TERMS AGREEMENT
EX-1.01 2 v087932_ex1-01.htm
TERMS AGREEMENT
September 5, 2007
Citigroup Inc.
399 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10043
Attention: Assistant Treasurer
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We understand that Citigroup Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell US$300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its debt securities (the “Securities”). Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein or incorporated by reference herein, we, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., Lehman Brothers Inc., Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC and Jackson Securities LLC, as underwriters (the “Underwriters”), offer to purchase, severally and not jointly, the principal amount of the Securities set forth opposite our respective names on the list attached as Annex A hereto at 99.437% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest from and including August 27, 2007 to but excluding September 14, 2007. The Securities form a part of the same series as the Company’s outstanding 5.250% Notes due 2012, issued on February 27, 2007. The Closing Date shall be September 14, 2007, at 8:30 A.M. The closing shall take place at the Corporate Law offices of the Company located at 425 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10043.
The Securities shall have the following terms:
Title: | 5.250% Senior Notes Due 2012 |
Maturity: | February 27, 2012 |
Interest Rate: | 5.250% per annum |
Interest Payment Dates: | Semi-annually on the 27th day of each February and August, commencing February 27, 2008 |
Initial Price to Public: | 99.762% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest from August 27, 2007 |
Redemption Provisions: | The Securities are not redeemable by the Company prior to Maturity, except upon the occurrence of certain events involving United States taxation, as set forth in the Prospectus dated March 2, 2006 |
Record Date: | The February 15 or August 15 preceding each Interest Payment Date |
Additional Terms:
The Securities shall be issuable as Registered Securities only. The Securities will be initially represented by one or more global Securities registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominees, as described in the Prospectus relating to the Securities. Beneficial interests in the Securities will be shown on, and transfers thereof will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC, Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System, and Clearstream International and their respective participants. Owners of beneficial interests in the Securities will be entitled to physical delivery of Securities in certificated form only under the limited circumstances described in the Prospectus. Principal and interest on the Securities shall be payable in United States dollars. The relevant provisions of Article Eleven of the Indenture relating to defeasance shall apply to the Securities.
All the provisions contained in the document entitled “Citigroup Inc.— Debt Securities — Underwriting Agreement — Basic Provisions” and dated March 2, 2006 (the “Basic Provisions”), a copy of which you have previously received, are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety and shall be deemed to be a part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if the Basic Provisions had been set forth in full herein. Terms defined in the Basic Provisions are used herein as therein defined.
The Company agrees to use its best efforts to have the Securities approved for listing on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and to maintain such listing so long as any of the Securities are outstanding, provided, however that:
(a) if it is impracticable or unduly burdensome, in the good faith determination of the Company, to maintain such listing due to changes in listing requirements occurring after the date of the Prospectus Supplement, or
(b) if the Transparency Directive (as defined in the Prospectus Supplement) is implemented in Luxembourg in a manner that would require the Company to publish financial information according to accounting principles or standards that are materially different from United States generally accepted accounting principles,
the Company may de-list the Securities from the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain an alternative admission to listing, trading and/or quotation of the Securities by another listing authority, exchange or system within or outside the European Union as it may decide. If such an alternative admission is not available or is, in the Company’s opinion, unduly burdensome, such an alternative admission will not be obtained, and the Company shall have no further obligation in respect of any listing, trading or quotation for the Securities.
The Underwriters hereby agree in connection with the underwriting of the Securities to comply with the requirements set forth in any applicable sections of Rule 2720 of the Conduct Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
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Selling Restrictions:
European Economic Area
The Underwriters represent and agree that in relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), an offer to the public of any Securities which are the subject of this offering may not be made in that Relevant Member State except that an offer to the public in that Relevant Member State of any Securities may be made at any time under the following exemptions under the Prospectus Directive, if they have been implemented in that Relevant Member State:
(a) to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities;
(b) to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average of at least 250 employees during the last financial year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than €43,000,000 and (3) an annual net turnover of more than €50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts;
(c) by the underwriters to fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive) subject to obtaining the prior consent of Citigroup Global Markets Limited for any such offer; or
(d) in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, provided that no such offer of Securities shall result in a requirement for the publication by the issuer or any underwriter of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer to the public” in relation to any Securities in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and any Securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase any Securities, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.
