review and a stay of execution shall have been obtained pending such appeal or review.

Section 15.04 Subrogation.

Senior Indebtedness shall not be deemed to have been paid in full unless the holders thereof shall have received cash (or securities or other property satisfactory to such holders) in full payment of such Senior Indebtedness then outstanding. Upon the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, the Holders of the Debt Securities shall be subrogated to the rights of the holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive any further payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company applicable to the holders of the Senior Indebtedness until all amounts owing on the Debt Securities shall be paid in full; and such payments or distributions of cash, property or securities received by the Holders of the Debt Securities, by reason of such

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

subrogation, which otherwise would be paid or distributed to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness shall, as between the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, and the Holders, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of Senior Indebtedness, it being understood that the provisions of this Article are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Holders, on the one hand, and the holders of the Senior Indebtedness, on the other hand.

If any payment or distribution to which the Holders of the Debt Securities would otherwise have been entitled but for the provisions of this Article shall have been applied, pursuant to the provisions of this Article, to the payment of amounts payable under Senior Indebtedness, then and in such case, the Holders of the Debt Securities shall be entitled to receive from the holders of such Senior Indebtedness any payments or distributions received by such holders of Senior Indebtedness in excess of the amount required to make payment to the extent required by Section 15.02, or provision for payment, of such Senior Indebtedness.

Section 15.05 Unconditional Obligation of the Company.

Nothing contained in this Article or elsewhere in this Indenture or in the Debt Securities is intended to or shall impair, as among the Company, its creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness and the Holders, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Holders the principal of and interest on the Debt Securities as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Holders and creditors of the Company other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent the Trustee or any Holder from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this Article of the holders of Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company received upon the exercise of any such remedy.

Upon any payment or distribution of assets or securities of the Company referred to in this Article, the Trustee and the Holders shall be entitled to rely upon any order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction in which such bankruptcy, dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending or upon a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee agent or other person making such payment or distribution delivered to the Trustee or to the Holders for the purpose of ascertaining the persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon, and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article.

Section 15.06 Priority of Senior Indebtedness Upon Maturity.

Upon the maturity of the principal of any Senior Indebtedness by lapse of time, acceleration or otherwise, all matured principal of Senior Indebtedness and interest and premium, if any, thereon shall first be paid in full before any payment of principal or premium or interest, if any, is made upon the Debt Securities or before any Debt Securities can be acquired by the Company or any sinking fund payment is made with respect to the Debt Securities (except that required sinking fund payments may be reduced by Debt Securities acquired before such maturity of such Senior Indebtedness).

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

Section 15.07 Trustee as Holder of Senior Indebtedness.

The Trustee shall be entitled to all rights set forth in this Article with respect to any Senior Indebtedness at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Indebtedness. Nothing in this Article shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as such holder.

Section 15.08 Notice to Trustee to Effectuate Subordination.

The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of any payment to or by the Trustee in respect of the Debt Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Article. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article or any other provision of the Indenture, the Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the making of any payment of moneys to or by the Trustee unless and until the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Company, from a Holder or from a holder of any Senior Indebtedness or from any representative or representatives of such holder and, prior to the receipt of any such written notice, the Trustee shall be entitled, subject to Section 9.01, in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided, however, that, if prior to the fifth Business Day preceding the date upon which by the terms hereof any such moneys may become payable for any purpose, or in the event of the execution of an instrument pursuant to Section 7.02 acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, then if prior to the second Business Day preceding the date of such execution, the Trustee shall not have received with respect to such moneys the notice provided for in this Section, then, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee may, in its discretion, receive such moneys and/or apply the same to the purpose for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary, which may be received by it on or after such date; provided, however, that no such application shall affect the obligations under this Article of the persons receiving such moneys from the Trustee.

Section 15.09 Modification, Extension, Etc. of Senior Indebtedness.

The holders of Senior Indebtedness may, without affecting in any manner the subordination of the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Debt Securities, at any time or from time to time and in their absolute discretion, agree with the Company to change the manner, place or terms of payment, change or extend the time of payment of, or renew or alter, any Senior Indebtedness, or amend or supplement any instrument pursuant to which any Senior Indebtedness is issued, or exercise or refrain from exercising any other of their rights under the Senior Indebtedness, including, without limitation, the waiver of default thereunder, all without notice to or assent from the Holders or the Trustee.

Section 15.10 Trustee Has No Fiduciary Duty to Holders of Senior Indebtedness.

With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and objectives as are specifically set forth in this Article, and no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be deemed to owe any

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

fiduciary duty to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, and shall not be liable to any such holders if it shall mistakenly pay over or deliver to the Holders or the Company or any other Person, cash, property or securities to which any holders of Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article or otherwise.

Section 15.11 Paying Agents other than the Trustee.

