PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
HOUSEHOLD INTERNATIONAL, INC.
DATED AS OF , 2001
1
CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*
SECTION OF TRUST INDENTURE SECTION OF
ACT OF 1939, AS AMENDED GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
----------------------- -------------------
310(a).................................................................... 4.1(a)
310(b).................................................................... 4.1(c)
310(c).................................................................... Inapplicable
311(a).................................................................... 2.2(b)
311(b).................................................................... 2.2(b)
311(c).................................................................... Inapplicable
312(a).................................................................... 2.2(a)
312(b).................................................................... 2.2(b)
313....................................................................... 2.3
314(a).................................................................... 2.4
314(b).................................................................... Inapplicable
314(c).................................................................... 2.5
314(d).................................................................... Inapplicable
314(f).................................................................... Inapplicable
315(a).................................................................... 3.1(b)
315(b).................................................................... 2.7
315(c).................................................................... 3.1(a)
315(d).................................................................... 3.1(a)
316(a).................................................................... 5.4(a), 2.6
* This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of the Guarantee
Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation of any of its terms or
provisions.
2
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT ("Guarantee Agreement"), dated as of ,
2001, is executed and delivered by Household International, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Guarantor"), and BNY Midwest Trust Company, as trustee (the
"Preferred Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined
herein) from time to time of the Preferred Securities (as defined herein) of
Household Capital Trust VII, a Delaware statutory business trust (the
"Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the
"Declaration"), dated as of , 2001 among the trustees of the Issuer
named therein, the Guarantor as Sponsor and the holders from time to time of
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer, the Issuer is
issuing on the date hereof $ aggregate stated liquidation amount of
Preferred Securities designated the % Trust Preferred Securities (the
"Preferred Securities");
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred Securities,
the Guarantor desires to irrevocably and unconditionally agree, to the extent
set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, to pay to the Holders of the Preferred
Securities the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other
payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of
Preferred Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit
the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for
the benefit of the Holders.
1
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1 DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION.
In this Guarantee Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement but not defined in
the preamble above have the respective meanings assigned to them in
this Section 1.1;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same
meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Guarantee Agreement" or "this Guarantee
Agreement" are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented
or amended from time to time;
(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections
are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement unless
otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when
used in this Guarantee Agreement unless otherwise defined in this
Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires; and
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa.
"Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of the
Securities Act of 1933 as amended or any successor rule thereunder.
"Common Securities" means the securities representing common undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer.
"Covered Person" means any Holder of Preferred Securities.
"Distributions" means a distribution payable to holders of the Preferred
Securities or the Common Securities in accordance with Section 6.1 of the
Declaration.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment
or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions, without
duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to the extent not paid or
made by the Issuer: (i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions which are required
to be paid on such Preferred Securities to the extent the Issuer shall have
funds available therefore, (ii) the redemption price, including all accrued and
unpaid Distributions to the date of redemption (the "Redemption Price") to the
extent the Issuer has funds available therefor, with respect to any Preferred
Securities called for redemption by the Issuer, and (iii) upon a voluntary or
involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Issuer (other than in
connection with the distribution of Notes to the Holders in exchange for
Preferred Securities as provided in the Declaration), the lesser of (a) the
aggregate of the liquidation amount and all accrued and unpaid Distributions on
the Preferred Securities to the date of payment, and (b) the amount of assets of
the Issuer remaining available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the
Issuer (in either case, the "Liquidation Distribution").
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records of
the Issuer, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however, that in determining
whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have
given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder" shall not
include the Guarantor or any entity directly or indirectly controlling or
controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Guarantor.
"Indemnified Person" means the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, any Affiliate
of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors, shareholders,
members, partners, employees, representatives or agents of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of May 15, 1995 among BankOne
National Association (formerly known as The First National Bank of Chicago) as
trustee and Household International Inc. (as "Debt Issuer") and any indenture
supplemental thereto pursuant to which certain subordinated debt securities of
the Debt Issuer are to be issued to the Property Trustee of the Issuer.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities" means, except
as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, Holder(s) of Preferred Securities voting
separately as a class, who vote Preferred Securities and the aggregate
liquidation amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on
redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to
the date upon which the voting percentages are determined) of the Preferred
Securities voted by such Holders represents more than 50% of the above stated
liquidation amount of all Preferred Securities.
"Notes" means a series of debt securities issued by the Debt Issuer
pursuant to the Indenture to be known as % Junior Subordinated Deferrable
Interest Notes due , .
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a certificate
signed by two Authorized Officers of such Person. Any Officers' Certificate
delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for
in this Guarantee Agreement shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Certificate has read the
covenant or condition and the definition relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such officer has made such examination or
investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is necessary to enable
such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such
covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such officer, such
condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation,
estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited
liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.
"Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means BNY Midwest Trust Company until a
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such
appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter
means each such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, the chairman of the board of directors, the president, any
vice-president, any assistant vice-president, the secretary, any assistant
secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, any trust officer or
assistant trust officer or any other officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above
designated officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust
matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of that
officer's knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Preferred Guarantee
Trustee under Section 4.1.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 TRUST INDENTURE ACT; APPLICATION.
(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act that are required to be a part of this Guarantee Agreement and
shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement
limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317,
inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.
SECTION 2.2 LISTS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES.
(a) To the extent the Preferred Securities Trustee shall not also be acting
as Property Trustee at the time action is called for under (i) or (ii) below,
the Guarantor shall provide the Preferred Securities Trustee (i) within 14 days
after January 1 and June 30 of each year, a list, in such form as the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the
Holders of the Preferred Securities ("List of Holders") as of such date,
provided that the Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such List of
Holders at any time the List of Holders does not differ from the most recent
List of Holders given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee by the Guarantor, and
(ii) at any other time, within 30 days of receipt by the Guarantor of a written
request for a List of Holders as of a date no more than 14 days before such List
of Holders is given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee. The Preferred Guarantee
Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a
new List of Holders.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under
Section 311(a), 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3 REPORTS BY THE PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
Within 60 days after May 15 of each year, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall provide to the Holders of the Preferred Securities such reports as are
required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in
the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of
the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.4 PERIODIC REPORTS TO PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such
documents, reports and information as required by Section 314 (if any) and the
compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act in the
form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust
Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.5 EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.
The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such
evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in
this Guarantee Agreement which relate to any of the matters set forth in Section
314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be
given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an
Officer's Certificate.
SECTION 2.6 EVENT OF DEFAULT; WAIVER.
The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of Preferred Securities
may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Preferred Securities, waive
any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event
of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom
shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee
Agreement, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or
Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 2.7 EVENT OF DEFAULT; NOTICE.
(a) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the
occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class postage
prepaid, to the Holders of the Preferred Securities, notices of all Events of
Default known to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, unless such defaults have been
cured before the giving of such notice, provided that, the Capital Guarantee
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 directors
and/or Responsible Officers, of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee in good faith
determine that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders
of the Preferred Securities.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge
of any Event of Default except any Event of Default as to which the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice or a Responsible Officer
charged with the administration of the Declaration shall have obtained written
notice of.
SECTION 2.8 CONFLICTING INTERESTS.
The Declaration shall be deemed to be specifically described in this
Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso
contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities and the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any
Person except a Holder of Preferred Securities exercising his or her rights
pursuant to Section 5.4(b) or to a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee on
acceptance by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to
act as Preferred Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective
whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered.
(b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the
Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of
Default and after the curing of all Events of Default that may have occurred,
shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in
this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this
Guarantee Agreement against the Preferred Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of
Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section
2.6), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and
powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care
and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the
circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs;
(d) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be construed to relieve
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its
own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing
or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this
Guarantee Agreement, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
not be liable except for the performance of such duties and
obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee
Agreement, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read
into this Guarantee Agreement against the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may
conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the
correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any
certificates or opinions furnished to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee
Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions
that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be
furnished to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to
determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of the
Declaration;
(ii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any error of
judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
(iii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with respect to
any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in
accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a
Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities at the time
outstanding relating to the time, method and place of conducting any
proceeding for any remedy available to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and
(iv) no provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall require the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur
personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties
or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have
reasonable ground for believing that the repayment of such funds or
liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this
Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
SECTION 3.2 CERTAIN RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may rely and shall be fully protected
in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate,
statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction,
consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness
or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have
been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties;
(ii) any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Guarantee
Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers' Certificate;
(iii) whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be
proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action
hereunder,
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein
specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part,
request and rely upon an Officers' Certificate which, upon receipt of
such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor;
(iv) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to see to any
recording, filing or registration of any instrument (or any
rerecording, refiling or registration thereof);
(v) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may consult with counsel and the
written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal
matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in
good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel
may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates, and may
include any of its employees. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the
administration of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent
jurisdiction;
(vi) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee
Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such
Holder shall have provided to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee adequate
security and indemnity which would satisfy a reasonable person in the
position of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, against the costs,
expenses (including attorneys' fees and expenses) and liabilities that
might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction,
including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee provided, that, nothing contained in this
Section 3.2(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation
to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee
Agreement;
(vii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request,
direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of
indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or
investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit;
(viii) the Preferred Guarantee 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 Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part
of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;
(ix) any action taken by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or its agents
hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Preferred Securities and the
signature of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall
be sufficient and effective to perform any such action; and no third
party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee to so act, or as to its compliance with
any of the terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of
which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee's or its agent's taking such action; and
(x) whenever in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive
instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking
any other action hereunder the Preferred Guarantee Trustee (i) may
request instructions from the Holders of the Preferred Securities,
(ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such
other action until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall be
protected in acting in accordance with such instructions; and
(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to impose any
duty or obligation on the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts
or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it, in
any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in
accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise
any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority
available to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
SECTION 3.3 NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS OR ISSUANCE OF GUARANTEE.
The recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the statements
of the Guarantor and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee does not assume any
responsibility for their correctness. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee makes no
representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Guarantee Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE; ELIGIBILITY.
(a) There shall at all times be a Preferred Guarantee Trustee which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor;
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the
United States of America or any state or territory thereof or of the
District of Columbia, or a corporation or Person permitted by the
Securities and Exchange Commission to act as an institutional trustee
under the Trust Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at
least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to
supervision or examination by federal, state, territorial or District
of Columbia authority. If such corporation publishes reports of
condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of
the supervising or examining authority referred to above, then for the
purposes of this Section 4.1(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus
of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and
surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so
published.
(b) If at any time the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be
eligible to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.2(c).
(c) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any
"conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all
respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
SECTION 4.2 APPOINTMENT, REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
(a) Subject to Section 4.2(b), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may be
appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with
this Section 4.2 until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been
appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by
such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office
until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until
its removal or resignation. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may resign from
office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in
writing executed by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the
Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by
instrument in writing executed by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and
delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed
and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within 60 days after
delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning
Preferred Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for
appointment of a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon
after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, appoint a
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 GUARANTEE.
The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full to the
Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid
by the Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense, right of set-off or
counterclaim which the Issuer may have or assert. The Guarantor's obligation to
make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct payment of the required
amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing the Issuer to pay such
amounts to the Holders.
SECTION 5.2 WAIVER OF NOTICE AND DEMAND.
The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee
Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment,
demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the Issuer
or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of
nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and
demands.
SECTION 5.3 OBLIGATIONS NOT AFFECTED.
The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under
this Guarantee Agreement shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of
the happening from time to time of any of the following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied
agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred
Securities to be performed or observed by the Issuer;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or any
portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation
Distribution or any other sums payable under the terms of the
Preferred Securities or the extension of time for the performance of
any other obligation under, arising out of, or in connection with, the
Preferred Securities (other than an extension of time for payment of
Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other sum
payable that results from the extension of any interest payment period
on the Notes or any extension of the maturity date of the Notes
permitted by the Indenture);
(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the
Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or
remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Preferred
Securities, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting
indulgence or extension of any kind;
(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any
collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the
benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or
readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the
Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in the Preferred
Securities;
(f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby or
hereby incurred; or
(g) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a
legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the
intent of this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor
hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all
circumstances.
There shall be no obligation on the Holders or any other Person to give notice
to, or obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of
the foregoing.
SECTION 5.4 RIGHTS OF HOLDERS.
(a) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred
Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any
proceeding for any remedy available to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee in
respect of this Guarantee Agreement or exercising any trust or power conferred
upon Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement.
(b) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee fails to enforce this Guarantee
Agreement, any Holder of Preferred Securities may institute a legal proceeding
directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee
Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Issuer, the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee or any other Person.
SECTION 5.5 GUARANTEE OF PAYMENT.
This Guarantee Agreement creates a guarantee of payment and not of
collection.
SECTION 5.6 SUBROGATION.
The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of the Holders of
Preferred Securities against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to such
Holders by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that
the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions
of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any rights which it may acquire by
way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all
cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of
any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement.
If any amount shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding
sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and
to pay over such amount to the Holders.
SECTION 5.7 INDEPENDENT OBLIGATIONS.
The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent
of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Preferred Securities and
that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make
Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement
notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a)
through (g), inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1 LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS.