This EEA selling restriction is in addition to any other selling restrictions set out below.
United Kingdom
Each Underwriter:
(a) has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA”)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the Securities in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Issuer; and
(b) has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.
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France
No prospectus (including any amendment, supplement or replacement thereto) has been prepared in connection with the offering of the Securities that has been approved by the Autorité des marchés financiers or by the competent authority of another State that is a contracting party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and notified to the Autorité des marchés financiers; each Underwriter represents and agrees that no Securities have been offered or sold nor will be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in France; each Underwriter represents and agrees that the prospectus or any other offering material relating to the Securities have not been distributed or caused to be distributed and will not be distributed or caused to be distributed to the public in France; such offers, sales and distributions have been and shall only be made in France to persons licensed to provide the investment service of portfolio management for the account of third parties, qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) and/or a restricted circle of investors (cercle restreint d’investisseurs), in each case investing for their own account, all as defined in Articles L. 411-2, D. 411-1, D. 411-2, D. 411-4, D. 734-1, D.744-1, D. 754-1 and D. 764-1 of the Code monétaire et financier. Each Underwriter represents and agrees that the direct or indirect distribution to the public in France of any so acquired Securities may be made only as provided by Articles L. 411-1, L. 411-2, L. 412-1 and L. 621-8 to L. 621-8-3 of the Code monétaire et financier and applicable regulations thereunder.
Italy
Each Underwriter has not and will not publish a prospectus in Italy in connection with the offering of the Securities. Such offering has not been cleared by the Italian Securities Exchange Commission (Commissione Nazionale per le Societ`a e la Borsa, the “CONSOB”) pursuant to Italian securities legislation and, accordingly, the Securities may not and will not be offered, sold or delivered, nor may or will copies of the prospectus or any other documents relating to the Securities be distributed in Italy, except (i) to professional investors (operatori qualificati), as defined in Article 31, second paragraph, of CONSOB Regulation No. 11522 of July 1, 1998, as amended, (the “Regulation No. 11522”), or (ii) in other circumstances which are exempted from the rules governing offers of securities to the public pursuant to Article 100 of Legislative Decree No. 58 of February 24, 1998 (the “Italian Finance Law”) and Article 33, first paragraph, of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of May 14, 1999, as amended.
Any offer, sale or delivery of the Securities or distribution of copies of the Prospectus Supplement, accompanying Prospectus or any other document relating to the Securities in Italy may and will be effected in accordance with all Italian securities, tax, exchange control and other applicable laws and regulations, and, in particular, will be: (i) made by an investment firm, bank or financial intermediary permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with the Italian Finance Law, Legislative Decree No. 385 of September 1, 1993, as amended (the “Italian Banking Law”), Regulation No. 11522, and any other applicable laws and regulations; (ii) in compliance with Article 129 of the Italian Banking Law and the implementing guidelines of the Bank of Italy; and (iii) in compliance with any other applicable notification requirement or limitation which may be imposed by CONSOB or the Bank of Italy.
Any investor purchasing the Securities in the offering is solely responsible for ensuring that any offer or resale of the Securities it purchased in the offering occurs in compliance with applicable Italian laws and regulations.
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The Prospectus Supplement, accompanying Prospectus and the information contained therein are intended only for the use of its recipient and, unless in circumstances which are exempted from the rules governing offers of securities to the public pursuant to Article 100 of the Italian Finance Law and Article 33, first paragraph, of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of May 14, 1999, as amended, is not to be distributed, for any reason, to any third party resident or located in Italy. No person resident or located in Italy other than the original recipients of this document may rely on it or its content.
Italy has only partially implemented the Prospectus Directive and the provisions under the heading “European Economic Area” above shall apply with respect to Italy only to the extent that the relevant provisions of the Prospectus Directive have already been implemented in Italy.
Insofar as the requirements above are based on laws which are superseded at any time pursuant to the implementation of the Prospectus Directive in Italy, such requirements shall be replaced by the applicable requirements under the relevant implementing measures of the Prospectus Directive in Italy.
Hong Kong
Each Underwriter:
(a) has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell in Hong Kong, by means of any document, any Securities other than to (i) “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that Ordinance; or (ii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) of Hong Kong or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance; and
(b) has not issued or had in its possession for the purposes of issue, and will not issue or have in its possession for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, any advertisement, invitation or document relating to the Securities, which is directed at, or the contents of which are or are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to Securities which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong and any rules made under that Ordinance.
Japan
The Securities have not been and will not be registered under the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan. The Underwriters will not offer or sell, directly or indirectly, any of the Securities in Japan or to, or for the account or benefit of, any resident of Japan or to, or for the account or benefit of, any resident for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the account or benefit of, any resident of Japan except (i) pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, or otherwise in compliance with, the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan and (ii) in compliance with the other relevant laws and regulations of Japan.
Singapore
The Prospectus Supplement and accompanying Prospectus relating to this offering have not been and will not be registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore under the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289 of Singapore) (the “SFA”). Accordingly, each Underwriter has not offered or sold any Securities or caused the Securities to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase and will not offer or sell any Securities or cause the Securities to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, and has not circulated or distributed, nor will it circulate or distribute, such Prospectus Supplement and accompanying Prospectus or any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the Securities, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
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Each Underwriter will notify (whether through the distribution of the Prospectus Supplement and accompanying Prospectus relating to this offering or otherwise) each of the following relevant persons specified in Section 275 of the SFA which has subscribed or purchased Securities from or through that Underwriter, namely a person which is:
(a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or
(b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, that shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest in that trust shall not be transferable for 6 months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the Securities under Section 275 of the SFA except:
(1) | to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA; |
(2) | where no consideration is given for the transfer; or |
(3) | by operation of law. |
In addition to the legal opinions required by Sections 6(b) and 6(c) of the Basic Provisions, the Underwriters shall have received an opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, special U.S. tax counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that although the discussion set forth in the Prospectus under the headings “United States Federal Income Tax Considerations - Introduction” and “- Non-United States Holders” does not purport to discuss all possible United States federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Securities to non-United States holders of the Securities, such discussion constitutes, in all material respects, a fair and accurate summary of the United States federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Securities to non-United States holders of the Securities.
Michael S. Zuckert, Esq., General Counsel, Finance and Capital Markets of the Company, is counsel to the Company. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is special U.S. tax counsel to the Company. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is counsel to the Underwriters.
Please accept this offer no later than 9:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on September 5, 2007 by signing a copy of this Terms Agreement in the space set forth below and returning the signed copy to us, or by sending us a written acceptance in the following form:
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“We hereby accept your offer, set forth in the Terms Agreement, dated September 5, 2007, to purchase the Securities on the terms set forth therein.”
Very truly yours, | ||
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC., | ||
on behalf of the Underwriters named herein | ||
| | |
By: | /s/ Chandru Harjani | |
Name: Chandru Harjani | ||
Title: Vice President |
ACCEPTED:
CITIGROUP INC.
By: /s/ Charles E. Wainhouse
Name: Charles E. Wainhouse
Title: Assistant Treasurer
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ANNEX A
Name of Underwriter | Principal Amount of Securities | |||
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | $ | 279,000,000 | ||
Goldman, Sachs & Co. | 7,500,000 | |||
Lehman Brothers Inc. | 7,500,000 | |||
Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC | 3,000,000 | |||
Jackson Securities LLC | 3,000,000 | |||
Total | $ | 300,000,000 |