1
EXHIBIT 4.17
[THE FOLLOWING EXHIBIT 4.17 IS THE FORM OF AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT
TO BE USED BY EACH OF ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL TRUST I, ASSOCIATES FIRST
CAPITAL TRUST II AND ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL TRUST III.]
FORM OF AMENDED AND RESTATED
TRUST AGREEMENT
AMONG
ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS DEPOSITOR,
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
AS PROPERTY TRUSTEE,
CHASE MANHATTAN BANK DELAWARE,
AS DELAWARE TRUSTEE
AND
THE ADMINISTRATIVE TRUSTEES NAMED HEREIN
DATED AS OF ________, 1998
ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL TRUST __
2
Certain Sections of this Trust Agreement Relating
to Section 310 through 318 of the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939:
Trust Indenture Trust Agreement
Act Section Section
---------------- -----------------
Section 310(a)(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.7
(a)(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.7
(a)(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.9
(a)(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.7(a)(ii)
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.8
Section 311(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.13
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.13
Section 312(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.7
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.7
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.7
Section 313(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.14(a)
(a)(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.14(c)
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.14(a)
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.8
Section 314(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.15
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(c)(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.16
(c)(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.16
(c)(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(e) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1, 8.16
Section 315(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.1(a), 8.3(a)
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.2, 10.8
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.1(a)
(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.1, 8.3
(e) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
Section 316(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(a)(1)(A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(a)(1)(B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(a)(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.14
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.7
Section 317(a)(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(a)(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.9
Section 318(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.9
--------------
Note: This reconciliation and tie sheet shall not, for any purpose, be
deemed to be a part of the Trust Agreement.
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
----
ARTICLE I.
DEFINED TERMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Section 1.1. Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
ARTICLE II.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TRUST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 2.1. Name. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 2.2. Office of the Delaware Trustee; Principal Place of Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 2.3. Initial Contribution of Trust Property; Organizational Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 2.4. Issuance of the Preferred Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 2.5. Issuance of the Common Securities; Subscription and Purchase of Debentures. . . . . . . 10
Section 2.6. Declaration of Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Section 2.7. Authorization to Enter into Certain Transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Section 2.8. Assets of Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 2.9. Title to Trust Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
ARTICLE III.
PAYMENT ACCOUNT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 3.1. Payment Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
ARTICLE IV.
CERTAIN TERMS OF THE TRUST SECURITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 4.1. Distributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 4.2. Redemption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Section 4.3. Subordination of Common Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Section 4.4. Payment Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Section 4.5. Tax Returns and Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Section 4.6. Intentionally Omitted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Section 4.7. Payments under Indenture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
ARTICLE V.
TRUST SECURITIES CERTIFICATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Section 5.1. Initial Ownership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Section 5.2. The Trust Securities Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
-i-
4
Section 5.3. Execution and Delivery of Trust Securities Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Section 5.4. Registration of Transfer and Exchange of Preferred Securities Certificates . . . . . . 21
Section 5.5. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Trust Securities Certificates . . . . . . . . . . 22
Section 5.6. Persons Deemed Securityholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Section 5.7. Access to List of Securityholders' Names and Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Section 5.8. Maintenance of Office or Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Section 5.9. Appointment of Paying Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 5.10. Ownership of Common Securities by Depositor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Section 5.11. Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates; Common Securities Certificate . . . . . . 23
Section 5.12. Notices to Clearing Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Section 5.13. Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Section 5.14. Rights of Securityholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
ARTICLE VI.
ACTS OF SECURITYHOLDERS; MEETINGS; VOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 6.1. Limitations on Voting Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Section 6.2. Notice of Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 6.3. Meetings of Preferred Securityholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Section 6.4. Voting Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 6.5. Proxies, etc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 6.6. Securityholder Action by Written Consent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 6.7. Record Date for Voting and Other Purposes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Section 6.8. Acts of Securityholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Section 6.9. Inspection of Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
ARTICLE VII.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Section 7.1. Representations and Warranties of the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee . . . . 31
Section 7.2. Representations and Warranties of Depositor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
ARTICLE VIII.
THE TRUSTEES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section 8.1. Certain Duties and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Section 8.2. Certain Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Section 8.3. Certain Rights of Property Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Section 8.4. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Section 8.5. May Hold Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Section 8.6. Compensation; Indemnity; Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Section 8.7. Corporate Property Trustee Required; Eligibility of Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Section 8.8. Conflicting Interests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Section 8.9. Co-Trustees and Separate Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Section 8.10. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
-ii-
5
Section 8.11. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Section 8.12. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Section 8.13. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Depositor or Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Section 8.14. Reports by the Property Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Section 8.15. Reports to the Property Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Section 8.16. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Section 8.17. Number of Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Section 8.18. Delegation of Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
ARTICLE IX.
TERMINATION, LIQUIDATION AND MERGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Section 9.1. Dissolution Upon Expiration Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Section 9.2. Early Dissolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Section 9.3. Termination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Section 9.4. Liquidation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Section 9.5. Mergers, Consolidations, Amalgamations or Replacements of the Trust . . . . . . . . . . 47
ARTICLE X.
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Section 10.1. Limitation of Rights of Securityholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Section 10.2. Amendment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Section 10.3. Separability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Section 10.4. Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Section 10.5. Payments Due on Non-Business Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Section 10.6. Successors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Section 10.7. Headings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Section 10.8. Reports, Notices and Demands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Section 10.9. Agreement Not to Petition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Section 10.10. Trust Indenture Act; Conflict with Trust Indenture Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Section 10.11. Acceptance of Terms of Trust Agreement, Guarantee and Indenture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
-iii-
6
AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT, dated as of
___________________, 1998, among (i) Associates First Capital Corporation, a
Delaware banking corporation (including any successors or assigns, the
"Depositor"), (ii) The Chase Manhattan Bank, a New York banking corporation, as
property trustee, (the "Property Trustee" and, in its separate corporate
capacity and not in its capacity as Property Trustee, the "Bank"), (iii) Chase
Manhattan Bank Delaware, a Delaware banking corporation, as Delaware trustee
(the "Delaware Trustee"), (iv) ________________________________, an individual,
and ___________________________, an individual, each of whose address is c/o
Associates First Capital Corporation, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
00000 (each an "Administrative Trustee" and collectively the "Administrative
Trustees") (the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Administrative
Trustees referred to collectively as the "Trustees") and (v) the several
Holders, as hereinafter defined.
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, the Depositor and the Trustees have heretofore duly
declared and established a business trust pursuant to the Delaware Business
Trust Act by entering into that certain Trust Agreement, dated as of September
3, 1998 (the "Original Trust Agreement"), and by the execution and filing with
the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of the Certificate of Trust,
filed on September 3, 1998, attached as Exhibit A; and
WHEREAS, the Depositor and the Trustees desire to amend and
restate the Original Trust Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein to
provide for, among other things, (i) the issuance of the Common Securities by
the Trust to the Depositor, (ii) the issuance and sale of the Preferred
Securities by the Trust pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and (iii) the
acquisition by the Trust from the Depositor of all of the right, title and
interest in the Debentures;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements and
obligations set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the
sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, each party, for the benefit of the
other parties and for the benefit of the Securityholders, hereby amends and
restates the Original Trust Agreement in its entirety and agrees as follows:
ARTICLE I.
DEFINED TERMS
Section 1.1. Definitions.
For all purposes of this Trust Agreement, except as otherwise
expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) the terms defined in this Article have the
meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as
well as the singular;
7
2
(b) all other terms used herein that are defined in
the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have
the meanings assigned to them therein;
(c) unless the context otherwise requires, any
reference to an "Article" or a "Section" refers to an Article or a
Section, as the case may be, of this Trust Agreement; and
(d) the words "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder" and
other words of similar import refer to this Trust Agreement as a whole
and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.
"Act" has the meaning specified in Section 6.8.
"Administrative Trustee" means each of and
, solely in such Person's capacity as Administrative Trustee of the Trust
created and continued hereunder and not in such Person's individual capacity,
or such Administrative Trustee's successor in interest in such capacity, or any
successor trustee appointed as herein provided.
"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person
directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect
common control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to
direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.
"Bank" has the meaning specified in the preamble to this
Trust Agreement.
"Bankruptcy Event" means, with respect to any Person:
(a) the entry of a decree or order by a court having
jurisdiction in the premises judging such Person a bankrupt or
insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking
reorganization, arrangement, adjudication or composition of or in
respect of such Person under any applicable Federal or State
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or
appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or
other similar official) of such Person or of any substantial part of
its property or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs,
and the continuance of any such decree or order unstayed and in effect
for a period of 60 consecutive days; or
(b) the institution by such Person of proceedings to
be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the
institution of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against it, or the
filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization
or relief under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or the consent by it
to the filing of any such petition or to the appointment of a
receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee,
8
3
sequestrator (or similar official) of such Person or of any
substantial part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment
for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its
inability to pay its debts generally as they become due and its
willingness to be adjudicated a bankrupt, or the taking of corporate
action by such Person in furtherance of any such action.
"Bankruptcy Laws" has the meaning specified in Section 10.9.
"Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates" means a
beneficial interest in the Preferred Securities Certificates, ownership and
transfers of which shall be made through book entries by a Clearing Agency as
described in Section 5.11.
"Business Day" means a day other than (a) a Saturday or
Sunday, (b) a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are
authorized or required by law to remain closed, or (c) a day on which the
Property Trustee's Corporate Trust Office or the corporate trust office of the
Indenture Trustee is closed for business.
"Certificate Depository Agreement" means the agreement among
the Trust, the Depositor and The Depository Trust Company, as the initial
Clearing Agency, dated as of the Closing Date, relating to the Trust Securities
Certificates, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B, as the same may
be amended and supplemented from time to time.
"Clearing Agency" means an organization registered as a
"clearing agency" pursuant to Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended. The Depository Trust Company will be the initial Clearing
Agency.
"Clearing Agency Participant" means a broker, dealer, bank,
other financial institution or other Person for whom from time to time a
Clearing Agency effects book-entry transfers and pledges of securities
deposited with the Clearing Agency.
"Closing Date" has the meaning specified in the Underwriting
Agreement.
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as
from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument
such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it
under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such
time.
"Common Security" means an undivided beneficial ownership
interest in the assets of the Trust, having a Liquidation Amount of $[ ] and
having the rights provided therefor in this Trust Agreement, including the
right to receive Distributions and a Liquidation Distribution as provided
herein.
9
4
"Common Securities Certificate" means a certificate evidencing
ownership of Common Securities, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit
C.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the principal office of the
Property Trustee.
"Debenture Redemption Date" means, with respect to any
Debentures to be redeemed under the Indenture, the date fixed for redemption
under the Indenture.
"Debentures" means the aggregate principal amount of the
Depositor's ___% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures, Series
___, issued pursuant to the Indenture.
"Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates" means either or
both (as the context requires) of (a) Preferred Securities Certificates issued
as Book- Entry Preferred Securities Certificate as provided in Section 5.11(a)
and (b) Preferred Securities Certificates issued in certificated, fully
registered form as provided in Section 5.13.
"Delaware 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.
"Delaware Trustee" means the corporation identified as the
"Delaware Trustee" in the preamble to this Trust Agreement solely in its
capacity as Delaware Trustee of the Trust created and continued hereunder and
not in its individual capacity, or its successor in interest in such capacity,
or any successor trustee appointed as herein provided.
"Depositor" has the meaning specified in the preamble to this
Trust Agreement.
"Distribution Date" has the meaning specified in Section
4.1(a).
"Distributions" means amounts payable in respect of the Trust
Securities as provided in Section 4.1.
"Event of Default" means any one of the following events
(whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be
voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any
judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any
administrative or governmental body):
(a) the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to a
Debenture; or
(b) default by the Property Trustee in the payment of any
Distribution when it becomes due and payable, and continuation of
such default for a period of 30 days; or
(c) default by the Property Trustee in the payment of any
Redemption Price of any Trust Security when it becomes due and
payable; or
10
5
(d) default in the performance, or breach, in any
material respect, of any covenant or warranty of the Trustees in this
Trust Agreement (other than a covenant or warranty a default in the
performance or breach of which is dealt with in clause (b) or (c)
above) and continuation of such default or breach for a period of 60
days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to
the defaulting Trustee or Trustees by the Holders of at least 25% in
aggregate liquidation preference of the Outstanding Preferred
Securities a written notice specifying such default or breach and
requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a "Notice
of Default" hereunder; or
(e) the occurrence of a Bankruptcy Event with respect
to the Property Trustee and the failure by the Depositor to appoint a
successor Property Trustee within 60 days thereof.
"Expiration Date" has the meaning specified in Section 9.1.
"Guarantee" means the Guarantee Agreement executed and
delivered by the Depositor and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as guarantee trustee,
contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this Trust Agreement, for
the benefit of the Holders of the Trust Securities, as amended from time to
time.
"Indenture" means the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities
Indenture, dated as of September 1, 1998, between the Depositor and the
Indenture Trustee, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
"Indenture Trustee" means The Chase Manhattan Bank, a New York
banking corporation, and any successor thereto.
"Lien" means any lien, pledge, charge, encumbrance, mortgage,
deed of trust, adverse ownership interest, hypothecation, assignment, security
interest or preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential
arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever.
"Like Amount" means (a) with respect to a redemption of Trust
Securities, Trust Securities having a Liquidation Amount equal to the principal
amount of Debentures to be contemporaneously redeemed in accordance with the
Indenture, allocated to the Common Securities and the Preferred Securities
based upon the relative Liquidation Amounts of such classes and the proceeds of
which will be used to pay the Redemption Price of such Trust Securities, and
(b) with respect to a distribution of Debentures to Holders of Trust Securities
in connection with a dissolution or liquidation of the Trust, Debentures having
a principal amount equal to the Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities of
the Holder to whom such Debentures are distributed.
"Liquidation Amount" means the stated amount of $[ ] per Trust
Security.
11
6
"Liquidation Date" means the date on which Debentures are to
be distributed to Holders of Trust Securities in connection with a termination
and liquidation of the Trust pursuant to Section 9.4(a).
"Liquidation Distribution" has the meaning specified in
Section 9.4(d).
"Ministerial Action" means the taking of an action, such as
filing a form or making an election, or pursuing some other similar reasonable
measure that will have no adverse effect on the Trust, the Depositor or the
Holders of the Trust Securities and will involve no material cost.
"1940 Act" means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the
Chairman or a Vice Chairman of the Board, the President or a Vice President,
and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Comptroller, an Assistant
Comptroller, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Depositor, and
delivered to the appropriate Trustee. One of the officers signing an Officers'
Certificate given pursuant to Section 8.16 shall be the principal executive,
financial or accounting officer of the Depositor. Any Officers' Certificate
delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for
in this Trust Agreement shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the
Officers' 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 Officers' 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.
"Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion of counsel, who
may be counsel for the Trust, the Property Trustee or the Depositor, and who
shall be reasonably acceptable to the Property Trustee.
"Original Trust Agreement" has the meaning specified in the
recitals to this Trust Agreement.
"Outstanding", when used with respect to Preferred Securities,
means, as of the date of determination, all Preferred Securities theretofore
executed and delivered under this Trust Agreement, except:
12
7
(a) Preferred Securities theretofore cancelled by the
Property Trustee or delivered to the Property Trustee for
cancellation;
(b) Preferred Securities for whose payment or
redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore
deposited with the Property Trustee or any Paying Agent for the
Holders of such Preferred Securities; provided that, if such Preferred
Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly
given pursuant to this Trust Agreement; and
(c) Preferred Securities which have been paid or in
exchange for or in lieu of which other Preferred Securities have been
executed and delivered pursuant to Sections 5.4, 5.5, 5.11 and 5.13;
provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite
Liquidation Amount of the outstanding Preferred Securities have given any
request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder,
Preferred Securities owned by the Depositor, any Trustee or any Affiliate of
the Depositor or any Trustee shall be disregarded and deemed not to be
Outstanding, except that (a) in determining whether any Trustee shall be
protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction,
notice, consent or waiver, only Preferred Securities that such Trustee knows to
be so owned shall be so disregarded and (b) the foregoing shall not apply at
any time when all of the outstanding Preferred Securities are owned by the
Depositor, one or more of the Trustees and/or any such Affiliate. Preferred
Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as
Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the
Administrative Trustees the pledgee's right so to act with respect to such
Preferred Securities and that the pledgee is not the Depositor or any Affiliate
of the Depositor.
"Owner" means each Person who is the beneficial owner of a
Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificate as reflected in the records of the
Clearing Agency or, if a Clearing Agency Participant is not the Owner, then as
reflected in the records of a Person maintaining an account with such Clearing
Agency (directly or indirectly, in accordance with the rules of such Clearing
Agency).
"Paying Agent" means any paying agent or co-paying agent
appointed pursuant to Section 5.9 and shall initially be the Bank.
"Payment Account" means a segregated non-interest-bearing
corporate trust account maintained by the Property Trustee with the Bank in its
trust department for the benefit of the Securityholders in which all amounts
paid in respect of the Debentures will be held and from which the Property
Trustee shall make payments to the Securityholders in accordance with Sections
4.1 and 4.2.
"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust, limited liability company or corporation, unincorporated
organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
13
8
"Preferred Security" means an undivided beneficial ownership
interest in the assets of the Trust, having a Liquidation Amount of $[ ] and
having the rights provided therefor in this Trust Agreement, including the
right to receive Distributions and a Liquidation Distribution as provided
herein.
"Preferred Securities Certificate" means a certificate
evidencing ownership of Preferred Securities, substantially in the form
attached as Exhibit D.
"Property Trustee" means the commercial bank or trust company
identified as the "Property Trustee" in the preamble to this Trust Agreement
solely in its capacity as Property Trustee of the Trust heretofore created and
continued hereunder and not in its individual capacity, or its successor in
interest in such capacity, or any successor property trustee appointed as
herein provided.
"Redemption Date" means, with respect to any Trust Security to
be redeemed, the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Trust
Agreement; provided that each Debenture Redemption Date and the stated maturity
of the Debentures shall be a Redemption Date for a Like Amount of Trust
Securities.
"Redemption Price" means, with respect to any Trust Security,
the Liquidation Amount of such Trust Security, plus accumulated but unpaid
Distributions to the Redemption Date, plus the related amount of the premium,
if any, paid by the Depositor upon the concurrent redemption of a Like Amount
of Debentures, allocated on a pro rata basis (based on Liquidation Amounts)
among the Trust Securities.
"Relevant Trustee" shall have the meaning specified in Section
8.10.
"Securities Register" and "Securities Registrar" have the
respective meanings specified in Section 5.4.
"Securityholder" or "Holder" means a Person in whose name a
Trust Security or Trust Securities is registered in the Securities Register;
any such Person being a beneficial owner within the meaning of the Delaware
Business Trust Act.
"Trust" means the Delaware business trust created and
continued hereby and identified on the cover page to this Trust Agreement.
"Trust Agreement" means this Amended and Restated Trust
Agreement, as the same may be modified, amended or supplemented in accordance
with the applicable provisions hereof, including all exhibits hereto,
including, for all purposes of this Trust Agreement and any such modification,
amendment or supplement, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are
deemed to be a part of and govern this Trust Agreement and any such
modification, amendment or supplement, respectively.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as
in force at the date as of which this instrument was executed; provided,
however, that in the event the Trust
14
9
Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, "Trust Indenture Act" means,
to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939
as so amended.
"Trust Property" means (a) the Debentures, (b) any cash on
deposit in, or owing to, the Payment Account and (c) all proceeds and rights in
respect of the foregoing and any other property and assets for the time being
held or deemed to be held by the Property Trustee pursuant to the terms of this
Trust Agreement.
"Trust Security" means any one of the Common Securities or the
Preferred Securities.
"Trust Securities Certificate" means any one of the Common
Securities Certificates or the Preferred Securities Certificates.
"Trustees" means, collectively, the Property Trustee, the
Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees.
"Underwriting Agreement" means the Underwriting Agreement,
dated as of __________, 1998, among the Trust, the Depositor and the
underwriters named therein.
ARTICLE II.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TRUST
Section 2.1. Name.
The Trust continued hereby shall be known as "Associates First
Capital Trust __," as such name may be modified from time to time by the
Administrative Trustees following written notice to the Holders of Trust
Securities and the other Trustees, in which name the Trustees may conduct the
business of the Trust, make and execute contracts and other instruments on
behalf of the Trust and xxx and be sued.
Section 2.2. Office of the Delaware Trustee; Principal
Place of Business.
The address of the Delaware Trustee in the State of Delaware
is 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Corporate Trust
Administration, or such other address in the State of Delaware as the Delaware
Trustee may designate by written notice to the Securityholders and the
Depositor. The principal executive office of the Trust is c/o Associates First
Capital Corporation, 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000.
Section 2.3. Initial Contribution of Trust Property;
Organizational Expenses.
The Property Trustee acknowledges receipt in trust from the
Depositor in connection with the Original Trust Agreement of the sum of $10,
which constituted the initial Trust Property. The Depositor shall pay
organizational expenses of the Trust as they arise or
15
10
shall, upon request of any Trustee, promptly reimburse such Trustee for any
such expenses paid by such Trustee. The Depositor shall make no claim upon the
Trust Property for the payment of such expenses.
Section 2.4. Issuance of the Preferred Securities.
On _________________, 1998, the Depositor, on behalf of the
Trust and pursuant to the Original Trust Agreement, executed and delivered the
Underwriting Agreement. Contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of
this Trust Agreement, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall
execute in accordance with Section 5.2 and deliver to the Underwriters named in
the Underwriting Agreement Preferred Securities Certificates, registered in the
name of the nominee of the initial Clearing Agency,
________________________________ Preferred Securities having an aggregate
Liquidation Amount of $________, against receipt of such aggregate purchase
price of such Preferred Securities of $________, which amount the
Administrative Trustee shall promptly deliver to the Property Trustee. If
there is a Closing Date as a result of the exercise of an over-allotment option
pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of
the Trust, shall execute in accordance with Section 5.2 and deliver to the
Underwriters named in the Underwriting Agreement Preferred Securities
Certificates, registered in the name of the nominee of the initial Clearing
Agency, up to _________________ Preferred Securities having an aggregate
Liquidation Amount of up to $_______, against receipt of such aggregate
purchase price of such Preferred Securities of $_______, which amount such
Administrative Trustees shall promptly deliver to the Property Trustee in
accordance with instructions provided by such Underwriters, on the date
specified pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.
Section 2.5. Issuance of the Common Securities;
Subscription and Purchase of Debentures.
Contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this
Trust Agreement, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall
execute in accordance with Section 5.2 and deliver to the Depositor Common
Securities Certificates, registered in the name of the Depositor,
_______________ Common Securities having an aggregate Liquidation Amount of
$_______ against payment by the Depositor of such amount. Contemporaneously
therewith, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall subscribe
to and purchase from the Depositor Debentures, registered in the name of the
Trust and having an aggregate principal amount equal to $_______, and, in
satisfaction of the purchase price for such Debentures, the Property Trustee,
on behalf of the Trust, shall deliver to the Depositor the sum of $_______. If
there is a Closing Date as a result of the exercise of an over-allotment option
pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of
the Trust, shall execute in accordance with Section 5.2 and deliver to the
Depositor Common Securities Certificates, registered in the name of the
Depositor, up to ________ Common Securities having an aggregate Liquidation
Amount of up to $_______ against payment by the Depositor of such amount.
Contemporaneously therewith, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust,
shall subscribe to and purchase from the Depositor Debentures, registered in
the name of the Trust and having an aggregate principal amount of up to
$_______, and, in satisfaction of the purchase price for such Debentures, the
Property Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall deliver
16
11
to the Depositor the amount received from one of the Administrative Trustees
pursuant to the last sentence of Section 2.4.
Section 2.6. Declaration of Trust.
The exclusive purposes and functions of the Trust are (a) to
issue and sell Trust Securities and use the proceeds from such sale to acquire
the Debentures, and (b) to engage in those activities necessary, convenient or
incidental thereto. The Depositor hereby appoints the Trustees as trustees of
the Trust, to have all the rights, powers and duties to the extent set forth
herein, and the Trustees hereby accept such appointment. The Property Trustee
hereby declares that it will hold the Trust Property in trust upon and subject
to the conditions set forth herein for the benefit of the Trust and the
Securityholders. The Administrative Trustees shall have all rights, powers and
duties set forth herein and in accordance with applicable law with respect to
accomplishing the purposes of the Trust. 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 Property Trustee or the Administrative
Trustees set forth herein, except as required by the Delaware Business Trust
Act. The Delaware Trustee shall be one of the Trustees of the Trust for the
sole and limited purpose of fulfilling the requirements of Section 3807(a) of
the Delaware Business Trust Act.
Section 2.7. Authorization to Enter into Certain
Transactions.
(a) The Trustees shall conduct the affairs of the
Trust in accordance with the terms of this Trust Agreement. Subject to the
limitations set forth in paragraph (b) of this Section and Article VIII, and in
accordance with the following provisions (i) and (ii), the Administrative
Trustees shall have the authority to enter into all transactions and agreements
determined by the Trustees to be appropriate in exercising the authority
granted to the Trustees under this Trust Agreement, and to perform all acts in
furtherance thereof, including without limitation, the following:
(i) As among the Trustees, each Administrative Trustee
shall have the power and authority to act on behalf of the Trust with
respect to the following matters:
(A) the issuance and sale of the Trust
Securities;
(B) to cause the Trust to enter into, and to
execute, deliver and perform on behalf of the Trust, the
Certificate Depository Agreement and such other agreements as
may be necessary or desirable in connection with the purposes
and function of the Trust;
(C) assisting in the registration of the
Preferred Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and under state securities or blue sky laws, and the
qualification of this Trust Agreement as a trust indenture
under the Trust Indenture Act;
17
12
(D) assisting in the listing of the Preferred
Securities upon such securities exchange or exchanges as shall
be determined by the Depositor and the registration of the
Preferred Securities under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and the preparation and filing of all
periodic and other reports and other documents pursuant to the
foregoing;
(E) the sending of notices (other than notices of
default) and other information regarding the Trust Securities
and the Debentures to the Securityholders in accordance with
this Trust Agreement;
(F) the appointment of a Paying Agent,
authenticating agent and Securities Registrar in accordance
with this Trust Agreement;
(G) registering transfer of the Trust Securities
in accordance with this Trust Agreement;
(H) to the extent provided in this Trust
Agreement, the winding up of the affairs of and liquidation of
the Trust and the preparation, execution and filing of the
certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware;
(I) unless otherwise required by the Trust
Indenture Act, to execute on behalf of the Trust (either
acting alone or together with any or all of the Administrative
Trustees) any documents that the Administrative Trustees have
the power to execute pursuant to this Trust Agreement; and
(J) the taking of any action incidental to the
foregoing as the Trustees may from time to time determine is
necessary or advisable to give effect to the terms of this
Trust Agreement for the benefit of the Securityholders
(without consideration of the effect of any such action on any
particular Securityholder).
(ii) As among the Trustees, the Property Trustee shall
have the power, duty and authority to act on behalf of the Trust with
respect to the following matters:
(A) the establishment of the Payment Account;
(B) the receipt of the Debentures;
(C) the collection of interest, principal and any
other payments made in respect of the Debentures in the
Payment Account;
(D) the distribution of amounts owed to the
Securityholders in respect of the Trust Securities;
18
13
(E) the exercise of all of the rights, powers and
privileges of a holder of the Debentures;
(F) the sending of notices of default and other
information regarding the Trust Securities and the Debentures
to the Securityholders in accordance with this Trust
Agreement;
(G) the distribution of the Trust Property in
accordance with the terms of this Trust Agreement;
(H) to the extent provided in this Trust
Agreement, the winding up of the affairs of and liquidation of
the Trust and the preparation, execution and filing of the
certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware;
(I) after an Event of Default the taking of any
action incidental to the foregoing as the Property Trustee may
from time to time determine is necessary or advisable to give
effect to the terms of this Trust Agreement and protect and
conserve the Trust Property for the benefit of the
Securityholders (without consideration of the effect of any
such action on any particular Securityholder);
(J) registering transfers of the Trust Securities
in accordance with this Trust Agreement;
(K) to engage in such Ministerial Activities as
shall be necessary, appropriate, convenient or incidental to
effect the repayment of the Preferred Securities and the
Common Securities to the extent the Debentures mature or are
redeemed; and
(L) except as otherwise provided in this Section
2.7(a)(ii), the Property Trustee shall have none of the
duties, liabilities, powers or the authority of the
Administrative Trustees set forth in Section 2.7(a)(i).
(b) So long as this Trust Agreement remains in effect,
the Trust (or the Trustees acting on behalf of the Trust) shall not undertake
any business, activities or transaction except as expressly provided herein or
contemplated hereby. In particular, the Trustees shall not cause the Trust to
(i) acquire any investments or engage in any activities not authorized by this
Trust Agreement, (ii) sell, assign, transfer, exchange, mortgage, pledge,
set-off or otherwise dispose of any of the Trust Property or interests therein,
including to Securityholders, except as expressly provided herein, (iii) take
any action that would cause the Trust to fail or cease to qualify as a "grantor
trust" for United States Federal income tax purposes, (iv) incur any
indebtedness for borrowed money or issue any other debt or (v) take or consent
to any action that would result in the placement of a Lien on any of the Trust
Property. The Administrative Trustees shall defend all claims and demands of
all Persons at
19
14
any time claiming any Lien on any of the Trust Property adverse to the interest
of the Trust or the Securityholders in their capacity as Securityholders.
(c) In connection with the issue and sale of the
Preferred Securities, the Depositor shall have the right and responsibility to
assist the Trust with respect to, or effect on behalf of the Trust, the
following (and any actions taken by the Depositor in furtherance of the
following prior to the date of this Trust Agreement are hereby ratified and
confirmed in all respects):
(i) the preparation and filing by the Trust with the
Commission and the execution on behalf of the Trust of a registration
statement on the appropriate form in relation to the Preferred
Securities, including any amendments thereto;
(ii) the determination of the States in which to take
appropriate action to qualify or register for sale all or part of the
Preferred Securities and the determination of any and all such acts,
other than actions which must be taken by or on behalf of the Trust,
and the advice to the Trustees of actions they must take on behalf of
the Trust, and the preparation for execution and filing of any
documents to be executed and filed by the Trust or on behalf of the
Trust, as the Depositor deems necessary or advisable in order to
comply with the applicable laws of any such States;
(iii) the preparation for filing by the Trust and
execution on behalf of the Trust of an application to the New York
Stock Exchange or any other national stock exchange or the Nasdaq
National Market for listing upon notice of issuance of any Preferred
Securities;
(iv) the preparation for filing by the Trust with the
Commission and the execution on behalf of the Trust of a registration
statement on Form 8-A relating to the registration of the Preferred
Securities under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, including
any amendments thereto;
(v) the negotiation of the terms of, and the execution
and delivery of, the Underwriting Agreement providing for the sale of
the Preferred Securities; and
(vi) the taking of any other actions deemed by the
Depositor necessary or desirable to carry out any of the foregoing
activities.
