BLK BlackRock Inc

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 20, 2024

Registration No. 333-255156

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

BlackRock, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

BlackRock Funding, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

50 Hudson Yards

New York, New York 10001

(212) 810-5300

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

Christopher J. Meade, Esq.

Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel

BlackRock, Inc.

50 Hudson Yards

New York, New York 10001

(212) 810-5300

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

Copy to:

Laura Kaufmann Belkhayat, Esq.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

One Manhattan West

New York, New York 10001

(212) 735-3000

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:

From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement as determined by the registrant.

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, a 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.

BlackRock, Inc.

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. ☐

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-255156) (the “Registration Statement”) of BlackRock, Inc. is being filed for the following purposes:

The Registration Statement was originally filed on April 9, 2021. This Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 shall become effective immediately upon filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Prospectus

BlackRock, Inc.

Debt Securities

Preferred Stock

Common Stock

Warrants

Subscription Rights

Guarantees

BlackRock Funding, Inc.

Debt Securities

BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”) may offer from time to time to sell (i) unsecured senior or subordinated debt securities, (ii) preferred stock, (iii) common stock, (iv) warrants to purchase debt securities, preferred stock or common stock, (v) subscription rights to purchase debt securities, preferred stock or common stock or (vi) guarantees of debt securities. BlackRock Funding, Inc., a direct wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock (“BlackRock Funding”), may offer from time to time to sell unsecured senior debt securities, which will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by BlackRock.

We will provide the terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus.

In addition, selling stockholders to be named in a prospectus supplement may offer shares of BlackRock’s common stock from time to time.

To the extent that any selling stockholder resells any securities, the selling stockholder may be required to provide you with this prospectus and a prospectus supplement identifying and containing specific information about the selling stockholder and the terms of the securities being offered.

You should read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement before you invest.

The common stock of BlackRock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “BLK”. If we decide to seek a listing of any securities offered by this prospectus, the related prospectus supplement will disclose the exchange or market on which the securities will be listed, if any, or where we have made an application for listing, if any.

Our principal office is located at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. Our telephone number is (212) 810-5300.

Investing in our securities involves risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 4 and the documents incorporated herein by reference.

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

The date of this prospectus is February 20, 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, BlackRock, BlackRock Funding and/or the selling stockholders may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities BlackRock, BlackRock Funding and/or the selling stockholders may offer. We will provide the terms of these securities in supplements to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. We urge you to read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” on page 5.

As used in this prospectus, “BlackRock,” “the Company,” “we,” “our,” “ours,” and “us” refer to BlackRock, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, including BlackRock Funding, Inc., and “our board of directors” refers to the board of directors of BlackRock, Inc., except where the context otherwise requires or as otherwise clearly indicated. References in this prospectus to “BlackRock Funding” refer to BlackRock Funding, Inc.

BLACKROCK, INC.

BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) is a leading publicly traded investment management firm with $10.0 trillion of assets under management (“AUM”) at December 31, 2023. With approximately 19,800 employees in more than 30 countries who serve clients in over 100 countries across the globe, BlackRock provides a broad range of investment management and technology services to institutional and retail clients worldwide.

BlackRock‘s diverse platform of alpha-seeking active, index and cash management investment strategies across asset classes enables the Company to offer choice and tailor investment outcomes and asset allocation solutions for clients. Product offerings include single- and multi-asset portfolios investing in equities, fixed income, alternatives and money market instruments. Products are offered directly and through intermediaries in a variety of vehicles, including open-end and closed-end mutual funds, iShares^® and BlackRock exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), separate accounts, collective trust funds and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers technology services, including the investment and risk management technology platform, Aladdin^®, Aladdin Wealth, eFront, and Cachematrix, as well as advisory services and solutions to a broad base of institutional and wealth management clients. The Company is highly regulated and manages its clients’ assets as a fiduciary. The Company does not engage in proprietary trading activities that could conflict with the interests of its clients.

BlackRock serves a diverse mix of institutional and retail clients across the globe. Clients include tax-exempt institutions, such as defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans, charities, foundations and endowments; official institutions, such as central banks, sovereign wealth funds, supranationals and other government entities; taxable institutions, including insurance companies, financial institutions, corporations and third-party fund sponsors, and retail intermediaries.

BlackRock maintains a significant global sales and marketing presence that is focused on establishing and maintaining retail and institutional investment management and technology service relationships by marketing its services to investors directly and through third-party distribution relationships, including financial professionals and pension consultants.

BlackRock is a Delaware corporation and was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on February 13, 2006. BlackRock’s principal executive office is located at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. The registered office of BlackRock is located at 251 Little Falls Drive, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware 19808. BlackRock’s telephone number is (212) 810-5300.

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BLACKROCK FUNDING, INC.

BlackRock Funding is a recently formed, direct wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock. On January 12, 2024, BlackRock announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement (the “Transaction Agreement”) to acquire 100% of the business and assets of Global Infrastructure Management, LLC (referred to herein as Global Infrastructure Partners (“GIP” or the “GIP Transaction”)), a leading independent infrastructure fund manager, for a total consideration of $3 billion in cash and approximately 12 million shares of common stock. Approximately 30% of the total consideration, all in stock, will be deferred and is expected to be issued in approximately five years, subject to the satisfaction of certain post-closing events. The closing of the GIP Transaction is subject to customary conditions, including, among others, the receipt of specified regulatory approvals. The shares of common stock will be issued in reliance upon the exemption from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The GIP Transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024.

Pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, BlackRock will acquire the business and assets of GIP by first effecting a merger in accordance with Section 251(g) of the Delaware General Corporation Law. BlackRock will merge with a recently formed direct wholly owned subsidiary (“Merger Sub”) of BlackRock Funding, with BlackRock surviving the merger as a direct wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock Funding (the “BlackRock Merger”). Each share of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of BlackRock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the closing of the BlackRock Merger (other than shares of common stock held in treasury by BlackRock not held on behalf of a third party, which shares will be cancelled) will be converted into one share of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of BlackRock Funding. Following the BlackRock Merger, BlackRock Funding will become the publicly listed company with the name “BlackRock, Inc.” and will acquire all of the issued and outstanding limited liability company interests of GIP. Following the completion of the GIP Transaction, BlackRock will be renamed “BlackRock Finance, Inc.” and will be a wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock Funding (which will have been renamed “BlackRock, Inc.”).

BlackRock intends to fund the cash consideration through $3 billion of debt, including the proceeds of any offering of debt securities issued by BlackRock Funding and guaranteed by BlackRock, pursuant to this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement.

Following the completion of the GIP Transaction, BlackRock Funding is expected to provide senior unsecured guarantees to the outstanding senior notes previously issued by BlackRock, while BlackRock’s existing credit facility and commercial paper program are expected to be amended to, among other things, transfer certain obligations of BlackRock to BlackRock Funding with guarantees by BlackRock. Going forward, new corporate indebtedness is expected to be issued by BlackRock Funding and to be guaranteed by BlackRock, such that all existing and new indebtedness of BlackRock and BlackRock Funding will be pari passu in right of payment.

BlackRock Funding and Merger Sub are newly formed subsidiaries of BlackRock formed in connection with the GIP Transaction and currently have no operating assets or operations. No historical information relating to BlackRock Funding is presented or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. The historical consolidated financial information of BlackRock (i) as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, is incorporated in this prospectus by reference to BlackRock’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. See “Where You Can Find More Information.”

BlackRock Funding is a Delaware corporation and was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on January 8, 2024. BlackRock Funding’s principal executive office is located at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. The registered office of BlackRock Funding is located at 251 Little Falls Drive, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware 19808. BlackRock Funding’s telephone number is (212) 810-5300.

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CAPITAL STRUCTURE – CURRENT AND POST GIP TRANSACTION

The following is an abbreviated illustration of our capital structure, both currently and following the completion of the GIP Transaction:

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RISK FACTORS

You should consider the specific risks described in BlackRock’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, the risk factors described under the caption “Risk Factors” in any applicable prospectus supplement and any risk factors set forth in BlackRock’s other filings with the SEC, pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including BlackRock’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, before making an investment decision. Each of the risks described in these documents could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, and could result in a partial or complete loss of your investment. See “Where You Can Find More Information” in this prospectus. You should also carefully review the cautionary statement in this prospectus referred to under “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, and other statements that BlackRock may make, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, with respect to BlackRock’s future financial or business performance, strategies or expectations. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as “trend,” “potential,” “opportunity,” “pipeline,” “believe,” “comfortable,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “current,” “intention,” “estimate,” “position,” “assume,” “outlook,” “continue,” “remain,” “maintain,” “sustain,” “seek,” “achieve,” and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” and similar expressions.

BlackRock cautions that forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and BlackRock assumes no duty to and does not undertake to update forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance.

BlackRock has previously disclosed risk factors in its SEC reports. These risk factors and those identified elsewhere in this prospectus, including in any accompanying prospectus supplement, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance and include: (1) the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of business initiatives and strategies; (2) changes and volatility in political, economic or industry conditions, the interest rate environment, foreign exchange rates or financial and capital markets, which could result in changes in demand for products or services or in the value of AUM; (3) the relative and absolute investment performance of BlackRock’s investment products; (4) BlackRock’s ability to develop new products and services that address client preferences; (5) the impact of increased competition; (6) the impact of future acquisitions or divestitures, including the acquisition of GIP; (7) BlackRock’s ability to integrate acquired businesses successfully, including GIP; (8) risks related to the GIP Transaction, including the possibility that the GIP Transaction does not close, including, but not limited to, due to the failure to satisfy the closing conditions, the possibility that expected synergies and value creation from the GIP Transaction will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period, and impacts to business and operational relationships related to disruptions from the GIP Transaction; (9) the unfavorable resolution of legal proceedings; (10) the extent and timing of any share repurchases; (11) the impact, extent and timing of technological changes and the adequacy of intellectual property, data, information and cybersecurity protection; (12) the failure to effectively manage the development and use of AI; (13) attempts to circumvent BlackRock’s operational control environment or the potential for human error in connection with BlackRock’s operational systems; (14) the impact of legislative and regulatory actions and reforms, regulatory, supervisory or enforcement actions of government agencies and governmental scrutiny relating to BlackRock; (15) changes in law and policy and uncertainty pending any such changes; (16) any failure to effectively manage conflicts of interest; (17) damage to BlackRock’s reputation; (18) increasing focus from stakeholders regarding ESG matters; (19) geopolitical unrest,

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terrorist activities, civil or international hostilities, and other events outside BlackRock’s control, including wars, natural disasters and health crises, which may adversely affect the general economy, domestic and local financial and capital markets, specific industries or BlackRock; (20) climate-related risks to BlackRock’s business, products, operations and clients; (21) the ability to attract, train and retain highly qualified and diverse professionals; (22) fluctuations in the carrying value of BlackRock’s economic investments; (23) the impact of changes to tax legislation, including income, payroll and transaction taxes, and taxation on products, which could affect the value proposition to clients and, generally, the tax position of the Company; (24) BlackRock’s success in negotiating distribution arrangements and maintaining distribution channels for its products; (25) the failure by key third-party providers of BlackRock to fulfill their obligations to the Company; (26) operational, technological and regulatory risks associated with BlackRock’s major technology partnerships; (27) any disruption to the operations of third parties whose functions are integral to BlackRock’s ETF platform; (28) the impact of BlackRock electing to provide support to its products from time to time and any potential liabilities related to securities lending or other indemnification obligations; and (29) the impact of problems, instability or failure of other financial institutions or the failure or negative performance of products offered by other financial institutions.

You should carefully read the risk factors described in “Risk Factors” in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus for a description of certain risks that could, among other things, cause our actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

BlackRock is subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, under which BlackRock files annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. BlackRock makes available through their website at http://www.blackrock.com, BlackRock’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed or furnished to the SEC. The information provided on BlackRock’s website is not part of this prospectus supplement and, therefore, is not incorporated herein by reference. BlackRock’s SEC filings are also available to the public on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the documents listed below and any future filings BlackRock makes with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, including any filings on or after the date of this prospectus from the date of filing (excluding any information furnished, rather than filed), until we have sold all of the offered securities to which this prospectus relates or the offering is otherwise terminated. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Any statement in a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus will be deemed to be automatically modified or superseded to the extent a statement contained in (1) this prospectus or (2) any other subsequently filed document that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus modifies or supersedes such statement. The documents incorporated by reference herein include:

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We are not, however, incorporating by reference any documents or portions thereof, whether specifically listed above or filed in the future, that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or certain exhibits furnished pursuant to Item 9.01 of Form 8-K.

We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request, a copy of any and all of the documents that have been or may be incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You should direct requests for documents by writing to:

BlackRock, Inc.

50 Hudson Yards

New York, New York 10001

Tel.: (212) 810-5300

Attention: Corporate Secretary

No person is authorized to give any information or represent anything not contained in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any applicable pricing supplement. We are only offering the securities in places where sales of those securities are permitted. The information contained in this prospectus, any accompanying prospectus supplement and any applicable pricing supplement, as well as information incorporated by reference, is current only as of the date of that information. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise specified in connection with a particular offering of securities, the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered by this prospectus will be used for general corporate purposes. If we decide to use the net proceeds from a particular offering of securities for a specific purpose, we will describe such purpose in the related prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise set forth in a prospectus supplement, we will not receive any proceeds in the event that the securities are sold by a selling stockholder.

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES OF BLACKROCK, INC.

In this “Description of Debt Securities of BlackRock, Inc.” section, references to “BlackRock” refer to BlackRock, Inc. and its successors, as the issuer of debt securities that may be offered hereunder. References to the “BlackRock Funding” refer to BlackRock Funding, Inc. and its successors.

This prospectus describes certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities of BlackRock. BlackRock’s debt securities will constitute either unsecured senior debt or unsecured subordinated debt. BlackRock will issue debt securities that will be senior debt under an indenture between BlackRock and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “senior indenture”), dated September 17, 2007. BlackRock will issue debt securities that will be subordinated debt under an indenture between BlackRock and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (“subordinated indenture”). This “Description of Debt Securities of BlackRock, Inc.” refers to the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture individually as the “indenture” and collectively as the “indentures.” The term “trustee” refers to the trustee under each indenture, as appropriate.

The indentures are subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. The indentures are substantially identical, except for the provisions relating to subordination, which are included only in the subordinated indenture. The following summary of the material provisions of the indentures and the debt securities is not complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indentures, each of which has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. BlackRock urges you to read the indenture that is applicable to you because it, and not the summary below, defines your rights as a holder of debt securities. You can obtain copies of the indentures by following the directions described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” on page 5.

Following the completion of the GIP Transaction, BlackRock Funding is expected to provide senior unsecured guarantees of BlackRock’s outstanding senior notes, while BlackRock’s existing credit facility and commercial paper program are expected to be amended to, among other things, transfer certain obligations of BlackRock to BlackRock Funding with guarantees by BlackRock. Going forward, new corporate indebtedness is expected to be issued by BlackRock Funding and to be guaranteed by BlackRock, such that all existing and new indebtedness of BlackRock and BlackRock Funding will be pari passu in right of payment. Any such guarantees shall be subject to terms and conditions as are set forth in such guarantees and related indentures.

