EXHIBIT 4.1
PEOPLE'S BANCSHARES, INC.
AND
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
AS TRUSTEE
INDENTURE
______% SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES DUE 2027
DATED AS OF _________________________, 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
----
ARTICLE I. Definitions..................................................................2
Section 1.1. Definitions of Terms..............................................2
ARTICLE II. Issue, Description, Terms, Conditions Registration and Exchange of the
Debentures .................................................................9
Section 2.1 Designation and Principal Amount...................................9
Section 2.2. Maturity.........................................................10
Section 2.3. Form and Payment.................................................11
Section 2.4. [Intentionally Omitted]..........................................11
Section 2.5. Interest.........................................................11
Section 2.6. Execution and Authentications....................................12
Section 2.7. Registration of Transfer and Exchange. ..........................13
Section 2.8. Temporary Debentures.............................................13
Section 2.9. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Debentures. ................14
Section 2.10. Cancellation....................................................15
Section 2.11. Benefit of Indenture............................................15
Section 2.12. Authentication Agent............................................15
ARTICLE III. Redemption of Debentures .................................................16
Section 3.1. Redemption.......................................................16
Section 3.2. Special Event Redemption.........................................16
Section 3.3. Optional Redemption by Company...................................17
Section 3.4. Notice of Redemption.............................................17
Section 3.5. Payment Upon Redemption..........................................18
Section 3.6. No Sinking Fund..................................................19
ARTICLE IV. Extension of Interest Payment Period ......................................19
Section 4.1. Extension of Interest Payment Period. ...........................19
Section 4.2. Notice of Extension..............................................19
Section 4.3. Limitation on Transactions.......................................20
ARTICLE V. Particular Covenants of the Company ........................................20
Section 5.1. Payment of Principal And Interest. ..............................20
Section 5.2. Maintenance of Agency............................................20
Section 5.3. Paying Agents....................................................21
Section 5.4. Appointment To Fill Vacancy in Office of Trustee. ...............22
Section 5.5. Compliance with Consolidation Provisions. .......................22
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Section 5.6. Limitation on Transactions.......................................22
Section 5.7. Covenants as to the Trust........................................22
Section 5.8. Covenants as to Purchases........................................23
ARTICLE VI. Debentureholders' Lists and Reports by the Company and the Trustee ........23
Section 6.1. Company To Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of
Debentureholders.................................................23
Section 6.2. Preservation of Information Communications with Debentureholders.23
Section 6.3. Reports by the Company...........................................24
Section 6.4. Reports by the Trustee...........................................24
ARTICLE VII. Remedies of the Trustee and Debentureholders on Event of Default 25
Section 7.1. Events of Default................................................25
Section 7.2. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee..26
Section 7.3. Application of Moneys Collected..................................28
Section 7.4. Limitation on Suits..............................................28
Section 7.5. Rights and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission Not Waiver ....29
Section 7.6. Control by Debentureholders......................................29
Section 7.7. Undertaking to Pay Costs.........................................30
ARTICLE VIII. Form of Debenture and Original Issue ....................................30
Section 8.1. Form of Debenture................................................30
Section 8.2. Original Issue of Debentures.....................................30
ARTICLE IX. Concerning the Trustee ....................................................31
Section 9.1. Certain Duties and Responsibilities Trustee. ....................31
Section 9.2. Notice of Defaults...............................................32
Section 9.3. Certain Rights of Trustee........................................32
Section 9.4. Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals, Etc. ......................33
Section 9.5. May Hold Debentures..............................................34
Section 9.6. Moneys Held in Trust.............................................34
Section 9.7. Compensation and Reimbursement...................................34
Section 9.8. Reliance on Officers' Certificate. ..............................35
Section 9.9. Disqualification; Conflicting Interests. ........................35
Section 9.10. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. .......................35
Section 9.11. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor 35
Section 9.12. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. ........................37
Section 9.13. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business ....37
Section 9.14. Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Company ..........37
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ARTICLE X. Concerning the Debentureholders ............................................38
Section 10.1. Evidence of Action by Holders...................................38
Section 10.2. Proof of Execution by Debentureholders. ........................38
Section 10.3. Who May Be Deemed Owners........................................39
Section 10.4. Certain Debentures Owned by Company Disregarded. ...............39
Section 10.5. Actions Binding on Future Debentureholders. ....................39
ARTICLE XI. Supplemental Indentures ...................................................40
Section 11.1. Supplemental Indentures Without the Consent of Debentureholders.40
Section 11.2. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Debentureholders. ......41
Section 11.3. Effect of Supplemental Indentures. .............................41
Section 11.4. Debentures Affected by Supplemental Indentures. ................41
Section 11.5. Execution of Supplemental Indentures. ..........................42
ARTICLE XII. Successor Corporation ....................................................42
Section 12.1. Company May Consolidate, Etc....................................42
Section 12.2. Successor Corporation Substituted. .............................43
Section 12.3. Evidence of Consolidation, Etc. to Trustee. ....................43
ARTICLE XIII. Satisfaction and Discharge ..............................................43
Section 13.1. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. 43
Section 13.2. Discharge of Obligations........................................44
Section 13.3. Deposited Moneys To Be Held in Trust ...........................44
Section 13.4. Payment of Monies Held by Paying Agents ........................44
Section 13.5. Repayment to Company............................................45
ARTICLE XIV. Immunity of Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors ..........45
Section 14.1. No Recourse.....................................................45
ARTICLE XV. Miscellaneous Provisions ..................................................46
Section 15.1. Effect on Successors and Assigns. ..............................46
Section 15.2. Actions by Successor............................................46
Section 15.3. Surrender of Company Powers.....................................46
Section 15.4. Notices.........................................................46
Section 15.5. Governing Law...................................................46
Section 15.6. Treatment of Debentures as Debt. ...............................46
Section 15.7. Compliance Certificates and Opinions. ..........................47
Section 15.8. Payments on Business Days.......................................47
Section 15.9. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. .............................47
Section 15.10. Counterparts...................................................47
Section 15.11. Separability...................................................47
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Section 15.12. Assignment.....................................................48
Section 15.13. Acknowledgment of Rights; Right of Setoff. ....................48
ARTICLE XVI. Subordination of Debentures ..............................................48
Section 16.1. Agreement to Subordinate........................................48
Section 16.2. Default on Senior Debt, Subordinated Debt or Additional Senior
Obligations..................................................49
Section 16.3. Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy. ..........................50
Section 16.4. Subrogation.....................................................51
Section 16.5. Trustee To Effectuate Subordination. ...........................52
Section 16.6. Notice by the Company...........................................52
Section 16.7. Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness. .........53
Section 16.8. Subordination May Not Be Impaired. .............................53
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CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE
Section of
Trust Indenture Act Section of
of 1939, as amended Indenture
------------------- ---------
310(a)...................................................................................................9.10
310(b)..............................................................................................9.9, 9.11
310(c).........................................................................................Not Applicable
311(a)...................................................................................................9.14
311(b)...................................................................................................9.14
311(c).........................................................................................Not Applicable
312(a)........................................................................................... 6.1, 6.2(a)
312(b)................................................................................................ 6.2(c)
312(c)................................................................................................ 6.2(c)
313(a)................................................................................................ 6.4(a)
313(b)................................................................................................ 6.4(b)
313(c).........................................................................................6.4(a), 6.4(b)
313(d).................................................................................................6.4(c)
314(a).................................................................................................6.3(a)
314(b).........................................................................................Not Applicable
314(c)...................................................................................................15.7
314(d).........................................................................................Not Applicable
314(e)...................................................................................................15.7
314(f).........................................................................................Not Applicable
315(a)............................................................................................9.1(a), 9.3
315(b)....................................................................................................9.2
315(c).................................................................................................9.1(a)
315(d).................................................................................................9.1(b)
315(e)....................................................................................................7.7
316(a)...............................................................................................1.1, 7.6
316(b).................................................................................................7.4(b)
316(c)................................................................................................10.1(b)
317(a)....................................................................................................7.2
317(b)....................................................................................................5.3
318(a)...................................................................................................15.9
Note: This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of this Indenture and
shall not affect the interpretation of any of its terms or provisions.
5
INDENTURE
INDENTURE, dated as of __________, 1997, between PEOPLE'S
BANCSHARES, INC., a Massachusetts corporation (the "Company"), and STATE STREET
BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a trust company duly organized and existing under the
laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as property trustee (the "Trustee");
RECITALS
WHEREAS, for its lawful corporate purposes, the Company has
duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the
issuance of securities to be known as its ____% Subordinated Debentures due 2027
(hereinafter referred to as the "Debentures"), the form and substance of such
Debentures and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as
provided in this Indenture;
WHEREAS, People's Bancshares Capital Trust, a Delaware
statutory business trust (the "Trust"), has offered to the public up to $13.8
million aggregate liquidation amount of its Preferred Securities (as defined
herein) and proposes to invest the proceeds from such offering, together with
the proceeds of the issuance and sale by the Trust to the Company of up to
$427,000 aggregate liquidation amount of its Common Securities (as defined
herein), in $14,227,000 aggregate principal amount of the Debentures; and
WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Trustee execute
and deliver this Indenture; and
WHEREAS, all requirements necessary to make this Indenture a
valid instrument in accordance with its terms, and to make the Debentures, when
executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the
valid obligations of the Company, have been
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performed, and the execution and delivery of this Indenture have been duly
authorized in all respects:
WHEREAS, to provide the terms and conditions upon which the
Debentures are to be authenticated, issued and delivered, the Company has duly
authorized the execution of this Indenture; and
WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid
agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been don .
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
purchase of the Debentures by the holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and
agreed as follows for the equal and ratable benefit of the holders of the
Debentures:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
SECTION 1.1. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS.
The terms defined in this Section 1.1 (except as in this
Indenture otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires)
for all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto
shall have the respective meanings specified in this Section 1.1 and shall
include the plural as well as the singular. All other terms used in this
Indenture that are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, or that are by reference
in the Trust Indenture Act defined in the Securities Act (except as herein
otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires), shall
have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Trust Indenture Act and in the
Securities Act as in force at the date of the execution of this instrument. All
accounting terms used herein and not expressly defined shall have the meanings
assigned to such terms in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles.
2
"Accelerated Maturity Date" means if the Company elects to
accelerate the Maturity Date in accordance with Section 2.2(c), the date
selected by the Company which is prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date, but is
after June 30, 2002.
"Additional Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.5.
"Additional Senior Obligations" means all indebtedness of the
Company whether incurred on or prior to the date of this Indenture or thereafter
incurred, for claims in respect of derivative products such as interest and
foreign exchange rate contracts, commodity contracts and similar arrangements;
provided, however, that Additional Senior Obligations does not include claims in
respect of Senior Debt or Subordinated Debt or obligations which, by their
terms, are expressly stated to be not superior in right of payment to the
Debentures or to rank pari passu in right of payment with the Debentures. For
purposes of this definition, "claim" shall have the meaning assigned thereto in
Section 101(4) of the United States Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended.
"Administrative Trustees" shall have the meaning set forth in
the Trust Agreement.
"Affiliate" means, with respect to a specified Person, (a) any
Person directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding with power to vote
10% or more of the outstanding voting securities or other ownership interests of
the specified Person; (b) any Person 10% or more of whose outstanding voting
securities or other ownership interests are directly or indirectly owned,
controlled or held with power to vote by the specified Person; (c) any Person
directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with
the specified Person; (d) a partnership in which the specified Person is a
general partner; (e) any officer or director of the specified Person; and (f) if
the specified Person is an individual, any entity of which the specified Person
is an officer, director or general partner.
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"Authenticating Agent" means an authenticating agent with
respect to the Debentures appointed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 2.12.
"Bankruptcy Law" means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar
federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
"Board of Directors" means the Board of Directors of the
Company or any duly authorized committee of such Board.
"Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution certified by
the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted
by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such
certification.
"Business Day" means, with respect to the Debentures, any day
other than a Saturday or a Sunday or a day on which federal or state banking
institutions in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, are authorized
or required by law, executive order or regulation to close, or a day on which
the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or the Property Trustee is closed for
business.
"Capital Treatment Event" means the receipt by the Trust of an
Opinion of Counsel, rendered by a law firm experienced in such matters to the
effect that, as a result of any amendment to or any change (including any
announced prospective change) in the laws (or any regulations thereunder) of the
United States or any political subdivision thereof or therein, or as a result of
any official administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or
applying such laws or regulations, which amendment or change is effective or
such proposed change, pronouncement or decision is announced on or after the
date of issuance of the Preferred Securities under the Trust Agreement, there is
more than an insubstantial risk of impairment of the Company's ability to treat
the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities (or any substantial
portion thereof) as "Tier 1 Capital" (or the then equivalent thereof) for
purposes of the capital adequacy guidelines of the Federal Reserve, as then
applicable to the Company,
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provided, however, that the inability of the Company to treat all or any portion
of the Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities as Tier 1 Capital shall
not constitute the basis for a Capital Treatment Event if such inability results
from the Company having cumulative preferred capital in excess of the amount
which may qualify for treatment as Tier 1 Capital under applicable capital
adequacy guidelines of the Federal Reserve.
"Certificate" means a certificate signed by the principal
executive officer, the principal financial officer, the principal accounting
officer, the treasurer or any vice president of the Company. The Certificate
need not comply with the provisions of Section 15.7.
"Change in 1940 Act Law" shall have the meaning set forth in
the definition of "Investment Company Event."
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as
from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or, if at any
time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and
performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the
body performing such duties at such time.
"Common Securities" means undivided beneficial interests in
the assets of the Trust which rank pari passu with the Preferred Securities;
provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, the rights
of holders of Common Securities to payment in respect of (i) distributions, and
(ii) payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise, are subordinated to
the rights of holders of Preferred Securities.
"Company" means People's Bancshares, Inc., a corporation duly
organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and,
subject to the provisions of Article XII, shall also include its successors and
assigns.
"Compounded Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1.
5
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Trustee at
which, at any particular time, its corporate trust business shall be principally
administered, which office at the date hereof is located at Two International
Place, 4th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, Attention: Corporate Trust
Department.
"Coupon Rate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5.
"Custodian" means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator,
or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
"Debentures" shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals
hereto.
"Debentureholder," "holder of Debentures," "registered
holder," or other similar term, means the Person or Persons in whose name or
names a particular Debenture shall be registered on the books of the Company or
the Trustee kept for that purpose in accordance with the terms of this
Indenture.
"Debenture Register" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.7(b).
"Debenture Registrar" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.7(b).
"Debt" means with respect to any Person, whether recourse is
to all or a portion of the assets of such Person and whether or not contingent,
(i) every obligation of such Person for money borrowed; (ii) every obligation of
such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments,
including obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition of property,
assets or businesses; (iii) every reimbursement obligation of such Person with
respect to letters of credit, bankers' acceptances or similar facilities issued
for the account of such Person; (iv) every obligation of such Person issued or
assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (but excluding
trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of
business); (v) every capital lease obligation of such Person; and (vi) and every
obligation of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of another Person
and all dividends of
6
another Person the payment of which, in either case, such Person has guaranteed
or is responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, as obligor or otherwise.
"Default" means any event, act or condition that with notice
or lapse of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.