(d) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary,
the Administrative Trustees are authorized and directed to conduct the affairs
of the Trust and to operate the Trust so that the Trust will not be deemed to
be an "investment company" required to be registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, or taxed as a corporation for United States
Federal income tax purposes and so that the Debentures will be treated as
indebtedness of the Depositor for United States Federal income tax purposes. In
this connection, the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees are authorized
to take any action, not inconsistent with applicable law, the Certificate of
Trust or this Trust Agreement, that each of the Depositor and the
Administrative Trustees determines in their discretion to be
20
15
necessary or desirable for such purposes, as long as such action does not
adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the holders of the
Preferred Securities.
Section 2.8. Assets of Trust.
The assets of the Trust shall consist of the Trust Property.
Section 2.9. Title to Trust Property.
Legal title to all Trust Property shall be vested at all times
in the Property Trustee (in its capacity as such) and shall be held and
administered by the Property Trustee for the benefit of the Trust and the
Securityholders in accordance with this Trust Agreement.
ARTICLE III.
PAYMENT ACCOUNT
Section 3.1. Payment Account.
(a) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Property
Trustee shall establish the Payment Account. The Property Trustee and any
agent of the Property Trustee shall have exclusive control and sole right of
withdrawal with respect to the Payment Account for the purpose of making
deposits in and withdrawals from the Payment Account in accordance with this
Trust Agreement. All monies and other property deposited or held from time to
time in the Payment Account shall be held by the Property Trustee in the
Payment Account for the exclusive benefit of the Securityholders and for
distribution as herein provided, including (and subject to) any priority of
payments provided for herein.
(b) The Property Trustee shall deposit in the Payment
Account, promptly upon receipt, all payments of principal of or interest on,
and any other payments or proceeds with respect to, the Debentures. Amounts
held in the Payment Account shall not be invested by the Property Trustee
pending distribution thereof.
ARTICLE IV.
CERTAIN TERMS OF THE TRUST SECURITIES
Section 4.1. Distributions.
(a) Distributions on the Trust Securities shall be
cumulative, and will accumulate whether or not there are funds of the Trust
available for the payment of Distributions. Distributions shall accrue from
_________________, and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on [ ], [
], [ ] and [ ] of each year, commencing on _________, 1998 except
as provided below. The Depositor has the right under the Indenture
21
16
to defer payments of interest by extending the interest payment period from
time to time on the Debentures for a period not extending, in the aggregate,
beyond the maturity date of the Debentures (each as "Extension Period").
During such Extension Period, no interest shall be due and payable on the
Debentures. As a consequence of such deferral, Distributions will also be
deferred. Despite such deferral, quarterly Distributions will continue to
accumulate, compounded quarterly during any such Extension Period (to the
extent permitted by applicable law). Payments of accrued Distributions will be
payable to Holders as they appear on the books and records of the Trust on the
first record date after the end of the Extension Period. Upon the termination
of any Extension Period and the payment of all amounts then due, the Depositor
may commence a new Extension Period; provided that such Extension Period
together with all such previous and further extensions thereof may not exceed
beyond the maturity date of the Debentures. If any date on which a
Distribution is otherwise payable on the Trust Securities is not a Business
Day, then the payment of such Distribution shall be made on the next succeeding
day that is a Business Day (and without any interest or other payment in
respect of any such delay) except that, if such Business Day is in the next
succeeding calendar year, payment of such Distribution shall be made on the
immediately preceding Business Day, in each case with the same force and effect
as if made on such date (each date on which distributions are payable in
accordance with this Section 4.1(a), a "Distribution Date").
(b) The Trust Securities represent undivided
beneficial ownership interests in the Trust Property, and, as a practical
matter, the Distributions on the Trust Securities shall be payable at a rate of
____% per annum (the "Coupon Rate") of the Liquidation Amount of the Trust
Securities. Distributions in arrears for more than one quarter will
accumulate and compound at the Coupon Rate. The term "Distributions" as used
in this Trust Agreement includes such cash distributions and any such
accumulated amounts that are payable unless otherwise stated. A Distribution
is payable only to the extent that payments are made in respect of the
Debentures held by the Property Trustee and to the extent the Property Trustee
has funds available therefor. The amount of Distributions payable for any full
period shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day
months.
(c) Distributions on the Trust Securities shall be
made by the Property Trustee from the Payment Account and shall be payable on
each Distribution Date only to the extent that the Trust has funds then on hand
and available in the Payment Account for the payment of such Distributions.
(d) Distributions on the Trust Securities with respect
to a Distribution Date shall be payable to the Holders thereof as they appear
on the Securities Register for the Trust Securities on the relevant record
date, which shall be one Business Day prior to such Distribution Date;
provided, however, that in the event that the Preferred Securities do not
remain in book-entry-only form, the relevant record date shall be the date 15
days prior to the relevant Distribution Date.
22
17
Section 4.2. Redemption.
(a) On each Debenture Redemption Date and on the
stated maturity of the Debentures, the Trust will be required to redeem a Like
Amount of Trust Securities at the Redemption Price.
(b) Notice of redemption shall be given by the
Property Trustee by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30
nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date to each Holder of Trust
Securities to be redeemed, at such Holder's address appearing in the Security
Register. All notices of redemption shall state:
(i) the Redemption Date;
(ii) the Redemption Price;
(iii) the CUSIP number;
(iv) if less than all the Outstanding Trust Securities
are to be redeemed, the identification and the total Liquidation
Amount of the particular Trust Securities to be redeemed; and
(v) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price
will become due and payable upon each such Trust Security to be
redeemed and that distributions thereon will cease to accrue on and
after said date.
(c) The Trust Securities redeemed on each Redemption
Date shall be redeemed at the Redemption Price with the proceeds from the
contemporaneous redemption of Debentures. Redemptions of the Trust Securities
shall be made and the Redemption Price shall be payable on each Redemption Date
only to the extent that the Trust has funds then on hand and available in the
Payment Account for the payment of such Redemption Price.
(d) If the Property Trustee gives a notice of
redemption in respect of any Trust Securities, then, by 12:00 noon, New York
City time, on the Redemption Date, subject to Section 4.2(c), the Property
Trustee will, so long as the Trust Securities are in book-entry-only form,
irrevocably deposit with the Clearing Agency for the Trust Securities funds
sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption Price and will give such Clearing
Agency irrevocable instructions and authority to pay the Redemption Price to
the holders thereof. If the Trust Securities are no longer in book-entry-only
form, the Property Trustee, subject to Section 4.2(c), will irrevocably deposit
with the Paying Agent funds sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption Price
and will give the Paying Agent irrevocable instructions and authority to pay
the Redemption Price to the Holders thereof upon surrender of their Trust
Securities Certificates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Distributions payable
on or prior to the Redemption Date for any Trust Securities called for
redemption shall be payable to the Holders of such Trust Securities as they
appear on the Register for the Trust Securities on the relevant record dates
for the related Distribution Dates. If notice of redemption shall have been
given and funds deposited as required, then immediately prior to the close of
business
23
18
on the date of such deposit, all rights of Securityholders holding Trust
Securities so called for redemption will cease, except the right of such
Securityholders to receive the Redemption Price and any Distribution payable on
or prior to the Redemption Date, but without interest, and such Securities will
cease to be outstanding. In the event that any date on which any Redemption
Price is payable is not a Business Day, then payment of the Redemption Price
payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business
Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any such delay),
except that, if such Business Day falls in the next calendar year, such payment
will be made on the immediately preceding Business Day, in each case, with the
same force and effect as if made on such date. In the event that payment of
the Redemption Price in respect of any Trust Securities called for redemption
is improperly withheld or refused and not paid either by the Trust or by the
Depositor pursuant to the Guarantee, Distributions on such Trust Securities
will continue to accrue, at the then applicable rate, from the Redemption Date
originally established by the Trust for such Trust Securities to the date such
Redemption Price is actually paid, in which case the actual payment date will
be the date fixed for redemption for purposes of calculating the Redemption
Price.
(e) Payment of the Redemption Price on the Trust
Securities shall be made to the recordholders thereof as they appear on the
Securities Register for the Trust Securities on the relevant record date, which
shall be one Business Day prior to the relevant Redemption Date; provided,
however, that in the event that the Preferred Securities do not remain in
book-entry-only form, the relevant record date shall be the date 15 days prior
to the relevant Redemption Date.
(f) If less than all the Outstanding Trust Securities
are to be redeemed on a Redemption Date, then the aggregate Liquidation Amount
of Trust Securities to be redeemed shall be allocated on a pro rata basis
(based on Liquidation Amounts) among the Common Securities and the Preferred
Securities. The particular Preferred Securities to be redeemed shall be
selected on a pro rata basis (based upon Liquidation Amounts) not more than 60
days prior to the Redemption Date by the Property Trustee from the Outstanding
Preferred Securities not previously called for redemption which may provide for
the selection for redemption of portions (equal to $[ ] or an integral multiple
of $[ ] in excess thereof) of the Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities of
a denomination larger than $[__]. The Property Trustee shall promptly notify
the Security Registrar in writing of the Preferred Securities selected for
redemption and, in the case of any Preferred Securities selected for partial
redemption, the Liquidation Amount thereof to be redeemed. For all purposes of
this Trust Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions
relating to the redemption of Preferred Securities shall relate, in the case of
any Preferred Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the
portion of the Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities that has been or is
to be redeemed.
Section 4.3. Subordination of Common Securities.
(a) Payment of Distributions on, and the Redemption
Price of, the Trust Securities, as applicable, shall be made, subject to
Section 4.2(f), pro rata among the Common Securities and the Preferred
Securities based on the Liquidation Amount of the
24
19
Trust Securities; provided, however, that if on any Distribution Date or
Redemption Date any Event of Default resulting from a Debenture Event of
Default shall have occurred and be continuing, no payment of any Distribution
on, or Redemption Price of, any Common Security, and no other payment on
account of the redemption, liquidation or other acquisition of Common
Securities, shall be made unless payment in full in cash of all accumulated and
unpaid Distributions on all Outstanding Preferred Securities for all
Distribution periods terminating on or prior thereto, or in the case of payment
of the Redemption Price the full amount of such Redemption Price on all
Outstanding Preferred Securities, shall have been made or provided for, and all
funds immediately available to the Property Trustee shall first be applied to
the payment in full in cash of all Distributions on, or the Redemption Price
of, Preferred Securities then due and payable.
(b) In the case of the occurrence of any Event of
Default resulting from any Debenture Event of Default, the Holder of Common
Securities will be deemed to have waived any right to act with respect to any
such Event of Default under this Trust Agreement until the effect of all such
Events of Default with respect to the Preferred Securities have been cured,
waived or otherwise eliminated. Until any such Event of Default under this
Trust Agreement with respect to the Preferred Securities has been so cured,
waived or otherwise eliminated, the Property Trustee shall act solely on behalf
of the Holders of the Preferred Securities and not the Holder of the Common
Securities, and only the Holders of the Preferred Securities will have the
right to direct the Property Trustee to act on their behalf.
Section 4.4. Payment Procedures.
Payments of Distributions in respect of the Preferred
Securities shall be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled
thereto as such address shall appear on the Securities Register or, if the
Preferred Securities are held by a Clearing Agency, such Distributions shall be
made to the Clearing Agency in immediately available funds, which shall credit
the relevant Persons' accounts at such Clearing Agency on the applicable
distribution dates. Payments in respect of the Common Securities shall be made
in such manner as shall be mutually agreed between the Property Trustee and the
Common Securityholder.
Section 4.5. Tax Returns and Reports.
The Administrative Trustees shall prepare (or cause to be
prepared), at the Depositor's expense, and file all United States Federal,
state and local tax and information returns and reports required to be filed by
or in respect of the Trust. In this regard, the Administrative Trustees shall
(a) prepare and file (or cause to be prepared and filed) the appropriate
Internal Revenue Service form required to be filed in respect of the Trust in
each taxable year of the Trust and (b) prepare and furnish (or cause to be
prepared and furnished) to each Securityholder the appropriate Internal Revenue
Service form required to be provided or the information required to be provided
on such form. The Administrative Trustees shall provide the Depositor and the
Property Trustee with a copy of all such returns and reports promptly after
such filing or furnishing. The Trustees shall comply with United States Federal
25
20
withholding and backup withholding tax laws and information reporting
requirements with respect to any payments to Securityholders under the Trust
Securities.
Section 4.6. Intentionally Omitted.
Section 4.7. Payments under Indenture.
Any amount payable hereunder to any Holder of Preferred
Securities (and any Owner with respect thereto) shall be reduced by the amount
of any corresponding payment such Holder (and Owner) has directly received
pursuant to Section __ of the Indenture.
ARTICLE V.
TRUST SECURITIES CERTIFICATES
Section 5.1. Initial Ownership.
Upon the creation of the Trust and the contribution by the
Depositor pursuant to Section 2.3 and until the issuance of the Trust
Securities, and at any time during which no Trust Securities are outstanding,
the Depositor shall be the sole beneficial owner of the Trust.
Section 5.2. The Trust Securities Certificates.
The Preferred Securities Certificates shall be issued in
minimum denominations of $[ ] Liquidation Amount and integral multiples of $[ ]
in excess thereof, and the Common Securities Certificates shall be issued in
denominations of $[ ] Liquidation Amount and integral multiples of $[ ] in
excess thereof. The Trust Securities Certificates shall be executed on behalf
of the Trust by manual signature of at least one Administrative Trustee. Trust
Securities Certificates bearing the manual signatures of individuals who were,
at the time when such signatures shall have been affixed, authorized to sign on
behalf of the Trust, shall be validly issued and entitled to the benefits of
this Trust Agreement, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them
shall have ceased to be so authorized prior to the delivery of such Trust
Securities Certificates or did not hold such offices at the date of delivery of
such Trust Securities Certificates. A transferee of a Trust Securities
Certificate shall become a Securityholder, and shall be entitled to the rights
and subject to the obligations of a Securityholder hereunder, upon due
registration of such Trust Securities Certificate in such transferee's name
pursuant to Sections 5.4, 5.11 and 5.13.
Section 5.3. Execution and Delivery of Trust Securities
Certificates.
At each Time of Delivery, the Administrative Trustees shall
cause Trust Securities Certificates, in an aggregate Liquidation Amount as
provided in Sections 2.4 and 2.5, to be executed on behalf of the Trust and
delivered to or upon the written order of the Depositor, signed by its Chairman
or a Vice Chairman of the Board, President or a Vice President, and by its
Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Comptroller, an Assistant Comptroller,
26
21
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary without further corporate action by the
Depositor, in authorized denominations.
Section 5.4. Registration of Transfer and Exchange of
Preferred Securities Certificates.
The Depositor shall keep or cause to be kept, at the office or
agency maintained pursuant to Section 5.8, a register or registers for the
purpose of registering Trust Securities Certificates and transfers and
exchanges of Preferred Securities Certificates (the "Securities Register") in
which, the registrar designated by the Depositor (the "Securities Registrar"),
subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, shall provide for
the registration of Preferred Securities Certificates and Common Securities
Certificates (subject to Section 5.10 in the case of the Common Securities
Certificates) and registration of transfers and exchanges of Preferred
Securities Certificates as herein provided. The Bank shall be the initial
Securities Registrar.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Preferred
Securities Certificate at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section
5.8, the Administrative Trustees or any one of them shall execute and deliver,
in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new
Preferred Securities Certificates in authorized denominations of a like
aggregate Liquidation Amount dated the date of execution by such Administrative
Trustee or Trustees.
The Securities Registrar shall not be required to register the
transfer of any Preferred Securities that have been called for redemption. At
the option of a Holder, Preferred Securities Certificates may be exchanged for
other Preferred Securities Certificates in authorized denominations of the same
class and of a like aggregate Liquidation Amount upon surrender of the
Preferred Securities Certificates to be exchanged at the office or agency
maintained pursuant to Section 5.8.
Every Preferred Securities Certificate presented or
surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be accompanied by a
written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Property Trustee and
the Securities Registrar duly executed by the Holder or his attorney duly
authorized in writing. Each Preferred Securities Certificate surrendered for
registration of transfer or exchange shall be cancelled and subsequently
disposed of by the Property Trustee in accordance with its customary practice.
No service charge shall be made for any registration of
transfer or exchange of Preferred Securities Certificates, but the Securities
Registrar may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer or
exchange of Preferred Securities Certificates.
27
22
Section 5.5. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Trust
Securities Certificates.
If (a) any mutilated Trust Securities Certificate shall be
surrendered to the Securities Registrar, or if the Securities Registrar shall
receive evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any
Trust Securities Certificate and (b) there shall be delivered to the Securities
Registrar and the Administrative Trustees such security or indemnity as may be
required by them to save each of them harmless, then in the absence of notice
that such Trust Securities Certificate shall have been acquired by a bona fide
purchaser, the Administrative Trustees, or any one of them, on behalf of the
Trust shall execute and make available for delivery, in exchange for or in lieu
of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Trust Securities Certificate,
a new Trust Securities Certificate of like class, tenor and denomination. In
connection with the issuance of any new Trust Securities Certificate under this
Section, the Administrative Trustees or the Securities Registrar may require
the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge
that may be imposed in connection therewith. Any duplicate Trust Securities
Certificate issued pursuant to this Section shall constitute conclusive
evidence of an undivided beneficial ownership interest in the assets of the
Trust, as if originally issued, whether or not the lost, stolen or destroyed
Trust Securities Certificate shall be found at any time.
Section 5.6. Persons Deemed Securityholders.
The Administrative Trustees or the Securities Registrar shall
treat the Person in whose name any Trust Securities Certificate shall be
registered in the Securities Register as the owner of such Trust Securities
Certificate for the purpose of receiving distributions and for all other
purposes whatsoever, and neither the Trustees nor the Securities Registrar
shall be bound by any notice to the contrary.
Section 5.7. Access to List of Securityholders' Names and
Addresses.
Trust Securities Certificate, and each Owner shall be deemed
to have agreed not to hold the Depositor, the Property Trustee or the
Administrative Trustees accountable by reason of the disclosure of its name and
address, regardless of the source from which such information was derived.
Section 5.8. Maintenance of Office or Agency.
The Administrative Trustees shall maintain an office or
offices or agency or agencies where Preferred Securities Certificates may be
surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and
demands to or upon the Trustees in respect of the Trust Securities Certificates
may be served. The Administrative Trustees initially designate Associates
First Capital Corporation, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000,
Attn: Treasurer, as its principal corporate trust office for such purposes. The
Administrative Trustees shall give prompt written notice to the Depositor and
to the Securityholders of any change in the location of the Securities Register
or any such office or agency.
28
23
Section 5.9. Appointment of Paying Agent.
The Paying Agent shall make distributions to Securityholders
from the Payment Account and shall report the amounts of such distributions to
the Property Trustee and the Administrative Trustees. Any Paying Agent shall
have the revocable power to withdraw funds from the Payment Account for the
purpose of making the distributions referred to above. The Administrative
Trustees may revoke such power and remove the Paying Agent if such Trustees
determine in their sole discretion that the Paying Agent shall have failed to
perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement in any material respect. The
Paying Agent shall initially be the Bank, and any co-paying agent chosen by the
Bank, and acceptable to the Administrative Trustees and the Depositor. Any
Person acting as Paying Agent shall be permitted to resign as Paying Agent upon
30 days' written notice to the Administrative Trustees, the Property Trustee
and the Depositor. In the event that the Bank shall no longer be the Paying
Agent or a successor Paying Agent shall resign or its authority to act be
revoked, the Administrative Trustees shall appoint a successor that is
acceptable to the Property Trustee and the Depositor to act as Paying Agent
(which shall be a bank or trust company). The Administrative Trustees shall
cause such successor Paying Agent or any additional Paying Agent appointed by
the Administrative Trustees to execute and deliver to the Trustees an
instrument in which such successor Paying Agent or additional Paying Agent
shall agree with the Trustees that as Paying Agent, such successor Paying Agent
or additional Paying Agent will hold all sums, if any, held by it for payment
to the Securityholders in trust for the benefit of the Securityholders entitled
thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Securityholders. The Paying Agent
shall return all unclaimed funds to the Property Trustee and upon removal of a
Paying Agent such Paying Agent shall also return all funds in its possession to
the Property Trustee. The provisions of Sections 8.1, 8.3 and 8.6 herein shall
apply to the Bank also in its role as Paying Agent, for so long as the Bank
shall act as Paying Agent and, to the extent applicable, to any other paying
agent appointed hereunder. Any reference in this Agreement to the Paying Agent
shall include any co-paying agent unless the context requires otherwise.
Section 5.10. Ownership of Common Securities by Depositor.
At each Time of Delivery, the Depositor shall acquire and
retain beneficial and record ownership of the Common Securities. To the fullest
extent permitted by law, other than transactions permitted by Section __ of the
Indenture, any attempted transfer of the Common Securities shall be void. The
Administrative Trustees shall cause each Common Securities Certificate issued
to the Depositor to contain a legend stating "THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT
TRANSFERABLE" OTHER THAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TRUST AGREEMENT (AS DEFINED
BELOW).
Section 5.11. Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates;
Common Securities Certificate.
(a) The Preferred Securities Certificates, upon
original issuance, will be issued in the form of a typewritten Preferred
Securities Certificate or Certificates representing Book-Entry Preferred
Securities Certificates, to be delivered to The Depository Trust
29
24
Company, the initial Clearing Agency, by, or on behalf of, the Trust. Such
Preferred Securities Certificate or Certificates shall initially be registered
on the Securities Register in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of the
initial Clearing Agency, and no beneficial owner will receive a Definitive
Preferred Securities Certificate representing such beneficial owner's interest
in such Preferred Securities, except as provided in Section 5.13. Unless and
until Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates have been issued to
beneficial owners pursuant to Section 5.13:
(i) the provisions of this Section 5.11(a) shall be in
full force and effect;
(ii) the Securities Registrar and the Trustees shall be
entitled to deal with the Clearing Agency for all purposes of this
Trust Agreement relating to the Book-Entry Preferred Securities
Certificates (including the payment of the Liquidation Amount of and
Distributions on the Book-Entry Preferred Securities and the giving of
instructions or directions to Owners of Book-Entry Preferred
Securities) as the sole Holder of Book-Entry Preferred Securities and
shall have no obligations to the Owners thereof;
(iii) to the extent that the provisions of this Section
5.11 conflict with any other provisions of this Trust Agreement, the
provisions of this Section 5.11 shall control; and
(iv) the rights of the Owners of the Book-Entry
Preferred Securities Certificates shall be exercised only through the
Clearing Agency and shall be limited to those established by law and
agreements between such Owners and the Clearing Agency and/or the
Clearing Agency Participants. Pursuant to the Certificate Depository
Agreement, unless and until Definitive Preferred Securities
Certificates are issued pursuant to Section 5.13, the initial Clearing
Agency will make book-entry transfers among the Clearing Agency
Participants and receive and transmit payments on the Preferred
Securities to such Clearing Agency Participants.
(b) A single Common Securities Certificate
representing the Common Securities shall be issued to the Depositor in the form
of a definitive Common Securities Certificate.
Section 5.12. Notices to Clearing Agency.
To the extent that a notice or other communication to the
Owners is required under this Trust Agreement, unless and until Definitive
Preferred Securities Certificates shall have been issued to Owners pursuant to
Section 5.13, the Trustees shall give all such notices and communications
specified herein to be given to Owners to the Clearing Agency, and shall have
no obligations to the Owners.
30
25
Section 5.13. Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates.
If (a) the Depositor advises the Trustees in writing that the
Clearing Agency is no longer willing or able to properly discharge its
responsibilities with respect to the Preferred Securities Certificates, and the
Depositor is unable to locate a qualified successor, (b) the Depositor at its
option advises the Trustees in writing that it elects to terminate the
book-entry system through the Clearing Agency or (c) after the occurrence of a
Debenture Event of Default, Owners of Preferred Securities Certificates
representing beneficial ownership interests aggregating at least a majority of
the Liquidation Amount advise the Property Trustee in writing that the
continuation of a book-entry system through the Clearing Agency is no longer in
the best interest of the Owners of Preferred Securities Certificates, then the
Property Trustee shall notify the Clearing Agency and the Clearing Agency shall
notify all Owners of Preferred Securities Certificates and the other Trustees
of the occurrence of any such event and of the availability of the Definitive
Preferred Securities Certificates to Owners of such class or classes, as
applicable, requesting the same. Upon surrender to the Property Trustee of
the typewritten Preferred Securities Certificate or Certificates representing
the Book Entry Preferred Securities Certificates by the Clearing Agency,
accompanied by registration instructions, the Administrative Trustees, or any
one of them, shall execute the Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates in
accordance with the instructions of the Clearing Agency. Neither the Securities
Registrar nor the Trustees shall be liable for any delay in delivery of such
instructions and may conclusively rely on, and shall be protected in relying
on, such instructions. Upon the issuance of Definitive Preferred Securities
Certificates, the Trustees shall recognize the Holders of the Definitive
Preferred Securities Certificates as Securityholders. The Definitive Preferred
Securities Certificates shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or may be
produced in any other manner as is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative
Trustees, as evidenced by the execution thereof by the Administrative Trustees
or any one of them.
Section 5.14. Rights of Securityholders.
(a) The legal title to the Trust Property is vested
exclusively in the Property Trustee (in its capacity as such) in accordance
with Section 2.9, and the Securityholders shall not have any right or title
therein other than the undivided beneficial ownership interests in the assets
of the Trust conferred by their Trust Securities and they shall have no right
to call for any partition or division of property, profits or rights of the
Trust except as described below. The Trust Securities shall be personal
property giving only the rights specifically set forth therein and in this
Trust Agreement. By acceptance of a beneficial interest in the Trust
Securities, Holders agree to treat the Debentures as indebtedness for all
United States tax purposes. The Trust Securities shall have no preemptive or
similar rights and when issued and delivered to Securityholders against payment
of the purchase price therefor will be fully paid and nonassessable by the
Trust. The Holders of the Trust Securities, in their capacities as such, 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.
31
26
(b) For so long as any Preferred Securities remain
Outstanding, if, upon a Debenture Event of Default, the Indenture Trustee fails
or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding Debentures fail to declare the principal of all of the Debentures
to be immediately due and payable, the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate
Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities then Outstanding shall have such
right by a notice in writing to the Depositor and the Indenture Trustee; and
upon any such declaration such principal amount of and the accrued interest on
all of the Debentures shall become immediately due and payable, provided that
the payment of principal and interest on such Debentures shall remain
subordinated to the extent provided in the Indenture. At any time after such a
declaration of acceleration with respect to the Debentures has been made and
before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by
the Indenture Trustee as in the Indenture provided, the Holders of a majority
in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities, by written notice to the
Property Trustee, the Depositor and the Indenture Trustee, may rescind and
annul such declaration and its consequences if:
(i) the Depositor has paid or deposited with the
Indenture Trustee a sum sufficient to pay
(A) all overdue installments of interest on all
of the Debentures,
(B) the principal of (and premium, if any, on)
any Debentures which have become due otherwise than by such
declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate
borne by the Debentures, and
(C) all sums paid or advanced by the Indenture
Trustee under the Indenture and the reasonable compensation,
expenses, disbursements and advances of the Indenture Trustee
and the Property Trustee, their agents and counsel; and
(ii) all Events of Default with respect to the
Debentures, other than the non-payment of the principal of the
Debentures which has become due solely by such acceleration, have been
cured or waived as provided in Section 8.01 of the Indenture.
The Holders of a majority in aggregate Liquidation Amount of
the Preferred Securities may, on behalf of the Holders of all the Preferred
Securities, waive any past default under the Indenture, except a default in the
payment of principal or interest (unless such default has been cured and a sum
sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest and principal due
otherwise than by acceleration has been deposited with the Indenture Trustee)
or a default in respect of a covenant or provision which under the Indenture
cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each
outstanding Debenture. No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default
or impair any right consequent thereon. Upon receipt by the Property Trustee of
written notice declaring such an acceleration, or rescission and annulment
thereof, by Holders of the Preferred Securities all or part of which is
represented by Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates, a record date
shall be established for determining Holders of Outstanding Preferred
Securities entitled to join in such notice, which record date shall be at the
close of business on the day the Property Trustee receives
32
27
such notice. The Holders on such record date, or their duly designated proxies,
and only such Persons, shall be entitled to join in such notice, whether or not
such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided, that, unless such
declaration of acceleration, or rescission and annulment, as the case may be,
shall have become effective by virtue of the requisite percentage having joined
in such notice prior to the day which is 90 days after such record date, such
notice of declaration of acceleration, or rescission and annulment, as the case
may be, shall automatically and without further action by any Holder be
canceled and of no further effect. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent a
Holder, or a proxy of a Holder, from giving, after expiration of such 90-day
period, a new written notice of declaration of acceleration, or rescission and
annulment thereof, as the case may be, that is identical to a written notice
which has been canceled pursuant to the proviso to the preceding sentence, in
which event a new record date shall be established pursuant to the provisions
of this Section 5.14(c).
(c) For so long as any Preferred Securities remain
Outstanding, to the fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the terms of
this Trust Agreement and the Indenture, upon a Debenture Event of Default
specified in Section 8.01(1) or 8.01(2) of the Indenture, any Holder of
Preferred Securities shall have the right to institute a proceeding directly
against the Depositor, pursuant to the Indenture, for enforcement of payment to
such Holder of the principal amount of or interest on Debentures having a
principal amount equal to the Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities of
such Holder (a "Direct Action"). In connection with any such Direct Action,
the Holder of the Common Securities will be subrogated to the rights of any
Holder of the Preferred Securities to the extent of any payment made by the
Depositor to such Holder of Preferred Securities as a result of such Direct
Action. Except as set forth in Section 5.14(b) and (c), the Holders of
Preferred Securities shall have no right to exercise directly any right or
remedy available to the holders of, or in respect of, the Debentures.
ARTICLE VI.
ACTS OF SECURITYHOLDERS; MEETINGS; VOTING
Section 6.1. Limitations on Voting Rights.
(a) Except as provided in this Section, in Sections
5.14, 8.10 and 10.2 and in the Indenture and as otherwise required by law, no
Holder of Preferred Securities shall have any right to vote or in any manner
otherwise control the administration, operation and management of the Trust or
the obligations of the parties hereto, nor shall anything herein set forth, or
contained in the terms of the Trust Securities Certificates, be construed so as
to constitute the Securityholders from time to time as partners or members of
an association.
(b) So long as any Debentures are held by the Property
Trustee, the Trustees shall not (i) direct the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Indenture Trustee, or
executing any trust or power conferred on the Indenture Trustee with respect to
such Debentures, (ii) waive any past default which is waivable under Section
8.01 of the Indenture, (iii) exercise any right to rescind or annul a
33
28
declaration that the principal of all the Debentures shall be due and payable
or (iv) consent to any amendment, modification or termination of the Indenture
or the Debentures, where such consent shall be required, without, in each case,
obtaining the prior approval of the Holders of at least a majority in
Liquidation Amount of all Outstanding Preferred Securities, provided, however,
that where a consent under the Indenture would require the consent of each
Holder of Debentures affected thereby, no such consent shall be given by the
Property Trustee without the prior written consent of each Holder of Preferred
Securities. The Trustees shall not revoke any action previously authorized or
approved by a vote of the Holders of Preferred Securities, except by a
subsequent vote of the Holders of Preferred Securities. The Property Trustee
shall notify all Holders of the Preferred Securities of any notice of default
received from the Indenture Trustee with respect to the Debentures. In addition
to obtaining the foregoing approvals of the Holders of the Preferred
Securities, prior to taking any of the foregoing actions, the Trustees shall,
at the expense of the Depositor, obtain an Opinion of Counsel experienced in
such matters to the effect that the Trust will not be classified as an
association taxable as a corporation for United States Federal income tax
purposes on account of such action.
(c) If any proposed amendment to the Trust Agreement
provides for, or the Trustees otherwise propose to effect, (i) any action that
would adversely affect in any material respect the powers, preferences or
special rights of the Preferred Securities, whether by way of amendment to the
Trust Agreement or otherwise, or (ii) the dissolution, winding-up or
termination of the Trust, other than pursuant to the terms of this Trust
Agreement, then the Holders of Outstanding Preferred Securities as a class will
be entitled to vote on such amendment or proposal and such amendment or
proposal shall not be effective except with the approval of the Holders of at
least a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Outstanding Preferred Securities.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Trust Agreement, no amendment to
this Trust Agreement may be made if, as a result of such amendment, the Trust
would be classified as an association taxable as a corporation for United
States Federal income tax purposes.
Section 6.2. Notice of Meetings.
Notice of all meetings of the Preferred Securityholders,
stating the time, place and purpose of the meeting, shall be given by the
Property Trustee pursuant to Section 10.8 to each Preferred Securityholder of
record, at his registered address, at least 15 days and not more than 90 days
before the meeting. At any such meeting, any business properly before the
meeting may be so considered whether or not stated in the notice of the
meeting. Any adjourned meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice.
Section 6.3. Meetings of Preferred Securityholders.
No annual meeting of Securityholders is required to be held.
The Administrative Trustees, however, shall call a meeting of Securityholders
to vote on any matter upon the written request of the Preferred Securityholders
of record of 25% in aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities
(based upon their Liquidation Amount) and the Administrative Trustees or the
Property Trustee may, at any time in their
34
29
discretion, call a meeting of Preferred Securityholders to vote on any matters
as to which Preferred Securityholders are entitled to vote.
Preferred Securityholders of record of 50% of the Outstanding
Preferred Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount), present in person
or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of Securityholders.
If a quorum is present at a meeting, an affirmative vote by
the Preferred Securityholders of record present, in person or by proxy, holding
a majority of the Preferred Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount)
held by the Preferred Securityholders of record present, either in person or by
proxy, at such meeting shall constitute the action of the Securityholders,
unless this Trust Agreement requires a greater number of affirmative votes.
Section 6.4. Voting Rights.
Securityholders shall be entitled to one vote for each $[ ] of
Liquidation Amount represented by their Trust Securities in respect of any
matter as to which such Securityholders are entitled to vote.
Section 6.5. Proxies, etc.
At any meeting of Securityholders, any Securityholder entitled
to vote thereat may vote by proxy, provided that no proxy shall be voted at any
meeting unless it shall have been placed on file with the Administrative
Trustees, or with such other officer or agent of the Trust as the
Administrative Trustees may direct, for verification prior to the time at which
such vote shall be taken. Pursuant to a resolution of the Property Trustee,
proxies may be solicited in the name of the Property Trustee or one or more
officers of the Property Trustee. Only Securityholders of record shall be
entitled to vote. When Trust Securities are held jointly by several persons,
any one of them may vote at any meeting in person or by proxy in respect of
such Trust Securities, but if more than one of them shall be present at such
meeting in person or by proxy, and such joint owners or their proxies so
present disagree as to any vote to be cast, such vote shall not be received in
respect of such Trust Securities. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on
behalf of a Securityholder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior
to its exercise, and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the
challenger. No proxy shall be valid more than three years after its date of
execution.
Section 6.6. Securityholder Action by Written Consent.
Any action which may be taken by Securityholders at a meeting
may be taken without a meeting if Securityholders holding a majority of all
Outstanding Trust Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount) entitled to
vote in respect of such action (or such larger proportion thereof as shall be
required by any express provision of this Trust Agreement) shall consent to the
action in writing.
Section 6.7. Record Date for Voting and Other Purposes.
35
30
For the purposes of determining the Securityholders who are
entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting or by written consent, or to
participate in any distribution on the Trust Securities in respect of which a
record date is not otherwise provided for in this Trust Agreement, or for the
purpose of any other action, the Administrative Trustees may from time to time
fix a date, not more than 90 days prior to the date of any meeting of
Securityholders or the payment of a distribution or other action, as the case
may be, as a record date for the determination of the identity of the
Securityholders of record for such purposes.
Section 6.8. Acts of Securityholders.
Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice,
consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Trust Agreement
to be given, made or taken by Securityholders may be embodied in and evidenced
by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such
Securityholders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except
as otherwise expressly provided herein, such action shall become effective when
such instrument or instruments are delivered to an Administrative Trustee. Such
instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced
thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the "Act" of the Securityholders
signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such
instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for
any purpose of this Trust Agreement and (subject to Section 8.1) conclusive in
favor of the Trustees, if made in the manner provided in this Section.
The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such
instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such
execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by
law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing
such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where
such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual
capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof
of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or
writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved
in any other manner which any Trustee receiving the same deems sufficient.
The ownership of Preferred Securities shall be proved by the
Securities Register.
Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice,
consent, waiver or other Act of the Securityholder of any Trust Security shall
bind every future Securityholder of the same Trust Security and the
Securityholder of every Trust Security issued upon the registration of transfer
thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done,
omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustees or the Trust in reliance
thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Trust
Security.
Without limiting the foregoing, a Securityholder entitled
hereunder to take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Trust
Security may do so with regard to all or
36
31
any part of the Liquidation Amount of such Trust Security or by one or more
duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment with
regard to all or any part of such liquidation amount.
If any dispute shall arise between the Securityholders and the
Administrative Trustees or among such Securityholders or Trustees with respect
to the authenticity, validity or binding nature of any request, demand,
authorization, direction, consent, waiver or other Act of such Securityholder
or Trustee under this Article VI, then the determination of such matter by the
Property Trustee shall be conclusive with respect to such matter.
Section 6.9. Inspection of Records.
Upon reasonable notice to the Administrative Trustees and the
Property Trustee, the records of the Trust shall be open to inspection by
Securityholders during normal business hours for any purpose reasonably related
to such Securityholder's interest as a Securityholder.
ARTICLE VII.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Section 7.1. Representations and Warranties of the
Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee.
The Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee, each severally
on behalf of and as to itself, hereby represents and warrants for the benefit
of the Depositor and the Securityholders that:
(a) the Property Trustee is a New York banking
corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of New York;
(b) the Property Trustee meets the applicable
eligibility requirements set forth in Section 8.7, has full corporate
power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its
obligations under this Trust Agreement and has taken all necessary
action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by it of
this Trust Agreement;
(c) the Delaware Trustee is a Delaware banking
corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing in
the State of Delaware;
(d) the Delaware Trustee meets the applicable
eligibility requirements set forth in Section 8.7, has full corporate
power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver and perform its
obligations under this Trust Agreement and has taken all necessary
action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by it of
this Trust Agreement;
37
32
(e) this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Property Trustee and the Delaware
Trustee and constitutes the valid and legally binding agreement of
each of the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee enforceable
against each of them in accordance with its terms, subject to
bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization,
moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or
affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles;
(f) the execution, delivery and performance of this
Trust Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
or other action on the part of the Property Trustee and the Delaware
Trustee and do not require any approval of stockholders of the
Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee and such execution, delivery
and performance will not (i) violate the charter or by-laws of the
Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, (ii) violate any provision
of, or constitute, with or without notice or lapse of time, a default
under, or result in the creation or imposition of, any Lien on any
properties included in the Trust Property pursuant to the provisions
of, any indenture, mortgage, credit agreement, license or other
agreement or instrument to which the Property Trustee or the Delaware
Trustee is a party or by which it is bound, or (iii) violate any law,
governmental rule or regulation of the State of New York or the State
of Delaware, as the case may be, governing the corporate, banking,
trust or general powers of the Property Trustee or the Delaware
Trustee (as appropriate in context) or any order, judgment or decree
applicable to the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee;
(g) neither the authorization, execution or delivery
by the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee of this Trust
Agreement nor the consummation of any of the transactions by the
Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee (as appropriate in context)
contemplated herein or therein requires the consent or approval of,
the giving of notice to, the registration with or the taking of any
other action with respect to any governmental authority or agency
under any existing Federal law governing the banking, trust or general
powers of the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case
may be, under the laws of the State of New York or the State of
Delaware; and
(h) there are no proceedings pending or, to the best
of each of the Property Trustee's and the Delaware Trustee's
knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Property Trustee or the
Delaware Trustee in any court or before any governmental authority,
agency or arbitration board or tribunal which, individually or in the
aggregate, would materially and adversely affect the Trust or would
question the right, power and authority of the Property Trustee or the
Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, to enter into or perform its
obligations as one of the Trustees under this Trust Agreement.
Section 7.2. Representations and Warranties of Depositor.
The Depositor hereby represents and warrants for the benefit
of the Securityholders that:
38
33
(a) the Trust Securities Certificates issued at each
Time of Delivery on behalf of the Trust have been duly authorized and
will have been, duly and validly executed, issued and delivered by the
Trustees pursuant to the terms and provisions of, and in accordance
with the requirements of, this Trust Agreement, and the
Securityholders will be, as of each such date, entitled to the
benefits of this Trust Agreement; and
(b) there are no taxes, fees or other governmental
charges payable by the Trust (or the Trustees on behalf of the Trust)
under the laws of the State of Delaware or any political subdivision
thereof in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by
the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, of
this Trust Agreement.
ARTICLE VIII.
THE TRUSTEES
Section 8.1. Certain Duties and Responsibilities.
(a) The duties and responsibilities of the Trustees
shall be as provided by this Trust Agreement and, in the case of the Property
Trustee, subject to the Trust Indenture Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no
provision of this Trust Agreement shall require the Trustees to expend or risk
their own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance
of any of their duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of their rights or
powers, if they shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of
such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it. Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every
provision of this Trust Agreement relating to the conduct or affecting the
liability of or affording protection to the Trustees shall be subject to the
provisions of this Section. Nothing in this Trust Agreement shall be construed
to release the Property Trustee from liability for its own gross negligent
action, its own gross negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct.
To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Administrative Trustee has duties
(including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Trust or
to the Securityholders, such Administrative Trustee shall not be liable to the
Trust or to any Securityholder for such Trustee's good faith reliance on the
provisions of this Trust Agreement. The provisions of this Trust Agreement, to
the extent that they restrict the duties and liabilities of the Administrative
Trustees otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Depositor
and the Securityholders to replace such other duties and liabilities of the
Administrative Trustees.
(b) All payments made by the Property Trustee or a
Paying Agent in respect of the Trust Securities shall be made only from the
revenue and proceeds from the Trust Property and only to the extent that there
shall be sufficient revenue or proceeds from the Trust Property to enable the
Property Trustee or a Paying Agent to make payments in accordance with the
terms hereof. Each Securityholder, by its acceptance of a Trust Security,
agrees that it will look solely to the revenue and proceeds from the Trust
Property to the
39
34
extent legally available for distribution to it as herein provided and that the
Trustees are not personally liable to it for any amount distributable in
respect of any Trust Security or for any other liability in respect of any
Trust Security. This Section 8.1(b) does not limit the liability of the
Trustees expressly set forth elsewhere in this Trust Agreement and, in the case
of the Property Trustee, in the Trust Indenture Act.
(c) No provision of this Trust Agreement shall be
construed to relieve the Property Trustee from liability for its own negligent
action or its own negligent failure to act, except that:
(i) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any
error of judgment made in good faith by an authorized officer of the
Property Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Property Trustee
was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
(ii) 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 Trust 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 Trust Agreement;
(iii) the Property Trustee's sole duty with respect to
the custody, safe keeping and physical preservation of the Debentures
and the Payment Account shall be to 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 Trust Agreement
and the Trust Indenture Act;
(iv) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any
interest on any money received by it except as it may otherwise agree
with the Depositor; and money held by the Property Trustee need not be
segregated from other funds held by it except in relation to the
Payment Account maintained by the Property Trustee pursuant to Section
3.1 and except to the extent otherwise required by law; and
(v) the Property Trustee shall not be responsible for
monitoring the compliance by the Administrative Trustees or the
Depositor with their respective duties under this Trust Agreement, nor
shall the Property Trustee be liable for the default or misconduct of
the Administrative Trustees or the Depositor.
Section 8.2. Certain Notices.
Within five Business Days after the occurrence of any Event of
Default actually known to the Property Trustee, the Property Trustee shall
transmit, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 10.8, notice of
such Event of Default to the Securityholders, the Administrative Trustees and
the Depositor, unless such Event of Default shall have been cured or waived.
40
35
Within five Business Days after the receipt of notice of the
Depositor's exercise of its right to defer the payment of interest on the
Debentures pursuant to the Indenture, the Administrative Trustee shall
transmit, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 10.8, notice of
such exercise to the Securityholders and the Property Trustee, unless such
exercise shall have been revoked.
Section 8.3. Certain Rights of Property Trustee.
Subject to the provisions of Section 8.1:
(a) the Property Trustee may rely and shall be
protected in acting or refraining from acting in good faith upon any
resolution, Opinion of Counsel, certificate, written representation of
a Holder or transferee, certificate of auditors or any other
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request,
consent, order, appraisal, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of
indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;
(b) if (i) in performing its duties under this Trust
Agreement the Property Trustee is required to decide between
alternative courses of action or (ii) in construing any of the
provisions of this Trust Agreement the Property Trustee finds the same
ambiguous or inconsistent with any other provisions contained herein
or (iii) the Property Trustee is unsure of the application of any
provision of this Trust Agreement, then, except as to any matter as to
which the Preferred Securityholders are entitled to vote under the
terms of this Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall deliver a
notice to the Depositor requesting written instructions of the
Depositor as to the course of action to be taken and the Property
Trustee shall take such action, or refrain from taking such action, as
the Property Trustee shall be instructed in writing to take, or to
refrain from taking, by the Depositor; provided, however, that if the
Property Trustee does not receive such instructions of the Depositor
within ten Business Days after it has delivered such notice, or such
reasonably shorter period of time set forth in such notice (which to
the extent practicable shall not be less than two Business Days), it
may, but shall be under no duty to, take or refrain from taking such
action not inconsistent with this Trust Agreement as it shall deem
advisable and in the best interests of the Securityholders, in which
event the Property Trustee shall have no liability except for its own
bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct;
(c) any direction or act of the Depositor or the
Administrative Trustees contemplated by this Trust Agreement shall be
sufficiently evidenced by an Officers' Certificate;
(d) whenever in the administration of this Trust
Agreement, the Property Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter
be established before undertaking, 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
41
36
and rely upon an Officers' Certificate which, upon receipt of such
request, shall be promptly delivered by the Depositor or the
Administrative Trustees;
(e) 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 reregistration
thereof;
(f) the Property Trustee may consult with counsel
(which counsel may be counsel to the Depositor or any of its
Affiliates, and may include any of its employees) and the advice of
such counsel 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 reliance thereon and in accordance with such advice,
such counsel may be counsel to the Depositor 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 Trust Agreement from any court of competent
jurisdiction;
(g) the Property Trustee shall be under no obligation
to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Trust
Agreement at the request or direction of any of the Securityholders
pursuant to this Trust Agreement, unless such Securityholders shall
have offered to the Property Trustee reasonable security or indemnity
against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by
it in compliance with such request or direction;
(h) 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,
consent, order, approval, bond, debenture, note or other evidence of
indebtedness or other paper or document, unless requested in writing
to do so by one or more Securityholders, but the Property Trustee may
make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters
as it may see fit;
(i) the Property Trustee may execute any of the trusts
or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or
by or through its agents or attorneys, provided that the Property
Trustee shall be responsible for its own negligence or recklessness
with respect to selection of any agent or attorney appointed by it
hereunder;
(j) whenever in the administration of this Trust
Agreement 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 Trust Securities which
instructions may only be given by the Holders of the same proportion
in Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities as would be entitled to
direct the Property Trustee under the terms of the Trust 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
42
37
received, and (iii) shall be protected in acting in accordance with
such instructions; and
(k) except as otherwise expressly provided by this
Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall not be under any
obligation to take any action that is discretionary under the
provisions of this Trust Agreement.
No provision of this Trust Agreement 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 8.4. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of
Securities.
The recitals contained herein and in the Trust Securities
Certificates shall be taken as the statements of the Depositor, and the
Trustees do not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustees
shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Depositor of the
proceeds of the Debentures.
Section 8.5. May Hold Securities.
Any Trustee or any other agent of any Trustee or the Trust, in
its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Trust
Securities and, subject to Sections 8.8 and 8.13 and except as provided in the
definition of the term "Outstanding" in Article I, may otherwise deal with the
Trust with the same rights it would have if it were not a Trustee or such other
agent.
Section 8.6. Compensation; Indemnity; Fees.
Pursuant to the Indenture, the Depositor, as borrower, agrees:
(a) to pay to the Trustees from time to time
reasonable compensation for all services rendered by them hereunder
(which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in
regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);
(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to
reimburse the Trustees upon request for all reasonable expenses,
disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustees in
accordance with any provision of this Trust Agreement (including the
reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its
agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance
as may be attributable to its negligence or bad faith; and
43
38
(c) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
to indemnify and hold harmless (i) each Trustee, (ii) any Affiliate of
any Trustee, (iii) any officer, director, shareholder, employee,
representative or agent of any Trustee, and (iv) any employee or agent
of the Trust or its Affiliates, (referred to herein as an "Indemnified
Person") from and against any loss, damage, liability, tax, penalty,
expense or claim of any kind or nature whatsoever incurred by such
Indemnified Person by reason of the creation, operation or termination
of the Trust or 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 authority conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Trust
Agreement, except that no Indemnified Person shall be entitled to be
indemnified in respect of any loss, damage or claim incurred by such
Indemnified Person by reason of gross negligence or willful misconduct
with respect to such acts or omissions.
(d) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law,
to advance expenses (including legal fees) incurred by an Indemnified
Person in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding
shall, from time to time, prior to the final disposition of such
claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding upon receipt by the
Depositor of (i) a written affirmation by or on behalf of the
Indemnified Person of its or his good faith belief that it or he has
met the standard of conduct set forth in this Section 8.6 and (ii) an
undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person to repay such
amount if it shall be determined that the Indemnified Person is not
entitled to be indemnified as authorized in the preceding subsection.
The provisions of this Section 8.6 shall survive the
termination of this Trust Agreement or the resignation or removal of any
Trustee.
No Trustee may claim any lien or charge on any Trust Property
as a result of any amount due pursuant to this Section 8.6.
Section 8.7. Corporate Property Trustee Required;
Eligibility of Trustees.
(a) There shall at all times be a Property Trustee
hereunder with respect to the Trust Securities. The Property Trustee shall be a
Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such and
has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If any such Person
publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the
requirements of its supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes
of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be
deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent
report of condition so published. If at any time the Property Trustee with
respect to the Trust Securities shall cease to be eligible in accordance with
the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and
with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.
(b) There shall at all times be one or more
Administrative Trustees hereunder with respect to the Trust Securities. Each
Administrative Trustee shall be either a
44
39
natural person who is at least 21 years of age or a legal entity that shall act
through one or more persons authorized to bind that entity.
(c) There shall at all times be a Delaware Trustee
with respect to the Trust Securities. The Delaware Trustee shall either be (i)
a natural person who is at least 21 years of age and a resident of the State of
Delaware or (ii) a legal entity with its principal place of business in the
State of Delaware and that otherwise meets the requirements of applicable
Delaware law that shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind such
entity.
Section 8.8. Conflicting Interests.
If the Property Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting
interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Property Trustee
shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner
provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this
Trust Agreement. The Depositor and any 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 Trust Securities shall have no rights by virtue of
this Trust Agreement 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. Neither the Depositor, nor any Trustee, shall be obligated to present
any particular investment or other opportunity to the Trust even if such
opportunity is of a character that, if presented to the Trust, could be taken
by the Trust, and the Depositor or any 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 Trustee may
engage or be interested in any financial or other transaction with the
Depositor or any Affiliate of the Depositor, or may act as depository for,
trustee or agent for, or act on any committee or body of holders of, securities
or other obligations of the Depositor or its Affiliates.
Section 8.9. Co-Trustees and Separate Trustee.
Unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, at any time or times, for the purpose of meeting the legal
requirements of the Trust Indenture Act or of any jurisdiction in which any
part of the Trust Property may at the time be located, the Depositor and the
Administrative Trustees, by agreed action of the majority of such Trustees,
shall have power to appoint, and upon the written request of the Administrative
Trustees, the Depositor shall for such purpose join with the Administrative
Trustees in the execution, delivery, and performance of all instruments and
agreements necessary or proper to appoint, one or more Persons approved by the
Property Trustee either to act as co-trustee jointly with the Property Trustee,
of all or any part of such Trust Property, or to the extent required by law to
act as separate trustee of any such property, in either case with such powers
as may be provided in the instrument of appointment, and to vest in such Person
or Persons in the capacity aforesaid, any property, title, right or power
deemed necessary or desirable, subject to the other provisions of this Section.
If the Depositor does not join in such appointment
45
40
within 15 days after the receipt by it of a request so to do, or in case a
Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Property Trustee
alone shall have power to make such appointment. Any co-trustee or separate
trustee appointed pursuant to this Section shall either be (i) a natural person
who is at least 21 years of age and a resident of the United States or (ii) a
legal entity with its principal place of business in the United States that
shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind such entity.
Should any written instrument from the Depositor be required
by any co-trustee or separate trustee so appointed for more fully confirming to
such co-trustee or separate trustee such property, title, right, or power, any
and all such instruments shall, on request, be executed, acknowledged and
delivered by the Depositor.
Every co-trustee or separate trustee shall, to the extent
permitted by law, but to such extent only, be appointed subject to the
following terms, namely:
(a) The Trust Securities shall be executed and
delivered and all rights, powers, duties, and obligations hereunder in
respect of the custody of securities, cash and other personal property
held by, or required to be deposited or pledged with, the Trustees
specified hereunder, shall be exercised, solely by such Trustees and
not by such co-trustee or separate trustee.
(b) The rights, powers, duties, and obligations hereby
conferred or imposed upon the Property Trustee in respect of any
property covered by such appointment shall be conferred or imposed
upon and exercised or performed by the Property Trustee or by the
Property Trustee and such co-trustee or separate trustee jointly, as
shall be provided in the instrument appointing such co-trustee or
separate trustee, except to the extent that under any law of any
jurisdiction in which any particular act is to be performed, the
Property Trustee shall be incompetent or unqualified to perform such
act, in which event such rights, powers, duties and obligations shall
be exercised and performed by such co-trustee or separate trustee.
(c) The Property Trustee at any time, by an instrument
in writing executed by it, with the written concurrence of the
Depositor, may accept the resignation of or remove any co-trustee or
separate trustee appointed under this Section, and, in case a
Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the
Property Trustee shall have power to accept the resignation of, or
remove, any such co-trustee or separate trustee without the
concurrence of the Depositor. Upon the written request of the Property
Trustee, the Depositor shall join with the Property Trustee in the
execution, delivery and performance of all instruments and agreements
necessary or proper to effectuate such resignation or removal. A
successor to any co-trustee or separate trustee so resigned or removed
may be appointed in the manner provided in this Section.
(d) No co-trustee or separate trustee hereunder shall
be personally liable by reason of any act or omission of the Property
Trustee or any other trustee hereunder.
46
41
(e) The Property Trustee shall not be liable by reason
of any act of a co-trustee or separate trustee.
(f) Any Act of Holders delivered to the Property
Trustee shall be deemed to have been delivered to each such co-trustee
and separate trustee.
Section 8.10. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of
Successor.
No resignation or removal of any Trustee (the "Relevant
Trustee") and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article
shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor
Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11.
Subject to the immediately preceding paragraph, the Relevant
Trustee may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the
Securityholders. If the instrument of acceptance by the successor Trustee
required by Section 8.11 shall not have been delivered to the Relevant Trustee
within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the Relevant
Trustee may petition (pursuant to the Indenture, at the expense of the
Depositor), any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a
successor Relevant Trustee.
Unless a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, any Trustee may be removed at any time by Act of the Common
Securityholder. If a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, or both of them, may
be removed at such time by Act of the Holders of a majority in Liquidation
Amount of the Preferred Securities, delivered to the Relevant Trustee (in its
individual capacity and on behalf of the Trust). An Administrative Trustee may
be removed by the Common Securityholder at any time.
If any Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of
acting as Trustee, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of any Trustee for
any cause, at a time when no Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and
be continuing, the Common Securityholder, by Act of the Common Securityholder
delivered to the retiring Trustee, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee
or Trustees, and the retiring Trustee shall comply with the applicable
requirements of Section 8.11. If the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee
shall resign, be removed or become incapable of continuing to act as the
Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, at a time when a
Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Preferred
Securityholders, by Act of the Securityholders of a majority in Liquidation
Amount of the Preferred Securities then Outstanding delivered to the retiring
Relevant Trustee, shall promptly appoint a successor Relevant Trustee or
Trustees, and such successor Trustee shall comply with the applicable
requirements of Section 8.11.
If an Administrative Trustee shall resign, be removed or
become incapable of acting as Administrative Trustee, at a time when a
Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Common
Securityholder by Act of the Common Securityholder delivered to the
Administrative Trustee shall promptly appoint a successor Administrative
Trustee or Administrative Trustees and such successor Administrative Trustee
47
42
or Trustees shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11. If
no successor Relevant Trustee shall have been so appointed by the Common
Securityholder or the Preferred Securityholders and accepted appointment in the
manner required by Section 8.11, any Securityholder who has been a
Securityholder of Trust Securities for at least six months may, on behalf of
himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Relevant Trustee.
The Property Trustee shall give notice of each resignation and
each removal of a Trustee and each appointment of a successor Trustee to all
Securityholders in the manner provided in Section 10.8 and shall give notice to
the Depositor. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Relevant
Trustee and the address of its Corporate Trust Office if it is the Property
Trustee.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this
Trust Agreement, in the event any Administrative Trustee or a Delaware Trustee
who is a natural person dies or becomes, in the opinion of the Depositor,
incompetent or incapacitated, the vacancy created by such death, incompetence
or incapacity may be filled by (a) the unanimous act of remaining
Administrative Trustees if there are at least two of them or (b) otherwise by
the Depositor (with the successor in each case being a Person who satisfies the
eligibility requirement for Administrative Trustees or Delaware Trustee, as the
case may be, set forth in Section 8.7).
Section 8.11. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.
In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Relevant
Trustee, the retiring Relevant Trustee and each successor Relevant Trustee with
respect to the Trust Securities shall execute and deliver an amendment hereto
wherein each successor Relevant Trustee shall accept such appointment and which
(a) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to
transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Relevant Trustee all
the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Relevant Trustee with
respect to the Trust Securities and the Trust and (b) shall add to or change
any of the provisions of this Trust Agreement as shall be necessary to provide
for or facilitate the administration of the Trust by more than one Relevant
Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such amendment shall
constitute such Relevant Trustees co-trustees and upon the execution and
delivery of such amendment the resignation or removal of the retiring Relevant
Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such
successor Relevant Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall
become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring
Relevant Trustee; but, on request of the Trust or any successor Relevant
Trustee such retiring Relevant Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver
to such successor Relevant Trustee all Trust Property, all proceeds thereof and
money held by such retiring Relevant Trustee hereunder with respect to the
Trust Securities and the Trust.
Upon request of any such successor Relevant Trustee, the Trust
shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in
and confirming to such successor Relevant Trustee all such rights, powers and
trusts referred to in the first or second preceding paragraph, as the case may
be.
48
43
No successor Relevant Trustee shall accept its appointment
unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Relevant Trustee shall be
qualified and eligible under this Article.
Section 8.12. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.
Any corporation into which the Property Trustee or the
Delaware Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be
consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or
consolidation to which such Relevant Trustee shall be a party, or any
corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business
of such Relevant Trustee, shall be the successor of such Relevant Trustee
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.
Section 8.13. Preferential Collection of Claims Against
Depositor or Trust.
If and when the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee shall
be or become a creditor of the Depositor or the Trust (or any other obligor
upon the Debentures or the Trust Securities), the Property Trustee or the
Delaware Trustee, as the case may be, shall be subject to and shall take all
actions necessary in order to comply with the provisions of the Trust Indenture
Act regarding the collection of claims against the Depositor or Trust (or any
such other obligor).
Section 8.14. Reports by the Property Trustee
(a) The Property Trustee shall transmit to
Securityholders such reports concerning the Property Trustee and its actions
under this Trust Agreement as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture
Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto. If required by
Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Property Trustee shall, within
sixty days after each May 15 following the date of this Trust Agreement deliver
to Securityholders a brief report, dated as of such May 15, which complies with
the provisions of such Section 313(a).
(b) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of
such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Property Trustee with each
national stock exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or such other interdealer
quotation system or self-regulatory organization upon which the Trust
Securities are listed or traded, with the Commission and with the Depositor.
Section 8.15. Reports to the Property Trustee.
The Depositor and the Administrative 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(a) of the Trust Indenture
Act in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the
Trust Indenture Act.
49
44
Section 8.16. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions
Precedent.
Each of the Depositor and the Administrative 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 Trust
Agreement 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) of the Trust Indenture Act shall be given
in the form of an Officers' Certificate.
Section 8.17. Number of Trustees.
(a) The number of Trustees shall be four, provided
that the Holder of all of the Common Securities by written instrument may
increase or decrease the number of Administrative Trustees. The Property
Trustee and the Delaware Trustee may be the same Person, subject to the
applicable eligibility requirements set forth herein.
(b) If a Trustee ceases to hold office for any reason
and the number of Administrative Trustees is not reduced pursuant to Section
8.17(a), or if the number of Trustees is increased pursuant to Section 8.17(a),
a vacancy shall occur. The vacancy shall be filled with a Trustee appointed in
accordance with Section 8.10.
(c) The death, resignation, retirement, removal,
bankruptcy, incompetence or incapacity to perform the duties of a Trustee shall
not operate to annul, dissolve or terminate the Trust. Whenever a vacancy in
the number of Administrative Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled
by the appointment of an Administrative Trustee in accordance with Section
8.10, the Administrative Trustees in office, regardless of their number (and
notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement), shall have all the
powers granted to the Administrative Trustees and shall discharge all the
duties imposed upon the Administrative Trustees by this Trust Agreement.
Section 8.18. Delegation of Power.
(a) Any Administrative 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 2.7(a), including any registration statement or
amendment thereto filed with the Commission, or making any other governmental
filing; and
(b) The Administrative Trustees shall have power to
delegate from time to time to such of their number or to the Depositor the
doing of such things and the execution of such instruments either in the name
of the Trust or the names of the Administrative Trustees or otherwise as the
Administrative Trustees may deem expedient, to the extent such delegation is
not prohibited by applicable law or contrary to the provisions of this Trust
Agreement, as set forth herein.
50
45
ARTICLE IX.
TERMINATION, LIQUIDATION AND MERGER
Section 9.1. Dissolution Upon Expiration Date.
Unless earlier dissolved, the Trust shall automatically
dissolve on December 31, 2048 (the "Expiration Date"). Thereafter, the Trust
Property shall be distributed in accordance with Section 9.4.
Section 9.2. Early Dissolution.
The first to occur of any of the following events is an "Early
Termination Event," the occurrence of which shall cause a dissolution of the
Trust:
(a) the occurrence of a Bankruptcy Event in respect
of, or the dissolution or liquidation of, the Depositor;
(b) the written direction to the Property Trustee from
the Depositor at any time (which direction is optional and wholly
within the discretion of the Depositor) to dissolve the Trust and
distribute Debentures to Securityholders in exchange for the Preferred
Securities;
(c) the redemption of all of the Preferred Securities;
and
(d) the entry of an order for dissolution of the Trust
by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Section 9.3. Termination.
The respective obligations and responsibilities of the
Trustees and the Trust created and continued hereby shall terminate upon the
latest to occur of the following: (a) the distribution by the Property Trustee
to Securityholders upon the liquidation of the Trust pursuant to Section 9.4,
or upon the redemption of all of the Trust Securities pursuant to Section 4.2,
of all amounts required to be distributed hereunder upon the final payment of
the Trust Securities; (b) the payment of any expenses owed by the Trust; and
(c) the discharge of all administrative duties of the Administrative Trustees,
including the performance of any tax reporting obligations with respect to the
Trust or the Securityholders.
Section 9.4. Liquidation.
(a) If an Early Termination Event specified in clause
(a), (b) or (d) of Section 9.2 occurs or upon the Expiration Date, the Trust
shall be liquidated by the Trustees as expeditiously as the Trustees determine
to be possible by distributing, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors
of the Trust as provided by applicable law, to each Securityholder a Like
Amount of Debentures, subject to Section 9.4(d). Notice of liquidation shall be
given by
51
46
the Property Trustee by first-class mail, postage prepaid mailed not later than
30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Liquidation Date to each Holder of Trust
Securities at such Holder's address appearing in the Securities Register. All
notices of liquidation shall:
(i) state the Liquidation Date;
(ii) state that from and after the Liquidation Date,
the Trust Securities will no longer be deemed to be Outstanding and
any Trust Securities Certificates not surrendered for exchange will be
deemed to represent a Like Amount of Debentures; and
(iii) provide such information with respect to the
mechanics by which Holders may exchange Trust Securities Certificates
for Debentures, or if Section 9.4(d) applies receive a Liquidation
Distribution, as the Administrative Trustees or the Property Trustee
shall deem appropriate.
(b) Except where Section 9.2(c) or 9.4(d) applies, in
order to effect the liquidation of the Trust and distribution of the Debentures
to Securityholders, the Property Trustee shall establish a record date for such
distribution (which shall be not more than 45 days prior to the Liquidation
Date) and, either itself acting as exchange agent or through the appointment of
a separate exchange agent, shall establish such procedures as it shall deem
appropriate to effect the distribution of Debentures in exchange for the
Outstanding Trust Securities Certificates.
(c) Except where Section 9.2(c) or 9.4(d) applies,
after the Liquidation Date, (i) the Trust Securities will no longer be deemed
to be Outstanding, (ii) certificates representing a Like Amount of Debentures
will be issued to Holders of Trust Securities Certificates, upon surrender of
such certificates to the Administrative Trustees or their agent for exchange,
(iii) the Depositor shall use its reasonable efforts to have the Debentures
listed on the New York Stock Exchange or on such other exchange, interdealer
quotation system or self-regulatory organization as the Preferred Securities
are then listed, (iv) any Trust Securities Certificates not so surrendered for
exchange will be deemed to represent a Like Amount of Debentures, accruing
interest at the rate provided for in the Debentures from the last Distribution
Date on which a Distribution was made on such Trust Securities Certificates
until such certificates are so surrendered (and until such certificates are so
surrendered, no payments of interest or principal will be made to Holders of
Trust Securities Certificates with respect to such Debentures) and (v) all
rights of Securityholders holding Trust Securities will cease, except the right
of such Securityholders to receive Debentures upon surrender of Trust
Securities Certificates.
(d) In the event that, notwithstanding the other
provisions of this Section 9.4, whether because of an order for dissolution
entered by a court of competent jurisdiction or otherwise, distribution of the
Debentures in the manner provided herein is determined by the Property Trustee
not to be practical, the Trust Property shall be liquidated, and the Trust
shall be wound-up by the Property Trustee in such manner as the Property
Trustee determines. In such event, Securityholders will be entitled to receive
out of the assets of the
52
47
Trust available for distribution to Securityholders, after satisfaction of
liabilities to creditors of the Trust as provided by applicable law, an amount
equal to the Liquidation Amount per Trust Security plus accumulated and unpaid
Distributions thereon to the date of payment (such amount being the
"Liquidation Distribution"). If, upon any such winding-up, the Liquidation
Distribution can be paid only in part because the Trust has insufficient assets
available to pay in full the aggregate Liquidation Distribution, then, subject
to the next succeeding sentence, the amounts payable by the Trust on the Trust
Securities shall be paid on a pro rata basis (based upon Liquidation Amounts).
The Holder of the Common Securities will be entitled to receive Liquidation
Distributions upon any such winding-up pro rata (determined as aforesaid) with
Holders of Preferred Securities, except that, if a Debenture Event of Default
has occurred and is continuing, the Preferred Securities shall have a priority
over the Common Securities.
Section 9.5. Mergers, Consolidations, Amalgamations or
Replacements of the Trust.
The Trust may not merge with or into, consolidate, convert
into, amalgamate, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its
properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, except
pursuant to this Section 9.5 or Section 9.4. At the request of the Depositor,
with the consent of the Administrative Trustees and without the consent of the
Holders of the Preferred Securities, the Property Trustee or the Delaware
Trustee, the Trust may merge with or into, consolidate, convert into,
amalgamate, or be replaced by or convey, transfer or lease its properties and
assets substantially as an entirety to a trust organized as such under the laws
of any State; provided, that (i) such successor entity either (a) expressly
assumes all of the obligations of the Trust with respect to the Preferred
Securities or (b) substitutes for the Preferred Securities other securities
having substantially the same terms as the Preferred Securities (the "Successor
Securities") so long as the Successor Securities rank the same as the Preferred
Securities rank in priority with respect to distributions and payments upon
liquidation, redemption and otherwise, (ii) the Depositor expressly appoints a
trustee of such successor entity possessing the same powers and duties as the
Property Trustee as the holder of the Debentures, (iii) the Successor
Securities are listed or traded, or any Successor Securities will be listed
upon notification of issuance, on any national securities exchange or other
organization on which the Preferred Securities are then listed or traded, if
any, (iv) such merger, consolidation, conversion, amalgamation, replacement,
conveyance, transfer or lease does not cause the Preferred Securities
(including any Successor Securities) to be downgraded by any nationally
recognized statistical rating organization, (v) such merger, consolidation,
conversion, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not
adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the
Preferred Securities (including any Successor Securities) in any material
respect, (vi) such successor entity has a purpose substantially identical to
that of the Trust, (vii) prior to such merger, consolidation, conversion,
amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, the Depositor has
received an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (a) such merger,
consolidation, conversion, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or
lease does not adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the
holders of the Preferred Securities (including any Successor Securities) in any
material respect, and (b) following such merger, consolidation, conversion,
amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, neither the Trust nor
such
53
48
successor entity will be required to register as an investment company under
the 1940 Act and (viii) the Depositor owns all of the common securities of such
successor entity and guarantees the obligations of such successor entity under
the Successor Securities at least to the extent provided by the Guarantee.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust shall not, except with the consent of
Holders of 100% in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities, consolidate,
amalgamate, merge with or into, convert into or be replaced by or convey,
transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any
other Person or permit any other entity to consolidate, amalgamate, merge with
or into, or replace it if such consolidation, conversion, amalgamation, merger,
replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease would cause the Trust or the
successor entity to be classified as other than a grantor trust for United
States Federal income tax purposes.
ARTICLE X.
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 10.1. Limitation of Rights of Securityholders.
The death, incapacity, dissolution, bankruptcy or termination
of any Person having an interest, beneficial or otherwise, in Trust Securities
shall not operate to terminate this Trust Agreement nor dissolve, terminate or
annul the trust nor entitle the legal representatives or heirs of such Person
or any Securityholder for such person, to claim an accounting, take any action
or bring any proceeding in any court for a partition or winding-up of the
arrangements contemplated hereby, nor otherwise affect the rights, obligations
and liabilities of the parties hereto or any of them.
Section 10.2. Amendment.
(a) This Trust Agreement may be amended from time to
time by the Trustees and the Depositor, without the consent of any
Securityholders, (i) to cure any ambiguity, correct or supplement any provision
herein which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make
any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this
Trust Agreement, which shall not be inconsistent with the other provisions of
this Trust Agreement, or (ii) to modify, eliminate or add to any provisions of
this Trust Agreement to such extent as shall be necessary to ensure that the
Trust will be classified for United States Federal income tax purposes as a
grantor trust at all times that any Trust Securities are outstanding or to
ensure that the Trust will not be required to register as an investment company
under the 1940 Act; provided, however, that in the case of clause (i), such
action shall not adversely affect in any material respect the interests of any
Securityholder, and any such amendments of this Trust Agreement shall become
effective when notice thereof is given to the Securityholders.
(b) Except as provided in Section 10.2(c) hereof, any
provision of this Trust Agreement may be amended by the Trustees and the
Depositor with (i) the consent of Trust Securityholders representing not less
than a majority (based upon Liquidation Amounts) of the
54
49
Trust Securities then Outstanding and (ii) receipt by the Trustees of an
Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment or the exercise of any
power granted to the Trustees in accordance with such amendment will not affect
the Trust's status as a grantor trust for United States Federal income tax
purposes or the Trust's exemption from status of an investment company under
the 1940 Act.
(c) In addition to and notwithstanding any other
provision in this Trust Agreement, without the consent of each affected
Securityholder, this Trust Agreement may not be amended to (i) change the
amount or timing of any Distribution on the Trust Securities or otherwise
adversely affect the amount of any Distribution required to be made in respect
of the Trust Securities as of a specified date or (ii) restrict the right of a
Securityholder to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or
after such date; notwithstanding any other provision herein, without the
unanimous consent of the Securityholders, this paragraph (c) of this Section
10.2 may not be amended.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Trust
Agreement, no Trustee shall enter into or consent to any amendment to this
Trust Agreement which would cause the Trust to fail or cease to qualify for the
exemption from status of an investment company under the 1940 Act or fail or
cease to be classified as a grantor trust for United States Federal income tax
purposes.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Trust Agreement
to the contrary, without the consent of the Depositor, this Trust Agreement may
not be amended in a manner which imposes any additional obligation on the
Depositor.
(f) In the event that any amendment to this Trust
Agreement is made, the Administrative Trustees shall promptly provide to the
Depositor a copy of such amendment.
(g) Neither the Property Trustee nor the Delaware
Trustee shall be required to enter into any amendment to this Trust Agreement
which affects its own rights, duties or immunities under this Trust Agreement.
The Property Trustee shall be entitled to receive an Opinion of Counsel and an
Officers' Certificate stating that any amendment to this Trust Agreement is in
compliance with this Trust Agreement.
Section 10.3. Separability.
In case any provision in this Trust Agreement or in the Trust
Securities Certificates shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the
validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in
any way be affected or impaired thereby.
55
50
Section 10.4. Governing Law.
This Trust Agreement and the rights and obligations of each of
the Securityholders, the Trust and the Trustees with respect to this Trust
Agreement and the Trust Securities shall be construed in accordance with and
governed by the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to conflict of
law principles).
Section 10.5. Payments Due on Non-Business Day.
If the date fixed for any payment on any Trust Security shall
be a day that is not a Business Day, then such payment need not be made on such
date but may be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day (except
as otherwise provided in Sections 4.1(a) and 4.2(d)), with the same force and
effect as though made on the date fixed for such payment, and no interest shall
accrue thereon for the period after such date.
Section 10.6. Successors.
This Trust Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to
the benefit of any successor to the Depositor, the Trust or the Relevant
Trustee, including any successor by operation of law. Except in connection with
transactions permitted under Article ________ of the Indenture and pursuant to
which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the Depositor's obligations
hereunder, the Depositor shall not assign its obligations hereunder.
Section 10.7. Headings.
The Article and Section headings are for convenience only and
shall not affect the construction of this Trust Agreement.
Section 10.8. Reports, Notices and Demands.
Any report, notice, demand or other communication which by any
provision of this Trust Agreement is required or permitted to be given or
served to or upon any Securityholder or the Depositor may be given or served in
writing by deposit thereof, first-class postage prepaid, in the United States
mail, hand delivery or facsimile transmission, in each case, addressed, (a) in
the case of a Preferred Securityholder, to such Preferred Securityholder as
such Securityholder's name and address may appear on the Securities Register;
and (b) in the case of the Common Securityholder or the Depositor, to
Associates First Capital Corporation, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
00000, Attention: Treasurer, facsimile no.: [ ]. Such notice, demand
or other communication to or upon a Securityholder shall be deemed to have been
sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, upon hand delivery, mailing or
transmission.
Any notice, demand or other communication which by any
provision of this Trust Agreement is required or permitted to be given or
served to or upon the Trust, the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee or the
Administrative Trustees shall be given in writing addressed (until another
address is published by the Trust) as follows: (a) with respect
56
51
to the Property Trustee to [ ]
Attention: Corporate Trust Services Division; (b) with respect to the Delaware
Trustee, to [ ]; and (c) with respect to the
Administrative Trustees, to them at the address above for notices to the
Depositor, marked "Attention Administrative Trustees of Associates First
Capital Trust __." Such notice, demand or other communication to or upon the
Trust or the Property Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given
or made only upon actual receipt of the writing by the Trust or the Property
Trustee.
Section 10.9. Agreement Not to Petition.
Each of the Trustees and the Depositor agree for the benefit
of the Securityholders that, until at least one year and one day after the
Trust has been terminated in accordance with Article IX, they shall not file,
or join in the filing of, a petition against the Trust under any bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization or other similar law (including, without limitation,
the United States Bankruptcy Code) (collectively, "Bankruptcy Laws") or
otherwise join in the commencement of any proceeding against the Trust under
any Bankruptcy Law. In the event the Depositor takes action in violation of
this Section 10.9, the Property Trustee agrees, for the benefit of
Securityholders, that at the expense of the Depositor, it shall file an answer
with the bankruptcy court or otherwise properly contest the filing of such
petition by the Depositor against the Trust or the commencement of such action
and raise the defense that the Depositor has agreed in writing not to take such
action and should be stopped and precluded therefrom and such other defenses,
if any, as counsel for the Trustee or the Trust may assert. The provisions of
this Section 10.9 shall survive the termination of this Trust Agreement.
Section 10.10. Trust Indenture Act; Conflict with Trust
Indenture Act.
(a) This Trust Agreement is subject to the provisions
of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Trust Agreement
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 any provision hereof limits, qualifies or
conflicts with another provision hereof which is required to be included in
this Trust Agreement by any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such
required provision shall control. If any provision of this Trust Agreement
modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act which may be so
modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this
Trust Agreement as so modified or excluded, as the case may be.
(d) The application of the Trust Indenture Act to this
Trust Agreement shall not affect the nature of the Securities as equity
securities representing undivided beneficial ownership interests in the assets
of the Trust.
57
52
Section 10.11. Acceptance of Terms of Trust Agreement,
Guarantee and Indenture.
THE RECEIPT AND ACCEPTANCE OF A TRUST SECURITY OR ANY INTEREST
THEREIN BY OR ON BEHALF OF A SECURITYHOLDER OR ANY BENEFICIAL OWNER, WITHOUT
ANY SIGNATURE OR FURTHER MANIFESTATION OF ASSENT, SHALL CONSTITUTE THE
UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE BY THE SECURITYHOLDER AND ALL OTHERS HAVING A
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN SUCH TRUST SECURITY OF ALL THE TERMS AND
PROVISIONS OF THIS TRUST AGREEMENT AND AGREEMENT TO THE SUBORDINATION
PROVISIONS AND OTHER TERMS OF THE GUARANTEE AND THE INDENTURE, AND SHALL
CONSTITUTE THE AGREEMENT OF THE TRUST, SUCH SECURITYHOLDER AND SUCH OTHERS THAT
THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS TRUST AGREEMENT SHALL BE BINDING, OPERATIVE
AND EFFECTIVE AS BETWEEN THE TRUST AND SUCH SECURITYHOLDER AND SUCH OTHERS.
ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL
CORPORATION
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, as Property
Trustee
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
CHASE MANHATTAN BANK DELAWARE, as
Delaware Trustee
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
58
53
-----------------------------------------------
[ ], as Administrative Trustee
-----------------------------------------------
[ ], as Administrative Trustee
59
EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF TRUST
OF
ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL TRUST __
This Certificate of Trust of Associates First Capital Trust __
(the "Trust"), dated ________, 1998, is being duly executed and filed by the
undersigned, as trustees, to form a business trust under the Delaware Business
Trust Act (12 Del. C. Section 3801 et seq.).
1. Name. The name of the business trust being formed
hereby is Associates First Capital Trust __.
2. Delaware Trustee. The name and business address
of the trustee of the Trust with a principal place of business in the State of
Delaware are as follows:
Chase Manhattan Bank Delaware
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
3. Effective Date. This Certificate of Trust shall
be effective immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State of the State
of Delaware.
In Witness Whereof, the undersigned, being the trustees of the
Trust, have executed this Certificate of Trust as of the date first above
written.
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, as Trustee
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
CHASE MANHATTAN BANK OF DELAWARE, as
Trustee
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
60
-----------------------------------------
[ ], as Trustee
61
EXHIBIT B
The Depository Trust Company
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 10041-0099
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
General Counsel's Office
Re:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The purpose of this letter is to set forth certain matters
relating to the issuance and deposit with The Depository Trust Company ("DTC")
of the [TITLE OF PREFERRED SECURITIES] (the "Preferred Securities"), of
Associates First Capital Trust __, a Delaware business trust (the "Issuer"),
formed pursuant to a Trust Agreement between Associates First Capital
Corporation ("AFCC") and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Property Trustee, Chase
Manhattan Bank Delaware, as Delaware Trustee, and the Administrative Trustees
named therein. The payment of distributions on the Preferred Securities, and
payments due upon liquidation of Issuer or redemption of the Preferred
Securities, to the extent the Issuer has funds available for the payment
thereof are guaranteed by AFCC to the extent set forth in a Guarantee Agreement
dated ________, ____ by AFCC with respect to the Preferred Securities. AFCC and
the Issuer propose to sell the Preferred Securities to certain Underwriters
(the "Underwriters") pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement dated ________, 1998
by and among the Underwriters, the Issuer and AFCC, and the Underwriters wish
to take delivery of the Preferred Securities through DTC. [ ] is
acting as transfer agent and registrar with respect to the Preferred Securities
(then "Transfer Agent and Registrar").
To induce DTC to accept the Preferred Securities as eligible
for deposit at DTC, and to act in accordance with DTC's rules with respect to
the Preferred Securities, the Issuer, the Transfer Agent and Registrar and DTC
agree among each other as follows:
1. Prior to the closing of the sale of the Preferred
Securities to the Underwriters, which is expected to occur on or about
________, ____, there shall be deposited with or on behalf of DTC one or more
global certificates (individually and collectively, the "Global Certificate")
registered in the name of DTC's Preferred Securities nominee, Cede & Co.,
representing an aggregate of Preferred Securities and bearing the following
legend:
B-1
62
Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized
representative of The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation ("DTC"),
to Issuer or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange, or payment, and
any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or in such other
name as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is
made to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an authorized
representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered owner
hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.
2. The Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the
Issuer provides for the voting by holders of the Preferred Securities under
certain limited circumstances. The Issuer shall establish a record date for
such purposes and shall, to the extent possible, give DTC notice of such record
date not less than 15 calendar days in advance of such record date.
3. In the event of a stock split, conversion,
recapitalization, reorganization or any other similar transaction resulting in
the cancellation of all or any part of the Preferred Securities outstanding,
the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar shall send DTC a notice of such
event at least 5 business days prior to the effective date of such event.
4. In the event of distribution on, or an offering or
issuance of rights with respect to, the Preferred Securities outstanding, the
Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar shall send DTC a notice specifying:
(a) the amount of and conditions, if any, applicable to the payment of any such
distribution or any such offering or issuance of rights; (b) any applicable
expiration or deadline date, or any date by which any action on the part of the
holders of Preferred Securities is required; and (c) the date any required
notice is to be mailed by or on behalf of the Issuer to holders of Preferred
Securities or published by or on behalf of the Issuer (whether by mail or
publication, the "Publication Date"). Such notice shall be sent to DTC by a
secure means (e.g., legible telecopy, registered or certified mail, overnight
delivery) in a timely manner designed to assure that such notice is in DTC's
possession no later than the close of business on the business day before the
Publication Date. The Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar will forward
such notice either in a separate secure transmission for each CUSIP number or
in a secure transmission of multiple CUSIP numbers (if applicable) that
includes a manifest or list of each CUSIP number submitted in that
transmission. (The party sending such notice shall have a method to verify
subsequently the use of such means and the timeliness of such notice.) The
Publication Date shall be not less than 30 calendar days nor more than 60
calendar days prior to the payment of any such distribution or any such
offering or issuance of rights with respect to the Preferred Securities. After
establishing the amount of payment to be made on the Preferred Securities, the
Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar will notify DTC's Dividend
Department of such payment 5 business days prior to payment date. Notices to
DTC's Dividend Department by telecopy shall be sent to (000) 000-0000. Such
notices by mail or by any other means shall be sent to:
Manager, Announcements
Dividend Department
The Depository Trust Company
0 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
B-2
63
The Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar shall confirm
DTC's receipt of such telecopy by telephoning the Dividend Department at (212)
709-1270.
5. In the event of a redemption by the Issuer of the
Preferred Securities, notice specifying the terms of the redemption and the
Publication Date of such notice shall be sent by the Issuer or the Transfer
Agent and Registrar to DTC not less than 30 calendar days prior to such event
by a secure means in the manner set forth in paragraph 4. Such redemption
notice shall be sent to DTC's Call Notification Department at (000) 000-0000 or
(000) 000-0000, and receipt of such notice shall be confirmed by telephoning
(000) 000-0000. Notice by mail or by any other means shall be sent to:
Call Notification Department
The Depository Trust Company
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
6. In the event of any invitation to tender the
Preferred Securities, notice specifying the terms of the tender and the
Publication Date of such notice shall be sent by the Issuer or the Transfer
Agent and Registrar to DTC by a secure means and in a timely manner as
described in paragraph 4. Notices to DTC pursuant to this paragraph and notices
of other corporate actions (including mandatory tenders, exchanges and capital
changes) shall be sent, unless notification to another department is expressly
provided for herein, by telecopy to DTC's Reorganization Department at (212)
709-1093 or (000) 000-0000 and receipt of such notice shall be confirmed by
telephoning (000) 000-0000, or by mail or any other means to:
Manager, Reorganization Department
Reorganization Window
The Depository Trust Company
0 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
7. All notices and payment advices sent to DTC shall
contain the CUSIP number or numbers of the Preferred Securities and the
accompanying designation of the Preferred Securities, which, as of the date of
this letter, is "[TITLE OF PREFERRED SECURITIES]."
8. Distribution payments or other cash payments with
respect to the Preferred Securities evidenced by the Global Certificate shall
be received by Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC, or its registered assigns in [
] funds on each payment date (or in accordance with existing
arrangements between the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar and DTC).
Such payments shall be made payable to the order of Cede & Co., and shall be
addressed as follows:
NDFS Redemption Department
The Depository Trust Company
0 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
B-3
64
9. DTC may by prior written notice direct the Issuer
and the Transfer Agent and Registrar to use any other telecopy number or
address of DTC as the number or address to which notices or payments may be
sent.
10. In the event of a conversion, redemption, or any
other similar transaction (e.g., tender made and accepted in response to the
Issuer's or the Transfer Agent and Registrar's invitation) necessitating a
reduction in the aggregate number of Preferred Securities outstanding evidenced
by Global Certificates, DTC, in its discretion: (a) may request the Issuer or
the Transfer Agent and Registrar to issue and countersign a new Global
Certificate; or (b) may make an appropriate notation on the Global Certificate
indicating the date and amount of such reduction.
11. DTC may discontinue its services as a securities
depositary with respect to the Preferred Securities at any time by giving at
least 90 days' prior written notice to the Issuer and the Transfer Agent and
Registrar (at which time DTC will confirm with the Issuer or the Transfer Agent
and Registrar the aggregate number of Preferred Securities deposited with it)
and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law.
Under such circumstances, the Issuer may determine to make alternative
arrangements for book-entry settlement for the Preferred Securities, make
available one or more separate global certificates evidencing Preferred
Securities to any Participant having Preferred Securities credited to its DTC
account, or issue definitive Preferred Securities to the beneficial holders
thereof, and in any such case, DTC agrees to cooperate fully with the Issuer
and the Transfer Agent and Registrar, and to return the Global Certificate,
duly endorsed for transfer as directed by the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and
Registrar, together with any other documents of transfer reasonably requested
by the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Xxxxxxxxx.
00. In the event that the Issuer determines that
beneficial owners of Preferred Securities shall be able to obtain definitive
Preferred Securities, the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar shall
notify DTC of the availability of certificates. In such event, the Issuer or
the Transfer Agent and Registrar shall issue, transfer and exchange
certificates in appropriate amounts, as required by DTC and others, and DTC
agrees to cooperate fully with the Issuer and the Transfer Agent and Registrar
and to return the Global Certificate, duly endorsed for transfer as directed by
the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar, together with any other
documents of transfer reasonably requested by the Issuer or the Transfer Agent
and Registrar.
B-4
65
13. This letter may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original,
but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same
instrument. Nothing herein shall be deemed to require the Transfer Agent and
Registrar to advance funds on behalf of Associates First Capital Trust __.
Very truly yours,
ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL TRUST __
(As Issuer)
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
[ ]
By:
-------------------------------------
Administrative Trustee
[ ]
(As Transfer Agent and Registrar)
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
Received and Accepted:
THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY
By:
Authorized Officer
B-5
66
EXHIBIT C
THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT TRANSFERABLE EXCEPT AS
DESCRIBED IN THE TRUST AGREEMENT (AS DEFINED BELOW)
Certificate Number Number Of Common Securities
C-1
Certificate Evidencing Common Securities
of
ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL TRUST __
___% Common Securities
(Liquidation Amount $[ ] Per Common Security)
Associates First Capital Trust __, a statutory business trust
created under the laws of the State of Delaware (the "Trust"), hereby certifies
that Associates First Capital Corporation (the "Holder") is the registered
owner of (___) common securities of the Trust representing undivided beneficial
ownership interests of the Trust and designated the ____% Common Securities
(liquidation amount $[ ] per Common Security) (the "Common Securities"). To
the extent set forth in Section 5.10 of the Trust Agreement (as defined below)
the Common Securities are not transferable and any attempted transfer hereof
shall be void. The designations, rights, privileges, restrictions, preferences
and other terms and provisions of the Common Securities are set forth in, and
this certificate and the Common Securities represented hereby are issued and
shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Amended
and Restated Trust Agreement of the Trust dated as of ________, ____, as the
same may be amended from time to time (the "Trust Agreement") including the
designation of the terms of the Common Securities as set forth therein. The
Trust will furnish a copy of the Trust Agreement to the Holder without charge
upon written request to the Trust at its principal place of business or
registered office.
Upon receipt of this certificate, the Holder is bound by the
Trust Agreement and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.
In Witness Whereof, one of the Administrative Trustees of the
Trust has executed this certificate this ____ day of ________, ____.
ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL TRUST __
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Administrative Trustee
C-1
67
EXHIBIT D
If the Preferred Security is to be a Global Certificate
Insert--This Preferred Security is a Global Certificate within the meaning of
the Trust Agreement hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of
The Depository Trust Company (the "Depository") or a nominee of the Depository.
This Preferred Security is exchangeable for Preferred Securities registered in
the name of a person other than the Depository or its nominee only in the
limited circumstances described in the Trust Agreement and no transfer of this
Preferred Security (other than a transfer of this Preferred Security as a whole
by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository or by a nominee of the
Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository) may be
registered except in limited circumstances.
Unless this Preferred Security is presented by an authorized
representative of The Depository Trust Company (55 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx) to
Associates First Capital Trust __ or its agent for registration of transfer,
exchange or payment, and any Preferred Security issued is registered in the
name of Cede & Co. or such other name as requested by an authorized
representative of The Depository Trust Company and any payment hereon is made
to Cede & Co., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE
BY A PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co.,
has an interest herein.
Certificate Number Number Of Preferred Securities
P-_____ Cusip No._____
Certificate Evidencing Preferred Securities
of
ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL TRUST __
[DESIGNATION OF PREFERRED SECURITIES]
(Liquidation Amount $[ ] Per Preferred Security)
Associates First Capital Trust __, a statutory business trust
created under the laws of the State of Delaware (the "Trust"), hereby certifies
that ___________________ (the "Holder") is the registered owner of (___)
preferred securities of the Trust representing an undivided beneficial
ownership interest in the assets of the Trust and designated the [DESIGNATION
OF PREFERRED SECURITIES] (the "Preferred Securities"). The Preferred Securities
are transferable on the books and records of the Trust, in person or by a duly
authorized attorney, upon surrender of this certificate duly endorsed and in
proper form for transfer as provided in Section 5.4 of the Trust Agreement (as
defined below). The designations, rights, privileges, restrictions, preferences
and other terms and provisions of the Preferred Securities are set forth in,
and this certificate and the Preferred Securities represented hereby are issued
and shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the
Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the Trust dated as of ________, ____,
as the same may be amended from time to time (the "Trust
D-1
68
Agreement") including the designation of the terms of Preferred Securities as
set forth therein. The Holder is entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee
Agreement entered into by Associates First Capital Corporation, a Delaware
corporation, and [ ], as guarantee trustee, dated as
of __________, 1998, as the same may be amended from time to time (the
"Guarantee"), to the extent provided therein. The Trust will furnish a copy of
the Trust Agreement and the Guarantee to the Holder without charge upon written
request to the Trust at its principal place of business or registered office.
Upon receipt of this certificate, the Holder is bound by the
Trust Agreement and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.
In Witness Whereof, one of the Administrative Trustees of the Trust
has executed this certificate this ___ day of __________, ____.
ASSOCIATES FIRST CAPITAL TRUST __
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
Administrative Trustee
D-2
69
ASSIGNMENT
For Value Received, the undersigned assigns and transfers this
Preferred Security to:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Insert assignee's social security or tax identification number)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Insert address and zip code of assignee)
and irrevocably appoints
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
agent to transfer this Preferred Security Certificate on the books of the
Trust. The agent may substitute another to act for him or her.
Date:
----------------------------------------
Signature:
------------------------------------------------------------
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this
Preferred Security Certificate)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with
membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to
S.E.C. Rule 17Ad-15.
D-3