PAYMENT AND GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
THIS
PAYMENT AND GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the “Guarantee”), dated as of
September , 2009, is executed and delivered by
Banco Santander S.A., a sociedad anónima incorporated under the
laws of the Kingdom of Spain (the “Guarantor”), and will be
executed and accepted by the Issuer (as defined below), as issuer of the Series
10 Preferred Securities (as defined below) and each Registrar, Transfer Agent
and Paying Agent (as defined below) for the benefit of the Holders (as defined
below).
WHEREAS,
the Guarantor desires to cause the Issuer to issue the Series 10 Preferred
Securities and the Guarantor desires to issue this Guarantee for the benefit of
the Holders, as provided herein; and
WHEREAS,
the Guarantor desires hereby irrevocably and unconditionally to agree to pay to
the Holders the Guarantee Payments (as defined below) and to make certain other
payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase of Series 10 Preferred Securities
and the Guarantee by each Holder, which the Guarantor hereby agrees shall
benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee for
the benefit of the Holders.
ARTICLE
1
As used
in this Guarantee, the following terms shall, unless the context otherwise
requires, have the following meanings:
“Bank Shares” means the
ordinary shares of the Guarantor.
“Distributable Profits” means,
for any fiscal year, the reported net profit (calculated in compliance with the
regulations of the Bank of Spain) of the Guarantor, determined after tax and
extraordinary items for such year, as derived from the non-consolidated audited
profit and loss account of the Guarantor, irrespective of whether shareholders’
meeting approval is still pending, prepared in accordance with generally
applicable accounting standards in Spain and Bank of Spain requirements and
guidelines, each as in effect at the time of such preparation. In the event that
on any Distribution payment date, the audit of the non-consolidated profit and
loss account has not been completed, the reference to be used to calculate the
Distributable Profits will be the balance of the unaudited non-consolidated
profit and loss account of the Guarantor as reported in the financial statements
delivered to the Bank of Spain in respect of December 31st of the preceding
fiscal year.
“Distribution Period” means the
period from and including one Distribution payment date (or, in the case of the
first Distribution Period, the issuance date) to but excluding the next
Distribution payment date.
“Group” means the Guarantor
together with its consolidated subsidiaries.
“Guarantee Payments” means
(without duplication) (i) any accrued but unpaid Distributions for the most
recent Distribution Period; (ii) the Redemption Price payable with respect to
any Series 10 Preferred Securities redeemed by the Issuer thereof; and (iii) the
Liquidation Distributions due on the Liquidation Date, in each case subject to
the limitations contained in Section 2.01 hereof.
“Holder” shall mean any holder
from time to time of any Series 10 Preferred Securities of the Issuer; provided,
however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite percentage of
the Series 10 Preferred Securities have given any request, notice, consent or
waiver hereunder, Holder shall not include the Guarantor or any Subsidiary (as
defined below) of the Guarantor (including the Issuer).
“Issuer” shall mean Santander
Finance Preferred, S.A. Unipersonal, a sociedad anónima incorporated
under the laws of the Kingdom of Spain.
“Liquidation Date” shall mean
the date of final distribution of the assets of the Issuer in the case of a
winding up of the Issuer (whether voluntary or involuntary).
“Liquidation Distributions”
means, with respect to each of the Series 10 Preferred Securities, the
liquidation preference per preferred security as provided by the terms thereof,
plus accrued and unpaid Distributions, if any, to the Liquidation
Date.
“Preferred Securities” means
(as the case may be) any preferred securities (participaciones preferentes)
issued under Spanish Law 13/1985, or other securities or instruments equivalent
to preferred securities issued by the Issuer, or by any other Subsidiary of the
Guarantor, which are entitled to the benefit of a guarantee ranking pari passu with the
Guarantor’s obligations under this Guarantee, or any such securities or
instruments issued by the Guarantor and ranking pari passu with the
Guarantor’s obligations under this Guarantee.
“Redemption Price” shall mean
with respect to each Series 10 Preferred Security the amount required under the
terms thereof to be paid to a Holder upon the redemption of such Series 10
Preferred Security, including any accrued and unpaid Distributions, if any, to
the redemption date.
2
“Series 10 Preferred
Securities” means the 10.5% Non-Cumulative Guaranteed Series 10 Preferred
Securities (par value $25 per security) of the Issuer, the Holders of which are
entitled to the benefits of this Guarantee as evidenced by the execution of an
acceptance in the form attached hereto.