General

The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of BlackRock’s other unsubordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities will be subordinated in right of payment to BlackRock’s “Senior Indebtedness.” For additional information, see “—Subordination” below. As of December 31, 2023, approximately $7.918 billion aggregate principal amount of debt securities was outstanding under the senior indenture and no other senior indebtedness was outstanding. As of December 31, 2023, none of BlackRock’s existing debt would have been subordinated to the senior debt securities and none of such debt would have ranked equally in right of payment with any subordinated debt securities offered pursuant to this registration statement. The indentures do not limit the amount of debt, either secured or unsecured, which may be issued by BlackRock or BlackRock’s subsidiaries (including BlackRock Funding) under the indentures or otherwise. The debt securities may be issued in one or more series with the same or various maturities and may be sold at par, a premium or an original issue discount. Debt securities sold at an original issue discount may bear no interest or interest at a rate which is below market rates. Since BlackRock is a holding company, the right of BlackRock, and hence the rights of the creditors and securityholders of BlackRock, to participate in any distribution of assets of any subsidiary upon its liquidation or reorganization or otherwise is accordingly subject to prior claims of creditors of the subsidiary, except to the extent that claims of BlackRock itself as a creditor of the subsidiary may be recognized. The indentures do not prohibit BlackRock or BlackRock’s subsidiaries (including BlackRock Funding) from incurring debt or agreeing to limitations on their ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to BlackRock.

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Each prospectus supplement will describe the terms relating to the specific series of debt securities being offered. These terms will include some or all of the following:

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Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not be listed on any securities exchange. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, debt securities will be issued in fully-registered form without coupons.

Debt securities may be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is below market rates. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the federal income tax consequences and special considerations applicable to any such debt securities. The debt securities may also be issued as indexed securities or securities denominated in foreign currencies, currency units or composite currencies, as described in more detail in the prospectus supplement relating to any of the particular debt securities. The prospectus supplement relating to specific debt securities will also describe any special considerations and certain additional tax considerations applicable to such debt securities.

Subordination

The prospectus supplement relating to any offering of subordinated debt securities will describe the specific subordination provisions. However, unless otherwise noted in the prospectus supplement, subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to any existing Senior Indebtedness.

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Under the subordinated indenture, “Senior Indebtedness” means all amounts due on obligations in connection with any of the following, whether outstanding at the date of execution of the subordinated indenture or thereafter incurred or created:

However, Senior Indebtedness does not include:

Senior Indebtedness shall continue to be Senior Indebtedness and be entitled to the benefits of the subordination provisions irrespective of any amendment, modification or waiver of any term of such Senior Indebtedness.

Unless otherwise noted in the accompanying prospectus supplement, if BlackRock defaults in the payment of any principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Senior Indebtedness when it becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or at a date fixed for prepayment or by declaration or otherwise, then, unless and until such default is cured or waived or ceases to exist, BlackRock will make no direct or indirect payment (in cash, property, securities, by set-off or otherwise) in respect of the principal of or interest on the subordinated debt securities or in respect of any redemption, retirement, purchase or other requisition of any of the subordinated debt securities.

In the event of the acceleration of the maturity of any subordinated debt securities, the holders of all senior debt securities outstanding at the time of such acceleration, subject to any security interest, will first be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due on the senior debt securities before the holders of the subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive any payment of principal (and premium, if any) or interest on the subordinated debt securities.

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If any of the following events occurs, BlackRock will pay in full all Senior Indebtedness before BlackRock makes any payment or distribution under the subordinated debt securities, whether in cash, securities or other property, to any holder of subordinated debt securities:

In such event, any payment or distribution under the subordinated debt securities, whether in cash, securities or other property, which would otherwise (but for the subordination provisions) be payable or deliverable in respect of the subordinated debt securities, will be paid or delivered directly to the holders of Senior Indebtedness in accordance with the priorities then existing among such holders until all Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full. If any payment or distribution under the subordinated debt securities is received by the trustee of any subordinated debt securities in contravention of any of the terms of the subordinated indenture and before all the Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full, such payment or distribution or security will be received in trust for the benefit of, and paid over or delivered and transferred to, the holders of the Senior Indebtedness at the time outstanding in accordance with the priorities then existing among such holders for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay all such Senior Indebtedness in full.

The subordinated indenture does not limit the issuance of additional Senior Indebtedness.

Consolidation, Merger, Sale of Assets and Other Transactions

BlackRock may not merge with or into or consolidate with another person or sell, assign, transfer, lease or convey all or substantially all of BlackRock’s properties and assets to any other person (other than a direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock) and BlackRock may not permit any person (other than a direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of BlackRock) to merge with or into or consolidate with BlackRock or sell, assign, transfer, lease or convey all or substantially all of its properties and assets to BlackRock, unless:

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Events of Default, Notice and Waiver

Unless an accompanying prospectus supplement states otherwise, the following shall constitute “BlackRock Events of Default” under the indentures with respect to each series of debt securities:

If a BlackRock Event of Default with respect to any debt securities of any series outstanding under either of the indentures shall occur and be continuing, the trustee under such indenture or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series outstanding may declare, by notice as provided in the applicable indenture, the principal amount (or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the debt securities of that series) of all the debt securities of that series outstanding to be due and payable immediately; provided that, in the case of a BlackRock Event of Default involving certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, acceleration is automatic; and, provided further, that after such acceleration, but before a judgment or decree based on acceleration, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration if all BlackRock Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of accelerated principal, have been cured or waived. Upon the acceleration of the maturity of original issue discount securities, an amount less than the principal amount thereof will become due and payable. Reference is made to the prospectus supplement relating to any original issue discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of maturity thereof.

Any past default under either indenture with respect to debt securities of any series, and any BlackRock Event of Default arising therefrom, may be waived by the holders of a majority in principal amount of all debt securities of such series outstanding under such indenture, except in the case of (i) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any debt securities of such series or (ii) default in respect of a covenant or provision which may not be amended or modified without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security of such series affected.

The trustee is required within 90 days after the occurrence of a default (which is known to the trustee and is continuing), with respect to the debt securities of any series (without regard to any grace period or notice requirements), to give to the holders of the debt securities of such series notice of such default.

The trustee, subject to its duties during default to act with the required standard of care, may require indemnification by the holders of the debt securities of any series with respect to which a default has occurred before proceeding to exercise any right or power under the indentures at the request of the holders of the debt securities of such series. Subject to such right of indemnification and to certain other limitations, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series under either indenture may 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 that such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with the applicable indenture or result in the incurrence of liability by the trustee and the trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.

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No holder of a debt security of any series may institute any action against us under either of the indentures (except actions for payment of overdue principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on such debt security or for the conversion or exchange of such debt security in accordance with its terms) unless (i) the holder has given to the trustee written notice of a BlackRock Event of Default and of the continuance thereof with respect to the debt securities of such series specifying a BlackRock Event of Default, as required under the applicable indenture, (ii) the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding under such indenture shall have requested the trustee to institute such action and offered to the trustee reasonable indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request, (iii) the trustee shall not have instituted such action within 60 days of such request and (iv) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the trustee during such 60-day period by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of that series.

BlackRock is required to furnish annually to the trustee statements as to BlackRock’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under each indenture.

Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

BlackRock may discharge or defease BlackRock’s obligations under the indentures as set forth below, unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement.

BlackRock may discharge certain obligations to holders of any series of debt securities issued under either the senior indenture or the subordinated indenture that have not already been delivered to the trustee for cancellation and which have either become due and payable or are by their terms due and payable within one year (or scheduled for redemption within one year) by irrevocably depositing with the trustee money in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such debt securities not previously delivered to the trustee for cancellation, for principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of debt securities which have become due and payable) or to the stated maturity or redemption date, as the case may be and BlackRock has paid all other sums payable under the applicable indenture.

If indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, BlackRock may elect either (i) to defease and be discharged from any and all obligations with respect to the debt securities of or within any series (except as otherwise provided in the relevant indenture) (“defeasance”) or (ii) to be released from BlackRock’s obligations with respect to certain covenants applicable to the debt securities of or within any series (“covenant defeasance”), upon the deposit with the relevant indenture trustee, in trust for such purpose, of money and/or government obligations which through the payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on such debt securities to maturity or redemption, as the case may be, and any mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments thereon. As a condition to defeasance or covenant defeasance, BlackRock must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of such debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance or covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance or covenant defeasance had not occurred. Such opinion of counsel, in the case of defeasance under clause (i) above, must refer to and be based upon a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or a change in applicable federal income tax law occurring after the date of the relevant indenture. In addition, in the case of either defeasance or covenant defeasance, BlackRock shall have delivered to the trustee (i) an officers’ certificate to the effect that the relevant debt securities exchange(s) have informed BlackRock that neither such debt securities nor any other debt securities of the same series, if then listed on any securities exchange, will be delisted as a result of such deposit and (ii) an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent with respect to such defeasance or covenant defeasance have been complied with.

BlackRock may exercise BlackRock’s defeasance option with respect to such debt securities notwithstanding BlackRock’s prior exercise of BlackRock’s covenant defeasance option.

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Modification and Waiver

Under the indentures, BlackRock and the applicable trustee may supplement the indentures for certain purposes which would not materially adversely affect the interests or rights of the holders of debt securities of a series without the consent of those holders. BlackRock and the applicable trustee may also modify the indentures or any supplemental indenture in a manner that affects the interests or rights of the holders of debt securities with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each affected series issued under the indenture. However, the indentures require the consent of each holder of debt securities that would be affected by any modification which would:

The indentures permit the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series issued under the indenture which is affected by the modification or amendment to waive BlackRock’s compliance with certain covenants contained in the indentures.

Payment and Paying Agents

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment of interest on a debt security on any interest payment date will be made to the person in whose name a debt security is registered at the close of business on the record date for the interest.

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, principal, interest and premium on the debt securities of a particular series will be payable at the office of such paying agent or paying agents as BlackRock may designate for such purpose from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at BlackRock’s option, payment of any interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address appears in the security register.

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, a paying agent designated by BlackRock will act as paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. All paying agents initially designated by BlackRock for the debt securities of a particular series will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. BlackRock may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts, except that BlackRock will be required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.

All moneys paid by BlackRock to a paying agent or held by BlackRock in trust for the payment of the principal, interest or premium on any debt security which remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, interest or premium has become due and payable will be repaid to BlackRock upon request, and the holder of such debt security thereafter may look only to BlackRock for payment thereof.

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Denominations, Registrations and Transfer

Unless an accompanying prospectus supplement states otherwise, debt securities will be represented by one or more global certificates registered in the name of a nominee for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”). In such case, each holder’s beneficial interest in the global securities will be shown on the records of DTC and transfers of beneficial interests will only be effected through DTC’s records.

A holder of debt securities may only exchange a beneficial interest in a global security for certificated securities registered in the holder’s name if:

If debt securities are issued in certificated form, they will only be issued in the minimum denomination specified in the accompanying prospectus supplement and integral multiples of such denomination. Transfers and exchanges of such debt securities will only be permitted in such minimum denomination. Transfers of debt securities in certificated form may be registered at the trustee’s corporate office or at the offices of any paying agent or trustee appointed by BlackRock under the indentures. Exchanges of debt securities for an equal aggregate principal amount of debt securities in different denominations may also be made at such locations.

Governing Law

The indentures and debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to its principles of conflicts of laws.

Trustee

The trustee under the indentures is The Bank of New York Mellon.

Conversion or Exchange Rights

The prospectus supplement will describe the terms, if any, on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for BlackRock’s common stock, preferred stock or other debt securities issued by BlackRock. These terms will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at BlackRock’s option. These provisions may allow or require the number of shares of BlackRock’s common stock, shares of preferred stock or debt securities to be received by the holders of such series of debt securities to be adjusted.

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES OF BLACKROCK FUNDING, INC. AND BLACKROCK GUARANTEE

In this “Description of Debt Securities of BlackRock Funding, Inc. and BlackRock Guarantee” section, references to “BlackRock Funding” refer to BlackRock Funding, Inc. and its successors, as the issuer of debt securities that may be offered hereunder. References to “BlackRock” refer to BlackRock, Inc. and its successors.

This prospectus describes certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities of BlackRock Funding. BlackRock Funding’s debt securities will constitute unsecured senior debt. BlackRock Funding will issue debt securities that will be senior debt under an indenture between BlackRock Funding, BlackRock and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “senior funding indenture”). This “Description of Debt Securities of BlackRock Funding, Inc. and BlackRock Guarantee” refers to the senior funding indenture as the “indenture.” The term “trustee” refers to the trustee under the indenture. Any debt securities of BlackRock Funding that may be offered hereunder will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by BlackRock. See “—Guarantee of Debt Securities.”

The indenture will be subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. The following summary of the material provisions of the indenture and the debt securities is not complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indenture, a form of which has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. BlackRock Funding urges you to read the indenture because it, and not the summary below, defines your rights as a holder of debt securities. You can obtain a copy of the indenture by following the directions described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” on page 5.

Following the completion of the GIP Transaction, BlackRock Funding is expected to provide senior unsecured guarantees of BlackRock’s outstanding senior notes, while BlackRock’s existing credit facility and commercial paper program are expected to be amended to, among other things, transfer certain obligations of BlackRock to BlackRock Funding with guarantees by BlackRock. Going forward, new corporate indebtedness is expected to be issued by BlackRock Funding and to be guaranteed by BlackRock, such that all existing and new indebtedness of BlackRock and BlackRock Funding will be pari passu in right of payment. Any such guarantees shall be subject to terms and conditions as are set forth in such guarantees and related indentures.

General

The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of BlackRock Funding’s other unsubordinated debt. The indenture will not limit the amount of debt, either secured or unsecured, which may be issued by BlackRock Funding or BlackRock Funding’s subsidiaries (which, following completion of the GIP Transaction, will include BlackRock) under the indenture or otherwise. The debt securities may be issued in one or more series with the same or various maturities and may be sold at par, a premium or an original issue discount. Debt securities sold at an original issue discount may bear no interest or interest at a rate which is below market rates. The indenture will not prohibit BlackRock Funding or BlackRock Funding’s subsidiaries (which, following completion of the GIP Transaction, will include BlackRock) from incurring debt or agreeing to limitations on their ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to BlackRock Funding.

Each prospectus supplement will describe the terms relating to the specific series of debt securities being offered. These terms will include some or all of the following:

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Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not be listed on any securities exchange. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, debt securities will be issued in fully-registered form without coupons.

