EXHIBIT 4(a)
[Series H Notes]
NORWEST CORPORATION
MEDIUM-TERM NOTES DUE
9 MONTHS OR MORE FROM DATE OF ISSUE
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
November 1, 1995
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co. Xxxxxx Brothers, Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx & 3 World Financial Center, 12th Floor
Xxxxx Incorporated New York, New York 10285
World Financial Center
North Tower, 10th Floor
New York, New York 10281
CS First Boston Corporation Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx 0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Brothers Inc
Securities Corporation Seven World Trade Center
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Dear Sirs:
Norwest Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), confirms
its agreement with Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co., Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated, CS First Boston Corporation, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx
Securities Corporation, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co., Xxxxxx Brothers, Xxxxxx Brothers
Inc., Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, Salomon Brothers Inc and Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Inc. (individually, an "Agent", and collectively, the "Agents") with respect to
the issue and sale by the Company of its Medium-Term Notes described herein (the
"Notes"). The Notes are to be issued pursuant to an indenture (the "Indenture")
dated as of September 1, 1993, as amended from time to time, between the Company
and Citibank, N.A., as trustee (the "Trustee"). As of the date hereof, the
Company has authorized the issuance and sale of up to U.S. $1,000,000,000
aggregate initial public offering price (or its equivalent, based upon the
applicable exchange rate at the time of issuance, in such foreign currencies or
foreign currency units as the Company shall designate at the time of issuance)
of Notes through the Agents pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. It is
understood, however, that the Company may from time to
time authorize the issuance of additional Notes and that such additional Notes
may be sold through or to the Agents pursuant to the terms of this Agreement,
all as though the issuance of such Notes were authorized as of the date hereof.
This Agreement provides both for the sale of Notes by the Company
directly to purchasers, in which case the Agents will act as agents of the
Company in soliciting Note purchases, and (as may from time to time be agreed to
by the Company and any Agent) to any Agent as principal for resale to
purchasers.
The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC") a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 033-61045) for the registration
of debt securities, including the Notes, under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, (the "1933 Act"), and the offering thereof from time to time in
accordance with Rule 415 of the rules and regulations of the SEC under the 1933
Act (the "1933 Act Regulations"). Such registration statement has been declared
effective by the SEC and the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939 (the "1939 Act"). Such registration statement (and any
further registration statements which may be filed by the Company for the
purpose of registering additional Notes and in connection with which this
Agreement is included or incorporated by reference as an exhibit) and the
prospectus constituting a part thereof, and any prospectus supplements relating
to the Notes, including all documents incorporated therein by reference, as from
time to time amended or supplemented by the filing of documents pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), or the 1933 Act or
otherwise, are referred to herein as the "Registration Statement" and the
"Prospectus", respectively, except that if any revised prospectus shall be
provided to the Agents by the Company for use in connection with the offering of
the Notes which is not required to be filed by the Company pursuant to
Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations, the term "Prospectus" shall refer to
such revised prospectus from and after the time it is first provided to the
Agents for such use.
SECTION 1. APPOINTMENT AS AGENTS.
(a) APPOINTMENT OF AGENTS. Subject to the terms and conditions
stated herein and subject to the reservation by the Company of the right to sell
Notes directly on its own behalf or through any of its affiliated entities, the
Company hereby appoints the Agents as the agents for the purpose of soliciting
purchases of the Notes from the Company by others and agrees that, except as
otherwise contemplated herein, whenever the Company determines to sell Notes
directly to any Agent as principal for resale to others, it will enter into a
Terms Agreement (hereafter defined) relating to such sale in accordance with the
provisions of Section 3(b) hereof. In addition, an Agent may offer the Notes it
has purchased as principal to other dealers and may sell Notes to any dealer at
a discount, and, unless otherwise specified in an applicable Pricing Supplement,
such discount allowed to any dealer will not be in excess of the discount to be
received by such Agent. No Notes that the Company has agreed to sell pursuant
to this Agreement shall be deemed to have been purchased and paid for or sold by
the Company until such Notes shall have been delivered to the purchaser thereof
against payment by such purchaser. The Company may accept offers to purchase
Notes through an agent other than an Agent; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (i) the
Company shall give each of the Agents notice of its decision to accept such an
offer to purchase Notes
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promptly following such acceptance, and (ii) any such other agent shall agree to
be bound by and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement binding on
the Agents (including, but not limited to, the commission schedule set forth on
Schedule A).
(b) REASONABLE EFFORTS SOLICITATIONS; RIGHT TO REJECT OFFERS. Upon
receipt of instructions from the Company, each of the Agents will use its
reasonable efforts to solicit purchases of such principal amount of the Notes as
the Company and such Agent shall agree upon from time to time during the term of
this Agreement, it being understood that the Company shall not approve the
solicitation of purchases of Notes in excess of the amount which shall be
authorized by the Company from time to time or in excess of the principal amount
of Notes registered pursuant to the Registration Statement. The Agents will
have no responsibility for maintaining records with respect to the aggregate
principal amount of Notes sold, or of otherwise monitoring the availability of
Notes for sale under the Registration Statement. Each Agent will communicate to
the Company, orally or in writing, each offer to purchase Notes, other than
those offers rejected by such Agent. Each Agent shall have the right, in its
discretion reasonably exercised, to reject any proposed purchase of Notes, as a
whole or in part, and any such rejection shall not be deemed a breach of such
Agent's agreement contained herein. The Company may accept or reject any
proposed purchase of the Notes, in whole or in part.
(c) SOLICITATIONS AS AGENT; PURCHASES AS PRINCIPAL. In soliciting
purchases of the Notes on behalf of the Company and in performing its other
obligations hereunder (other than with respect to any purchase by any Agent as
principal pursuant to a Terms Agreement), each Agent shall act solely as agent
for the Company and not as principal. Each Agent shall make reasonable efforts
to assist the Company in obtaining performance by each purchaser whose offer to
purchase Notes has been solicited by such Agent and accepted by the Company,
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such Agent shall not have any liability to the Company
in the event any such purchase is not consummated for any reason. If the
Company shall default on its obligation to deliver Notes to a purchaser whose
offer it has accepted, the Company shall (i) hold such Agent harmless against
any loss, claim or damage arising from or as a result of such default by the
Company and (ii) notwithstanding such default, pay to such Agent any commission
to which it would be entitled in connection with such sale. The Agents shall
not have any obligation to purchase Notes from the Company as principal, but any
Agent may agree from time to time to purchase Notes as principal. Any such
purchase of Notes by an Agent as principal shall be made in accordance with
Section 3(b) hereof.
(d) RELIANCE. The Company and the Agents agree that any Notes the
placement of which any Agent arranges shall be placed by such Agent, and any
Notes purchased by such Agent shall be purchased, in reliance on the
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Company contained
herein and on the terms and conditions and in the manner provided herein.
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SECTION 2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
(a) The Company represents and warrants to each Agent as of the date
hereof, as of the date of each acceptance by the Company of an offer for the
purchase of Notes (whether through such Agent as agent or to such Agent as
principal), as of the date of each delivery of Notes (whether through such Agent
as agent or to such Agent as principal) (the date of each such delivery to the
Agent as principal being hereafter referred to as a "Settlement Date"), and as
of any time that the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended
or supplemented or there is filed with the SEC any document incorporated by
reference into the Prospectus (each of the times referenced above being referred
to herein as a "Representation Date") as follows:
(i) REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND PROSPECTUS. At the time the
Registration Statement became effective, the Registration Statement
complied, and as of the applicable Representation Date will comply, in
all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the
1933 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and the rules and regulations of
the SEC promulgated thereunder. The Registration Statement, at the
time it became effective, did not, and at each time thereafter at
which any amendment to the Registration Statement becomes effective or
any Annual Report on Form 10-K is filed by the Company with the SEC
and as of each Representation Date, will not, contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading. The Prospectus as of the date hereof does not, and as of
each Representation Date will not, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the
representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to
statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or
Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Company in writing by any of the Agents expressly for
use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus.
(ii) INCORPORATED DOCUMENTS. The documents incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are
filed with the SEC, complied or when so filed will comply, as the case
may be, in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act
and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the "1934 Act
Regulations"), and, when read together and with the other information
in the Prospectus, did not and will not contain an untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were or are made, not
misleading.
(iii) AUTHORIZATION AND VALIDITY OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE
INDENTURE AND THE NOTES. This Agreement and any Terms Agreement have
been duly authorized and, upon execution and delivery by each Agent,
will be a valid and binding agreement of the Company; the Indenture
has been duly authorized and, upon execution and
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delivery by the Trustee, will be a valid and binding obligation of the Company
enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws
relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors' rights generally, or by
general equity principles, and except further as enforcement thereof may be
limited by (A) requirements that a claim with respect to any Notes denominated
other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign currency or foreign currency unit
judgment in respect of such claim) be converted into United States dollars at a
rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law or
(B) governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments in
foreign currency or currency units or payments outside the United States; the
Notes have been duly and validly authorized for issuance, offer and sale
pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued, authenticated and delivered
pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and the Indenture against payment
of the consideration therefor specified in the Prospectus or pursuant to any
Terms Agreement, the Notes will constitute valid and legally binding obligations
of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement
thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
other laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors' rights generally
or by general equity principles, and except further as enforcement thereof may
be limited by (i) requirements that a claim with respect to any Notes
denominated other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign currency or currency unit
judgment in respect of such claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate or
exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law or
(ii) governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments
outside the United States; the Notes and the Indenture will be substantially in
the form heretofore delivered to each Agent and conform in all material respects
to all statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus; and the Notes
will be entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture.
(iv) FLORIDA BLUE SKY DISCLOSURE. The Company has complied with all
provisions of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes (Chapter 92-198, Laws of
Florida).
(v) INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940. Neither the Company nor any
subsidiary of the Company is subject to registration or regulation under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(vi) LEGAL PROCEEDINGS; CONTRACTS. Except as may be set forth in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus, there is no action, suit or proceeding
before or by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now
pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting,
the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which might, in the opinion of the
Company, result in any material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the
Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or might materially
affect the properties or assets thereof; and there are no contracts or documents
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which are required to be filed as
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exhibits to the Registration Statement by the 1933 Act or by the 1933 Act
Regulations which have not been so filed.
(b) ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATIONS. Any certificate signed by any
director or officer of the Company and delivered to any Agent or to counsel for
any Agent in connection with an offering of Notes or the sale of Notes to such
Agent as principal shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company
to such Agent as to the matters covered thereby on the date of such certificate
and at each Representation Date subsequent thereto.
SECTION 3. SOLICITATIONS AS AGENT; PURCHASES AS PRINCIPAL.
(a) SOLICITATIONS AS AGENT. On the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, each Agent agrees, as an agent of the Company, to use its reasonable
efforts to solicit offers to purchase the Notes upon the terms and conditions
set forth herein and in the Prospectus.
The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend
solicitation of purchases of the Notes through any Agent, as agent, commencing
at any time for any period of time or permanently. Upon receipt of instructions
from the Company, such Agent will forthwith suspend solicitation of purchases
from the Company until such time as the Company has advised such Agent that such
solicitation may be resumed.
The Company agrees to pay the presenting Agent (or jointly to two or
all Agents if such solicitation is jointly made) on the settlement date
applicable to such Note a commission, in the form of a discount, equal to the
applicable percentage of the principal amount of each Note sold by the Company
as a result of a solicitation made by such Agent as set forth in Schedule A
hereto.
The purchase price, interest rate, maturity date and other terms of
the Notes shall be agreed upon by the Company and the applicable Agent and set
forth in a pricing supplement to the Prospectus (a "Pricing Supplement") to be
prepared following each acceptance by the Company of an offer for the purchase
of Notes. Except as may be otherwise provided in such a Pricing Supplement, the
Notes will be issued in denominations of U.S. $1,000 or any larger amount that
is an integral multiple of U.S. $1,000. All Notes sold through any Agent as
agent will be sold at 100% of their principal amount unless otherwise agreed to
by the Company and such Agent.
(b) PURCHASES AS PRINCIPAL. Each sale of Notes to an Agent as
principal shall be made in accordance with the terms contained herein and
pursuant to a separate agreement which will provide for the sale of such Notes
to, and the purchase and reoffering thereof by, such Agent. Each such separate
agreement (which may be an oral agreement, if confirmed in writing by facsimile
transmission or otherwise) between an Agent and the Company is herein referred
to as a "Terms Agreement". Unless the context otherwise requires, each
reference contained herein to "this Agreement" shall be deemed to include any
applicable Terms Agreement between the Company and an Agent. Each such Terms
Agreement, whether oral or in writing, shall be with respect to such information
(as applicable) as is specified in Exhibit A hereto. An Agent's commitment to
purchase Notes as principal pursuant to any Terms Agreement shall be deemed to
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have been made on the basis of the representations and warranties of the Company
herein contained and shall be subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth. Each Terms Agreement shall specify the principal amount of Notes to be
purchased by the Agent pursuant thereto, the price to be paid to the Company for
such Notes (which, if not so specified in a Terms Agreement, shall be at a
discount equivalent to the applicable commission set forth in Schedule A
hereto), the time and place of delivery of and payment for such Notes, any
provisions relating to rights of, and default by, purchasers acting together
with the Agent in the reoffering of the Notes, and such other provisions
(including further terms of the Notes) as may be mutually agreed upon. An Agent
may utilize a selling or dealer group in connection with the resale of the Notes
purchased. Such Terms Agreement shall also specify the requirements for the
officer's certificate, opinions of counsel and comfort letter pursuant to
Sections 7(b), 7(c) and 7(d) hereof.
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. The Company and the Agents hereby
agree to the Administrative procedures with respect to the sale of Notes set
forth in Annex A hereto (the "Procedures"). Each of the Agents and the Company
agree to perform the respective duties and obligations specifically provided to
be performed by them in the Procedures.
SECTION 4. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
The Company covenants with each Agent as follows:
(a) NOTICE OF CERTAIN EVENTS. The Company will notify each Agent
immediately (i) of the effectiveness of any amendment to the Registration
Statement, (ii) of the transmittal to the SEC for filing of any supplement to
the Prospectus or any document to be filed pursuant to the 1934 Act which will
be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, (iii) of the receipt of any
comments from the SEC with respect to the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus, (iv) of any request by the SEC for any amendment to the Registration
Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional
information, and (v) of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings
for that purpose. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the
issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the
lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.
(b) NOTICE OF CERTAIN PROPOSED FILINGS. The Company will give each
Agent notice of its intention to file or prepare any additional registration
statement with respect to the registration of additional Notes, any amendment to
the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus
(other than an amendment or supplement providing solely for a change in the
interest rates of Notes), whether by the filing of documents pursuant to the
1934 Act, the 1933 Act or otherwise, and will furnish each Agent with copies of
any such amendment or supplement or other documents proposed to be filed or
prepared a reasonable time in advance of such proposed filing or preparation, as
the case may be, and will not file any such amendment or supplement or other
documents in a form to which you or your counsel shall reasonably object.
(c) COPIES OF THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE PROSPECTUS. The
Company will deliver to each Agent as many signed and conformed copies of the
Registration Statement (as
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originally filed) and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed
therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated by
reference in the Prospectus) as such Agent may reasonably request. The Company
will furnish to each Agent as many copies of the Prospectus (as amended or
supplemented) as such Agent shall reasonably request so long as the Agent is
required to deliver a Prospectus in connection with sales or solicitations of
offers to purchase the Notes.
(d) PREPARATION OF PRICING SUPPLEMENTS. The Company will prepare,
with respect to any Notes to be sold through or to any Agent pursuant to this
Agreement, a Pricing Supplement with respect to such Notes in a form previously
approved by the Agent and will file such Pricing Supplement pursuant to
Rule 424(b)(3) under the 1933 Act not later than the close of business of the
SEC on the fifth business day after the date on which such Pricing Supplement is
first used.
(e) REVISIONS OF PROSPECTUS -- MATERIAL CHANGES. Except as otherwise
provided in subsection (k) of this Section, if at any time during the term of
this Agreement any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it
is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Agents or counsel
for the Company, to further amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the
Prospectus will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time the Prospectus
is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the reasonable
opinion of either such counsel, to amend or supplement the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933
Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, immediate notice shall be given, and confirmed
in writing, to each Agent to cease the solicitation of offers to purchase the
Notes in such Agent's capacity as agent and to cease sales of any Notes such
Agent may then own as principal pursuant to a Terms Agreement, and the Company
will promptly prepare and file with the SEC such amendment or supplement,
whether by filing documents pursuant to the 1934 Act, the 1933 Act or otherwise,
as may be necessary to correct such untrue statement or omission or to make the
Registration Statement and Prospectus comply with such requirements.
(f) PROSPECTUS REVISIONS -- PERIODIC FINANCIAL INFORMATION. Except
as otherwise provided in subsection (k) of this Section, on or prior to the date
on which there shall be released to the general public interim financial
statement information related to the Company with respect to each of the first
three quarters of any fiscal year or preliminary financial statement information
with respect to any fiscal year, the Company shall furnish such information to
each Agent, confirmed in writing.
(g) EARNINGS STATEMENTS. The Company will make generally available
to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than 90 days after
the close of the period covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form
complying with the provisions of Rule 158 under the 1933 Act) covering each
twelve month period beginning, in each case, not later than the first day of the
Company's fiscal quarter next following the "effective date" (as defined in such
Rule 158) of the Registration Statement with respect to each sale of Notes.
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(h) BLUE SKY QUALIFICATIONS. The Company will endeavor, in
cooperation with the Agents, to qualify the Notes for offering and sale under
the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions of the
United States as any Agent may designate, and will maintain such qualifications
in effect for as long as may be required for the distribution of the Notes;
provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general
consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation in any
jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified. The Company will file such
statements and reports as may be required by the laws of each jurisdiction in
which the Notes have been qualified as above provided. The Company will
promptly advise each Agent of the receipt by the Company of any notification
with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Notes for sale in any
such state or jurisdiction or the initiating or threatening of any proceeding
for such purpose and will promptly notify each Agent if at any time the Company
must make or amend a disclosure required by Section 517.075, Florida Statutes
(Chapter 92-198, Laws of Florida).
(i) 1934 ACT FILINGS. The Company, during the period when the
Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file promptly
all documents required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act.
(j) STAND-OFF AGREEMENT. If required pursuant to the terms of a
Terms Agreement with any Agent, between the date of any Terms Agreement and the
Settlement Date with respect to such Terms Agreement, the Company will not,
without the such Agent's prior consent, offer or sell, or enter into any
agreement to sell, any debt securities of the Company with terms substantially
similar to those of the Notes which are the subject of such Terms Agreement
(other than the Notes that are to be sold pursuant to such Terms Agreement and
commercial paper in the ordinary course of business).
(k) SUSPENSION OF CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS. The Company shall not be
required to comply with the provisions of subsections (e) or (f) of this Section
with respect to any Agent during any period from the time (i) such Agent shall
have suspended solicitation of purchases of the Notes in its capacity as agent
pursuant to a request from the Company and (ii) such Agent shall not then hold
any Notes as principal purchased pursuant to a Terms Agreement, to the time the
Company shall determine that solicitation of purchases of the Notes should be
resumed or shall subsequently enter into a new Terms Agreement with such Agent.
SECTION 5. CONDITIONS OF OBLIGATIONS.
The obligations of each Agent to solicit offers to purchase the Notes
as agent of the Company, the obligations of any purchasers of the Notes sold
through any Agent as agent, and any obligation of any Agent to purchase Notes
pursuant to a Terms Agreement will be subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties on the part of the Company herein and to the
accuracy of the statements of the Company's officers made in any certificate
furnished pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance and observance
by the Company of all its covenants and agreements herein contained and to the
following additional conditions precedent:
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(a) LEGAL OPINIONS. On the date hereof, each Agent shall have
received the following legal opinions, dated as of the date hereof and in form
and substance satisfactory to such Agent:
1. OPINION OF COMPANY COUNSEL. The opinion of Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxx, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Company,
to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
State of Delaware.
(ii) The Company has corporate power and authority to
own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement, and is
duly registered as a bank holding company under the Bank
Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended; and each of Norwest
Bank Minnesota, National Association ("Norwest Bank
Minnesota"), and Norwest Bank Iowa, National Association
("Norwest Bank Iowa"), is a national banking association
duly chartered and is in good standing under the National
Bank Act; and each of Norwest Colorado, Inc. ("Norwest
Colorado") and Norwest Financial Services, Inc. ("Norwest
Financial" and together with Norwest Bank Minnesota, Norwest
Bank Iowa and Norwest Colorado, the "Significant
Subsidiaries") is duly organized and validly existing in
good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation.
(iii) Each of the Company and each Significant
Subsidiary is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to
transact business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction in which such qualification is required,
whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or
the conduct of business, except where the failure to so
qualify and be in good standing would not have a material
adverse effect on the business, condition or properties of
the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(iv) All of the issued and outstanding capital stock of
each Significant Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly
issued, is fully paid and (except as provided in 12 U.S.C. -
SECTION-55) non-assessable, and is owned by the Company, free and
clear of any perfected security interest and, to the best of such
counsel's knowledge of any other security interests, claims,
liens or encumbrances.
(v) This Agreement has been duly and validly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
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(vi) The Indenture has been duly and validly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and
(assuming the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Trustee) constitutes a legal, valid and
binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance
with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited
by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
other laws relating to or affecting enforcement of
creditors' rights generally or by general equitable
principles, and except further as enforcement thereof may be
limited by (A) requirements that a claim with respect to any
Notes denominated other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign
currency or foreign currency unit judgment in respect of
such claim) be converted into United States dollars at a
rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to
applicable law or (B) governmental authority to limit, delay
or prohibit the making of payments in foreign currency or
currency units or the making of payments outside the United
States.
(vii) The Notes are in due and proper form and have
been duly established in conformity with Section 301 of the
Indenture. When the specific terms of an issue of Notes
have been fixed by an authorized officer of the Company by
executing and delivering to the Trustee an authentication
certificate supplemental to an officers' certificate, such
Notes will be duly authorized for issuance, offer and sale
pursuant to this Agreement and, when issued, authenticated
and delivered pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement
and the Indenture against payment of the consideration
therefor, will constitute valid and legally binding
obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with
their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other
laws relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors'
rights generally or by general equity principles, and except
further as enforcement thereof may be limited by
(A) requirements that a claim with respect to any Notes
denominated other than in U.S. dollars (or a foreign
currency or foreign currency unit judgment in respect of
such claim) be converted into United States dollars at a
rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to
applicable law or (B) governmental authority to limit, delay
or prohibit the making of payments in foreign currency or
currency units or payments outside the United States, and
each holder of Notes will be entitled to the benefits of the
Indenture.
(viii) The statements in the Prospectus under the
captions "Description of Debt Securities", "Plan of
Distribution" and "Description of Notes", insofar as they
purport to summarize certain
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provisions of documents specifically referred to therein, are accurate
summaries of such provisions.
(ix) The Indenture is qualified under the 1939 Act.
(x) The Registration Statement is effective under the
1933 Act and, to the best of such counsel's knowledge, no
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act or proceedings
therefor initiated or, to the best of such counsel's
knowledge, threatened by the SEC; and any required filing of
the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the
manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b)
under the 1933 Act.
(xi) At the time the Registration Statement became
effective, the Registration Statement (other than financial
statements, schedules and other financial data included in
the documents incorporated by reference therein, as to which
no opinion need be rendered) complied as to form in all
material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the
1939 Act and the regulations under each of those Acts.
(xii) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there
are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or
threatened which are required to be disclosed in the
Prospectus, other than those disclosed therein.
(xiii) The execution and delivery of this Agreement or
of the Indenture, or the consummation by the Company of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Notes
and the incurrence of the obligations therein contemplated,
will not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default
under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien,
charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the
Company or any Significant Subsidiary pursuant to, any
contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease
or other instrument known to such counsel and to which the
Company or any Significant Subsidiary is a party or to which
any of the property or assets of the Company or any
Significant Subsidiary is subject, or any law,
administrative regulation or administrative or court decree
known to such counsel to be applicable to the Company of any
court or governmental agency, authority or body or any
arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Company; nor will
such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
charter or by-laws of the Company.
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(xiv) To the best of such counsel's knowledge, there
are no contracts, indentures, mortgages, loan agreements,
notes, leases or other instruments or documents required to
be described or referred to in the Registration Statement or
to be filed as exhibits thereto other than those described
or referred to therein or filed or incorporated by reference
as exhibits thereto, the descriptions thereof or references
thereto are correct.
(xv) No consent, approval, authorization, order or
decree of any court or governmental agency or body including
the SEC is required for the consummation by the Company of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such
as may be required under the 1933 Act, the 1939 Act, the
1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws.
(xvi) Each document filed pursuant to the 1934 Act and
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus complied when
filed as to form in all material respects with the 1934 Act
and the 1934 Act Regulations thereunder (other than
financial statements, schedules and other financial data
included therein, as to which no opinion need be rendered).
2. OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE AGENTS. The opinion of Xxxxxxxx &
Xxxxxxxx, counsel to the Agents, covering the matters referred to in
subparagraph (1) under the subheadings (i), (v), (vi), (vii), (ix), (x) and (xi)
above.
3. In giving their opinions required by subsection (a)(1) and (a)(2)
of this Section, Xx. Xxxxxx and Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx shall each additionally
state that nothing has come to his or their attention that would lead him or
them to believe that the Registration Statement (other than financial
statements, schedules or other financial data included or incorporated by
reference therein, as to which no statement need be made), at the time it became
effective, and if an amendment to the Registration Statement or an Annual Report
on Form 10-K has been filed by the Company with the SEC subsequent to the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, then at the time such amendment
became effective or at the time of the most recent such filing, as the case may
be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented at the date hereof, or (if such opinion is being delivered in
connection with a Terms Agreement pursuant to Section 7(c) hereof) at the date
of any Terms Agreement and at the Settlement Date with respect thereto, as the
case may be, contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
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(b) OFFICER'S CERTIFICATES. At the date hereof the Agents shall have
received a certificate of the Chairman of the Board, the President or any
Executive Vice President and the principal financial or accounting officer of
the Company, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no person shall sign such certificate in
more than one official capacity, dated as of the date hereof, to the effect that
(i) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus or since the date of any applicable
Terms Agreement, there has not been any material adverse change in the
condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, general business affairs
or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii) the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 2 hereof are
true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and
as of the date of such certificate, (iii) the Company has performed or complied
with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or
satisfied at or prior to the date of such certificate, and (iv) no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and
no proceedings for that purpose have been initiated or threatened by the SEC.
(c) COMFORT LETTER. On the date hereof, the Agents shall have
received a letter from KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, dated as of the date hereof and in
form and substance satisfactory to the Agents, containing statements and
information of the type ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to
underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial
information contained in or incorporated by reference into the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus.
(d) OTHER DOCUMENTS. On the date hereof and on each Settlement Date
with respect to any applicable Terms Agreement, counsel to the Agents shall have
been furnished with such documents and opinions as such counsel may reasonably
require for the purpose of enabling such counsel to pass upon the issuance and
sale of Notes as herein contemplated and related proceedings, or in order to
evidence the accuracy and completeness of any of the representations and
warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and
all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of
Notes as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the
Agents and to counsel to the Agents.
If any condition specified in this Section 5 shall not have been
fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement (or, at the
option of any Agent, any applicable Terms Agreement) may be terminated by any
Agent insofar as this Agreement relates to such Agent by notice to the Company
at any time and any such termination shall be without liability of any party to
any other party, except that the covenant regarding provision of an earnings
statement set forth in Section 4(g) hereof, the provisions concerning payment of
expenses under Section 10 hereof, the indemnity and contribution agreement set
forth in Sections 8 and 9 hereof, the provisions concerning the representations,
warranties and agreements to survive delivery of Section 11 hereof and the
provisions set forth under "Parties" of Section 15 hereof shall remain in
effect.
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SECTION 6. DELIVERY OF AND PAYMENT FOR NOTES SOLD THROUGH THE AGENTS.
Delivery of Notes sold through any Agent as agent shall be made by
the Company to such Agent for the account of any purchaser only against payment
therefor in immediately available funds. In the event that a purchaser shall
fail either to accept delivery of or to make payment for a Note on the date
fixed for settlement, the presenting Agent shall promptly notify the Company and
deliver the Note to the Company, and, if such Agent has theretofore paid the
Company for such Note, the Company will promptly return such funds to such
Agent. If such failure occurred for any reason other than default by such Agent
in the performance of its obligations hereunder, the Company will reimburse such
Agent on an equitable basis for its loss of the use of the funds for the period
such funds were credited to the Company's account.
SECTION 7. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
The Company covenants and agrees with each Agent that:
(a) REAFFIRMATION OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. Each
acceptance by the Company of an offer for the purchase of Notes, and each
delivery of Notes to any Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, shall be deemed to
be an affirmation that the representations and warranties of the Company
contained in this Agreement and in any certificate theretofore delivered to such
Agent pursuant hereto are true and correct at the time of such acceptance or
sale, as the case may be, and an undertaking that such representations and
warranties will be true and correct at the time of delivery to the purchaser or
his agent, or to such Agent, of the Note or Notes relating to such acceptance or
sale, as the case may be, as though made at and as of each such time (and it is
understood that such representations and warranties shall relate to the
Registration Statement and Prospectus as amended and supplemented to each such
time).
(b) SUBSEQUENT DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATES. Each time that the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other
than by a Pricing Supplement, and other than by an amendment or supplement which
relates exclusively to an offering of debt securities other than the Notes) or
there is filed with the SEC any document incorporated by reference into the
Prospectus (other than any Current Report on Form 8-K relating exclusively to
the issuance of debt securities other than the Notes unless requested by an
Agent) or (if required pursuant to the terms of a Terms Agreement) the Company
sells Notes to any Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Company shall
furnish or cause to be furnished to each Agent forthwith a certificate dated the
date of filing with the SEC of such supplement or document, the date of
effectiveness of such amendment, or the date of such sale, as the case may be,
in form satisfactory to each Agent to the effect that the statements contained
in the certificate referred to in Section 5(b) hereof which were last furnished
to each Agent are true and correct at the time of such amendment, supplement,
filing or sale, as the case may be, as though made at and as of such time
(except that such statements shall be deemed to relate to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to such time) or, in
lieu of such certificate, a certificate of the same tenor as the certificate
referred to in said Section 5(b), modified as necessary to relate to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the
time of delivery of such certificate.
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(c) SUBSEQUENT DELIVERY OF LEGAL OPINIONS. Each time that the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented (other
than by a Pricing Supplement or solely for the inclusion of additional financial
information, and other than by an amendment or supplement which relates
exclusively to an offering of debt securities other than the Notes) or there is
filed with the SEC any document incorporated by reference into the Prospectus
(other than any Current Report on Form 8-K relating exclusively to the issuance
of debt securities other than the Notes unless requested by an Agent), or (if
required pursuant to the terms of a Terms Agreement) the Company sells Notes to
any Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement, the Company shall furnish or cause to
be furnished forthwith to each Agent and to counsel to the Agents a written
opinion of the General Counsel of the Company, or other counsel satisfactory to
the Agents dated the date of filing with the SEC of such supplement or document,
the date of effectiveness of such amendment, or the date of such sale, as the
case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Agents, of the same tenor
as the opinion referred to in Section 5(a)(1) hereof, but modified, as
necessary, to relate to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended
and supplemented to the time of delivery of such opinion; or, in lieu of such
opinion, counsel last furnishing such opinion to the Agents shall furnish each
Agent with a letter to the effect that the Agents may rely on such last opinion
to the same extent as though it was dated the date of such letter authorizing
reliance (except that statements in such last opinion shall be deemed to relate
to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to
the time of delivery of such letter authorizing reliance). Each time that the
Company files with the SEC an Annual Report on Form 10-K that is incorporated by
reference into the Prospectus, counsel to the Agents shall furnish to each Agent
a written opinion dated the date of such filing of the same tenor as the opinion
referred to in Section 5(a)(3) hereof, but modified, as necessary, to relate to
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the
time of delivery of such opinion; or in lieu of such opinion, counsel last
furnishing such opinion to the Agents shall furnish each Agent with a letter to
the effect that the Agents may rely on such last opinion to the same extent as
though it were dated the date of such letter authorizing reliance (except that
statements in such last opinion shall be deemed to relate to the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus as amended and supplemented to the time of delivery
of such letter authorizing reliance).
(d) SUBSEQUENT DELIVERY OF COMFORT LETTERS. Each time that the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall be amended or supplemented to
include additional financial information, or there is filed with the SEC any
document incorporated by reference into the Prospectus which contains additional
financial information, or (if required pursuant to the terms of a Terms
Agreement) the Company sells Notes to any Agent pursuant to a Terms Agreement,
the Company shall cause KPMG Peat Marwick LLP forthwith to furnish each Agent a
letter, dated the date of effectiveness of such amendment, supplement or
document with the SEC, or the date of such sale, as the case may be, in form
satisfactory to the Agents, of the same general tenor as the letter referred to
in Section 5(c) hereof but modified to relate to the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, as amended and supplemented to the date of such letter, and with
such changes as may be necessary to reflect changes in the financial statements
and other information derived from the accounting records of the Company;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the Registration Statement or the Prospectus is
amended or supplemented solely to include financial information as of and for a
fiscal quarter, KPMG Peat Marwick LLP may limit the scope of such letter to the
unaudited financial
-16-
statements included in such amendment or supplement unless any other information
included therein of an accounting, financial or statistical nature is of such a
nature that, in the reasonable judgment of the Agents, such letter should cover
such other information.
SECTION 8. INDEMNIFICATION.
INDEMNIFICATION OF THE AGENTS. The Company agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless each Agent and each person, if any, who controls each Agent within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as
follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or
alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading, unless such untrue statement or
omission or such alleged untrue statement or omission was made in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to
the Company by the Agents expressly for use in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount
paid in settlement of any litigation, or investigation or proceeding
by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any
claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or
any such alleged untrue statement or omission, if such settlement is
effected with the written consent of the Company; and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred,
(including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Agents)
reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against
any litigation, or investigation or proceeding by any governmental
agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based
upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue
statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid
under (i) or (ii) above.
(b) INDEMNIFICATION OF COMPANY. Each Agent agrees, severally and
not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of
its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this
Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions,
or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement
(or any amendment thereto) or the Prospectus (or
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any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Company by such Agent expressly for use in
the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(c) GENERAL. In case any proceeding (including any governmental
investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which
indemnity may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) of this
Section 8, such person (the "indemnified party") shall promptly notify the
person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "indemnifying party") in
writing, and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party,
shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to
represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may
designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such
counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified
party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses
of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the
retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding
(including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would
be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.
It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal
expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related
proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of
more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such
indemnified parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as
they are incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by the Agents that
are indemnified parties in the case of parties to be indemnified pursuant to
paragraph (a) of this Section 8 and by the Company in the case of parties to be
indemnified pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 8. An indemnifying party
shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its
prior written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final
judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the
indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such
settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or
threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have
been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified
party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such
indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of
such proceeding.
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SECTION 9. CONTRIBUTION.
In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in
circumstances in which the indemnity agreement provided for in Section 8 hereof
is for any reason held to be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless the
indemnified parties although applicable in accordance with its terms, the
Company and each Agent shall contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities,
claims, damages and expenses of the nature contemplated by said indemnity
agreement incurred by the Company and each Agent, as incurred, in such
proportions that each Agent is responsible for that portion represented by the
percentage that the total commissions and underwriting discounts received by
such Agent to the date of such liability bears to the total sales price from the
sale of Notes sold to or through such Agent to the date of such liability, and
the Company is responsible for the balance; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section, each
person, if any, who controls any Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Agent, and each
director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration
Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the
Company.
SECTION 10. PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.
The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its
obligations under this Agreement, including:
(a) the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement
and all amendments thereto and the Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto;
(b) the preparation, filing and reproduction of this Agreement;
(c) the preparation, printing, issuance and delivery of the
Notes, including any fees and expenses relating to the use of
book-entry notes;
(d) the fees and disbursements of the Company's accountants and
counsel, of the Trustee and its counsel, and of any Calculation Agent
or Exchange Rate Agent;
(e) the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the
Agents incurred from time to time in connection with the transactions
contemplated hereby;
(f) the qualification of the Notes under Blue Sky laws in
accordance with the provisions of Section 4(i) hereof, including
filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Agents in connection therewith and in connection with the
preparation of any Blue Sky Survey and any Legal Investment Survey;
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(g) the printing and delivery to the Agents in quantities as
hereinabove stated of copies of the Registration Statement and any
amendments thereto, and of the Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto, and the delivery by each Agent of the Prospectus
and any amendments or supplements thereto in connection with
solicitations or confirmations of sales of the Notes;
(h) the preparation, printing, reproducing and delivery to the
Agent of copies of the Indenture and all supplements and amendments
thereto;
(i) any fees charged by rating agencies for the rating of the
Notes;
(j) the fees and expenses, if any, incurred with respect to any
filing with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.;
(k) any advertising and other out-of-pocket expenses of the
Agents incurred with the approval of the Company;
(l) the cost of providing any CUSIP or other identification
numbers for the Notes; and
(m) the fees and expenses of any Depositary (as defined in the
Indenture) and any nominees thereof in connection with the Notes.
SECTION 11. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND AGREEMENTS TO SURVIVE DELIVERY.
All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this
Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant
hereto or thereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect,
regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Agent or any
controlling person of any Agent, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall
survive each delivery of and payment for any of the Notes.
SECTION 12. TERMINATION.
(a) TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT. This Agreement (excluding any
Terms Agreement) may be terminated for any reason, at any time, by either the
Company or any Agent (insofar as this Agreement relates to such Agent) upon the
giving of 30 days' written notice of such termination to the other party hereto.
(b) TERMINATION OF A TERMS AGREEMENT. Any Agent may terminate any
Terms Agreement, immediately upon notice to the Company, at any time prior to
the Settlement Date relating thereto (i) if there shall have occurred any
material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or any
outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States the effect of
which is such as to make it, in the judgment of such Agent, impracticable to
market the Notes or enforce contracts for the sale of the Notes, or (ii) if
trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended by the SEC or a
national securities exchange, or if trading generally on either the
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American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been
suspended, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum
ranges for prices for securities have been required, by either of said exchanges
or by order of the SEC or any other governmental authority, or if a banking
moratorium shall have been declared by either Federal or New York authorities or
if a banking moratorium shall have been declared by the relevant authorities in
the country or countries of origin of any foreign currency or currencies in
which the Notes are denominated or payable, or (iii) if the rating assigned by
any nationally recognized securities rating agency to any debt securities of the
Company as of the date of any applicable Terms Agreement shall have been lowered
since that date or if any such rating agency shall have publicly announced that
it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its
rating of any debt securities of the Company, or (iv) if there has occurred any
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, in the
business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, whether or not in the ordinary course of business.
(c) GENERAL. In the event of any such termination, none of the
parties will have any liability to the other parties hereto, except that
(i) each Agent shall be entitled to any commission earned in accordance with the
third paragraph of Section 3(a) hereof, (ii) if at the time of termination
(a) any Agent shall own any Notes purchased pursuant to a Terms Agreement with
the intention of reselling them or (b) an offer to purchase any of the Notes has
been accepted by the Company but the time of delivery to the purchaser or his
agent of the Note or Notes relating thereto has not occurred, the covenants set
forth in Sections 4 and 7 hereof shall remain in effect until such Notes are so
resold or delivered, as the case may be, and (iii) the covenant set forth in
Section 4(g) hereof, the provisions of Section 10 hereof, the indemnity and
contribution agreements set forth in Sections 8 and 9 hereof, and the provisions
of Sections 11 and 15 hereof shall remain in effect.
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SECTION 13. NOTICES.
Unless otherwise provided herein, all notices required under the terms
and provisions hereof shall be in writing, either delivered by hand, by mail or
by telex, telecopier or telegram, and any such notice shall be effective when
received at the address specified below.
If to the Company:
Norwest Corporation
Norwest Center
Sixth and Marquette
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55479
Attention: Treasurer
If to the Agents:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co. CS First Boston Corporation
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Short and Medium-Term Finance
Xxxxx Incorporated Park Avenue Plaza
World Financial Center New York, New York 10055
North Tower, 10th Floor Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
New York, New York 10281
Attention: MTN Product Management
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co. Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Securities Corporation
New York, New York 00000 000 Xxxxxxxx
Attention: Medium-Term Note Desk New York, New York 10005
Xxxxxx Brothers, Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. Salomon Brothers Inc
0 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 12th Floor Seven World Trade Center
New York, New York 10285 New York, New York 10048
Attention: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Attention: Medium-Term Note
Department
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 Xxx Xxxx, Xxxx 00000
Attention: Managing Director, Attention: Xxx Xxxxxxxx
Debt Syndicate
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with a copy to:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Manager, Credit Department
or at such other address as such party may designate from time to time by notice
duly given in accordance with the terms of this Section 13.
SECTION 14. GOVERNING LAW.
This Agreement and all the rights and obligations of the parties
shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such State. Any
suit, action or proceeding brought by the Company against any Agent in
connection with or arising under this Agreement shall be brought solely in the
state or federal court of appropriate jurisdiction located in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York.
SECTION 15. PARTIES.
This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon
each Agent and the Company and their respective successors. Nothing expressed
or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any
person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their respective
successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in
Sections 8 and 9 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any
provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions
hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties
hereto and respective successors and said controlling persons and officers and
directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no
other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Notes shall be deemed to be
a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
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If the foregoing is in accordance with the Agents' understanding of
our agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof,
whereupon this instrument along with all counterparts will become a binding
agreement between the Agent and the Company in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
NORWEST CORPORATION
By: __________________________
Name:
Title:
Accepted:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx &
Xxxxx Incorporated
By:_________________________________________
Name:
Title:
CS First Boston Corporation
By:_________________________________________
Name:
Title:
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx Securities Corporation
By:_________________________________________
Name:
Title:
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____________________________________________
(Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx & Co.)
Xxxxxx Brothers, Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
By:_________________________________________
Name:
Title:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated
By:_________________________________________
Name:
Title:
Salomon Brothers Inc
By:_________________________________________
Name:
Title:
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Inc.
By:_________________________________________
Name:
Title:
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SCHEDULE A
As compensation for the services of any Agent hereunder, the Company
shall pay it, on a discount basis, a commission for the sale of each Note equal
to the principal amount of such Note multiplied by the appropriate percentage
set forth below:
PERCENT OF
MATURITY RANGES PRINCIPAL AMOUNT
From 9 months to less than 1 year. . . . . . . . . . . . . .125%
From 1 year to less than 18 months . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
From 18 months to less than 2 years. . . . . . . . . . . . .200
From 2 years to less than 3 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . .250
From 3 years to less than 4 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . .350
From 4 years to less than 5 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . .450
From 5 years to less than 7 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . .500
From 7 years to less than 10 years . . . . . . . . . . . . .600
From 10 years to less than 15 years. . . . . . . . . . . . .625
From 15 years to less than 20 years. . . . . . . . . . . . .700
From 20 years to 30 years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .750
More than 30 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .As agreed at the time
of sale
EXHIBIT A
The following terms, if applicable, shall be agreed to by the Agent
and the Company pursuant to each Terms Agreement:
Principal Amount: $_________________
(or principal amount of foreign currency)
Interest Rate:
If Fixed Rate Note, interest rate:
If Floating Rate Notes:
Interest rate or interest rate basis applicable to each
interest period
Initial interest rate
Spread and/or spread multiplier, if any
Interest rate reset dates
Interest rate reset period
Interest payment dates
Interest payment period
Index maturity
Calculation agent
Maximum interest rate, if any
Minimum interest rate, if any
Calculation date
Interest determination dates
Regular record dates
If Original Issue Discount Zero Coupon Notes and Original Issue
Discount Fixed Rate Notes, any terms required to be established
by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
If Foreign Currency Notes:
Interest rate or interest rate basis
Authorized denominations (including integral multiples) in
the specified currency
Exchange rate agent
Specified currency account (if holder elects to receive
payments in other than U.S. dollars by wire transfer)
If Redeemable:
Redemption Date
Redemption Prices
If Repayable, repayment terms:
Date of Maturity
Purchase Price: ___%
Settlement Date and Time
Currency of Denomination
Currency of Payment
Additional Terms:
Also, in connection with the purchase of Notes by the Agent as principal,
agreement as to whether the following will be required:
Officer's Certificate pursuant to Section 7(b) of the
Distribution Agreement
Legal Opinion pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Distribution
Agreement
Comfort Letter pursuant to Section 7(d) of the Distribution
Agreement
Stand-off Agreement pursuant to Section 4(j) of the Distribution
Agreement
A-2