“Subsidiary” of the Guarantor
means any entity in which the majority of the voting stock is owned directly or
indirectly (through a Subsidiary) by the Guarantor.
ARTICLE
2
Section
2.01(a) Subject to the limitations contained in the following paragraphs of this
Section 2.01, the Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in
full to the Holders, the Guarantee Payments (except to the extent paid by the
Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense, right of set-off or
counterclaim which the Issuer may have or assert. This Guarantee is continuing,
irrevocable, unconditional and absolute.
(b) Notwithstanding
Section 2.01(a), the Guarantor shall not be obligated to make any Guarantee
Payment in respect of Distributions (including accrued and unpaid Distributions
relating to the Redemption Price or Liquidation Distributions) on any Series 10
Preferred Securities if the aggregate of such Distribution, together with (a)
any other distributions previously paid during the then-current fiscal year
(defined as the accounting year of the Guarantor) and (b) any distributions
proposed to be paid during the then-current Distribution Period, in each case on
or in respect of Preferred Securities (including the Series 10 Preferred
Securities) would exceed the Distributable Profits of the immediately preceding
fiscal year. Moreover, even if Distributable Profits are sufficient, the
Guarantor shall not be obligated to make any payments hereunder to the extent
that, in accordance with applicable Spanish banking regulations relating to
capital adequacy requirements affecting financial institutions which fail to
meet their required capital ratios on a parent company only or on a consolidated
basis, the Guarantor would be prevented at such time from making payments on
Bank Shares or on Preferred Securities issued by the Guarantor.
(c) Notwithstanding
Section 2.01(a), if, at the time that any Liquidation Distributions are to be
paid pursuant to this Guarantee in respect of each of the Series 10 Preferred
Securities, proceedings are pending or have been commenced for the voluntary or
involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Guarantor or for a
reduction in the Guarantor’s shareholders’ equity pursuant to Article 169 of the
Spanish Corporations Act (Ley
de Sociedades Anónimas), then payments for such Liquidation Distributions
and any liquidation distributions
3
(d) If
the payments described in Section 2.01(a) are not payable in full due to the
limitations referred to in Section 2.01(b) or (c), such amounts shall be made
pro rata among the
holders of Preferred Securities in the proportion that the amount available for
payment bears to the full amount that would have been payable, had there been no
such limitation.
Section
2.02. The Guarantor
hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee and of any liability to
which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, protest, notice
of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices
and demands.
Section
2.03. The obligations,
covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee shall in
no way be affected or impaired by reason of the occurrence from time to time of
any of the following:
(a) the
release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or
observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or
condition relating to the Series 10 Preferred Securities to be performed or
observed by the Issuer;
(b) the
extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or any portion of the
Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distributions or any other sums
payable under the terms of the Series 10 Preferred Securities or the extension
of time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or in
connection with, such Series 10 Preferred Securities;
(c) any
failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of Holders to enforce,
assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the
Holders pursuant to the terms of the Series 10 Preferred Securities, or any
action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any
kind;
4
(e) any
invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Series 10 Preferred Securities;
or
(f) the
settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby or hereby
incurred.
There
shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain consent of,
the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
Section
2.04. This is a
guarantee of payment and not of collection. A Holder may enforce this Guarantee
directly against the Guarantor, and the Guarantor waives any right or remedy to
require that any action be brought against the Issuer or any other person or
entity before proceeding against the Guarantor. Subject to Section 2.05, all
waivers herein contained shall be without prejudice to the Holders’ right at the
Holders’ option to proceed against the Issuer, whether by separate action or by
joinder. The Guarantor agrees that this Guarantee shall not be discharged except
by payment of the Guarantee Payments in full and by complete performance of all
obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee.
Section
2.05. The Guarantor
shall be subrogated to all rights of the Holders against the Issuer in respect
of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee and
shall have the right to waive payment of any amount of Distributions in respect
of which payment has been made to the Holders by the Guarantor pursuant to
Section 2.01; provided, however that the Guarantor shall not (except to the
extent required by mandatory provisions of law) exercise any rights which it may
acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other
agreement, in all cases as a result of a payment under this Guarantee, if, at
the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this
Guarantee. If any amount on the Series 10 Preferred Securities is paid to the
Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to pay
such amount to the Holders.
