EX-4.5 3 w21596exv4w5.htm AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST OF SOVEREIGN CAPITAL TRUST V DATED AS OF MAY 22, 2006 exv4w5
Exhibit 4.5
AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION
OF TRUST
SOVEREIGN CAPITAL TRUST V
Dated as of May 22, 2006
Table of Contents
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Page No. |
|
| | | | ARTICLE I | | | | |
INTERPRETATION AND DEFINITIONS | | | 2 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 1.1 | | Definitions | | | 2 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE II | | | | |
TRUST INDENTURE ACT | | | 8 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 2.1 | | Trust Indenture Act; Application | | | 8 | |
| | Section 2.2 | | Lists of Holders of Securities | | | 8 | |
| | Section 2.3 | | Reports by the Property Trustee | | | 9 | |
| | Section 2.4 | | Periodic Reports to Property Trustee | | | 9 | |
| | Section 2.5 | | Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent | | | 9 | |
| | Section 2.6 | | Events of Default; Waiver | | | 9 | |
| | Section 2.7 | | Event of Default; Notice | | | 11 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE III | | | | |
ORGANIZATION | | | 12 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 3.1 | | Name | | | 12 | |
| | Section 3.2 | | Office | | | 12 | |
| | Section 3.3 | | Purpose | | | 12 | |
| | Section 3.4 | | Authority | | | 12 | |
| | Section 3.5 | | Title to Property of the Trust | | | 12 | |
| | Section 3.6 | | Powers and Duties of the Administrative Trustees | | | 13 | |
| | Section 3.7 | | Prohibition of Actions by the Trust and the Trustees | | | 15 | |
| | Section 3.8 | | Powers and Duties of the Property Trustee | | | 16 | |
| | Section 3.9 | | Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Property Trustee | | | 18 | |
| | Section 3.10 | | Certain Rights of Property Trustee | | | 20 | |
| | Section 3.11 | | Delaware Trustee | | | 22 | |
| | Section 3.12 | | Execution of Documents | | | 22 | |
| | Section 3.13 | | Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities | | | 22 | |
| | Section 3.14 | | Duration of Trust | | | 22 | |
| | Section 3.15 | | Mergers | | | 22 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE IV | | | | |
SPONSOR | | | 24 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 4.1 | | Sponsors Purchase of Common Securities | | | 24 | |
| | Section 4.2 | | Responsibilities of the Sponsor | | | 24 | |
| | Section 4.3 | | Right to Proceed | | | 25 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE V | | | | |
TRUSTEES | | | 25 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 5.1 | | Number of Trustees: Appointment of Co-Trustee | | | 25 | |
| | Section 5.2 | | Delaware Trustee | | | 26 | |
(i)
Table of Contents
(continued)
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Page No. |
|
| | Section 5.3 | | Property Trustee; Eligibility | | | 26 | |
| | Section 5.4 | | Certain Qualifications of Administrative Trustees and Delaware Trustee Generally | | | 27 | |
| | Section 5.5 | | Administrative Trustees | | | 27 | |
| | Section 5.6 | | Delaware Trustee | | | 27 | |
| | Section 5.7 | | Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Trustees | | | 28 | |
| | Section 5.8 | | Vacancies among Trustees | | | 29 | |
| | Section 5.9 | | Effect of Vacancies | | | 29 | |
| | Section 5.10 | | Meetings | | | 30 | |
| | Section 5.11 | | Delegation of Power | | | 30 | |
| | Section 5.12 | | Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business | | | 30 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE VI | | | | |
DISTRIBUTIONS | | | 31 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 6.1 | | Distributions | | | 31 | |
| | Section 6.2 | | Distribution of Notes in Exchange for Securities | | | 31 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE VII | | | | |
ISSUANCE OF SECURITIES | | | 32 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 7.1 | | General Provisions Regarding Securities | | | 32 | |
| | Section 7.2 | | Execution and Authentication | | | 33 | |
| | Section 7.3 | | Form and Dating | | | 33 | |
| | Section 7.4 | | Registrar, Paying Agent and Exchange Agent | | | 34 | |
| | Section 7.5 | | Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust | | | 35 | |
| | Section 7.6 | | Replacement Securities | | | 35 | |
| | Section 7.7 | | Outstanding Capital Securities | | | 36 | |
| | Section 7.8 | | Capital Securities in Treasury | | | 36 | |
| | Section 7.9 | | Temporary Securities | | | 36 | |
| | Section 7.10 | | Cancellation | | | 37 | |
| | Section 7.11 | | CUSIP Numbers | | | 37 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE VIII | | | | |
TERMINATION OF TRUST | | | 37 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 8.1 | | Termination of Trust | | | 37 | |
| | Section 8.2 | | Liquidation Distribution Upon Dissolution or Termination of the Trust | | | 38 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE IX | | | | |
TRANSFER OF INTERESTS | | | 40 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 9.1 | | Transfer of Securities | | | 40 | |
| | Section 9.2 | | Transfer Procedures and Restrictions | | | 40 | |
| | Section 9.3 | | Deemed Security Holders | | | 44 | |
| | Section 9.4 | | Book Entry Interests | | | 44 | |
| | Section 9.5 | | Notices to Clearing Agency | | | 45 | |
| | Section 9.6 | | Appointment of Successor Clearing Agency | | | 45 | |
(ii)
Table of Contents
(continued)
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Page No. |
|
| | | | ARTICLE X | | | | |
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES, TRUSTEES OR OTHERS | | | 45 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 10.1 | | Liability | | | 45 | |
| | Section 10.2 | | Exculpation | | | 46 | |
| | Section 10.3 | | Fiduciary Duty | | | 46 | |
| | Section 10.4 | | Indemnification | | | 47 | |
| | Section 10.5 | | Outside Businesses | | | 49 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE XI | | | | |
ACCOUNTING | | | 50 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 11.1 | | Fiscal Year | | | 50 | |
| | Section 11.2 | | Certain Accounting Matters | | | 50 | |
| | Section 11.3 | | Banking | | | 51 | |
| | Section 11.4 | | Withholding | | | 51 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE XII | | | | |
AMENDMENTS AND MEETINGS | | | 51 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 12.1 | | Amendments | | | 51 | |
| | Section 12.2 | | Meetings of the Holders; Action by Written Consent | | | 53 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE XIII | | | | |
REPRESENTATIONS OF PROPERTY TRUSTEE AND DELAWARE TRUSTEE | | | 55 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 13.1 | | Representations and Warranties of Property Trustee | | | 55 | |
| | Section 13.2 | | Representations and Warranties of Delaware Trustee | | | 55 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE XIV | | | | |
REGISTRATION RIGHTS | | | 56 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 14.1 | | Registration Rights Agreement | | | 56 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | ARTICLE XV | | | | |
MISCELLANEOUS | | | 56 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Section 15.1 | | Notices | | | 56 | |
| | Section 15.2 | | Governing Law | | | 57 | |
| | Section 15.3 | | Intention of the Parties | | | 57 | |
| | Section 15.4 | | Headings | | | 57 | |
| | Section 15.5 | | Successors and Assigns | | | 58 | |
| | Section 15.6 | | Partial Enforceability | | | 58 | |
| | Section 15.7 | | Counterparts | | | 58 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | ANNEX I | | TERMS OF SECURITIES | | | I-1 | |
| | EXHIBIT A-1 | | FORM OF CAPITAL SECURITY CERTIFICATE | | | A1-1 | |
| | EXHIBIT A-2 | | FORM OF COMMON SECURITY CERTIFICATE | | | A2-1 | |
(iii)
CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*
| | | | |
Section of | | | |
Trust Indenture Act | | Section of | |
of 1939, as amended | | Trust Agreement | |
310(a) | | | 5.3 |
310(b) | | | 5.3(c); 5.3(d) |
311(a) | | | 2.2(b) |
311(b) | | | 2.2(b) |
312(a) | | | 2.2(a) |
312(b) | | | 2.2(b) |
313 | | | 2.3 |
314(a) | | | 2.4; 3.6(j) |
314(c) | | | 2.5 |
315(a) | | | 3.9 |
315(b) | | | 2.7(a) |
315(c) | | | 3.9(a) |
315(d) | | | 3.9(b) |
316(a) | | | 2.6 |
316(c) | | | 3.6(e) |
317(a) | | | 3.8(e); 3.8(h) |
317(b) | | | 3.8(i); 7.5 |
| | |
* | | This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of the Trust Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation of any of its terms or provisions. |
AMENDED AND RESTATED
DECLARATION OF TRUST
OF
SOVEREIGN CAPITAL TRUST V
May 22, 2006
AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST (Trust Agreement) dated and effective as of May 22, 2006 by the Trustees (as defined herein), the Sponsor (as defined herein) and by the holders, from time to time, of undivided beneficial interests in the Trust to be issued pursuant to this Trust Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Trustees and the Sponsor established Sovereign Capital Trust V (the Trust), a trust formed under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act pursuant to a Declaration of Trust dated as of March 24, 2004 (the Original Declaration), and a Certificate of Trust filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on April 16, 2004, for the sole purpose of issuing and selling certain securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust and investing the proceeds thereof in certain Notes of the Note Issuer (each as hereinafter defined), and engaging in only those other activities necessary, advisable or incidental thereto;
WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, no interests in the Trust have been issued;
WHEREAS, all of the Trustees and the Sponsor, by this Trust Agreement, amend and restate each and every term and provision of the Original Declaration; and
NOW, THEREFORE, it being the intention of the parties hereto to continue the Trust as a statutory trust under the Statutory Trust Act and that this Trust Agreement constitute the governing instrument of such statutory trust, the Trustees declare that all assets contributed to the Trust will be held in trust for the benefit of the holders, from time to time, of the securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust issued hereunder, subject to the provisions of this Trust Agreement.
1
ARTICLE I
INTERPRETATION AND DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Definitions.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Capitalized terms used in this Trust Agreement but not defined in the preamble above have the respective meanings assigned to them in this Section 1.1;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Trust Agreement has the same meaning throughout;
(c) all references to the Trust Agreement or this Trust Agreement are to this Trust Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
(d) all references in this Trust Agreement to Articles and Sections and Annexes and Exhibits are to Articles and Sections of and Annexes and Exhibits to this Trust Agreement unless otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Trust Agreement unless otherwise defined in this Trust Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires; and
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa.
Administrative Trustee has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.
Affiliate has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 under the Securities Act or any successor rule thereunder.
Agent means any Paying Agent, Registrar or Exchange Agent.
Authorized Officer of a Person means any other Person that is authorized to legally bind such former Person.
Book Entry Interest means a beneficial interest in a Global Certificate registered in the name of a Clearing Agency or its nominee, ownership and transfers of which shall be maintained and made through book entries by a Clearing Agency as described in Section 9.4.