Debt securities may be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is below market rates. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the federal income tax consequences and special considerations applicable to any such debt securities. The debt securities may also be issued as indexed securities or securities denominated in foreign currencies, currency units or composite currencies, as described in more detail in the prospectus supplement relating to any of the particular debt securities. The prospectus supplement relating to specific debt securities will also describe any special considerations and certain additional tax considerations applicable to such debt securities.

Guarantee of Debt Securities

BlackRock will fully and unconditionally guarantee the payment of all of BlackRock Funding’s obligations under each series of debt securities offered hereunder and all other amounts owed under the indenture related to the applicable series of debt securities pursuant to the guarantee (the “Guarantee”) included in the indenture. If BlackRock Funding defaults in the payment of the principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, such debt securities when and as the same shall become due, whether upon maturity, acceleration, or otherwise, or any other amounts owed under the indenture, without the necessity of action by the trustee or any holder of such debt securities, BlackRock shall be required promptly and fully to make such payment. Upon a BlackRock Assumption (as defined herein), BlackRock shall cease to Guarantee any of the debt securities. The Guarantee of any debt securities by BlackRock may also be released in certain circumstances described in the indenture or otherwise in accordance with the terms of the applicable series of debt securities.

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Consolidation, Merger, Sale of Assets and Other Transactions

Neither BlackRock Funding nor BlackRock may merge with or into or consolidate with another person or sell, assign, transfer, lease or convey all or substantially all of their respective properties and assets to any other person (other than a direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock Funding or BlackRock), and neither BlackRock Funding nor BlackRock may permit any person (other than a direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock Funding or BlackRock) to merge with or into or consolidate with BlackRock Funding or BlackRock or sell, assign, transfer, lease or convey its properties substantially as an entirety to BlackRock Funding or BlackRock, as the case may be, unless:

Under the indenture, BlackRock will have the right, at its option at any time, including in the event the GIP Transaction is terminated, without the consent of any holders of any series of debt securities, to be substituted for, and assume the obligations of, BlackRock Funding under each series of debt securities that are then outstanding under the indenture if, immediately after giving effect to such substitution, no BlackRock Funding Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become a BlackRock Funding Event of Default, has occurred and is continuing (other than a default or a BlackRock Funding Event of Default that would be cured by such substitution), provided that BlackRock executes a supplemental indenture in which it agrees to be bound by the terms of each such series of debt securities and the indenture (the “BlackRock Assumption”). In the case of such BlackRock Assumption, (i) BlackRock Funding will be relieved of any further obligations under the assumed series of debt securities and the indenture and (ii) BlackRock will be released from all obligations under any Guarantee of debt securities issued by BlackRock Funding, and will instead become the primary (and sole) obligor under such debt securities and the related indenture provisions. Following such BlackRock Assumption, references herein and in the indenture to ”BlackRock Funding” or “Issuer” shall be deemed to instead refer to BlackRock.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, BlackRock Funding may also merge with and into BlackRock in the event the GIP Transaction is terminated if, immediately after giving effect to such merger, no BlackRock Funding Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become a BlackRock Funding Event of Default, has occurred and is continuing (other than a default or a BlackRock Funding Event of Default that would be cured by such transaction); provided that BlackRock executes a supplemental indenture in which it agrees to be bound by the terms of each such series of debt securities and the indenture. Following a merger of BlackRock Funding with and into BlackRock as a result of the termination of the GIP Transaction, BlackRock will be released from all obligations under any Guarantee of debt securities issued by BlackRock Funding and will instead become the primary (and sole) obligor under such debt securities and the indenture.

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Events of Default, Notice and Waiver

Unless an accompanying prospectus supplement states otherwise, the following shall constitute “BlackRock Funding Events of Default” under the indenture with respect to each series of debt securities:

If a BlackRock Funding Event of Default with respect to any debt securities of any series outstanding under the indenture shall occur and be continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 33% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series outstanding may declare, by notice as provided in the indenture, the principal amount (or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the debt securities of that series) of all the debt securities of that series outstanding to be due and payable immediately; provided that, in the case of a BlackRock Funding Event of Default involving certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, acceleration is automatic; and, provided further, that after such acceleration, but before a judgment or decree based on acceleration, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration if all BlackRock Funding Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of accelerated principal, have been cured or waived. Upon the acceleration of the maturity of original issue discount securities, an amount less than the principal amount thereof will become due and payable. Reference is made to the prospectus supplement relating to any original issue discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of maturity thereof.

Any past default under the indenture with respect to debt securities of any series, and any BlackRock Funding Event of Default arising therefrom, may be waived by the holders of a majority in principal amount of all debt securities of such series outstanding under the indenture, except in the case of (i) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any debt securities of such series or (ii) default in respect of a covenant or provision which may not be amended or modified without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security of such series affected.

The trustee is required within 90 days after the occurrence of a default (which is known to the trustee and is continuing), with respect to the debt securities of any series (without regard to any grace period or notice requirements), to give to the holders of the debt securities of such series notice of such default.

The trustee, subject to its duties during default to act with the required standard of care, may require indemnification by the holders of the debt securities of any series with respect to which a default has occurred before proceeding to exercise any right or power under the indenture at the request of the holders of the debt securities of such series. Subject to such right of indemnification and to certain other limitations, the holders of a

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majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series under the indenture may 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 that such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with the indenture or result in the incurrence of liability by the trustee and the trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.

No holder of a debt security of any series may institute any action against us under the indenture (except actions for payment of overdue principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on such debt security or for the conversion or exchange of such debt security in accordance with its terms) unless (i) the holder has given to the trustee written notice of a BlackRock Funding Event of Default and of the continuance thereof with respect to the debt securities of such series specifying a BlackRock Funding Event of Default, as required under the indenture, (ii) the holders of at least 33% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding under the indenture shall have requested the trustee to institute such action and offered to the trustee reasonable indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request, (iii) the trustee shall not have instituted such action within 60 days of such request and (iv) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the trustee during such 60-day period by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of that series.

BlackRock Funding is required to furnish annually to the trustee statements as to BlackRock Funding’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under the indenture.

Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

BlackRock Funding may discharge or defease BlackRock Funding’s and BlackRock’s, as the case may be, obligations under the indenture (and the related Guarantee) as set forth below, unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement.

BlackRock Funding may discharge certain obligations to holders of any series of debt securities issued under the indenture that have not already been delivered to the trustee for cancellation and which have either become due and payable or are by their terms due and payable within one year (or scheduled for redemption within one year) by irrevocably depositing with the trustee money and/or government obligations which through the payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such debt securities not previously delivered to the trustee for cancellation, for principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of debt securities which have become due and payable) or to the stated maturity or redemption date, as the case may be and BlackRock Funding has paid all other sums payable under the applicable indenture.

If indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, BlackRock Funding may elect either (i) to defease and be discharged from any and all obligations of BlackRock Funding and BlackRock with respect to the debt securities of or within any series and any related obligations under the Guarantee (except as otherwise provided in the indenture) (“defeasance”) or (ii) to be released from BlackRock Funding’s and BlackRock’s obligations with respect to certain covenants applicable to the debt securities of or within any series (“covenant defeasance”), upon the deposit with the trustee, in trust for such purpose, of money and/or government obligations which through the payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on such debt securities to maturity or redemption, as the case may be, and any mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments thereon. As a condition to defeasance or covenant defeasance, BlackRock Funding must deliver to the trustee an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent with respect to such defeasance or covenant defeasance have been complied with.

BlackRock Funding may exercise BlackRock Funding’s defeasance option with respect to such debt securities notwithstanding BlackRock Funding’s prior exercise of BlackRock Funding’s covenant defeasance option.

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Modification and Waiver

Under the indenture, BlackRock Funding, BlackRock and the trustee may supplement the indenture for certain purposes which would not materially adversely affect the interests or rights of the holders of debt securities of a series without the consent of those holders. BlackRock Funding, BlackRock and the trustee may also modify the indenture or any supplemental indenture in a manner that affects the interests or rights of the holders of debt securities with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each affected series issued under the indenture; provided that any such supplemental indenture that releases (other than in accordance with the terms of the indenture or any series of debt securities) the Guarantee shall require the consent of the holders of at least 66 2/3% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture. However, the indenture require the consent of each holder of debt securities that would be affected by any modification which would:

The indenture permit the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series issued under the indenture which is affected by the modification or amendment to waive BlackRock Funding’s or BlackRock’s, as the case may be, compliance with certain covenants contained in the indenture.

Payment and Paying Agents

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment of interest on a debt security on any interest payment date will be made to the person in whose name a debt security is registered at the close of business on the record date for the interest.

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, principal, interest and premium on the debt securities of a particular series will be payable at the office of such paying agent or paying agents as BlackRock Funding may designate for such purpose from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at BlackRock Funding’s option, payment of any interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address appears in the security register.

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, a paying agent designated by BlackRock Funding will act as paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. All paying agents initially designated by BlackRock Funding for the debt securities of a particular series will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. BlackRock Funding may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts, except that BlackRock Funding will be required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.

All moneys paid by BlackRock Funding to a paying agent or held by BlackRock Funding in trust for the payment of the principal, interest or premium on any debt security which remain unclaimed at the end of two years after

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such principal, interest or premium has become due and payable will be repaid to BlackRock Funding upon request, and the holder of such debt security thereafter may look only to BlackRock Funding for payment thereof.

Denominations, Registrations and Transfer

Unless an accompanying prospectus supplement states otherwise, debt securities will be represented by one or more global certificates registered in the name of a nominee for DTC. In such case, each holder’s beneficial interest in the global securities will be shown on the records of DTC and transfers of beneficial interests will only be effected through DTC’s records.

A holder of debt securities may only exchange a beneficial interest in a global security for certificated securities registered in the holder’s name if:

If debt securities are issued in certificated form, they will only be issued in the minimum denomination specified in the accompanying prospectus supplement and integral multiples of such denomination. Transfers and exchanges of such debt securities will only be permitted in such minimum denomination. Transfers of debt securities in certificated form may be registered at the trustee’s corporate office or at the offices of any paying agent or trustee appointed by BlackRock Funding under the indenture. Exchanges of debt securities for an equal aggregate principal amount of debt securities in different denominations may also be made at such locations.

Governing Law

The indenture and debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to its principles of conflicts of laws.

Trustee

The trustee under the indenture will be The Bank of New York Mellon.

Conversion or Exchange Rights

The prospectus supplement will describe the terms, if any, on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for securities or property of another person. These terms will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at BlackRock Funding’s option. These provisions may allow or require the number or amount of securities to be received by the holders of such series of debt securities to be adjusted.

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DESCRIPTION OF BLACKROCK’S CAPITAL STOCK

The following description of certain terms of BlackRock’s capital stock does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended (“BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation”) and BlackRock’s amended and restated bylaws, as amended (“BlackRock’s amended and restated bylaws”). For more information on how you can obtain BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and BlackRock’s amended and restated bylaws, see “Where You Can Find More Information” on page 5. We urge you to read BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, and BlackRock’s amended and restated bylaws in their entirety.

General

BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we are authorized to issue 1 billion shares of capital stock, consisting of 500,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share and 500,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share.

As of January 31, 2024, we had 172,075,373 shares of common stock issued and 148,942,491 shares of common stock outstanding, and no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding.

On January 12, 2024, BlackRock announced that it had entered into a Transaction Agreement to acquire 100% of the business and assets of GIP, a leading independent infrastructure fund manager, for a total consideration of $3 billion in cash and approximately 12 million shares of common stock. Approximately 30% of the total consideration, all in stock, will be deferred and is expected to be issued in approximately five years, subject to the satisfaction of certain post-closing events. The closing of the GIP Transaction is subject to customary conditions, including, among others, the receipt of specified regulatory approvals. The shares of common stock will be issued in reliance upon the exemption from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. The GIP Transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024.

Pursuant to the Transaction Agreement, BlackRock will acquire the business and assets of GIP by first effecting a merger in accordance with Section 251(g) of the Delaware General Corporation Law. BlackRock will merge with Merger Sub, with BlackRock surviving the merger as a direct wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock Funding. Each share of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of BlackRock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the closing of the BlackRock Merger (other than shares of common stock held in treasury by BlackRock not held on behalf of a third party, which shares will be cancelled) will be converted into one share of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, of BlackRock Funding. Following the BlackRock Merger, BlackRock Funding will become the publicly listed company with the name “BlackRock, Inc.” and will acquire all of the issued and outstanding limited liability company interests of GIP. Following the completion of the GIP Transaction, BlackRock will be renamed “BlackRock Finance, Inc.” and will be a wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock Funding (which will have been renamed “BlackRock, Inc.”).

BlackRock intends to fund the cash consideration through $3 billion of debt, including the proceeds of any offering of debt securities issued by BlackRock Funding and guaranteed by BlackRock, pursuant to this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement.

Following the completion of the GIP Transaction, BlackRock Funding is expected to provide senior unsecured guarantees to the outstanding senior notes previously issued by BlackRock, while BlackRock’s existing credit facility and commercial paper program are expected to be amended to, among other things, transfer certain obligations of BlackRock to BlackRock Funding with guarantees by BlackRock. Going forward, new corporate indebtedness is expected to be issued by BlackRock Funding and to be guaranteed by BlackRock, such that all existing and new indebtedness of BlackRock and BlackRock Funding will be pari passu in right of payment.

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Preferred Stock

The following description of certain terms of the preferred stock does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the certificate of designations that relates to the particular series of preferred stock, which has been or will be filed with the SEC at or prior to the time of the sale of the related preferred stock. Certain terms of any series of preferred stock offered by any prospectus supplement will be set forth in the certificate of designations, and summarized in the prospectus supplement, relating to such series of preferred stock. If so indicated in the prospectus supplement, the terms of any such series may differ from the terms set forth below. If there are differences between the prospectus supplement relating to a particular series and this prospectus, the prospectus supplement will control. For more information on how you can obtain BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and any applicable certificate of designations, see “Where You Can Find More Information” on page 5. We urge you to read BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and any applicable certificate of designations in their entirety.

General. BlackRock’s board of directors is authorized to provide for the issuance of shares of preferred stock in one or more classes or series, to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in such class or series, and to fix the designations, voting powers (if any), privileges, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights of the shares of each such class or series and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereon. The authority of the board of directors with respect to each class or series shall include, but not be limited to, determination of the following:

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Unless otherwise specifically set forth in the certificate of designations, and summarized in the applicable prospectus supplement, if any, relating to a series of preferred stock, all shares of preferred stock are of equal rank, preference and priority as to dividends; when the stated dividends are not paid in full, the shares of all series of the preferred stock share ratably in any payment thereof; and upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up, if assets are insufficient to pay in full all preferred stock, then such assets shall be distributed among the holders ratably.

Since BlackRock is a holding company, BlackRock’s right, and hence the right of BlackRock’s creditors and securityholders, to participate in any distribution of assets of any subsidiary upon its liquidation or reorganization or otherwise is necessarily subject to the prior claims of creditors of BlackRock’s subsidiaries, except to the extent that BlackRock’s claims as a creditor of the subsidiary may be recognized.

Redemption. BlackRock will have such rights, if any, to redeem shares of preferred stock, and the holders of preferred stock will have such rights, if any, to cause us to redeem shares of preferred stock, as may be set forth in the certificate of designations, and summarized in the prospectus supplement, relating to a series of preferred stock.

Conversion or Exchange. The holders of preferred stock will have such rights, if any, to convert such shares into or to exchange such shares for, shares of any other class or classes, or of any other series of any class, of BlackRock’s capital stock and/or any other property or cash, as may be set forth in the certificate of designations, and summarized in the prospectus supplement, relating to a series of preferred stock.

Miscellaneous. The transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent and registrar for the preferred stock issued in connection with this prospectus will be as set forth in the certificate of designations and summarized in the prospectus supplement. The holders of preferred stock, including any preferred stock issued in connection with the applicable prospectus, do not have any preemptive rights to purchase or subscribe for any shares of any class or other securities of any type of BlackRock’s. When issued, the preferred stock is fully paid and nonassessable. The certificate of designations setting forth the provisions of each series of preferred stock became effective after the date of the applicable prospectus but on or before issuance of the related series of preferred stock.

Common Stock

The following description of certain rights of BlackRock’s common stock does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and BlackRock’s amended and restated bylaws.

Voting Rights. The holders of common stock are entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders.

Dividends and Liquidation Rights. Subject to the preferential rights of any outstanding series of preferred stock created by BlackRock’s board of directors from time to time, the holders of common stock are entitled to such dividends as may be declared from time to time by BlackRock’s board of directors from funds available therefor, and, upon liquidation, holders of common stock are entitled to share pro rata in any distribution of BlackRock’s assets after payment, or providing for the payment of, BlackRock’s liabilities.

Miscellaneous. The outstanding shares of BlackRock’s common stock, offered pursuant to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, upon issuance and payment therefor will be, fully paid and nonassessable. BlackRock’s common stock has no preemptive or conversion rights and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable thereto.

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Listing. BlackRock’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “BLK.”

The transfer agent and registrar for BlackRock’s common stock is Computershare Investor Services, 480 Washington Boulevard, Jersey City, New Jersey 07310-1900, telephone (800) 903-8567.

Anti-Takeover Considerations

The Delaware General Corporation Law, BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and BlackRock’s amended and restated bylaws contain provisions which could serve to discourage or to make more difficult a change in control of us without the support of BlackRock’s board of directors or without meeting various other conditions.

Extraordinary Corporate Transactions

Delaware law provides that the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote must approve any fundamental corporate transactions such as mergers, sales of all or substantially all of a corporation’s assets, dissolutions, etc.

State Takeover Legislation

Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, in general, prohibits a business combination between a corporation and an interested stockholder within three years of the time such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless (a) prior to such time, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, (b) upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, exclusive of shares owned by directors who are also officers and by certain employee stock plans or (c) at or subsequent to such time, the business combination is approved by the board of directors and authorized by the affirmative vote at a stockholders’ meeting, and not by written consent, of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder. The restrictions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law do not apply to certain business combinations or to corporations that have elected, in the manner provided therein, not to be subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law or, with certain exceptions, which do not have a class of voting stock that is listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 stockholders. We have elected to be governed by Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Rights of Dissenting Stockholders

Delaware law does not afford appraisal rights in a merger transaction to holders of shares that are either listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 stockholders, provided that such shares are converted into stock of the surviving corporation or another corporation, which corporation in either case must also be listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 stockholders. In addition, Delaware law denies appraisal rights to stockholders of the surviving corporation in a merger if the surviving corporation’s stockholders were not required to approve the merger.

Stockholder Action

Delaware law provides that, unless otherwise stated in BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, any action which may be taken at an annual meeting or special meeting of stockholders may be taken without a meeting, if a consent in writing is signed by the holders of the outstanding stock having the minimum number of votes necessary to authorize the action at a meeting of stockholders. BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that stockholders may take action by written consent if such action has been approved in advance by the majority vote of BlackRock’s board of directors.

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Meetings of Stockholders

BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that special meetings of the stockholders may be called at any time by the chairman of the board of directors, the president, a majority of the board of directors, any committee of the board of directors that has the power to call such meetings, or the chairman of the board of directors, the president or the corporate secretary upon a written request of one or more record holders of shares of BlackRock’s stock representing ownership of not less than 15 percent of the voting power of all outstanding shares of BlackRock’s stock, which request complies with the procedures for calling a special meeting of stockholders as set forth in BlackRock’s amended and restated bylaws, as they may be further amended from time to time.

Cumulative Voting

Delaware law permits stockholders to cumulate their votes and either cast them for one candidate or distribute them among two or more candidates in the election of directors only if expressly authorized in a corporation’s certificate of incorporation. BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation does not authorize cumulative voting.

Removal of Directors

Delaware law provides that, except in the case of a classified board of directors or where cumulative voting applies, a director, or the entire board of directors, of a corporation may be removed, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of the corporation entitled to vote at an election of directors.

BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that any or all of the directors may be removed, with or without cause, by the holders of a majority of the votes of capital stock then entitled to vote in the election of directors at a meeting of stockholders called for that purpose.

Vacancies

Delaware law provides that vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from a resignation or any increase in the authorized number of directors elected by all of the stockholders having the right to vote as a single class may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, unless the governing documents of a corporation provide otherwise.

BlackRock’s amended and restated bylaws provide that newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors and vacancies occurring in the board of directors for any reason, may be filled by vote of a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director or by the stockholders if the vacancy resulted from the action of stockholders.

No Preemptive Rights

Holders of common stock do not have any preemptive rights to subscribe for any additional shares of capital stock or other obligations convertible into or exercisable for shares of capital stock that we may issue in the future.

Board Term

BlackRock’s directors are elected annually for terms of one year.

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS OF BLACKROCK

BlackRock may issue warrants to purchase debt securities, preferred stock or common stock. BlackRock will issue warrants under one or more warrant agreements between BlackRock and a warrant agent that BlackRock will name in the prospectus supplement.

The prospectus supplement relating to any warrants BlackRock offers will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:

The description in the prospectus supplement will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable warrant agreement, which will be filed with the SEC.

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DESCRIPTION OF SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS OF BLACKROCK

BlackRock may issue subscription rights to purchase debt securities, preferred stock or common stock. These subscription rights may or may not be transferable by the stockholder receiving the subscription rights in such offering. In connection with any offering of subscription rights, BlackRock may enter into a standby arrangement with one or more underwriters or other purchasers pursuant to which the underwriters or other purchasers may be required to purchase any securities remaining unsubscribed for after such offering.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of any offering of subscription rights for which this prospectus is being delivered, including the following:

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement of any subscription rights BlackRock offers will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable subscription rights certificate, which will be filed with the SEC if we offer subscription rights. For more information on how you can obtain copies of any subscription rights certificate if we offer subscription rights, see “Where You Can Find More Information” on page 5. We urge you to read the applicable subscription rights certificate and any applicable prospectus supplement in their entirety.

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SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

Selling stockholders are persons or entities that, directly or indirectly, have acquired or will from time to time acquire from BlackRock, shares of common stock in various private transactions. Such selling stockholders may be parties to registration rights agreements with BlackRock, or BlackRock otherwise may have agreed or will agree to register their securities for resale. The initial purchasers of BlackRock’s securities, as well as their transferees, pledges, donees or successors, all of whom BlackRock refers to as “selling stockholders,” may from time to time offer and sell the securities pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement.

The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the name of each of the selling stockholders and the number of shares of BlackRock’s common stock beneficially owned by such selling stockholders that are covered by such prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will also disclose whether any of the selling stockholders has held any position or office with, has been employed by or otherwise has had a material relationship with BlackRock during the three years prior to the date of the prospectus supplement.

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LEGAL MATTERS

Unless otherwise specified in connection with the particular offering of any securities, the validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, New York, New York.

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EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of BlackRock, Inc. incorporated by reference in this prospectus, and the effectiveness of BlackRock, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference in reliance upon the reports of such firm, given their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

The following table sets forth the estimated expenses (all of which will be borne by the registrants unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement) incurred in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered, other than underwriting discounts and commissions (if any). All of the amounts shown are estimates, except the SEC registration fee.

BlackRock, Inc.

BlackRock’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, none of BlackRock’s directors or officers will be liable to BlackRock or its stockholders for monetary damages for the breach of his or her fiduciary duty as a director or officer. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, this provision does not eliminate or limit the liability of any director or officer if a judgment or other final adjudication establishes that his or her acts or omissions constituted a breach of his or her duty of loyalty to BlackRock or BlackRock’s stockholders or were in bad faith or involved intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law or that he or she derived an improper personal benefit from any transaction or that such director’s acts violated Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law or an officer in any action by or in the right of BlackRock.

As a result of this provision, BlackRock and BlackRock’s stockholders may be unable to obtain monetary damages from a director or officer for breach of his duty of care. Although stockholders may continue to seek injunctive or other equitable relief for an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by a director or officer, stockholders may not have any effective remedy against the challenged conduct if equitable remedies are unavailable.

BlackRock’s amended and restated bylaws provide that BlackRock will indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, any person who was or is a party to any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit or proceeding (whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative) because he or she is or was a director or officer of BlackRock’s, or is or was serving at BlackRock’s request as a director or officer of BlackRock or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. BlackRock’s amended and restated bylaws provide that indemnification will be from and against expenses, liabilities, losses, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and amounts paid in settlement by the director or officer.

In connection with an offering of the securities registered hereunder, the registrant may enter into an underwriting agreement which may provide that the underwriters are obligated, under certain circumstances, to

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indemnify directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

See also the undertakings set out in response to Item 17 herein.

BlackRock Funding, Inc.

BlackRock Funding’s certificate of incorporation, as amended, provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, none of BlackRock Funding’s directors or officers will be liable to BlackRock Funding or its stockholders for monetary damages for the breach of his or her fiduciary duty as a director or officer. Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, this provision does not eliminate or limit the liability of any director or officer if a judgment or other final adjudication establishes that his or her acts or omissions constituted a breach of his or her duty of loyalty to BlackRock Funding or BlackRock Funding’s stockholders or were in bad faith or involved intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law or that he or she derived an improper personal benefit from any transaction or that such director’s acts violated Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law or an officer in any action by or in the right of BlackRock Funding.

As a result of this provision, BlackRock Funding and BlackRock Funding’s stockholders may be unable to obtain monetary damages from a director or officer for breach of his duty of care. Although stockholders may continue to seek injunctive or other equitable relief for an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by a director or officer, stockholders may not have any effective remedy against the challenged conduct if equitable remedies are unavailable.

BlackRock Funding’s bylaws provide that BlackRock Funding will indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, any person who was or is a party to any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit or proceeding (whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the BlackRock Funding) because he or she is or was a director or officer of BlackRock Funding, or is or was serving at BlackRock Funding’s request as a director or officer of BlackRock Funding or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. BlackRock Funding’s bylaws provide that indemnification will be from and against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the director or officer if such director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner such director or officer reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the BlackRock Funding, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such director or officer’s conduct was unlawful.

In connection with an offering of the securities registered hereunder, the registrant may enter into an underwriting agreement which may provide that the underwriters are obligated, under certain circumstances, to indemnify directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

See also the undertakings set out in response to Item 17 herein.

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The following is a list of all exhibits filed as a part of this registration statement on Form S-3.

Exhibit Number Description

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provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the 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 the registration statement.

(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) 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 the 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, 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 the registration statement relating to the securities in the 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 the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the 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 the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

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(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(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.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, BlackRock, Inc. certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York on February 20, 2024.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that Martin S. Small, whose signature appears below constitutes and appoint Laurence D. Fink, Christopher J. Meade, Laura Hildner and R. Andrew Dickson III, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him or her and his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign the registration statement on Form S-3 to be filed in connection with the offerings of securities of BlackRock, Inc. and any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, each acting alone, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact or his substitutes, each acting alone, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, BlackRock Funding, Inc. certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York on February 20, 2024.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Laurence D. Fink, Martin S. Small, Laura Hildner and R. Andrew Dickson III, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him or her and his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities to sign the registration statement on Form S-3 to be filed in connection with the offerings of securities of BlackRock Funding, Inc. and any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and any subsequent registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and the other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, each acting alone, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact or his substitutes, each acting alone, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

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Exhibit 3.3

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

NEW BANANA, INC.

FIRST: The name of the Corporation is New Banana, Inc. (the “Corporation”).

SECOND: The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware 19808. The name of its registered agent at that address is Corporation Service Company.

THIRD: The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as set forth in Title 8 of the Delaware Code (the “DGCL”).

FOURTH: The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is One Thousand (1,000) shares of Common Stock, each having a par value of one hundredth of a dollar ($0.01).

FIFTH: The name and mailing address of the Sole Incorporator is as follows:

SIXTH: The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and for further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation and of its directors and stockholders:

(1) The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.

(2) The directors shall have concurrent power with the stockholders to adopt, amend or repeat the by-laws of the Corporation (the “By-Laws”).

(3) The number of directors constituting the Corporation’s Board of Directors shall be as from time to time fixed by, or in the manner provided in, the By-Laws of the Corporation. Election of directors need not be by written ballot unless the By-Laws so provide.

(4) No director or Officer (as defined below) shall be personally liable to the Corporation or any of its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or Officer except for liability of (i) a director or Officer for any breach of the director’s or Officer’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) a director or Officer for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) a director under Section 174 of the DGCL, (iv) a director or Officer for any transaction from which the director or Officer derived an improper personal benefit or (v) any Officer in any action by or in the right of the Corporation. Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article SIXTH shall not affect its application with respect to an act or omission by a director or Officer occurring before such amendment, repeal or elimination. All references in this Article SIXTH to an “Officer” shall mean only a person who, at the time of an act or omission as to which liability is asserted, falls within the meaning of the term “officer,” as defined in Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL.

(5) In addition to the powers and authority hereinbefore or by statute expressly conferred upon them, the directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation, subject, nevertheless, to the provisions of the DGCL, this Certificate of Incorporation, and the By-Laws; provided, however, that no By-Laws hereafter adopted, amended or repealed by the stockholders shall invalidate any prior act of the directors that would have been valid if such By-Laws had not been so adopted, amended or repealed.

SEVENTH: Meetings of stockholders may be held within or without the State of Delaware, as the By-Laws may provide. The books and records of the Corporation may be kept (subject to any provision contained in the DGCL) outside the State of Delaware at such place or places as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors or in the By-Laws.

EIGHTH: The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.

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I, THE UNDERSIGNED, being the Sole Incorporator hereinbefore named, for the purpose of forming a corporation pursuant to the DGCL, do make this Certificate of Incorporation, hereby declaring and certifying that this is my act and deed and the facts herein stated are true, and accordingly have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of January, 2024.

[Signature Page - Certificate of Incorporation]

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

TO THE

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

NEW BANANA, INC.