"Deferred Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1.
"Dissolution Event" means that as a result of the occurrence
and continuation of a Special Event, the Trust is to be dissolved in accordance
with the Trust Agreement and the Debentures held by the Property Trustee are to
be distributed to the holders of the Trust Securities issued by the Trust pro
rata in accordance with the Trust Agreement.
"Distribution" shall have the meaning set forth in the Trust
Agreement.
"Event of Default" means, with respect to the Debentures, any
event specified in Section 7.1, which has continued for the period of time, if
any, and after the giving of the notice, if any, therein designated.
"Exchange Act," means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, as in effect at the date of execution of this instrument.
"Extended Maturity Date" means if the Company elects to extend
the Maturity Date in accordance with Section 2.2(b), the date selected by the
Company which is after the Scheduled Maturity Date but before June 30, 2036.
"Extension Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
4.1.
"Federal Reserve" means the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System.
7
"Generally Accepted Accounting Principles" means such
accounting principles as are generally accepted at the time of any computation
required hereunder.
"Governmental Obligations" means securities that are (i)
direct obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its
full faith and credit is pledged; or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or
supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of
America, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and
credit obligation by the United States of America that, in either case, are not
callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also
include a depositary receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of
the Securities Act) as custodian with respect to any such Governmental
Obligation or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such
Governmental Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of
such depositary receipt; provided, however, that (except as required by law)
such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable
to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the
custodian in respect of the Governmental Obligation or the specific payment of
principal of or interest on the Governmental Obligation evidenced by such
depositary receipt.
"Herein," "hereof," and "hereunder," and other words of
similar import, refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular
Article, Section or other subdivision.
"Indenture" means this instrument as originally executed or as
it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures
supplemental hereto entered into in accordance with the terms hereof.
"Interest Payment Date" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 2.5.
"Investment Company Act," means the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended, as in effect at the date of execution of this instrument.
8
"Investment Company Event" means the receipt by the Trust of
an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by a law firm experienced in such matters, to
the effect that, as a result of the occurrence of a change in law or regulation
or a change in interpretation or application of law or regulation by any
legislative body, court, governmental agency or regulatory authority (a "Change
in 1940 Act Law"), the Trust is or shall be considered an "investment company"
that is required to be registered under the Investment Company Act, which Change
in 1940 Act Law becomes effective on or after the date of original issuance of
the Preferred Securities under the Trust Agreement.
"Maturity Date" means the date on which the Debentures mature
and on which the principal shall be due and payable together with all accrued
and unpaid interest thereon including Compounded Interest and Additional
Interest, if any.
"Ministerial Action" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 3.2.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the
President or a Vice President and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer or
the Controller or an Assistant Controller or the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Company that is delivered to the Trustee in accordance with the
terms hereof. Each such certificate shall include the statements provided for in
Section 15.7, if and to the extent required by the provisions thereof.
"Opinion of Counsel" means an opinion in writing of legal
counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company, that is delivered
to the Trustee in accordance with the terms hereof. Each such opinion shall
include the statements provided for in Section 15.7, if and to the extent
required by the provisions thereof.
"Outstanding," when used with reference to the Debentures,
means, subject to the provisions of Section 10.4, as of any particular time, all
Debentures theretofore authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under this
Indenture, except (a) Debentures theretofore canceled by the
9
Trustee or any paying agent, or delivered to the Trustee or any paying agent for
cancellation or that have previously been canceled; (b) Debentures or portions
thereof for the payment or redemption of which moneys or Governmental
Obligations in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust with the
Trustee or with any paying agent (other than the Company) or shall have been set
aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its
own paying agent); provided, however, that if such Debentures or portions of
such Debentures are to be redeemed prior to the maturity thereof, notice of such
redemption shall have been given as in Article III provided, or provision
satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made for giving such notice; and (c)
Debentures in lieu of or in substitution for which other Debentures shall have
been authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.7.
"Paying Agent" means any paying agent or co-paying agent
appointed pursuant to Section 5.3.
"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership,
joint-venture, joint-stock company, unincorporated organization or government or
any agency or political subdivision thereof.
"Predecessor Debenture" means every previous Debenture
evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such
particular Debenture; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Debenture
authenticated and delivered under Section 2.9 in lieu of a lost, destroyed or
stolen Debenture shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the lost,
destroyed or stolen Debenture.
"Preferred Securities" means undivided beneficial interests in
the assets of the Trust which rank pari passu with Common Securities issued by
the Trust; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default,
the rights of holders of Common Securities to payment in respect of (i)
distributions, and (ii) payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise, are
subordinated to the rights of holders of Preferred Securities.
10
"Preferred Securities Guarantee" means any guarantee that the
Company may enter into with the Trustee or other Persons that operate directly
or indirectly for the benefit of holders of Preferred Securities.
"Property Trustee" has the meaning set forth in the Trust
Agreement.
"Responsible Officer" when used with respect to the Trustee
means the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, any Vice President,
the Secretary, the Treasurer, any trust officer, any corporate trust officer or
any other officer or assistant officer of the Trustee customarily performing
functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be
such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred
because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Scheduled Maturity Date" means June 30, 2027.
"Securities Act," means the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, as in effect at the date of execution of this instrument.
"Senior Debt" means the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest, if any (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any
petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to the Company whether or
not such claim for post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding), on
Debt, whether incurred on or prior to the date of this Indenture or thereafter
incurred, unless, in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant
to which the same is outstanding, it is provided that such obligations are not
superior in right of payment to the Debentures or to other Debt which is pari
passu with, or subordinated to, the Debentures; provided, however, that Senior
Debt shall not be deemed to include (i) any Debt of the Company which when
incurred and without respect to any election under section 1111(b) of the United
States Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended, was without recourse to the Company;
(ii) any Debt of the Company to any of its subsidiaries; (iii) Debt to any
employee of the
11
Company; (iv) Debt which by its terms is subordinated to trade accounts payable
or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business to the extent
that payments made to the holders of such Debt by the holders of the Debentures
as a result of the subordination provisions of this Indenture would be greater
than they otherwise would have been as a result of any obligation of such
holders to pay amounts over to the obligees on such trade accounts payable or
accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business as a result of
subordination provisions to which such Debt is subject; and (v) Debt which
constitutes Subordinated Debt.
"Senior Indebtedness" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 16.1.
"Special Event" means a Tax Event, a Capital Treatment Event
or an Investment Company Event.
"Subordinated Debt" means the principal of (and premium, if
any) and interest, if any (including interest accruing on or after the filing of
any petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to the Company whether
or not such claim for post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding), on
Debt, whether incurred on or prior to the date of this Indenture or thereafter
incurred, which is by its terms expressly provided to be junior and subordinate
to other Debt of the Company (other than the Debentures).
"Subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person, (i) any
corporation at least a majority of whose outstanding Voting Stock shall at the
time be owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person or by one or more of its
Subsidiaries or by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries; (ii) any
general partnership, joint venture, trust or similar entity, at least a majority
of whose outstanding partnership or similar interests shall at the time be owned
by such Person, or by one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such Person and one
or more of its Subsidiaries; and (iii) any limited partnership of which such
Person or any of its Subsidiaries is a general partner.
"Tax Event" means the receipt by the Trust of an Opinion of
Counsel, rendered by a law firm experienced in such matters, to the effect that,
as a result of any amendment to, or
12
change (including any announced prospective change) in, the laws (or any
regulations thereunder) of the United States or any political subdivision or
taxing authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any official
administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such
laws or regulations, which amendment or change is effective or which
pronouncement or decision is announced on or after the date of issuance of the
Preferred Securities under the Trust Agreement, there is more than an
insubstantial risk that (i) the Trust is, or shall be within 90 days after the
date of such Opinion of Counsel, subject to United States federal income tax
with respect to income received or accrued on the Debentures; (ii) interest
payable by the Company on the Debentures is not, or within 90 days after the
date of such Opinion of Counsel, shall not be, deductible by the Company, in
whole or in part, for United States federal income tax purposes; or (iii) the
Trust is, or shall be within 90 days after the date of such Opinion of Counsel,
subject to more than a deminimis amount of other taxes, duties, assessments or
other governmental charges. The Trust or the Company shall request and receive
such Opinion of Counsel with regard to such matters within a reasonable period
of time after the Trust or the Company shall have become aware of the possible
occurrence of any of the events described in clauses (i) through (iii) above.
"Trust" means People's Bancshares Capital Trust, a Delaware
statutory business trust.
"Trust Agreement" means the Amended and Restated Trust
Agreement, dated as of ____________, 1997, of the Trust.
"Trustee" means State Street Bank and Trust Company and,
subject to the provisions of Article IX, shall also include its successors and
assigns, and, if at any time there is more than one Person acting in such
capacity hereunder, "Trustee" shall mean each such Person.
"Trust Indenture Act," means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
as amended,
13
subject to the provisions of Sections 11.1, 11.2, and 12.1, as in effect at the
date of execution of this instrument.
"Trust Securities" means the Common Securities and Preferred
Securities, collectively.
"Voting Stock," as applied to stock of any Person, means
shares, interests, participations or other equivalents in the equity interest
(however designated) in such Person having ordinary voting power for the
election of a majority of the directors (or the equivalent) of such Person,
other than shares, interests, participations or other equivalents having such
power only by reason of the occurrence of a contingency.
ARTICLE II
ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, TERMS, CONDITIONS REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF THE
DEBENTURES
SECTION 2.1 DESIGNATION AND PRINCIPAL AMOUNT.
There is hereby authorized Debentures designated the ___%
Subordinated Debentures due 2027," limited in aggregate principal amount up to
$14,227,000, which amount shall be as set forth in any written order of the
Company for the authentication and delivery of Debentures pursuant to Section
2.6.
SECTION 2.2. MATURITY.
(a) The Maturity Date shall be either:
(i) the Scheduled Maturity Date; or
(ii) if the Company elects to extend the Maturity Date beyond the
Scheduled Maturity Date in accordance with Section 2.2(b), the Extended
Maturity Date; or
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(iii) if the Company elects to accelerate the Maturity Date to be a
date prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date in accordance with Section
2.2(c), the Accelerated Maturity Date.
(b) The Company may at any time before the day which is 90
days before the Scheduled Maturity Date, elect to extend the Maturity Date to
the Extended Maturity Date, provided that the Company has received the prior
approval of the Federal Reserve if then required under applicable capital
guidelines or policies of the Federal Reserve and further provided that the
following conditions in this Section 2.2(b) are satisfied both at the date the
Company gives notice in accordance with Section 2.2(d) of its election to extend
the Maturity Date and at the Scheduled Maturity Date:
(i) the Company is not in bankruptcy, otherwise
insolvent or in liquidation;
(ii) the Company is not in default in the payment of
interest or principal on the Debentures;
(iii) the Trust is not in arrears on payments of
Distributions on the Trust Securities issued by it and no deferred
Distributions are accumulated; and
(iv) the Company has a rating on its Senior Debt of
investment grade.
(c) The Company may, on one occasion, at any time before the
day which is 90 days before the Scheduled Maturity Date and after June 30, 2002,
elect to shorten the Maturity Date to the Accelerated Maturity Date provided
that the Company has received the prior approval of the Federal Reserve if then
required under applicable capital guidelines or policies of the Federal Reserve.
15
(d) If the Company elects to extend the Maturity Date in
accordance with Section 2.2(b), the Company shall give notice to the registered
holders of the Debentures, the Property Trustee and the Trust of the extension
of the Maturity Date and the Extended Maturity Date at least 90 days and no more
than 180 days before the Scheduled Maturity Date.
(e) If the Company elects to accelerate the Maturity Date in
accordance with Section 2.2(c), the Company shall give notice to the registered
holders of the Debentures, the Property Trustee and the Trust of the
acceleration of the Maturity Date and the Accelerated Maturity Date at least 90
days and no more than 180 days before the Accelerated Maturity Date.
SECTION 2.3. FORM AND PAYMENT.
The Debentures shall be issued in fully registered
certificated form without interest coupons. Principal and interest on the
Debentures issued in certificated form shall be payable, the transfer of such
Debentures shall be registrable and such Debentures shall be exchangeable for
Debentures bearing identical terms and provisions at the office or agency of the
Trustee; provided, however, that payment of interest may be made at the option
of the Company by check mailed to the holder at such address as shall appear in
the Debenture Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the
holder as specified in the Debenture Register, provided that the holder provides
proper transfer instructions by the regular record date. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, so long as the holder of any Debentures is the Property Trustee, the
payment of the principal of and interest (including Compounded Interest and
Additional Interest, if any) on such Debentures held by the Property Trustee
shall be made at such place and to such account as may be designated by the
Property Trustee.
SECTION 2.4. [INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]
SECTION 2.5. INTEREST.
(a) Each Debenture shall bear interest at the rate of ___% per
annum
16
(the "Coupon Rate") from the original date of issuance until the principal
thereof becomes due and payable, and on any overdue principal and (to the extent
that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) on any
overdue installment of interest at the Coupon Rate, compounded quarterly,
payable (subject to the provisions of Article IV) quarterly in arrears on March
31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 of each year (each, an "Interest
Payment Date," commencing on September 30, 1997), to the Person in whose name
such Debenture or any Predecessor Debenture is registered, at the close of
business on the regular record date for such interest installment, which shall
be the fifteenth day of the last month of the calendar quarter.
(b) The amount of interest payable for any period shall be
computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. The amount of
interest payable for any period shorter than a full quarterly period for which
interest is computed shall be computed on the basis of the number of days
elapsed in a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. In the event that any date on
which interest is payable on the Debentures is not a Business Day, then payment
of interest payable on such date shall be made on the next succeeding day which
is a Business Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any
such delay) with the same force and effect as if made on the date such payment
was originally payable.
(c) If, at any time while the Property Trustee is the holder
of any Debentures, the Trust or the Property Trustee is required to pay any
taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature (other
than withholding taxes) imposed by the United States, or any other taxing
authority, then, in any case, the Company shall pay as additional interest
("Additional Interest") on the Debentures held by the Property Trustee, such
additional amounts as shall be required so that the net amounts received and
retained by the Trust and the Property Trustee after paying such taxes, duties,
assessments or other governmental charges shall be equal to the amounts the
Trust and the Property Trustee would have received had no such taxes, duties,
assessments or other government charges been imposed.
17
SECTION 2.6. EXECUTION AND AUTHENTICATIONS.
(a) The Debentures shall be signed on behalf of the Company by
its Chief Executive Officer, President or one of its Vice Presidents, under its
corporate seal attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries.
Signatures may be in the form of a manual or facsimile signature. The Company
may use the facsimile signature of any Person who shall have been a Chief
Executive Officer, President or Vice President thereof, or of any Person who
shall have been a Secretary or Assistant Secretary thereof, notwithstanding the
fact that at the time the Debentures shall be authenticated and delivered or
disposed of such Person shall have ceased to be the Chief Executive Officer,
President or a Vice President, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of
the Company. The seal of the Company may be in the form of a facsimile of such
seal and may be impressed, affixed, imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the
Debentures. The Debentures may contain such notations, legends or endorsements
required by law, stock exchange rule or usage. Each Debenture shall be dated the
date of its authentication by the Trustee.