In case at any time any Paying Agent other than the Trustee shall have been appointed by the Company and be then acting hereunder, the term “Trustee” as used in this Article shall in such case (unless the context shall otherwise require) be construed as extending to and including such Paying Agent within its meaning as fully for all intents and purposes as if such Paying Agent were named in this Article in addition to or in place of the Trustee; provided, however, that Sections 15.07, 15.08 and 15.10 shall not apply to the Company if it acts as Paying Agent.

Section 15.12 Rights of Holders of Senior Indebtedness Not Impaired.

No right of any present or future holder of Senior Indebtedness to enforce the subordination herein shall at any time or in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of the Company or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof any such holder may have or be otherwise charged with.

Section 15.13 This Article Not To Prevent Events of Default.

The failure to make a payment on account of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on the Debt Securities by reason of any provision of this Article shall not be construed as preventing the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of Section 8.01.

Section 15.14 Effect of Subordination Provisions; Termination.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, other than as provided in the immediately succeeding sentence, all the provisions of this Indenture shall be subject to the provisions of this Article, so far as the same may be applicable thereto.

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the provisions of this Article XV shall be of no further effect, and the Debt Securities shall no longer be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment of Senior Indebtedness, if the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee a notice to such effect. Any such notice delivered by the Company shall not be deemed to be a supplemental indenture for purposes of Article XII.]*

This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.


ORCHID ISLAND CAPITAL, INC.

By:
		Name:
		Title:

[SEAL]

[ATTEST]


By:
		Name:
		Title:

[Trustee’s signature page follows.]

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.


, Trustee

By:
		Authorized Representative

[SEAL]

[ATTEST]

Authorized Representative

*	Bracketed language throughout this Indenture will be inserted in the Indenture in the event that subordinated Debt Securities are issued.

EX-5.1

Exhibit 5.1

[LETTERHEAD OF VENABLE LLP]

April 28, 2017

Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

3305 Flamingo Drive

Vero Beach, Florida 32963

Re:

Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have served as Maryland counsel to Orchid Island Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with certain matters of Maryland law arising out of the registration by the Company of (a) the following securities of the Company having an aggregate public offering price of up to $500,000,000 (collectively, the “Securities”): (i) shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”); (ii) shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Preferred Stock”); (iii) debt securities of the Company (“Debt Securities”); and (iv) units (the “Units”) consisting of any combination of the Securities and (b) up to 1,520,036 shares (the “Selling Stockholders Shares”) of Common Stock which may be sold from time to time by the stockholder of the Company named under the caption “Selling Stockholders” in the above-referenced Registration Statement on Form S-3, and all amendments thereto (the “Registration Statement”), each covered by the Registration Statement, filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).

In connection with our representation of the Company, and as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Documents”):

1. The Registration Statement and the related form of prospectus included therein in the form in which it was filed with the Commission under the 1933 Act;

2. The charter of the Company (the “Charter”), certified by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “SDAT”);

3. The Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”), certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;

4. Resolutions (the “Resolutions”) adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), relating to (a) the registration of the Securities and (b) the registration and issuance of the Selling Stockholders Shares, certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;

5. A certificate of the SDAT as to the good standing of the Company, dated as of a recent date;

Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

April 28, 2017

Page 2

6. A certificate executed by an officer of the Company, dated as of the date hereof; and

7. Such other documents and matters as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to express the opinion set forth in this letter, subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein.

In expressing the opinion set forth below, we have assumed the following:

1. Each individual executing any of the Documents, whether on behalf of such individual or another person, is legally competent to do so.

2. Each individual executing any of the Documents on behalf of a party (other than the Company) is duly authorized to do so.

3. Each of the parties (other than the Company) executing any of the Documents has duly and validly executed and delivered each of the Documents to which such party is a signatory, and such party’s obligations set forth therein are legal, valid and binding and are enforceable in accordance with all stated terms.

4. All Documents submitted to us as originals are authentic. The form and content of all Documents submitted to us as unexecuted drafts do not differ in any respect relevant to this opinion from the form and content of such Documents as executed and delivered. All Documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies conform to the original documents. All signatures on all Documents are genuine. All public records reviewed or relied upon by us or on our behalf are true and complete. All representations, warranties, statements and information contained in the Documents are true and complete. There has been no oral or written modification of or amendment to any of the Documents, and there has been no waiver of any provision of any of the Documents, by action or omission of the parties or otherwise.

5. Upon the issuance of any Securities that are shares of Common Stock (“Common Securities”), including Common Securities which may be issued as part of Units or upon conversion or exercise of any other Securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Securities, the total number of shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding will not exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under the Charter.