Business Day means any day other than a Saturday or a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are authorized or required by law or executive order to close.
Capital Security Beneficial Owner means, with respect to a Book Entry Interest, a Person who is the beneficial owner of such Book Entry Interest, as reflected on the books of the Clearing Agency, or on the books of a Person maintaining an account with such Clearing
2
Agency (directly as a Clearing Agency Participant or as an indirect participant, in each case in accordance with the rules of such Clearing Agency).
Capital Securities has the meaning specified in Section 7.1(a).
Capital Securities Guarantee means the guarantee agreement dated as of May 22, 2006, by the Sponsor in respect of the Capital Securities.
Clearing Agency means an organization registered as a Clearing Agency pursuant to Section 17A of the Exchange Act that is acting as depositary for the Capital Securities and in whose name or in the name of a nominee of that organization shall be registered a Global Certificate and which shall undertake to effect book entry transfers and pledges of the Capital Securities.
Clearing Agency Participant means a broker, dealer, bank, other financial institution or other Person for whom from time to time the Clearing Agency effects book entry transfers and pledges of securities deposited with the Clearing Agency.
Closing Time means the time of any Closing under the Underwriting Agreement.
Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any successor legislation.
Commission means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission as from time to time constituted, or if at any time after the execution of this Trust Agreement such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under applicable Federal securities laws, then the body performing such duties at such time.
Common Securities has the meaning specified in Section 7.1(a).
Company Indemnified Person means (a) any Administrative Trustee; (b) any Affiliate of any Administrative Trustee; (c) any officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives or agents of any Administrative Trustee; or (d) any officer, employee or agent of the Trust or its Affiliates.
Corporate Trust Office means the office of the Property Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Property Trustee shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which office at the date of execution of this Agreement is located at 101 Barclay Street, 21st Floor, New York, New York 10286.
Coupon Rate has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
Covered Person means: (a) any officer, director, shareholder, partner, member, representative, employee or agent of (i) the Trust or (ii) the Trusts Affiliates; and (b) any Holder of Securities.
Default means an event, act or condition that with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.
3
Definitive Capital Securities shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.3(c).
Delaware Trustee has the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.
Direct Action shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.8(e).
Distribution means a distribution payable to Holders in accordance with Section 6.1.
DTC means The Depository Trust Company, the initial Clearing Agency.
Event of Default in respect of the Securities means an Event of Default (as defined in the Indenture) that has occurred and is continuing in respect of the Notes.
Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor legislation.
Exchange Agent has the meaning set forth in Section 7.4.
Extension Period has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
Federal Reserve Board means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
Fiduciary Indemnified Person has the meaning set forth in Section 10.4(b).
Fiscal Year has the meaning set forth in Section 11.1.
Fourth Supplemental Indenture shall mean the Fourth Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 22, 2006, between the Note Issuer and the Note Trustee.
Global Capital Security has the meaning set forth in Section 7.3(a).
Holder means a Person in whose name a Security is registered.
Indemnified Person means a Company Indemnified Person or a Fiduciary Indemnified Person.
Indenture means the Junior Subordinated Indenture dated as of September 1, 1999, among the Note Issuer and the Note Trustee, as amended from time to time.
Indenture Event of Default means an Event of Default (as such term is defined in the Indenture) under the Indenture.
Interest Payment Date has the meaning set forth in the Fourth Supplemental Indenture.
Investment Company means an investment company as defined in the Investment Company Act.
4
Investment Company Act means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended from time to time, or any successor legislation.
Investment Company Event has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
Legal Action has the meaning set forth in Section 3.6(g).
Like Amount has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
Liquidation Distribution has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
List of Holders has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a).
Majority in liquidation amount means, with respect to the Trust Securities, except as provided in the terms of the Capital Securities or by the Trust Indenture Act, Holder(s) of outstanding Trust Securities voting together as a single class or, as the context may require, Holders of outstanding Capital Securities or Holders of outstanding Common Securities voting separately as a class, who are the record owners of more than 50% of the aggregate liquidation amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are determined) of all outstanding Securities of the relevant class.
90 Day Period has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
No Recognition Opinion has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.
Note Distribution Notice has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2(c).
Note Issuer means Sovereign Bancorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation, or any successor entity resulting from any consolidation, amalgamation, merger or other business combination, in its capacity as issuer of the Notes under the Indenture.
Note Trustee means BNY Midwest Trust Company (successor to Harris Trust and Savings Bank), an Illinois banking corporation, as trustee under the Indenture until a successor is appointed thereunder, and thereafter means such successor trustee.
Notes means the 7.75% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2036 of the Note Issuer issued pursuant to the Indenture.
Officers Certificate means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by any two of the Chairman, a Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, a Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Secretary, or an Assistant Secretary of such Person. Any Officers Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Trust Agreement shall include:
(i) a statement that each officer signing the Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;
5
(ii) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the Certificate;
(iii) a statement that each such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in such officers opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(iv) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
Opinion of Counsel means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of the Sponsor.
Paying Agent has the meaning set forth in Section 7.4.
Payment Amount has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.
Person means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.
Property Trustee has the meaning set forth in Section 5.3(a).
Property Trustee Account has the meaning set forth in Section 3.8(c).
Pro Rata has the meaning set forth in Annex I.
Prospectus has the meaning set forth in Section 3.6(b) hereto.
QIBs shall mean qualified institutional buyers as defined in Rule 144A.
Quorum means a majority of the Administrative Trustees or, if there are only two Administrative Trustees, both of them.
Redemption Date has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
Redemption Notice has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
Redemption Price has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
Registrar has the meaning set forth in Section 7.4.
Registration Statement means the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (333-133514) filed with the Commission on April 25, 2006.
Regulatory Capital Event has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
6
Related Party means, with respect to the Sponsor, any direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Sponsor or any other Person that owns, directly or indirectly, 100% of the outstanding voting securities of the Sponsor.
Responsible Officer means any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Property Trustee, including any vice-president, any assistant vice-president, any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer or other officer of the Corporate Trust Office of the Property Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of that officers knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
Rule 3a-5 means Rule 3a-5 under the Investment Company Act, or any successor rule or regulation.
Rule 144 means Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission.
Rule 144A means Rule 144A under the Securities Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission.
Securities or Trust Securities means the outstanding Common Securities and the outstanding Capital Securities.
Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, or any successor legislation.
Special Event has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
Sponsor means Sovereign Bancorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation, or any successor entity resulting from any merger, consolidation, amalgamation or other business combination, in its capacity as sponsor of the Trust.
Statutory Trust Act means Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code, 12 Del. Code Section 3801 et seq., as it may be amended from time to time, or any successor legislation.
Successor Entity has the meaning set forth in Section 3.15(b)(i).
Super Majority has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6(a)(ii).
Tax Event has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
10% in liquidation amount means, with respect to the Trust Securities, except as provided in the terms of the Capital Securities or by the Trust Indenture Act, Holder(s) of outstanding Trust Securities voting together as a single class or, as the context may require, Holders of outstanding Capital Securities or Holders of outstanding Common Securities voting separately as a class, who are the record owners of 10% or more of the aggregate liquidation
7
amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are determined) of all outstanding Securities of the relevant class.
Treasury Regulations means the income tax regulations, including temporary and proposed regulations, promulgated under the Code by the United States Treasury, as such regulations may be amended from time to time (including corresponding provisions of succeeding regulations).
Trustee or Trustees means each Person who has signed this Trust Agreement as a trustee, so long as such Person shall continue in office in accordance with the terms hereof, and all other Persons who may from time to time be duly appointed, qualified and serving as trustees in accordance with the provisions hereof, and references herein to a Trustee or the Trustees shall refer to such Person or Persons solely in their capacity as trustees hereunder.
Trust Indenture Act means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time to time, or any successor legislation.
Underwriting Agreement means any underwriting or placement agreement for the initial offering and sale of Capital Securities.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
Section 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application.
(a) This Trust Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Trust Agreement in order for this Trust Agreement to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
(b) The Property Trustee shall be the only Trustee which is a Trustee for the purposes of the Trust Indenture Act.
(c) If and to the extent that any provision of this Trust Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.
(d) The application of the Trust Indenture Act to this Trust Agreement shall not affect the Trusts classification as a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes and shall not affect the nature of the Securities as equity securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.
Section 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities.
(a) Each of the Sponsor and the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Trust shall provide the Property Trustee, unless the Property Trustee is Registrar for the Securities, (i) within 14 days after each record date for payment of Distributions, a list, in such form as the Property Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders
8
(List of Holders) as of such record date, provided that neither the Sponsor nor the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Trust shall be obligated to provide such List of Holders at any time the List of Holders does not differ from the most recent List of Holders given to the Property Trustee by the Sponsor and the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Trust, and (ii) at any other time, within 30 days of receipt by the Trust of a written request for a List of Holders as of a date no more than 14 days before such List of Holders is given to the Property Trustee. The Property Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, all information contained in Lists of Holders given to it or which it receives in the capacity as Paying Agent (if acting in such capacity), provided that the Property Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Property Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Sections 311(a), 311(b) and 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 2.3 Reports by the Property Trustee.
Within 60 days after May 30 of each year, commencing May 30, 2007, the Property Trustee shall provide to the Holders of the Capital Securities such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Property Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Property Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Property Trustees receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from the information contained therein.
Section 2.4 Periodic Reports to Property Trustee.
Each of the Sponsor and the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Trust shall provide to the Property Trustee such documents, reports and information as are required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act (if any) and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.
Each of the Sponsor and the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Trust shall provide to the Property Trustee such evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent provided for in this Trust Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act may be given in the form of an Officers Certificate.
Section 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver.
(a) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of Capital Securities may, by vote or written consent, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Capital Securities, waive any past Event of Default in respect of the Capital Securities and its consequences, provided that, if the underlying Indenture Event of Default:
9
(i) is not waivable under the Indenture, the Event of Default under this Trust Agreement shall also not be waivable; or
(ii) requires the consent or vote of greater than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the holders of the Notes (a Super Majority) to be waived under the Indenture, the Event of Default under this Trust Agreement may only be waived by the vote of the Holders of at least the proportion in aggregate liquidation amount of the Capital Securities that the relevant Super Majority represents of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes outstanding.
The foregoing provisions of this Section 2.6(a) shall be in lieu of Section 316(a)(1)(B) of the Trust Indenture Act and such Section 316(a)(1)(B) of the Trust Indenture Act is hereby expressly excluded from this Trust Agreement and the Securities, as permitted by the Trust Indenture Act. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default with respect to the Capital Securities arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Trust Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or an Event of Default with respect to the Capital Securities or impair any right consequent thereon. Any waiver by the Holders of the Capital Securities of an Event of Default with respect to the Capital Securities shall also be deemed to constitute a waiver by the Holders of the Common Securities of any such Event of Default with respect to the Common Securities for all purposes of this Trust Agreement without any further act, vote, or consent of the Holders of the Common Securities.