(b) A Debenture shall not be valid until manually
authenticated by an authorized signatory of the Trustee, or by an Authenticating
Agent. Such signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Debenture so
authenticated has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and that the
holder is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.
(c) At any time and from time to time after the execution and
delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Debentures executed by the
Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a written order of the
Company for the authentication and delivery of such Debentures signed by its
Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice President and its Treasurer or
any Assistant Treasurer, and the Trustee in accordance with such written order
shall authenticate and deliver such Debentures.
(d) In authenticating such Debentures and accepting the
additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Debentures,
the Trustee shall be entitled
18
to receive and (subject to Section 9.1) shall be fully protected in relying
upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the form and terms thereof have been
established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture.
(e) The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such
Debentures if the issue of such Debentures pursuant to this Indenture shall
affect the Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under the Debentures and
this Indenture or otherwise in a manner that is not reasonably acceptable to the
Trustee.
SECTION 2.7. REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE.
(a) Debentures may be exchanged upon presentation thereto at
the office or agency of the Company designated for such purpose in the Borough
of Manhattan, the City of New York, or at the office of the Debenture Registrar,
for other Debentures and for a like aggregate principal amount, upon payment of
a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge in relation
thereto, all as provided in this Section 2.7. In respect of any Debentures so
surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, the Trustee shall
authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver in exchange therefor the
Debenture or Debentures that the Debentureholder making the exchange shall be
entitled to receive, bearing numbers not contemporaneously outstanding.
(b) The Company shall keep, or cause to be kept, at its office
or agency designated for such purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of
New York, or at the office of the Debenture Registrar, or such other location
designated by the Company a register or registers (herein referred to as he
"Debenture Register") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may
prescribe, the Company shall register the Debentures and the transfers of
Debentures as provided in this Article II and which at all reasonable times
shall be open for inspection by the Trustee. The registrar for the purpose of
registering Debentures and transfer of Debentures as herein provided shall
initially be the Trustee and thereafter as may be appointed by
19
the Company as authorized by Board Resolution (the "Debenture Registrar"). Upon
surrender for transfer of any Debenture at the office or agency of the Company
designated for such purpose, the Company shall execute, the Trustee shall
authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver in the name of the
transferee or transferees a new Debenture or Debentures for a like aggregate
principal amount. All Debentures presented or surrendered for exchange or
registration of transfer, as provided in this Section 2.7, shall be accompanied
(if so required by the Company or the Debenture Registrar) by a written
instrument or instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Company or
the Debenture Registrar, duly executed by the registered holder or by such
xxxxxx's duly authorized attorney in writing.
(c) No service charge shall be made for any exchange or
registration of transfer of Debentures, or issue of new Debentures in case of
partial redemption, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or other governmental charge in relation thereto, other than
exchanges pursuant to Section 2.8, Section 3.5(b) and Section 11.4 not involving
any transfer.
(d) The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, exchange
or register the transfer of any Debentures during a period beginning at the
opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of
redemption of less than all the Outstanding Debentures and ending at the close
of business on the day of such mailing; nor (ii) to register the transfer of or
exchange any Debentures or portions thereof called for redemption.
SECTION 2.8. TEMPORARY DEBENTURES.
Pending the preparation of definitive Debentures, the Company
may execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary
Debentures (printed, lithographed, or typewritten). Such temporary Debentures
shall be substantially in the form of the definitive Debentures in lieu of which
they are issued, but with such omissions, insertions and variations as may be
appropriate for temporary Debentures, all as may be determined by the Company.
Every temporary Debenture shall be executed by the Company and be authenticated
by the Trustee
20
upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with like
effect, as the definitive Debentures. Without unnecessary delay the Company
shall execute and shall furnish definitive Debentures and thereupon any or all
temporary Debentures may be surrendered in exchange therefor (without charge to
the holders), at the office or agency of the Company designated for the purpose
in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, and the Trustee shall
authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver in exchange for such
temporary Debentures an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive
Debentures, unless the Company advises the Trustee to the effect that definitive
Debentures need not be executed and furnished until further notice from the
Company. Until so exchanged, the temporary Debentures shall be entitled to the
same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Debentures authenticated and
delivered hereunder.
SECTION 2.9. MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN DEBENTURES.
(a) In case any temporary or definitive Debenture shall become
mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company (subject to the next
succeeding sentence) shall execute, and upon the Company's request the Trustee
(subject as aforesaid) shall authenticate and deliver, a new Debenture bearing a
number not contemporaneously outstanding, in exchange and substitution for the
mutilated Debenture, or in lieu of and in substitution for the Debenture so
destroyed, lost or stolen. In every case the applicant for a substituted
Debenture shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee such security or
indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless, and, in
every case of destruction, loss or theft, the applicant shall also furnish to
the Company and the Trustee evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction,
loss or theft of the applicant's Debenture and of the ownership thereof. The
Trustee may authenticate any such substituted Xxxxxxxxx and deliver the same
upon the written request or authorization of the Chairman, President or any Vice
President and the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company. Upon the
issuance of any substituted Debenture, the Company may require the payment of a
sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed
in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of
the Trustee)
21
connected therewith. In case any Debenture that has matured or is about to
mature shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company may,
instead of issuing a substitute Debenture, pay or authorize the payment of the
same (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated Debenture) if
the applicant for such payment shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee such
security or indemnity as they may require to save them harmless, and, in case of
destruction, loss or theft, evidence to the satisfaction of the Company and the
Trustee of the destruction, loss or theft of such Debenture and of the ownership
thereof.
(b) Every replacement Debenture issued pursuant to the
provisions of this Section 2.9 shall constitute an additional contractual
obligation of the Company whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or
stolen Debenture shall be found at any time, or be enforceable by anyone, and
shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and
proportionately with any and all other Debentures duly issued hereunder. All
Debentures shall be held and owned upon the express condition that the foregoing
provisions are exclusive with respect to the replacement or payment of
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debentures, and shall preclude (to the
extent lawful) any and all other rights or remedies, notwithstanding any law or
statute existing or hereafter enacted to the contrary with respect to the
replacement or payment of negotiable instruments or other securities without
their surrender.
SECTION 2.10. CANCELLATION.
All Debentures surrendered for the purpose of payment,
redemption, exchange or registration of transfer shall, if surrendered to the
Company or any paying agent, be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, or,
if surrendered to the Trustee, shall be canceled by it, and no Debentures shall
be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly required or permitted by any of
the provisions of this Indenture. On request of the Company at the time of such
surrender, the Trustee shall deliver to the Company canceled Debentures held by
the Trustee. In the absence of such request the Trustee may dispose of canceled
Debentures in accordance with its standard procedures and deliver a certificate
of disposition to the Company. If the Company shall otherwise acquire any of the
Debentures, however, such acquisition shall not operate as a
22
redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Debentures
unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
SECTION 2.11. BENEFIT OF INDENTURE.
Nothing in this Indenture or in the Debentures, express or
implied, shall give or be number construed to give to any Person, other than the
parties hereto and the holders of the Debentures (and, with respect to the
provisions of Article XVI, the holders of Senior Indebtedness) any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Indenture, or under
any covenant, condition or provision herein contained; all such covenants,
conditions and provisions being for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and
of the holders of the Debentures (and, with respect to the provisions of Article
XVI, the holders of Senior Indebtedness).
SECTION 2.12. AUTHENTICATION AGENT.
(a) So long as any of the Debentures remain Outstanding there
may be an Authenticating Agent for any or all such Debentures, which the Trustee
shall have the right to appoint. Said Authenticating Agent shall be authorized
to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Debentures issued upon exchange,
transfer or partial redemption thereof, and Debentures so authenticated shall be
entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for
all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. All references in
this Indenture to the authentication of Debentures by the Trustee shall be
deemed to include authentication by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating
Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall be a corporation that has a
combined capital and surplus, as most recently reported or determined by it,
sufficient under the laws of any jurisdiction under which it is organized or in
which it is doing business to conduct a trust business, and that is otherwise
authorized under such laws to conduct such business and is subject to
supervision or examination by federal or state authorities. If at any time any
Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with these
provisions, it shall resign immediately.
23
(b) Any Authenticating Agent may at any time resign by giving
written notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may
at any time (and upon request by the Company shall) terminate the agency of any
Authenticating Agent by giving written notice of termination to such
Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon resignation, termination or
cessation of eligibility of any Authenticating Agent, he Trustee may appoint an
eligible successor Authenticating Agent acceptable to the Company. Any successor
Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become
vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder as if
originally named as an Authenticating Agent pursuant hereto.
ARTICLE III
REDEMPTION OF DEBENTURES
SECTION 3.1. REDEMPTION.
Subject to the Company having received prior approval of the
Federal Reserve, if then required under the applicable capital guidelines or
policies of the Federal Reserve, the Company may redeem the Debentures issued
hereunder on and after the dates set forth in and in accordance with the terms
of this Article III.
SECTION 3.2. SPECIAL EVENT REDEMPTION.
Subject to the Company having received the prior approval of
the Federal Reserve, if then required under the applicable capital guidelines or
policies of the Federal Reserve, if a Special Event has occurred and is
continuing, then, notwithstanding Section 3.3(a) but subject to Section 3.3(b),
the Company shall have the right upon not less than 30 days nor more than 60
days notice to the holders of the Debentures to redeem the Debentures, in whole
but not in part, for cash within 180 days following the occurrence of such
Special Event (the A180-Day Period") at a redemption price equal to 100% of the
principal amount to be redeemed plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon to
the date of such redemption (the "Redemption
24
Price"), provided that if at the time there is available to the Company the
opportunity to eliminate, within the 180-Day Period, a Tax Event by taking some
ministerial action (a "Ministerial Action"), such as filing a form or making an
election, or pursuing some other similar reasonable measure which has no adverse
effect on the Company, the Trust or the holders of the Trust Securities issued
by the Trust, the Company shall pursue such Ministerial Action in lieu of
redemption, and, provided further, that the Company shall have no right to
redeem the Debentures while the Trust is pursuing any Ministerial Action
pursuant to its obligations under the Trust Agreement. The Redemption Price
shall be paid prior to 12:00 noon, New York time, on the date of such redemption
or such earlier time as the Company determines, provided that the Company shall
deposit with the Trustee an amount sufficient to pay the Redemption Price by
10:00 a.m., New York time, on the date such Redemption Price is to be paid.
SECTION 3.3. OPTIONAL REDEMPTION BY COMPANY.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.3(b), except as
otherwise may be specified in this Indenture, the Company shall have the right
to redeem the Debentures, in whole or in part, from time to time, on or after
June 30, 2002, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be
redeemed plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the date of such
redemption. Any redemption pursuant to this Section 3.3(a) shall be made upon
not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days notice to the holder of the
Debentures, at the Redemption Price. If the Debentures are only partially
redeemed pursuant to this Section 3.3, the Debentures shall be redeemed pro rata
or by lot or in such other manner as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and fair
in its discretion. The Redemption Price shall be paid prior to 12:00 noon, New
York time, on the date of such redemption or at such earlier time as the Company
determines provided that the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount
sufficient to pay the Redemption Price by 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the date
such Redemption Price is to be paid.
(b) If a partial redemption of the Debentures would result in
the delisting of
25
the Preferred Securities issued by the Trust from The Nasdaq Stock Market's
National Market or any national securities exchange or other organization on
which the Preferred Securities are then listed, the Company shall not be
permitted to effect such partial redemption and may only redeem the Debentures
in whole.
SECTION 3.4. NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.
(a) In case the Company shall desire to exercise such right to
redeem all or, as the case may be, a portion of the Debentures in accordance
with the right reserved so to do, the Company shall, or shall cause the Trustee
to upon receipt of 45 days' written notice from the Company (which notice shall,
in the event of a partial redemption, include a representation to the effect
that such partial redemption shall not result in the delisting of the Preferred
Securities as described in Section 3.3(b) above), give notice of such redemption
to holders of the Debentures to be redeemed by mailing, first class postage
prepaid, a notice of such redemption not less than 30 days and not more than 60
days before the date fixed for redemption to such holders at their last
addresses as they shall appear upon the Debenture Register unless a shorter
period is specified in the Debentures to be redeemed. Any notice that is mailed
in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly
given, whether or not the registered holder receives the notice. In any case,
failure duly to give such notice to the holder of any Debenture designated for
redemption in whole or in part, or any defect in the notice, shall not affect
the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Debentures. In
the case of any redemption of Debentures prior to the expiration of any
restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Debentures or
elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an
Officers' Certificate evidencing compliance with any such restriction. Each such
notice of redemption shall specify the date fixed for redemption and the
Redemption Price and shall state that payment of the Redemption Price shall be
made at the office or agency of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The
City of New York or at the Corporate Trust Office, upon presentation and
surrender of such Debentures, that interest accrued to the date fixed for
redemption shall be paid as specified in said notice and that from and after
said date interest shall cease to accrue. If less than all the Debentures are to
be redeemed, the
26
notice to the holders of the Debentures shall specify the particular Debentures
to be redeemed. If the Debentures are to be redeemed in part only, the notice
shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed and shall
state that on and after the redemption date, upon surrender of such Debenture, a
new Debenture or Debentures in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion
thereof shall be issued.
(b) If less than all the Debentures are to be redeemed, the
Company shall give the Trustee at least 45 days' notice in advance of the date
fixed for redemption as to the aggregate principal amount of Debentures to be
redeemed, and thereupon the Trustee shall select, by lot or in such other manner
as it shall deem appropriate and fair in its discretion, the portion or portions
(equal to $10 or any integral multiple thereof) of the Debentures to be redeemed
and shall thereafter promptly notify the Company in writing of the numbers of
the Debentures to be redeemed, in whole or in part. The Company may, if and
whenever it shall so elect pursuant to the terms hereof, by delivery of
instructions signed on its behalf by its President or any Vice President,
instruct the Trustee or any paying agent to call all or any part of the
Debentures for redemption and to give notice of redemption in the manner set
forth in this Section 3.4, such notice to be in the name of the Company or its
own name as the Trustee or such paying agent may deem advisable. In any case in
which notice of redemption is to be given by the Trustee or any such paying
agent, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to, or permit to
remain with, the Trustee or such paying agent, as the case may be, such
Debenture Register, transfer books or other records, or suitable copies or
extracts therefrom, sufficient to enable the Trustee or such paying agent to
give any notice by mail that may be required under the provisions of this
Section 3.4.
SECTION 3.5. PAYMENT UPON REDEMPTION.
(a) If the giving of notice of redemption shall have been
completed as above provided, the Debentures or portions of Debentures to be
redeemed specified in such notice shall become due and payable on the date and
at the place stated in such notice at the applicable
27
Redemption Price, and interest on such Debentures or portions of Debentures
shall cease to accrue on and after the date fixed for redemption, unless the
Company shall default in the payment of such Redemption Price with respect to
any such Debenture or portion thereof. On presentation and surrender of such
Debentures on or after the date fixed for redemption at the place of payment
specified in the notice, said Debentures shall be paid and redeemed at the
Redemption Price (but if the date fixed for redemption is an interest payment
date, the interest installment payable on such date shall be payable to the
registered holder at the close of business on the applicable record date
pursuant to Section 3.3).