Pursuant to Section 242 of the General

Corporation Law of the State of Delaware

New Banana, Inc., a Delaware corporation (hereinafter called the “Corporation”), does hereby certify as follows:

FIRST: Article FIRST of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation is hereby amended to read in its entirety as set forth below:

FIRST: The name of the corporation is BlackRock Funding, Inc. (hereinafter the “Corporation”).

SECOND: The foregoing amendment was duly adopted in accordance with Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be duly executed in its corporate name this 24th day of January, 2024.

Exhibit 3.4

BY-LAWS

OF

BLACKROCK FUNDING, INC.

A Delaware Corporation

Effective January 24, 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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BY-LAWS

OF

BLACKROCK FUNDING, INC.

(hereinafter called the “Corporation”)

ARTICLE I

OFFICES

Section 1.1 Registered Office. The registered office of the Corporation shall be located at 251 Little Falls Drive, City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware 19808.

Section 1.2 Other Offices. The Corporation may also have offices at such other places, both within and without the State of Delaware, as the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) may from time to time determine.

ARTICLE II

MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

Section 2.1 Place of Meetings. Meetings of the stockholders for the election of directors or for any other purpose shall be held at such time and place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of the stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication in the manner authorized by Section 211 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).

Section 2.2 Annual Meetings. The Annual Meeting of Stockholders for the election of directors shall be held on such date and at such time as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. Any other proper business may be transacted at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Section 2.3 Special Meetings. Unless otherwise required by law or by the certificate of incorporation of the Corporation, as amended and restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), Special Meetings of Stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, may be called by either (a) the Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there be one, or (b) the President, (c) any Vice President, if there be one, (d) the Secretary or (e) any Assistant Secretary, if there be one, and shall be called by any such officer at the request in writing of (i) the Board of Directors, (ii) a committee of the Board of Directors that has been duly designated by the Board of Directors and whose powers and authority include the power to call such meetings or (iii) stockholders owning a majority of the capital stock of the Corporation issued and outstanding and entitled to vote. Such request shall state the purpose or purposes of the proposed meeting. At a Special Meeting of Stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall be specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto).

Section 2.4 Notice. Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a notice of the meeting, in the form of a writing or electronic transmission, shall be given which shall state the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting, if such date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such meeting and, in the case of a Special Meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Unless otherwise required by law, notice of any meeting shall be given not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such meeting.

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Section 2.5 Adjournments and Postponements. Any meeting of the stockholders may be adjourned or postponed from time to time by the chairman of such meeting or by the Board of Directors, without the need for approval thereof by stockholders to reconvene or convene, respectively at the same or some other place. Notice need not be given of any such adjourned or postponed meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned or postponed meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken or, with respect to a postponed meeting, are publicly announced. At the adjourned or postponed meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment or postponement is for more than thirty (30) days, notice of the adjourned or postponed meeting in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.4 hereof shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If, after the adjournment or postponement, a new record date for stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned or postponed meeting, the Board of Directors shall fix a new record date for notice of such adjourned or postponed meeting in accordance with Section 2.11, and shall give notice of the adjourned or postponed meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such adjourned or postponed meeting as of the record date fixed for notice of such adjourned or postponed meeting.

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Section 2.6 Quorum. Unless otherwise required by applicable law or the Certificate of Incorporation, the holders of a majority of the Corporation’s capital stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business. A quorum, once established, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, in the manner provided in Section 2.5, until a quorum shall be present or represented.

Section 2.7 Voting. Unless otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws any question brought before any meeting of the stockholders, other than the election of directors, shall be decided by the vote of the holders of a majority of the total number of votes of the Corporation’s capital stock represented at the meeting in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such question, voting as a single class. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, and subject to Section 2.11(a), each stockholder represented at a meeting of the stockholders shall be entitled to cast one (1) vote for each share of the capital stock entitled to vote thereat held by such stockholder. Such votes may be cast in person or by proxy as provided in Section 2.8. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, or the officer of the Corporation presiding at a meeting of the stockholders, in such officer’s discretion, may require that any votes cast at such meeting shall be cast by written ballot.

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Section 2.8 Proxies. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of the stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy, by filing such proxy with the Secretary at or before the meeting at which it is to be used, but no such proxy shall be voted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless such proxy provides for a longer period. Without limiting the manner in which a stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy, the following shall constitute a valid means by which a stockholder may grant such authority:

(i) A stockholder may execute a document authorizing another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy. Execution may be accomplished in the manner permitted by the DGCL by the stockholder or such stockholder’s authorized officer, director, employee or agent.

(ii) A stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of an electronic transmission to the person who will be the holder of the proxy or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization or like agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive such transmission, provided that any such transmission must either set forth or be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the transmission was authorized by the stockholder. If it is determined that such transmissions are valid, the inspectors or, if there are no inspectors, such other persons making that determination shall specify the information on which they relied.

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Any copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the document (including any electronic transmission) authorizing another person or persons to act as proxy for a stockholder may be substituted or used in lieu of the original document for any and all purposes for which the original document could be used; provided, however, that such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original document.

Section 2.9 Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at any Annual or Special Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of the stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. Every written consent shall bear the date of signature of each stockholder who signs the consent and no written

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consent shall be effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within sixty (60) days of the earliest dated consent delivered in the manner required by this Section 2.9 to the Corporation, written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take action are delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of the stockholders are recorded. Any copy, facsimile or other reliable reproduction of a consent in writing may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing for any and all purposes for which the original writing could be used; provided that such copy, facsimile or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing and who, if the action had been taken at a meeting, would have been entitled to notice of the meeting if the record date for such meeting had been the date that written consents signed by a sufficient number of holders to take the action were delivered to the Corporation as provided above in this Section 2.9.

Section 2.10 List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote. The officer of the Corporation who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of the stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at

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least ten (10) days prior to the meeting (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network; provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the principal place of business of the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting.

Section 2.11 Record Date.

(a) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of the stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board of Directors so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board of Directors determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for

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determining stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at a meeting of the stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of the stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix, as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting, the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.11.

(b) In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than ten (10) days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of

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the book in which proceedings of meetings of the stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. If no record date has been fixed by the Board of Directors and prior action by the Board of Directors is required by applicable law, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

Section 2.12 Stock Ledger. The stock ledger of the Corporation shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the stock ledger, the list required by Section 2.10 or the books of the Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of the stockholders.

Section 2.13 Conduct of Meetings. The Board of Directors of the Corporation may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of any meeting of the stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board of Directors, the chairman of any meeting of the stockholders shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chairman, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board of Directors or prescribed by the chairman of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) the determination of when the polls shall open and close for any given matter to be voted on at the meeting; (iii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those

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present; (iv) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders of record of the Corporation, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the chairman of the meeting shall determine; (v) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (vi) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants.

Section 2.14 Inspectors of Election. In advance of any meeting of the stockholders, the Board of Directors, by resolution, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the President shall appoint one (1) or more inspectors to act at the meeting and make a written report thereof. One (1) or more other persons may be designated as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate is able to act at a meeting of the stockholders, the chairman of the meeting shall appoint one (1) or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, inspectors may be officers, employees or agents of the Corporation. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of inspector, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspector’s ability. The inspector shall have the duties prescribed by law and shall take charge of the polls and, when the vote is completed, shall make a certificate of the result of the vote taken and of such other facts as may be required by applicable law.

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ARTICLE III

DIRECTORS

Section 3.1 Number and Election of Directors. The Board of Directors shall consist of not less than one (1) nor more than fifteen (15) members, the exact number of which shall initially be fixed by the Incorporator and thereafter from time to

time by the Board of Directors. Except as provided in Section 3.2, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at each Annual Meeting of Stockholders and each director so elected shall hold office until the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until such director’s successor is duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Directors need not be stockholders.

Section 3.2 Vacancies. Unless otherwise required by law or the Certificate of Incorporation, vacancies on the Board of Directors or any committee thereof arising through death, resignation, removal, an increase in the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors or such committee or otherwise may be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. The directors so chosen shall, in the case of the Board of Directors, hold office until the next annual election and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, or until their earlier death, resignation or removal and, in the case of any committee of the Board of Directors, shall hold office until their successors are duly appointed by the Board of Directors or until their earlier death, resignation or removal.

Section 3.3 Duties and Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors which may exercise all such powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these By-Laws required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.

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Section 3.4 Meetings. The Board of Directors and any committee thereof may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or without the State of Delaware. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof may be held without notice at such time and at such place as may from time to time be determined by the Board of Directors or such committee, respectively. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there be one, the President, or by any director. Special meetings of any committee of the Board of Directors may be called by the chairman of such committee, if there be one, the President, or any director serving on such committee. Notice thereof stating the place, date and hour of the meeting shall be given to each director (or, in the case of a committee, to each member of such committee) either by mail not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the date of the meeting, by telephone, or in the form of a writing or electronic transmission on twenty-four (24) hours’ notice, or on such shorter notice as the person or persons calling such meeting may deem necessary or appropriate in the circumstances.

Section 3.5 Organization. At each meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the chairman of such committee, as the case may be, or, in his or her absence or if there be none, a director chosen by a majority of the directors present, shall act as chairman of such meeting. Except as provided below, the Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary at each meeting of the Board of Directors and of each committee thereof. In case the Secretary shall be absent from any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof, an Assistant Secretary shall perform the duties of secretary at such meeting; and in the absence from any such meeting of the Secretary and all the Assistant Secretaries, the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the members of each committee of the Board of Directors may appoint any person to act as secretary of any meeting of such committee and the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation may, but need not if such committee so elects, serve in such capacity.

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Section 3.6 Resignations and Removals of Directors. Any director of the Corporation may resign from the Board of Directors or any committee thereof at any time, by giving notice in writing, including by electronic transmission, to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there be one, the President or the Secretary of the Corporation and, in the case of a committee, to the chairman of such committee, if there be one. Such resignation shall take effect at the time therein specified or, if no time is specified, immediately; and, unless otherwise specified in such notice, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Except as otherwise required by applicable law and subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of shares of preferred stock then outstanding, any director or the entire Board of Directors may be removed from office at any time by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority in voting power of the issued and outstanding capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in the election of directors. Any director serving on a committee of the Board of Directors may be removed from such committee at any time by the Board of Directors.

Section 3.7 Quorum. Except as otherwise required by law, or the Certificate of Incorporation, at all meetings of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, a majority of the entire Board of Directors or a majority of the directors constituting such committee, as the case may be, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of the directors or committee members, as applicable, present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board of Directors or such committee, as applicable. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting of the time and place of the adjourned meeting, until a quorum shall be present.

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Section 3.8 Actions of the Board by Written Consent. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all the members of the Board of Directors or such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Directors or such committee.

Section 3.9 Meetings by Means of Conference Telephone. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, or any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or such committee by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section 3.9 shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

Section 3.10 Committees. The Board of Directors may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may designate one (1) or more directors as alternate

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members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of any such committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, and in the absence of a designation by the Board of Directors of an alternate member to replace the absent or disqualified member, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another qualified member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of any absent or disqualified member. Any committee, to the extent permitted by law and provided in the resolution establishing such committee, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it. Each committee shall keep regular minutes and report to the Board of Directors when required. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Article III, the resolution of the Board of Directors establishing any committee of the Board of Directors and/or the charter of any such committee may establish requirements or procedures relating to the governance and/or operation of such committee that are different from, or in addition to, those set forth in these By-Laws and, to the extent that there is any inconsistency between these By-Laws and any such resolution or charter, the terms of such resolution or charter shall be controlling.

Section 3.11 Compensation. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary for service as director, payable in cash or securities. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for service as committee members.

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Section 3.12 Interested Directors. No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one (1) or more of its directors or officers, or between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association or other organization in which one (1) or more of its directors or officers are directors or officers or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board of Directors or committee thereof which authorizes the contract or transaction, or solely because any such director’s or officer’s vote is counted for such purpose if: (i) the material facts as to the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board of Directors or the committee, and the Board of Directors or committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum; or (ii) the material facts as to the director’s or officer’s relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders; or (iii) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified by the Board of Directors, a committee thereof or the stockholders. Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board of Directors or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.

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ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

Section 4.1 General. The officers of the Corporation shall be chosen by the Board of Directors and shall be a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The Board of Directors, in its discretion, also may choose a Chairman of the Board of Directors (who must be a director) and one (1) or more Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers and other officers. Any number of offices may be held by the same person, unless otherwise prohibited by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws. The officers of the Corporation need not be stockholders of the Corporation nor, except in the case of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, need such officers be directors of the Corporation.

Section 4.2 Election. The Board of Directors, at its first meeting held after each Annual Meeting of Stockholders (or action by written consent of stockholders in lieu of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders), shall elect the officers of the Corporation who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors; and each officer of the Corporation shall hold office until such officer’s successor is elected and qualified, or until such officer’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Any officer elected by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the Board of Directors. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board of Directors. The salaries of all officers of the Corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors.

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Section 4.3 Voting Securities Owned by the Corporation. Powers of attorney, proxies, waivers of notice of meeting, consents and other instruments relating to securities owned by the Corporation may be executed in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation by the President or any Vice President or any other officer authorized to do so by the Board of Directors and any such officer may, in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, take all such action as any such officer may deem advisable to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of security holders of any corporation in which the Corporation may own securities and at any such meeting shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and power incident to the ownership of such securities and which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might have exercised and possessed if present. The Board of Directors may, by resolution, from time to time confer like powers upon any other person or persons.

Section 4.4 Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there be one, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, unless the Board of Directors designates the President as the Chief Executive Officer, and, except where by law the signature of the President is required, the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall possess the same power as the President to sign all contracts, certificates and other instruments of the Corporation which may be authorized by the Board of Directors. During the absence or disability of the President, the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall exercise all the powers and discharge all the duties of the President. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may from time to time be assigned by these By-Laws or by the Board of Directors.

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Section 4.5 President. The President shall, subject to the control of the Board of Directors and, if there be one, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, have general supervision of the business of the Corporation and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect. The President shall execute all bonds, mortgages, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation requiring a seal, under the seal of the Corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed and except that the other officers of the Corporation may sign and execute documents when so authorized by these By-Laws, the Board of Directors or the President. In the absence or disability of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, or if there be none, the President shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and, provided the President is also a director, the Board of Directors. If there be no Chairman of the Board of Directors, or if the Board of Directors shall otherwise designate, the President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. The President shall also perform such other duties and may exercise such other powers as may from time to time be assigned to such officer by these By-Laws or by the Board of Directors.

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Section 4.6 Vice Presidents. At the request of the President or in the President’s absence or in the event of the President’s inability or refusal to act (and if there be no Chairman of the Board of Directors), the Vice President, or the Vice Presidents if there are more than one (in the order designated by the Board of Directors), shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President. Each Vice President shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors from time to time may prescribe. If there be no Chairman of the Board of Directors and no Vice President, the Board of Directors shall designate the officer of the Corporation who, in the absence of the President or in the event of the inability or refusal of the President to act, shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the President.