Section
2.06. Subject to
applicable law and regulations and the requirements of any stock exchange on
which the Series 10 Preferred Securities may at the time be listed, the
Guarantor, at its sole option, shall be entitled to purchase Series 10 Preferred
Securities from any Holder, as a whole but not in part, to the extent that the
Issuer may purchase any Series 10 Preferred Securities.
Section
2.07. The Guarantor
acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are several and independent of the
obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Preferred Securities and that the
Guarantor shall be liable as principal and sole
5
Section
2.08. The Guarantor
represents and warrants that, subject to applicable laws, its obligations
hereunder rank and will at all times rank (a) junior to all liabilities of the
Guarantor, including subordinated liabilities (other than any guarantee or
contractual right expressed to rank equally with or junior to this Guarantee),
(b) pari passu with the
most senior Preferred Securities which could have been issued by the Guarantor,
if any, and any obligations of the Guarantor under any guarantee issued by it
relating to any Preferred Securities issued by any Subsidiary and (c) senior to
the Bank Shares.
Each
Holder by its acquisition of Series 10 Preferred Securities will be deemed
to waive all other priorities that Spanish law or regulations may confer at any
time including those arising under articles 92 and 158 of Law 22/2003 of 9 July
0000 (Xxx Xxxxxxxxx),
if any.
ARTICLE
3
Section
3.01. The Guarantor
agrees not to issue any preferred securities or other securities equivalent to
preferred securities ranking senior to its obligations hereunder and agrees not
to guarantee payments on preferred securities of any direct or indirect
Subsidiary of the Guarantor if that guarantee would rank senior to this
Guarantee (including, without limitation, any guarantee that would provide a
priority of payment with respect to Distributable Profits) unless this Guarantee
is amended to give the Holders of Series 10 Preferred Securities such rights and
entitlements as are contained in or attached to such preferred securities or
securities equivalent to preferred securities or such other guarantee, so that
this Guarantee ranks equally with, and contains substantially equivalent rights
of priority on payment of Distributable Profits if any, as such preferred
securities or securities equivalent to preferred securities or other
guarantee.
Section
3.02. The Guarantor
agrees that if any amount required to be paid pursuant to this Guarantee in
respect of a Distribution payable during the most recent Distribution Period has
not been paid, whether by reason of the limitations of Section 2.01(b) hereof or
otherwise, then (i) no dividends (other than in the form of the Bank Shares or
other shares of the Guarantor ranking junior to obligations of the Guarantor
under this Guarantee) will be declared or paid or set apart for payment, or (ii)
other distribution made, upon the Bank Shares or any other shares of the
Guarantor ranking junior to the obligations of the Guarantor under this
Guarantee, and (iii) the Guarantor will not redeem, repurchase or otherwise
acquire for any consideration (including any amounts to be paid or made
available for a sinking fund for redemption of any Bank Shares), Bank Shares or
any other shares of the Guarantor ranking junior to the obligations
of
6
Section
3.03. The Guarantor
further agrees to maintain ownership of 100% of the ordinary shares of the
Issuer, directly or indirectly, as long as any Series 10 Preferred Securities
are outstanding and not to permit or take any action to cause the liquidation,
dissolution or winding-up of the Issuer except in the event of the liquidation,
dissolution or winding-up of the Bank or of a reduction in the Bank’s
shareholders’ equity pursuant to Article 169 of the Spanish Corporations Act
(Ley de Sociedades
Anónimas).
ARTICLE
4
This
Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon payment in
full of the Redemption Price of all outstanding Series 10 Preferred Securities,
upon purchase and cancellation of all Series 10 Preferred Securities, or upon
payment of the Liquidation Distributions and liquidation of the Issuer;
provided, however, that this Guarantee shall continue to be effective or shall
be reinstated (as the case may be) if at any time a Holder of a Series 10
Preferred Securities is required to restore payment of any sums paid on such
Series 10 Preferred Securities or under this Guarantee.
ARTICLE
5
Section
5.01. All guarantees
and agreements contained in this Guarantee shall bind the successors, assigns,
receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the
benefit of the Holders. The Guarantor shall not assign its obligations hereunder
without the prior approval of the Holders of not less than two-thirds in
liquidation preference of the outstanding Series 10 Preferred Securities or by
resolution adopted at a special general meeting of holders (Junta General Especial de
Partícipes) and approved by Holders of at least two-thirds of the
liquidation preference of the outstanding Series 10 Preferred Securities;
provided, however, that the foregoing shall not preclude the Guarantor from
merging or consolidating with, or transferring or otherwise assigning all or
substantially all of its assets to, a banking organization or any other entity
permitted by applicable laws without obtaining any approval of such
Holders.