(b) Upon presentation of any Debenture that is to be redeemed
in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and
the office or agency where the Debenture is presented shall deliver to the
holder thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Debenture of authorized
denomination in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the
Debenture so presented.
SECTION 3.6. NO SINKING FUND.
The Debentures are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking
fund.
ARTICLE IV
EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD
SECTION 4.1. EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD.
So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing,
the Company shall have the right, at any time and from time to time during the
term of the Debentures, to defer payments of interest by extending the interest
payment period of such Debentures for a period not exceeding 20 consecutive
quarters (the "Extension Period"), during which Extension Period no interest
shall be due and payable; provided that no Extension Period may extend beyond
the Maturity Date. Interest, the payment of which has been deferred because of
the extension of the
28
interest payment period pursuant to this Section 4.1, shall bear interest
thereon at the Coupon Rate compounded quarterly for each quarter of the
Extension Period ("Compounded Interest"). At the end of the Extension Period,
the Company shall calculate (and deliver such calculation to the Trustee) and
pay all interest accrued and unpaid on the Debentures, including any Additional
Interest and Compounded Interest (together, "Deferred Interest") that shall be
payable to the holders of the Debentures in whose names the Debentures are
registered in the Debenture Register on the first record date after the end of
the Extension Period. Before the termination of any Extension Period, the
Company may further extend such period, provided that such period together with
all such further extensions thereof shall not exceed 20 consecutive quarters, or
extend beyond the Maturity Date of the Debentures. Upon the termination of any
Extension Period and upon the payment of all Deferred Interest then due, the
Company may commence a new Extension Period, subject to the foregoing
requirements. No interest shall be due and payable during an Extension Period,
except at the end thereof, but the Company may prepay at any time all or any
portion of the interest accrued during an Extension Period.
SECTION 4.2. NOTICE OF EXTENSION.
(a) If the Property Trustee is the only registered holder of
the Debentures at the time the Company selects an Extension Period, the Company
shall give written notice to the Administrative Trustees, the Property Trustee
an the Trustee of its selection of such Extension Period two Business Days
before the earlier of (i) the next succeeding date on which Distributions on the
Trust Securities issued by the Trust are payable; or (ii) the date the Trust is
required to give notice of the record date, or the date such Distributions are
payable, to The Nasdaq Stock Market's National Market or other applicable
self-regulatory organization or to holders of the Preferred Securities issued by
the Trust, but in any event at least one Business Day before such record date.
(b) If the Property Trustee is not the only holder of the
Debentures at the time the Company selects an Extension Period, the Company
shall give the holders of the Debentures
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and the Trustee written notice of its selection of such Extension Period at
least two Business Days before the earlier of (i) the next succeeding Interest
Payment Date; or (ii) the date the Company is required to give notice of the
record or payment date of such interest payment to The Nasdaq Stock Market's
National Market or other applicable self-regulatory organization or to holders
of the Debentures.
(c) The quarter in which any notice is given pursuant to
paragraphs (a) or (b) of this Section 4.2 shall be counted as one of the 20
quarters permitted in the maximum Extension Period permitted under Section 4.1.
SECTION 4.3. LIMITATION ON TRANSACTIONS.
If (i) the Company shall exercise its right to defer payment
of interest as provided in Section 4.1; or (ii) there shall have occurred any
Event of Default, the (a) the Company shall not declare or pay any dividend on,
make any distributions with respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a
liquidation payment with respect to, any of its capital stock; (b) the Company
shall not make any payment of interest, principal or premium, if any, or repay,
repurchase or redeem any debt securities issued by the Company which rank pari
passu with or junior to the Debentures; provided, however, that notwithstanding
the foregoing the Company may make payments pursuant to its obligations under
the Preferred Securities Guarantee; and (c) the Company shall not redeem,
purchase or acquire less than all of the Outstanding Debentures or any of the
Preferred Securities.
ARTICLE V
PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
SECTION 5.1. PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST.
The Company shall duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid
the principal of and interest on the Debentures at the time and place and in the
manner provided herein.
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SECTION 5.2. MAINTENANCE OF AGENCY.
So long as any of the Debentures remain Outstanding, the
Company shall maintain an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City
of New York, and at such other location or locations as may be designated as
provided in this Section 5.2, where (i) Debentures may be presented for payment;
(ii) Debentures may be presented as hereinabove authorized for registration of
transfer and exchange; and (iii) notices and demands to or upon the Company in
respect of the Debentures and this Indenture may be given or served, such
designation to continue with respect to such office or agency until the Company
shall, by written notice signed by its President or a Vice President and
delivered to the Trustee, designate some other office or agency for such
purposes or any of them. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any
such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the
address thereof, such presentations, notices and demands may be made or served
at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints
the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, notices and demands.
In addition to any such office or agency, the Company may from time to time
designate one or more offices or agencies outside of the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York, where the Debentures may be presented for registration or
transfer and for exchange in the manner provided herein, and the Company may
from time to time rescind such designation as the Company may deem desirable or
expedient; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in
any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain any such office or
agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, for the purposes above
mentioned. The Company shall give the Trustee prompt written notice of any such
designation or rescission thereof.
SECTION 5.3. PAYING AGENTS.
(a) The Property Trustee shall act as the Paying Agent. If the
Company shall appoint one or more paying agents for the Debentures, other than
the Property Trustee, the Company shall cause each such paying agent to execute
and deliver to the Trustee an instrument
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in which such agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of
this Section 5.3:
(i) that it shall hold all sums held by it as such
agent for the payment of the principal of or interest on the Debentures
(whether such sums have been paid to it by the Company or by any other
obligor of such Debentures) in trust for the benefit of the Persons
entitled thereto;
(ii) that it shallgive the Trustee notice of any
failure by the Company (or by any other obligor of such Debentures) to
make any payment of the principal of or interest on the Debentures when
the same shall be due and payable;
(iii) that it shall, at any time during the
continuance of any failure referred to in the preceding paragraph
(a)(ii) above, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay
to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent; and
(iv) that it shall perform all other duties of Paying
Agent as set forth in this Indenture.
(b) If the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent with
respect to the Debentures, it shall on or before each due date of the principal
of or interest on such Debentures, set aside, segregate and hold in trust for
the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay such
principal on interest so becoming due on Debentures until such sums shall be
paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and shall
promptly notify the Trustee of such action, or any failure (by it or any other
obligor on such Debentures) to take such action. Whenever the Company shall have
one or more Paying Agents for the Debentures, it shall, prior to each due date
of the principal of or interest on any Debentures, deposit with the Paying Agent
a sum sufficient to pay the principal or interest so becoming due, such sum to
be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal or
interest, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company shall
promptly notify the Trustee of this action or failure so to act.
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(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 5.3 to the
contrary, (i) the agreement to hold sums in trust as provided in this Section
5.3 is subject to the provisions of Section 13.3 and 13.4; and (ii) the Company
may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of
this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or direct any Paying Agent to pay,
to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such
sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms and conditions as those upon
which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such
payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released
from all further liability with respect to such money.
SECTION 5.4. APPOINTMENT TO FILL VACANCY IN OFFICE OF TRUSTEE.
The Company, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in
the office of Trustee, shall appoint, in the manner provided in Section 9.10, a
Trustee, is that there shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder.
SECTION 5.5. COMPLIANCE WITH CONSOLIDATION PROVISIONS.
The Company shall not, while any of the Debentures remain
outstanding, consolidate with, or merge into, or merge into itself, or sell or
convey all or substantially all of its property to any other company unless the
provisions of Article XII hereof are complied with.
SECTION 5.6. LIMITATION ON TRANSACTIONS.
If Debentures are issued to the Trust or a trustee of the
Trust in connection with the issuance of Trust Securities by the Trust and (i)
there shall have occurred any event that would constitute an Event of Default;
(ii) the Company shall be in default with respect to its payment of any
obligations under the Preferred Securities Guarantee relating to the Trust; or
(iii) the Company shall have given notice of its election to defer payments of
interest on such
33
Debentures by extending the interest payment period as provided in this
Indenture and such period, or any extension thereof, shall be continuing, then
(a) the Company shall not declare or pay any dividend on, make any distributions
with respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with
respect to, any of its capital stock; (b) the Company shall not make any payment
of interest, principal or premium, if any, or repay, repurchase or redeem any
debt securities issued by the Company which rank pari passu with or junior to
the Debentures; provided, however, that the Company may make payments pursuant
to its obligations under the Preferred Securities Guarantee; and (c) the Company
shall not redeem, purchase or acquire less than all of the Outstanding
Debentures or any of the Preferred Securities.
SECTION 5.7. COVENANTS AS TO THE TRUST.
For so long as the Trust Securities of the Trust remain
outstanding, the Company shall (i) maintain 100% direct or indirect ownership of
the Common Securities of the Trust; provided, however, that any permitted
successor of the Company under this Indenture may succeed to the Company's
ownership of the Common Securities; (ii) not voluntarily terminate wind up or
liquidate the Trust, except upon prior approval of the Federal Reserve if then
so required under applicable capital guidelines or policies of the Federal
Reserve and use its reasonable efforts to cause the Trust (a) to remain a
business trust, except in connection with a distribution of Debentures, the
redemption of all of the Trust Securities of the Trust or certain mergers,
consolidations or amalgamations, each as permitted by the Trust Agreement; and
(b) to otherwise continue not to be treated as an association taxable as a
corporation or partnership for United States federal income tax purposes; and
(iii) use its reasonable efforts to cause each holder of Trust Securities to be
treated as owning an individual beneficial interest in the Debentures. In
connection with the distribution of the Debentures to the holders of the
Preferred Securities issued by the Trust upon a Dissolution Event, the Company
shall use its best efforts to list such Debentures on The Nasdaq Stock Market's
National Market or on such other exchange as the Preferred Securities are then
listed.
SECTION 5.8. COVENANTS AS TO PURCHASES.
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Except upon the exercise by the Company of its right to redeem
the Debentures pursuant to Section 3.2 upon the occurrence and continuation of a
Special Event, the Company shall not purchase any Debentures, in whole or in
part, from the Trust prior to June 30, 2002.
ARTICLE VI
DEBENTUREHOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE
SECTION 6.1. COMPANY TO FURNISH TRUSTEE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF
DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
The Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the
Trustee (a) on a quarterly basis on each regular record date (as described in
Section 2.5) a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the
names and addresses of the holders of the Debentures as of such regular record
date, provided that the Company shall not be obligated to furnish or cause to
furnish such list at any time that the list shall not differ in any respect from
the most recent list furnished to the Trustee by the Company (in the event the
Company fails to provide such list on a monthly basis, the Trustee shall be
entitled to rely on the most recent list provided by the Company); and (b) at
such other times as the Trustee may request in writing within 30 days after the
receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content
as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished;
provided, however, that, in either case, no such list need be furnished if the
Trustee shall be the Debenture Registrar.
SECTION 6.2. PRESERVATION OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATIONS WITH
DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is
reasonably practicable, all information as to the names and addresses of the
holders of Debentures contained in the most recent list furnished to it as
provided in Section 6.1 and as to the names and addresses of holders of
Debentures received by the Trustee in its capacity as Debenture Registrar for
the Debentures (if acting in such capacity).
35
(b) The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as
provided in Section 6.1 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.
(c) Debentureholders may communicate as provided in Section
312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with other Debentureholders with respect to
their rights under this Indenture or under the Debentures.
SECTION 6.3. REPORTS BY THE COMPANY.
(a) Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; or, if
the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant
to either of such sections, then to file with the Trustee and the Commission, in
accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the
Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and
reports that may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act in
respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as
may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations.
(b) The Company covenants and agrees to file with the Trustee
and the Commission, in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed from
to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports
with respect to compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants
provided for in this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such
rules and regulations.
(c) The Company covenants and agrees to transmit by mail,
first class postage prepaid, or reputable overnight delivery service that
provides for evidence of receipt, to the
36
Debentureholders, as their names and addresses appear upon the Debenture
Register, within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, such
summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the
Company pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 6.3 as may be requ
red by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.
SECTION 6.4. REPORTS BY THE TRUSTEE.
(a) On or before July 15 in each year in which any of the
Debentures are Outstanding, the Trustee hall transmit by mail, first class
postage prepaid, to the Debentureholders, as their names and addresses appear
upon the Debenture Register, a brief report dated as of the preceding May 15, if
and to the extent required under Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act.
(b) The Trustee shall comply with Section 313(b) and 313(c) of
the Trust Indenture Act.
(c) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such
transmission to Debentureholders, be filed by the Trustee with the Company, with
each stock exchange upon which any Debentures are listed (if so listed) and also
with the Commission. The Company agrees to notify the Trustee when any
Debentures become listed on any stock exchange.
ARTICLE VII
REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND DEBENTUREHOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT
SECTION 7.1. EVENTS OF DEFAULT.
(a) Whenever used herein with respect to the Debentures,
"Event of Default" means any one or more of the following events that has
occurred and is continuing:
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(i) the Company defaults in the payment of any
installment of interest upon any of the Debentures, as and when the
same shall become due and payable, and continuance of such default for
a period of 30 days; provided, however, that a valid extension of an
interest payment period by the Company in accordance with the terms of
this Indenture shall not constitute a default in the payment of
interest for this purpose;
(ii) the Company defaults in the payment of the
principal on the Debentures as and when the same shall become due and
payable whether at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or
otherwise; provided, however, that a valid extension of the maturity of
such Debentures in accordance with the terms of this Indenture shall
not constitute a default in the payment of principal;
(iii) the Company fails to observe or perform any
other of its covenants or agreements with respect to the Debentures for
a period of 90 days after the date on which written notice of such
failure, requiring the same to be remedied and stating that such notice
is a "Notice of Default" hereunder, shall have been given to the
Company by the Trustee, by registered or certified mail, or to the
Company and the Trustee by the holders of at least 25% in principal
amount of the Debentures at the time Outstanding;
(iv) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of
any Bankruptcy Law (i) commences a voluntary case; (ii) consents to the
entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case; (iii)
consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or
substantially all of its property; or (iv) makes a general assignment
for the benefit of its creditors;
(v) a court of competent jurisdict on enters an order
under any Bankruptcy Law that (i) is for relief against the Company in
an involuntary case; (ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company for all
or substantially all of its property; or (iii) orders the liquidation
of the Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect
for 90 days; or
38
(vi) the Trust shall have voluntarily or
involuntarily dissolved, wound-up its business or otherwise terminated
its existence except in connection with (i) the distribution of
Debentures to holders of Trust Securities in liquidation of their
interests in the Trust; (ii) the redemption of all of the outstanding
Trust Securities of the Trust; or (iii) certain mergers, consolidations
or amalgamations, each as permitted by the Trust Agreement.
(b) In each and every such case, unless the principal of all
the Debentures shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or
the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures
then Outstanding hereunder, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the
Trustee if given by such Debentureholders) may declare the principal of all the
Debentures to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the
same shall become and shall be immediately due and payable, notwithstanding
anything contained in this Indenture or in the Debentures.