(b) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Common Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Common Securities, waive any past Event of Default with respect to the Common Securities and its consequences, provided that, if the underlying Indenture Event of Default:
(i) is not waivable under the Indenture, except where the Holders of the Common Securities are deemed to have waived such Event of Default under this Trust Agreement as provided below in this Section 2.6(b), the Event of Default under this Trust Agreement shall also not be waivable; or
(ii) requires the consent or vote of a Super Majority to be waived, except where the Holders of the Common Securities are deemed to have waived such Event of Default under this Trust Agreement as provided below in this Section 2.6(b), the Event of Default under this Trust Agreement may only be waived by the vote of the Holders of at least the proportion in aggregate liquidation amount of the Common Securities that the relevant Super Majority represents of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes outstanding;
provided further, the Holders of Common Securities will be deemed to have waived any such Event of Default and all Events of Default with respect to the Common Securities and its consequences until all Events of Default with respect to the Capital Securities have been cured, waived or otherwise eliminated, and until such Events of Default have been so cured, waived or otherwise eliminated, the Property Trustee will be deemed to be acting solely on behalf of the Holders of the Capital Securities and only the Holders of the Capital Securities will have the right to direct the Property Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Securities. The foregoing
10
provisions of this Section 2.6(b) shall be in lieu of Section 316(a)(1)(A) and 316(a)(1)(B) of the Trust Indenture Act and such Sections 316(a)(1)(A) and 316(a)(1)(B) of the Trust Indenture Act are hereby expressly excluded from this Trust Agreement and the Securities, as permitted by the Trust Indenture Act. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.6(b), upon such waiver, any such default shall cease to exist and any Event of Default with respect to the Common Securities arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Trust Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default with respect to the Common Securities or impair any right consequent thereon.
(c) A waiver of an Event of Default under the Indenture by the Property Trustee, at the direction of the Holders of the Capital Securities, constitutes a waiver of the corresponding Event of Default under this Trust Agreement. The foregoing provisions of this Section 2.6(c) shall be in lieu of Section 316(a)(1)(B) of the Trust Indenture Act and such Section 316(a)(1)(B) of the Trust Indenture Act is hereby expressly excluded from this Trust Agreement and the Securities, as permitted by the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 2.7 Event of Default; Notice.
(a) The Property Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all defaults with respect to the Securities actually known to a Responsible Officer, unless such defaults have been cured before the giving of such notice (the term defaults for the purposes of this Section 2.7(a) being hereby defined to be an Event of Default as defined in the Indenture, not including any periods of grace provided for therein and irrespective of the giving of any notice provided therein); provided that, except for a default in the payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any of the Notes, the Property Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as a Responsible Officer in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders.
(b) The Property Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any default except:
(i) a default under Sections 2.7(a) and 2.7(b) of the Fourth Supplemental Indenture; or
(ii) any default as to which the Property Trustee shall have received written notice or of which a Responsible Officer charged with the administration of the Trust Agreement shall have actual knowledge.
(c) Within five Business Days after the occurrence of any Event of Default under Sections 2.7(a) and 2.7(b) of the Indenture, the Property Trustee shall transmit notice of such Event of Default to the Holders of the Capital Securities, the Administrative Trustees and the Sponsor, unless such Event of Default shall have been cured or waived. The Sponsor and the Administrative Trustees shall file annually with the Property Trustee a certification as to whether or not they are in compliance with all the conditions and covenants applicable to them under this Trust Agreement. The Sponsor or Administrative Trustees shall deliver to the Property Trustee as soon as possible and in any event within five days after the Sponsor or the Administrative Trustees become aware of the occurrence of any Event of Default or an event that, with notice or
11
the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default, an Officers Certificate setting forth the details of such Event of Default or default and the action that the Sponsor or Administrative Trustees propose to take with respect thereto.
ARTICLE III
ORGANIZATION
Section 3.1 Name.
The Trust is named Sovereign Capital Trust V as such name may be modified from time to time by the Administrative Trustees following written notice to the Holders. The Trusts activities may be conducted under the name of the Trust or any other name deemed advisable by the Administrative Trustees.
Section 3.2 Office.
The address of the principal office of the Trust is 1105 North Market Street, 7th Floor, Wilmington, Delaware 19801. On ten Business Days written notice to the Holders of Securities, the Administrative Trustees may designate another principal office.
Section 3.3 Purpose.
The exclusive purposes and functions of the Trust are (a) to issue and sell Securities, (b) use the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to acquire the Notes, (c) pay Distributions to the Holders of the Capital Securities and the Common Securities from the payments on the Notes received by the Trust, and (d) except as otherwise limited herein, to engage in only those other activities necessary, advisable or incidental thereto. The Trust shall not borrow money, issue debt or reinvest proceeds derived from investments, mortgage or pledge any of its assets, or otherwise undertake (or permit to be undertaken) any activity that would cause the Trust not to be classified for United States federal income tax purposes as a grantor trust.
Section 3.4 Authority.
Subject to the limitations provided in this Trust Agreement and to the specific duties of the Property Trustee, the Administrative Trustees shall have exclusive and complete authority to carry out the purposes of the Trust. An action taken by the Administrative Trustees in accordance with their powers shall constitute the act of and serve to bind the Trust, and an action taken by the Property Trustee on behalf of the Trust in accordance with its powers shall constitute the act of and serve to bind the Trust. In dealing with the Trustees acting on behalf of the Trust, no Person shall be required to inquire into the authority of the Trustees to bind the Trust. Persons dealing with the Trust are entitled to rely conclusively on the power and authority of the Trustees as set forth in this Trust Agreement.
Section 3.5 Title to Property of the Trust.
Except as provided in Section 3.8 with respect to the Notes and the Property Trustee Account or as otherwise provided in this Trust Agreement, legal title to all assets of the
12
Trust shall be vested in the Trust. The Holders shall not have legal title to any part of the assets of the Trust, but shall have an undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust.
Section 3.6 Powers and Duties of the Administrative Trustees.
The Administrative Trustees shall have the exclusive power, duty and authority to cause the Trust to engage in the following activities:
(a) to issue and sell the Securities in accordance with this Trust Agreement; provided, however, that (i) the Trust may issue no more than one series of Capital Securities and no more than one series of Common Securities, (ii) there shall be no interests in the Trust other than the Securities, and (iii) the issuance of Securities shall be limited to a simultaneous issuance of both the Capital Securities and Common Securities at a Closing Time;
(b) in connection with the issue and sale of the Capital Securities, at the direction of the Sponsor, to:
(i) prepare and execute, if necessary, a prospectus and prospectus supplement (the Prospectus) in preliminary and final form prepared by the Sponsor, in relation to the offering and sale of Capital Securities, and to execute and file with the Commission, at such time as determined by the Sponsor, any Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto;
(ii) execute and file any documents prepared by the Sponsor, or take any acts as determined by the Sponsor to be necessary in order to qualify or register all or part of the Capital Securities in any State in which the Sponsor has determined to qualify or register such Capital Securities for sale;
(iii) execute and file an application, prepared by the Sponsor, to permit the Capital Securities to trade or be quoted or listed in or on the New York Stock Exchange or any other securities exchange, quotation system or the Nasdaq Stock Markets National Market;
(iv) execute and deliver letters, documents, or instruments with DTC and other Clearing Agencies relating to the Capital Securities;
(v) if required, execute and file with the Commission a registration statement on Form 8-A, including any amendments thereto, prepared by the Sponsor, relating to the registration of the Capital Securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act; and
(vi) execute and enter into the Underwriting Agreement providing for, among other things, the sale and registration of the Capital Securities;
(c) to acquire the Notes with the proceeds of the sale of the Capital Securities and the Common Securities; provided, however, that the Administrative Trustees shall cause legal title to the Notes to be held of record in the name of the Property Trustee for the benefit of the Holders;
13
(d) to give the Sponsor and the Property Trustee prompt written notice of the occurrence of a Special Event;
(e) to establish a record date with respect to all actions to be taken hereunder that require a record date be established, including and with respect to, for the purposes of Section 316(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, Distributions, voting rights, redemptions and exchanges, and to issue relevant notices to the Holders of Capital Securities and Holders of Common Securities as to such actions and applicable record dates;
(f) to take all actions and perform such duties as may be required of the Administrative Trustees pursuant to the terms of the Securities;
(g) to bring or defend, pay, collect, compromise, arbitrate, resort to legal action, or otherwise adjust claims or demands of or against the Trust (Legal Action), unless pursuant to Section 3.8(e) the Property Trustee has the exclusive power to bring such Legal Action;
(h) to employ or otherwise engage employees and agents (who may be designated as officers with titles) and managers, contractors, advisors, and consultants and pay reasonable compensation for such services;
(i) to cause the Trust to comply with the Trusts obligations under the Trust Indenture Act;
(j) to give the certificate required by Section 314(a)(4) of the Trust Indenture Act to the Property Trustee, which certificate may be executed by any Administrative Trustee;
(k) to incur expenses that are necessary or incidental to carry out any of the purposes of the Trust;
(l) to act as, or appoint another Person to act as, Registrar and Exchange Agent for the Securities or to appoint a Paying Agent for the Securities as provided in Section 7.4 except for such time as such power to appoint a Paying Agent is vested in the Property Trustee;
(m) to give prompt written notice to the Property Trustee and to Holders of any notice received from the Note Issuer of its election to defer payments of interest on the Notes by extending the interest payment period under the Indenture;
(n) to take all action that may be necessary or appropriate for the preservation and the continuation of the Trusts valid existence, rights, franchises and privileges as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware and of each other jurisdiction in which such existence is necessary to protect the limited liability of the Holders or to enable the Trust to effect the purposes for which the Trust was created;
(o) to take any action, not inconsistent with this Trust Agreement or with applicable law, that the Administrative Trustees determine in their discretion to be necessary or desirable in carrying out the activities of the Trust as set out in this Section 3.6, including, but not limited to:
14
(i) causing the Trust not to be deemed to be an Investment Company required to be registered under the Investment Company Act;
(ii) causing the Trust to be classified for United States federal income tax purposes as a grantor trust; and
(iii) cooperating with the Note Issuer to ensure that the Notes will be treated as indebtedness of the Note Issuer for United States federal income tax purposes;
(p) to take all action necessary to cause the Capital Securities to be registered pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act;
(q) to take all action necessary to cause all applicable tax returns and tax information reports that are required to be filed with respect to the Trust to be duly prepared and filed by the Administrative Trustees, on behalf of the Trust; and
(r) to execute all documents or instruments, perform all duties and powers, and do all things for and on behalf of the Trust in all matters necessary or incidental to the foregoing.