Section 4.7 Secretary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and all meetings of the stockholders and record all the proceedings thereat in a book or books to be kept for that purpose; the Secretary shall also perform like duties for committees of the Board of Directors when required. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the President, under whose supervision the Secretary shall be. If the Secretary shall be unable or shall refuse to cause to be given notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and if there be no Assistant Secretary, then either the Board of Directors or the President may choose another officer to cause such notice to be given. The Secretary shall see that all books, reports, statements, certificates and other documents and records required by law to be kept or filed are properly kept or filed, as the case may be.

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Section 4.8 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have the custody of the corporate funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation and shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the President and the Board of Directors, at its regular meetings, or when the Board of Directors so requires, an account of all transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation. If required by the Board of Directors, the Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of the office of the Treasurer and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of the Treasurer’s death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in the Treasurer’s possession or under the Treasurer’s control belonging to the Corporation.

Section 4.9 Assistant Secretaries. Assistant Secretaries, if there be any, shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President, if there be one, or the Secretary, and in the absence of the Secretary or in the event of the Secretary’s inability or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the Secretary, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Secretary.

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Section 4.10 Assistant Treasurers. Assistant Treasurers, if there be any, shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President, if there be one, or the

Treasurer, and in the absence of the Treasurer or in the event of the Treasurer’s inability or refusal to act, shall perform the duties of the Treasurer, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Treasurer. If required by the Board of Directors, an Assistant Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond in such sum and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of the office of Assistant Treasurer and for the restoration to the Corporation, in case of the Assistant Treasurer’s death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in the Assistant Treasurer’s possession or under the Assistant Treasurer’s control belonging to the Corporation.

Section 4.11 Other Officers. Such other officers as the Board of Directors may choose shall perform such duties and have such powers as from time to time may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may delegate to any other officer of the Corporation the power to choose such other officers and to prescribe their respective duties and powers.

ARTICLE V

STOCK

Section 5.1 Form of Certificates. Shares of stock in the Corporation shall be uncertificated and shall not initially be represented by certificates, except to the extent as may be required by applicable law, as requested by a shareholder or as may otherwise be authorized by the Board of Directors. In the event shares of stock are represented by certificates, such certificates shall be registered upon the books of the Corporation and signed by (i) the Chairman of the Board or the President or a Vice

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President and (ii) by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation certifying the number of shares owned by such stockholder in the Corporation. Any certificates for shares of stock shall be consecutively numbered and shall be entered in the books of the Corporation as they are issued and shall exhibit the holder’s name and the number of shares.

Section 5.2 Signatures. Any or all of the signatures on a certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

Section 5.3 Lost Certificates. The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate to be issued in place of any certificate theretofore issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issuance of a new certificate, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as the Board of Directors shall require and/or to give the Corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.

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Section 5.4 Transfers. Stock of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by applicable law and in these By-Laws. Transfers of stock shall be made on the books of the Corporation, and in the case of certificated shares of stock, only by the person named in the certificate or by such person’s attorney lawfully constituted in writing and upon the surrender of the certificate therefor, properly endorsed for transfer and payment of all necessary transfer taxes; provided, however, that such surrender and endorsement or payment of taxes shall not be required in any case in which the officers of the Corporation shall determine to waive such requirement. With respect to any certificated shares, every certificate exchanged, returned or surrendered to the Corporation shall be marked “Canceled,” with the date of cancellation, by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or the transfer agent thereof. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing from and to whom transferred.

Section 5.5 Dividend Record Date. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock, or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

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Section 5.6 Record Owners. The Corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and to hold liable for calls and assessments a person registered on its books as the owner of shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise required by law.

Section 5.7 Transfer and Registry Agents. The Corporation may from time to time maintain one (1) or more transfer offices or agencies and registry offices or agencies at such place or places as may be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VI

NOTICES

Section 6.1 Notices. Whenever written notice is required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, to be given to any director, member of a committee or stockholder, such notice may be given by mail, addressed to such director, member of a committee or stockholder, at such person’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation, with postage thereon prepaid, and such notice shall be deemed to be given at the time when the same shall be deposited in the United States mail. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under applicable law,

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the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission if consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Corporation. Any such consent shall be deemed to be revoked if (i) the Corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices by the Corporation in accordance with such consent and (ii) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice; provided, however, that the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action. Notice given by electronic transmission, as described above, shall be deemed given: (i) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (ii) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; (iii) if by a posting on an electronic network, together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and (iv) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder. Notice to directors or committee members may be given personally or by telegram, telex, cable or by means of electronic transmission.

Section 6.2 Waivers of Notice. Whenever any notice is required by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws, to be given to any director, member of a committee or stockholder, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person or persons entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall

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be deemed equivalent thereto. Attendance of a person at a meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where the person attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any Annual or Special Meeting of Stockholders or any regular or special meeting of the directors or members of a committee of directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice unless so required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws.

ARTICLE VII

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 7.1 Dividends. Dividends upon the capital stock of the Corporation, subject to the requirements of the DGCL and the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors (or any action by written consent in lieu thereof in accordance with Section 3.8), and may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the Board of Directors from time to time, in its absolute discretion, deems proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for purchasing any of the shares of capital stock, warrants, rights, options, bonds, debentures, notes, scrip or other securities or evidences of indebtedness of the Corporation, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, or for any proper purpose, and the Board of Directors may modify or abolish any such reserve.

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Section 7.2 Disbursements. All checks or demands for money and notes of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other person or persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.

Section 7.3 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VIII

INDEMNIFICATION

Section 8.1 Power to Indemnify in Actions, Suits or Proceedings other than Those by or in the Right of the Corporation. Subject to Section 8.3 the Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation), by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was a director or officer of the Corporation serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of

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nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that such person’s conduct was unlawful.

Section 8.2 Power to Indemnify in Actions, Suits or Proceedings by or in the Right of the Corporation. Subject to Section 8.3, the Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was a director or officer of the Corporation serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation; except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

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Section 8.3 Authorization of Indemnification. Any indemnification under this Article VIII (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the present or former director or officer of the Corporation is proper in the circumstances because such person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 8.1 or Section 8.2, as the case may be. Such determination shall be made, with respect to a person who is a director or officer at the time of such determination, (i) by a majority vote of the directors who are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by a majority vote of such directors, even though less than a quorum, (iii) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion or (iv) by the stockholders. Such determination shall be made, with respect to former directors and officers, by any person or persons having the authority to act on the matter on behalf of the Corporation. To the extent, however, that a present or former director or officer of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding described above, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith, without the necessity of authorization in the specific case.

Section 8.4 Good Faith Defined. For purposes of any determination under Section 8.3, a person shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, to have had no

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reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful, if such person’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Corporation or another enterprise, or on information supplied to such person by the officers of the Corporation or another enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Corporation or another enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Corporation or another enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Corporation or another enterprise. The provisions of this Section 8.4 shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the circumstances in which a person may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 8.1 or Section 8.2, as the case may be.

Section 8.5 Indemnification by a Court. Notwithstanding any contrary determination in the specific case under Section 8.3, and notwithstanding the absence of any determination thereunder, any director or officer may apply to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or any other court of competent jurisdiction in the State of Delaware for indemnification to the extent otherwise permissible under Section 8.1 or Section 8.2. The basis of such indemnification by a court shall be a determination by such court that indemnification of the director or officer is proper in the circumstances because such person has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 8.1 or Section 8.2, as the case may be. Neither a contrary determination in the specific case under Section 8.3 nor the absence of any determination thereunder shall be a defense to such application or create a presumption that the director or officer seeking indemnification has not met any applicable standard of conduct. Notice of any application for indemnification pursuant to this Section 8.5 shall be given to the Corporation promptly upon the filing of such application. If successful, in whole or in part, the director or officer seeking indemnification shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such application.

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Section 8.6 Expenses Payable in Advance. Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a director or officer in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article VIII. Such expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by former directors and officers or other employees and agents of the Corporation may be so paid upon such terms and conditions, if any, as the Corporation deems appropriate.

Section 8.7 Nonexclusivity of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VIII shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under the Certificate of Incorporation, these By-Laws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such person’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, it being the policy of the Corporation that indemnification of the persons specified in Section 8.1 and Section 8.2 shall be made to the fullest extent permitted by law. A right to indemnification or to advancement of expenses arising under a provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or

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these By-Laws shall not be eliminated or impaired by an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws after the occurrence of the act or omission that is the subject of the civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification or advancement of expenses is sought, unless the provision in effect at the time of such act or omission explicitly authorizes such elimination or impairment after such action or omission has occurred. The provisions of this Article VIII shall not be deemed to preclude the indemnification of any person who is not specified in Section 8.1 or Section 8.2 but whom the Corporation has the power or obligation to indemnify under the provisions of the DGCL, or otherwise.

Section 8.8 Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was a director or officer of the Corporation serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power or the obligation to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of this Article VIII.

Section 8.9 Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Article VIII, references to the “Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors or officers, so that any person who is or was a director or officer of such constituent corporation, or is or was a director or officer

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of such constituent corporation serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article VIII with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued. The term “another enterprise” as used in this Article VIII shall mean any other corporation or any partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which such person is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent. For purposes of this Article VIII, references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director or officer with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Article VIII.

Section 8.10 Survival of Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article VIII shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

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Section 8.11 Limitation on Indemnification . Notwithstanding anything contained in this Article VIII to the contrary, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification (which shall be governed by Section 8.5), the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any director or officer (or his or her heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives) or advance expenses in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized or consented to by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

Section 8.12 Indemnification of Employees and Agents. The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, provide rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to employees and agents of the Corporation similar to those conferred in this Article VIII to directors and officers of the Corporation.

ARTICLE IX

FORUM FOR ADJUDICATION OF CERTAIN DISPUTES

Section 9.1 Forum for Adjudication of Certain Disputes. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum (an “Alternative Forum Consent”), the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a duty (including any fiduciary duty) owed by any current or former director, officer, stockholder, employee or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any current or former director, officer, stockholder, employee or agent of the Corporation arising out of or relating to any

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provision of the General Corporation Law of Delaware or the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation or these By-Laws (each, as in effect from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any current or former director, officer, stockholder, employee or agent of the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Delaware; provided, however, that, in the event that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction over any such action or proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding shall be another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware, in each such case, unless the Court of Chancery (or such other state or federal court located within the State of Delaware, as applicable) has dismissed a prior action by the same plaintiff asserting the same claims because such court lacked personal jurisdiction over an indispensable party named as a defendant therein. Unless the Corporation gives an Alternative Forum Consent, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Failure to enforce the foregoing provisions would cause the Corporation irreparable harm and the Corporation shall be entitled to equitable relief, including injunctive relief and specific performance, to enforce the foregoing provisions. Any person or entity purchasing, otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 9.1. The existence of any prior Alternative Forum Consent shall not act as a waiver of the Corporation’s ongoing consent right as set forth above in this Section 9.1 with respect to any current or future actions or claims.

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ARTICLE X

AMENDMENTS

Section 10.1 Amendments. These By-Laws may be altered, amended or repealed, in whole or in part, or new By-Laws may be adopted by the stockholders or by the Board of Directors; provided, however, that notice of such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption of new By-Laws be contained in the notice of a meeting of the stockholders or Board of Directors, as the case may be, called for the purpose of acting upon any proposed alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption of new By-Laws. All such amendments, repeals or adoptions of new By-Laws must be approved by either the holders of a majority of the outstanding capital stock entitled to vote thereon or by a majority of the entire Board of Directors then in office.

Section 10.2 Entire Board of Directors. As used in this Article X and in these By-Laws generally, the term “entire Board of Directors” means the total number of directors which the Corporation would have if there were no vacancies.

* * *

Adopted as of: January 24, 2024

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Exhibit 4.18

BLACKROCK FUNDING, INC.,

as Issuer

BLACKROCK, INC.,

as Guarantor

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

as Trustee

Indenture

Dated as of     , 20

Senior Debt Securities

Certain Sections of this Indenture relating to Sections 310 through 318,

inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939:

NOTE: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

i

ii

iii

iv

v

INDENTURE, dated as of    , 20  , among BlackRock Funding, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Issuer”), BlackRock, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Guarantor”), and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”).

RECITALS

The Issuer has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (herein called the “Securities”), which may be convertible into or exchangeable for any securities of any persons (including the Issuer or the Guarantor), to be issued in one or more series as in this Indenture provided.

All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid and legally binding agreement of the Issuer and the Guarantor, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

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

ARTICLE ONE

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

SECTION 101. Definitions.

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

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

(2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

(3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles, the term “generally accepted accounting principles” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted as consistently applied by the Issuer and the Guarantor, as applicable, at the date of such computation;

(4) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an “Article,” a “Section” or an “Exhibit” refers to an Article, a Section or an Exhibit, as the case may be, of or to this Indenture; and

(5) 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 Three and Article Thirteen, are defined in those Articles.

“Act”, when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified in Section 104.

“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 authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 613 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

“Authorized Newspaper” means a newspaper, in the English language or in an official language of the country of publication, customarily published on each Business Day, whether or not published on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same city meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any Business Day.

“Authorized Officers” has the meaning specified in Section 105.

“Board of Directors” shall mean, as to any Person, the board of directors or managers, as applicable, of such Person or any duly authorized committee of that board.

“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of a Person to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors of such Person 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 any Place of Payment, means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday that is not a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

“Capital Stock” means:

(a) in the case of a corporation, corporate stock;

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(b) in the case of an association or business entity, any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock;

(c) in the case of a partnership or limited liability company, partnership interests (whether general or limited) or membership interests; and

(d) any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, the issuing Person, but excluding from all of the foregoing any debt securities convertible into Capital Stock, whether or not such debt securities include any right of participation with Capital Stock.

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

“Corporate Trust Office” means the principal office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which as of the date hereof is located at 500 Ross Street, 12th Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15262, Attention: Corporate Trust Division – Corporate Trust Administration, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Issuer, or the principal corporate trust officer of any successor Trustee (or such other address as such successor Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Issuer).

“corporation” means a corporation, association, company, joint-stock company, partnership or business trust.

“covenant defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 1303.

“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 307.

“defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 1302.

“Depositary” means, with respect to Securities of any series issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, each Person designated to act as Depositary for such Securities as contemplated by Section 301 until one or more successor Depositaries shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Depositary” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any such series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Securities of that series.

“DTC” mean The Depository Trust Company and its successors.

“Electronic Means” means the following communications methods: e-mail, secure electronic transmission containing applicable authorization codes, passwords and/or authentication keys issued by the Trustee, or another method or system specified by the Trustee as available for use in connection with its services hereunder.

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“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 501.

“Exchange Act” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.

“Expiration Date” has the meaning specified in Section 104.