(c) At any time after the principal of the Debentures shall
have been so declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the
payment of the moneys due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter
provided, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Debentures then Outstanding hereunder, by written notice to the Company and the
Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if: (i) the
Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all
matured installments of interest upon all the Debentures and the principal of
any and all Debentures that shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration
(with interest upon such principal, and upon overdue installments of interest,
at the rate per annum expressed in the Debentures to the date of such payment or
deposit) and the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 9.7; and (ii) any
and all Events of Default under this Indenture, other than the nonpayment of
principal on Debentures that shall not have become due by their terms, shall
have been remedied or waived as provided in Section 7.6. No such rescission and
annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent default or impair any
right consequent thereon.
39
(d) In case the Trustee shall have proceeded to enforce any
right with respect to Debentures under this Indenture and such proceedings shall
have been discontinued or abandoned because of such rescission or annulment or
for any other reason or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee,
then and in every such case the Company and the Trustee shall be restored
respectively to their former positions and rights hereunder, and all rights,
remedies and powers of the Company and the Trustee shall continue as though no
such proceedings had been taken.
SECTION 7.2. COLLECTION OF INDEBTEDNESS AND SUITS FOR ENFORCEMENT
BY TRUSTEE.
(a) The Company covenants that (1) in case it shall default in
the payment of any installment of interest on any of the Debentures, and such
default shall have continued for a period of 90 Business Days; or (2) in case it
shall default in the payment of the principal of any of the Debentures when the
same shall have become due and payable, whether upon maturity of the Debentures
or upon redemption or upon declaration or otherwise, then, upon demand of the
Trustee, the Company shall pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the holders of
the Debentures, the whole amount that then shall have been become due and
payable on all such Debentures for principal or interest, or both, as the case
may be, with interest upon the overdue principal and upon overdue installments
of interest at the rate per annum expressed in the Debentures; and (if the
Debentures are held by the Trust or a trustee of the Trust, without duplication
of any other amounts paid by the Trust or trustee in respect thereof) upon
overdue installments of interest at the rate per annum expressed in the
Debentures; and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient
to cover the costs and expenses of collection, and the amount payable to the
Trustee under Section 9.7.
(b) If the Company shall fail to pay such amounts set forth in
Section 7.2(a) forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as
trustee of an express trust, shall be entitled and empowered to institute any
action or proceedings at law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due
and unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceeding to judgment or final
decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against the
40
Company or other obligor upon the Debentures and collect the moneys adjudged or
decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the
Company or other obligor upon the Debentures, wherever situated.
(c) In case of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation,
bankruptcy, reorganization, readjustment, arrangement, composition or judicial
proceedings affecting the Company or the creditors or property thereof, the
Trustee shall have power to intervene in such proceedings and take any action
therein that may be permitted by the court and shall (except as may be otherwise
provided by law) be entitled to file such proofs of claim and other papers and
documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the
Trustee and of the holders of the Debentures allowed for the entire amount due
and payable by the Company under this Indenture at the date of institution of
such proceedings and for any additional amount that may become due and payable
by the Company after such date, and to collect and receive any moneys or other
property payable or deliverable on any such claim, and to distribute the same
after the deduction of the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 9.7; and
any receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization is hereby
authorized by each of the holders of the Debentures to make such payments to the
Trustee, and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such
payments directly to such Debentureholders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due
it under Section 9.7.
(d) All rights of action and of asserting claims under this
Indenture, or under any of the terms established with respect to Debentures,
may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of such Debentures,
or the production thereof at any trial or other proceeding relative thereto, and
any such suit or proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its
own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall,
after provision for payment to the Trustee of any amounts due under Section 9.7,
be for the ratable benefit of the holders of the Debentures. In case of an Event
of Default hereunder, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and
enforce the rights vested in it by this Indenture by such appropriate judicial
proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and
41
enforce any of such rights, either at law or in equity or in bankruptcy or
otherwise, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement
contained in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in
this Indenture, or to enforce any other legal or equitable right vested in the
Trustee by this Indenture or by law. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to
authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of
any Debentureholder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or
composition affecting the Debentures or the rights of any holder thereof or to
authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Debentureholder in
any such proceeding.
SECTION 7.3. APPLICATION OF MONEYS COLLECTED.
Any moneys collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article
VII with respect to the Debentures shall be applied in the following order, at
the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such
moneys on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Debentures,
and notation thereon of the payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender
thereof if fully paid:
FIRST: To the payment of costs and expenses of collection and
of all amounts payable to the Trustee under Section 9.7;
SECOND: To the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of the
Company if and to the extent required by Article XVI; and
THIRD: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon
the Debentures for principal and interest, in respect of which or for the
benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or
priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such
Debentures for principal and interest, respectively.
SECTION 7.4. LIMITATION ON SUITS.
(a) Except as provided in Section 15.13 hereof, no holder of
any Debenture
42
shall have any right by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Indenture
to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or
with respect to this Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee,
or for any other remedy hereunder, unless (i) such holder previously shall have
given to the Trustee written notice of an Event of Default and of the
continuance thereof with respect to the Debentures specifying such Event of
Default, as hereinbefore provided; (ii) the holders of not less than 25% in
aggregate principal amount of the Debentures then Outstanding shall have made
written request upon the Trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in
its own name as trustee hereunder; (iii) such holder or holders shall have
offered to the Trustee such reasonable indemnity as it may require against the
costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby; and (iv) the
Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of
indemnity, shall have failed to institute any such action, suit or proceeding;
and (v) during such 60 day period, the holders of a majority in principal amount
of the Debentures do not give the Trustee a direction inconsistent with the
request.
(b) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary
or any other provisions of this Indenture, the right of any holder of the
Debentures to receive payment of the principal of and interest on the
Debentures, as therein provided, on or after the respective due dates expressed
in such Debenture (or in the case of redemption, on the redemption date), or to
institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such
respective dates or redemption date, shall not be impaired or affected without
the consent of such holder and by accepting a Debenture hereunder it is
expressly understood, intended and covenanted by the taker and holder of every
Debenture with every other such taker and holder and the Trustee, that no one or
more holders of Debentures shall have any right in any manner whatsoever by
virtue or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or
prejudice the rights of the holders of any other of such Debentures, or to
obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other such holder,
or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein
provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all holders of
Debentures. For the protection and enforcement of the provisions of this Section
7.4, each and every Debentureholder
43
and the Trustee shall be entitled to such relief as can be given either at law
or in equity.
SECTION 7.5. RIGHTS AND REMEDIES CUMULATIVE; DELAY OR OMISSION NOT
WAIVER.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.9, all powers
and remedies given by this Article VII to the Trustee or to the Debentureholders
shall, to the extent permitted by law, be deemed cumulative and not exclusive of
any other powers and remedies available to the Trustee or the holders of the
Debentures, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or
observance of the covenants and agreements contained in this Indenture or
otherwise established with respect to such Debentures.
(b) No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any holder of
any of the Debentures to exercise any right or power accruing upon any Event of
Default occurring and continuing as aforesaid shall impair any such right or
power, or shall be construed to be a waiver of any such default or an
acquiescence therein; and, subject to the provisions of Section 7.4, every power
and remedy given by this Article VII or by law to the Trustee or the
Debentureholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be
deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Debentureholders.
SECTION 7.6. CONTROL BY DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Debentures at the time Outstanding, determined in accordance with Section 10.4,
shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any
proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or
power conferred on the Trustee; provided, however, hat such direction shall not
be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture. Subject to the
provisions of Section 9.1, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow
any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer
or Officers of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would
involve the Trustee in personal liability. The holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Debentures at the time Outstanding affected
thereby,
44
determined in accordance with Section 10.4, may on behalf of the holders of all
of the Debentures waive any past default in the performance of any of the
covenants contained herein and its consequences, except (i) a default in the
payment of the principal of or interest on, any of the Debentures as and when
the same shall become due by the terms of such Debentures otherwise than by
acceleration (unless such default has been cured and a sum sufficient to pay all
matured installments of interest and principal has been deposited with the
Trustee (in accordance with Section 7.1(c)); (ii) a default in the covenants
contained in Section 5.6; or (iii) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof
which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each
Outstanding Debenture affected; provided, however, that if the Debentures are
held by the Trust or a trustee of the Trust, such waiver or modification to such
waiver shall not be effective until the holders of a majority in liquidation
preference of Trust Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such waiver
or modification to such waiver; provided further, that if the consent of the
holder of each Outstanding Debenture is required, such waiver shall not be
effective until each holder of the Trust Securities of the Trust shall have
consented to such waiver. Upon any such waiver, the default covered thereby
shall be deemed to be cured for all purposes of this Indenture and the Company,
the Trustee and the holders of the Debentures shall be restored to their former
positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to
any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 7.7. UNDERTAKING TO PAY COSTS.
All parties to this Indenture agree, and each holder of any
Debentures by such holder's acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed,
that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of
any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for
any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant
in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such
court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable
attorneys' fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to
the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant;
but the provisions of this Section 7.8 shall not apply to any suit instituted by
45
the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Debentureholder, or group of
Debentureholders holding more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the
Outstanding Debentures, or to any suit instituted by any Debentureholder for the
enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on the Debentures, on
or after the respective due dates expressed in such Debenture or established
pursuant to this Indenture.
ARTICLE VIII
FORM OF DEBENTURE AND ORIGINAL ISSUE
SECTION 8.1. FORM OF DEBENTURE.
The Debenture and the Trustee's Certificate of Authentication
to be endorsed thereon are to be substantially in the forms contained as Exhibit
A attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
SECTION 8.2. ORIGINAL ISSUE OF DEBENTURES.
Debentures in the aggregate principal amount of $12,371,500
may, upon execution of this Indenture, be executed by the Company and delivered
to the Trustee for authentication. If the Underwriters exercise their Option and
there is an Option Closing Date (as such terms are defined in that certain
Underwriting Agreement, dated ______________, 1997, by and among the Company,
the Trust and Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx & Company, Incorporated, for itself and as
representative of the Underwriters named therein) then, on such Option Closing
Date, Debentures in the additional aggregate principal amount of $1,855,500 may
be executed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee for authentication. In
either such event, the Trustee shall thereupon authenticate and deliver said
Debentures to or upon the written order of the Company, signed by its Chairman,
its Vice Chairman, its President, or any Vice President and its Treasurer or an
Assistant Treasurer, without any further action by the Company.
ARTICLE IX.
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CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE
SECTION 9.1. CERTAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEE.
(a) The Trustee, prior to the occurrence of an Event of
Default and after the occuring of all Events of Default that may have occurred,
shall undertake to perform with respect to the Debentures such duties and only
such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied
covenants shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. In case an
Event of Default has occurred that has not been cured or waived, the Trustee
shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and
use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would
exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.
(b) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to
relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own
negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(1) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and
after the acuring or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have
occurred:
(i) the duties and obligations of the
Trustee shall with respect to the Debentures be determined
solely by the express provisions of this Indenture, and the
Trustee shall not be liable with respect to the Debentures
except for the performance of such duties and obligations as
are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied
covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture
against the Trustee; and
(ii) in the absence of bad faith on the part
of the Trustee, the Trustee may with respect to the Debentures
conclusively rely, as to the truth of the
47
statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed
therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the
Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture;
but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by
any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished
to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine
the same to determine whether or not they conform to the
requirements of this Indenture;
(2) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of
judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible
Officers of he Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was
negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
(3) the 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 principal amount of the Debentures at the time Outstanding
relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for
any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power
conferred upon the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the
Debentures; and
(4) none of the provisions contained in this
Indenture shall require the 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
there is reasonable ground for believing that the repayment of such
funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of
this Indenture or adequate indemnity against such risk is not
reasonably assured to it.
SECTION 9.2. NOTICE OF DEFAULTS.
Within 90 days after actual knowledge by a Responsible Officer
of the Trustee of the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the
Debentures, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all holders of the Debentures,
as their names and addresses appear in the Debenture
48
Register, notice of such default, unless such default shall have been cured or
waived; provided, however, that, except in the case of a default in the payment
of the principal or interest (including any Additional Interest) on any
Debenture, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so
long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a trust committee of
the directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee determines in good
faith that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the holders of
such Debentures; and provided, further, that in the case of any default of the
character specified in Section 7.1(a)(iii), no such notice to holders of
Debentures need be sent until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For
the purposes of this Section 9.2, the term "default" means any event which is,
or after notice or lapse of time or both, would become, an Event of Default with
respect to the Debentures.
SECTION 9.3. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 9.1:
(a) The Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or
refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument,
opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, bond, security or
other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or
presented by the proper party or parties;
(b) Any request, direction, order or demand of the Company
mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution or an
instrument signed in the name of the Company by the President or any Vice
President and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or the Treasurer or an
Assistant Treasurer thereof (unless other evidence in respect thereof is
specifically prescribed herein);
(c) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of a
default or an Event of Default, other than an Event of Default specified in
Section 7.1(a)(i); or (ii), unless and
49
until it receives written notification of such Event of Default from the Company
or by holders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount of the
Debentures at the time Outstanding;
(d) The Trustee may consult with counsel and the written
advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full an complete
authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or suffered or
omitted hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;
(e) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any
of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or
direction of any of the Debentureholders, pursuant to the provisions of this
Indenture, unless such Debentureholders shall have offered to the Trustee
reasonable security or indemnity against the costs,expenses and liabilities that
may be incurred therein or thereby; nothing contained herein shall, however,
relieve the Trustee of the obligation, upon the occurrence of an Event of
Default (that has not been cured or waived) to exercise with respect to the
Debentures such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and to
use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would
exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs;
(f) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or
omitted to be taken by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or
within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture;
(g) The 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, consent, order, approval, bond,
security, or other papers or documents, unless requested in writing so to do by
the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding
Debentures (determined as provided in Section 10.4); provided, however, that if
the payment within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or
liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is,
in the opinion of the Trustee, not reasonably assured to the Trustee by the
security afforded to it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may require
reasonable indemnity against such costs, expenses or liabilities as a condition
to so
50
proceeding. The reasonable expense of every such examination shall be paid by
the Company or, if paid by the Trustee, shall be repaid by the Company upon
demand; and
(h) The Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers
hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through
agents or attorneys and the 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.
SECTION 9.4. TRUSTEE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS, ETC.
(a) The Recitals contained herein and in the Debentures shall
be taken as the statement of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no
responsibility for the correctness of the same.
(b) The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or
sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Debentures.
(c) The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or
application by the Company of any of the Debentures or of the proceeds of such
Debentures, or for the use or application of any moneys paid over by the Trustee
in accordance with any provision of this Indenture, or for the use or
application of any moneys received by any paying agent other than the Trustee.
SECTION 9.5. MAY HOLD DEBENTURES.
The Trustee or any Paying Agent or Debenture Registrar for the
Debentures, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or
pledgee of Debentures with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee,
Paying Agent or Debenture Registrar.
SECTION 9.6. MONEYS HELD IN TRUST.
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Subject to the provisions of Section 13.5, all moneys received
by the Trustee shall, until used or applied as herein provided, be held in trust
for the purposes for which they were received, but need not be segregated from
other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no
liability for interest on any moneys received by it hereunder except such as it
may agree with the Company to pay thereon.