The Administrative Trustees must exercise the powers set forth in this Section 3.6 in a manner that is consistent with the purposes and functions of the Trust set out in Section 3.3, and the Administrative Trustees shall not take any action that is inconsistent with the purposes and functions of the Trust set forth in Section 3.3.
Subject to this Section 3.6, the Administrative Trustees shall have none of the powers or the authority of the Property Trustee set forth in Section 3.8.
Any expenses incurred by the Administrative Trustees pursuant to this Section 3.6 shall be reimbursed by the Note Issuer.
Section 3.7 Prohibition of Actions by the Trust and the Trustees.
(a) At all times throughout the term of the Trust, all trustees of the Trust will be United States persons and at least one of the trustees will be a bank, within the meaning of section ###-###-####-7(d)(1)(iv)(I)(1) of the Treasury Regulations.
(b) The Trust shall not, and the Trustees (including the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee) shall cause the Trust not to, engage in any activity other than as required or authorized by this Trust Agreement. In particular, the Trust shall not:
(i) invest any proceeds received by the Trust from holding the Notes, but shall distribute all such proceeds to Holders pursuant to the terms of this Trust Agreement and of the Securities;
(ii) acquire any assets other than as expressly provided herein;
(iii) possess Trust property for other than a Trust purpose;
15
(iv) make any loans or incur any indebtedness other than loans represented by the Notes;
(v) possess any power or otherwise act in such a way as to vary the Trust assets or the terms of the Securities in any way whatsoever;
(vi) issue any securities or other evidences of beneficial ownership of, or beneficial interest in, the Trust other than the Securities;
(vii) other than as provided in this Trust Agreement or Annex I, (A) direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding with respect to any remedy available to the Note Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Note Trustee with respect to the Notes, (B) waive any past default that is waivable under the Indenture, or (C) exercise any right to rescind or annul any declaration that the principal of all the Notes shall be due and payable; or
(viii) consent to any amendment, modification or termination of the Indenture or the Notes where such consent shall be required unless the Trust shall have received an opinion of an independent tax counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that such amendment, modification or termination will not cause more than an insubstantial risk that for United States federal income tax purposes the Trust will not be classified as a grantor trust.
Section 3.8 Powers and Duties of the Property Trustee.
(a) The legal title to the Notes shall be owned by and held of record in the name of the Property Trustee in trust for the benefit of the Holders. The right, title and interest of the Property Trustee to the Notes shall vest automatically in each Person who may hereafter be appointed as Property Trustee in accordance with Section 5.7. Such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents with regard to the Notes have been executed and delivered.
(b) The Property Trustee shall not transfer its right, title and interest in the Notes to the Administrative Trustees or to the Delaware Trustee (if the Property Trustee does not also act as Delaware Trustee).
(c) The Property Trustee shall:
(i) establish and maintain a segregated non-interest bearing trust account (the Property Trustee Account) in the name of and under the exclusive control of the Property Trustee on behalf of the Holders and, upon the receipt of payments of funds made in respect of the Notes held by the Property Trustee, deposit such funds into the Property Trustee Account and make payments or cause the Paying Agent to make payments to the Holders from the Property Trustee Account in accordance with Section 6.1. Funds in the Property Trustee Account shall be held uninvested until disbursed in accordance with this Trust Agreement. The Property Trustee Account shall be an account that is maintained with a banking institution the rating on whose long-term unsecured indebtedness by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, as
16
that term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act, is at least investment grade;
(ii) engage in such ministerial activities as shall be necessary or appropriate to effect the redemption of the Trust Securities to the extent the Notes are prepaid, redeemed or mature; and
(iii) upon written notice of distribution issued by the Administrative Trustees in accordance with the terms of the Securities, engage in such ministerial activities as shall be necessary or appropriate to effect the distribution of the Notes to Holders upon the occurrence of certain events.
(d) The Property Trustee shall take all actions and perform such duties as may be specifically required of the Property Trustee pursuant to the terms of this Trust Agreement and the Trust Securities.
(e) Subject to Section 3.9(a), the Property Trustee shall take any Legal Action which arises out of or in connection with an Event of Default of which a Responsible Officer has actual knowledge or the Property Trustees duties and obligations under this Trust Agreement or the Trust Indenture Act, and if such Property Trustee shall have failed to take such Legal Action, the Holders of the Capital Securities may take such Legal Action, to the same extent as if such Holders of Capital Securities held an aggregate principal amount of Notes equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of such Capital Securities, without first proceeding against the Property Trustee or the Trust; provided, however, that if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and such event is attributable to the failure of the Note Issuer to pay the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the Notes on the date such principal, premium, if any, or interest is otherwise payable (or in the case of redemption, on the redemption date), then a Holder of Capital Securities may directly institute a proceeding for enforcement of payment to such Holder of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the Notes having a principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of the Capital Securities of such Holder (a Direct Action) on or after the respective due date specified in the Notes. In connection with such Direct Action, the rights of the Holders of the Common Securities will be subrogated to the rights of such Holder of Capital Securities to the extent of any payment made by the Note Issuer to such Holder of Capital Securities in such Direct Action. Except as provided in the preceding sentences, the Holders of Capital Securities will not be able to exercise directly any other remedy available to the holders of the Notes.
(f) The Property Trustee shall not resign as a Trustee unless either:
(i) the Trust has been completely liquidated and the proceeds of the liquidation have been distributed to the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Securities; or
(ii) a successor Property Trustee has been appointed and has accepted that appointment in accordance with Section 5.7 (a Successor Property Trustee).
(g) The Property Trustee shall have the legal power to exercise all of the rights, powers and privileges of a holder of Notes under the Indenture and, if an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer occurs and is continuing, the Property Trustee shall, for
17
the benefit of Holders, enforce its rights as holder of the Notes subject to the rights of the Holders pursuant to the terms of such Securities to direct the acts of the Property Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Securities as set forth in Annex I hereto.
(h) The Property Trustee shall be authorized to undertake any actions set forth in Section 317(a) of the Trust Indenture Act.
(i) For such time as the Property Trustee is the Paying Agent, the Property Trustee may authorize one or more Persons to act as additional Paying Agents and to pay Distributions, redemption payments or liquidation payments on behalf of the Trust with respect to all Securities, and any such Paying Agent shall comply with Section 317(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any such additional Paying Agent may be removed by the Property Trustee at any time the Property Trustee remains as Paying Agent, and a successor Paying Agent or additional Paying Agents may be (but are not required to be) appointed at any time by the Property Trustee while the Property Trustee is so acting as Paying Agent.
(j) Subject to this Section 3.8, the Property Trustee shall have none of the duties, liabilities, powers or the authority of the Administrative Trustees set forth in Section 3.6.
Notwithstanding anything expressed or implied to the contrary in this Trust Agreement or any Annex or Exhibit hereto, (i) the Property Trustee shall exercise the powers set forth in this Section 3.8 in a manner that is consistent with the purposes and functions of the Trust set out in Section 3.3, and (ii) the Property Trustee shall not take any action that is inconsistent with the purposes and functions of the Trust set out in Section 3.3.
Section 3.9 Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Property Trustee.
(a) The Property Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Trust Agreement and in the Securities and no implied covenants shall be read into this Trust Agreement against the Property Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.6) of which a Responsible Officer has actual knowledge, the Property Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Trust Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(b) No provision of this Trust Agreement shall be construed to relieve the Property Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Property Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Trust Agreement and in the Securities, the Property Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Trust Agreement
18
and in the Securities, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Trust Agreement against the Property Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Property Trustee, the Property Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Property Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Trust Agreement; provided, however, that in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Property Trustee, the Property Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Trust Agreement (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein absent manifest error);
(ii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall be proved that the Property Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
(iii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Property Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Property Trustee under this Trust Agreement;
(iv) no provision of this Trust Agreement shall require the Property Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Trust Agreement or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Property Trustee against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it;
(v) the Property Trustees sole duty with respect to the custody, safe keeping and physical preservation of the Notes and the Property Trustee Account shall be to deal with such property in a similar manner as the Property Trustee deals with similar property for its own account, subject to the protections and limitations on liability afforded to the Property Trustee under this Trust Agreement and the Trust Indenture Act;
(vi) the Property Trustee shall have no duty or liability for or with respect to the value, genuineness, existence or sufficiency of the Notes or the payment of any taxes or assessments levied thereon or in connection therewith;
(vii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any interest on any money received by it except as it may otherwise agree in writing with the Sponsor. Money held by the Property Trustee need not be segregated from other funds held by it except in
19
relation to the Property Trustee Account maintained by the Property Trustee pursuant to Section 3.8(c)(i) and except to the extent otherwise required by law; and
(viii) the Property Trustee shall not be responsible for monitoring the compliance by the Administrative Trustees or the Sponsor with their respective duties under this Trust Agreement, nor shall the Property Trustee be liable for any default or misconduct of the Administrative Trustees or the Sponsor.
Section 3.10 Certain Rights of Property Trustee.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.9:
(i) the Property Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document (whether in its original or facsimile form) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties;
(ii) any direction or act of the Sponsor or the Administrative Trustees contemplated by this Trust Agreement may be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers Certificate;
(iii) whenever in the administration of this Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Property Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and conclusively rely upon an Officers Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Sponsor or the Administrative Trustees;
(iv) the Property Trustee shall have no duty to see to any recording, filing or registration of any instrument (including any financing or continuation statement or any filing under tax or securities laws) or any rerecording, refiling or reregistration thereof;
(v) the Property Trustee may consult with counsel or other experts of its selection, and the advice or opinion of such counsel and experts with respect to legal matters or advice within the scope of such experts area of expertise shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the Sponsor or any of its Affiliates, and may include any of its employees. The Property Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Trust Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction;
(vi) the Property Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Trust Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Property Trustee security and
20
indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Property Trustee, against the costs, expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees and expenses and the expenses of the Property Trustees agents, nominees or custodians) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Property Trustee, provided that nothing contained in this Section 3.10(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the Property Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Trust Agreement;
(vii) the Property Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Property Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation, at the expense of the Note Issuer, into such facts or matters as it may see fit;
(viii) the Property Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, custodians, nominees or attorneys, and the Property Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;
(ix) any action taken by the Property Trustee or its agents hereunder shall bind the Trust and the Holders, and the signature of the Property Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Property Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Trust Agreement, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Property Trustees or its agents taking such action;
(x) whenever in the administration of this Trust Agreement the Property Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Property Trustee (i) may request instructions from the Holders, which instructions may only be given by the Holders of the same proportion in liquidation amount of the Securities as would be entitled to direct the Property Trustee under the terms of the Securities in respect of such remedy, right or action, (ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in conclusively relying on or acting in or accordance with such instructions;
(xi) except as otherwise expressly provided by this Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall not be under any obligation to take any action that is discretionary under the provisions of this Trust Agreement; and
(xii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by it in good faith, without negligence, and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Trust Agreement.