6. Upon the issuance of any Securities that are shares of Preferred Stock (“Preferred Securities”), including Preferred Securities which may be issued as part of Units or upon conversion or exercise of any other Securities convertible into or exercisable for Preferred Securities, the total number of shares of Preferred Stock issued and outstanding, and the total number of issued and outstanding shares of the applicable class or series of Preferred Stock

Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

April 28, 2017

Page 3

designated pursuant to the Charter, will not exceed the total number of shares of Preferred Stock or the number of shares of such class or series of Preferred Stock that the Company is then authorized to issue under the Charter.

7. Any Securities convertible into or exercisable for any other Securities will be duly converted or exercised in accordance with their terms.

8. The issuance, and certain terms, of the Securities to be issued by the Company from time to time will be authorized and approved by the Board, or a duly authorized committee thereof, in accordance with the Maryland General Corporation Law, the Charter, the Bylaws, the Registration Statement and the Resolutions and, with respect to any Preferred Securities, articles supplementary setting forth the number of shares and the terms of any class or series of Preferred Stock to be issued by the Company will be filed with and accepted for record by the SDAT prior to their issuance (such approvals and, if applicable, acceptance for record, referred to herein as the “Corporate Proceedings”).

9. None of the Securities or the Selling Stockholders Shares have been or will be issued, sold or transferred, as applicable, in violation of the restrictions on transfer and ownership set forth in Article VII of the Charter or any comparable provision in the articles supplementary creating any class or series of Preferred Stock, as applicable.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein, it is our opinion that:

1. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated and validly existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Maryland and is in good standing with the SDAT.

2. Upon the completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating to the Common Securities, the Common Securities will be duly authorized for issuance and, when and if issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the Registration Statement, the Resolutions and the Corporate Proceedings, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

3. Upon the completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating to the Preferred Securities, the Preferred Securities will be duly authorized for issuance and, when and if issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the Registration Statement, the Resolutions and the Corporate Proceedings, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

4. Upon the completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating to the Debt Securities, the Debt Securities will be duly authorized for issuance.

Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

April 28, 2017

Page 4

5. Upon the completion of all Corporate Proceedings relating to the Units, including all Corporate Proceedings relating to the Securities sold together as Units, the Units will be duly authorized for issuance.

6. The issuance of the Selling Stockholders Shares has been duly authorized and the Selling Stockholders Shares are validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.

The foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Maryland and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any other law. We express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of any federal or state securities laws, including the securities laws of the State of Maryland, or as to federal or state laws regarding fraudulent transfers. To the extent that any matter as to which our opinion is expressed herein would be governed by the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Maryland, we do not express any opinion on such matter. The opinion expressed herein is subject to the effect of judicial decisions which may permit the introduction of parol evidence to modify the terms or the interpretation of agreements.

The opinion expressed herein is limited to the matters specifically set forth herein and no other opinion shall be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion if any applicable law changes after the date hereof or if we become aware of any fact that might change the opinion expressed herein after the date hereof.

This opinion is being furnished to you for submission to the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of the name of our firm therein. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the 1933 Act.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Venable LLP

EX-8.1


		Exhibit 8.1

April 28, 2017

Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

3305 Flamingo Drive, Suite 100

Vero Beach, Florida 32963

Re:	Qualification as a Real Estate Investment Trust

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Orchid Island Capital, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation of a Form S-3 registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 28, 2017 (the “Registration Statement”), with respect to the offer and sale by the Company of common stock, par value $0.01, of the Company (the “Common Stock”), preferred stock, par value $0.01, of the Company (the “Preferred Stock”), debt securities of the Company (the “Debt Securities”), and units comprising one or more of the preceding securities of the Company to be offered from time-to-time, having an aggregate public offering price not to exceed $500,000,000. You have requested our opinion regarding certain U.S. federal income tax matters.

In giving this opinion letter, we have examined the following:

1. the Registration Statement and the prospectus filed as a part of the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”);

2. the Company’s Articles of Incorporation filed on August 17, 2010 with the Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland (the “SDAT”), and the Articles of Amendment and Restatement filed on February 20, 2013 with SDAT;

3. the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws;

4. the Officer’s Certificates (as defined below);

5. the Management Agreement by and among the Company and Bimini Advisors dated February 20, 2013; and

Vinson & Elkins LLP Attorneys at Law

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Tel +1.202.639.6500 Fax +1.202.639.6604 www.velaw.com


		April 28, 2017 Page 2

6. such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion.

In connection with the opinions rendered below, we have assumed, with your consent, that:

1. each of the documents referred to above has been duly authorized, executed, and delivered; is authentic, if an original, or is accurate, if a copy; and has not been amended;

2. during its taxable year ending December 31, 2017, and future taxable years, the Company will operate in a manner that will make the factual representations contained in a certificate, dated the date hereof and executed by a duly appointed officer of the Company (the “Company Officer’s Certificate”), true for such years;

3. the Company will not make any amendments to its organizational documents after the date of this opinion that would affect its qualification as a REIT (as defined below) for any taxable year; and

4. no action will be taken by the Company or Bimini Capital Management, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“Bimini”), after the date hereof that would have the effect of altering the facts upon which the opinions set forth below are based.

