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EXHIBIT 10.2
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AMENDED AND RESTATED
DECLARATION OF TRUST
OF
SUIZA CAPITAL TRUST
DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 20, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
ARTICLE I - INTERPRETATION AND DEFINITIONS........................................................................1
SECTION 1.1 Definitions........................................................................1
ARTICLE II - TRUST INDENTURE ACT..................................................................................7
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application...................................................7
SECTION 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities.....................................................7
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Property Trustee....................................................8
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Property Trustee...............................................8
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent...................................8
SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver..........................................................8
SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice..........................................................10
ARTICLE III - ORGANIZATION.......................................................................................11
SECTION 3.1 Name..............................................................................11
SECTION 3.2 Office............................................................................11
SECTION 3.3 Purpose...........................................................................11
SECTION 3.4 Authority.........................................................................11
SECTION 3.5 Title to Property of the Trust....................................................12
SECTION 3.6 Powers and Duties of the Regular Trustees.........................................12
SECTION 3.7 Prohibition of Actions by the Trust and the Trustees..............................15
SECTION 3.8 Powers and Duties of the Property Trustee.........................................15
SECTION 3.9 Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Property Trustee.......................17
SECTION 3.10 Certain Rights of Property Trustee................................................19
SECTION 3.11 Delaware Trustee..................................................................21
SECTION 3.12 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities............................21
SECTION 3.13 Duration of Trust.................................................................21
SECTION 3.14 Mergers...........................................................................21
SECTION 3.15 Filing of Amendments to Certificate of Trust......................................23
ARTICLE IV - SPONSOR AND THE DEBENTURE ISSUER....................................................................24
SECTION 4.1 Sponsor's Purchase of Common Securities...........................................24
SECTION 4.2 Responsibilities of the Debenture Issuer..........................................24
ARTICLE V - TRUSTEES.............................................................................................24
SECTION 5.1 Number of Trustees................................................................24
SECTION 5.2 Delaware Trustee..................................................................25
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SECTION 5.3 Property Trustee; Eligibility.....................................................25
SECTION 5.4 Qualifications of Regular Trustees and Delaware Trustee
Generally.........................................................................26
SECTION 5.5 Initial Trustees..................................................................26
SECTION 5.6 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Trustees..................................27
SECTION 5.7 Vacancies among Trustees..........................................................28
SECTION 5.8 Effect of Vacancies...............................................................28
SECTION 5.9 Meetings..........................................................................29
SECTION 5.10 Delegation of Power...............................................................29
SECTION 5.11 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.......................29
ARTICLE VI - DISTRIBUTIONS.......................................................................................30
SECTION 6.1 Distributions.....................................................................30
ARTICLE VII - ISSUANCE OF SECURITIES.............................................................................30
SECTION 7.1 General Provisions Regarding Securities...........................................30
SECTION 7.2 Execution and Authentication......................................................31
SECTION 7.3 Form and Dating...................................................................31
SECTION 7.4 Registrar, Paying Agent and Conversion Agent......................................32
SECTION 7.5 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust...............................................32
SECTION 7.6 Replacement Securities............................................................33
SECTION 7.7 Outstanding Preferred Securities..................................................33
SECTION 7.8 Preferred Securities in Treasury..................................................34
SECTION 7.9 Temporary Securities..............................................................34
SECTION 7.10 Cancellation......................................................................34
ARTICLE VIII - DISSOLUTION OF TRUST..............................................................................34
SECTION 8.1 Dissolution of Trust..............................................................34
ARTICLE IX - TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE...............................................................................35
SECTION 9.1 General...........................................................................35
SECTION 9.2 Transfer Procedures and Restrictions..............................................36
SECTION 9.3 Deemed Security Holders...........................................................40
ARTICLE X - LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES,
TRUSTEES OR OTHERS...................................................................................40
SECTION 10.1 Liability.........................................................................40
SECTION 10.2 Exculpation.......................................................................41
SECTION 10.3 Fiduciary Duty....................................................................41
SECTION 10.4 Indemnification...................................................................42
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SECTION 10.5 Outside Businesses................................................................45
ARTICLE XI - ACCOUNTING..........................................................................................46
SECTION 11.1 Fiscal Year.......................................................................46
SECTION 11.2 Certain Accounting Matters........................................................46
SECTION 11.3 Banking ..........................................................................46
SECTION 11.4 Withholding.......................................................................47
ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS AND MEETINGS............................................................................47
SECTION 12.1 Amendments........................................................................47
SECTION 12.2 Meetings of the Holders of Securities; Action by Written
Consent...........................................................................49
ARTICLE XIII - REPRESENTATIONS OF PROPERTY TRUSTEE AND
DELAWARE TRUSTEE..................................................................................50
SECTION 13.1 Representations and Warranties of Property Trustee................................50
SECTION 13.2 Representations and Warranties of Delaware Trustee................................51
ARTICLE XIV - REGISTRATION RIGHTS................................................................................52
SECTION 14.1 Registration Rights...............................................................52
ARTICLE XV - MISCELLANEOUS.......................................................................................52
SECTION 15.1 Notices...........................................................................52
SECTION 15.2 Governing Law.....................................................................54
SECTION 15.3 Intention of the Parties..........................................................54
SECTION 15.4 Headings..........................................................................54
SECTION 15.5 Successors and Assigns............................................................54
SECTION 15.6 Partial Enforceability............................................................54
SECTION 15.7 Counterparts......................................................................54
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AMENDED AND RESTATED
DECLARATION OF TRUST
OF
SUIZA CAPITAL TRUST
FEBRUARY 20, 1998
AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST ("Declaration"), dated and
effective as of February 20, 1998, by and among the undersigned trustees
(together with all other Persons from time to time duly appointed and serving as
trustees in accordance with the provisions of this Declaration, the "Trustees"),
Suiza Foods Corporation, a Delaware corporation, as trust sponsor (the
"Sponsor"), and by the holders, from time to time, of undivided beneficial
interests in the Trust issued pursuant to this Declaration.
WHEREAS, the Delaware Trustee and the Sponsor established Suiza Capital
Trust (the "Trust"), a trust under the Business Trust Act (as defined herein)
pursuant to a Declaration of Trust dated as of February 18, 1998 (the "Original
Declaration") and a Certificate of Trust filed with the Secretary of State of
Delaware on February 18, 1998, for the sole purpose of issuing and selling
certain securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of
the Trust and investing the proceeds thereof in certain Debentures (as defined
herein) of the Debenture Issuer (as defined herein);
WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, no interests in the Trust have been
issued; and
WHEREAS, all of the Trustees and the Sponsor, by this Declaration,
amend and restate each and every term and provision of the Original Declaration.
NOW, THEREFORE, it being the intention of the parties hereto to
continue the Trust as a business trust under the Business Trust Act and that
this Declaration constitute the governing instrument of such business trust, the
Trustees declare that all assets contributed to the Trust will be held in trust
for the benefit of the holders, from time to time, of the securities
representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust issued
hereunder, subject to the provisions of this Declaration.
ARTICLE I
INTERPRETATION AND DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.1 DEFINITIONS.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Capitalized terms used in this Declaration 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 Declaration has the same meaning
throughout;
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(c) all references to "the Declaration" or "this Declaration" are to
this Declaration as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
(d) all references in this Declaration to Articles and Sections and
Annexes and Exhibits are to Articles and Sections and Annexes and Exhibits to
this Declaration unless otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when
used in this Declaration unless otherwise defined in this Declaration or unless
the context otherwise requires; and
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa.
"ADDITIONAL INTEREST" means, if the Trust 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,
such amounts as shall be required so that the net amounts received and retained
by the Trust after paying such taxes, duties, assessments and governmental
charges will not be less than the amounts the Trust would have received had no
such taxes, duties, assessments or governmental charges been imposed.
"AFFILIATE" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of
the Securities Act or any successor rule thereunder.
"AGENT" means any Registrar, Paying Agent, or Conversion Agent.
"AUTHORIZED OFFICER" of a Person means any Person that is authorized to
bind such Person.
"BUSINESS DAY" means any day other than a day on which banking
institutions in New York, New York, Dallas, Texas or in Wilmington, Delaware are
authorized or required by law to close.
"BUSINESS TRUST ACT" means Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code,
12 Del. C. Section 3801, et seq., as it may be amended from time to time, or any
successor legislation.
"CERTIFICATE" means a certificate in definitive form representing a
Common Security or a Preferred Security.
"CLOSING DATE" means February 20, 1998.
"CODE" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time, or any successor legislation.
"COMMISSION" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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"COMMON SECURITIES" has the meaning specified in Section 7.1(a).
"COMMON SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT" has the meaning specified in
Section 7.3(b).
"COMPANY" means the Sponsor.
"COMPANY INDEMNIFIED PERSON" means (a) any Regular Trustee; (b) any
Affiliate of any Regular Trustee; (c) any officers, directors, shareholders,
members, partners, employees, representatives or agents of any Regular Trustee;
or (d) any officer, employee or agent of the Trust or its Affiliates.
"COMPOUNDED INTEREST" means interest compounded quarterly at the rate
specified for the Debentures, to the extent permitted by applicable law, upon
interest accrued and unpaid (including Additional Interest and Extension Period
Interest) at the end of each Extension Period.
"CONVERSION AGENT" has the meaning specified in Section 7.4.
"CORPORATE TRUST DEPARTMENT" means the office of the Property Trustee
at which the corporate trust business of the Property Trustee shall, at the time
of reference thereto, be principally administered, which office at the date of
this Declaration is located at Xxxxxx Square North, 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, 00000-0000.
"COVERED PERSON" means (a) any officer, director, shareholder, partner,
member, representative, employee or agent of (i) the Trust or (ii) any of the
Trust's Affiliates; and (b) any Holder of Securities.
"DEBENTURE ISSUER" means the Sponsor in its capacity as issuer of the
Debentures under the Indenture.
"DEBENTURE TRUSTEE" means Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking
corporation, as trustee under the Indenture until a successor is appointed
thereunder, and thereafter means such successor trustee.
"DEBENTURES" means the series of Convertible Subordinated Debentures to
be issued by the Debenture Issuer under the Indenture to be held by the Property
Trustee, a specimen certificate for such series of Debentures being Exhibit A to
the Indenture.
"DEFINITIVE PREFERRED SECURITIES" means the Restricted Definitive
Preferred Security and any other Preferred Securities in definitive form issued
by the Trust.
"DELAWARE TRUSTEE" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.
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"DISTRIBUTION" means a distribution payable to Holders of Preferred
Securities in accordance with Section 6.1.
"EVENT OF DEFAULT" in respect of the Securities means an Event of
Default (as defined in the Indenture) has occurred and is continuing in respect
of the Debentures.
"EXCHANGE ACT" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
from time to time, or any successor legislation.
"EXTENSION PERIOD INTEREST" shall have the meaning set forth in the
Indenture.
"FIDUCIARY INDEMNIFIED PERSON" has the meaning set forth in Section
10.4(b).
"HOLDER" means a Person in whose name a Certificate representing a
Security is registered, such Person being a beneficial owner within the meaning
of the Business Trust Act.
"INDEMNIFIED PERSON" means a Company Indemnified Person or a Fiduciary
Indemnified Person.
"INDENTURE" means the Indenture dated as of February 20, 1998, between
the Debenture Issuer and the Debenture Trustee, and any indenture supplemental
thereto pursuant to which the Debentures are to be issued.
"INITIAL PURCHASER" means DFA Investment Company, a Kansas cooperative
marketing association.
"INVESTMENT COMPANY" means an investment company as defined in the
Investment Company Act.
"INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT" means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended from time to time, or any successor legislation.
"INVESTMENT COMPANY EVENT" has the meaning set forth in the terms of
the Securities as set forth in Annex I hereto.
"LEGAL ACTION" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.6(g).
"MAJORITY IN LIQUIDATION AMOUNT" means, with respect to the Securities,
except as otherwise provided in the terms of the Preferred Securities or by the
Trust Indenture Act, Holder(s) of outstanding Securities voting together as a
single class or, as the context may require, Holders of outstanding Preferred
Securities or Holders of outstanding Common Securities voting separately as a
class, who are the record owners of more than 50% of the aggregate liquidation
amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption,
liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon
which the voting percentages are determined) of all outstanding Securities of
the relevant class.
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"MINISTERIAL ACTION" has the meaning set forth in the terms of the
Securities as set forth in Annex I hereto.
"OFFICER'S CERTIFICATE" means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed by an Authorized Officer of such Person. Any Officer's
Certificate delivered by the Trust shall be signed by at least one Regular
Trustee. Any Officer's Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a
condition or covenant provided for in this Declaration shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Certificate has read the
covenant or condition and the definitions 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.
"PAYING AGENT" has the meaning specified in Section 7.4(ii).
"PAYMENT AMOUNT" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.
"PERSON" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation,
estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited
liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.
"PREFERRED SECURITIES" has the meaning specified in Section 7.1(a).
"PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE" means the guarantee agreement dated as
of February 20, 1998, of the Sponsor in respect of the Preferred Securities.
"PROPERTY TRUSTEE" means the Trustee meeting the eligibility
requirements set forth in Section 5.3.
"PROPERTY TRUSTEE ACCOUNT" has the meaning set forth in Section
3.8(c)(i).
"PURCHASE AGREEMENT" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
7.3(b).
"QUORUM" means a majority of the Regular Trustees or, if there are only
two Regular Trustees, both of them.
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"REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT" means the Registration Rights
Agreement, dated February 20, 1998, among the Debenture Issuer, the Trust, and
the Initial Purchaser.
"REGISTRAR" has the meaning set forth in Section 7.4.
"REGULAR TRUSTEE" means any Trustee other than the Property Trustee and
the Delaware Trustee.
"RELATED PARTY" means, with respect to the Sponsor, any direct or
indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Sponsor or any other Person that owns,
directly or indirectly, 100% of the outstanding voting securities of the
Sponsor.
"RESPONSIBLE OFFICER" means, with respect to the Property Trustee, any
vice-president, any assistant vice-president, the treasurer, any assistant
treasurer, any trust officer or assistant trust officer or any other officer in
the Corporate Trust Department of the Property Trustee with direct
responsibility for the administration of this Declaration and also means, with
respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer of the
Property Trustee to whom such matter is referred because of that officer's
knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
"RESTRICTED DEFINITIVE PREFERRED SECURITY" has the meaning set forth in
Section 7.3(b).
"RULE 3a-5" means Rule 3a-5 under the Investment Company Act.
"SECURITIES" means the Common Securities and the Preferred Securities.
"SECURITIES ACT" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time
to time, or any successor legislation.
"SHELF REGISTRATION STATEMENT" has the meaning specified in Section
14.1.
"SPECIAL EVENT" has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
"SPONSOR" means Suiza Foods Corporation, a Delaware corporation, or any
successor entity in a merger, consolidation or amalgamation, in its capacity as
sponsor of the Trust.
"SUPER MAJORITY" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6(a)(ii).
"SUPPLEMENTAL SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEE AND SECURITY AGREEMENT" means the
Supplemental Subsidiary Guarantee and Security Agreement dated February 20, 1998
between the Trust and First Union National Bank, as administrative agent for the
banks or other financial institutions or entities party to the Credit Agreement
(as defined therein).
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"TAX EVENT" has the meaning set forth in Annex I hereto.
"10% IN LIQUIDATION AMOUNT OF THE SECURITIES" means, except as provided
in the terms of the Preferred Securities or by the Trust Indenture Act, Holders
of outstanding Securities voting together as a single class or, as the context
may require, Holders of outstanding Preferred Securities or Holders of
outstanding Common Securities, voting separately as a class, who are the record
owners of 10% or more of the aggregate liquidation amount (including the stated
amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued
and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are
determined) of all outstanding Securities of the relevant class.
"TREASURY REGULATIONS" means the income tax regulations, including
temporary and proposed regulations, promulgated under the Code by the United
States Treasury, as such regulations may be amended from time to time (including
corresponding provisions of succeeding regulations).
"TRUSTEE" or "TRUSTEES" means each Person who has signed this
Declaration as a trustee, so long as such Person shall continue in office in
accordance with the terms hereof, and all other Persons who may from time to
time be duly appointed, qualified and serving as Trustees in accordance with the
provisions hereof, and references herein to a Trustee or the Trustees shall
refer to such Person or Persons solely in their capacity as trustees hereunder.
"TRUST INDENTURE ACT" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended
from time to time, or any successor legislation.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 TRUST INDENTURE ACT; APPLICATION.
(a) This Declaration is subject to the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Declaration, which are
incorporated by reference in and made part of this Declaration and shall, to the
extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
(b) The Property Trustee shall be the only Trustee which is a Trustee
for the purposes of the Trust Indenture Act.
(c) If and to the extent that any provision of this Declaration limits,
qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317,
inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.
(d) The application of the Trust Indenture Act to this Declaration
shall not affect the nature of the Securities as equity securities representing
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.
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SECTION 2.2 LISTS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES.
(a) Each of the Debenture Issuer and the Regular Trustees on behalf of
the Trust shall provide the Property Trustee (i) within 14 days after each
record date for payment of Distributions, a list, in such form as the Property
Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of the
Securities ("List of Holders") as of such record date, PROVIDED that neither the
Debenture Issuer nor the Regular Trustees on behalf of the Trust shall be
obligated to provide such List of Holders at any time the List of Holders does
not differ from the most recent List of Holders given to the Property Trustee by
the Debenture Issuer and the Regular Trustees on behalf of the Trust, and (ii)
at any other time, within 30 days of receipt by the Trust of a written request
for a List of Holders as of a date no more than 14 days before such List of
Holders is given to the Property Trustee. The Property Trustee shall preserve,
in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, all information contained in
Lists of Holders given to it or which it receives in the capacity as Paying
Agent (if acting in such capacity), PROVIDED that the Property Trustee may
destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of
Holders.
(b) The Property Trustee shall comply with its obligations under
Sections 311(a), 311(b) and 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3 REPORTS BY THE PROPERTY TRUSTEE.
Within 60 days after January 15 of each year, the Property 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 Property
Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust
Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.4 PERIODIC REPORTS TO PROPERTY TRUSTEE.
Each of the Sponsor and the Regular Trustees on behalf of the Trust
shall provide to the Property Trustee such documents, reports and information as
required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act (if any) and the compliance
certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act in the form, in
the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.5 EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.
Each of the Sponsor and the Regular Trustees on behalf of the Trust
shall provide to the Property Trustee such evidence of compliance with any
conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Declaration that relate to
any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any
certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section
314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officer's Certificate.
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SECTION 2.6 EVENTS OF DEFAULT; WAIVER.
(a) 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 in respect of the Preferred
Securities and its consequences, PROVIDED that, if the underlying Event of
Default under the Indenture:
(i) is not waivable under the Indenture, the Event of Default
under the Declaration shall also not be waivable; or
(ii) requires the consent or vote of greater than a majority
in principal amount of the holders of the Debentures (a "Super
Majority") to be waived under the Indenture, the Event of Default under
the Declaration may only be waived by the vote of the Holders of at
least the proportion in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities
that the relevant required Super Majority represents of the aggregate
principal amount of the Debentures outstanding.
The foregoing provisions of this Section 2.6(a) shall be in
lieu of Section 316(a)(1)(B) of the Trust Indenture Act and such
Section 316(a)(1)(B) of the Trust Indenture Act is hereby expressly
excluded from this Declaration and the Securities, as permitted by the
Trust Indenture Act. Upon such waiver, any such default shall cease to
exist, and any Event of Default with respect to the Preferred
Securities arising exclusively therefrom shall be deemed to have been
cured, for every purpose of this Declaration, but no such waiver shall
extend to any subsequent or other default or an Event of Default with
respect to the Preferred Securities or impair any right consequent
thereon. Any waiver by the Holders of the Preferred Securities of an
Event of Default with respect to the Preferred Securities shall also be
deemed to constitute a waiver by the Holders of the Common Securities
of any such Event of Default with respect to the Common Securities for
all purposes of this Declaration without any further act, vote or
consent of the Holders of the Common Securities.
(b) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Common
Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Common
Securities, waive any past Event of Default with respect to the Common
Securities and its consequences, PROVIDED that, if the underlying Event of
Default under the Indenture:
(i) is not waivable under the Indenture, except where the
Holders of the Common Securities are deemed to have waived such Event
of Default under the Declaration as provided below in this Section
2.6(b), the Event of Default under the Declaration shall also not be
waivable; or
(ii) requires the consent or vote of a Super Majority to be
waived, except where the Holders of the Common Securities are deemed to
have waived such Event of Default under the Declaration as provided
below in this Section 2.6(b), the Event of Default under the
Declaration may only be waived by the vote of the Holders of at least
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the proportion in liquidation amount of the Common Securities that the
relevant Super Majority represents of the aggregate principal amount
of the Debentures outstanding;
PROVIDED further, that each Holder of Common Securities will be deemed to have
waived any such Event of Default and all Events of Default with respect to the
Common Securities and its consequences until all Events of Default with respect
to the Preferred Securities have been cured, waived or otherwise eliminated, and
until such Events of Default have been so cured, waived or otherwise eliminated,
the Property Trustee will be deemed to be acting solely on behalf of the Holders
of the Preferred Securities and only the Holders of the Preferred Securities
will have the right to direct the Property Trustee in accordance with the terms
of the Securities. The foregoing provisions of this Section 2.6(b) shall be in
lieu of Sections 316(a)(1)(A) and 316(a)(1)(B) of the Trust Indenture Act and
such Sections 316(a)(1)(A) and 316(a)(1)(B) of the Trust Indenture Act are
hereby expressly excluded from this Declaration and the Securities, as permitted
by the Trust Indenture Act. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section
2.6(b), upon such waiver, any such default shall cease to exist and any Event of
Default with respect to the Common Securities arising therefrom shall be deemed
to have been cured for every purpose of this Declaration, but no such waiver
shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default with respect
to the Common Securities or impair any right consequent thereon.
(c) A waiver of an Event of Default under the Indenture by the
Property Trustee at the direction of the Holders of the Preferred Securities,
constitutes a waiver of the corresponding Event of Default under this
Declaration.
The foregoing provisions of this Section 2.6(c) shall be in lieu of
Section 316(a)(1)(B) of the Trust Indenture Act and such Section 316(a)(1)(B) of
the Trust Indenture Act is hereby expressly excluded from this Declaration and
the Securities, as permitted by the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.7 EVENT OF DEFAULT; NOTICE.
(a) The Property Trustee shall, within 90 days after a Responsible
Officer of the Property Trustee obtains actual knowledge of the occurrence of an
Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders
of the Securities, notices of all such defaults with respect to the Securities
actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Property Trustee, unless such
defaults have been cured before the giving of such notice (the term "defaults"
for the purposes of this Section 2.7(a) being hereby defined to be an Event of
Default as defined in the Indenture, not including any periods of grace provided
for therein and irrespective of the giving of any notice provided therein);
provided that, except for a default in the payment of principal of (or premium,
if any) or interest on any of the Debentures or in the payment of any sinking
fund installment established for the Debentures, the Property 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 Property Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding
of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Securities.
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(b) The Property Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of
any default or Event of Default except:
(i) a default under Sections 501(l) and 501(2) of the
Indenture; or
(ii) any default as to which the Property Trustee shall have
received written notice or of which a Responsible Officer of the
Property Trustee charged with the administration of the Declaration
shall have actual knowledge.
(c) The Sponsor and the Regular Trustees shall file annually with
the Property Trustee a certification as to whether or not they are in compliance
with all the conditions and covenants applicable to them under this Declaration.
ARTICLE III
ORGANIZATION
SECTION 3.1 NAME.
The Trust is named "Suiza Capital Trust," as such name may be modified
from time to time by the Regular Trustees following written notice to the
Delaware Trustee, the Property Trustee and the Holders of Securities. The
Trust's activities may be conducted under the name of the Trust or any other
name deemed advisable by the Regular Trustees.
SECTION 3.2 OFFICE.
The address of the principal office of the Trust is Suiza Foods
Corporation, 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000,
Attention: Chief Financial Officer. At any time, upon prior written notice to
the Delaware Trustee, the Property Trustee and the Holders of the Preferred
Securities, the Regular Trustees may designate another principal office.
SECTION 3.3 PURPOSE.
The exclusive purposes and functions of the Trust are (a) to issue and
sell the Securities and use the proceeds from such sale to acquire the
Debentures, and (b) except as otherwise limited herein, to engage in only those
other activities necessary or incidental thereto including, without limitation,
the execution and performance of those documents, instruments and agreements
necessary to effectuate the transactions contemplated hereby, and those
activities specified or contemplated in Sections 3.4, 3.6, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10 and/or
3.11. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the Trust shall not
borrow money, issue debt or reinvest proceeds derived from investments, pledge
any of its assets or otherwise undertake (or permit to be undertaken) any
activity that would cause the Trust not to be classified for United States
federal income tax purposes as a grantor trust.
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SECTION 3.4 AUTHORITY.
(a) Subject to the limitations provided for in this Declaration
and to the specific duties of the Property Trustee, any Regular Trustee shall
have exclusive and complete authority to carry out the purposes of the Trust. An
action taken by any Regular Trustee in accordance with the powers granted to
each of the Regular Trustees under this Declaration shall constitute the act of
and serve to bind the Trust and an action taken by the Property Trustee on
behalf of the Trust in accordance with its powers shall constitute the act of
and serve to bind the Trust. In dealing with the Trustees acting on behalf of
the Trust, no person shall be required to inquire into the authority of the
Trustees to bind the Trust. Persons dealing with the Trust are entitled to rely
conclusively on the power and authority of the Trustees as set forth in this
Declaration.
(b) Unless this Declaration requires a specific vote or consent of
the Regular Trustees or unless the Regular Trustees in their discretion
determine to require a vote or consent on such matter, any right, power or duty
of the Regular Trustees with respect to such matter may be exercised or
performed, as the case may be, by any Regular Trustee acting alone.
(c) Unless this Declaration requires a specific vote or consent of
the Regular Trustees or unless the Regular Trustees in their discretion
determine to require a vote or consent on such matter, each Regular Trustee
acting alone is authorized to execute and deliver on behalf of the Trust any
documents, agreements, instruments or certificates which the Regular Trustees
have the power and authority to cause the Trust to execute pursuant to Section
3.6.
SECTION 3.5 TITLE TO PROPERTY OF THE TRUST.
Except as provided in Section 3.8 with respect to the Debentures and
the Property Trustee Account or as otherwise provided in this Declaration, legal
title to all assets of the Trust shall be vested in the Trust. The Holders shall
not have legal title to any part of the assets of the Trust, but shall have an
undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust.
SECTION 3.6 POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE REGULAR TRUSTEES.
Any of the Regular Trustees shall have the exclusive power, duty and
authority, and are hereby authorized and directed, to cause the Trust to engage
in the following activities:
(a) to execute, deliver, issue and sell the Preferred Securities
and the Common Securities in accordance with this Declaration; PROVIDED,
however, that the Trust may issue no more than one series of Preferred
Securities and no more than one series of Common Securities, and, PROVIDED,
FURTHER, that there shall be no interests in the Trust other than the
Securities, and the issuance of Securities shall be limited to simultaneous
issuance of both Preferred Securities and Common Securities on the Closing Date;
(b) notwithstanding any provision of this Declaration to the
contrary, to execute, deliver and enter into, on behalf of the Trust, the
Purchase Agreement, Registration Rights Agreement, Common Securities Purchase
Agreement, Supplemental Guarantee and Security
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Agreement and each other related agreement, instrument, document and certificate
providing for or entered into in connection with the issue and sale of the
Preferred Securities or the Common Securities and perform or cause the Trust to
perform the Trust's obligations thereunder;
(c) to acquire as Trust assets the Debentures with the proceeds of
the sale of the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities; PROVIDED,
however, that the Regular Trustees shall cause legal title to the Debentures to
be held of record in the name of the Property Trustee for the benefit of the
Holders of the Preferred Securities;
(d) to give the Debenture Issuer and the Property Trustee prompt
written notice of the occurrence of a Special Event; PROVIDED that the Regular
Trustees shall consult with the Debenture Issuer and the Property Trustee before
taking or refraining from taking any Ministerial Action in relation to a Special
Event;
(e) to establish a record date with respect to all actions to be
taken hereunder that require a record date be established, including and with
respect to, for the purposes of Section 316(c) of the Trust Indenture Act,
Distributions, voting rights, redemptions and exchanges, and to issue relevant
notices to the Holders of Preferred Securities and Holders of Common Securities
as to such actions and applicable record dates;
(f) to take all actions and perform such duties as may be required
of the Regular Trustees pursuant to the terms of the Securities (including,
without limitation, redeeming the Securities upon the occurrence of certain
events and circumstances on the terms of the Securities set forth on Annex I
hereto);
(g) to the fullest extent permitted by law, to bring or defend,
pay, collect, compromise, arbitrate, resort to legal action, or otherwise adjust
claims or demands of or against the Trust ("Legal Action"), unless pursuant to
Section 3.8(e), the Property Trustee has the power to bring such Legal Action;
(h) to employ or otherwise engage employees and agents (who may be
designated as officers with titles) and managers, contractors, advisors and
consultants and pay reasonable compensation for such services;
(i) to cause the Trust to comply with the Trust's obligations
under the Trust Indenture Act;
(j) to give the certificate required by 314(a)(4) of the Trust
Indenture Act to the Property Trustee, which certificate may be executed by any
Regular Trustee;
(k) to incur expenses that are necessary or incidental to carry
out any of the purposes of the Trust or seek reimbursement from the Debenture
Issuer;
(l) to act as, or appoint another Person to act as, Registrar and
Conversion Agent for the Securities;
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(m) to give prompt written notice to the Property Trustee and to
the Holders of the Preferred Securities of any notice received from the
Debenture Issuer of an election by the Debenture Issuer to defer payments of
interest on the Debentures by extending the interest payment period under the
Indenture;
(n) to take all action that may be necessary or appropriate for
the preservation and the continuation of the Trust's valid existence, rights,
franchises and privileges as a statutory business trust under the laws of the
State of Delaware and of each other jurisdiction in which such existence is
necessary to protect the limited liability of the Holders of the Preferred
Securities or to enable the Trust to effect the purposes for which the Trust was
created;
(o) to take any action (provided that such action does not
adversely affect the interests of Holders), not inconsistent with this
Declaration or with applicable law, that the Regular Trustees determine in their
discretion to be necessary or desirable in carrying out the activities of the
Trust as set out in this Section 3.6, including, but not limited to:
(i) causing the Trust not to be deemed to be an Investment
Company required to be registered under the Investment Company Act;
(ii) causing the Trust to be classified for United States
federal income tax purposes as a grantor trust;
(iii) cooperating with the Debenture Issuer to ensure that the
Debentures will be treated as indebtedness of the Debenture Issuer for
United States federal income tax purposes; and
(p) to take all action necessary to cause all applicable tax
returns and tax information reports that are required to be filed with respect
to the Trust to be duly prepared and timely filed by the Regular Trustees, on
behalf of the Trust; and
(q) to execute and deliver all documents, agreements, instruments,
and certificates, exercise all rights and powers and perform all duties, and do
all things for and on behalf of the Trust in all matters necessary, advisable or
incidental to the foregoing and the transactions contemplated thereby.
The Regular Trustees must exercise the powers set forth in this Section
3.6 in a manner that is consistent with the purposes and functions of the Trust
set out in Section 3.3, and the Regular Trustees shall not take any action that
is inconsistent with the purposes and functions of the Trust set forth in
Section 3.3.
Subject to this Section 3.6, the Regular Trustees shall have none of
the powers or the authority of the Property Trustee set forth in Section 3.8.
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Any expenses incurred by the Regular Trustees pursuant to this Section
3.6 shall be reimbursed by the Debenture Issuer.
SECTION 3.7 PROHIBITION OF ACTIONS BY THE TRUST AND THE TRUSTEES.
(a) The Trust shall not, and the Trustees (including the Property
Trustee) shall not, and the Regular Trustees shall cause the Trust not to,
engage in any activity other than as required or authorized by this Declaration.
In particular, the Trust shall not:
(i) invest any proceeds received by the Trust from holding
the Debentures, but shall distribute all such proceeds to Holders of
Preferred Securities pursuant to the terms of this Declaration and of
the Securities;
(ii) acquire any assets other than as expressly provided
herein;
(iii) possess Trust property for other than a Trust purpose;
(iv) make any loans or incur any indebtedness other than
loans represented by the Debentures and the indebtedness guaranteed and
secured by the Supplemental Subsidiary Guarantee and Security
Agreement;
(v) possess any power or otherwise act in such a way as to
vary the Trust assets, except pursuant to the Supplemental Subsidiary
Guarantee and Security Agreement, or the terms of the Securities in any
way whatsoever;
(vi) issue any securities or other evidences of beneficial
ownership of, or beneficial interest in, the Trust other than the
Securities; or
(vii) other than as provided in this Declaration or Annex I
hereto, (A) direct the time, method and place of exercising any trust
or power conferred upon the Debenture Trustee with respect to the
Debentures, (B) waive any past default that is waivable under the
Indenture, (C) exercise any right to rescind or annul any declaration
that the principal of all the Debentures shall be due and payable, or
(D) consent to any amendment, modification or termination of the
Indenture or the Debentures where such consent shall be required unless
the Trust shall have received an opinion of counsel to the effect that
such modification will not cause more than an insubstantial risk that
(x) the Trust will be deemed an Investment Company required to be
registered under the Investment Company Act, or (y) for United States
federal income tax purposes the Trust will not be classified as a
grantor trust.
SECTION 3.8 POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE PROPERTY TRUSTEE.
(a) The legal title to the Debentures shall be owned by and held
of record in the name of the Property Trustee in trust for the benefit of the
Holders of the Preferred Securities. The right, title and interest of the
Property Trustee to the Debentures shall vest automatically in each
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Person who may hereafter be appointed as Property Trustee in accordance with
Section 5.6. Such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or
not conveyancing documents with regard to the Debentures have been executed and
delivered.
(b) The Property Trustee shall not transfer its right, title and
interest in the Debentures to the Regular Trustees or to the Delaware Trustee
(if the Property Trustee does not act as the Delaware Trustee).
(c) The Property Trustee shall:
(i) establish and maintain a segregated non-interest bearing
trust account (the "Property Trustee Account") in the name of and under
the exclusive control of the Property Trustee on behalf of the Holders
of the Preferred Securities and, upon the receipt of payments of funds
made in respect of the Debentures held by the Property Trustee, deposit
such funds into the Property Trustee Account and make payments to the
Holders of the Preferred Securities from the Property Trustee Account
in accordance with Section 6.1. Funds in the Property Trustee Account
shall be held uninvested until disbursed in accordance with this
Declaration. The Property Trustee Account shall be an account that is
maintained with a federally insured banking institution or publicly
traded mutual fund;
(ii) engage in such ministerial activities as so directed and
as shall be necessary or appropriate to effect the redemption of the
Preferred Securities, to the extent the Debentures are redeemed or
mature, and the Common Securities, on the terms of the Securities set
forth on Annex I hereto; and
(iii) upon written notice of a distribution issued by the
Regular Trustees in accordance with the terms of the Securities, engage
in such ministerial activities as so directed as shall be necessary or
appropriate to effect the distribution of the Debentures to Holders of
Preferred Securities and the redemption of the Common Securities upon
the occurrence of certain Special Events arising from a change in law
or a change in legal interpretation or other specified circumstances
pursuant to the terms of the Securities.
(d) The Property Trustee shall take all actions and perform such
duties as may be specifically required of the Property Trustee pursuant to the
terms of the Securities.
(e) The Property Trustee shall take any Legal Action which arises
out of or in connection with (i) an Event of Default of which a Responsible
Officer of the Property Trustee has actual knowledge or (ii) the Property
Trustee's duties and obligations under this Declaration or the Trust Indenture
Act.
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(f) The Property Trustee shall not resign as a Trustee unless
either:
(i) the Trust has been completely liquidated and the proceeds
of the liquidation distributed to the Holders of Securities pursuant to
the terms of the Securities; or
(ii) a Successor Property Trustee has been appointed and has
accepted that appointment in accordance with Section 5.6.
(g) The Property Trustee shall have the legal power to exercise
all of the rights, powers and privileges of a holder of Debentures under the
Indenture and, if an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of
the Property Trustee occurs and is continuing, the Property Trustee shall, for
the benefit of Holders of the Preferred Securities, enforce its rights as holder
of the Debentures subject to the rights of the Holders pursuant to the terms of
the Securities.
(h) For such time as the Property Trustee is the Paying Agent, the
Property Trustee may authorize one or more persons to act as additional Paying
Agents and to pay Distributions, redemption payments or liquidation payments on
behalf of the Trust with respect to all Securities and any such Paying Agent
shall comply with Section 317(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any such additional
Paying Agent may be removed by the Property Trustee at any time and a successor
Paying Agent or additional Paying Agents may be, but are not required to be,
appointed at any time by the Property Trustee.
(i) Subject to this Section 3.8, the Property Trustee shall have
none of the duties, liabilities, powers or the authority of the Regular Trustees
set forth in Section 3.6.
The Property Trustee must exercise the powers set forth in this Section
3.8 in a manner that is consistent with the purposes and functions of the Trust
set out in Section 3.3, and the Property Trustee shall not take any action that
is inconsistent with the purposes and functions of the Trust set out in Section
3.3.
SECTION 3.9 CERTAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PROPERTY TRUSTEE.
(a) The Property Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of
Default and after the curing of all Events of Default that may have occurred,
shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in
this Declaration and in the Securities and no implied covenants shall be read
into this Declaration against the Property Trustee. In case an Event of Default
has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.6) of
which a Responsible Officer of the Property Trustee has actual knowledge, the
Property Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by
this Declaration, 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.
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(b) No provision of this Declaration shall be construed to relieve
the Property Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own
negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after
the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have
occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Property Trustee
shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this
Declaration and the Property Trustee shall not be liable
except for the performance of such duties and obligations as
are specifically set forth in this Declaration, and no implied
covenants or obligations shall be read into this Declaration
against the Property Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Property Trustee, the Property Trustee may conclusively rely,
as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the
opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions
furnished to the Property Trustee and conforming to the
requirements of this Declaration; but in the case of any such
certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are
specifically required to be furnished to the Property Trustee,
the Property Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same
to determine whether or not on their face they conform to the
requirements of this Declaration;
(ii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any error
of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Property
Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Property Trustee was
negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment
was made or in taking or omitting to take the pertinent action;
(iii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable with respect to
any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in
accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a
Majority in liquidation amount of the Securities relating to the time,
method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available
to the Property Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred
upon the Property Trustee under this Declaration;
(iv) no provision of this Declaration shall require the
Property Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur
personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or
in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have
reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or
liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this
Declaration or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Property
Trustee against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it;
(v) the Property Trustee's sole duty with respect to the
custody, safe keeping and physical preservation of the Debentures and
the Property Trustee Account shall be to
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deal with such property in a similar manner as the Property Trustee
deals with similar property for its own account, subject to the
protections and limitations on liability afforded to the Property
Trustee under this Declaration and the Trust Indenture Act;
(vi) the Property Trustee shall have no duty or liability
for or with respect to the value, genuineness, existence or sufficiency
of the Debentures or the payment of any taxes or assessments levied
thereon or in connection therewith;
(vii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any
interest on any money received by it except as it may otherwise agree
in writing with the Sponsor. Money held by the Property Trustee need
not be segregated from other funds held by it except in relation to the
Property Trustee Account maintained by the Property Trustee pursuant to
Section 3.8(c)(i) and except to the extent otherwise required by law;
and
(viii) the Property Trustee shall not be responsible for
monitoring the compliance by the Regular Trustees or the Sponsor with
their respective duties under this Declaration, nor shall the Property
Trustee be liable for any default or misconduct of the Regular Trustees
or the Sponsor.
SECTION 3.10 CERTAIN RIGHTS OF PROPERTY TRUSTEE.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.9:
(i) the Property Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be
fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any
resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note,
other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by
it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the
proper party or parties;
(ii) any direction or act of the Sponsor or the Regular
Trustees contemplated by this Declaration may be sufficiently evidenced
by an Officer's Certificate;
(iii) whenever in the administration of this Declaration, the
Property Trustee shall reasonably deem it desirable that a matter be
proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action
hereunder, the Property Trustee (unless other evidence is herein
specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part,
request and conclusively rely upon an Officer's Certificate which, upon
receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Sponsor or
the Regular Trustees;
(iv) the Property Trustee shall have no duty to see to any
recording, filing or registration of any instrument (including any
financing or continuation statement or any filing under tax or
securities laws) or any rerecording, refiling or registration thereof;
(v) the Property Trustee may consult with counsel of its
choice or other experts and the advice or opinion of such counsel and
experts with respect to legal matters
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or advice within the scope of such expert's area of expertise shall be
full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any
action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in
accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to
the Debenture Issuer or any of its Affiliates, and may include any of
its employees. The Property Trustee shall have the right at any time
to seek instructions concerning the administration of this Declaration
from any court of competent jurisdiction;
(vi) the Property Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Declaration
at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall
have provided to the Property Trustee adequate security and indemnity,
reasonably satisfactory to the Property Trustee, against the costs,
expenses (including attorneys' fees and expenses and the expenses of
the Property Trustee's agents, nominees or custodians) and liabilities
that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or
direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by
the Property Trustee; PROVIDED that, nothing contained in this Section
3.10(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the Property Trustee, upon the
occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise the
rights and powers vested in it by this Declaration;
(vii) the Property Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request,
direction, consent, order, security, bond, debenture, note, other
evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Property
Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or
investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit;
(viii) the Property Trustee may execute any of the trusts or
powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by
or through agents, custodians, nominees or attorneys, and the Property
Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on
the part of any such person appointed with due care by it hereunder;
(ix) any action taken by the Property Trustee or its agents
hereunder shall bind the Trust and the Holders of the Securities, and
the signature of the Property 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 Property
Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and
provisions of this Declaration, both of which shall be conclusively
evidenced by the Property Trustee's or its agent's taking such action;
(x) whenever in the administration of this Declaration the
Property Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with
respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action
hereunder, the Property Trustee (i) may request instructions from the
Holders of the Securities which instructions may only be given by the
Holders of the same proportion in liquidation amount of the Securities
as would be entitled to direct the Property Trustee under the terms of
the Securities in respect of such remedy, right or action, (ii) may
refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action
until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in
conclusively relying on or acting in accordance with such instructions;
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(xi) except as otherwise expressly required by this
Declaration, the Property Trustee shall not be under any obligation to
take any action that is discretionary under the provisions of this
Declaration; and
(xii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any action
taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith, without
negligence, and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within
the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this
Declaration.
(b) No provision of this Declaration shall be deemed to impose any
duty or obligation on the Property Trustee to perform any act or acts or
exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it, in any
jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Property Trustee
shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to
perform any such act or acts, or to exercise any such right, power, duty or
obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Property Trustee
shall be construed to be a duty.
SECTION 3.11 DELAWARE TRUSTEE.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration other than
Section 5.2, the Delaware Trustee shall not be entitled to exercise any powers,
nor shall the Delaware Trustee have any of the duties and responsibilities of
the Regular Trustees or the Property Trustee described in this Declaration.
Except as set forth in Section 5.2, the Delaware Trustee shall be a Trustee for
the sole and limited purpose of fulfilling the requirements of Section 3807 of
the Business Trust Act. In the event the Delaware Trustee shall at any time be
required to take any action or perform any duty hereunder, the Delaware Trustee
shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.9(b)(ii) to (viii), inclusive,
and Section 3.10. No implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this
Declaration against the Delaware Trustee.
SECTION 3.12 NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS OR ISSUANCE OF SECURITIES.
The recitals contained in this Declaration and the Securities shall be
taken as the statements of the Sponsor, and the Trustees do not assume any
responsibility for their correctness.
The Trustees make no representations as to the value or condition of
the property of the Trust or any part thereof. The Trustees make no
representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Declaration or the
Securities.
SECTION 3.13 DURATION OF TRUST.
The Trust, unless terminated pursuant to the provisions of Article VIII
hereof, shall exist until December 31, 2025, PROVIDED that such date may be
extended to the extent necessary to permit the winding up of the affairs of the
Trust.
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SECTION 3.14 MERGERS.
(a) The Trust may not consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into,
or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets
substantially as an entirety, to any corporation or other Person, except as
described in Section 3.14(b) and (c) and except with respect to the distribution
of Debentures to Holders pursuant to Section 8.1(a).
(b) The Trust may, at the request of the Sponsor, with the consent
of the Regular Trustees or, if there are more than two, a majority of the
Regular Trustees, and without the consent of the Holders of the Securities, the
Delaware Trustee or the Property Trustee, consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or
into, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets
as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to, a trust organized as such
under the laws of any State of the United States; PROVIDED that:
(i) if the Trust is not the survivor, such successor entity
(the "Successor Entity") either:
(A) expressly assumes all of the obligations of the
Trust under the Declaration and the Securities; or
(B) substitutes for the Preferred Securities and the
Common Securities other securities having substantially the
same terms as the Preferred Securities and the Common
Securities, respectively, (as applicable, the "Successor
Securities") so long as the Successor Securities rank the same
as the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities,
respectively, with respect to Distributions, assets and
payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise;
(ii) the Debenture Issuer expressly agrees that a trustee of
the Successor Entity that possesses the same powers and duties as the
Property Trustee may act as the Holder of the Debentures;
(iii) the Preferred Securities or any Successor Securities to
the Preferred Securities are listed, or any Successor Securities to the
Preferred Securities will be listed upon notification of issuance, on
any national securities exchange or with another organization on which
the Preferred Securities are then listed or quoted;
(iv) if the Preferred Securities are rated, such merger,
consolidation, amalgamation or replacement does not cause the Preferred
Securities (including any Successor Securities thereof) to be
downgraded by any nationally recognized statistical rating
organization;
(v) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement,
or conveyance, transfer or lease, does not adversely affect the rights,
preferences and privileges of the Holders of the Preferred Securities
(including any Successor Securities thereof) in any
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material respect (other than with respect to any dilution of the
Holders' interest in the Successor Entity);
(vi) such Successor Entity has a purpose substantially
identical to that of the Trust;
(vii) the Company guarantees the obligations of such
Successor Entity under the Successor Securities of the Preferred
Securities at least to the extent provided by the Preferred Securities
Guarantee; and
(viii) prior to such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or
replacement, or conveyance, transfer or lease, the Sponsor has received
an opinion of independent counsel to the Trust, reasonably acceptable
to the Property Trustee, experienced in such matters to the effect
that:
(A) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or
replacement, or conveyance, transfer or lease, will not
adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the
Holders of the Securities (including any Successor Securities)
in any material respect (other than with respect to any
dilution of the Holders' interest in the new entity);
(B) following such merger, consolidation, amalgamation
or replacement, or conveyance, transfer or lease, neither the
Trust nor the Successor Entity will be required to register as
an Investment Company;
(C) following such merger, consolidation, amalgamation
or replacement, or conveyance, transfer or lease, the Trust
(or the Successor Entity) will be treated as a grantor trust
for United States federal income tax purposes; and
(ix) there shall have been furnished to the Property Trustee
an Officer's Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each to the effect
that all conditions precedent in this Declaration to such transaction
have been satisfied.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 3.14(b), the Trust shall not, except
with the consent of the Holders of 100% in liquidation amount of the Common
Securities, consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or be replaced by any
other entity or permit any other entity to consolidate, amalgamate, merge with
or into, or replace its, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets
as an entirety or substantially as an entirety, if such consolidation,
amalgamation, merger or replacement, or conveyance, transfer or lease, would
cause the Trust or Successor Entity to be classified as other than a grantor
trust for United States federal income tax purposes.
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SECTION 3.15 FILING OF AMENDMENTS TO CERTIFICATE OF TRUST.
The Certificate of Trust as filed with the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware on February 18, 1998 is attached hereto as Exhibit B. On or
after the date of execution of this Declaration, the Trustees shall cause the
filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of such amendments
to the Certificate of Trust as the Trustees deem necessary or desirable to
reflect this Declaration.
ARTICLE IV
SPONSOR AND THE DEBENTURE ISSUER
SECTION 4.1 SPONSOR'S PURCHASE OF COMMON SECURITIES.
The Sponsor shall purchase the Common Securities upon formation of the
Trust.
SECTION 4.2 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEBENTURE ISSUER.
In connection with the issue and sale of the Preferred Securities, the
Sponsor shall have the exclusive right and responsibility to engage in the
following activities:
(a) to determine the States and foreign jurisdictions in which to take
appropriate action to qualify or register for sale all or part of the Preferred
Securities and to do any and all such acts, other than actions that must be
taken by the Trust, and advise the Trust of actions it must take, and prepare
for execution and filing any documents to be executed and filed by the Trust, as
the Sponsor deem necessary or advisable in order to comply with the applicable
laws of any such States and foreign jurisdictions; and
(b) to negotiate the terms of the Purchase Agreement, Registration
Rights Agreement and other related agreements providing for the sale of the
Preferred Securities.
ARTICLE V
TRUSTEES
SECTION 5.1 NUMBER OF TRUSTEES.
The number of Trustees shall be three (3), one of which shall initially
be a Regular Trustee, and:
(a) at any time before the issuance of any Securities, the Sponsor may,
by written instrument, increase or decrease the number of Trustees; and
(b) after the issuance of any Securities, the number of Trustees may be
increased or decreased by vote of the Holders of a Majority in liquidation
amount of the Common Securities voting as a class at a meeting of the Holders of
the Common Securities;
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PROVIDED, however, that the number of Trustees shall in no event be less than
three (3); PROVIDED FURTHER that (1) one Trustee, the Delaware Trustee, shall be
a Person who, in the case of a natural person, is a resident of the State of
Delaware or that, if not a natural person, is an entity which has its principal
place of business in the State of Delaware; (2) there shall be at least one
Regular Trustee who is an employee or officer of, or is affiliated with the
Sponsor; and (3) one Trustee shall be the Property Trustee for so long as this
Declaration is required to qualify as an indenture under the Trust Indenture
Act, and such Trustee may also serve as Delaware Trustee if it meets the
applicable requirements
SECTION 5.2 DELAWARE TRUSTEE.
If required by the Business Trust Act, one Trustee (the "Delaware
Trustee") shall be:
(a) a natural person who is resident of the State of Delaware; or
(b) if not a natural person, an entity which has its principal
place of business in the State of Delaware, and otherwise meets the requirements
of applicable law,
PROVIDED that, if the Property Trustee has its principal place of business in
the State of Delaware and otherwise meets the requirements of applicable law,
then the Property Trustee shall also be the Delaware Trustee and Section 3.11
shall have no application.
SECTION 5.3 PROPERTY TRUSTEE; ELIGIBILITY.
(a) There shall at all times be one Trustee which shall act as
Property Trustee which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Debenture Issuer; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof
or of the District of Columbia, or a corporation or Person permitted by
the Commission to act as an institutional trustee under the Trust
Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust
powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000
U.S. dollars, and subject to supervision or examination by Federal,
State, Territorial or District of Columbia authority. If such
corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant
to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority
referred to above, then for the purposes of this Section 5.3(a)(ii),
the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to
be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent
report of condition so published.
(b) If at any time the Property Trustee shall cease to be eligible
to so act under Section 5.3(a) or 5.3(c), the Property Trustee shall immediately
resign in the manner and with the effect set forth in Section 5.6(c) and 5.6(d).
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(c) If the Property Trustee has or shall acquire any "conflicting
interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the
Property Trustee and the Holder of the Common Securities (as if it were the
obligor referred to in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall in all
respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
(d) The Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be deemed to be
specifically described in this Declaration for purposes of clause (i) of the
first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
(e) The initial Property Trustee shall be set forth in Section 5.5
hereof.
SECTION 5.4 QUALIFICATIONS OF REGULAR TRUSTEES AND DELAWARE TRUSTEE
GENERALLY.
Each Regular Trustee and the Delaware Trustee (unless the Property
Trustee also acts as Delaware Trustee) shall be either a natural person who is
at least 21 years of age or a legal entity that shall act through one or more
Authorized Officers.
SECTION 5.5 INITIAL TRUSTEES.
(a) The initial Regular Trustee shall be:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
The initial Delaware Trustee shall be:
Wilmington Trust Company
Xxxxxx Square North
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attn: Corporate Trust Administration
Phone: 000-000-0000
Telecopy: 000-000-0000
The initial Property Trustee shall be:
Wilmington Trust Company
Xxxxxx Square North
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attn: Corporate Trust Administration
Phone: 000-000-0000
Telecopy: 000-000-0000
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SECTION 5.6 APPOINTMENT, REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF TRUSTEES.
(a) Subject to Section 5.6(b), Trustees may be appointed or
removed without cause at any time:
(i) until the issuance of any Securities, by written
instrument executed by the Sponsor; and
(ii) after the issuance of any Securities, by the vote of the
Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Common Securities.
(b) (i) The Trustee that acts as Property Trustee shall not be
removed in accordance with Section 5.6(a) until a Successor Property Trustee has
been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed
by such Successor Property Trustee and delivered to the removed Property
Trustee, the Regular Trustees and the Sponsor; and
(ii) The Trustee that acts as Delaware Trustee shall not be
removed in accordance with Section 5.6(a) until a successor Trustee
possessing the qualifications to act as Delaware Trustee under Sections
5.2 and 5.4 (a "Successor Delaware Trustee") has been appointed and has
accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such
Successor Delaware Trustee and delivered to the removed Delaware
Trustee, the Property Trustee (if the removed Delaware Trustee is not
also the Property Trustee), the Regular Trustees and the Sponsor.
(c) A Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until his
successor shall have been appointed or until his death, removal or resignation.
Any Trustee may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent
accounting) by an instrument in writing signed by the Trustee and delivered to
the other Trustees, the Sponsor and the Trust, which resignation shall take
effect upon such delivery or upon such later date as is specified therein;
PROVIDED, however, that:
(i) No such resignation of the Trustee that acts as the
Property Trustee shall be effective:
(A) until a Successor Property Trustee has been
appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument
executed by such Successor Property Trustee and delivered to
the Trust, the Sponsor, the Delaware Trustee (if the resigning
Property Trustee is not also the Delaware Trustee) and the
resigning Property Trustee; or
(B) until the assets of the Trust have been completely
liquidated and the proceeds thereof distributed to the Holders
of the Securities; and
(ii) no such resignation of the Trustee that acts as the
Delaware Trustee shall be effective until a Successor Delaware Trustee
has been appointed and has accepted such
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appointment by instrument executed by such Successor Delaware Trustee
and delivered to the Trust, the Sponsor, the Property Trustee (if the
resigning Delaware Trustee is not also the Property Trustee) and the
resigning Delaware Trustee.
(d) The Holders of the Common Securities shall use their best
efforts to promptly appoint a Successor Property Trustee, Successor Delaware
Trustee, or, if there is one Regular Trustee, a Regular Trustee, as the case may
be, if the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee or such sole Regular Trustee
delivers an instrument of resignation in accordance with this Section 5.6.
(e) If no Successor Property Trustee or Successor Delaware Trustee
shall have been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section
5.6 within 60 days after delivery pursuant to this Section 5.6 of an instrument
of resignation or removal, the Property Trustee or Delaware Trustee resigning or
being removed, as applicable, may petition any court of competent jurisdiction
for appointment of a Successor Property Trustee or Successor Delaware Trustee.
Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem
proper, appoint a Successor Property Trustee or Successor Delaware Trustee, as
the case may be.
(f) No Property Trustee or Delaware Trustee shall be liable for
the acts or omissions to act of any Successor Property Trustee or Successor
Delaware Trustee, as the case may be.
(g) Upon the resignation or removal of the Property Trustee or the
Delaware Trustee, the Sponsor shall promptly pay to such Trustee all amounts
that may be owed to such Trustee pursuant to Section 10.4.
SECTION 5.7 VACANCIES AMONG TRUSTEES.
If a Trustee ceases to hold office for any reason and the number of
Trustees is not reduced pursuant to Section 5.1, or if the number of Trustees is
increased pursuant to Section 5.1, a vacancy shall occur. A resolution
certifying the existence of such vacancy by the Regular Trustees or, if there
are more than two, a majority of the Regular Trustees shall be conclusive
evidence of the existence of such vacancy. The vacancy shall be filled with a
Trustee appointed in accordance with Section 5.6.
SECTION 5.8 EFFECT OF VACANCIES.
The death, resignation, retirement, removal, bankruptcy, dissolution,
liquidation, incompetence or incapacity to perform the duties of a Trustee shall
not operate to dissolve, terminate or annul the Trust. Whenever a vacancy in the
number of Regular Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled by the
appointment of a Regular Trustee in accordance with Section 5.6, the Regular
Trustees in office, regardless of their number, shall have all the powers
granted to the Regular Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed upon
the Regular Trustees by this Declaration.
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SECTION 5.9 MEETINGS.
If there is more than one Regular Trustee, meetings of the Regular
Trustees shall be held from time to time upon the call of any Regular Trustee.
Regular meetings of the Regular Trustees may be held at a time and place fixed
by resolution of the Regular Trustees. Notice of any in-person meetings of the
Regular Trustees shall be hand delivered or otherwise delivered in writing
(including by facsimile, with a hard copy by overnight courier) not less than 48
hours before such meeting. Notice of any telephonic meetings of the Regular
Trustees or any committee thereof shall be hand delivered or otherwise delivered
in writing (including by facsimile, with a hard copy by overnight courier) not
less than 24 hours before a meeting. Notices shall contain a brief statement of
the time, place and anticipated purposes of the meeting. The presence (whether
in person or by telephone) of a Regular Trustee at a meeting shall constitute a
waiver of notice of such meeting except where a Regular Trustee attends a
meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any activity
on the ground that the meeting has not been lawfully called or convened. If this
Declaration requires a specific vote or consent of the Regular Trustees or if
the Regular Trustees in their discretion determine to require a vote on any
matter, such action of the Regular Trustees may be taken at a meeting by vote of
a majority of the Regular Trustees present (whether in person or by telephone)
and eligible to vote with respect to such matter, provided that a Quorum is
present, or without a meeting by the unanimous written consent of the Regular
Trustees. Subject to any specific requirement in this Declaration that requires
a vote of the Regular Trustees, nothing in this section shall be deemed to
restrict the authority granted to any Regular Trustee pursuant to Section 3.4 of
this Declaration.
SECTION 5.10 DELEGATION OF POWER.
(a) Any Regular Trustee may, by power of attorney consistent with
applicable law, delegate to any other natural person over the age of 21 his or
her power for the purpose of executing any documents contemplated in Section
3.6, or making any other governmental filing; and
(b) The Regular Trustees shall have power to delegate from time to
time to such of their number or to officers of the Trust the doing of such
things and the execution of such instruments either in the name of the Trust or
the names of the Regular Trustees or otherwise as the Regular Trustees may deem
expedient, to the extent such delegation is not prohibited by applicable law or
contrary to the provisions of the Trust, as set forth herein.
SECTION 5.11 MERGER, CONVERSION, CONSOLIDATION OR SUCCESSION TO
BUSINESS.
Any corporation into which the Property Trustee or the Delaware
Trustee, as the case may be, may be merged or converted or with which either may
be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or
consolidation to which the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the
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case may be, shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or
substantially all the corporate trust business of the Property Trustee or the
Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, shall be the successor of the Property
Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, hereunder, provided such
corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article,
without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of
any of the parties hereto, unless otherwise required by the Business Trust Act.
ARTICLE VI
DISTRIBUTIONS
SECTION 6.1 DISTRIBUTIONS.
Holders of Preferred Securities shall receive Distributions (as defined
herein) in accordance with the applicable terms of the relevant Holder's
Securities. Distributions shall be made on the Preferred Securities in
accordance with their terms. If and to the extent that the Debenture Issuer
makes payment of interest (including Compounded Interest (as defined in the
Indenture), Additional Interest (as defined in the Indenture), and Extension
Period Interest (as defined in the Indenture), premium and/or principal on the
Debentures held by the Property Trustee (the amount of any such payment being a
"Payment Amount"), the Property Trustee shall and is directed, to the extent
funds are available for that purpose, to make a distribution (a "Distribution")
of the Payment Amount to Holders of Preferred Securities.
ARTICLE VII
ISSUANCE OF SECURITIES
SECTION 7.1 GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDING SECURITIES.
(a) The Regular Trustees shall, on behalf of the Trust, issue one
class of convertible preferred securities, representing undivided beneficial
interests in the assets of the Trust (the "Preferred Securities"), having such
terms (the "Terms") as are set forth in Annex I and one class of common
securities, representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the
Trust (the "Common Securities"), having such terms as are set forth in Annex I.
The Trust shall issue no securities or other interests in the assets of the
Trust other than the Preferred Securities and the Common Securities.
(b) The consideration received by the Trust for the issuance of
the Securities shall constitute a contribution to the capital of the Trust and
shall not constitute a loan to the Trust.
(c) Upon issuance of the Securities as provided in this
Declaration, the Securities so issued shall be deemed to be validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable.
(d) Every Person, by virtue of having become a Holder in
accordance with the terms of this Declaration, shall be deemed to have expressly
assented and agreed to the terms of, and shall be bound by, this Declaration.
(e) The Securities shall have no preemptive rights to subscribe
for any additional Securities.
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SECTION 7.2 EXECUTION AND AUTHENTICATION.
(a) The Securities shall be signed on behalf of the Trust by a
Regular Trustee. In case any Regular Trustee of the Trust who shall have signed
any of the Securities shall cease to be such Regular Trustee before the
Securities so signed shall be delivered by the Trust, such Securities
nevertheless may be delivered as though the person who signed such Securities
had not ceased to be such Regular Trustee; and any Securities may be signed on
behalf of the Trust by such persons who, at the actual date of execution of such
Security, shall be the Regular Trustees of the Trust, although at the date of
the execution and delivery of the Declaration any such person was not such a
Regular Trustee.
(b) One Regular Trustee shall sign the Preferred Securities for
the Trust by manual or facsimile signature. Unless otherwise determined by the
Trust, such signature shall, in the case of Common Securities, be a manual
signature.
A Preferred Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the
manual signature of an authorized signatory of the Property Trustee. The
signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Preferred Security has been
authenticated under this Declaration. A Common Security shall be valid upon
execution by a Regular Trustee without any act of the Property Trustee.
Upon a written order of the Trust signed by one Regular Trustee, the
Property Trustee shall authenticate the Preferred Securities for original issue
in accordance with the fifth paragraph of the Preferred Securities. The
aggregate number of Preferred Securities outstanding at any time shall not
exceed the number set forth in the Terms in Annex I hereto except as provided in
Section 7.6.
The Property Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to
the Trust to authenticate Preferred Securities. An authenticating agent may
authenticate Preferred Securities whenever the Property Trustee may do so. Each
reference in this Declaration to authentication by the Property Trustee includes
authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as the
Property Trustee with respect to the Sponsor.
SECTION 7.3 FORM AND DATING.
(a) The Preferred Securities and the Property Trustee's
certificate of authentication shall be evidenced by one or more certificates
substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 and the Common Securities shall be
evidenced by one or more certificates substantially in the form of Exhibit A-2,
each of which is hereby incorporated in and expressly made a part of this
Declaration. Such certificates may be printed, lithographed or engraved or may
be produced in any other manner as is reasonably acceptable to the Regular
Trustees, as evidenced by their execution thereof. The Securities may have
letters, numbers, notations or other marks of identification or designation and
such legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule, agreements to
which the Trust is subject, if any, or usage (provided that any such notation,
legend or endorsement is in a form acceptable to the Trust). The Trust at the
direction of the Sponsor shall furnish any such legend not contained in Exhibit
A-1 to the Property Trustee in
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writing. Each Preferred Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.
The terms and provisions of the Securities set forth in Annex I and the forms of
Securities set forth in Exhibits A-1 and A-2 are part of the terms of this
Declaration and to the extent applicable, the Property Trustee and the Sponsor,
by their execution and delivery of this Declaration, expressly agree to such
terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.
(b) The Preferred Securities are being offered and sold by the
Trust pursuant to a Preferred Securities Purchase Agreement relating to the
Preferred Securities, dated February 20, 1998 among the Trust, the Sponsor and
the Initial Purchaser named therein (the "Purchase Agreement"). The Common
Securities are being offered and sold by the Trust pursuant to a Common
Securities Purchase Agreement relating to the Common Securities, dated February
20, 1998 among the Trust and the Sponsor (the "Common Securities Purchase
Agreement").
The Preferred Securities shall be issued in the form of individual
certificates in definitive, fully registered form without distribution coupons
and with the Restricted Securities Legend set forth in Exhibit A-1 hereto.
Securities issued with the Restricted Securities Legend ("Restricted Definitive
Preferred Securities") will continue to bear such legend unless removed in
accordance with Section 9.2.
SECTION 7.4 REGISTRAR, PAYING AGENT AND CONVERSION AGENT.
The Trust (directly or through an affiliate) shall maintain in
Wilmington, Delaware (i) an office or agency where Preferred Securities may be
presented for registration of transfer or exchange ("Registrar"), (ii) an office
or agency where Preferred Securities may be presented for payment ("Paying
Agent") and an office or agency where Securities may be presented for conversion
("Conversion Agent"). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Preferred
Securities and of their transfer and exchange. The Trust may appoint the
Registrar, the Paying Agent and the Conversion Agent and may appoint one or more
co-registrars, one or more additional paying agents and one or more additional
conversion agents in such other locations as it shall determine. The term
"Paying Agent" includes any additional paying agent and the term "Conversion
Agent" includes any additional conversion agent. The Trust may change any Paying
Agent, Registrar, co-registrar or Conversion Agent without prior notice to any
Holder. The Paying Agent shall be permitted to resign as Paying Agent upon 30
days' written notice to the Property Trustee (if the Property Trustee is not
also the Paying Agent) and the Regular Trustees. The Trust shall notify the
Property Trustee of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this
Declaration. If the Trust fails to appoint or maintain another entity as
Registrar, Paying Agent or Conversion Agent, the Property Trustee shall act as
such. The Trust or any of its Affiliates may act as Paying Agent, Registrar or
Conversion Agent. The Trust shall act as Paying Agent, Registrar, co-registrar
and Conversion Agent for the Common Securities.
The Trust initially appoints the Property Trustee as Registrar, Paying
Agent and Conversion Agent for the Preferred Securities.
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SECTION 7.5 PAYING AGENT TO HOLD MONEY IN TRUST.
The Trust shall require each Paying Agent other than the Property
Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust for the
benefit of Holders or the Property Trustee all money held by such Paying Agent
for the payment of liquidation amounts or Distributions on the Securities, and
will notify the Property Trustee if there are insufficient funds for such
purpose. While any such insufficiency continues, the Property Trustee may
require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Property Trustee. The
Trust at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the
Property Trustee and to account for any money disbursed by it. Upon payment over
to the Property Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Trust or an
Affiliate of the Trust) shall have no further liability for the money. If the
Trust or the Debenture Issuer or an Affiliate of the Trust or the Sponsor acts
as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the
benefit of the Holders all money held by it as Paying Agent.
SECTION 7.6 REPLACEMENT SECURITIES.
If the Holder of a Security claims that the Security has been lost,
destroyed or wrongfully taken or if such Security is mutilated and is
surrendered to the Trust or in the case of the Preferred Securities to the
Property Trustee, a Regular Trustee shall prepare and execute and, in the case
of Preferred Securities, the Property Trustee shall authenticate a replacement
Security if the Property Trustee's requirements are met. If required by the
Property Trustee or the Trust, an indemnity bond must be sufficient in the
judgment of both to protect the Trustees, the Property Trustee, the Sponsor and
any authenticating agent from any loss which any of them may suffer if a
Security is replaced. The Trust may charge for its expenses in replacing a
Security.
In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has
become or is about to become due and payable, or is about to be purchased by the
Debenture Issuer, the Debenture Issuer in its discretion may, instead of the
Trust issuing a new Security, pay or purchase such Security, as the case may be.
Every replacement Security is an additional Security of the Trust
entitled to the same benefits hereunder as the Security being replaced.
SECTION 7.7 OUTSTANDING PREFERRED SECURITIES.
The Preferred Securities outstanding at any time are all the Preferred
Securities authenticated by the Property Trustee except for those canceled by
it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section
as not outstanding.
If a Preferred Security is replaced, paid or purchased pursuant to
Section 7.6 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Property Trustee
receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced, paid or purchased Preferred
Security is held by a "protected" purchaser.
If Preferred Securities are considered paid in full in accordance with
the terms of this Declaration, they cease to be outstanding and interest on them
ceases to accrue.
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A Preferred Security does not cease to be outstanding because one of
the Trust, the Debenture Issuer or an Affiliate of the Debenture Issuer holds
the Security.
SECTION 7.8 PREFERRED SECURITIES IN TREASURY.
In determining whether the Holders of the required amount of Securities
have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Preferred Securities owned
by the Trust, the Debenture Issuer or an Affiliate of the Debenture Issuer, as
the case may be, shall be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding, except
that for the purposes of determining whether the Property Trustee shall be fully
protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Securities
which the Property Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.
SECTION 7.9 TEMPORARY SECURITIES
Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Trust may
prepare and, in the case of the Preferred Securities, the Property Trustee shall
authenticate temporary Securities. Temporary Securities shall be substantially
in the form of definitive Securities but may have variations that the Trust
considers appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the
Trust shall prepare and, in the case of the Preferred Securities, the Property
Trustee shall authenticate definitive Securities in exchange for temporary
Securities.
SECTION 7.10 CANCELLATION.
The Trust at any time may deliver Preferred Securities to the Property
Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar, Paying Agent and Conversion Agent shall
forward to the Property Trustee any Preferred Securities surrendered to them for
registration of transfer, redemption, conversion, exchange or payment. The
Property Trustee shall promptly cancel all Preferred Securities, surrendered for
registration of transfer, redemption, conversion, exchange, payment, replacement
or cancellation and shall dispose of canceled Preferred Securities in accordance
with its customary procedures, unless the Trust otherwise directs. The Trust may
not issue new Preferred Securities to replace Preferred Securities that it has
paid or that have been delivered to the Property Trustee for cancellation (other
than pursuant to Section 7.6) or that any Holder has converted.
ARTICLE VIII
DISSOLUTION OF TRUST
SECTION 8.1 DISSOLUTION OF TRUST.
(a) The Trust shall dissolve:
(i) upon the bankruptcy of the Sponsor;
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(ii) upon the filing of a certificate of dissolution or its
equivalent with respect to the Sponsor, or the revocation of the
charter of the Sponsor and the expiration of 90 days after the date of
revocation without a reinstatement thereof;
(iii) upon the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of
the Sponsor or the Trust;
(iv) when all of the Securities shall have been called for
redemption and the amounts necessary for redemption thereof, including
any Additional Interest, Extension Period Interest and Compounded
Interest, shall have been paid to the Holders in accordance with the
terms of the Securities;
(v) upon the occurrence and continuation of a Special Event
pursuant to which the Trust shall have been dissolved in accordance
with the terms of the Securities and all of the Debentures endorsed in
connection with such Special Event shall have been distributed to the
Holders of Securities in exchange for all of the Securities;
(vi) the expiration of the term of the Trust on December 31,
2025, subject to extension as necessary in accordance with Section
3.13;
(vii) before the issuance of any Securities, with the consent
of all the Regular Trustees and the Sponsor; or
(viii) upon the exchange of all of the Preferred Securities
for Debentures and the conversion of such Debentures into Common Stock
(as defined in the Indenture) of the Debenture Issuer and delivery of
all such shares of Common Stock (and any cash in lieu of fractional
shares) to the exchanging Holders, and upon the redemption of the
Common Securities in connection therewith.
(b) As soon as is practicable upon completion of a winding up of
the Trust following the occurrence of an event referred to in Section 8.1(a),
the Regular Trustees shall prepare and the Trustees shall execute and file a
certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware
in accordance with the Business Trust Act.
(c) The provisions of Section 3.9, Section 3.10 and Article X
shall survive the dissolution and termination of the Trust.
ARTICLE IX
TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE
SECTION 9.1 GENERAL.
(a) Where Preferred Securities are presented to the Registrar or a
co-registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an
equal number of Preferred Securities represented by different certificates, the
Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange
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if its requirements for such transactions are met. To permit registrations of
transfers and exchanges, a Regular Trustee shall prepare and execute and the
Property Trustee shall authenticate new Preferred Securities issued by the Trust
in connection with such transfers or exchanges.
(b) Securities may only be transferred, in whole or in part, in
accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Declaration, the
terms of the Securities and in accordance with applicable securities laws;
provided, that the Sponsor or a Related Party of the Sponsor may pledge or grant
a security interest in the Common Securities to secure payment of any
indebtedness of the Sponsor or such Related Party. The Property Trustee and
Registrar shall be entitled to receive and conclusively rely upon a legal
opinion provided by and at the expense of the Transferor in connection with any
transfer or exchange concerning compliance with the terms and conditions of this
Declaration and with the registration requirements of the Securities Act and
other applicable securities laws, and any exemptions therefrom. Any transfer or
purported transfer of any Security not made in accordance with this Declaration
shall be null and void.
Subject to this Article IX, except for pledges and security interests
permitted above, the Sponsor and any Related Party may only transfer Common
Securities to the Sponsor or a Related Party of the Sponsor; PROVIDED that, any
such transfer is subject to the condition precedent that the transferor obtain
the written opinion of legal counsel that such transfer would not cause more
than an insubstantial risk that:
(i) the Trust would not be classified for United States
federal income tax purposes as a grantor trust; and
(ii) the Trust would be an Investment Company or the
transferee would become an Investment Company.
(c) The Property Trustee shall provide for the registration of
Securities and of transfers and exchanges of Securities, which will be effected
without charge but only upon payment (with such indemnity as the Property
Trustee may require) in respect of any tax or other governmental charges that
may be imposed in relation to it. Upon surrender for registration of transfer of
any Securities, a Regular Trustee shall prepare and execute, and, in the case of
Preferred Securities, the Property Trustee shall authenticate, one or more new
Securities to be issued in the name of the designated transferee or transferees.
Every Security surrendered for registration of transfer shall be accompanied by
a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Property Trustee
duly executed by the Holder or such Holder's attorney duly authorized in
writing. Each Security surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange
shall be canceled by the Property Trustee. A transferee of a Security shall be
entitled to the rights and subject to the obligations of a Holder hereunder upon
the receipt by such transferee of a Security. By acceptance of a Security, each
transferee shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound by this Declaration.
(d) The Trust shall not be required (i) to issue, register the
transfer of, or exchange, Preferred Securities during a period beginning at the
opening of business 15 days before the day
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of any selection of Preferred Securities for redemption set forth in the terms
of the Preferred Securities and ending at the close of business on the day of
selection, or (ii) to register the transfer or exchange of any Preferred
Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed
portion of any Preferred Security being redeemed in part.
SECTION 9.2 TRANSFER PROCEDURES AND RESTRICTIONS.
(a) GENERAL. If Preferred Securities are issued upon the transfer,
exchange or replacement of Preferred Securities bearing the Restricted
Securities Legend set forth in Exhibit A-1 hereto ("Restricted Securities"), or
if a request is made to remove such Restricted Securities Legend on Preferred
Securities, the Preferred Securities so issued shall bear the Restricted
Securities Legend, or the Restricted Securities Legend shall not be removed, as
the case may be, unless there is delivered to the Trust and the Property Trustee
such satisfactory evidence, which shall include an opinion of counsel, as may be
reasonably required by the Trust, that neither the legend nor the restrictions
on transfer set forth therein are required to ensure that transfers thereof
comply with the provisions of Rule 144 under the Securities Act or, with respect
to Restricted Securities, that such Securities are not "restricted" within the
meaning of Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Upon provision of such
satisfactory evidence, the Property Trustee, at the written direction of the
Trust, shall authenticate and deliver Preferred Securities that do not bear the
legend.
(b) TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE OF DEFINITIVE PREFERRED SECURITIES. When
Definitive Preferred Securities are presented to the Registrar or co-registrar
(x) to register the transfer of such Definitive Preferred
Securities; or
(y) to exchange such Definitive Preferred Securities for an
equal number of Definitive Preferred Securities,
the Registrar or co-registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange
as requested if its reasonable requirements (including any applicable
requirements of law, as tpo the satisfaction of which the Registrar shall be
entitled to receive and conclusively rely upon a legal opinion provided by and
at the expense of the Transferor in form and substance satisfactory to the
Trust) for such transaction are met; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Definitive
Preferred Securities surrendered for transfer or exchange:
(i) shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written
instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trust and
the Registrar or co-registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or
his attorney duly authorized in writing; and
(ii) in the case of Definitive Preferred Securities that are
Restricted Definitive Preferred Securities, are being transferred or
exchanged pursuant to an effective registration statement under the
Securities Act or, prior to the time of the effectiveness of such
registration statement (or anytime after the effectiveness of such
registration statement when it is not available for effecting resales
of the Preferred Securities),
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pursuant to clause (A) or (B) below, and are accompanied by the
following additional information and documents, as applicable:
(A) if such Restricted Definitive Preferred Securities
are being delivered to the Registrar by a Holder for
registration in the name of such Holder, without transfer, a
certification from such Holder to that effect (in the form set
forth on the reverse of the Preferred Security); or
(B) if such Restricted Definitive Preferred Securities
are being transferred pursuant to an exemption from
registration in accordance with Rule 144 or any other
exemption available under the Securities Act, including to an
institutional "accredited investor," (i) a certification to
that effect (in the form set forth on the reverse of the
Preferred Security) and (ii) if the Trust or Registrar so
requests, evidence reasonably satisfactory to them as to the
compliance with the restrictions set forth in the Restricted
Securities Legend.
(c) LEGEND.
(i) Except as permitted by the following paragraph (ii), each
Preferred Security certificate evidencing Definitive Preferred
Securities (and all Preferred Securities issued in exchange therefor or
substitution thereof) shall bear a legend (the "Restricted Securities
Legend") in substantially the following form:
THIS SECURITY, ANY CONVERTIBLE DEBENTURE ISSUED IN EXCHANGE FOR THIS
SECURITY AND ANY COMMON STOCK ISSUED ON CONVERSION THEREOF HAVE NOT BEEN
REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"),
OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR
PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED,
ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR
UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS
ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY,
PRIOR TO THE DATE WHICH IS THREE YEARS AFTER (OR SUCH SHORTER PERIOD UNDER RULE
144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR ANY SUCCESSOR RULE) THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL
ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH SUIZA FOODS CORPORATION (THE
"COMPANY") OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE COMPANY WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR
ANY PREDECESSOR OF THIS SECURITY) (THE "RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE")
ONLY (A) TO THE COMPANY, (B) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR
RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT ("RULE 144A"), TO A PERSON
IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER" AS DEFINED IN RULE
144A THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED
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INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN
RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES TO NON-U.S. PERSONS THAT
OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT, (E) TO AN INSTITUTIONAL "ACCREDITED INVESTOR" WITHIN THE MEANING
OF SUBPARAGRAPH (a)(1), (2), (3) OR (7) OF RULE 501 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT
THAT ITS ACQUIRING THE SECURITY FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF SUCH
AN INSTITUTIONAL "ACCREDITED INVESTOR," FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES AND NOT WITH A
VIEW TO, OR FOR OFFER OR SALE IN CONNECTION WITH, ANY DISTRIBUTION IN VIOLATION
OF THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (F) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANY'S AND
SUIZA CAPITAL TRUST'S (THE "TRUST") RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR
TRANSFER (i) PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (D), (E) OR (F) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN
OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH
OF THEM, AND (ii) IN EACH OF THE FOREGOING CASES, TO REQUIRE THAT A CERTIFICATE
OF TRANSFER IN THE FORM APPEARING ON THIS SECURITY IS COMPLETED AND DELIVERED BY
THE TRANSFEROR TO THE TRUST, THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF A
HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE.
(ii) Upon any sale or transfer of a Restricted Definitive
Preferred Security pursuant to an effective registration statement
under the Securities Act or pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities
Act, the Registrar shall permit the Holder thereof to exchange such
Restricted Definitive Preferred Security for a Definitive Preferred
Security that does not bear the Restricted Securities Legend and
rescind any restriction on the transfer of such Restricted Definitive
Preferred Security.
(d) OBLIGATIONS WITH RESPECT TO TRANSFERS AND EXCHANGES OF PREFERRED
SECURITIES.
(i) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the
Trust shall execute and the Property Trustee shall authenticate
Definitive Preferred Securities and at the Registrar's or a
co-registrar's request.
(ii) Registrations of transfers or exchanges will be effected
without charge, but only upon payment (with such indemnity as the Trust
or the Sponsor may require) in respect of any tax or other governmental
charge that may be imposed in relation to it.
(iii) The Registrar or a co-registrar shall not be required to
register the transfer of or exchange of (a) any Definitive Preferred
Security selected for Redemption in whole or in part pursuant to
Article III, except the unredeemed portion of any Definitive Preferred
Security being redeemed in part, or (b) any Preferred Security for a
period beginning 15 Business Days before the mailing of a notice of an
offer to repurchase or redeem Preferred Securities or 15 Business Days
before a quarterly distribution date.
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(iv) Prior to the due presentation for registrations of
transfer of any Preferred Security, the Trust, the Property Trustee,
the Paying Agent, the Registrar or any co-registrar may deem and treat
the person in whose name a Preferred Security is registered as the
absolute owner of such Preferred Security for the purpose of receiving
Distributions on such Preferred Security and for all other purposes
whatsoever, and none of the Trust, the Property Trustee, the Paying
Agent, the Registrar or any co-registrar shall be affected by notice to
the contrary.
(v) All Preferred Securities issued upon any transfer or
exchange pursuant to the terms of this Declaration shall evidence the
same security and shall be entitled to the same benefits under this
Declaration as the Preferred Securities surrendered upon such transfer
or exchange.
(e) NO OBLIGATION OF THE PROPERTY TRUSTEE.
(i) All notices and communications to be given to the
Holders and all payments to be made to Holders under the Preferred
Securities shall be given or made only to or upon the order of the
registered Holders.
(ii) The Property Trustee and Registrar shall have no
obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance
with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Declaration or
under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in
any Preferred Security other than to require delivery of such
certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly
required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by, the terms
of this Declaration, and to examine the same to determine substantial
compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.
SECTION 9.3 DEEMED SECURITY HOLDERS.
The Trustees may treat the Person in whose name any Certificate shall
be registered on the books and records of the Trust as the sole holder of such
Certificate and of the Securities represented by such Certificate for purposes
of receiving Distributions and for all other purposes whatsoever and,
accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or
interest in such Certificate or in the Securities represented by such
Certificate on the part of any Person, whether or not the Trust shall have
actual or other notice thereof.
ARTICLE X
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF HOLDERS
OF SECURITIES, TRUSTEES OR OTHERS
SECTION 10.1 LIABILITY.
(a) Except as expressly set forth in this Declaration or as
required under applicable law, the Preferred Securities Guarantee and the terms
of the Securities, the Sponsor shall not be:
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(i) personally liable for the return of any portion of the
capital contributions (or any return thereon) of the Holders of the
Securities which shall be made solely from assets of the Trust; and
(ii) be required to pay to the Trust or to any Holder of
Securities any deficit upon dissolution of the Trust or otherwise.
(b) The Holder of the Common Securities shall be liable for all of
the debts and obligations of the Trust (other than with respect to the
Securities) to the extent not satisfied out of the Trust's assets.
(c) Pursuant to Section 3803(a) of the Business Trust Act, the
Holders of the Preferred Securities shall be entitled to the same limitation of
personal liability extended to stockholders of private corporations for profit
organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
SECTION 10.2 EXCULPATION.
(a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or
accountable in damages or otherwise to the Trust 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 on behalf of the Trust and in a
manner such Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the scope of the
authority conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Declaration 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 gross negligence (or, in
the case of the Property Trustee, 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 Trust and upon such information, opinions,
reports or statements presented to the Trust 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 Trust, 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 Securities might properly be paid.
SECTION 10.3 FIDUCIARY DUTY.
(a) To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnified Person
has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the
Trust or to any other Covered Person, an Indemnified Person acting under this
Declaration shall not be liable to the Trust or to any other Covered Person for
its good faith reliance on the provisions of this Declaration. The provisions of
this Declaration, to the extent that they restrict the duties and liabilities of
an Indemnified Person otherwise existing at law or in equity (other than the
duties imposed on the Property
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Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act), are agreed by the parties hereto to
replace such other duties and liabilities of such Indemnified Person to the
fullest extent permitted by law.
(b) Unless otherwise expressly provided herein:
(i) whenever a conflict of interest exists or arises between
an Indemnified Person and any Covered Person; or
(ii) whenever this Declaration or any other agreement
contemplated herein or therein provides that an Indemnified Person
shall act in a manner that is, or provides terms that are, fair and
reasonable to the Trust or any Holder of Securities, the Indemnified
Person shall resolve such conflict of interest, take such action or
provide such terms, considering in each case the relative interest of
each party (including its own interest) to such conflict, agreement,
transaction or situation and the benefits and burdens relating to such
interests, any customary or accepted industry practices, and any
applicable generally accepted accounting practices or principles. In
the absence of bad faith by the Indemnified Person, the resolution,
action or term so made, taken or provided by the Indemnified Person
shall not constitute a breach of this Declaration or any other
agreement contemplated herein or of any duty or obligation of the
Indemnified Person at law or in equity or otherwise.
(c) Whenever in this Declaration an Indemnified Person is
permitted or required to make a decision:
(i) in its "discretion" or under a grant of similar
authority, the Indemnified Person shall be entitled to consider such
interests and factors as it desires, including its own interests, and
shall have no duty or obligation to give any consideration to any
interest of or factors affecting the Trust or any other Person; or
(ii) in its "good faith" or under another express standard,
the Indemnified Person shall act under such express standard and shall
not be subject to any other or different standard imposed by this
Declaration or by applicable law.
SECTION 10.4 INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) (i) The Sponsor shall indemnify, to the full extent permitted
by law, any Company Indemnified Person who was or is a party or is
threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed
action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative
or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the
Trust) by reason of the fact that he is or was a Company Indemnified
Person against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines
and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by
him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in
good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Trust, and, with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his
conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit
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or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a
plea of NOLO CONTENDERE or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create
a presumption that the Company Indemnified Person did not act in good
faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Trust, and, with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his
conduct was unlawful.
(ii) The Sponsor shall indemnify, to the full extent
permitted by law, any Company Indemnified Person who was or is a party
or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
completed action or suit by or in the right of the Trust to procure a
judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a Company
Indemnified Person against expenses (including attorneys' fees)
actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense
or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a
manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Trust and except that no such indemnification shall be
made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such Company
Indemnified Person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Trust
unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of Delaware or
the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon
application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of
all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably
entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such Court of Chancery or
such other court shall deem proper.
(iii) To the extent that a Company Indemnified Person shall
be successful on the merits or otherwise (including dismissal of an
action without prejudice or the settlement of an action without
admission of liability) in defense of any action, suit or proceeding
referred to in paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this Section 10.4(a), or in
defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified,
to the full extent permitted by law, against expenses (including
attorneys, fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection
therewith.
(iv) Any indemnification under paragraphs (i) and (ii) of
this Section 10.4(a) (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the
Sponsor only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination
that indemnification of the Company Indemnified Person is proper in the
circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set
forth in paragraphs (i) and (ii) Such determination shall be made (1)
by the Regular Trustees by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of
such Regular Trustees who were not parties to such action, suit or
proceeding, (2) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if
obtainable, if a quorum of disinterested Regular Trustees so directs,
by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (3) by the Common
Security Holder of the Trust.
(v) Expenses (including attorneys, fees) incurred by a
Company Indemnified Person in defending a civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding referred to
in paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this Section 10.4(a) shall be paid by the
Sponsor in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or
proceeding upon receipt
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of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Company Indemnified Person to
repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not
entitled to be indemnified by the Sponsor as authorized in this Section
10.4(a). Notwithstanding the foregoing, no advance shall be made by the
Debenture Issuer if a determination is reasonably and promptly made (i)
by the Regular Trustees by a majority vote of a quorum of disinterested
Regular Trustees, (ii) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if
obtainable, if a quorum of disinterested Regular Trustees so directs,
by independent legal counsel in a written opinion or (iii) the Common
Security Holder of the Trust, that, based upon the facts known to the
Regular Trustees, counsel or the Common Security Holder at the time
such determination is made, such Company Indemnified Person acted in
bad faith or in a manner that such person did not believe to be in or
not opposed to the best interests of the Trust, or, with respect to any
criminal proceeding, that such Company Indemnified Person believed or
had reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. In no event
shall any advance be made in instances where the Regular Trustees,
independent legal counsel or Common Security Holder reasonably
determine that such person deliberately breached his duty to the Trust
or its Common or Preferred Security Holders.
(vi) The indemnification and advancement of expenses
provided by, or granted pursuant to, the other paragraphs of this
Section 10.4(a) shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to
which those seeking indemnification and advancement of expenses may be
entitled under any agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested
directors of the Sponsor or Preferred Security Holders of the Trust or
otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action
in another capacity while holding such office. All rights to
indemnification under this Section 10.4(a) shall be deemed to be
provided by a contract between the Sponsor and each Company Indemnified
Person who serves in such capacity at any time while this Section
10.4(a) is in effect. Any repeal or modification of this Section
10.4(a) shall not adversely affect any rights or obligations then
existing.
(vii) The Sponsor or the Trust may purchase and maintain
insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a Company Indemnified
Person against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him
in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or
not the Sponsor would have the power to indemnify him against such
liability under the provisions of this Section 10.4(a).
(viii) For purposes of this Section 10.4(a), references to
"the Trust" shall include, in addition to the resulting or surviving
entity, any constituent entity (including any constituent of a
constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger, so that any person
who is or was a director, trustee, officer or employee of such
constituent entity, or is or was serving at the request of such
constituent entity as a director, trustee, officer, employee or agent
of another entity, shall stand in the same position under the
provisions of this Section 10.4(a) with respect to the resulting or
surviving entity as he would have with respect to such constituent
entity if its separate existence had continued.
(ix) The indemnification and advancement of expenses
provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Section 10.4(a) shall, unless
otherwise provided when authorized or
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ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Company
Indemnified Person and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs,
executors and administrators of such a person.
(b) The Sponsor agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law,
to (A) indemnify the (i) Property Trustee (including in its individual
capacity), (ii) the Delaware Trustee (including in its individual capacity),
(iii) any Affiliate of the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee, and (iv)
any officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners, employees,
representatives, custodians, nominees or agents of the Property Trustee and the
Delaware Trustee (each of the Persons in (i) through (iv) being referred to as a
"Fiduciary Indemnified Person") for, and to hold each Fiduciary Indemnified
Person harmless against, any and all loss, liability or expense including taxes
(other than taxes based on the income of such Fiduciary Indemnified Person)
incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in
connection with the acceptance or administration or the trust or trusts
hereunder, including the costs and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and
expenses) of defending itself against or investigating any claim or liability in
connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties
hereunder, and (B) to advance, from time to time, prior to the final disposition
of any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification is
authorized pursuant to subsection (b)(A) above, any expenses (including
reasonable legal fees) incurred by a Fiduciary Indemnified Person in defending
such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding upon receipt by the Sponsor of an
undertaking by or on behalf of the Fiduciary Indemnified Person to repay such
amount if it shall be determined that the Fiduciary Indemnified Person is not
entitled to be indemnified as authorized in subsection (b)(A) above. The
obligations to indemnify and to advance expenses as set forth in this Section
10.4(b) shall survive the resignation or removal of the Property Trustee and/or
the Delaware Trustee, and shall survive the termination of the Trust and the
satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.
(c) The Sponsor agrees to pay the Property Trustee and the
Delaware Trustee, from time to time, such compensation for all services rendered
by the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee hereunder as may be mutually
agreed upon in writing by the Sponsor and the Property Trustee or the Delaware
Trustee, as the case may be, and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein,
to reimburse the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee upon its or their
request for all reasonable expenses (including counsel fees and expenses),
disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Property Trustee or the
Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, in accordance with the provisions of this
Declaration.
SECTION 10.5 OUTSIDE BUSINESSES.
Any Covered Person, the Debenture Issuer, the Delaware Trustee and the
Property Trustee may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures
of any nature or description, independently or with others, similar or
dissimilar to the business of the Trust, and the Trust and the Holders of
Securities shall have no rights by virtue of this Declaration in and to such
independent ventures or the income or profits derived therefrom, and the pursuit
of any such venture, even if competitive with the business of the Trust, shall
not be deemed wrongful or improper. No Covered Person, the Debenture Issuer, the
Delaware Trustee or the Property Trustee shall be obligated to present any
particular investment or other opportunity to the Trust
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even if such opportunity is of a character that, if presented to the Trust,
could be taken by the Trust, and any Covered Person, the Debenture Issuer, the
Delaware Trustee and the Property Trustee shall have the right to take for its
own account (individually or as a partner or fiduciary) or to recommend to
others any such particular investment or other opportunity. Any Covered Person,
the Delaware Trustee and the Property Trustee may engage or be interested in any
financial or other transaction with the Debenture Issuer or any Affiliate of the
Debenture Issuer, or may act as depositary for, trustee or agent for, or act on
any committee or body of holders of, securities or other obligations of the
Debenture Issuer or its Affiliates.
ARTICLE XI
ACCOUNTING
SECTION 11.1 FISCAL YEAR.
The fiscal year ("Fiscal Year") of the Trust shall be the calendar
year, or such other year as is required by the Code.
SECTION 11.2 CERTAIN ACCOUNTING MATTERS.
(a) At all times during the existence of the Trust, the Regular
Trustees shall keep, or cause to be kept, full books of account, records and
supporting documents, which shall reflect in reasonable detail, each transaction
of the Trust. The books of account shall be maintained on the accrual method of
accounting, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles,
consistently applied. The Trust shall use the accrual method of accounting for
United States federal income tax purposes. The books of account and the records
of the Trust shall be examined by and reported upon as of the end of each Fiscal
Year by a firm of independent certified public accountants selected by the
Regular Trustees.
(b) The Regular Trustees shall cause to be prepared and delivered
to each of the Holders of Securities, within 90 days after the end of each
Fiscal Year of the Trust, annual financial statements of the Trust, including a
balance sheet of the Trust as of the end of such Fiscal Year, and the related
statements of income or loss;
(c) The Regular Trustees shall cause to be duly prepared and
delivered to each of the Holders of Securities, any annual United States federal
income tax information statement, required by the Code, containing such
information with regard to the Securities held by each Holder as is required by
the Code and the Treasury Regulations. Notwithstanding any right under the Code
to deliver any such statement at a later date, the Regular Trustees shall
endeavor to deliver all such statements within 30 days after the end of each
Fiscal Year of the Trust.
(d) The Regular Trustees shall cause to be duly prepared and filed
with the appropriate taxing authority, an annual United States federal income
tax return, on a Form 1041 or such other form required by United States federal
income tax law, and any other annual income tax returns required to be filed by
the Trust or by the Regular Trustees on behalf of the Trust with any state or
local taxing authority.
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SECTION 11.3 BANKING.
The Trust shall maintain one or more bank accounts in the name and for
the sole benefit of the Trust; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that all payments of funds in
respect of the Debentures held by the Property Trustee shall be made directly to
the Property Trustee Account and no other funds of the Trust shall be deposited
in the Property Trustee Account. The sole signatories for such accounts shall be
designated by the Regular Trustees; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Property Trustee
shall designate the signatories for the Property Trustee Account.
SECTION 11.4 WITHHOLDING.
The Trust and the Regular Trustees shall comply with all withholding
requirements under United States federal, state and local law. The Trust shall
request, and the Holders shall provide to the Trust, such forms or certificates
as are necessary to establish an exemption from withholding with respect to each
Holder, and any representations and forms as shall reasonably be requested by
the Trust to assist it in determining the extent of, and in fulfilling, its
withholding obligations. The Regular Trustee shall file required forms with
applicable jurisdictions and, unless an exemption from withholding is properly
established by a Holder, shall remit amounts withheld with respect to the Holder
to applicable jurisdictions. To the extent that the Trust is required to
withhold and pay over any amounts to any authority with respect to distributions
or allocations to any Holder, the amount withheld shall be deemed to be a
distribution in the amount of the withholding to the Holder. In the event of any
claimed over withholding, Holders shall be limited to an action against the
applicable jurisdiction. If the amount required to be withheld was not withheld
from actual Distributions made, the Trust may reduce subsequent Distributions by
the amount of such withholding.
ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS AND MEETINGS
SECTION 12.1 AMENDMENTS.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Declaration or by any
applicable terms of the Securities, this Declaration may only be amended by a
written instrument approved and executed by:
(i) the Regular Trustees (or, if there are more than two
Regular Trustees, a majority of the Regular Trustees);
(ii) if the amendment affects the rights, powers, duties,
obligations or immunities of the Property Trustee, the Property
Trustee; and
(iii) if the amendment affects the rights, powers, duties,
obligations or immunities of the Delaware Trustee, the Delaware
Trustee;
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(b) no amendment shall be made, and any such purported amendment
shall be void and ineffective:
(i) unless, in the case of any proposed amendment, the
Property Trustee shall have first received an Officer's Certificate
from each of the Trust and the Sponsor that such amendment is permitted
by, and conforms to, the terms of this Declaration (including the terms
of the Securities);
(ii) unless, in the case of any proposed amendment which
affects the rights, powers, duties, obligations or immunities of the
Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, the Property Trustee shall
have first received:
(A) an Officer's Certificate from each of the Trust and
the Sponsor that such amendment is permitted by, and conforms
to, the terms of this Declaration (including the terms of the
Securities); and
(B) an opinion of counsel (who may be counsel to the
Sponsor or the Trust and may include an employee thereof) that
such amendment is permitted by, and conforms to, the terms of
this Declaration (including the terms of the Securities); and
(C) the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee, as
the case may be, consent thereto in writing (which consent may
be withheld in such Trustee's sole discretion); and
(iii) to the extent the result of such amendment would be to:
(A) cause the Trust to fail to continue to be classified
for purposes of United States federal income taxation as a
grantor trust;
(B) reduce or otherwise adversely affect the powers of
the Property Trustee in contravention of the Trust Indenture
Act; or
(C) cause the Trust to be deemed to be an Investment
Company that is required to be registered under the Investment
Company Act;
(c) at such time after the Trust has issued any Securities that
remain outstanding, any amendment that would adversely affect the rights,
privileges or preferences of any Holder of Securities may be effected only with
such additional requirements as may be set forth in the terms of such
Securities;
(d) this Section 12.1 shall not be amended without the consent of
all of the Holders of the Securities;
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(e) Article IV shall not be amended without the consent of the
Holders of a majority in liquidation amount of the Common Securities;
(f) the rights of the holders of the Common Securities under
Article V to increase or decrease the number of, and appoint and remove Trustees
shall not be amended without the consent of the Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Common Securities; and
(g) notwithstanding Section 12.1(c), this Declaration may be
amended without the consent of the Holders of the Securities to:
(i) cure any ambiguity;
(ii) correct or supplement any provision in this
Declaration that may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provision of this Declaration;
(iii) add to the covenants, restrictions or obligations of
the Sponsor; and
(iv) conform to any change in Rule 3a-5 or written change
in interpretation or application of Rule 3a-5 by any legislative body,
court, government agency or regulatory authority which amendment does
not have a material adverse effect on the rights, preferences or
privileges of the Holders.
SECTION 12.2 MEETINGS OF THE HOLDERS OF SECURITIES; ACTION BY WRITTEN
CONSENT.
(a) Meetings of the Holders of any class of Securities may be
called at any time by the Regular Trustees (or as provided in the terms of the
Securities) to consider and act on any matter on which Holders of such class of
Securities are entitled to act under the terms of this Declaration, the terms of
the Securities or the rules of any national stock exchange, the Nasdaq National
Market or any inter-dealer quotation system on which the Preferred Securities
are listed or admitted for trading. The Regular Trustees shall call a meeting of
the Holders of such class if directed to do so by the Holders of at least 10% in
liquidation amount of such class of Securities then outstanding. Such direction
shall be given by delivering to the Regular Trustees one or more calls in a
writing stating that the signing Holders of Securities wish to call a meeting
and indicating the general or specific purpose for which the meeting is to be
called. Any Holders of Securities calling a meeting shall specify in writing the
Certificates held by the Holders of Securities exercising the right to call a
meeting and only those Securities represented by the Certificates so specified
shall be counted for purposes of determining whether the required percentage set
forth in the second sentence of this paragraph has been met.
(b) Except to the extent otherwise provided in the terms of the
Securities, the following provisions shall apply to meetings of Holders of
Securities:
(i) notice of any such meeting shall be given to all the
Holders of Securities having a right to vote thereat at least 7 days
and not more than 60 days before the date of
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such meeting. Whenever a vote, consent or approval of the Holders of
Securities is permitted or required under this Declaration or the rules
of any stock exchange, over the counter market or inter-dealer
quotation system on which the Preferred Securities are listed or
admitted for trading, such vote, consent or approval may be given at a
meeting of the Holders of Securities. Any action that may be taken at a
meeting of the Holders of Securities may be taken without a meeting if
a consent in writing setting forth the action so taken is signed by the
Holders of Securities owning not less than the minimum amount of
Securities in liquidation amount that would be necessary to authorize
or take such action at a meeting at which all Holders of Securities
having a right to vote thereon were present and voting. Prompt notice
of the taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Holders
of Securities entitled to vote who have not consented in writing. The
Regular Trustees may specify that any written ballot submitted to the
Holders for the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be
returned to the Trust within the time specified by the Regular
Trustees;
(ii) each Holder of a Security may authorize any Person to
act for it by proxy on all matters in which a Holder of Securities is
entitled to participate, including waiving notice of any meeting, or
voting or participating at a meeting. No proxy shall be valid after the
expiration of 11 months from the date thereof unless otherwise provided
in the proxy. Every proxy shall be revocable at the pleasure of the
Holder of Securities executing it. Except as otherwise provided herein,
all matters relating to the giving, voting or validity of proxies shall
be governed by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
relating to proxies by Holders, and judicial interpretations
thereunder, as if the Trust were a Delaware corporation and the Holders
of the Securities were stockholders of a Delaware corporation.
(iii) each meeting of the Holders of the Securities shall be
conducted by the Regular Trustees or by such other Person that the
Regular Trustees may designate; and
(iv) unless the Business Trust Act, this Declaration, the
terms of the Securities, the Trust Indenture Act, or the listing rules
of any national stock exchange, the Nasdaq National Market,
over-the-counter market or inter-dealer quotation system on which the
Preferred Securities are then listed or trading provide otherwise, the
Regular Trustees, in their sole discretion, shall establish all other
provisions relating to meetings of Holders of Securities, including
notice of the time, place or purpose of any meeting at which any matter
is to be voted on by any Holders of Securities, waiver of any such
notice, action by consent without a meeting, the establishment of a
record date, quorum requirements, voting in person or by proxy or any
other matter with respect to the exercise of any such right to vote.
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ARTICLE XIII
REPRESENTATIONS OF PROPERTY TRUSTEE AND DELAWARE TRUSTEE
SECTION 13.1 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PROPERTY TRUSTEE.
The Property Trustee represents and warrants to the Trust and to the
Sponsor at the date of this Declaration, and each Successor Property Trustee
represents and warrants to the Trust and the Sponsor at the time of the
Successor Property Trustee's acceptance of its appointment as Property Trustee
that:
(a) The Property Trustee is a banking corporation with trust
powers, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of
the State of Delaware, with trust power and authority to execute and deliver,
and to carry out and perform its obligations under the terms of, this
Declaration.
(b) The execution, delivery and performance by the Property
Trustee of the Declaration has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action on the part of the Property Trustee. The Declaration has been duly
executed and delivered by the Property Trustee, and under Delaware law
(excluding securities laws) constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of
the Property Trustee, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms,
subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, moratorium, insolvency, and
other similar laws affecting creditors, rights generally and to general
principles of equity and the discretion of the court (regardless of whether the
enforcement of such remedies is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(c) The execution, delivery and performance of the Declaration by
the Property Trustee does not conflict with or constitute a breach of the
certificate of incorporation or By-laws of the Property Trustee.
(d) To its knowledge, at the Closing Date, there are no liens or
encumbrances on the Debentures attributable to the Property Trustee in its
individual capacity which are not related to the administration of the Trust, or
the transactions contemplated by this Declaration.
(e) No consent, approval or authorization of, or registration with
or notice to, any Federal or Delaware banking authority is required for the
execution, delivery or performance by the Property Trustee of the Declaration.
SECTION 13.2 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF DELAWARE TRUSTEE.
The Delaware Trustee represents and warrants to the Trust and to the
Sponsor at the date of this Declaration and at the time of Closing, and each
Successor Delaware Trustee represents and warrants to the Trust and the Sponsor
at the time of the Successor Delaware Trustee's acceptance of its appointment as
Delaware Trustee that:
(a) The Delaware Trustee is a banking corporation with trust
powers, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of
the State of Delaware, with trust power
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and authority to execute and deliver, and to carry out and perform its
obligations under the terms of, the Declaration.
(b) The execution, delivery and performance by the Delaware
Trustee of the Declaration has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action on the part of the Delaware Trustee. The Declaration has been duly
executed and delivered by the Delaware Trustee, and under Delaware law
(excluding securities laws) constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of
the Delaware Trustee, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms,
subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, moratorium, insolvency, and
other similar laws affecting creditors, rights generally and to general
principles of equity and the discretion of the court (regardless of whether the
enforcement of such remedies is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
(c) The execution, delivery and performance of the Declaration by
the Delaware Trustee does not conflict with or constitute a breach of the
certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Delaware Trustee.
(d) No consent, approval or authorization of, or registration with
or notice to, any Federal or Delaware banking authority is required for the
execution, delivery or performance by the Delaware Trustee of this Declaration.
(e) The Delaware Trustee is an entity which has its principal
place of business in the State of Delaware.
ARTICLE XIV
REGISTRATION RIGHTS
SECTION 14.1 REGISTRATION RIGHTS.
The Holders of the Preferred Securities are entitled to the benefits of
the Registration Rights Agreement. Pursuant to the Registration Rights
Agreement, the Debenture Issuer has agreed for the benefit of the Holders of the
Preferred Securities that (i) it will, at its cost, use commercially reasonable
efforts to file, within 60 days after receipt from the Holders representing more
than 50% of the Registrable Securities (as defined below) of a written demand
therefore, a shelf registration statement (the "Shelf Registration Statement")
with the Commission with respect to resales of the shares of Common Stock
issuable upon conversion of the Debentures (the "Registrable Securities"), (ii)
it will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause such Shelf Registration
Statement to be declared effective by the Commission within 120 days after its
receipt of such demand and (iii) it will use its reasonable efforts to maintain
such Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective under the Securities
Act until such date as the holders of such Registrable Securities are able to
sell such Registrable Securities immediately, without restriction pursuant to
Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act, or any successor rule thereto, or
otherwise or such earlier date as is provided in the Registration Rights
Agreement.
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ARTICLE XV
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 15.1 NOTICES.
All notices provided for in this Declaration shall be in writing, duly
signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, sent by
facsimile or mailed by first class mail, as follows:
(a) if given to the Trust, in care of the Regular Trustees at the
Trust's mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Trust may
give notice of to the Holders of the Securities):
c/o Suiza Foods Corporation
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
(b) if given to the Property Trustee, at the mailing address set
forth below (or such other address as the Property Trustee may give notice of to
the Holders of the Securities):
Wilmington Trust Company
Xxxxxx Square North
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attn: Corporate Trust Administration
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
(c) if given to the Delaware Trustee, at the mailing address set
forth below (or such other address as the Delaware Trustee may give notice of to
the Holders of the Securities):
Wilmington Trust Company
Xxxxxx Square North
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attn: Corporate Trust Administration
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
(d) if given to the Holder of the Common Securities, at the
mailing address of the Sponsor set forth below (or such other address as the
Holder of the Common Securities may give notice to the Trust):
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Suiza Foods Corporation
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
(e) if given to any other Holder, at the address set forth on the
books and records of the Trust or the Registrar, as applicable.
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 15.2 GOVERNING LAW.
This Declaration and the rights of the parties hereunder shall be
governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware
and all rights and remedies shall be governed by such laws without regard to
principles of conflict of laws.
SECTION 15.3 INTENTION OF THE PARTIES.
It is the intention of the parties hereto that the Trust be classified
for United States federal income tax purposes as a grantor trust. The provisions
of this Declaration shall be interpreted to further this intention of the
parties.
SECTION 15.4 HEADINGS.
Headings contained in this Declaration are inserted for convenience of
reference only and do not affect the interpretation of this Declaration or any
provision hereof.
SECTION 15.5 SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS
Whenever in this Declaration any of the parties hereto is named or
referred to, the successors and assigns of such party shall be deemed to be
included, and all covenants and agreements in this Declaration by the Sponsor
and the Trustees shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective
successors and assigns, whether or not so expressed.
SECTION 15.6 PARTIAL ENFORCEABILITY.
If any provision of this Declaration, or the application of such
provision to any Person or circumstance, shall be held invalid, the remainder of
this Declaration, or the application of such provision to persons or
circumstances other than those to which it is held invalid, shall not be
affected thereby.
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SECTION 15.7 COUNTERPARTS.
This Declaration may contain more than one counterpart of the signature
page and this Declaration may be executed by the affixing of the signature of
each of the parties to one of such counterpart signature pages. All of such
counterpart signature pages shall be read as though one, and they shall have the
same force and effect as though all of the signers had signed a single signature
page.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused these presents to be
executed as of the day and year first above written.
SUIZA CAPITAL TRUST
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
-------------------------------
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, as Regular Trustee
WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY,
as Delaware Trustee
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
-------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
----------------------------
Title: Financial Services Officer
----------------------------
WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY,
as Property Trustee
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
-------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
----------------------------
Title: Financial Services Officer
----------------------------
SUIZA FOODS CORPORATION
as Sponsor
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxx
------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxx
---------------------------
Title: Vice President
---------------------------
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