21
(b) No provision of this Trust Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Property Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Property Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts, or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Property Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
Section 3.11 Delaware Trustee.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Trust Agreement other than Section 5.2, the Delaware Trustee shall not be entitled to exercise any powers, nor shall the Delaware Trustee have any of the duties and responsibilities of the Administrative Trustees or the Property Trustee described in this Trust Agreement. Except as set forth in Section 5.2, the Delaware Trustee shall be a Trustee for the sole and limited purpose of fulfilling the requirements of Section 3807 of the Statutory Trust Act.
Section 3.12 Execution of Documents.
Unless otherwise determined by the Administrative Trustees, and except as otherwise required by the Statutory Trust Act, a majority of the Administrative Trustees or, if there are only two, any Administrative Trustee or, if there is only one, such Administrative Trustee is authorized to execute on behalf of the Trust any documents that the Administrative Trustees have the power and authority to execute pursuant to Section 3.6.
Section 3.13 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities.
The recitals contained in this Trust Agreement and the Securities shall be taken as the statements of the Sponsor, and the Trustees do not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustees make no representations as to the value or condition of the property of the Trust or any part thereof. The Trustees make no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Trust Agreement, the Securities, the Notes or the Indenture.
Section 3.14 Duration of Trust.
The Trust, unless terminated pursuant to the provisions of Article VIII hereof, shall have existence up to December 31, 2060.
Section 3.15 Mergers.
(a) The Trust may not merge with or into, consolidate, amalgamate, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, except as described in Section 3.15(b) and (c).
(b) The Trust may, with the consent of the Administrative Trustees but without the consent of the Holders of the Capital Securities, the Property Trustee, or the Delaware Trustee, consolidate, amalgamate, or merge with or into, or be replaced by, a trust if:
(i) the successor entity, if not the Trust, either:
22
(A) expressly assumes all of the obligations of the Trust with respect to the Capital Securities and the Common Securities, or
(B) substitutes for the Capital Securities and the Common Securities other securities having substantially the same terms as the Capital Securities and the Common Securities, so long as the successor securities rank the same as the Capital Securities and the Common Securities in priority with respect to Distributions and payments upon liquidation, redemption, and otherwise;
(ii) the resulting or acquiring entity, if other than the Sponsor, is organized and existing under the laws of the United States or any state or the District of Columbia;
(iii) the Sponsor, as issuer of the Notes, expressly acknowledges a trustee of the successor entity possessing the same powers and duties as the Property Trustee as the holder of the corresponding Notes;
(iv) the Capital Securities or any successor securities are listed, or any successor securities will be listed upon notification of issuance, on any national securities exchange or automated quotation system, if any, on which the Capital Securities are then listed or quoted;
(v) the merger, consolidation, amalgamation, or replacement does not cause the Capital Securities, including any successor securities, to be downgraded by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization;
(vi) the merger, consolidation, amalgamation, or replacement does not adversely affect the rights, preferences, and privileges of the Holders of the Capital Securities and the Common Securities, including any successor securities, in any material respect, other than in connection with any dilution of the Holders interest in the new entity;
(vii) the successor entity has a purpose identical to that of the Trust;
(viii) prior to the merger, consolidation, amalgamation, or replacement, the Sponsor has received an opinion of counsel to the Trust to the effect that:
(A) the merger, consolidation, amalgamation, or replacement does not adversely affect the rights, preferences, and privileges of the Holders of the Capital Securities and the Common Securities, including any successor securities, in any material respect, other than in connection with any dilution of the Holders interest in the new entity;
(B) following the merger, consolidation, amalgamation, or replacement, neither the Trust nor the successor entity will be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act; and
23
(C) following the merger, consolidation, amalgamation, or replacement, the Trust or the successor entity will continue to be classified as a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes; and
(D) the Sponsor guarantees the obligations of the successor entity under the successor securities at least to the extent provided by the guarantees of the Capital Securities and the Common Securities.
(c) The Trust may not, except with the consent of Holders of 100% in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities and the Common Securities, consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or be replaced by any other entity or permit any other entity to consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or replace it if that consolidation, merger, amalgamation, or replacement would cause the Trust or the successor entity to be classified as other than a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes.
ARTICLE IV
SPONSOR
Section 4.1 Sponsors Purchase of Common Securities.
At the Closing Time, the Sponsor will purchase all of the Common Securities then issued by the Trust, in an amount at least equal to approximately, but not less than, 3% of the capital of the Trust, at the same time as the Capital Securities are issued and sold.
Section 4.2 Responsibilities of the Sponsor.
In connection with the issue and sale of the Capital Securities, the Sponsor shall have the exclusive right and responsibility to engage in the following activities:
(a) to prepare the Prospectus and to prepare for filing by the Trust with the Commission any Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto;
(b) to determine the States in which to take appropriate action to qualify or register for sale all or part of the Capital Securities and to do any and all such acts, other than actions which must be taken by the Trust, and advise the Trust of actions it must take, and prepare for execution and filing any documents to be executed and filed by the Trust, as the Sponsor deems necessary or advisable in order to comply with the applicable laws of any such States;
(c) if deemed necessary or advisable by the Sponsor, to prepare for filing by the Trust an application to permit the Capital Securities to trade or be quoted or listed in or on the New York Stock Exchange, or any other securities exchange, quotation system or the Nasdaq Stock Markets National Market;
(d) to prepare for filing by the Trust with the Commission a registration statement on Form 8-A, including any amendments thereto, relating to the registration of the Capital Securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act; and
24
(e) to negotiate the terms of the Underwriting Agreement providing for the sale of the Capital Securities.
Section 4.3 Right to Proceed.
The Sponsor acknowledges the rights of the Holders of Capital Securities, in the event that a failure of the Trust to pay Distributions on the Capital Securities is attributable to the failure of the Company to pay interest or principal on the Notes, to institute a proceeding directly against the Note Issuer for enforcement of its payment obligations on the Notes.
ARTICLE V
TRUSTEES
Section 5.1 Number of Trustees: Appointment of Co-Trustee.
The number of Trustees initially shall be five (5), and:
(a) at any time before the issuance of any Securities, the Sponsor may, by written instrument, increase or decrease the number of Trustees; and
(b) after the issuance of any Securities, the number of Trustees may be increased or decreased by vote of the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Common Securities voting as a class at a meeting of the Holders of the Common Securities;
provided, however, that, the number of Trustees shall in no event be less than two (2); provided further that (1) if required by the Statutory Trust Act, one Trustee, in the case of a natural person, shall be a person who is a resident of the State of Delaware or that, if not a natural person, is an entity which has its principal place of business in the State of Delaware (the Delaware Trustee); (2) there shall be at least one Trustee who is an employee or officer of, or is affiliated with the Sponsor (an Administrative Trustee); and (3) one Trustee shall be the Property Trustee for so long as this Trust Agreement is required to qualify as an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, and such Property Trustee may also serve as Delaware Trustee if it meets the applicable requirements. Notwithstanding the above, unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, at any time or times, for the purpose of meeting the legal requirements of the Trust Indenture Act or of any jurisdiction in which any part of the Trusts property may at the time be located, the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Common Securities acting as a class at a meeting of the Holders of the Common Securities, and the Administrative Trustees shall have power to appoint one or more Persons either to act as a co-trustee, jointly with the Property Trustee, of all or any part of the Trusts property, or to act as separate trustee of any such property, in either case with such powers as may be provided in the instrument of appointment, and to vest in such Person or Persons in such capacity any property, title, right or power deemed necessary or desirable, subject to the provisions of this Trust Agreement. In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Property Trustee alone shall have power to make any such appointment of a co-trustee.
25
Section 5.2 Delaware Trustee.
If required by the Statutory Trust Act, one Trustee (the Delaware Trustee) shall be:
(a) a natural person who is a resident of the State of Delaware; or
(b) if not a natural person, an entity which has its principal place of business in the State of Delaware, and otherwise meets the requirements of applicable law,
provided that, if the Property Trustee has its principal place of business in the State of Delaware and otherwise meets the requirements of applicable law, then the Property Trustee shall also be the Delaware Trustee and Section 3.11 shall have no application.
Section 5.3 Property Trustee; Eligibility.
(a) There shall at all times be one Trustee (the Property Trustee) which shall act as Property Trustee which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Sponsor; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia, or a corporation or Person permitted by the Commission to act as an institutional trustee under the Trust Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to supervision or examination by federal, state, territorial or District of Columbia authority. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority referred to above, then for the purposes of this Section 5.3(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.
(b) If at any time the Property Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under Section 5.3(a), the Property Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set forth in Section 5.7(c).
(c) If the Property Trustee has or shall acquire any conflicting interest within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Property Trustee and the Holder of the Common Securities (as if it were the obligor referred to in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
(d) The Capital Securities Guarantee shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Trust Agreement for purposes of clause (i) of the first provision contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
26
(e) The initial Property Trustee shall be:
The Bank of New York
101 Barclay Street
21st Floor
New York, New York 10286
Attention: Corporate Trust Trustee Administration
Section 5.4 Certain Qualifications of Administrative Trustees and Delaware Trustee Generally.
Each Administrative Trustee and the Delaware Trustee (unless the Property Trustee also acts as Delaware Trustee) shall be either a natural person who is at least 21 years of age or a legal entity that shall act through one or more Authorized Officers.
Section 5.5 Administrative Trustees.
The initial Administrative Trustees shall be:
Thomas Cestare
Larry K. Davis
Thomas R. Brugger
(a) Except as expressly set forth in this Trust Agreement and except if a meeting of the Administrative Trustees is called with respect to any matter over which the Administrative Trustees have power to act, any power of the Administrative Trustees may be exercised by, or with the consent of, any one such Administrative Trustee.
(b) Unless otherwise determined by the Administrative Trustees, and except as otherwise required by the Statutory Trust Act or applicable law, any Administrative Trustee is authorized to execute on behalf of the Trust any documents which the Administrative Trustees have the power and authority to cause the Trust to execute pursuant to Section 3.6, provided, that, the registration statement referred to in Section 3.6, including any amendments thereto, shall be signed by all of the Administrative Trustees; and
(c) An Administrative Trustee may, by power of attorney consistent with applicable law, delegate to any other natural person over the age of 21 his or her power for the purposes of signing any documents which the Administrative Trustees have power and authority to cause the Trust to execute pursuant to Section 3.6.
Section 5.6 Delaware Trustee.