SECTION 9.7. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees to pay to the Trustee,
and the Trustee shall be entitled to, such reasonable compensation (which shall
not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a
trustee of an express trust), as the Company and the Trustee may from time to
time agree in writing, for all services rendered by it in the execution of the
trusts hereby created and in the exercise and performance of any of the powers
and duties hereunder of the Trustee, and, except as otherwise expressly provided
herein, the Company shall pay or reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all
reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee
in accordance with any of the provisions of this Indenture (including the
reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its counsel and of
all Persons not regularly in its employ) except any such expense, disbursement
or advance as may arise from its negligence or bad faith. The Company also
covenants to indemnify the Trustee (and its officers, agents, directors and
employees) for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense
incurred without negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee and arising
out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust,
including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim of
liability in the premises.
(b) The obligations of the Company under this Section 9.7 to
compensate and indemnify the Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee for
expenses, disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness
hereunder.
SECTION 9.8. RELIANCE ON OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE.
52
Except as otherwise provided in Section 9.1, whenever in the
administration of the provisions of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it
necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking or
suffering or omitting to take any action hereunder, such matter (unless other
evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the
absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be
conclusively proved and established by an Officers' Certificate delivered to the
Trustee and such certificate, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the
part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the Trustee for any action taken,
suffered or omitted to be taken by it under the provisions of this Indenture
upon the faith thereof.
SECTION 9.9. DISQUALIFICATION; CONFLICTING INTERESTS.
If the Trustee has or shall acquire any "conflicting interest"
within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee and
the Company shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b)
of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 9.10. CORPORATE TRUSTEE REQUIRED; ELIGIBILITY.
There shall at all times be a Trustee with respect to the
Debentures issued hereunder which shall at all times 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 other
Person permitted to act as trustee by the Commission, authorized under such laws
to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at
least $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 aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of
this Section 9.10, 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. The Company may not, nor may any Person
directly or indirectly controlling,
53
controlled by, or under common control with the Company, serve as Trustee. In
case at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the
provisions of this Section 9.10, the Trustee shall resign immediately in the
manner and with the effect specified in Section 9.11.
SECTION 9.11. RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL; APPOINTMENT OF SUCCESSOR.
(a) The Trustee or any successor hereafter appointed, may at
any time resign by giving written notice thereof to the Company and by
transmitting notice of resignation by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the
Debentureholders, as their names and addresses appear upon the Debenture
Register. Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the Company shall promptly
appoint a successor trustee with respect to Debentures by written instrument, in
duplicate, executed by order of the Board of Directors, one copy of which
instrument shall be delivered to the resigning Trustee and one copy to the
successor trustee. If no successor trustee shall have been so appointed and have
accepted appointment within 30 days after the mailing of such notice of
resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor trustee with respect to
Debentures, or any Debentureholder who has been a bona fide holder of a
Debenture or Debentures for at least six months may, subject to the provisions
of Section 9.9, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition
any such court for the appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may
thereupon after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe,
appoint a successor trustee.
(b) In case at any time any one of the following shall
occur:
(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the
provisions of Section 9.9 after written request therefor by the Company
or by any Debentureholder who has been a bona fide holder of a
Debenture or Debentures for at least six months; or
(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in
accordance with the provisions of Section 9.10 and shall fail to resign
after written request therefor by the Company or by any such
Debentureholder; or
54
(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting,
or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or commence a voluntary
bankruptcy proceeding, or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property
shall be appointed or consented to, or any public officer shall take
charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the
purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation, then, in any
such case, the Company may remove the Trustee with respect to all
Debentures and appoint a successor trustee by written instrument, in
duplicate, executed by order of the Board of Directors, one copy of
which instrument shall be delivered to the Trustee so removed and one
copy to the successor trustee, or, subject to the provisions of Section
9.9, unless the Trustee's duty to resign is stayed as provided herein,
any Debentureholder who has been a bona fide holder of a Debenture or
Debentures for at least six months may, on behalf of that holder and
all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a
successor trustee. Such court may thereupon after such notice, if any,
as it may deem proper and prescribe, remove the Trustee and appoint a
successor trustee.
(c) The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of
the Debentures a the time Outstanding may at any time remove the Trustee by so
notifying the Trustee and the Company and may appoint a successor Trustee with
the consent of the Company.
(d) Any resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment
of a successor trustee with respect to the Debentures pursuant to any of the
provisions of this Section 9.11 shall become effective upon acceptance of
appointment by the successor trustee as provided in Section 9.12.
(e) Any successor trustee appointed pursuant to this Section
9.11 may be appointed with respect to the Debentures, and at any time there
shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Debentures.
55
SECTION 9.12. ACCEPTANCE OF APPOINTMENT BY SUCCESSOR.
(a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor
trustee with respect to the Debentures, every successor trustee so appointed
shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring
Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation
or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor
trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with
all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the
request of the Company or the successor trustee, such retiring Trustee shall,
upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to
such successor trustee all the rights, powers, and trusts of the retiring
Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor trustee
all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.
(b) Upon request of any successor trustee, the Company shall
execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and
confirming to such successor trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred
to in paragraph (a) of this Section 9.12.
(c) No successor trustee shall accept its appointment unless
at the time of such acceptance such successor trustee shall be qualified and
eligible under this Article IX.
(d) Upon acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee as
provided in this Section 9.12, the Company shall transmit notice of the
succession of such trustee hereunder by mail, first class postage prepaid, to
the Debentureholders, as their names and addresses appear upon the Debenture
Register. If the Company fails to transmit such notice within ten days after
acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee, the successor trustee shall
cause such notice to be transmitted at the expense of the Company.
SECTION 9.13. MERGER, CONVERSION, CONSOLIDATION OR SUCCESSION TO
BUSINESS.
Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or
converted or with
56
which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger,
conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any
corporation succeeding to the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be
the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided that such corporation shall be
qualified under the provisions of Section 9.9 and eligible under the provisions
of Section 9.10, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act
on the part of any of the parties hereto, anything herein to the contrary
notwithstanding. In case any Debentures shall have been authenticated, but not
delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or
consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and
deliver the Debentures so authenticated with the same effect as if such
successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Debentures.
SECTION 9.14. PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AGAINST THE COMPANY.
The Trustee shall comply with Section 311(a) of the Trust
Indenture Act, excluding any creditor relationship described in Section 311(b)
of the Trust Indenture Act. A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be
subject to Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act to the extent included
therein.
ARTICLE X.
CONCERNING THE DEBENTUREHOLDERS
SECTION 10.1. EVIDENCE OF ACTION BY HOLDERS.
(a) Whenever in this Indenture it is provided that the holders
of a majority or specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of the
Debentures may take any action (including the making of any demand or request,
the giving of any notice, consent or waiver or the taking of any other action),
the fact that at the time of taking any such action the holders of such majority
or specified percentage have joined therein may be evidenced by any instrument
or any number of instruments of similar tenor executed by such holders of
Debentures in Person or
57
by agent or proxy appointed in writing.
(b) If the Company shall solicit from the Debentureholders any
request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other
action, the Company may, at its option, as evidenced by an Officers'
Certificate, fix in advance a record date for the determination of
Debentureholders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, but the Company shall have
no obligation to do so. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action may be given
before or after the record date, but only the Debentureholders of record at the
close of business on the record date shall be deemed to be Debentureholders for
the purposes of determining whether Debentureholders of the requisite proportion
of Outstanding Debentures have authorized or agreed or consented to such
request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other
action, and for that purpose the Outstanding Debentures shall be computed as of
the record date; provided, however, that no such authorization, agreement or
consent by such Debentureholders on the record date shall be deemed effective
unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture
not later than six months after the record date.
SECTION 10.2. PROOF OF EXECUTION BY DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
Subject to the provisions of Section 9.1, proof of the
execution of any instrument by a Debentureholder (such proof shall not require
notarization) or his agent or proxy and proof of the holding by any Person of
any of the Debentures shall be sufficient if made in the following manner:
(a) The fact and date of the execution by any such Person of
any instrument may be proved in any reasonable manner acceptable to the Trustee.
(b) The ownership of Debentures shall be proved by the
Debenture Register of such Debentures or by a certificate of the Debenture
Registrar thereof.
58
(c) The Trustee may require such additional proof of any
matter referred to in this Section 10.2 as it shall deem necessary.
SECTION 10.3. WHO MAY BE DEEMED OWNERS.
Prior to the due presentment for registration of transfer of
any Debenture, the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent, any Authenticating
Agent and any Debenture Registrar may deem and treat the Person in whose name
such Debenture shall be registered upon the books of the Company as the absolute
owner of such Debenture (whether or not such Debenture shall be overdue and
notwithstanding any notice of ownership or writing thereon made by anyone other
than the Debenture Registrar) for he purpose of receiving payment of or on
account of the principal of and interest on such Debenture (subject to Section
2.3) and for all other purposes; and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any
Paying Agent nor any Authenticating Agent nor any Debenture Registrar shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary.
SECTION 10.4. CERTAIN DEBENTURES OWNED BY COMPANY DISREGARDED.
In determining whether the holders of the requisite aggregate
principal amount of Debentures have concurred in any direction, consent or
waiver under this Indenture, the Debentures that are owned by the Company or any
other obligor on the Debentures or by any Person directly or indirectly
controlling or controlled by or under common control with the Company or any
other obligor on the Debentures shall be disregarded and deemed not to be
Outstanding for the purpose of any such determination, except that for the
purpose of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any
such direction, consent or waiver, only Debentures that the Trustee actually
knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. The Debentures so owned that have
been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding for the purposes of
this Section 10.4, if the pledgee shall establish to the satisfaction of the
Trustee the pledgee's right so to act with respect to such Debentures and that
the pledgee is not a Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by
or under direct or indirect common
59
control with the Company or any such other obligor. In case of a dispute as to
such right, any decision by the Trustee taken upon the advice of counsel shall
be full protection to the Trustee.
SECTION 10.5. ACTIONS BINDING ON FUTURE DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the
Trustee, as provided in Section 10.1, of the taking of any action by the holders
of the majority or percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures
specified in this Indenture in connection with such action, any holder of a
Debenture that is shown by the evidence to be included in the Debentures the
holders of which have consented to such action may, by filing written notice
with the Trustee, and upon proof of holding as provided in Section 10.2, revoke
such action so far as concerns such Debenture. Except as aforesaid any such
action taken by the holder of any Debenture shall be conclusive and binding upon
such holder and upon all future holders and owners of such Debenture, and of any
Debenture issued in exchange therefor, on registration of transfer thereof or in
place thereof, irrespective of whether or not any notation in regard thereto is
made upon such Debenture. Any action taken by the holders of the majority or
percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures specified in this
Indenture in connection with such action shall be conclusively binding upon the
Company, the Trustee and the holders of all the Debentures.
ARTICLE XI.
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
SECTION 11.1. SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF
DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
In addition to any supplemental indenture otherwise authorized
by this Indenture, the Company and the Trustee may from time to time and at any
time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall
conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect), without
the consent of the Debentureholders, for one or more of the following purposes:
60
(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect, or inconsistency herein, or
in the
Debentures;
(b) to comply with Article X;
(c) to provide for uncertificated Debentures in addition to or
in place of certificated Debentures;
(d) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of
the holders of all or any of the Debentures or to surrender any right or power
herein conferred upon the Company;
(e) to add to, delete from, or revise the conditions,
limitations, and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms, or purposes of
issue, authentication, and delivery of Debentures, as herein set forth;
(f) to make any change that does not adversely affect the
rights of any Debentureholder in any material respect;
(g) to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and
terms and conditions of the Debentures, to establish the form of any
certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of this Indenture
or of the Debentures, or to add to the rights of the holders of the Debentures;
(h) qualify or maintain the qualification of this Indenture
under the Trust Indenture Act; or
(i) to evidence a consolidation or merger involving the
Company as permitted under Section 12.1.
The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in
the execution of
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any such supplemental indenture, and to make any further appropriate agreements
and stipulations that may be therein contained, but the Trustee shall not be
obligated to enter into any such supplemental indenture that affects the
Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section 11.1 may
be executed by the Company and the Trustee without the consent of the holders of
any of the Debentures at the time Outstanding, notwithstanding any of the
provisions of Section 11.2.
SECTION 11.2. SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES WITH CONSENT OF DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
With the consent (evidenced as provided in Section 10.1) of
the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Debentures at the time Outstanding, the Company, when authorized by Board
Resolutions, and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an
indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect for the purpose of
adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the
provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in
any manner not covered by Section 11.1 the rights of the holders of the
Debentures under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental
indenture shall without the consent of the holders of each Debenture then
Outstanding and affected thereby, (i) extend the fixed maturity of any
Debentures, reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend
the time of payment of interest thereon, without the consent of the holder of
each Debenture so affected; or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of
Debentures, the holders of which are required to consent to any such
supplemental indenture; provided further, that if the Debentures are held by the
Trust or a trustee of the Trust, such supplemental indenture shall not be
effective until the holders of a majority in liquidation preference of Trust
Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such supplemental indenture;
provided further, that if the consent of the holder of each Outstanding
Debenture is required, such supplemental indenture shall not be effective until
each holder of the Trust Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such
supplemental indenture. It shall not be necessary for the consent of the
Debentureholders affected thereby under this Section 11.2 to approve the
particular form of
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any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent
shall approve the substance thereof.
SECTION 11.3. EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES.
Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to
the provisions of this Article XI, this Indenture shall be and be deemed to be
modified and amended in accordance therewith and the respective rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities under this Indenture
of the Trustee, the Company and the holders of Debentures shall thereafter be
determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such
modifications and amendments, and all the terms and conditions of any such
supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be part of the terms and
conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.
SECTION 11.4. DEBENTURES AFFECTED BY SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES.
Debentures affected by a supplemental indenture, authenticated
and delivered after the execution of such supplemental indenture pursuant to the
provisions of this Article XI, may bear a notation in form approved by the
Company, provided such form meets the requirements of any exchange upon which
the Debentures may be listed, as to any matter provided for in such supplemental
indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Debentures so modified as to
conform, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the Company, to any
modification of this Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may
be prepared by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee and delivered in
exchange for the Debentures then Outstanding.
SECTION 11.5. EXECUTION OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES.
(a) Upon the request of the Company, accompanied by its Board
Resolutions authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and
upon the filing with the
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Trustee of evidence of the consent of Debentureholders required to consent
thereto as aforesaid, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution
of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the
Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in
which case the Trustee may in its discretion but shall not be obligated to enter
into such supplemental indenture. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of
Sections 9.1, may receive an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any
supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article XI is authorized or
permitted by, and conforms to, the terms of this Article XI and that it is
proper for the Trustee under the provisions of this Article XI to join in the
execution thereof.
(b) Promptly after the execution by the Company and the
Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section
11.5, the Trustee shall transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, a notice,
setting forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental indenture, to
the Debentureholders as their names and addresses appear upon the Debenture
Register. Any failure of the Trustee to mail such notice, or any defect therein,
shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such
supplemental indenture.
ARTICLE XII.
SUCCESSOR CORPORATION
SECTION 12.1. COMPANY MAY CONSOLIDATE, ETC.
Nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the
Debentures shall prevent any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into
any other corporation or corporations (whether or not affiliated with the
Company, as the case may be), or successive consolidations or mergers in which
he Company, as the case may be, or its successor or successors shall be a party
or parties, or shall prevent any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition
of the property of the Company, as the case may be, or its successor or
successors as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to any other
corporation (whether or not affiliated with the Company, as the case may be, or
its successor or successors) authorized to acquire and operate the same;
provided, however,
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that the Company hereby covenants and agrees that, (i) upon any such
consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, the due
and punctual payment, in the case of the Company, of the principal of and
interest on all of the Debentures, according to their tenor and the due and
punctual performance and observance of all the covenants and conditions of this
Indenture to be kept or performed by the Company as the case may be, shall be
expressly assumed, by supplemental indenture (which shall conform to the
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, as then in effect) satisfactory in form
to the Trustee executed and delivered to the Trustee by the entity formed by
such consolidation, or into which the Company, as the case may be, shall have
been merged, or by the entity which shall have acquired such property; (ii) in
case the Company consolidates with or merges into another Person or conveys or
transfers its properties and assets substantially then as an entirety to any
Person, the successor Person is organized under the laws of the United States or
any state or the District of Columbia; and (iii) immediately after giving effect
thereto, an Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time
or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be
continuing.
SECTION 12.2. SUCCESSOR CORPORATION SUBSTITUTED.
(a) In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale,
conveyance, transfer or other disposition and upon the assumption by the
successor corporation, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the
Trustee and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of the due and punctual payment
of the principal of and interest on all of the Debentures Outstanding and the
due and punctual performance of all of the covenants and conditions of this
Indenture to be performed by the Company such successor corporation shall
succeed to and be substituted for the Company, with the same effect as if it had
been named as the Company herein, and thereupon the predecessor corporation
shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the
Debentures.
(b) In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale,
conveyance, transfer or
65
other disposition such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance)
may be made in the Debentures thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.
(c) Nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the
Debentures shall prevent the Company from merging into itself or acquiring by
purchase or otherwise all or any part of the property of any other Person
(whether or not affiliated with the Company).
SECTION 12.3. EVIDENCE OF CONSOLIDATION, ETC. TO TRUSTEE.
The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 9.1, may
receive an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any such
consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, and any
such assumption, comply with the provisions of this Article XII.
ARTICLE XII.
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
SECTION 13.1 SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE
If at any time: (a) the Company shall have delivered to the
Trustee for cancellation all Debentures theretofore authenticated (other than
any Debentures that shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that shall
have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.9) and Debentures for whose
payment money or Governmental Obligations have theretofore been deposited in
trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company (and thereupon repaid to
the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 13.5); or (b)
all such Debentures not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation
shall have become due and payable, or are by their terms to become due and
payable within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under
arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption,
and the Company shall deposit or cause to be deposited with the Trustee as trust
funds the entire amount in moneys or Governmental Obligations sufficient or a
combination thereof, sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm
of independent
66
public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the
Trustee, to pay at maturity or upon redemption all Debentures not theretofore
delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including principal and interest due
or to become due to such date of maturity or date fixed for redemption, as the
case may be, and if the Company shall also pay or cause to be paid all other
sums payable hereunder by the Company; then this Indenture shall thereupon cease
to be of further effect except for the provisions of Sections 2.3, 2.7, 2.9,
5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 9.7 and 9.10, that shall survive until the date of maturity or
redemption date, as the case may be, and Sections 9.6 and 13.5, that shall
survive to such date and thereafter, and the Trustee, on demand of the Company
and at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments
acknowledging satisfaction of and discharging this Indenture.
SECTION 13.2. DISCHARGE OF OBLIGATIONS.
If at any time all Debentures not heretofore delivered to the
Trustee for cancellation or that have not become due and payable as described in
Section 13.1 shall have been paid by the Company by depositing irrevocably with
the Trustee as trust funds moneys or an amount of Governmental Obligations
sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized certified public accounting
firm to pay at maturity or upon redemption all Debentures not theretofore
delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including principal and interest due
or to become due to such date of maturity or date fixed for redemption, as the
case may be, and if the Company shall also pay or cause to be paid all other
sums payable hereunder by the Company, then after the date such moneys or
Governmental Obligations, as the case may be, are deposited with the Trustee,
the obligations of the Company under this Indenture shall cease to be of further
effect except for the provisions of Sections 2.3, 2.7, 2.9, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 9.6,
9.10 and 13.5 hereof that shall survive until such Debentures shall mature and
be paid. Thereafter, Sections 9.6 and 13.5 shall survive.
SECTION 13.3. DEPOSITED MONEYS TO BE HELD IN TRUST.
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All monies or Governmental Obligation deposited with the
Trustee pursuant to Sections 13.1 or 13.2 shall be held in trust and shall be
available for payment as due, either directly or through any Paying Agent
(including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent), to the holders of the
Debentures for the payment or redemption of which such moneys or Governmental
Obligations have been deposited with the Trustee.
SECTION 13.4. PAYMENT OF MONIES HELD BY PAYING AGENTS.
In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this
Indenture, all moneys or Governmental Obligations then held by any Paying Agent
under the provisions of this Indenture shall, upon demand of the Company, be
paid to the Trustee and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all
further liability with respect to such moneys or Governmental Obligations.
SECTION 13.5. REPAYMENT TO COMPANY.
Any monies or Governmental Obligations deposited with any
Paying Agent or the Trustee, or then held by the company in trust, for payment
of principal of or interest on the Debentures that are not applied but remain
unclaimed by the holders of such Debentures for at least two years after the
date upon which the principal of or interest on such Debentures shall have
respectively become due and payable, shall be repaid to the Company, as the case
may be, on May 31 of each year or (if then held by the Company) shall be
discharged from such trust; and thereupon the Paying Agent and the Trustee shall
be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys or
Governmental Obligations, and the holder of any of the Debentures entitled to
receive such payment shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look
only to the Company for the payment thereof.
ARTICLE XIV.
IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
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SECTION 14.1. NO RECOURSE.
No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or
agreement of this Indenture, or of the Debentures, or for any claim based
thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator,
stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future as such, of the
Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly or
through the Company or any such predecessor or successor corporation, whether by
virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any
assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that this
Indenture and the obligations issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations,
and that no such personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be
incurred by, the incorporators, stockholders, officers or directors as such, of
the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, or any of them,
because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by
reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture
or in any of the Debentures or implied therefrom; and that any and all such
personal liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity
or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims
against, every such incorporator, stockholder, officer or director as such,
because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by
reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture
or in any of the Debentures or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived
and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of
this Indenture and the issuance of such Debentures.
ARTICLE XV.
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SECTION 15.1. EFFECT ON SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.
All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements in
this Indenture contained by or on behalf of the Company shall bind their
respective successors an assigns,
69
whether so expressed or not.
SECTION 15.2. ACTIONS BY SUCCESSOR.
Any act or proceeding by any provision of this Indenture
authorized or required to be done or performed by any board, committee or
officer of the Company shall and may be done and performed with like force and
effect by the corresponding board, committee or officer of any corporation that
shall at the time be the lawful sole successor of the Company.
SECTION 15.3. SURRENDER OF COMPANY POWERS.
The Company by instrument in writing executed by appropriate
authority of its Board of Directors and delivered to the Trustee may surrender
any of the powers reserved to the Company, and thereupon such power so
surrendered shall terminate both as to the Company, as the case may be, and as
to any successor corporation.
SECTION 15.4. NOTICES.
Except as otherwise expressly provided herein any notice or
demand that by any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be
given or served by the Trustee or by the holders of Debentures to or on the
Company may be given or served by being deposited first class postage prepaid in
a post-office letter box addressed (until another address is filed in writing by
the Company with the Trustee), as follows: c/o People's Bancshares, Inc. 000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Chief Financial
Officer. Any notice, election, request or demand by the Company or any
Debentureholder to or upon the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently
given or made, for all purposes, if given or made in writing at the Corporate
Trust Office of the Trustee.
SECTION 15.5. GOVERNING LAW.
This Indenture and each Debenture shall be deemed to be a
contract made under
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the internal laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and for all purposes
shall be construed in accordance with the laws of said Commonwealth.
SECTION 15.6. TREATMENT OF DEBENTURES AS DEBT.
It is intended that the Debentures shall be treated as
indebtedness and not as equity for federal income tax purposes. The provisions
of this Indenture shall be interpreted to further this intention.
SECTION 15.7. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATES AND OPINIONS.
(a) Upon any application or demand by the Company to the
Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, the
Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate stating that all
conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed
action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the
opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent have been complied with,
except that in the case of any such application or demand as to which the
furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this
Indenture relating to such particular application or demand, no additional
certificate or opinion need be furnished.
(b) Each certificate or opinion of the Company provided for in
this Indenture and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a
condition or covenant in this Indenture shall include (1) a statement that the
Person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such
certificate or opinion are based; (3) a statement that, in the opinion of such
Person, he has made such examination or investigation as, in the opinion of such
Person, is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether
or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and (4) a statement as
to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such condition or
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covenant has been complied with.
SECTION 15.8. PAYMENTS ON BUSINESS DAYS.
In any case where the date of maturity of interest or
principal of any Debenture or the date of redemption of any Debenture shall not
be a Business Day, then payment of interest or principal may (subject to Section
2.5) be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect
as if made on the nominal date of maturity or redemption, and no interest shall
accrue for the period after such nominal date.
SECTION 15.9. CONFLICT WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT.
If and to the extent that any provision of this Indenture
limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317,
inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.
SECTION 15.10. COUNTERPARTS.
This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts,
each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together
constitute but one and the same instrument.
SECTION 15.11. SEPARABILITY.
In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this
Indenture or in the Debentures shall for any reason be held to be invalid,
illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions of this Indenture or of
the Debentures, but this Indenture and he Debentures shall be construed as if
such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained
herein or therein.
SECTION 15.12. ASSIGNMENT.
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The Company shall have the right at all times to assign an of
its respective rights or obligations under this Indenture to a direct or
indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company, provided that, in the event of
any such assignment, the Company shall remain liable for all such obligations.
Subject to the foregoing, this Indenture is binding upon and inures to the
benefit of the parties thereto and their respective successors and assigns. This
Indenture may not otherwise be assigned by the parties thereto.
SECTION 15.13. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RIGHTS; RIGHT OF SETOFF.
(a) The Company acknowledges that, with respect to any
Debentures held by the Trust or a trustee of the Trust, if the Property Trustee
fails to enforce its rights under this Indenture as the holder of the Debentures
held as the assets of the Trust, any holder of Preferred Securities may
institute legal proceedings directly against the Company to enforce such
Property Trustee's rights under this Indenture without first instituting any
legal proceedings against such Property Trustee or any other person or entity.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and notwithstanding the provisions of Section
7.4(a) hereof, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and such
event is attributable to the failure of the Company to pay interest or principal
on the Debentures on the date such interest or principal is otherwise payable
(or in the case of redemption, on the redemption date), the Company acknowledges
that a holder of Preferred Securities may directly institute a proceeding for
enforcement of payment to such holder of the principal of or interest on the
Debentures having a principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount
of the Preferred Securities of such holder on or after the respective due date
specified in the Debentures.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this
Indenture, the Company shall have the right to setoff any payment it is
otherwise required to make hereunder in respect of any Trust Securities to the
extent that the Company has previously made, or is concurrently making, a
payment to the holder of such Trust Securities under the Guarantee or in
connection with a proceeding for enforcement of payment of the principal of or
interest on the
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Debentures directly brought by holders of any Trust Securities.
ARTICLE XVI.
SUBORDINATION OF DEBENTURES
SECTION 16.1. AGREEMENT TO SUBORDINATE.
The Company covenants and agrees, and each holder of
Debentures issued hereunder by such holder's acceptance thereof likewise
covenants and agrees, that all Debentures shall be issued subject to the
provisions of this Article XVI; and each holder of a Debenture, whether upon
original issue or upon transfer or assignment thereof, accepts and agrees to be
bound by such provisions. The payment by the Company of the principal of and
interest on all Debentures issued hereunder shall, to the extent and in the
manner hereinafter set forth, be subordinated and junior in right of payment to
the prior payment in full of all Senior Debt, Subordinated Debt and Additional
Senior Obligations (collectively, "Senior Indebtedness") to the extent provided
herein, whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter
incurred. No provision of this Article XVI shall prevent the occurrence of any
default or Event of Default hereunder.
SECTION 16.2. DEFAULT ON SENIOR DEBT, SUBORDINATED DEBT OR ADDITIONAL
SENIOR OBLIGATIONS.
In the event and during the continuation of any default by the
Company in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other payment due
on any Senior Indebtedness of the Company, or in the event that the maturity of
any Senior Indebtedness of the Company has been accelerated because of a
default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with
respect to the principal (including redemption payments) of or interest on the
Debentures. In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall
be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding
sentence of this Section 16.2, such payment shall be held in trust for the
benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the
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holders of Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the
trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior
Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, but
only to the extent that the holders of the Senior Indebtedness (or their
representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing
within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on the Senior
Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall
be paid to the holders of Senior Indebtedness.
SECTION 16.3. LIQUIDATION; DISSOLUTION; BANKRUPTCY.
(a) Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets
of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or
securities, to creditors upon any dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or
reorganization of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary or in
bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or other proceedings, all amounts due upon
all Senior Indebtedness of the Company shall first be paid in full, or payment
thereof provided for in money in accordance with its terms, before any payment
is made by the Company on account of the principal or interest on the
Debentures; and upon any such dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or
reorganization, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the
Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to
which the holders of the Debentures or the Trustee would be entitled to receive
from the Company, except for the provisions of this Article XVI, shall be paid
by the Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee,
agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, or by the holders of
the Debentures or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by them or it,
directly to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company (pro rata to such
holders on the basis of the respective amounts of Senior Indebtedness held by
such holders, as calculated by the Company) or their representative or
representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to
which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued,
as their respective interests may appear, to the extent necessary to pay such
Senior Indebtedness in full, in money or money's worth, after giving
75
effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the holders of such
Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made to the holders
of Debentures or to the Trustee.
(b) In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any
payment or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character,
whether in cash, property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing, shall be
received by the Trustee before all Senior Indebtedness of the Company is paid in
full, or provision is made for such payment in money in accordance with its
terms, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of
and shall be paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness
or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under
any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior
Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, as
calculated by the Company, for application to the payment of all Senior
Indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, remaining unpaid to the extent
necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full in money in accordance with
its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or
for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.
(c) For purposes of this Article XVI, the words "cash,
property or securities" shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the
Company as reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other
corporation provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the
payment of which is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article
XVI with respect to the Debentures to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of
the Company, as the case may be, that may at the time be outstanding, provided
that (i) such Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any,
resulting from any such reorganization or readjustment; and (ii) the rights of
the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such
holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation of
the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another corporation or the
liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer
of its property as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another
corporation upon the terms and conditions provided for in
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Article XII shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or
reorganization for the purposes of this Section 16.3 if such other corporation
shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer, comply
with the conditions stated in Article XII. Nothing in Section 16.2 or in this
Section 16.3 shall apply to claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or
pursuant to Section 9.7.