Section
5.02. Except for those
changes (a) required by Section 3.01 hereof, (b) which do not adversely affect
the rights of Holders or (c) necessary or
7
Section
5.03. Any notice,
request or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder to
the Guarantor shall be given in writing by delivering the same against receipt
therefor or by telex or facsimile transmission (confirmed by mail) addressed to
the Guarantor, as follows (and if so given, shall be deemed given upon receipt
of an answer back, if sent by telex, or upon mailing of confirmation, if given
by facsimile transmission):
Banco
Santander, S.A.
Ciudad
Grupo Santander
Xxxxxxx
xx Xxxxxxxxx
00000
Xxxxxxxx xxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx
Facsimile:
x00 00-000-00-00
Attention: Emisiones
Corporativas
The
address of the Guarantor may be changed at any time and from time to time and
shall be the most recent such address furnished in writing by the Guarantor to
the Registrar, Transfer Agent and Paying Agent.
Any
notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be given
hereunder to the Holders shall be given by the Guarantor in the same manner as
notices sent by the Issuer to Holders of the Series 10 Preferred
Securities.
Section
5.04. This Guarantee is
solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately transferable from
the Series 10 Preferred Securities. The Issuer may include on the share
certificates representing Series 10 Preferred Securities a legend in
substantially the following form:
THE
HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY IS ENTITLED TO THE BENEFITS, AND IS SUBJECT TO THE
LIMITATIONS, OF THE PAYMENT AND GUARANTEE AGREEMENT, DATED AS
OF
, 2009 (THE “GUARANTEE”), EXECUTED AND
DELIVERED BY BANCO SANTANDER, S.A. (THE “GUARANTOR”) FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE
HOLDERS FROM TIME TO TIME OF THIS SECURITY. COPIES OF THE GUARANTEE ARE
AVAILABLE UPON WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE SECRETARY OF SANTANDER
FINANCE PREFERRED, S.A. UNIPERSONAL (THE “ISSUER”).
8
Section
5.05. The Guarantor
will furnish any Holder, upon request of such Holder, with a copy of its annual
report, and any interim reports, made generally available by the Guarantor to
holders of the Bank Shares.
Section
5.06. This Guarantee
shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of
New York except for matters related to the ranking of this Guarantee, which
shall be governed by Spanish Law.
Section
5.07. The Guarantor
agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding brought by any Holder arising
out of or based upon this Guarantee may be instituted in any state or federal
court in the City and State of New York, and waives any objection that it may
now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding, and
irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such
suit, action or proceeding. The Guarantor has appointed its New York Branch,
located at 00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, as its authorized
agent (the “Authorized
Agent”) upon which process may be served in any action based on this
Guarantee that may be instituted in any state or federal court in the City and
State of New York by any Holder, and expressly accepts the jurisdiction of any
such court, but only in respect of claims arising out of or based upon this
Guarantee. The Guarantor represents and warrants that its New York Branch has
agreed to act as said agent for service of process and agrees to take any and
all action, including the filing of any and all documentation and instruments,
that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect as
aforesaid. If said agent shall cease to act in such capacity, the Guarantor will
appoint without delay another such agent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
action based on this Guarantee may be instituted by any Holder in any competent
court in Spain.
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BANCO
SANTANDER, S.A.
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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The undersigned hereby agrees that the Series 10 Preferred
Securities are entitled to the benefits of this Payment and Guarantee Agreement
dated as of September ,
2009.
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SANTANDER
FINANCE PREFERRED,
S.A.
UNIPERSONAL
(Issuer)
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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The
undersigned hereby agrees to act as Registrar, Transfer Agent and Paying Agent
with respect to the Series 10 Preferred Securities and is not otherwise a
party to the Payment and Guarantee Agreement and shall have no duties other than
those of Registrar, Transfer Agent and Paying Agent with respect to the
Series 10 Preferred Securities.
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THE
BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON as Registrar, Transfer Agent and Paying
Agent
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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This
acceptance may be executed in counterparts