The initial Delaware Trustee shall be:
The Bank of New York (Delaware)
23 White Clay Center
Route 273
Newark, Delaware 19711
27
Section 5.7 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Trustees.
(a) Subject to Section 5.7(b) and to Section 6(b) of Annex I hereto, Trustees may be appointed or removed without cause at any time:
(i) until the issuance of any Securities, by written instrument executed by the Sponsor;
(ii) unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing after the issuance of any Securities, by vote of the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Common Securities voting as a class at a meeting of the Holders of the Common Securities; and
(iii) if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing after the issuance of the Securities, with respect to the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, by vote of Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities voting as a class at a meeting of Holders of the Capital Securities.
(b)
(i) The Trustee that acts as Property Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 5.7(a) until a Successor Property Trustee (Successor Property Trustee) has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Property Trustee and delivered to the Administrative Trustees and the Sponsor; and
(ii) the Trustee that acts as Delaware Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with this Section 5.7(a) until a successor Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Delaware Trustee under Sections 5.2 and 5.4 (a Successor Delaware Trustee) has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor Delaware Trustee and delivered to the Administrative Trustees and the Sponsor.
(c) A Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until his successor shall have been appointed or until his death, removal or resignation. Any Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing signed by the Trustee and delivered to the Sponsor and the Trust, which resignation shall take effect upon such delivery or upon such later date as is specified therein; provided, however, that:
(i) No such resignation of the Trustee that acts as the Property Trustee shall be effective:
(A) until a Successor Property Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument executed by such Successor Property Trustee and delivered to the Trust, the Sponsor and the resigning Property Trustee; or
28
(B) until the assets of the Trust have been completely liquidated and the proceeds thereof distributed to the Holders; and
(ii) no such resignation of the Trustee that acts as the Delaware Trustee shall be effective until a Successor Delaware Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument executed by such Successor Delaware Trustee and delivered to the Trust, the Sponsor and the resigning Delaware Trustee.
(d) The Holders of the Common Securities or, if an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing after the issuance of the Securities, the Holders of the Capital Securities, shall use their best efforts to promptly appoint a Successor Delaware Trustee or Successor Property Trustee, as the case may be, if the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee delivers an instrument of resignation in accordance with this Section 5.7.
(e) If no Successor Property Trustee or Successor Delaware Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 5.7 within 30 days after delivery of an instrument of resignation or removal, the Property Trustee or Delaware Trustee resigning or being removed, as applicable, may petition, at the expense of the Note Issuer, any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Property Trustee or Successor Delaware Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, appoint a Successor Property Trustee or Successor Delaware Trustee, as the case may be.
(f) No Property Trustee or Delaware Trustee shall be liable for the acts or omissions to act of any Successor Property Trustee or Successor Delaware Trustee, as the case may be.
Section 5.8 Vacancies among Trustees.
If a Trustee ceases to hold office for any reason and the number of Trustees is not reduced pursuant to Section 5.1, or if the number of Trustees is increased pursuant to Section 5.1, a vacancy shall occur. A resolution certifying the existence of such vacancy by the Administrative Trustees or, if there are more than two, a majority of the Administrative Trustees shall be conclusive evidence of the existence of such vacancy. The vacancy shall be filled with a Trustee appointed in accordance with Section 5.7.
Section 5.9 Effect of Vacancies.
The death, resignation, retirement, removal, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation, incompetence or incapacity to perform the duties of a Trustee shall not operate to dissolve, terminate or annul the Trust. Whenever a vacancy in the number of Administrative Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled by the appointment of an Administrative Trustee in accordance with Section 5.7, the Administrative Trustees in office, regardless of their number, shall have all the powers granted to the Administrative Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed upon the Administrative Trustees by this Trust Agreement.
29
Section 5.10 Meetings.
If there is more than one Administrative Trustee, meetings of the Administrative Trustees shall be held from time to time upon the call of any Administrative Trustee. Regular meetings of the Administrative Trustees may be held at a time and place fixed by resolution of the Administrative Trustees. Notice of any in-person meetings of the Administrative Trustees shall be hand delivered or otherwise delivered in writing (including by facsimile, with a hard copy by overnight courier) not less than 24 hours before such meeting. Notice of any telephonic meetings of the Administrative Trustees or any committee thereof shall be hand delivered or otherwise delivered in writing (including by facsimile, with a hard copy by overnight courier) not less than 24 hours before a meeting. Notices shall contain a brief statement of the time, place and anticipated purposes of the meeting. The presence (whether in person or by telephone) of an Administrative Trustee at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting except where an Administrative Trustee attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any activity on the ground that the meeting has not been lawfully called or convened. Unless provided otherwise in this Trust Agreement, any action of the Administrative Trustees may be taken at a meeting by vote of a majority of the Administrative Trustees present (whether in person or by telephone) and eligible to vote with respect to such matter, provided that a Quorum is present, or without a meeting by the unanimous written consent of the Administrative Trustees. In the event there is only one Administrative Trustee, any and all action of such Administrative Trustee shall be evidenced by a written consent of such Administrative Trustee.
Section 5.11 Delegation of Power.
(a) Any Administrative Trustee may, by power of attorney consistent with applicable law, delegate to any other natural person over the age of 21 his or her power for the purpose of executing any documents contemplated in Section 3.6, including any registration statement or amendment thereto filed with the Commission, or making any other governmental filing; and
(b) the Administrative Trustees shall have power to delegate from time to time to such of their number or to officers of the Trust the doing of such things and the execution of such instruments either in the name of the Trust or the names of the Administrative Trustees or otherwise as the Administrative Trustees may deem expedient, to the extent such delegation is not prohibited by applicable law or contrary to the provisions of the Trust, as set forth herein.
Section 5.12 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.
Any Person into which the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee or any Administrative Trustee that is not a natural person, as the case may be, may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, shall be the successor of the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, hereunder, provided such Person shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto.
30
ARTICLE VI
DISTRIBUTIONS
Section 6.1 Distributions.
(a) Holders shall receive Distributions in accordance with the applicable terms of the relevant Holders Securities. If and to the extent that the Note Issuer makes a payment of interest (including Compounded Interest (as defined in the Indenture)), premium and/or principal on the Notes held by the Property Trustee or any other payments with respect to the Notes held by the Property Trustee (the amount of any such payment being a Payment Amount), the Property Trustee shall and is directed, to the extent funds are available for that purpose, to make a distribution (a Distribution) of the Payment Amount to Holders.
(b) Payment of Distributions on, any payment of the Redemption Price upon a redemption of, and the any liquidation distribution in respect of, the Securities shall be made on a Pro Rata basis based on the aggregate liquidation amount of the outstanding Securities; provided that if, on any date on which payment of a Distribution or the Redemption Price is to be made, an Indenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, then such payment shall not be made on any of the Common Securities, and no other payment on account of the redemption, liquidation or other acquisition of such Common Securities shall be made, until all accumulated and unpaid Distributions or payments of the Redemption Price, as the case may be, on all of the outstanding Capital Securities for which Distributions are to be paid or that have been called for redemption, as the case may be, are fully paid. All funds available to the Property Trustee shall first be applied to the payment in full in cash of all Distributions on, or the Redemption Price of, the Capital Securities then due and payable.
Section 6.2 Distribution of Notes in Exchange for Securities.
(a) Provided that OTS approval is obtained, if then required, the Sponsor may, at any time, dissolve the Trust and, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of the Trust as provided by applicable law, cause the Notes held by the Property Trustee to be distributed to the Holders in liquidation of such Holders interests in the Trust on a Pro Rata basis, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days notice, and, simultaneous with such distribution, to cause a Like Amount of the Securities to be exchanged by the Trust on a Pro Rata basis.
(b) Notice of any distribution of Notes in exchange for the Securities (a Note Distribution Notice), which notice shall be irrevocable, shall be given by the Trust by mail to each Holder of Securities not fewer than 30 nor more than 60 days before the date of distribution of the Notes. A Note Distribution Notice shall be deemed to be given on the day such notice is first mailed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to Holders. No defect in the Note Distribution Notice or in the mailing of the Note Distribution Notice with respect to any Holder shall affect the validity of the exchange proceedings with respect to any other Holder.
Each Note Distribution Notice shall be sent by the Property Trustee on behalf of the Trust to:
31
(i) in respect of the Capital Securities, the Clearing Agency or its nominee (or any successor Clearing Agency or its nominee) if the Global Capital Securities have been issued or the Holders thereof if Definitive Capital Securities have been issued, and
(ii) in respect of the Common Securities, the Holder (or Holders) thereof.
(c) On and from the date fixed by the Property Trustee for any distribution of Notes and liquidation of the Trust:
(i) the Securities no longer shall be deemed to be outstanding;
(ii) the Clearing Agency or its nominee (or any successor Clearing Agency or its nominee), as the Holder of the Capital Securities, will receive a registered global certificate or certificates representing the Notes to be delivered upon such distribution; and
(iii) any certificates representing Securities not held by the Clearing Agency or its nominee (or any successor Clearing Agency or its nominee) shall be deemed to represent Notes having an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of such Securities and bearing accrued and unpaid interest in an amount equal to the accumulated and unpaid Distributions on such Securities, until such certificates are presented for cancellation and exchange, at which time the Note Issuer shall issue and deliver in exchange therefor, and the Note Trustee shall authenticate, a certificate representing such Notes.
ARTICLE VII
ISSUANCE OF SECURITIES
Section 7.1 General Provisions Regarding Securities.
(a) The Administrative Trustees shall on behalf of the Trust issue one class of capital securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust having such terms as are set forth in Annex I (the Capital Securities) and one class of common securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust having such terms as are set forth in Annex I (the Common Securities).
(b) The consideration received by the Trust for the issuance of the Securities shall constitute a contribution to the capital of the Trust and shall not constitute a loan to the Trust.
(c) Upon issuance of the Securities as provided in this Trust Agreement, the Securities so issued shall be deemed to be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(d) Every Person, by virtue of having become a Holder or a Capital Security Beneficial Owner in accordance with the terms of this Trust Agreement, shall be deemed to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms of, and shall be bound by, this Trust Agreement.
32
Section 7.2 Execution and Authentication.
(a) The Securities shall be signed on behalf of the Trust by an Administrative Trustee by manual or facsimile signature. In case any Administrative Trustee of the Trust who shall have signed any of the Securities shall cease to be such Administrative Trustee before the Securities so signed shall be delivered by the Trust, such Securities nevertheless may be delivered as though the person who signed such Securities had not ceased to be such Administrative Trustee; and any Securities may be signed on behalf of the Trust by such persons who, at the actual date of execution of such Security, shall be the Administrative Trustees of the Trust, although at the date of the execution and delivery of the Trust Agreement any such person was not such a Administrative Trustee.