In connection with the opinions rendered below, we also have relied upon the correctness of the factual representations contained in the Company’s Officer’s Certificate and a certificate, dated the date hereof and executed by a duly appointed officer of Bimini (together with the Company’s Officer’s Certificate, the “Officer’s Certificates”). No facts have come to our attention that would cause us to question the accuracy and completeness of such factual representations. Furthermore, where such factual representations involve terms defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the Treasury regulations thereunder (the “Regulations”), published rulings of the Internal Revenue Service (the “Service”), or other relevant authority, we have explained to the individuals making such representations the relevant provisions of the Code, the applicable Regulations and published administrative interpretations thereof.

Based solely on the documents and assumptions set forth above, the representations set forth in the Officer’s Certificates, and the factual matters discussed in the Prospectus under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” (which are incorporated herein by reference), we are of the opinion that:


		April 28, 2017 Page 3

(a) the Company qualified to be taxed as a real estate investment trust pursuant to sections 856 through 860 of the Code (a “REIT”) for its taxable years ended December 31, 2013, through December 31, 2016, and the Company’s organization and current and proposed method of operation will enable it to continue to qualify for taxation as a REIT for its taxable year ending December 31, 2017, and thereafter; and

(b) the descriptions of the law and the legal conclusions contained in the Prospectus under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” are correct in all material respects.

We will not review on a continuing basis the Company’s or Bimini’s compliance with the documents or assumptions set forth above, or the representations set forth in the Officer’s Certificates. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the actual results of the Company’s operations for any given taxable year will satisfy the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT. Although we have made such inquiries and performed such investigations as we have deemed necessary to fulfill our professional responsibilities as counsel, we have not undertaken an independent investigation of all of the facts referred to in this letter or the Officer’s Certificates.

The foregoing opinions are based on current provisions of the Code, the Regulations, published administrative interpretations thereof, and published court decisions. The Service has not issued Regulations or administrative interpretations with respect to various provisions of the Code relating to REIT qualification. No assurance can be given that the law will not change in a way that will prevent the Company from qualifying as a REIT.

The foregoing opinions are limited to the U.S. federal income tax matters addressed herein, and no other opinions are rendered with respect to other U.S. federal tax matters or to any issues arising under the tax laws of any other country, or any state or locality. We undertake no obligation to update the opinions expressed herein after the date of this letter. This opinion letter speaks only as of the date hereof. Except as provided in the next paragraph, this opinion letter may not be distributed, quoted in whole or in part or otherwise reproduced in any document, or filed with any governmental agency without our express written consent.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the captions “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” and “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the


		April 28, 2017 Page 4

Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the SEC.

Very truly yours,

/s/ VINSON & ELKINS LLP

Vinson & Elkins LLP

EX-12.1

Exhibit 12.1

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED

FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS

The following table sets forth our ratios of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends for each of the periods indicated:


	Three Months Ended March 31,		Year Ended December 31,
	2017		2016		2015		2014		2013			2012
Fixed charges⁽¹⁾	$	6,715,000	$	15,604,000	$	7,271,000	$	24,519,000	$	1,126,204		$	277,328
Preferred stock dividends⁽²⁾		—		—		—		—		—			—

Combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends	$	6,715,000	$	15,604,000	$	7,271,000	$	24,519,000	$	1,126,204		$	277,328
Net income (loss)		2,449,000		1,979,000		1,071,000		3,031,000		(698,006	)		534,343

Earnings⁽³⁾	$	9,164,000	$	17,583,000	$	8,342,000	$	27,550,000	$	428,198		$	811,671

Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends		1.36		1.13		1.15		9.09		—	⁽⁴⁾		2.93

(1)	Fixed charges consist of interest expense on all indebtedness.

(2)	No preferred stock was outstanding during these periods.

(3)	For purposes of computing the ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends, earnings represent net income (loss) plus fixed charges and preferred stock dividends (where applicable).

(4)	For this period, earnings were less than fixed charges therefore the ratio coverage was less than 1:1. The Company would have needed additional earnings of $698,006 to achieve a coverage ratio of 1:1.

EX-23.1

Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Orchid Island Capital, Inc.

Vero Beach, Florida

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus constituting a part of this Registration Statement of our report dated February 17, 2017, relating to the consolidated financial statements of Orchid Island Capital, Inc. appearing in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.

We also consent to the reference to us under the caption “Experts” in the Prospectus.

/s/ BDO USA LLP

BDO USA, LLP

West Palm Beach, Florida

April 28, 2017

BDO USA, LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership, is the U.S. member of BDO International Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, and forms part of the international BDO network of independent member firms.

BDO is the brand name for the BDO network and for each of the BDO Member Firms.