CERTAIN BENEFIT PLAN INVESTOR CONSIDERATIONS
The following is a summary of certain considerations associated with the purchase and holding of the Notes, or any interest therein, by (i) employee benefit plans subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), (ii) plans described in Section 4975 of the Code which are subject to Section 4975 of the Code (including an individual retirement account (“IRA”) and a Keogh plan) or provisions under other U.S. or non-U.S. federal, state, local or other laws or regulations that are similar to the fiduciary responsibility or prohibited transaction provisions of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (collectively, “Similar Laws”), and (iii) entities, the underlying assets of which are considered to include “plan assets” (pursuant to regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Labor in 29 C.F.R. Section 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of any such plan, account or arrangement described in clauses (i) and (ii) (each of the foregoing described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) referred to herein as a “Plan”).
General Fiduciary Matters
ERISA and the Code impose certain duties on persons who are fiduciaries of a Plan subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code (each, a “Covered Plan”) and prohibit certain transactions involving the assets of a Covered Plan and its fiduciaries or other interested parties. Under ERISA and the Code, any person who exercises discretionary authority or control over the administration of a Covered Plan or the management or disposition of the assets of a Covered Plan, or who renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation to a Covered Plan, is generally considered to be a fiduciary of the Covered Plan.
When considering an investment in the Notes, or any interest therein, with the assets of any Plan, a fiduciary should determine whether the investment is in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan and the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Code or any Similar Laws relating to a fiduciary’s duties to the Plan including, without limitation, the prudence, diversification, delegation of control, conflicts of interest and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA, the Code and any applicable Similar Laws.
Plan fiduciaries should consider the fact that none of the Company, the underwriters or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, the “Transaction Parties”) is acting, or will act, as a fiduciary to any Plan with respect to the decision to purchase and/or hold the Notes, or any interest therein, in connection with this offering. The Transaction Parties are not undertaking to provide impartial investment advice or advice based on any particular investment need, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, with respect to the decision to purchase and/or hold the Notes, or any interest therein, in connection with this offering.
Prohibited Transaction Issues
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit Covered Plans from engaging in specified transactions involving plan assets with persons or entities who are “parties in interest,” within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA, or “disqualified persons,” within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code, unless an exemption is available. A party in interest or disqualified person who engages in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code and may result in the disqualification of an IRA if the prohibited transaction involves the IRA owner or his or her beneficiary. In addition, the fiduciary of a Plan that engages in such a non-exempt prohibited transaction may also be subject to penalties and liabilities under ERISA and/or the Code.
The acquisition and/or holding of Notes, or any interest therein, by a Covered Plan with respect to which a Transaction Party is considered a party in interest or a disqualified person may constitute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the Notes, or any interest therein, are acquired and held in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual prohibited transaction exemption. Included among these statutory exemptions are Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code (the so-called “service provider exemption”), which exempt certain
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