(b) One Administrative Trustee shall sign the Securities for the Trust by manual or facsimile signature.
A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of an authorized signatory of the Property Trustee. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Trust Agreement.
Upon a written order of the Trust signed by one Administrative Trustee, the Property Trustee shall authenticate the Securities for original issue. The aggregate number of Capital Securities outstanding at any time shall not exceed the number set forth in the Terms in Annex I hereto except as provided in Section 7.6.
The Property Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Trust to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Property Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Trust Agreement to authentication by the Property Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as the Property Trustee to deal with the Sponsor or an Affiliate.
Section 7.3 Form and Dating.
The Capital Securities shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 and the Common Securities shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A-2, each of which is hereby incorporated in and expressly made a part of this Trust Agreement. The Property Trustees certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibits A-1 and A-2. Certificates representing the Securities may be printed, lithographed or engraved or may be produced in any other manner as is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Trustees, as evidenced by their execution thereof. The Securities may have letters, CUSIP or other numbers, notations or other marks of identification or designation and such legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule, agreements to which the Trust is subject, if any, or usage (provided that any such notation, legend or endorsement is in a form acceptable to the Trust). The Trust at the direction of the Sponsor shall furnish any such legend not contained in Exhibit A-1 to the Property Trustee in writing. Each Capital Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. The terms and provisions of the Securities set forth in Annex I and the forms of Securities set forth in Exhibits A-1 and A-2 are part of the terms of this Trust Agreement and to the extent applicable, the Property Trustee and the Sponsor, by their execution and delivery of this Trust Agreement, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.
33
(a) Global Securities. Securities may be issued in the form of one or more permanent global Securities in definitive, fully registered form without distribution coupons with the appropriate global legends (a Global Capital Security), which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Capital Securities represented thereby with the Property Trustee, at its New York office, as custodian for the Clearing Agency, and registered in the name of the Clearing Agency or a nominee of the Clearing Agency, duly executed by the Trust and authenticated by the Property Trustee as herein provided. The number of Capital Securities represented by a Global Capital Security may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Property Trustee and the Clearing Agency or its nominee as hereinafter provided.
(b) Book-Entry Provisions. This Section 7.3(b) shall apply only to the Global Capital Securities and such other Capital Securities in global form as may be authorized by the Trust to be deposited with or on behalf of the Clearing Agency.
The Trust shall execute and the Property Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section 7.3, authenticate and make available for delivery initially one or more Global Capital Securities that (i) shall be registered in the name of Cede & Co. or other nominee of such Clearing Agency and (ii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Clearing Agency or pursuant to such Clearing Agencys written instructions or held by the Property Trustee as custodian for the Clearing Agency.
Members of, or participants in, the Clearing Agency (Participants) shall have no rights under this Trust Agreement with respect to any Global Capital Security held on their behalf by the Clearing Agency or by the Property Trustee as the custodian of the Clearing Agency or under such Global Capital Security, and the Clearing Agency may be treated by the Trust, the Property Trustee and any agent of the Trust or the Property Trustee as the absolute owner of such Global Capital Security for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Trust, the Property Trustee or any agent of the Trust or the Property Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Clearing Agency or impair, as between the Clearing Agency and its Participants, the operation of customary practices of such Clearing Agency governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Global Capital Security.
(c) Definitive Capital Securities. Except as provided in Section 7.9 or 9.2(e)(i), owners of beneficial interests in a Global Capital Security will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated Capital Securities (Definitive Capital Securities).
(d) Authorized Denominations. The Capital Securities are issuable only in denominations of $25.00 and any integral multiple thereof.
Section 7.4 Registrar, Paying Agent and Exchange Agent.
The Trust shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, (i) an office or agency where Capital Securities may be presented for registration of transfer (Registrar), (ii) an office or agency where Capital Securities may be presented for payment (Paying Agent) and (iii) an office or agency where Securities may be presented for exchange (Exchange Agent). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Capital Securities and of their
34
transfer. The Trust may appoint the Registrar, the Paying Agent and the Exchange Agent and may appoint one or more co-registrars, one or more additional paying agents and one or more additional exchange agents in such other locations as it shall determine. The term Registrar includes any additional registrar, Paying Agent includes any additional paying agent and the term Exchange Agent includes any additional exchange agent. The Trust may change any Paying Agent, Registrar, co-registrar or Exchange Agent without prior notice to any Holder. The Paying Agent shall be permitted to resign as Paying Agent upon 30 days written notice to the Administrative Trustees. The Trust shall notify the Property Trustee of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Trust Agreement. If the Trust fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar, Paying Agent or Exchange Agent, the Property Trustee shall act as such. The Trust or any of its Affiliates may act as Paying Agent, Registrar, or Exchange Agent. The Trust shall act as Paying Agent, Registrar, co-registrar, and Exchange Agent for the Common Securities.
The Trust initially appoints the Property Trustee as Registrar, Paying Agent, and Exchange Agent for the Capital Securities.
Section 7.5 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.
The Trust shall require each Paying Agent other than the Property Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust for the benefit of Holders or the Property Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of liquidation amounts or Distributions, and will notify the Property Trustee if there are insufficient funds for such purpose. While any such insufficiency continues, the Property Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Property Trustee. The Trust at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Property Trustee and to account for any money disbursed by it. Upon payment over to the Property Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Trust or an Affiliate of the Trust) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Trust or the Sponsor or an Affiliate of the Trust or the Sponsor acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders all money held by it as Paying Agent.
Section 7.6 Replacement Securities.
If a Holder claims that a Security owned by it has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken or if such Security is mutilated and is surrendered to the Trust, or in the case of the Capital Securities to the Property Trustee, the Trust shall issue and the Property Trustee shall, upon written order of the Trust, authenticate a replacement Security if the Property Trustees and the Trusts requirements, as the case may be, are met. An indemnity bond must be provided by the Holder which, in the judgment of the Property Trustee, is sufficient to protect the Trustees, the Sponsor, the Trust or any authenticating agent from any loss which any of them may suffer if a Security is replaced. The Trust may charge such Holder for its expenses in replacing a Security.
Every replacement Security is an additional beneficial interest in the Trust.
35
Section 7.7 Outstanding Capital Securities.
The Capital Securities outstanding at any time are all the Capital Securities authenticated by the Property Trustee except for those cancelled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, and those described in this Section as not outstanding.
If a Capital Security is paid, purchased or replaced pursuant to Section 7.6 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Property Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced, paid or purchased Capital Security is held by a bona fide purchaser.
If Capital Securities are considered paid in accordance with the terms of this Trust Agreement, they cease to be outstanding and Distributions on them shall cease to accumulate.
A Capital Security does not cease to be outstanding because one of the Trust, the Sponsor or an Affiliate of the Sponsor holds the Security.
Section 7.8 Capital Securities in Treasury.
In determining whether the Holders of the required amount of Securities have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Capital Securities owned by the Trust, the Sponsor or an Affiliate of the Sponsor, as the case may be, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Property Trustee shall be fully protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Property Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.
Section 7.9 Temporary Securities.
(a) Until Definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Trust may prepare and, in the case of the Capital Securities, the Property Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of Definitive Securities but may have variations that the Trust considers appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Trust shall prepare and, in the case of the Capital Securities, the Property Trustee shall authenticate Definitive Securities in exchange for temporary Securities.
(b) A Global Capital Security deposited with the Clearing Agency or with the Property Trustee as custodian for the Clearing Agency pursuant to Section 7.3 shall be transferred to the beneficial owners thereof in the form of certificated Capital Securities only if such transfer complies with Section 9.2 and (i) the Clearing Agency notifies the Sponsor that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Clearing Agency for such Global Capital Security or if at any time such Clearing Agency ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and a clearing agency is not appointed by the Sponsor within 90 days of such notice, (ii) a Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or (iii) the Trust at its sole discretion elects to cause the issuance of certificated Capital Securities.
(c) Any Global Capital Security that is transferable to the beneficial owners thereof in the form of certificated Capital Securities pursuant to this Section 7.9 shall be surrendered by the Clearing Agency to the Property Trustee located in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, to be so transferred, in whole or from time to time in part,
36
without charge, and the Property Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, upon such transfer of each portion of such Global Capital Security, an equal aggregate liquidation amount of Securities of authorized denominations in the form of certificated Capital Securities. Any portion of a Global Capital Security transferred pursuant to this Section shall be registered in such names as the Clearing Agency shall direct.
(d) Subject to the provisions of Section 7.9(c), the Holder of a Global Capital Security may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person, including Participants and Persons that may hold interests through Participants, to take any action which such Holder is entitled to take under this Trust Agreement or the Securities.
(e) In the event of the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 7.9(b), the Trust will promptly make available to the Property Trustee a reasonable supply of certificated Capital Securities in fully registered form without distribution coupons.
Section 7.10 Cancellation.
The Trust at any time may deliver Capital Securities to the Property Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar, Paying Agent and Exchange Agent shall forward to the Property Trustee any Capital Securities surrendered to them for registration of transfer, redemption, exchange or payment. The Property Trustee shall promptly cancel all Capital Securities, surrendered for registration of transfer, redemption, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and shall dispose of cancelled Capital Securities as the Trust directs, provided that the Property Trustee shall not be obligated to destroy Capital Securities. The Trust may not issue new Capital Securities to replace Capital Securities that it has paid or that have been delivered to the Property Trustee for cancellation or that any Holder has exchanged.
Section 7.11 CUSIP Numbers.
The Trust in issuing the Capital Securities may use CUSIP numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Property Trustee shall use CUSIP numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders of Capital Securities; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Capital 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 Capital Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Sponsor will promptly notify the Property Trustee of any change in the CUSIP numbers.
ARTICLE VIII
TERMINATION OF TRUST
Section 8.1 Termination of Trust.
(a) The Trust shall automatically terminate:
(i) upon the bankruptcy of the Sponsor;
37
(ii) upon the filing of a certificate of dissolution or liquidation or its equivalent with respect to the Sponsor; or the revocation of the Sponsors charter and the expiration of 90 days after the date of revocation without a reinstatement thereof;
(iii) upon the consent of the Holders of at least a Majority in aggregate liquidation amount of the Capital Securities and Common Securities voting together as a single class to dissolve the Trust;
(iv) following the distribution of a Like Amount (as defined in Annex I hereto) of the Notes to the Holders, provided that, the Property Trustee has received written notice from the Sponsor directing the Property Trustee to terminate the Trust (which direction is optional, and except as otherwise expressly provided below, within the discretion of the Sponsor) and provided, further, that such direction and such distribution is conditioned on the receipt by the Sponsor of any required regulatory approval;
(v) upon the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Sponsor or the Trust by a court of competent jurisdiction;
(vi) when all of the Securities shall have been called for redemption and the amounts necessary for redemption thereof shall have been paid to the Holders in accordance with the terms of the Securities;
(vii) upon the repayment of the Notes or at such time as no Notes are outstanding; or
(viii) the expiration of the term of the Trust provided in Section 3.14.