SECTION 16.4. SUBROGATION.
(a) Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness
of the Company, the rights of the holders of the Debentures shall be subrogated
to the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or
distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may
be, applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of and interest
on the Debentures shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such
subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the holders of the
Debentures or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this
Article XVI, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article XVI
to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by holders of
the Debentures or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors
other than holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company, and the holders of the
Debentures, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such
Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article XVI
are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of
the holders of the Debentures, on the one hand, and the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness on the other hand.
(b) Nothing contained in this Article XVI or elsewhere in this
Indenture or in the Debentures is intended to or shall impair, as between the
Company, its creditors (other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the
Company), and the holders of the Debentures, the obligation of the Company,
which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the holders of the Debentures the
principal of and interest on the Debentures as and when the same shall become
77
due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall
affect the relative rights of the holders of the Debentures and creditors of the
Company, as the case may be, other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness of
the Company, as the case may be, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent
the Trustee or the holder of any Debenture from exercising all remedies
otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject
to the rights, if any, under this Article XVI of the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the
case may be, received upon the exercise of any such remedy.
(c) Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company
referred to in this Article XVI, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of
Article IX, and the holders of the Debentures shall be entitled to conclusively
rely upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in
which such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings
are pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy,
liquidation trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution,
delivered to the Trustee or to the holders of the Debentures, for the purposes
of ascertaining the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the
holders of Senior Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, as the
case may be, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid
or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article
XVI.
SECTION 16.5. TRUSTEE TO EFFECTUATE SUBORDINATION.
Each holder of Debentures by such holder's acceptance thereof
authorizes and directs the Trustee on such holder's behalf to take such action
as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in
this Article XVI and appoints the Trustee such holder's attorney-in-fact for any
and all such purposes.
SECTION 16.6. NOTICE BY THE COMPANY.
(a) The Company shall give prompt written notice to a
Responsible Officer of
78
the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the making of
any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the Debentures pursuant
to the provisions of this Article XVI. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
Article XVI or any other provision of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not be
charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that would prohibit the
making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the
Debentures pursuant to the provisions of this Article XVI, unless and until a
Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written notice thereof
from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness or from any
trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice, the
Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 9.1, shall be entitled in all
respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided, however, that if the
Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 16.6 at
least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any
money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the
payment of the principal of or interest on any Debenture), then, anything herein
contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and
authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purposes for which
they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that
may be received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.
(b) The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 9.1,
shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice
by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness of the
Company (or a trustee on behalf of such holder) to establish that such notice
has been given by a holder of such Senior Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of
any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee determines in good
faith that further evidence is required with respect to the right of any Person
as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to participate in any payment or
distribution pursuant to this Article XVI, the Trustee may request such Person
to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee as to the
amount of such Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the extent to which such
Person is entitled to participate in such payment or distribution and any other
facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under this Article XVI, and, if
such evidence is not furnished, the
79
Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as
to the right of such Person to receive such payment.
SECTION 16.7. RIGHTS OF THE TRUSTEE; HOLDERS OF SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS.
(a) The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to
all the rights set forth in this Article XVI in respect of any Senior
Indebtedness at any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of
Senior Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of
any of its rights as such holder. The Trustee's right to compensation and
reimbursement of expenses as set forth in Section 9.7 shall not be subject to
the subordination provisions of the Article XVI.
(b) With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the
Company, the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its
covenants and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article XVI, and
no implied covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee
shall not be deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness and subject to the provisions of Section 9.1, the Trustee shall not
be liable to any holder of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or
deliver to holders of Debentures, the Company or any other Person money or
assets to which any holder of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by
virtue of this Article XVI or otherwise.
SECTION 16.8. SUBORDINATION MAY NOT BE IMPAIRED.
(a) No right of any present or future holder of any Senior
Indebtedness of the Company to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at
any time in any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on
the part of the Company or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any
such holder, or by any noncompliance by he Company with the terms, provisions
and covenants of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any
such holder may have or otherwise be charged with.
80
(b) Without in any way limiting the generality of Section
16.8(a), the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company may, at any time and
from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the
holders of the Debentures, without incurring responsibility to the holders of
the Debentures and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in
this Article XVI or the obligations hereunder of the holders of the Debentures
to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following:
(i) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment
of, or renew or alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or
supplement in any manner such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing
the same or any agreement under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding;
(ii) sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged,
mortgaged or otherwise securing such Senior Indebtedness; (iii) release any
Person liable in any manner for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and
(iv) exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any
other Person.
81
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be
hereunto affixed an attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
PEOPLE'S BANCSHARES, INC.
By
Name:
Title:
Attest:
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
as Trustee
By
Name:
Title:
Attest:
Number
82
83
STATE OF _________ )
) ss
COUNTY OF __________ )
On this ______ day of ______________________, 1997, before me
appeared ___________________, to me personally known, who, being by me duly
sworn, did say that he is the ___________ _________ of PEOPLE'S BANCSHARES,
INC., and that the seal affixed to said instrument is the corporate seal of said
corporation, and that said instrument was signed and sealed in behalf of said
corporation by authority of its board of directors and said
_____________________________, acknowledged said instrument to be the free act
and deed of said corporation.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and a fixed
my official seal at my office in said county and state the day and year last
above written.
Notary Public
My term expires:
[seal]
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS )
) ss
COUNTY OF SUFFOLK )
84
On this ______ day of ______________________, 1997, before me
appeared_________________________,to me personally known, who, being by me duly
sworn, did say that he is the ____________________ of STATE STREET BANK AND
TRUST, and that the seal affixed to said instrument is the corporate seal of
said corporation, and that said instrument was signed and sealed in behalf of
said corporation by authority of its board of directors and said
__________________, acknowledged said instrument to be the free act and deed of
said corporation.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed
my official seal at my office in said county and commonwealth the day and year
last above written.
Notary Public
My term expires:
[seal]
85
EXHIBIT A
(FORM OF FACE OF DEBENTURE)
No. _____________________________
$-----------------------
CUSIP No. _______________________
PEOPLE'S BANCSHARES, INC.
___% SUBORDINATED DEBENTURE
DUE JUNE 30, 2027
People's Bancshares, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (the
"Company," which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture
hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to State
Street Bank and Trust Company as Property Trustee for People's Bancshares
Capital Trust, or registered assigns, the principal sum of ______________
Dollars ($___________) on June 30, 2027 (the "Stated Maturity"), and to pay
interest on said principal sum from [Date of original issuance], 1997, or from
the most recent interest payment date (each such date, an "Interest Payment
Date") to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, quarterly (subject
to deferral as set forth herein) in arrears on March 31, June 30, September 30
and December 31 of each year commencing September 30, 1997, at the rate of ___%
per annum until the principal hereof shall have become due and payable, and on
any overdue principal and (without duplication) on any overdue installment of
interest at the same rate per annum compounded quarterly. The amount of interest
payable on any Interest Payment Date shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day
year of twelve 30-day months. The amount of interest for any partial period
shall be computed on the basis of the number of days elapsed in a 360-day year
of twelve 30-day months. In the event that any date on which interest is payable
on this Debenture is not a business day, then payment of interest payable on
such date shall 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) with the
same force and effect as if made on such date. The interest installment so
payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date
shall, as provided in the Indenture, be paid to the person in whose name this
Debenture (or one or more Predecessor Debentures, as defined in said Indenture)
is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such
interest installment, which shall be the close of business on the fifteenth day
of the month in which the Interest Payment Date occurs unless otherwise provided
in the Indenture. Any such interest installment not punctually paid or duly
provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered holders on
such regular record date and may be paid to the Person in whose name this
Debenture (or one or more Predecessor Debentures) is registered at the close of
business on a special record date to be fixed by the Trustee for the payment of
such defaulted interest, notice whereof shall be given to the registered holders
of the Debentures not less than 10 days prior to such special record date, or
may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the
requirements of any securities exchange on which the Debentures may be listed,
and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully
provided in the Indenture. The principal of and the interest on this Debenture
shall be payable at the office or agency of the Trustee
Exhibit A-1
maintained for that purpose in any coin or currency of the United States of
America that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and
private debts; provided, however, that payment of interest may be made at the
option of the Company by check mailed to the registered holder at such address
as shall appear in the Debenture Register. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so
long as the holder of this Debenture is the Property Trustee, the payment of the
principal of and interest on this Debenture shall be made at such place and to
such account as may be designated by the Trustee.
The Stated Maturity may be shortened at any time by the
Company to any date not earlier than June 30, 2002, subject to the Company
having received prior approval of the Federal Reserve if then required under
applicable capital guidelines or policies of the Federal Reserve. Such date may
also be extended at any time at the election of the Company for one or more
periods, but in no event to a date later than June 30, 2036, subject to certain
limitations described in the Indenture.
The indebtedness evidenced by this Debenture is, to the extent
provided in the Indenture, subordinate and junior in right of payment to the
prior payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, and this Debenture is issued
subject to the provisions of the Indenture with respect thereto. Each holder of
this Debenture, by accepting the same, (a) agrees to and shall be bound by such
provisions; (b) authorizes and directs the Trustee on his or her behalf to take
such action as may be necessary or appropriate to acknowledge or effectuate the
subordination so provided; and (c) appoints the Trustee his or her
attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes. Each holder hereof, by his or
her acceptance hereof, hereby waives all notice of the acceptance of the
subordination provisions contained herein and in the Indenture by each holder of
Senior Indebtedness, whether now outstanding or hereafter incurred, and waives
reliance by each such holder upon said provisions.
This Debenture shall not be entitled to any benefit under the
Indenture hereinafter referred to, be valid or become obligatory for any purpose
until the Certificate of Authentication hereon shall have been signed by or on
behalf of the Trustee.
The provisions of this Debenture are continued on the reverse
side hereof and such continued provisions shall for all purposes have the same
effect as though fully set forth at this place.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to
be executed.
Dated ______________________
Exhibit A-2
PEOPLE'S BANCSHARES, INC.
By: _____________________________
Name: ___________________________
Title: __________________________
Attest:
By: _____________________________
Name: ___________________________
Title: __________________________
Exhibit A-3
[FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION]
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Debentures described in the
within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated:
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
-----------------------------
as Trustee or Authentication
Agent
By ___________________________________ By___________________________
Authorized Signatory
Exhibit A-4
[FORM OF REVERSE OF DEBENTURE]
______________% SUBORDINATED DEBENTURE
(CONTINUED)
This Debenture is one of the subordinated debentures of the
Company (herein sometimes referred to as the "Debentures"), specified in the
Indenture, all issued or to be issued under and pursuant to an Indenture dated
as of _________, 1997 (the "Indenture") duly executed and delivered between the
Company and State Street Bank and Trust Company, as Trustee (the "Trustee"), to
which Indenture reference is hereby made for a description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the
Trustee, the Company and the holders of the Debentures. The Debentures are
limited in aggregate principal amount as specified in the Indenture.
In certain circumstances because of the occurrence and
continuation of a Special Event, this Debenture may become due and payable prior
to its stated maturity at the principal amount together with any interest
accrued thereon (the "Redemption Price"). The Redemption Price shall be paid
prior to 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time, time, on the date of such redemption
or at such earlier time as the Company determines. The Company shall have the
right to redeem this Debenture at the option of the Company, without premium or
penalty, in whole or in part at any time on or after June 30, 2002 (an "Optional
Redemption"), or at any time in certain circumstances upon the occurrence of a
Special Event, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount plus
any accrued but unpaid interest, to the date of such redemption. Any redemption
pursuant to this paragraph shall be made upon not less than 30 days nor more
than 60 days notice, at the Redemption Price. If the Debentures are only
partially redeemed by the Company pursuant to an Optional Redemption, the
Debentures shall be redeemed pro rata or by lot or by any other method utilized
by the Trustee.
In the event of redemption of this Debenture in part only, a
new Debenture or Debentures for the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in
the name of the holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.
In case an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture,
shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal of all of the Debentures
may be declared, and upon such declaration shall become, due and payable, in the
manner, with the effect and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.
The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and
the Trustee, with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Debentures at the time outstanding, as defined
in the Indenture, to execute supplemental indentures for the purpose of adding
any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions
of the Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner
the rights of the holders of the Debentures; provided, however, that no such
supplemental indenture shall (i) extend the fixed maturity of the Debentures
except as provided in the Indenture, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or
reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon, without the
Exhibit A-5
consent of the holder of each Debenture so affected; or (ii)
reduce the aforesaid percentage of Debentures, the holders of which are required
to consent to any such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the
holders of each Debenture then outstanding and affected thereby. The Indenture
also contains provisions permitting the holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Debentures at the time outstanding, on behalf of all of
the holders of the Debentures, to waive any past default in the performance of
any of the covenants contained in the Indenture, or established pursuant to the
Indenture, and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the
principal of or interest on any of the Debentures. Any such consent or waiver by
the registered holder of this Debenture (unless revoked as provided in the
Indenture) shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all future
holders and owners of this Debenture and of any Debenture issued in exchange
herefor or in place hereof (whether by registration of transfer or in place
hereof, irrespective of whether or not any notation of such consent or waiver is
made upon this Debenture).
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this
Debenture or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the
Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal and interest
on this Debenture at the time and place and at the rate and in the money herein
prescribed.
The Company shall have the right at any time during the term
of the Debentures and from time to time to extend the interest payment period of
such Debentures for up to 20 consecutive quarters (each, an "Extension Period"),
at the end of which period the Company shall pay all interest then accrued and
unpaid (together with interest thereon at the rate specified for the Debentures
to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable
law). Before the termination of any such Extension Period, the Company may
further extend such Extension Period, provided that such Extension Period
together with all such further extensions thereof shall not exceed 20
consecutive quarters. At the termination of any such Extension Period and upon
the payment of all accrued and unpaid interest and any additional amounts then
due, the Company may commence a new Extension Period.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain
limitations therein set forth, this Debenture is transferable by the registered
holder hereof on the Debenture Register of the Company, upon surrender of this
Debenture for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Trustee
accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Company or the Trustee duly executed by the registered
holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or
more new Debentures of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate
principal amount shall be issued to the designated transferee or transferees. No
service charge shall be made for any such transfer, but the Company may require
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge
payable in relation thereto.
Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of this
Debenture, the Company, the Trustee, any paying agent and the Debenture
Registrar may deem and treat the registered holder hereof as the absolute owner
hereof (whether or not this Debenture shall be overdue and notwithstanding any
notice of ownership or writing hereon made by anyone other than the Debenture
Registrar) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the
principal hereof and interest due hereon and for all other purposes, and neither
the Company nor the Trustee nor any
Exhibit A-6
paying agent nor any Debenture Registrar shall be affected by any notice to the
contrary.
No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of
or the interest on this Debenture, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise
in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture, against any
incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, as
such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, whether by
virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any
assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance
hereof and as part of the consideration for the issuance hereof, expressly
waived and released.
The Debentures are issuable only in registered form without
coupons in denominations of $10 and any integral multiple thereof.
All terms used in this Debenture that are defined in the
Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
Exhibit A-7