“Global Security” means a Security that evidences all or part of the Securities of any series and bears the legend set forth in Section 202 (or such legend as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities).

“Government Obligation” has the meaning specified in Section 1304.

“Guarantee” means the guarantee of the Issuer’s obligations under the Securities of any series by the Guarantor as provided in Article Sixteen.

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

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

“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed and as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, including, for all purposes of this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, respectively. The term “Indenture” shall also include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 301; provided, however, that, if at any time more than one Person is acting as Trustee under this instrument, “Indenture” shall mean, with respect to any one or more series of Securities for which a Person is Trustee, this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of the or those particular series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee established as contemplated by Section 301, exclusive, however, of any provisions or terms which related solely to other series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee, regardless of when such terms or provisions were adopted, and exclusive of any provisions or terms adopted by means of one or more indentures supplemental hereto executed and delivered after such Person had become such Trustee but to which such Person, as such Trustee, was not a party.

“Instructions” has the meaning specified in Section 105.

“interest”, when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.

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

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

“Issuer Request” or “Issuer Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Issuer by the Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Officer, the General Counsel, a Managing Director, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Issuer or the Guarantor, as applicable, and delivered to the Trustee. Prior to the consummation of the Reorganization Transaction, any Issuer Order or Issuer Request may be delivered by the Guarantor on behalf of the Issuer.

“Managing Director”, when used with respect to the Issuer, the Guarantor or the Trustee, means any managing director, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “managing director.”

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

“Notice of Default” means a written notice of the kind specified in Section 501(4).

“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Officer, the General Counsel, a Managing Director, the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Issuer or the Guarantor, as applicable, and delivered to the Trustee. The officer signing an Officer’s Certificate given pursuant to Section 1004 shall be the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the Issuer or the Guarantor, as applicable. Prior to the consummation of the Reorganization Transaction, any Officer’s Certificate may be delivered by the Guarantor on behalf of the Issuer.

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel. The term “Opinion of Counsel” shall mean an opinion in writing signed by legal counsel, who may be an employee of or of counsel to the Issuer, the Guarantor or their respective Subsidiaries (and who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee), and delivered to the Trustee. Each such opinion shall include the statements provided for in Section 102, if and to the extent required by the provisions thereof.

“Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security which 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 502.

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

(1) Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

(2) Securities or portions thereof for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Issuer) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Issuer (if the Issuer shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities; provided that, if such Securities or portions thereof are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

(3) Securities as to which Defeasance has been effected pursuant to Section 1302; and

(4) Securities that have been paid pursuant to Section 306 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Issuer;

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given, made or taken any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, or other action hereunder as of any date or whether a quorum is present at a meeting of Holders of Securities, (A) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of such date upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof to such date pursuant to Section 502, (B) if, as of such date, the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of a Security is not determinable, the principal amount of such Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount as specified or determined as contemplated by Section 301, (C) the principal amount of a Security denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the U.S. dollar equivalent, determined as of such date in the manner provided as contemplated by Section 301, of the principal amount of such Security (or, in the case of a Security described in Clause (A) or (B) above, of the amount determined as provided in such Clause), and (D) Securities owned by the Issuer, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Issuer, the Guarantor or of such other obligor 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, waiver, or other action, or upon any such determination as to the presence of a quorum, only Securities that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. 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 Securities and that the pledgee is not the Issuer, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Issuer, the Guarantor or of such other obligor.

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“Paying Agent” means any Person authorized by the Issuer to pay the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities on behalf of the Issuer.

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

“Place of Payment”, when used with respect to the Securities of any series, means the place or places specified in accordance with Section 301 where the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series are payable.

“Predecessor Security” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security.

“Redemption Date”, when used with respect to any 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 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 Securities of any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 301.

“Reorganization Transaction” means the merger of a direct wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Issuer, with and into the Guarantor, with the Guarantor surviving the merger as a wholly-owned Subsidiary of the Issuer, in accordance with Section 251(g) of the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Transaction Agreement, dated as of January 12, 2024, as may be amended, restated or supplemented from time to time, pursuant to which the Issuer will acquire the business and assets of Global Infrastructure Management, LLC.

“Responsible Officer”, when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, senior associate, associate, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

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

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“Securities Act” means the United States Securities Act of 1933 and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.

“Security Register” and “Security Registrar” have the respective meanings specified in Section 305.

“Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 307.

“Stated Maturity”, when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.

“Subsidiary”, when used with respect to any Person, means an entity of which more than 50% of the outstanding Capital Stock having ordinary voting power (other than Capital Stock having such power only by reason of contingency) is at the time owned, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person.

“Trust Indenture Act” means the United States Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date as of which this instrument was executed; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “Trust Indenture Act” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.

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

“United States Alien” means any Person who, for United States Federal income tax purposes, is a foreign corporation, a non-resident alien individual, a non-resident alien fiduciary of a foreign estate or trust, or a foreign partnership one or more of the members of which is, for United States Federal income tax purposes, a foreign corporation, a non-resident alien individual or a non-resident alien fiduciary of a foreign estate or trust.

SECTION 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions.

Upon any application or request by the Issuer or the Guarantor to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, shall furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that, in the opinion of the signer, all conditions precedent and covenants, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been satisfied, and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent and covenants have been satisfied if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action 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. Prior to the consummation of the Reorganization Transaction, any Officer’s Certificate and/or Opinion of Counsel may be delivered by the Guarantor on behalf of the Issuer.

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Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (except for certificates provided for in Section 1004) shall comply with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, and shall include:

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

(2) 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;

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

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

SECTION 103. 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.

Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Issuer or the Guarantor 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 his certificate or opinion is 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 Issuer or the Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Issuer or the Guarantor, 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.

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SECTION 104. Acts of Holders; Record Dates.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given, made or taken by Holders of the Outstanding Securities of all series or one or more series, as the case may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agent duly appointed in writing. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Issuer. Such instrument or instruments (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 shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 601) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Issuer, if made in the manner provided in this Section.

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. 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. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.

The principal amount and serial numbers of Securities held by any Person, and the date of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every 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 Issuer in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.

The Issuer may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series entitled to give, make or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given, made or taken by Holders of Securities of such series; provided, that the Issuer may not set a record date for, and the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply with respect to, the giving or making of any notice, declaration, request or direction referred to in the next paragraph. If any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on such record date, and no other Holders, shall be entitled to take the relevant action, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided, that no such action shall be effective hereunder unless taken on or prior to the applicable Expiration Date by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the Issuer from setting a new record date for any action for which a record date has previously been set pursuant to this paragraph (whereupon the record date previously set shall automatically and with no action by any Person be cancelled and of no effect), and nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any action taken by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on the date such action is taken. Promptly after any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Issuer, at its own expense, shall cause notice of such record date, the proposed action by Holders and the applicable Expiration Date to be given to the Trustee in writing and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 106.

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The Trustee may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series entitled to join in the giving or making of (i) any Notice of Default, (ii) any declaration of acceleration referred to in Section 502, (iii) any request to institute proceedings referred to in Section 507(2) or (iv) any direction referred to in Section 512, in each case with respect to Securities of such series. If any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date, and no other Holders, shall be entitled to join in such notice, declaration, request or direction, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided, that no such action shall be effective hereunder unless taken on or prior to the applicable Expiration Date by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the Trustee from setting a new record date for any action for which a record date has previously been set pursuant to this paragraph (whereupon the record date previously set shall automatically and with no action by any Person be cancelled and of no effect), and nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any action taken by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on the date such action is taken. Promptly after any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Trustee, at the Issuer’s expense, shall cause notice of such record date, the proposed action by Holders and the applicable Expiration Date to be given to the Issuer in writing and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 106.

With respect to any record date set pursuant to this Section, the party hereto that sets such record date may designate any day as the “Expiration Date” and from time to time may change the Expiration Date to any earlier or later day; provided that no such change shall be effective unless notice of the proposed new Expiration Date is given to the other party hereto in writing, and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 106, on or prior to the existing Expiration Date. If an Expiration Date is not designated with respect to any record date set pursuant to this Section, the party hereto that set such record date shall be deemed to have initially designated the 180th day after such record date as the Expiration Date with respect thereto, subject to its right to change the Expiration Date as provided in this paragraph.

Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled hereunder to take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Security may do so with regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such Security or by one or more duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment with regard to all or any part of such principal amount.

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SECTION 105. Notices, Etc., to Trustee, Issuer and Guarantor.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, 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, the Issuer or the Guarantor shall be sufficiently made, given, furnished or filed for all purposes if it shall be mailed, delivered or e-mailed to:

(1) the Trustee, at its Corporate Trust Office; or

(2) the Issuer or the Guarantor, at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001, Attention: General Counsel, email: [      ], with a copy to the attention of Secretary, email: [      ], or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Issuer or the Guarantor.

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

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security, where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice of any event or any other communication (including any notice of redemption or repurchase) to a holder of a Global Security (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to the Depositary (or its designee) pursuant to the standing instructions from the Depositary or its designee, including by electronic mail in accordance with accepted practices at the Depositary.

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SECTION 106. Notice to Holders; Waiver.

Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, where this Indenture provides for notice of any event to Holders of Securities, such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Securities:

(1) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Security affected by such event, at the address of such Holder as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date (if any), and not earlier than the earliest date (if any), prescribed for the giving of such notice; provided that in the event of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice to Holders of Securities by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder; or

(2) if a series of Securities has been issued in the form of one or more Global Securities through DTC as Depositary, notice may be provided with respect to such series of Securities by delivery of such notice to DTC for posting through its “Legal Notice Service” (LENS) or a successor system thereof.

In any case where notice to Holders of Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders.

Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities 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 107. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.

This Indenture shall incorporate and be governed by the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of and to govern indentures qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a provision of the Trust Indenture Act that is required under such Act to be a part of and govern this Indenture, the latter provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or to be excluded, as the case may be.

SECTION 108. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents.

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

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SECTION 109. Successors and Assigns.

ALL COVENANTS, STIPULATIONS, PROMISES AND AGREEMENTS IN THIS INDENTURE CONTAINED BY OR IN BEHALF OF THE PARTIES SHALL BIND THEIR RESPECTIVE SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS, WHETHER SO EXPRESSED OR NOT.

SECTION 110. Separability Clause.

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

SECTION 111. Benefits of Indenture.

Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their successors hereunder, and the Holders of Securities, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

SECTION 112. Governing Law.

This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York.

SECTION 113. Legal Holidays.

In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities (other than a provision of any Security 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; provided that no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity, as the case may be.

SECTION 114. Language of Notices, Etc.

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

SECTION 115. Submission to Jurisdiction.

Each of the Issuer and the Guarantor irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any federal or state court in the City, County and State of New York, United States, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any legal suit, action or proceeding based on or arising under the Securities or this Indenture and agrees that all claims in respect of such suit or proceeding may be determined in any such court. Each of the Issuer and the Guarantor irrevocably waives to

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the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection to any such suit, including actions, suits or proceedings relating to the securities laws of the United States of America or any state thereof, in such courts whether on the grounds of venue, residence or domicile or the defense of an inconvenient forum or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect to the maintenance of such legal suit, action or proceeding. Each of the Issuer and the Guarantor agrees that the final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Issuer and/or the Guarantor, as the case may be, and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which the Issuer and/or the Guarantor is subject by a suit upon such judgment.

SECTION 116. Waiver of Jury Trial.

Each of the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Trustee irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, trial by jury.

SECTION 117. Counterparts Originals.

This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or electronic (i.e., “pdf” or “tif”) transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or electronic (i.e., “pdf” or “tif”) transmission shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

ARTICLE TWO

SECURITY FORMS

SECTION 201. Forms Generally.

The Securities of each series shall be in substantially the forms set forth in Exhibits A and A1 or in such other form (including temporary or permanent global form) as shall be established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, 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 Depositary therefor or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Securities as evidenced by their execution thereof. If the form of Securities of any series is established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Issuer Order contemplated by Section 303 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities (or any such temporary global Security).

The definitive Securities shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

SECTION 202. Form of Legend for Global Securities.

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for the Securities evidenced thereby, every Global Security authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

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THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR A SECURITY REGISTERED, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IN WHOLE OR IN PART MAY BE REGISTERED, IN THE NAME OF ANY PERSON OTHER THAN SUCH DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF, EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.

SECTION 203. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.

The Trustee’s certificates of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

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

SECTION 204. Securities in Global Form.

If Securities of or within a series are issuable in global form, as specified as contemplated by Section 301, then, notwithstanding clause (10) of Section 301 and the provisions of Section 302, any such Security shall represent such of the Outstanding Securities of such series as shall be specified therein and may provide that it shall represent the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of a Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee in such manner and upon instructions given by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or in the Issuer Order to be delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 303 or Section 304. Subject to the provisions of Section 303 and, if applicable, Section 304, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver any Security in permanent global form in the manner and upon instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or in the applicable Issuer Order. If an Issuer Order pursuant to Section 303 or Section 304 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Issuer with respect to endorsement or delivery or redelivery of a Security in global form shall be in writing but need not comply with Section 102.

The provisions of the last sentence of Section 303 shall apply to any Security represented by a Security in global form if such Security was never issued and sold by the Issuer and the Issuer delivers to the Trustee the Security in global form together with written instructions (which need not comply with Section 102) with regard to the reduction in the principal amount of Securities represented thereby, together with the written statement contemplated by the last sentence of Section 303.

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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 201 and 307, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, payment of principal of and any premium and interest on any Security in permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

ARTICLE THREE

THE SECURITIES

SECTION 301. Amount Unlimited; Issuable In Series.

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

The Securities may be issued in one or more series. There shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution and, subject to Section 303, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officer’s Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series, any or all of the following as applicable (each of which (except for the matters set forth in clauses (1) and (2) below), if so provided in the Officer’s Certificate or supplemental indenture establishing the terms of such series of Securities, may be determined from time to time by the Issuer with respect to unissued Securities of the series and set forth in such Securities of the series when issued from time to time):

(1) the title of the Securities of the series, including CUSIP numbers, if applicable (which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from Securities of any other series);

(2) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 906 or 1107 and except for any Securities which, pursuant to Section 303, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);

(3) whether any Securities of the series are to be issuable initially in temporary global form and whether any Securities of the series are to be issuable in permanent global form and, if so, whether beneficial owners of interests in any such permanent global Security may exchange such interests for Securities of such series and of like tenor of any authorized form and denomination and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner provided in Section 305;

(4) the Person to whom any interest on any Security of the series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payable on a temporary global Security on an Interest Payment Date will be paid if other than in the manner provided in Section 304;

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(5) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the series is payable;

(6) the ability to issue additional Securities in the same series;

(7) the price or prices at which the Issuer will sell the Securities;

(8) the right, if any, to extend the interest payment periods and the duration of any such deferral period, including the maximum consecutive period during which interest payment periods may be extended;

(9) provisions, if any, granting special rights to holders of the Securities upon the occurrence of specified events;

(10) the terms, if any, upon which Holders may convert or exchange the Securities into or for any securities or property of any Person (including the Issuer or the Guarantor);

(11) the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, or the method by which such rate shall be determined, the date or dates from which any such interest shall accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest shall be payable, the Regular Record Date for the interest payable on any Securities on any Interest Payment Date;

(12) the place or places where, subject to the provisions of Section 1002, the principal of and any premium, if any, and interest, if any, on Securities of the series shall be payable, where any Securities of the series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, where Securities of the series may be surrendered for exchange, where Securities of the series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, as applicable, and notices and demands to or upon the Issuer in respect of the Securities of the series and this Indenture may be served;

(13) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which any Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part at the option of the Issuer and, if other than by a Board Resolution, the manner in which any election by the Issuer to redeem the Securities shall be evidenced;

(14) the obligation, if any, of the Issuer to redeem or purchase any Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of the Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which any Securities of the series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

(15) if other than denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, the denominations in which any Securities of the series shall be issuable;

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(16) whether the amount of payments of principal (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the Securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which index, formula or method may be based, without limitation, on one or more currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices), and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

(17) the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on any Securities of the series shall be payable if other than the currency of the United States of America and the manner of determining the equivalent thereof in the currency of the United States of America for purposes of the definition of “Outstanding” in Section 101;

(18) if the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of the series is to be payable, at the election of the Issuer or the Holder thereof, in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the currency, currencies or currency units in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Securities as to which such election is made shall be payable, the periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which such election is to be made and the amount so payable (or the manner in which such amount shall be determined);

(19) if other than the entire principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of any Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502;

(20) if the principal of and any premium or interest on the Securities of the series are to be payable, at the election of the Issuer or a Holder thereof, in a currency or currencies, including composite currencies, other than that or those in which the Securities are stated to be payable, the currency or currencies in which payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on Securities of such series as to which such election is made shall be payable, and the periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which such election is to be made;

(21) if the amount of principal and interest on the Securities of the series may be determined by reference to an index, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

(22) if the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of any Securities of the series will not be determinable as of any one or more dates prior to the Stated Maturity, the amount which shall be deemed to be the principal amount of such Securities as of any such date for any purpose thereunder or hereunder, including the principal amount thereof which shall be due and payable upon any Maturity other than the Stated Maturity or which shall be deemed to be Outstanding as of any date prior to the Stated Maturity (or, in any such case, the manner in which such amount deemed, to be the principal amount shall be determined);

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(23) if applicable, that the Securities of the series, in whole or any specified part, shall be defeasible pursuant to Section 1302 or Section 1303 or both such Sections and, if other than by a Board Resolution, the manner in which any election by the Issuer to defease such Securities shall be evidenced;

(24) if applicable, that any Securities of the series shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and, in such case, the respective Depositaries for such Global Securities, the form of any legend or legends which shall be borne by any such Global Security in addition to or in lieu of that set forth in Section 202 and any circumstances in addition to or in lieu of those set forth, in the seventh paragraph of Section 305 in which any such Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for Securities registered, and any transfer of such Global Security in whole or in part may be registered in the name or name of Persons other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof;

(25) any addition to or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 502;

(26) any addition to or change in the covenants set forth in Article Ten which applies to Securities of the series;

(27) the guarantors (including the Guarantor), if any, of the Securities of the series, and the extent of the guarantees (including provisions relating to seniority, subordination, and the release of any guarantor, including the Guarantor), if any, and any additions or changes to permit or facilitate guarantees of such Securities;

(28) if the provisions of Article Four hereof shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series; or any addition to or change in the provisions of Article Four and, if the Securities of any series are payable in a currency other than U.S. Dollars, the currency or the nature of the Government Obligations to be deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401;

(29) any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 901(5)); and

(30) whether, under what circumstances and the currency in which the Issuer will pay Additional Amounts as contemplated by Section 1009 on the Securities of the series to any Holder who is not a United States Person(s) (including any modification to the definition of such term) in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge and, if so, whether the Issuer will have the option to redeem such Securities rather than pay such Additional Amounts (and the terms of any such option).

All Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to the Board Resolution referred to above and (subject to Section 303) set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in the Officer’s Certificate referred to above or in any such indenture supplemental hereto. Not all Securities of any one series need be issued at the same time, and, unless otherwise provided, a series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such series.

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If any of the terms of the series are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officer’s Certificate setting forth the terms of the series.

SECTION 302. Denominations.

Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, any Securities of such series, other than Securities issued in global form (which may be of any denomination), shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

SECTION 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.

The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Issuer by its Chairman of the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Chief Legal Officer, the General Counsel, a Managing Director or the Treasurer. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual, electronic or facsimile.

Securities bearing the manual, electronic or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time they signed such Securities the proper officers of the Issuer shall bind the Issuer, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities.

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Issuer may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Issuer to the Trustee for authentication, together with an Issuer Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the Trustee in accordance with the Issuer Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. If the forms or terms of the Securities of the series have been established by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions as permitted by Sections 201 and 301, in authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 601) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating,

(1) if the forms of such Securities have been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution as permitted by Section 201, that such forms have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

(2) if the terms of such Securities have been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution as permitted by Section 301, that such terms have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

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(3) that such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Issuer in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Issuer enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

If such form or terms have been so established, the Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner that is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301 and of the two preceding paragraphs, if all Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officer’s Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 301 or the Issuer Order and Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to such preceding paragraphs at or prior to the authentication of each Security of such series if such documents are delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance of the first Security of such series to be issued.

Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee by manual or electronic signature, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Issuer, and the Issuer shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 309, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

SECTION 304. Temporary Securities.

Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Issuer may execute, and upon Issuer Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.

If temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Issuer will cause definitive Securities of that series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of that series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Issuer in a Place of Payment for that series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor one or more definitive Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and like aggregate principal amount and tenor.

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Until exchanged in full as hereinafter provided, the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of the same series and of like tenor authenticated and delivered hereunder.

The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Security (including any transfers between or among depositary participants or beneficial owners of interests in any certificated Security or global Security) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof. Neither the Trustee nor any agent shall have any responsibility for any actions taken or not taken by the depositary.

SECTION 305. Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange.

The Issuer shall cause to be kept at an office or agency to be maintained by the Issuer in accordance with Section 1002 a register (being the combined register of the Security Registrar and all transfer agents designated pursuant to Section 1002 for the purpose of registration of transfer of Securities and sometimes collectively referred to as the “Security Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Issuer shall provide for the registration of Securities and the registration of transfers of Securities. The Trustee is hereby appointed “Security Registrar” for the purpose of registering Securities and transfers of Securities as herein provided.

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of a series at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained pursuant to Section 1002 for such purpose in a Place of Payment for that series, the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities that the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Issuer, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

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Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Issuer or the Trustee or any transfer agent) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer and the Security Registrar or any transfer agent duly executed, by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Issuer or the Trustee 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 Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 304, 906 or 1107 not involving any transfer.

If the Securities of any series (or of any series and specified tenor) are to be redeemed in part, the Issuer shall not be required to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities of that series (or of that series and specified tenor, as the case may be) during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before any selection of Securities of that series to be redeemed and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption.

The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Security (including any transfers between or among depositary participants or beneficial owners of interests in any certificated Security or global Security) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof. Neither the Trustee nor any agent shall have any responsibility for any actions taken or not taken by the depositary.

SECTION 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.

If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

If there shall be delivered to the Issuer and the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Issuer or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the previous two paragraphs, in case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Issuer in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.

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Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Issuer may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

Every new Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Issuer, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that series duly issued hereunder.

The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.

SECTION 307. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved.

Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, interest on any Security which 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 Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 1002; provided, however, that each installment of interest on any Security may at the Issuer’s option be paid by mailing a check for such interest, payable to or upon the written order of the Person entitled thereto pursuant to Section 308, to the address of such Person as it appears on the Security Register or by wire transfer to an account of the Person entitled thereto as such account shall be provided to the Security Registrar and shall appear on the Security Register.

Any interest on any Security of any series which 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 relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Issuer, at its election in each case, as provided in Clause (1) or (2) below:

(1) The Issuer may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Issuer 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

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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 Issuer of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Issuer, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be given to each Holder of Securities of such series in the manner set forth in Section 106, 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 Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following Clause (2).

(2) The Issuer may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Issuer 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 305, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

SECTION 308. Persons Deemed Owners.

Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration of transfer, the Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and any premium and (subject to Section 305 and Section 307) any interest on such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Issuer, the Trustee nor any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

SECTION 309. Cancellation.

All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee and shall be promptly cancelled by it. The Issuer may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Issuer may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Issuer has not issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All cancelled Securities held by the Trustee shall be disposed of as directed by an Issuer Order or in the Trustee’s customary manner, which manner shall be communicated in writing to the Issuer.

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SECTION 310. Computation of Interest.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

SECTION 311. CUSIP Numbers.

The Issuer in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use such “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Issuer will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change “CUSIP” numbers.

ARTICLE FOUR

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

SECTION 401. Applicability of the Article.

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to the Securities of all series issued pursuant to this Indenture, except as otherwise specified with respect to Securities of any series pursuant to Section 301.

SECTION 402. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.

This Indenture, with respect to the Securities of any series (if all series issued under this Indenture are not to be affected), shall, upon Issuer Request, cease to be of further effect (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of such Securities herein expressly provided for, and any right to receive additional amounts, as provided in Section 1009), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Issuer, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, when

(1) either

(A) all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Securities which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 306 and Securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Issuer and thereafter repaid to the Issuer or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 1003) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

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(B) all such Securities of such series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation:

(i) have become due and payable, or

(ii) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

(iii) if redeemable at the option of the Issuer (including, without limitation, by operation of any mandatory sinking fund), are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Issuer,

and the Issuer, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust (x) money in an amount, or (y) Government Obligations which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (z) a combination thereof, sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;

(2) the Issuer has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Issuer with respect to the Securities of such series; and

(3) the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to such series have been complied with.

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of any series, the obligations of the Issuer to the Trustee under Section 606, the obligations of the Issuer to any Authenticating Agent under Section 613 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of Clause (1) of this Section, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 403 and the last paragraph of Section 1003 shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

SECTION 403. Application of Trust Money.

Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money and Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 402 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Issuer acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal and any premium and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee.

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SECTION 404. Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent.

In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of any series, all moneys or Government Obligations then held by any Paying Agent (other than the Trustee, if the Trustee be a Paying Agent) under the provisions of this Indenture shall, upon demand of the Issuer, be repaid to it or paid to the Trustee and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys and/or Government Obligations.

ARTICLE FIVE

REMEDIES

SECTION 501. Events of Default.

“Event of Default”, wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be occasioned by the provisions of Article Fourteen or be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

(1) default in the payment of any interest upon any Security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or,

(2) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of that series at its Maturity and (if so established as contemplated by Section 301 in respect of that series), in the case of technical or administrative difficulties only if such default persists for a period of five days; or

(3) default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due by the terms of a Security of that series; or

(4) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Issuer or the Guarantor in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of series of Securities other than that series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Issuer by the Trustee or to the Issuer and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(5) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (A) a decree or order for relief in respect of either the Issuer or the Guarantor in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or (B) a decree or order adjudging either the Issuer or the Guarantor bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of either the Issuer or the

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Guarantor, as the case may be, under any applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of either the Issuer or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of either the Issuer or the Guarantor, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

(6) the commencement by either the Issuer or the Guarantor of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, of the consent by either the Issuer or the Guarantor to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of either the Issuer or the Guarantor in an involuntary 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 either the Issuer or the Guarantor, or the filing by either the Issuer or the Guarantor of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by either the Issuer or the Guarantor to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of either the Issuer or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of the property of the Issuer or the Guarantor, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by either the Issuer or the Guarantor in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the taking of corporate action by either the Issuer or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; or

(7) (A) the Guarantee ceases to be in full force and effect, other than in accordance with the terms of this Indenture or the Securities of the applicable series or (B) the Guarantor or its successor Person denies or disaffirms in writing its obligations under its Guarantee, other than in accordance with the terms thereof or upon release of the Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture or the Securities of the applicable series; or

(8) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that series.

The Trustee shall within 90 days after the occurrence of an event (which is known to the Trustee and is continuing) which is an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series (without regard to any grace period or notice requirements) give to the Holders of the Securities of such series notice of such event.

SECTION 502. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 501(5) or 501(6)) with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 33% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series may declare the principal amount of all the Securities of that series (or, if any Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified by the terms thereof) to be due

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and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Issuer and the Guarantor (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 501(5) or 501(6) with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs, the principal amount of all the Securities of that series (or, if any Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified by the terms thereof) shall automatically, and without any declaration or other action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, become immediately due and payable.

At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

(1) the Issuer or the Guarantor has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay

(A) all overdue interest on all Securities of that series,

(B) the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any sinking fund payments with respect to any Securities of that series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and any interest thereon at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities,

(C) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue interest to the date of such payment or deposit at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, or if no such rate or rates are so prescribed, at the rate borne by the Securities during the period of such default, and

(D) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel;

and

(2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 513.

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

SECTION 503. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

The Issuer covenants that if

(1) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

(2) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Security of any series on its Maturity or otherwise, then,

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the Issuer will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and any premium and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and premium and on any overdue interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in Section 502(1)(C), and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances, of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

If the Issuer fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Issuer, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities of such series and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Issuer, the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities of such series wherever situated the moneys adjudged or decreed be payable.

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem reasonably necessary to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

SECTION 504. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

In case of any judicial proceeding relative to the Issuer (or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities), its property or its creditors, the Trustee shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise, to take any and all actions authorized under the Trust Indenture Act in order to have claims of the Holders and the Trustee allowed in any such proceeding. In particular, the Trustee shall be authorized to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 606.

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No provision of this Indenture shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding; provided, however, that the Trustee may, on behalf of the Holders, vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar official and be a member of a creditors’ or other similar committee.

SECTION 505. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities.

All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

SECTION 506. Application of Money Collected.

Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or any premium or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 606;

SECOND: Subject to Article Fourteen, to the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and any premium and interest, respectively; and

THIRD: To the Issuer.

SECTION 507. Limitation on Suits.

No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

(1) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that series;

(2) the Holders of not less than 33% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

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(3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

(4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

(5) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60–day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series.

SECTION 508. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and any premium and (subject to Sections 305 and 307) interest on such Security on the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

SECTION 509. Restoration of Rights and Remedies.

If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder; then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Issuer, the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

SECTION 510. Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in the last paragraph of Section 306, 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 511. Delay or Omission Not Waiver.

No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

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SECTION 512. Control by Holders.

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that the Trustee may refuse to follow any decision that conflicts with any rule of law or with this Indenture, or that may result in the incurrence of liability by the Trustee, and the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.

SECTION 513. Waiver of Past Defaults.

Subject to Section 502, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

(1) in the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Security of such series, or

(2) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article Nine cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture, and the Issuer, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.