(b) As soon as is practicable after the occurrence of an event referred to in Section 8.1(a), the Administrative Trustees shall file a certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.
(c) The provisions of Section 3.9 and Article X shall survive the termination of the Trust.
Section 8.2 Liquidation Distribution Upon Dissolution or Termination of the Trust.
(a) In the event of any voluntary or involuntary dissolution or termination of the Trust pursuant to Section 8.1(a)(i), 8.1(a)(ii), 8.1(a)(iii), 8.1(a)(iv), or 8.1(a)(v) (each a Liquidation), the Trust shall be liquidated by the Administrative Trustees as expeditiously as the Administrative Trustees determine to be possible by distributing to the Holders, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of the Trust, if any, as provided by applicable law, Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate stated liquidation amount of, with an interest rate identical to the Distribution rate of, and accrued and unpaid interest equal to accumulated and unpaid Distributions on, such Securities in exchange for such Securities.
(b) If, notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 8.2, distribution of the Notes in the manner set forth in Section 8.2(a) is determined by the Property Trustee not to be practical, the assets of the Trust shall be liquidated, and the Trust shall be wound-up by the
38
Property Trustee in such manner as the Property Trustee determines. In such event, the Holders shall be entitled to receive out of the assets of the Trust available for distribution to the Holders, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of the Trust as provided by applicable law, an amount equal to the liquidation amount of the Securities plus accumulated and unpaid Distributions thereon to the date of payment (such amount being the Liquidation Distribution). If, upon any such Liquidation, the Liquidation Distribution can be paid only in part because the Trust has insufficient assets available to pay the aggregate Liquidation Distribution in full, then the amounts payable directly by the Trust on the Securities shall be paid on a Pro Rata basis, provided that if an Indenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, then the Capital Securities shall have a preference over the Common Securities with regard to the Liquidation Distribution.
(c) Notice of any distribution of Notes in exchange for the Securities (an Exchange Notice), which notice shall be irrevocable, shall be given by the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Trust by mail to each Holder at least 30 but no more than 60 days before the date fixed for such distribution. For purposes of the calculation of the date of distribution and the dates on which notices are given pursuant to this Section 8.2(c), an Exchange Notice shall be deemed to be given on the day such notice is first mailed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders. Each Exchange Notice shall be addressed to the Holders at the address of each such Holder appearing on the books and records of the Trust. No defect in the Exchange Notice or in the mailing thereof with respect to any Holder shall affect the validity of the distribution proceedings with respect to any other Holder.
(d) On and after the date fixed for any distribution of Notes upon dissolution of the Trust:
(i) the Securities no longer shall be deemed to be outstanding;
(ii) the Clearing Agency or its nominee (or any successor Clearing Agency or its nominee), as the Holder of the Capital Securities, will receive a registered global certificate or certificates representing the Notes to be delivered upon such distribution; and
(iii) any certificates representing Securities not held by the Clearing Agency or its nominee (or any successor Clearing Agency or its nominee) shall be deemed to represent Notes having an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of such Securities and bearing accrued and unpaid interest in an amount equal to the accumulated and unpaid Distributions on such Securities, until such certificates are presented for exchange, transfer, or reissuance, at which time the Note Issuer shall issue, and the Note Trustee shall authenticate, a certificate representing such Notes.
39
ARTICLE IX
TRANSFER OF INTERESTS
Section 9.1 Transfer of Securities.
(a) Securities may only be transferred, in whole or in part, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Trust Agreement and in the terms of the Securities. Any transfer or purported transfer of any Security not made in accordance with this Trust Agreement shall be null and void.
(b) Subject to this Article IX, Capital Securities may only be transferred, in whole or in part, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Trust Agreement. Any transfer or purported transfer of any Security not made in accordance with this Trust Agreement shall be null and void.
(c) For so long as the Capital Securities remain outstanding, the Sponsor covenants (i) to maintain, directly or indirectly, ownership of 100% of the Common Securities of the Trust; provided, however, that any permitted successor of the Sponsor under the Indenture may succeed to the Sponsors ownership of such Common Securities, (ii) to use reasonable efforts to cause the Trust (a) to remain a statutory trust, except in connection with the distribution of Notes to the Holders of Trust Securities in liquidation of the Trust, the redemption of all of the Trust Securities, or certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations, each as permitted by this Trust Agreement, and (b) otherwise not to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or partnership for United States federal income tax purposes, (iii) to use its reasonable efforts to cause each Holder of the Trust Securities to be treated as owning an undivided beneficial interest in the corresponding Notes, and (iv) to use reasonable best efforts to ensure that the Trust will not be an Investment Company required to be registered under the Investment Company Act.
(d) The Administrative Trustees shall provide for the registration of Securities and the transfer of Securities, which will be effected without charge but only upon payment (with such indemnity as the Administrative Trustees may require) in respect of any tax or other governmental charges that may be imposed in relation to such transfer. Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Securities, the Administrative Trustees shall cause one or more new Securities to be issued in the name of the designated transferee or transferees. Every Security surrendered for registration of transfer shall be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Administrative Trustees duly executed by the Holder or such Holders attorney duly authorized in writing. Each Security surrendered for registration of transfer shall be canceled by the Property Trustee (in the case of Capital Securities) or the Trust (in the case of Common Securities). A transferee of a Security shall be entitled to the rights and subject to the obligations of a Holder hereunder upon the receipt by such transferee of a Security. By acceptance of a Security, each transferee shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound by this Trust Agreement.
Section 9.2 Transfer Procedures and Restrictions.
(a) General. No transfer or exchange of a Definitive Capital Security or of an interest in the Global Capital Security shall be effective unless the transferor delivers to the Trust
40
a certificate in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as the form of Assignment in Exhibit A-1.
(b) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Capital Securities. When Definitive Capital Securities are presented to the Registrar or co-Registrar
(x) to register the transfer of such Definitive Capital Securities; or
(y) to exchange such Definitive Capital Securities which became mutilated, destroyed, defaced, stolen or lost, for an equal number of Definitive Capital Securities,
the Registrar or co-registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange as requested if its reasonable requirements for such transaction are met; provided, however, that the Definitive Capital Securities surrendered for transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trust and the Registrar or co-registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
(c) Restrictions on Transfer of a Definitive Capital Security for a Beneficial Interest in a Global Capital Security. A Definitive Capital Security may not be exchanged for a beneficial interest in a Global Capital Security except upon satisfaction of the requirements set forth below. Upon receipt by the Property Trustee of a Definitive Capital Security, duly endorsed or accompanied by appropriate instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Property Trustee, together with written instructions directing the Property Trustee to make, or to direct the Clearing Agency to make, an adjustment on its books and records with respect to the appropriate Global Capital Security to reflect an increase in the number of the Capital Securities represented by such Global Capital Security, then the Property Trustee shall cancel such Definitive Capital Security and cause, or direct the Clearing Agency to cause, the aggregate number of Capital Securities represented by the appropriate Global Capital Security to be increased accordingly. If no Global Capital Securities are then outstanding, the Trust shall issue and the Property Trustee shall authenticate, upon written order of any Administrative Trustee, an appropriate number of Capital Securities in global form.
(d) Transfer and Exchange of Global Capital Securities. Subject to Section 9.2(e), the transfer and exchange of Global Capital Securities or beneficial interests therein shall be effected through the Clearing Agency, in accordance with this Trust Agreement (including applicable restrictions on transfer set forth herein, if any) and the procedures of the Clearing Agency therefor.
(e) Transfer of a Beneficial Interest in a Global Capital Security for a Definitive Capital Security.
(i) Any Person having a beneficial interest in a Global Capital Security may upon request, but only upon 20 days prior notice to the Property Trustee, and if accompanied by the information specified below, exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Capital Security representing the same number of Capital Securities. Upon receipt by the Property Trustee from the Clearing Agency or its nominee on behalf of any Person having a beneficial interest in a Global Capital Security of written instructions or
41
paid, from May 22, 2006, and will be payable quarterly in arrears on February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 of each year, commencing on August 15, 2006 (each, a Distribution Date), except as otherwise described below. Distributions will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months and for any period less than a full calendar month on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in such month. The Note Issuer has the right under the Indenture to defer payments of interest by extending the interest payment period at any time and from time to time on the Notes for a period not exceeding 20 consecutive quarters, including the first such quarter during such period (each an Extension Period), during which Extension Period no interest shall be due and payable on the Notes, provided that no Extension Period shall end on a date other than an Interest Payment Date for the Notes or extend beyond the Maturity Date of the Notes. As a consequence of such deferral, Distributions will also be deferred. Despite such deferral, Distributions will continue to accumulate with additional Distributions thereon (to the extent permitted by applicable law but not at a rate greater than the rate at which interest is then accruing on the Notes) at the Coupon Rate, compounded quarterly, during any such Extension Period. Prior to the termination of any such Extension Period, the Note Issuer may further defer payments of interest by further extending such Extension Period; provided that such Extension Period, together with all such previous and further extensions within such Extension Period, may not exceed 20 consecutive quarters, including the first quarter during such Extension Period, or extend beyond the Maturity Date of the Notes. Upon the termination of any Extension Period and the payment of all amounts then due, the Note Issuer may commence a new Extension Period, subject to the above requirements.
(c) Distributions on the Securities will be payable to the Holders thereof as they appear on the books and records of the Trust on the fifteenth (15th) day of the month in which the relevant Distribution Date occurs, which Distribution Dates correspond to the interest payment dates on the Notes; provided, however, that in the event that the only Holder is DTC or any successor Clearing Agency, Distributions on the Securities will be payable to the Holder thereof as they appear on the records of the Trust on the Business Day immediately preceding the relevant Distribution Date. Subject to any applicable laws and regulations and the provisions of the Trust Agreement, each such payment in respect of the Capital Securities will be made as described under the heading Description of the Capital Securities in the Prospectus Supplement dated May 15, 2006, of the Note Issuer and the Trust relating to the Securities and the Notes. The relevant record dates for the Common Securities shall be the same as the record dates for the Capital Securities. Distributions payable on any Securities that are not punctually paid on any Distribution Date, as a result of the Note Issuer having failed to make a payment under the Notes, will cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant record date, and such defaulted Distribution will instead be payable to the Person in whose name such Securities are registered on the special record date or other specified date determined in accordance with the Indenture. If any date on which Distributions are payable on the Securities is not a Business Day, then payment of the Distribution payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any such delay), except that if such next succeeding Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar year, such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such date.