So long as any Preferred Securities remain outstanding, if there shall have
occurred and is continuing any event that would constitute an Event of Default
or an Event of Default under the Declaration, then (a) the Guarantor shall not
declare or pay any dividends on, or purchase, acquire or make a distribution or
liquidation payment with respect to any of its capital stock (other
than (i) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital
stock of the Guarantor in connection with any employment contract, benefit plan
or other similar arrangement with or for the benefit of employees, officers,
directors or consultants, (ii) as a result of an exchange or conversion of any
class or series of the Guarantor's capital stock for any other class or series
of the Guarantor's capital stock, or (iii) the purchase of fractional interests
in shares of the Guarantor's capital stock pursuant to the conversion or
exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or
exchanged), and (b) the Guarantor shall not make any payment of interest,
principal or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt
securities (including guarantees) issued by the Guarantor which rank pari passu
with or junior to the Notes. The foregoing, however, will not apply to any stock
dividends paid by the Guarantor where the dividend stock is the same stock as
that on which the dividend is being paid.
SECTION 6.2 RANKING.
This Guarantee Agreement will constitute an unsecured obligation of the
Guarantor and will rank (i) subordinate and junior in right of payment to all
other liabilities of the Guarantor, including the Notes, except those made pari
passu or subordinate by their terms, (ii) pari passu with the most senior
preferred or preference stock now or hereafter issued by the Guarantor and with
any guarantee now or hereafter entered into by the Guarantor in respect of any
preferred or preference stock of any Affiliate of the Guarantor and (iii) senior
to the Guarantor's common stock.
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 TERMINATION.
This Guarantee Agreement shall terminate upon full payment of the
Redemption Price of all of the Preferred Securities and Common Securities upon
the distribution of the Notes to the Holder's of all of the Preferred Securities
or upon full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Declaration
upon liquidation of the Issuer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee
Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may
be, if at any time any Holder of Preferred Securities must restore payment of
any sums paid under the Preferred Securities or under this Preferred Securities
Guarantee.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 EXCULPATION.
(a) No indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or accountable in
damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any Covered Person for any loss, damage
or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such
Indemnified Person in good faith in accordance with this Guarantee Agreement and
in a manner such Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the scope
of the authority conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Guarantee
Agreement or by law, except that an Indemnified Person shall be liable for any
such loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person's
negligence or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in good faith
upon the records of the Guarantor and upon such information, opinions, reports
or statements presented to the Guarantor by any Person as to matters the
Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other Person's
professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care
by or on behalf of the Guarantor, including information, opinions, reports or
statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits,
losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from
which Distributions to Holders of Preferred Securities might properly be paid.
SECTION 8.2 INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Guarantor shall
indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified Person from and against any loss,
damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified Person by reason of any act or
omission performed or omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in
accordance with this Guarantee Agreement and in a manner such Indemnified Person
reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority conferred on such
Indemnified Person in accordance with this Guarantee Agreement, except that no
Indemnified Person shall be entitled to be indemnified in respect of any loss,
damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified Person by reason or negligence or
willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, expenses (including
legal fees) incurred by an Indemnified Person in defending any claim, demand,
action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be advanced by the
Guarantor prior to the final disposition of such claim, demand, action, suit or
proceeding upon receipt by the Guarantor of an undertaking by or on behalf of
the Indemnified Person to repay such amount if it shall be determined that the
Indemnified Person is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized in Section
8.2(a).
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.
All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall
bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the
Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred
Securities then outstanding.
SECTION 9.2 AMENDMENTS.
Except with respect to any changes which do not adversely affect the rights
of Holders (in which case no consent of Holders will be required), this
Guarantee Agreement may only be amended with the prior approval of the Holders
of at least
66-2/3% in liquidation amount of all the outstanding Preferred Securities. The
provisions of Section 12.2 of the Declaration with respect to meetings of
Holders of the Preferred Securities and Common Securities apply to the giving of
such approval.
SECTION 9.3 NOTICES.
All notices provided for in this Guarantee Agreement shall be in writing,
duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied
or mailed by registered or certified mail, as follows:
(a) if given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee at the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee's mailing address set forth below(or such other address as the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Holders of the
Preferred Securities):
BNY Midwest Trust Company
0 Xxxxx XxXxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Corporate Trust Administration
(b) if given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor's mailing address set
forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of
to the Holders of the Preferred Securities):
Household International, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Treasurer
(c) if given to any holder of Preferred Securities, at the address set
forth on the books and records of the Issuer.
All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in
person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail,
postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or
cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given,
such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date
of such refusal or inability to deliver.
SECTION 9.4 BENEFIT.
This Guarantee Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Holders of the
Preferred Securities and subject to Section 3.1(a) is not separately
transferable from the Preferred Securities.
SECTION 9.5 GOVERNING LAW.
THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF
ILLINOIS.
THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first above
written.
HOUSEHOLD INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By:
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Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
BNY Midwest Trust Company,
not in its individual capacity but
solely as Preferred Guarantee Trustee
By:
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Name:
Title:
