EXHIBIT 4.1
INDEPENDENT BANK CORP.
AND
THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE
INDENTURE
8.625% JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES DUE 2031
DATED AS OF DECEMBER 11, 2001
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS.............................................................................................6
1.1 Definitions of Terms........................................................................6
ARTICLE II ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, TERMS, CONDITIONS, REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF THE DEBENTURES....................14
2.1 Designation and Principal Amount...........................................................14
2.2 Maturity...................................................................................15
2.3 Form and Payment...........................................................................15
2.4 [Intentionally Left Blank].................................................................15
2.5 Interest...................................................................................15
2.6 Execution and Authentications..............................................................16
2.7 Registration of Transfer and Exchange......................................................17
2.8 Temporary Debentures.......................................................................18
2.9 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Debentures............................................18
2.10 Cancellation...............................................................................19
2.11 Benefit of Indenture.......................................................................20
2.12 Authenticating Agent.......................................................................20
ARTICLE III REDEMPTION OF DEBENTURES.............................................................................20
3.1 Redemption.................................................................................20
3.2 Special Event Redemption...................................................................21
3.3 Optional Redemption by Company.............................................................21
3.4 Notice of Redemption.......................................................................22
3.5 Payment Upon Redemption....................................................................23
3.6 No Sinking Fund............................................................................24
ARTICLE IV EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD..................................................................24
4.1 Extension of Interest Payment Period.......................................................24
4.2 Notice of Extension........................................................................24
4.3 Limitation on Transactions.................................................................25
ARTICLE V PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY....................................................................25
5.1 Payment of Principal and Interest..........................................................25
5.2 Maintenance of Agency......................................................................26
5.3 Paying Agents..............................................................................26
5.4 Appointment to Fill Vacancy in Office of Trustee...........................................27
5.5 Compliance with Consolidation Provisions...................................................27
5.6 Limitation on Transactions.................................................................27
5.7 Covenants as to the Trust..................................................................28
5.8 Covenants as to Purchases..................................................................29
5.9 Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws....................................................29
ARTICLE VI DEBENTUREHOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE....................................29
6.1 Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Debentureholders.........................29
6.2 Preservation of Information Communications with Debentureholders...........................29
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6.3 Reports by the Company.....................................................................30
6.4 Reports by the Trustee.....................................................................30
ARTICLE VII REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND DEBENTUREHOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT.....................................31
7.1 Events of Default..........................................................................31
7.2 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee............................32
7.3 Application of Moneys Collected............................................................34
7.4 Limitation on Suits........................................................................34
7.5 Rights and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission not Waiver...............................35
7.6 Control by Debentureholders................................................................35
7.7 Undertaking to Pay Costs...................................................................36
7.8 Direct Action; Right of Set-Off............................................................36
ARTICLE VIII FORM OF DEBENTURE AND ORIGINAL ISSUE................................................................37
8.1 Form of Debenture..........................................................................37
8.2 Original Issue of Debentures...............................................................37
ARTICLE IX CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE................................................................................37
9.1 Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee.........................................37
9.2 Notice of Defaults.........................................................................38
9.3 Certain Rights of Trustee..................................................................39
9.4 Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals, etc..................................................40
9.5 May Hold Debentures........................................................................40
9.6 Moneys Held in Trust.......................................................................40
9.7 Compensation and Reimbursement.............................................................41
9.8 Reliance on Officers' Certificate..........................................................41
9.9 Disqualification: Conflicting Interests...................................................41
9.10 Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility....................................................42
9.11 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor..........................................42
9.12 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.....................................................43
9.13 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business................................44
9.14 Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Company......................................44
ARTICLE X CONCERNING THE DEBENTUREHOLDERS........................................................................44
10.1 Evidence of Action by Holders..............................................................44
10.2 Proof of Execution by Debentureholders.....................................................45
10.3 Who May be Deemed Owners...................................................................45
10.4 Certain Debentures Owned by Company Disregarded............................................46
10.5 Actions Binding on Future Debentureholders.................................................46
ARTICLE XI SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES...............................................................................46
11.1 Supplemental Indentures Without the Consent of Debentureholders............................46
11.2 Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Debentureholders...................................47
11.3 Effect of Supplemental Indentures..........................................................48
11.4 Debentures Affected by Supplemental Indentures.............................................48
11.5 Execution of Supplemental Indentures.......................................................48
ARTICLE XII SUCCESSOR CORPORATION................................................................................49
12.1 Company May Consolidate, etc...............................................................49
12.2 Successor Corporation Substituted..........................................................50
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12.3 Evidence of Consolidation, etc. to Trustee.................................................50
ARTICLE XIII SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE..........................................................................50
13.1 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture....................................................50
13.2 Discharge of Obligations...................................................................51
13.3 Deposited Moneys to be Held in Trust.......................................................51
13.4 Payment of Monies Held by Paying Agents....................................................51
13.5 Repayment to Company.......................................................................51
ARTICLE XIV IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS......................................52
14.1 No Recourse................................................................................52
ARTICLE XV MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS..............................................................................52
15.1 Effect on Successors and Assigns...........................................................52
15.2 Actions by Successor.......................................................................53
15.3 Surrender of Company Powers................................................................53
15.4 Notices....................................................................................53
15.5 Governing Law..............................................................................53
15.6 Treatment of Debentures as Debt............................................................53
15.7 Compliance Certificates and Opinions.......................................................53
15.8 Payments on Business Days..................................................................54
15.9 Conflict with Trust Indenture Act..........................................................54
15.10 Counterparts...............................................................................54
15.11 Severability...............................................................................54
15.12 Assignment.................................................................................54
15.13 Acknowledgment of Rights...................................................................55
ARTICLE XVI SUBORDINATION OF DEBENTURES..........................................................................55
16.1 Agreement to Subordinate...................................................................55
16.2 Default on Senior Debt, Subordinated Debt or Additional Senior Obligations.................55
16.3 Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy.......................................................56
16.4 Subrogation................................................................................57
16.5 Trustee to Effectuate Subordination........................................................58
16.6 Notice by the Company......................................................................58
16.7 Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness......................................59
16.8 Subordination May Not be Impaired..........................................................59
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CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE
SECTION OF
TRUST INDENTURE ACT SECTION OF
OF 1939, AS AMENDED INDENTURE
310(a).................................................................................9.10
310(b)..................................................................................9.9
................................................................................9.11
310(c).......................................................................Not Applicable
311(a).................................................................................9.14
311(b).................................................................................9.14
311(c)...................................................................... Not Applicable
312(a)..................................................................................6.1
...............................................................................6.2(a)
312(b)...............................................................................6.2(c)
312(c)...............................................................................6.2(c)
313(a)...............................................................................6.4(a)
313(b)...............................................................................6.4(b)
313(c)...............................................................................6.4(a)
..............................................................................6.4(b)
313(d)...............................................................................6.4(c)
314(a)...............................................................................6.3(a)
314(b).......................................................................Not Applicable
314(c).................................................................................15.7
314(d).......................................................................Not Applicable
314(e).................................................................................15.7
314(f).......................................................................Not Applicable
315(a)...............................................................................9.1(a)
.................................................................................9.3
315(b)..................................................................................9.2
315(c)...............................................................................9.1(a)
315(d)...............................................................................9.1(b)
315(e)..................................................................................7.7
316(a)..................................................................................1.1
.................................................................................7.6
316(b)...............................................................................7.4(b)
316(c)..............................................................................10.1(b)
317(a)..................................................................................7.2
317(b)..................................................................................5.3
318(a).................................................................................15.9
Note: This reconciliation and tie sheet shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to
be a part of the Indenture
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INDENTURE
INDENTURE, dated as of December 11, 2001 between INDEPENDENT BANK
CORP., a Massachusetts corporation (the "Company"), and THE BANK OF NEW YORK, a
New York banking corporation (the "Trustee");
RECITALS
WHEREAS, for its lawful corporate purposes, the Company has duly
authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the
issuance of securities to be known as its 8.625% Junior Subordinated Debentures
due 2031 (hereinafter referred to as the "Debentures"), the form and substance
of such Debentures and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set
forth as provided in this Indenture;
WHEREAS, Independent Capital Trust III, a Delaware statutory business
trust (the "Trust"), has offered to the public up to $25,000,000 aggregate
liquidation amount of its Preferred Securities (as defined herein) and proposes
to invest the proceeds from such offering, together with the proceeds of the
issuance and sale by the Trust to the Company of up to $773,200 aggregate
liquidation amount of its Common Securities (as defined herein), in up to
$25,773,200 aggregate principal amount of the Debentures;
WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver
this Indenture;
WHEREAS, all requirements necessary to make this Indenture a valid
instrument in accordance with its terms, and to make the Debentures, when
executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the
valid obligations of the Company, have been performed, and the execution and
delivery of this Indenture have been duly authorized in all respects;
WHEREAS, to provide the terms and conditions upon which the Debentures
are to be authenticated, issued and delivered, the Company has duly authorized
the execution of this Indenture; and
WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement
of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the purchase of
the Debentures by the holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed as
follows for the equal and ratable benefit of the holders of the Debentures:
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS.
The terms defined in this Section 1.1 (except as in this Indenture
otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires) for all
purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto shall have
the respective meanings specified in this Section 1.1 and shall include the
plural as well as the singular. All other terms used in this Indenture that are
defined in the Trust Indenture Act, or that are by reference in the Trust
Indenture Act defined in the Securities Act (except as herein otherwise
expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires), shall have the
meanings assigned to such terms in the Trust Indenture Act and in the Securities
Act as in force at the date of the execution of this instrument. All accounting
terms used herein and not expressly defined shall have the meanings assigned to
such terms in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
"Accelerated Maturity Date" means if the Company elects to accelerate
the Maturity Date in accordance with Section 2.2(c), the date selected by the
Company which is prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date, but is after December 31,
2006.
"Additional Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2.5(c).
"Additional Junior Indebtedness" means, without duplication, (A) any
indebtedness, liabilities or obligations of the Company, or any Affiliate of the
Company, under debt securities (or guarantees in respect of debt securities)
initially issued to any trust, or a trustee of a trust, partnership or other
entity affiliated with the Company that is, directly or indirectly, a finance
subsidiary (as such term is defined in Rule 3a-5 under the Investment Company
Act) or other financing vehicle of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company
in connection with the issuance by that entity of preferred securities or other
securities that are intended to qualify for Tier 1 capital treatment (or the
then equivalent thereof) for purposes of the capital adequacy guidelines of the
Federal Reserve, as then in effect and applicable to the Company, other than the
Debentures; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the inability of the Company to treat all or
any portion of the Additional Junior Indebtedness as Tier 1 capital shall not
disqualify it as Additional Junior Indebtedness if such inability results from
the Company having cumulative preferred stock, minority interests in
consolidated subsidiaries, or any other class of security or interest which the
Federal Reserve now or may hereafter accord Tier 1 capital treatment (including
the Debentures) in excess of the amount which may qualify for treatment as Tier
1 capital under applicable capital adequacy guidelines of the Federal Reserve,
and (B) any indebtedness, liabilities or obligations of the Company, or any
Affiliate of the Company, that is junior or otherwise subordinate in right of
payment to Senior Indebtedness of the Company and that has a maturity or is
otherwise due and payable by the Company on a date twelve (12) months or more
after its date of original issuance, other than the Debentures.
"Additional Senior Obligations" means all indebtedness of the Company
whether incurred on or prior to the date of this Indenture or thereafter
incurred, for claims in respect of
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derivative products such as interest and foreign exchange rate contracts,
commodity contracts and similar arrangements; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Additional
Senior Obligations does not include claims in respect of Senior Debt or
Subordinated Debt or obligations which, by their terms, are expressly stated to
be not superior in right of payment to the Debentures or to rank PARI PASSU in
right of payment with the Debentures. For purposes of this definition, "claim"
shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 101(4) of the United States
Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended.
"Administrative Trustees" shall have the meaning set forth in the Trust
Agreement.
"Affiliate" means, with respect to a specified Person, (a) any Person
directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding with power to vote 10% or
more of the outstanding voting securities or other ownership interests of the
specified Person; (b) any Person 10% or more of whose outstanding voting
securities or other ownership interests are directly or indirectly owned,
controlled or held with power to vote by the specified Person; (c) any Person
directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with
the specified Person; (d) a partnership in which the specified Person is a
general partner; (e) any officer or director of the specified Person; and (f) if
the specified Person is an individual, any entity of which the specified Person
is an officer, director or general partner.
"Authenticating Agent" means an authenticating agent with respect to
the Debentures appointed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 2.12.
"Bankruptcy Law" means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or
state law for the relief of debtors.
"Board of Directors" means the Board of Directors of the Company or any
duly authorized committee of such Board or any other duly designated officers of
the Company.
"Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution certified by the Clerk
or an Assistant Clerk of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of
Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification.
"Business Day" means, with respect to the Debentures, any day other
than a Saturday or a Sunday or a day on which federal or state banking
institutions in Rockland, Massachusetts or the Borough of Manhattan, The City of
New York, are authorized or required by law, executive order or regulation to
close, or a day on which the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or the
Property Trustee is closed for business.
"Capital Treatment Event" means the receipt by the Company and the
Trust of an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by a law firm having a recognized
national bank regulatory practice, to the effect that, as a result of any
amendment to, or change (including any announced prospective change) in, the
laws (or any regulations thereunder) of the United States or any political
subdivision thereof or therein, or as a result of any official or administrative
pronouncement or action or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws
or regulations, which amendment or change is effective or which pronouncement or
decision is announced on or after the date of issuance of the Preferred
Securities under the Trust Agreement, there is more
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than an insubstantial risk of impairment of the Company's ability to treat the
Preferred Securities (or any substantial portion thereof) as Tier 1 capital (or
the then equivalent thereof), for purposes of the capital adequacy guidelines of
the Federal Reserve, as then in effect and applicable to the Company; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the Trust or the Company shall have requested and received such an
Opinion of Counsel with regard to such matters within a reasonable period of
time after the Trust or the Company shall have become aware of the possible
occurrence of any such event; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the inability of the
Company to treat all or any portion of the Liquidation Amount of the Preferred
Securities as Tier 1 Capital shall not constitute the basis for a Capital
Treatment Event if such inability results from the Company having cumulative
preferred stock, minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries, or any other
class of security or interest which the Federal Reserve now or may hereafter
accord Tier 1 Capital treatment in excess of the amount which may qualify for
treatment as Tier 1 Capital under applicable capital adequacy guidelines of the
Federal Reserve; PROVIDED, FURTHER, HOWEVER, that the distribution of Junior
Subordinated Debentures in connection with the dissolution of the Trust shall
not in and of itself constitute a Capital Treatment Event.
"Certificate" means a certificate signed by the principal executive
officer, the chief financial officer, the principal accounting officer, the
treasurer or any vice president of the Company. The Certificate need not comply
with the provisions of Section 15.7.
"Change in 1940 Act Law" shall have the meaning set forth in the
definition of "Investment Company Event."
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Common Securities" means undivided beneficial interests in the assets
of the Trust which rank PARI PASSU with the Preferred Securities; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, the rights of holders
of Common Securities to payment in respect of distributions and payments upon
liquidation, redemption and otherwise are subordinated to the rights of holders
of Preferred Securities.
"Company" means Independent Bank Corp., a corporation duly organized
and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and subject to
the provisions of Article XII, shall also include its successors and assigns.
"Compounded Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Trustee at which, at
any particular time, its corporate trust business shall be principally
administered, which office at the date hereof is located xx000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Corporate Trust Trustee Administration.
"Coupon Rate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.5.
"Custodian" means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator, or
similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
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"Debentures" shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals hereto.
"Debentureholder," "holder of Debentures," "registered holder," or
other similar term, means the Person or Persons in whose name or names a
particular Debenture shall be registered on the books of the Company or the
Trustee kept for that purpose in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.
"Debenture Register" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2.7(b).
"Debenture Registrar" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2.7(b).
"Debt" means with respect to any Person, whether recourse is to all or
a portion of the assets of such Person and whether or not contingent, (i) every
obligation of such Person for money borrowed; (ii) every obligation of such
Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments,
including obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition of property,
assets or businesses; (iii) every reimbursement obligation of such Person with
respect to letters of credit, bankers' acceptances or similar facilities issued
for the account of such Person; (iv) every obligation of such Person issued or
assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (but excluding
trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of
business); (v) every capital lease obligation of such Person; and (vi) and every
obligation of the type referred to in clauses (i) through (v) of another Person
and all dividends of another Person the payment of which, in either case, such
Person has guaranteed or is responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, as
obligor or otherwise.
"Default" means any event, act or condition that with notice or lapse
of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.
"Deferred Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.
"Direct Action" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.8.
"Dissolution Event" means that as a result of the occurrence and
continuation of a Special Event, the Trust is to be dissolved in accordance with
the Trust Agreement and the Debentures held by the Property Trustee are to be
distributed to the holders of the Trust Securities issued by the Trust pro rata
in accordance with the Trust Agreement.
"Event of Default" means, with respect to the Debentures, any event
specified in Section 7.1, which has continued for the period of time, if any,
and after the giving of the notice, if any, therein designated.
"Exchange Act," means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
as in effect at the date of execution of this Indenture.
"Extended Interest Payment Period" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 4.1.
"Federal Reserve" means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System.
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"Generally Accepted Accounting Principles" means such accounting
principles as are generally accepted at the time of any computation required
hereunder.
"Governmental Obligations" means securities that are (i) direct
obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full
faith and credit is pledged; or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or
supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of
America, the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and
credit obligation by the United States of America that, in either case, are not
callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also
include a depositary receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of
the Securities Act) as custodian with respect to any such Governmental
Obligation or a specific payment of principal of or interest on any such
Governmental Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of
such depositary receipt; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that (except as required by law)
such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable
to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the
custodian in respect of the Governmental Obligation or the specific payment of
principal of or interest on the Governmental Obligation evidenced by such
depositary receipt.
"Herein," "hereof," and "hereunder," and other words of similar import,
refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or
other subdivision.
"Indenture" means this instrument as originally executed or as it may
from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures
supplemental hereto entered into in accordance with the terms hereof.
"Interest Payment Date," when used with respect to any installment of
interest on the Debentures, means the date specified in the Debenture or in an
indenture supplemental hereto with respect to the Debentures as the fixed date
on which an installment of interest with respect to the Debentures is due and
payable.
"Investment Company Act," means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, as in effect at the date of execution of this Indenture.
"Investment Company Event" means the receipt by the Trust and the
Company of an Opinion of Counsel, rendered by a law firm having a recognized
national tax and securities law practice, to the effect that, as a result of the
occurrence of a change in law or regulation or a change in interpretation or
application of law or regulation by any legislative body, court, governmental
agency or regulatory authority (a "Change in 1940 Act Law"), the Trust is or
shall be considered an "investment company" that is required to be registered
under the Investment Company Act, which Change in 1940 Act Law becomes effective
on or after the date of original issuance of the Preferred Securities under the
Trust Agreement; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Trust or the Company shall have
requested and received such an Opinion of Counsel with regard to such matters
within a reasonable period of time after the Trust or the Company shall have
become aware of the possible occurrence of any such event.
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"Maturity Date" means the date on which the Debentures mature and on
which the principal shall be due and payable together with all accrued and
unpaid interest thereon, including Compounded Interest and Additional Interest,
if any.
"Ministerial Action" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the President or
an Executive Vice President and by the Chief Financial Officer or the Treasurer
or an Assistant Treasurer or the Clerk or an Assistant Clerk of the Company that
is delivered to the Trustee in accordance with the terms hereof. Each such
certificate shall include the statements provided for in Section 15.7, if and to
the extent required by the provisions thereof.
"Opinion of Counsel" means an opinion in writing of independent,
outside legal counsel for the Company that is delivered to the Trustee in
accordance with the terms hereof. Each such opinion shall include the statements
provided for in Section 15.7, if and to the extent required by the provisions
thereof.
"Outstanding," when used in reference to the Debentures, means, subject
to the provisions of Section 10.4, as of any particular time, all Debentures
theretofore authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under this Indenture,
except (a) Debentures theretofore canceled by the Trustee or any paying agent,
or delivered to the Trustee or any paying agent for cancellation or that have
previously been canceled; (b) Debentures or portions thereof for the payment or
redemption of which moneys or Governmental Obligations in the necessary amount
shall have been deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any paying agent
(other than the Company) or shall have been set aside and segregated in trust by
the Company (if the Company shall act as its own paying agent); PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that if such Debentures or portions of such Debentures are to be
redeemed prior to the maturity thereof, notice of such redemption shall have
been given as in Article III PROVIDED, or provision satisfactory to the Trustee
shall have been made for giving such notice; and (c) Debentures in lieu of or in
substitution for which other Debentures shall have been authenticated and
delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.7; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in
determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Debentures have
given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, Debentures held by the
Company or any Affiliate of the Company shall not be included; PROVIDED,
FURTHER, that the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any request,
notice, consent or waiver unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have
actual knowledge that the holder of such Debenture is the Company or an
Affiliate thereof.
"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint-venture,
joint-stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated
organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
"Predecessor Debenture" means every previous Debenture evidencing all
or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Debenture;
and, for the purposes of this definition, any Debenture authenticated and
delivered under Section 2.9 in lieu of a lost, destroyed or stolen Debenture
shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the lost, destroyed or stolen
Debenture.
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"Preferred Securities" means the 8.625% Cumulative Trust Preferred
Securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the
Trust which rank PARI PASSU with Common Securities issued by the Trust;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, the rights
of holders of Common Securities to payment in respect of distributions and
payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise are subordinated to the
rights of holders of Preferred Securities.
"Preferred Securities Guarantee" means any guarantee that the Company
may enter into with the Trustee or other Persons that operates directly or
indirectly for the benefit of holders of Preferred Securities.
"Property Trustee" has the meaning set forth in the Trust Agreement.
"Redemption Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.
"Responsible Officer" when used with respect to the Trustee means any
officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee with direct
responsibility for the administration of this Indenture, including any vice
president, any assistant vice president, any assistant secretary or any other
officer or assistant officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions
similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such
officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred
because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Scheduled Maturity Date" means December 31, 2031.
"Securities Act," means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as in
effect at the date of execution of this instrument.
"Senior Debt" means the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest, if any (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any
petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to the Company whether or
not such claim for post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding), on
Debt, whether incurred on or prior to the date of this Indenture or thereafter
incurred, unless, in the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant
to which the same is outstanding, it is provided that such obligations are not
superior in right of payment to the Debentures or to other Debt which is PARI
PASSU with, or subordinated to, the Debentures, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Senior
Debt shall not be deemed to include (i) any Debt of the Company which when
incurred and without respect to any election under section 1111(b) of the United
States Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended, was without recourse to the Company;
(ii) any Debt owed to any employee of the Company; (iii) any Debt which by its
terms is subordinated to trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising
in the ordinary course of business to the extent that payments made to the
holders of such Debt by the holders of the Debentures as a result of the
subordination provisions of this Indenture would be greater than they otherwise
would have been as a result of any obligation of such holders to pay amounts
over to the obligees on such trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities
arising in the ordinary course of business as a result of subordination
provisions to which such Debt is subject; and (iv) any Debt which constitutes
Subordinated Debt.
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"Senior Indebtedness" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 16.1.
"Special Event" means a Tax Event, an Investment Company Event or a
Capital Treatment Event.
"Subordinated Debt" means the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest, if any (including interest accruing on or after the filing of any
petition in bankruptcy or for reorganization relating to the Company whether or
not such claim for post-petition interest is allowed in such proceeding), on
Debt, whether incurred on or prior to the date of this Indenture or thereafter
incurred, which is by its terms expressly provided to be junior and subordinate
to Senior Debt of the Company (other than the Debentures); PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that Subordinated Debt will not be deemed to include (i) any Debt of the Company
which when incurred and without respect to any election under section 1111(b) of
the United States Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended, was without recourse to
the Company; (ii) any Debt owed to any employee of the Company; (iii) any Debt
which by its terms is subordinated to trade accounts payable or accrued
liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business to the extent that
payments made to the holders of such Debt by the holders of the Subordinated
Debentures as a result of the subordination provisions of this Indenture would
be greater than they otherwise would have been as a result of any obligation of
such holders to pay amounts over to the obligees on such trade accounts payable
or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business as a result of
subordination provisions to which such Debt is subject; (iv) any Debt which
constitutes Senior Debt; and (v) any Debt of the Company under debt securities
(and guarantees in respect of these debt securities) initially issued to any
trust, or a trustee of a trust, partnership or other entity affiliated with the
Company that is, directly or indirectly, a financing vehicle of the Company in
connection with the issuance by that entity of preferred securities or other
securities which are intended to qualify for Tier 1 capital treatment.
"Subsidiary" means, with respect to any Person, (i) any corporation at
least a majority of whose outstanding Voting Stock shall at the time be owned,
directly or indirectly, by such Person or by one or more of its Subsidiaries or
by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries; (ii) any general
partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or similar entity,
at least a majority of whose outstanding partnership or similar interests shall
at the time be owned by such Person, or by one or more of its Subsidiaries, or
by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries; and (iii) any limited
partnership of which such Person or any of its Subsidiaries is a general
partner.
"Tax Event" means the receipt by the Company and the Trust of an
Opinion of Counsel, rendered by a law firm having a recognized national tax and
securities practice, to the effect that, as a result of any amendment to, or
change (including any announced prospective change) in, the laws (or any
regulations thereunder) of the United States or any political subdivision or
taxing authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any official
administrative pronouncement or judicial decision interpreting or applying such
laws or regulations, which amendment or change is effective or which
pronouncement or decision is announced on or after the date of issuance of the
Preferred Securities under the Trust Agreement, there is more than an
insubstantial risk that (i) the Trust is, or shall be within 90 days after the
date of such Opinion of Counsel, subject to United States federal income tax
with respect to income received or accrued on the Debentures;
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(ii) interest payable by the Company on the Debentures is not, or within 90 days
after the date of such Opinion of Counsel, shall not be, deductible by the
Company, in whole or in part, for United States federal income tax purposes; or
(iii) the Trust is, or shall be within 90 days after the date of such Opinion of
Counsel, subject to more than a DE MINIMIS amount of other taxes, duties,
assessments or other governmental charges; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Trust or
the Company shall have requested and received such an Opinion of Counsel with
regard to such matters within a reasonable period of time after the Trust or the
Company shall have become aware of the possible occurrence of any of the events
described in clauses (i) through (iii) above.
"Trust" means Independent Capital Trust III, a Delaware statutory
business trust.
"Trust Agreement" means the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust,
dated as of December 11, 2001, of the Trust.
"Trustee" means The Bank of New York and, subject to the provisions of
Article IX, shall also include its successors and assigns, and, if at any time
there is more than one Person acting in such capacity hereunder, "Trustee" shall
mean each such Person.
"Trust Indenture Act," means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended, subject to the provisions of Sections 11.1, 11.2, and 12.1, as in
effect at the date of execution of this instrument.
"Trust Securities" means the Common Securities and Preferred
Securities, collectively.
"Voting Stock," as applied to stock of any Person, means shares,
interests, participations or other equivalents in the equity interest (however
designated) in such Person having ordinary voting power for the election of a
majority of the directors (or the equivalent) of such Person, other than shares,
interests, participations or other equivalents having such power only by reason
of the occurrence of a contingency.
ARTICLE II
ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, TERMS, CONDITIONS, REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE
OF THE DEBENTURES
2.1 DESIGNATION AND PRINCIPAL AMOUNT.
There is hereby authorized Debentures designated the 8.625% Junior
Subordinated Debentures due 2031 limited in aggregate principal amount to
$25,773,200 which amount shall be as set forth in any written order of the
Company for the authentication and delivery of Debentures pursuant to Section
2.6.
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2.2 MATURITY.
(a) The Maturity Date shall be either:
(i) the Scheduled Maturity Date; or
(ii) if the Company elects to accelerate the Maturity Date to
be a date prior to the Scheduled Maturity Date in accordance with
Section 2.2(c), the Accelerated Maturity Date.
(b) the Company may at any time before the day which is 90 days before
the Scheduled Maturity Date and after December 31, 2006 elect to shorten the
Maturity Date only once to the Accelerated Maturity Date, PROVIDED that the
Company has received the prior approval of the Federal Reserve if then required
under applicable capital guidelines, policies or regulations of the Federal
Reserve.
(c) if the Company elects to accelerate the Maturity Date in accordance
with Section 2.2(b), the Company shall give notice to the Trustee and the Trust
(unless the Trust is not the holder of the Debentures, in which case the Trustee
will give notice to the holders of the Debentures) of the acceleration of the
Maturity Date and the Accelerated Maturity Date at least 30 days and no more
than 180 days before the Accelerated Maturity Date; PROVIDED, HOWEVER that
nothing provided in this Section 2.2 shall limit the Company's rights, as
provided in Article III hereof, to redeem all or a portion of the Debentures at
such time or times on or after December 31, 2006, as the Company may so
determine, or at any time upon the occurrence of a Special Event.
2.3 FORM AND PAYMENT.
The Debentures shall be issued in fully registered certificated form
without interest coupons. Principal and interest on the Debentures issued in
certificated form shall be payable, the transfer of such Debentures shall be
registrable and such Debentures shall be exchangeable for Debentures bearing
identical terms and provisions at the office or agency of the Trustee; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that payment of interest may be made at the option of the Company by
check mailed to the holder at such address as shall appear in the Debenture
Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained by the holder as specified
in the Debenture Register, PROVIDED that the holder provides proper transfer
instructions by the regular record date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long
as the holder of any Debentures is the Property Trustee, the payment of
principal of and interest (including Compounded Interest and Additional
Interest, if any) on such Debentures held by the Property Trustee shall be made
at such place and to such account as may be designated by the Property Trustee.
2.4 [INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK].
2.5 INTEREST.
(a) Each Debenture shall bear interest at the rate of 8.625% per annum
(the "Coupon Rate") from the original date of issuance until the principal
thereof becomes due and payable,
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and on any overdue principal and (to the extent that payment of such interest is
enforceable under applicable law) on any overdue installment of interest at the
Coupon Rate, compounded quarterly, payable (subject to the provisions of Article
IV) quarterly in arrears on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of
each year (each, an "Interest Payment Date"), commencing on December 31, 2001 to
the Person in whose name such Debenture or any Predecessor Debenture is
registered, at the close of business on the regular record date for such
interest installment, which shall be the fifteenth day of the last month of the
calendar quarter.
(b) The amount of interest payable for any period shall be computed on
the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. The amount of interest
payable for any period shorter than a full quarterly period for which interest
is computed, shall be computed on the basis of the number of days elapsed in a
360-day year of twelve 30-day months. In the event that any date on which
interest is payable on the Debentures is not a Business Day, then payment of
interest payable on such date shall be made on the next succeeding day which is
a Business Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any such
delay) except that, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar
year, such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day (and
without any reduction of interest or any other payment in respect of any such
acceleration), in each case with the same force and effect as if made on the
date such payment was originally payable.
(c) If, at any time while the Property Trustee is the holder of any
Debentures, the Trust or the Property Trustee is required to pay any taxes,
duties, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature (other than
withholding taxes) imposed by the United States, or any other taxing authority,
then, in any case, the Company shall pay as additional interest ("Additional
Interest") on the Debentures held by the Property Trustee, such additional
amounts as shall be required so that the net amounts received and retained by
the Trust and the Property Trustee after paying such taxes, duties, assessments
or other governmental charges shall be equal to the amounts the Trust and the
Property Trustee would have received had no such taxes, duties, assessments or
other government charges been imposed.
2.6 EXECUTION AND AUTHENTICATIONS.
(a) The Debentures shall be signed on behalf of the Company by its
President or one of its Vice Presidents or Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer,
attested by its Clerk or one of its Assistant Clerks. Signatures may be in the
form of a manual or facsimile signature. The Company may use the facsimile
signature of any Person who shall have been a President or Vice President
thereof, or of any Person who shall have been a Clerk or Assistant Clerk
thereof, notwithstanding the fact that at the time the Debentures shall be
authenticated and delivered or disposed of such Person shall have ceased to be
the President or a Vice President, or the Clerk or an Assistant Clerk, of the
Company (and any such signature shall be binding on the Company). The Debentures
may contain such notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock
exchange rule or usage. Each Debenture shall be dated the date of its
authentication by the Trustee.
(b) A Debenture shall not be valid until authenticated manually by an
authorized signatory of the Trustee, or by an Authenticating Agent. Such
signature shall be conclusive
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evidence that the Debenture so authenticated has been duly authenticated and
delivered hereunder and that the holder is entitled to the benefits of this
Indenture.
(c) At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery
of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Debentures executed by the Company to
the Trustee for authentication, together with a written order of the Company for
the authentication and delivery of such Debentures signed by its President or
any Vice President and its Chief Financial Officer or the Treasurer or any
Assistant Treasurer, and the Trustee in accordance with such written order shall
authenticate and deliver such Debentures.
(d) In authenticating such Debentures and accepting the additional
responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Debentures, the
Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 9.1) shall be
fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the form and
terms thereof have been established in conformity with the provisions of this
Indenture.
(e) The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Debentures
if the issue of such Debentures pursuant to this Indenture shall affect the
Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under the Debentures and this
Indenture or otherwise in a manner that is not reasonably acceptable to the
Trustee.
2.7 REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE.
(a) Debentures may be exchanged upon presentation thereof at the office
or agency of the Company designated for such purpose in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, or at the office of the Debenture Registrar,
for other Debentures and for a like aggregate principal amount in denominations
of integral multiples of $25, upon payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax
or other governmental charge in relation thereto, all as provided in this
Section 2.7. In respect of any Debentures so surrendered for exchange, the
Company shall execute, the Trustee shall authenticate and such office or agency
shall deliver in exchange therefor the Debenture or Debentures that the
Debentureholder making the exchange shall be entitled to receive, bearing
numbers not contemporaneously outstanding.
(b) The Company shall keep, or cause to be kept, at its office or
agency designated for such purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New
York, or at the office of the Debenture Registrar or such other location
designated by the Company a register or registers (herein referred to as the
"Debenture Register") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as the
Debenture Registrar (as defined below) may prescribe, the Company shall register
the Debentures and the transfers of Debentures as in this Article II PROVIDED
and which at all reasonable times shall be open for inspection by the Trustee.
The registrar for the purpose of registering Debentures and transfer of
Debentures as herein provided shall initially be the Trustee and thereafter as
may be appointed by the Company as authorized by Board Resolution (the
"Debenture Registrar"). Upon surrender for transfer of any Debenture at the
office or agency of the Company designated for such purpose, the Company shall
execute, the Trustee shall authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver
in the name of the transferee or transferees a new Debenture or Debentures for a
like aggregate principal amount. All
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Debentures presented or surrendered for exchange or registration of transfer, as
provided in this Section 2.7, shall be accompanied (if so required by the
Company or the Debenture Registrar) by a written instrument or instruments of
transfer, in form satisfactory to the Company or the Debenture Registrar, duly
executed by the registered holder or by such holder's duly authorized attorney
in writing.
(c) No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of
transfer of Debentures, or issue of new Debentures in case of partial
redemption, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge in relation thereto, other than exchanges
pursuant to Section 2.8, Section 3.5(b) and Section 11.4 not involving any
transfer.
(d) The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, exchange or
register the transfer of any Debentures during a period beginning at the opening
of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of
less than all the Outstanding Debentures and ending at the close of business on
the day of such mailing; nor (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any
Debentures or portions thereof called for redemption.
(e) Debentures may only be transferred, in whole or in part, in
accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Indenture. Any
transfer or purported transfer of any Debenture not made in accordance with this
Indenture shall be null and void.
2.8 TEMPORARY DEBENTURES.
Pending the preparation of definitive Debentures, the Company may
execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Debentures
(printed, lithographed, or typewritten). Such temporary Debentures shall be
substantially in the form of the definitive Debentures in lieu of which they are
issued, but with such omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate
for temporary Debentures, all as may be determined by the Company. Every
temporary Debenture shall be executed by the Company and be authenticated by the
Trustee upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with
like effect, as the definitive Debentures. Without unnecessary delay the Company
shall execute and shall furnish definitive Debentures and thereupon any or all
temporary Debentures may be surrendered in exchange therefor (without charge to
the holders), at the office or agency of the Company designated for the purpose
in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and the Trustee shall
authenticate and such office or agency shall deliver in exchange for such
temporary Debentures an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive
Debentures, unless the Company advises the Trustee to the effect that definitive
Debentures need not be executed and furnished until further notice from the
Company. Until so exchanged, the temporary Debentures shall be entitled to the
same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Debentures authenticated and
delivered hereunder.
2.9 MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN DEBENTURES.
(a) In case any temporary or definitive Debenture shall become
mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company (subject to the next
succeeding sentence) shall execute,
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and upon the Company's request the Trustee (subject as aforesaid) shall
authenticate and deliver, a new Debenture bearing a number not contemporaneously
outstanding, in exchange and substitution for the mutilated Debenture, or in
lieu of and in substitution for the Debenture so destroyed, lost, stolen or
mutilated. In every case the applicant for a substituted Debenture shall furnish
to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by
them to save each of them harmless, and, in every case of destruction, loss or
theft, the applicant shall also furnish to the Company and the Trustee evidence
to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of the applicant's
Debenture and of the ownership thereof. The Trustee may authenticate any such
substituted Debenture and deliver the same upon the written request or
authorization of the President or any Vice President and the Chief Financial
Officer or the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the Company. Upon the
issuance of any substituted Debenture, the Company may require the payment of a
sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed
in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of
the Trustee) connected therewith. In case any Debenture that has matured or is
about to mature shall become mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the
Company may, instead of issuing a substitute Debenture, pay or authorize the
payment of the same (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated
Debenture) if the applicant for such payment shall furnish to the Company and
the Trustee such security or indemnity as they may require to save them
harmless, and, in case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence to the
satisfaction of the Company and the Trustee of the destruction, loss or theft of
such Debenture and of the ownership thereof.
(b) Every replacement Debenture issued pursuant to the provisions of
this Section 2.9 shall constitute an additional contractual obligation of the
Company whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Debenture shall
be found at any time, or be enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all
the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all
other Debentures duly issued hereunder. All Debentures shall be held and owned
upon the express condition that the foregoing provisions are exclusive with
respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen
Debentures, and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) any and all other rights
or remedies, notwithstanding any law or statute existing or hereafter enacted to
the contrary with respect to the replacement or payment of negotiable
instruments or other securities without their surrender.
2.10 CANCELLATION.
All Debentures surrendered for the purpose of payment, redemption,
exchange or registration of transfer shall, if surrendered to the Company or any
paying agent, be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, or, if surrendered
to the Trustee, shall be canceled by it, and no Debentures shall be issued in
lieu thereof except as expressly required or permitted by any of the provisions
of this Indenture. On request of the Company at the time of such surrender, the
Trustee shall deliver to the Company canceled Debentures held by the Trustee. In
the absence of such request the Trustee may dispose of canceled Debentures in
accordance with its standard procedures and deliver a certificate of disposition
to the Company. If the Company shall otherwise acquire any of the Debentures,
however, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of
the indebtedness represented by such Debentures unless and until the same are
delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
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2.11 BENEFIT OF INDENTURE.
Nothing in this Indenture or in the Debentures, express or implied,
shall give or be construed to give to any Person, other than the parties hereto
and the holders of the Debentures (and, with respect to the provisions of
Article XVI, the holders of Senior Indebtedness) any legal or equitable right,
remedy or claim under or in respect of this Indenture, or under any covenant,
condition or provision herein contained; all such covenants, conditions and
provisions being for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and of the holders
of the Debentures (and, with respect to the provisions of Article XVI, the
holders of Senior Indebtedness).
2.12 AUTHENTICATING AGENT.
(a) So long as any of the Debentures remain Outstanding there may be an
Authenticating Agent for any or all such Debentures, which Authenticating Agent
the Trustee shall have the right to appoint. Said Authenticating Agent shall be
authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Debentures issued
upon exchange, transfer or partial redemption thereof, and Debentures so
authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be
valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee
hereunder. All references in this Indenture to the authentication of Debentures
by the Trustee shall be deemed to include authentication by an Authenticating
Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall be
a corporation that has a combined capital and surplus, as most recently reported
or determined by it, sufficient under the laws of any jurisdiction under which
it is organized or in which it is doing business to conduct a trust business,
and that is otherwise authorized under such laws to conduct such business and is
subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authorities. If at any
time any Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with
these provisions, it shall resign immediately.
(b) Any Authenticating Agent may at any time resign by giving written
notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any
time (and upon request by the Company shall) terminate the agency of any
Authenticating Agent by giving written notice of termination to such
Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon resignation, termination or
cessation of eligibility of any Authenticating Agent, the Trustee may appoint an
eligible successor Authenticating Agent acceptable to the Company. Any successor
Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become
vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder as if
originally named as an Authenticating Agent pursuant hereto.
ARTICLE III
REDEMPTION OF DEBENTURES
3.1 REDEMPTION.
Subject to the Company having received prior approval of the Federal
Reserve, if then required under the applicable capital guidelines, policies or
regulations of the Federal Reserve,
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the Company may redeem the Debentures issued hereunder on and after the dates
set forth in and in accordance with the terms of this Article III.
3.2 SPECIAL EVENT REDEMPTION.
Subject to the Company having received the prior approval of the
Federal Reserve, if then required under the applicable capital guidelines,
policies or regulations of the Federal Reserve, if a Special Event has occurred
and is continuing, then, notwithstanding Section 3.3(a) but subject to Section
3.3(b), the Company shall have the right upon not less than 30 days' nor more
than 60 days' notice to the holders of the Debentures to redeem the Debentures,
in whole but not in part, for cash within 180 days following the occurrence of
such Special Event (the "180-Day Period") at a redemption price equal to 100% of
the principal amount to be redeemed plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon
to the date of such redemption (the "Redemption Price"), PROVIDED that if at the
time there is available to the Company the opportunity to eliminate, within the
180-Day Period, a Tax Event by taking some ministerial action (a "Ministerial
Action"), such as filing a form or making an election, or pursuing some other
similar reasonable measure which has no adverse effect on the Company, the Trust
or the holders of the Trust Securities issued by the Trust, the Company shall
pursue such Ministerial Action in lieu of redemption, and, PROVIDED FURTHER,
that the Company shall have no right to redeem the Debentures pursuant to this
Section 3.2 while it is pursuing any Ministerial Action pursuant to its
obligations hereunder, and, PROVIDED FURTHER, that, if it is determined that the
taking of a Ministerial Action would not eliminate the Tax Event within the 180
Day Period, the Company's right to redeem the Debentures pursuant to this
Section 3.2 shall be restored and it shall have no further obligations to pursue
the Ministerial Action. The Redemption Price shall be paid prior to 12:00 noon,
New York time, on the date of such redemption or such earlier time as the
Company determines, PROVIDED that the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an
amount sufficient to pay the Redemption Price by 10:00 a.m., New York time, on
the date such Redemption Price is to be paid.
3.3 OPTIONAL REDEMPTION BY COMPANY.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.3(c), except as otherwise
may be specified in this Indenture, the Company shall have the right to redeem
the Debentures, in whole or in part, from time to time, on or after December 31,
2006, at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed
plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the date of such redemption. Any
redemption pursuant to this Section 3.3(a) shall be made upon not less than 30
days' nor more than 60 days' notice to the holder of the Debentures, at the
Redemption Price. If the Debentures are only partially redeemed pursuant to this
Section 3.3(a), the Debentures shall be redeemed pro rata or by lot or in such
other manner as the Trustee shall deem appropriate and fair in its discretion.
The Redemption Price shall be paid prior to 12:00 noon, New York time, on the
date of such redemption or at such earlier time as the Company determines
PROVIDED that the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount sufficient to
pay the Redemption Price by 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the date such
Redemption Price is to be paid.
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(b) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.3(c), the Company shall have
the right to redeem Debentures at any time and from time to time in a principal
amount equal to the Liquidation Amount (as defined in the Trust Agreement) of
any Preferred Securities purchased and beneficially owned by the Company, plus
an additional principal amount of Debentures equal to the Liquidation Amount (as
defined in the Trust Agreement) of that number of Common Securities that bears
the same proportion to the total number of Common Securities then outstanding as
the number of Preferred Securities to be redeemed bears to the total number of
Preferred Securities then outstanding. Such Debentures shall be redeemed
pursuant to this Section 3.3(b) only in exchange for and upon surrender by the
Company to the Property Trustee of the Preferred Securities and a proportionate
amount of Common Securities, whereupon the Property Trustee shall cancel the
Preferred Securities and Common Securities so surrendered and a Like Amount (as
defined in the Trust Agreement) of Debentures shall be extinguished by the
Trustee and shall no longer be deemed Outstanding.
(c) If a partial redemption of the Debentures would result in the
delisting of the Preferred Securities issued by the Trust from The Nasdaq
National Market or any national securities exchange or other organization on
which the Preferred Securities are then listed or quoted, the Company shall not
be permitted to effect such partial redemption and may only redeem the
Debentures in whole or in part to such extent as would not cause a delisting.
3.4 NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.
(a) Except in the case of a redemption pursuant to Section 3.3(b), in
case the Company shall desire to exercise such right to redeem all or, as the
case may be, a portion of the Debentures in accordance with the right reserved
so to do, the Company shall, or shall cause the Trustee to upon receipt of 45
days' written notice from the Company (which notice shall, in the event of a
partial redemption, include a representation to the effect that such partial
redemption will not result in the delisting of the Preferred Securities as
described in Section 3.3(c) above), give notice of such redemption to holders of
the Debentures to be redeemed by mailing, first class postage prepaid, a notice
of such redemption not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days before the
date fixed for redemption to such holders at their last addresses as they shall
appear upon the Debenture Register unless a shorter period is specified in the
Debentures to be redeemed. Any notice that is mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not
the registered holder receives the notice. In any case, failure duly to give
such notice to the holder of any Debenture designated for redemption in whole or
in part, or any defect in the notice, shall not affect the validity of the
proceedings for the redemption of any other Debentures. In the case of any
redemption of Debentures prior to the expiration of any restriction on such
redemption provided in the terms of such Debentures or elsewhere in this
Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers' Certificate
evidencing compliance with any such restriction. Each such notice of redemption
shall specify the date fixed for redemption and the Redemption Price and shall
state that payment of the Redemption Price shall be made at the office or agency
of the Company in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York or at the
Corporate Trust Office, upon presentation and surrender of such Debentures, that
interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption shall be paid as specified in
said notice and that from and after said date interest shall cease to accrue. If
less than all the Debentures are to be redeemed, the notice to the holders of
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the Debentures shall specify the particular Debentures to be redeemed. If the
Debentures are to be redeemed in part only, the notice shall state the portion
of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed and shall state that on and after
the redemption date, upon surrender of such Debenture, a new Debenture or
Debentures in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof shall be
issued.
(b) Except in the case of redemption pursuant to Section 3.3(b), if
less than all the Debentures are to be redeemed, the Company shall give the
Trustee at least 45 days' notice in advance of the date fixed for redemption as
to the aggregate principal amount of Debentures to be redeemed, and thereupon
the Trustee shall select, pro rata or by lot or in such other manner as it shall
deem appropriate and fair in its discretion, the portion or portions (equal to
$25 or any integral multiple thereof) of the Debentures to be redeemed and shall
thereafter promptly notify the Company in writing of the numbers of the
Debentures to be redeemed, in whole or in part. The Company may, if and whenever
it shall so elect pursuant to the terms hereof, by delivery of instructions
signed on its behalf by its Chairman, its President or any Vice President, its
Chief Financial Officer, or its Treasurer, instruct the Trustee or any paying
agent to call all or any part of the Debentures for redemption and to give
notice of redemption in the manner set forth in this Section 3.4, such notice to
be in the name of the Company or its own name as the Trustee or such paying
agent may deem advisable. In any case in which notice of redemption is to be
given by the Trustee or any such paying agent, the Company shall deliver or
cause to be delivered to, or permit to remain with, the Trustee or such paying
agent, as the case may be, such Debenture Register, transfer books or other
records, or suitable copies or extracts therefrom, sufficient to enable the
Trustee or such paying agent to give any notice by mail that may be required
under the provisions of this Section 3.4.
3.5 PAYMENT UPON REDEMPTION.
(a) If the giving of notice of redemption shall have been completed as
above provided, the Debentures or portions of Debentures to be redeemed
specified in such notice shall become due and payable on the date and at the
place stated in such notice at the applicable Redemption Price, and interest on
such Debentures or portions of Debentures shall cease to accrue on and after the
date fixed for redemption, unless the Company shall default in the payment of
such Redemption Price with respect to any such Debenture or portion thereof. On
presentation and surrender of such Debentures on or after the date fixed for
redemption at the place of payment specified in the notice, said Debentures
shall be paid and redeemed at the Redemption Price (but if the date fixed for
redemption is an Interest Payment Date, the interest installment payable on such
date shall be payable to the registered holder at the close of business on the
applicable record date pursuant to Section 3.3).
(b) Upon presentation of any Debenture that is to be redeemed in part
only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and the
office or agency where the Debenture is presented shall deliver to the holder
thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Debenture of authorized
denomination in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the
Debenture so presented.
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3.6 NO SINKING FUND.
The Debentures are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.
ARTICLE IV
EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD
4.1 EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD.
The Company shall have the right, at any time and from time to time
during the term of the Debentures so long as no Event of Default has occurred
and is continuing, to defer payments of interest by extending the interest
payment period of such Debentures for a period not exceeding 20 consecutive
quarters (the "Extended Interest Payment Period"), during which Extended
Interest Payment Period no interest shall be due and payable; PROVIDED that no
Extended Interest Payment Period may extend beyond the Maturity Date or end on a
date other than an Interest Payment Date. To the extent permitted by applicable
law, interest, the payment of which has been deferred because of the extension
of the interest payment period pursuant to this Section 4.1, shall bear interest
thereon at the Coupon Rate compounded quarterly for each quarter of the Extended
Interest Payment Period ("Compounded Interest"). At the end of the Extended
Interest Payment Period, the Company shall calculate (and deliver such
calculation to the Trustee) and pay all interest accrued and unpaid on the
Debentures, including any Additional Interest and Compounded Interest (together,
"Deferred Interest") that shall be payable to the holders of the Debentures in
whose names the Debentures are registered in the Debenture Register on the first
record date after the end of the Extended Interest Payment Period. Before the
termination of any Extended Interest Payment Period, the Company may further
extend such period so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing, provided that such period together with all such further extensions
thereof shall not exceed 20 consecutive quarters, or extend beyond the Maturity
Date of the Debentures or end on a date other than an Interest Payment Date.
Upon the termination of any Extended Interest Payment Period and upon the
payment of all Deferred Interest then due, the Company may commence a new
Extended Interest Payment Period, subject to the foregoing requirements. No
interest shall be due and payable during an Extended Interest Payment Period,
except at the end thereof, but the Company may prepay at any time all or any
portion of the interest accrued during an Extended Interest Payment Period.
4.2 NOTICE OF EXTENSION.
(a) If the Property Trustee is the only registered holder of the
Debentures at the time the Company selects an Extended Interest Payment Period,
the Company shall give written notice to the Administrative Trustees, the
Property Trustee and the Trustee of its selection of such Extended Interest
Payment Period two Business Days before the earlier of (i) the next succeeding
date on which Distributions on the Trust Securities issued by the Trust are
payable; or (ii) the date the Trust is required to give notice of the record
date, or the date such Distributions are payable, to The Nasdaq National Market
or other applicable self-regulatory
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organization or to holders of the Preferred Securities issued by the Trust, but
in any event at least one Business Day before such record date.
(b) If the Property Trustee is not the only holder of the Debentures at
the time the Company selects an Extended Interest Payment Period, the Company
shall give the holders of the Debentures and the Trustee written notice of its
selection of such Extended Interest Payment Period at least two Business Days
before the earlier of (i) the next succeeding Interest Payment Date; or (ii) the
date the Company is required to give notice of the record or payment date of
such interest payment to The Nasdaq National Market or other applicable
self-regulatory organization or to holders of the Debentures.
(c) The quarter in which any notice is given pursuant to paragraphs (a)
or (b) of this Section 4.2 shall be counted as one of the 20 quarters permitted
in the maximum Extended Interest Payment Period permitted under Section 4.1.
4.3 LIMITATION ON TRANSACTIONS.
If (i) the Company shall exercise its right to defer payment of
interest as provided in Section 4.1, or (ii) there shall have occurred and be
continuing any Event of Default, then (a) the Company shall not declare or pay
any dividend on, make any distributions with respect to, or redeem, purchase,
acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of its capital stock
(other than (A) dividends or distributions in common stock of the Company, or
any declaration of a non-cash dividend in connection with the implementation of
a shareholder rights plan, or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the
future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (B)
purchases of common stock of the Company related to the rights under any of the
Company's benefit plans for its directors, officers or employees, or (C) as a
result of a reclassification of its capital stock for another class of its
capital stock); (b) the Company shall not make any payment of interest,
principal or premium, if any, or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities
issued by the Company which rank PARI PASSU with or junior to the Debentures or
make any guarantee payment with respect to any guarantee by the Company of the
debt securities of any subsidiary of the Company if such guarantee ranks PARI
PASSU with or junior to the Debentures; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Company may make payments pursuant to its obligations under
the Preferred Securities Guarantee; and (c) the Company shall not redeem,
purchase or acquire less than all of the outstanding Debentures or any of the
Preferred Securities.
ARTICLE V
PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
5.1 PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST.
The Company shall duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the
principal of and interest on the Debentures at the time and place and in the
manner provided herein. Each such payment of the principal of and interest on
the Debentures shall relate only to the Debentures, shall not be combined with
any other payment of the principal of or interest on any other
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obligation of the Company, and shall be clearly and unmistakably identified as
pertaining to the Debentures.
5.2 MAINTENANCE OF AGENCY.
So long as any of the Debentures remain Outstanding, the Company shall
maintain, or shall cause to be maintained, an office or agency in the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, and at such other location or locations as may
be designated as provided in this Section 5.2, where (i) Debentures may be
presented for payment; (ii) Debentures may be presented as hereinabove
authorized for registration of transfer and exchange; and (iii) notices and
demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Debentures and this Indenture
may be given or served, such designation to continue with respect to such office
or agency until the Company shall, by written notice signed by its President or
an Executive Vice President and delivered to the Trustee, designate some other
office or agency for such purposes or any of them. If at any time the Company
shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to
furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, notices and
demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and
the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such
presentations, notices and demands. In addition to any such office or agency,
the Company may from time to time designate one or more offices or agencies
outside of the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, where the Debentures
may be presented for registration or transfer and for exchange in the manner
provided herein, and the Company may from time to time rescind such designation
as the Company may deem desirable or expedient; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no such
designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its
obligation to maintain any such office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan,
The City of New York, for the purposes above mentioned. The Company shall give
the Trustee prompt written notice of any such designation or rescission thereof.
5.3 PAYING AGENTS.
(a) The Company shall be the initial paying agent. If the Company shall
appoint one or more paying agents for the Debentures, other than the Trustee,
the Company shall cause each such paying agent to execute and deliver to the
Trustee an instrument in which such agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject
to the provisions of this Section 5.3:
(i) that it shall hold all sums held by it as such agent for
the payment of the principal of or interest on the Debentures (whether
such sums have been paid to it by the Company or by any other obligor
of such Debentures) in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled
thereto;
(ii) that it shall give the Trustee notice of any failure by
the Company (or by any other obligor of such Debentures) to make any
payment of the principal of or interest on the Debentures when the same
shall be due and payable;
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(iii) that it shall, at any time during the continuance of any
failure referred to in the preceding paragraph (a)(ii) above, upon the
written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums
so held in trust by such paying agent; and
(iv) that it shall perform all other duties of paying agent
as set forth in this Indenture.
(b) If the Company shall act as its own paying agent with respect to
the Debentures, it shall on or before each due date of the principal of or
interest on such Debentures, set aside, segregate and hold in trust for the
benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay such principal
or interest so becoming due on Debentures until such sums shall be paid to such
Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and shall promptly notify
the Trustee of such action, or any failure (by it or any other obligor on such
Debentures) to take such action. Whenever the Company shall have one or more
paying agents for the Debentures, it shall, prior to each due date of the
principal of or interest on any Debentures, deposit with the paying agent a sum
sufficient to pay the principal or interest so becoming due, such sum to be held
in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal or interest,
and (unless such paying agent is the Trustee) the Company shall promptly notify
the Trustee of this action or failure so to act.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 5.3 to the contrary, (i)
the agreement to hold sums in trust as provided in this Section 5.3 is subject
to the provisions of Section 13.3 and 13.4; and (ii) the Company may at any
time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this
Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or direct any paying agent to pay, to
the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such paying agent, such
sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms and conditions as those upon
which such sums were held by the Company or such paying agent; and, upon such
payment by any paying agent to the Trustee, such paying agent shall be released
from all further liability with respect to such money.
5.4 APPOINTMENT TO FILL VACANCY IN OFFICE OF TRUSTEE.
The Company, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the
office of Trustee, shall appoint, in the manner provided in Section 9.11, a
Trustee, so that there shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder.
5.5 COMPLIANCE WITH CONSOLIDATION PROVISIONS.
The Company shall not, while any of the Debentures remain outstanding,
consolidate with, or merge into, or merge into itself, or sell or convey all or
substantially all of its property to any other company unless the provisions of
Article XII hereof are complied with.
5.6 LIMITATION ON TRANSACTIONS.
If Debentures are issued to the Trust or a Trustee of the Trust in
connection with the issuance of Trust Securities by the Trust and (i) there
shall have occurred any event that would constitute an Event of Default; (ii)
the Company shall be in default with respect to any of its obligations under the
Preferred Securities Guarantee relating to the Trust; or (iii) the Company shall
have given notice of its election to defer payments of interest on such
Debentures by
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extending the interest payment period as provided in this Indenture and such
period, or any extension thereof, shall be continuing, then (a) the Company
shall not declare or pay any dividend on, make any distributions with respect
to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to,
any of its capital stock (other than (A) dividends or distributions in common
stock of the Company, or any declaration of a non-cash dividend in connection
with the implementation of a shareholder rights plan, or the issuance of stock
under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such
rights pursuant thereto, (B) purchases of common stock of the Company related to
the rights under any of the Company's benefit plans for its directors, officers
or employees, or (C) as a result of a reclassification of its capital stock into
another class of its capital stock); and (b) the Company shall not make any
payment of interest, principal or premium, if any, or repay, repurchase or
redeem any debt securities issued by the Company which rank PARI PASSU with or
junior to the Debentures or make any guarantee payments with respect to any
guarantee by the Company of the debt securities of any subsidiary of the Company
if such guarantee ranks PARI PASSU with or junior in interest to the Debentures;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that notwithstanding the foregoing the Company may make
payments pursuant to its obligations under the Preferred Securities Guarantee;
and (c) the Company shall not redeem, purchase or acquire less than all of the
outstanding Debentures or any of the Preferred Securities.
5.7 COVENANTS AS TO THE TRUST.
For so long as such Trust Securities of the Trust remain outstanding,
the Company shall (i) maintain 100% direct or indirect ownership of the Common
Securities of the Trust; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any permitted successor of the
Company under this Indenture may succeed to the Company's ownership of the
Common Securities; (ii) not voluntarily terminate, wind up or liquidate the
Trust, except upon prior approval of the Federal Reserve if then so required
under applicable capital guidelines, policies or regulations of the Federal
Reserve and use its reasonable efforts to cause the Trust (a) to remain a
business trust (and to avoid involuntary termination, winding up or
liquidation), except in connection with a distribution of Debentures, the
redemption of all of the Trust Securities of the Trust or certain mergers,
consolidations or amalgamations, each as permitted by the Trust Agreement; and
(b) to otherwise continue not to be treated as an association taxable as a
corporation or partnership for United States federal income tax purposes; (iii)
use its reasonable efforts to cause each holder of Trust Securities to be
treated as owning an individual beneficial interest in the Debentures; and (iv)
the Company, and any successor to the Company, shall use best efforts to
maintain the eligibility of the Preferred Securities for quotation or listing on
any national securities exchange or other organization on which the Preferred
Securities are then quoted or listed (including, if applicable, The Nasdaq
National Market) and shall use best efforts to keep the Preferred Securities so
quoted or listed for so long as the Preferred Securities remain outstanding. In
connection with the distribution of the Debentures to the holders of the
Preferred Securities issued by the Trust upon a Dissolution Event, the Company
shall use its best efforts to list such Debentures on The Nasdaq National Market
or on such other exchange as the Preferred Securities are then listed.
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5.8 COVENANTS AS TO PURCHASES.
Except upon the exercise by the Company of its right to redeem the
Debentures pursuant to Section 3.2 upon the occurrence and continuation of a
Special Event or pursuant to Section 3.3(b), prior to ___________ __, 2006, the
Company shall not purchase any Debentures, in whole or in part, from the Trust.
5.9 WAIVER OF USURY, STAY OR EXTENSION LAWS.
The Company shall not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any
manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or
extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may
affect the covenants or the performances of this Indenture, and the Company (to
the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or
advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or
impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer
and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been
enacted.
ARTICLE VI
DEBENTUREHOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE
6.1 COMPANY TO FURNISH TRUSTEE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
The Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee (a)
on a quarterly basis on each regular record date (as described in Section 2.5) a
list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and
addresses of the holders of the Debentures as of such regular record date,
provided that the Company shall not be obligated to furnish or cause to furnish
such list at any time that the list shall not differ in any respect from the
most recent list furnished to the Trustee by the Company (in the event the
Company fails to provide such list on a quarterly basis, the Trustee shall be
entitled to rely on the most recent list provided by the Company); and (b) at
such other times as the Trustee may request in writing within 30 days after the
receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content
as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that, in either case, no such list need be furnished if the
Trustee shall be the Debenture Registrar.
6.2 PRESERVATION OF INFORMATION COMMUNICATIONS WITH DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably
practicable, all information as to the names and addresses of the holders of
Debentures contained in the most recent list furnished to it as provided in
Section 6.1 and as to the names and addresses of holders of Debentures received
by the Trustee in its capacity as registrar for the Debentures (if acting in
such capacity).
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(b) The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in
Section 6.1 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.
(c) Debentureholders may communicate as provided in Section 312(b) of
the Trust Indenture Act with other Debentureholders with respect to their rights
under this Indenture or under the Debentures.
6.3 REPORTS BY THE COMPANY.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees to file with the Trustee, within
15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission,
copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports
(or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from
time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) that the Company may be
required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of
the Exchange Act; or, if the Company is not required to file information,
documents or reports pursuant to either of such sections, then to file with the
Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with the rules and regulations
prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and
periodic information, documents and reports that may be required pursuant to
Section 13 of the Exchange Act in respect of a security listed and registered on
a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such
rules and regulations.
(b) The Company covenants and agrees to file with the Trustee and the
Commission, in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed from time to
time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with
respect to compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants provided
for in this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and
regulations.
(c) The Company covenants and agrees to transmit by mail, first class
postage prepaid, or reputable overnight delivery service that provides for
evidence of receipt, to the Debentureholders, as their names and addresses
appear upon the Debenture Register, within 30 days after the filing thereof with
the Trustee, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required
to be filed by the Company pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this Section
6.3 as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by
the Commission. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the
Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee's receipt of such
shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or
determinable from information contained therein, including the Company's
compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is
entitled to rely exclusively on Officer's Certificates.)
6.4 REPORTS BY THE TRUSTEE.
(a) On or before July 15 in each year in which any of the Debentures
are Outstanding, the Trustee shall transmit by mail, first class postage
prepaid, to the Debentureholders, as their names and addresses appear upon the
Debenture Register, a brief report dated as of the preceding May 15, if and to
the extent required under Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act.
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(b) The Trustee shall comply with Section 313(b) and 313(c) of the
Trust Indenture Act.
(c) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission
to Debentureholders, be filed by the Trustee with the Company, with each stock
exchange upon which any Debentures are listed (if so listed) and also with the
Commission. The Company agrees to notify the Trustee when any Debentures become
listed on any stock exchange.
ARTICLE VII
REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND DEBENTUREHOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT
7.1 EVENTS OF DEFAULT.
(a) Whenever used herein with respect to the Debentures, "Event of
Default" means any one or more of the following events that has occurred and is
continuing:
(i) the Company defaults in the payment of any installment of
interest upon any of the Debentures, as and when the same shall become
due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30
days; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that a valid extension of an interest payment
period by the Company in accordance with the terms of this Indenture
shall not constitute a default in the payment of interest for this
purpose;
(ii) the Company defaults in the payment of the principal on
the Debentures as and when the same shall become due and payable
whether at maturity, upon redemption, by declaration or otherwise;
(iii) the Company fails to observe or perform any other of its
covenants or agreements with respect to the Debentures for a period of
90 days after the date on which written notice of such failure,
requiring the same to be remedied and stating that such notice is a
"Notice of Default" hereunder, shall have been given to the Company by
the Trustee, by registered or certified mail, or to the Company and the
Trustee by the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the
Debentures at the time Outstanding;
(iv) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any
Bankruptcy Law (i) commences a voluntary case; (ii) consents to the
entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case; (iii)
consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or
substantially all of its property; or (iv) makes a general assignment
for the benefit of its creditors;
(v) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order under
any Bankruptcy Law that (i) is for relief against the Company in an
involuntary case; (ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company for all or
substantially all of its property; or (iii) orders the liquidation of
the Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for
90 days; or
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(vi) the Trust shall have voluntarily or involuntarily
dissolved, wound-up its business or otherwise terminated its existence
except in connection with (i) the distribution of Debentures to holders
of Trust Securities in liquidation of their interests in the Trust;
(ii) the redemption of all of the outstanding Trust Securities of the
Trust; or (iii) certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations, each
as permitted by the Trust Agreement.
(b) In each and every such case referred to in paragraph (i) through
(vi) of this Section 7.1(a), unless the principal of all the Debentures shall
have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the holders of not
less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures then Outstanding
hereunder, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by
such Debentureholders) may declare the principal of all the Debentures to be due
and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become and
shall be immediately due and payable, notwithstanding anything contained in this
Indenture or in the Debentures.
(c) At any time after the principal of the Debentures shall have been
so declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment
of the moneys due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided,
the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures then
Outstanding hereunder, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may
rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if: (i) the Company has
paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all matured
installments of interest upon all the Debentures and the principal of any and
all Debentures that shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration (with
interest upon such principal, and, to the extent that such payment is
enforceable under applicable law, upon overdue installments of interest, at the
rate per annum expressed in the Debentures to the date of such payment or
deposit) and the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 9.7; and (ii) any
and all Events of Default under this Indenture, other than the nonpayment of
principal on Debentures that shall not have become due by their terms, shall
have been remedied or waived as provided in Section 7.6. No such rescission and
annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent default or impair any
right consequent thereon.
(d) In case the Trustee shall have proceeded to enforce any right with
respect to Debentures under this Indenture and such proceedings shall have been
discontinued or abandoned because of such rescission or annulment or for any
other reason or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee, then and in
every such case the Company and the Trustee shall be restored respectively to
their former positions and rights hereunder, and all rights, remedies and powers
of the Company and the Trustee shall continue as though no such proceedings had
been taken.
7.2 COLLECTION OF INDEBTEDNESS AND SUITS FOR ENFORCEMENT BY TRUSTEE.
(a) The Company covenants that (1) in case it shall default in the
payment of any installment of interest on any of the Debentures, and such
default shall have continued for a period of 30 days; or (2) in case it shall
default in the payment of the principal of any of the Debentures when the same
shall have become due and payable, whether upon maturity of the
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Debentures or upon redemption or upon declaration or otherwise, then, upon
demand of the Trustee, the Company shall pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of
the holders of the Debentures, the whole amount that then shall have become due
and payable on all such Debentures for principal or interest, or both, as the
case may be, with interest upon the overdue principal and (to the extent that
payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law and, if the
Debentures are held by the Trust or a trustee of the Trust, without duplication
of any other amounts paid by the Trust or trustee in respect thereof) upon
overdue installments of interest at the rate per annum expressed in the
Debentures; and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient
to cover the costs and expenses of collection, and the amount payable to the
Trustee under Section 9.7.
(b) If the Company shall fail to pay such amounts set forth in Section
7.2(a) forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee
of an express trust, shall be entitled and empowered to institute any action or
proceedings at law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and
unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceeding to judgment or final
decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against the Company or
other obligor upon the Debentures and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to
be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or
other obligor upon the Debentures, wherever situated.
(c) In case of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy,
reorganization, readjustment, arrangement, composition or judicial proceedings
affecting the Company, the Trust, or the creditors or property of either, the
Trustee shall have power to intervene in such proceedings and take any action
therein that may be permitted by the court and shall (except as may be otherwise
provided by law) be entitled to file such proofs of claim and other papers and
documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the
Trustee and of the holders of the Debentures allowed for the entire amount due
and payable by the Company under this Indenture at the date of institution of
such proceedings and for any additional amount that may become due and payable
by the Company after such date, and to collect and receive any moneys or other
property payable or deliverable on any such claim, and to distribute the same
after the deduction of the amount payable to the Trustee under Section 9.7; and
any receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization is hereby
authorized by each of the holders of the Debentures to make such payments to the
Trustee, and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such
payments directly to such Debentureholders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due
it under Section 9.7.
(d) All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture,
or under any of the terms established with respect to the Debentures, may be
enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of such Debentures, or the
production thereof at any trial or other proceeding relative thereto, and any
such suit or proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own
name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after
provision for payment to the Trustee of any amounts due under Section 9.7, be
for the ratable benefit of the holders of the Debentures. In case of an Event of
Default hereunder, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and
enforce the rights vested in it by this Indenture by such appropriate judicial
proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any
of such rights, either at law or in equity or in bankruptcy or otherwise,
whether for the
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specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or
in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Indenture, or to enforce any
other legal or equitable right vested in the Trustee by this Indenture or by
law. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to
authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Debentureholder any
plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the
Debentures or the rights of any holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to
vote in respect of the claim of any Debentureholder in any such proceeding.
7.3 APPLICATION OF MONEYS COLLECTED.
Any moneys or other assets collected by the Trustee pursuant to this
Article VII with respect to the Debentures shall be applied in the following
order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the
distribution of such moneys or other assets on account of principal or interest,
upon presentation of the Debentures, and notation thereon the payment, if only
partially paid, and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
FIRST: To the payment of costs and expenses of collection and of all
amounts payable to the Trustee under Section 9.7;
SECOND: To the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of the Company if and
to the extent required by Article XVI; and
THIRD: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the
Debentures for principal and interest, in respect of which or for the
benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without
preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and
payable on such Debentures for principal and interest, respectively.
7.4 LIMITATION ON SUITS.
(a) Except as set forth in this Indenture, no holder of any Debenture
shall have any right by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Indenture
to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or
with respect to this Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee,
or for any other remedy hereunder, unless (i) such holder previously shall have
given to the Trustee written notice of an Event of Default and of the
continuance thereof with respect to the Debentures specifying such Event of
Default, as hereinbefore provided; (ii) the holders of not less than 25% in
aggregate principal amount of the Debentures then Outstanding shall have made
written request upon the Trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in
its own name as trustee hereunder; (iii) such holder or holders shall have
offered to the Trustee such reasonable indemnity as it may require against the
costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby; (iv) the
Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of
indemnity, shall have failed to institute any such action, suit or proceeding;
and (v) during such 60 day period, the holders of a majority in principal amount
of the Debentures do not give the Trustee a direction inconsistent with the
request.
(b) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary or any
other provisions of this Indenture, the right of any holder of the Debentures to
receive payment of the principal of
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and interest on the Debentures, as therein provided, on or after the respective
due dates expressed in such Debenture (or in the case of redemption, on the
redemption date), or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment
on or after such respective dates or redemption date, shall not be impaired or
affected without the consent of such holder and by accepting a Debenture
hereunder it is expressly understood, intended and covenanted by the taker and
holder of every Debenture with every other such taker and holder and the
Trustee, that no one or more holders of Debentures shall have any right in any
manner whatsoever by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to
affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of the holders of any other of such
Debentures, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any
other such holder, or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the
manner herein provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all
holders of Debentures. For the protection and enforcement of the provisions of
this Section 7.4, each and every Debentureholder and the Trustee shall be
entitled to such relief as can be given either at law or in equity.
7.5 RIGHTS AND REMEDIES CUMULATIVE; DELAY OR OMISSION NOT WAIVER.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.9(b), all powers and
remedies given by this Article VII to the Trustee or to the Debentureholders
shall, to the extent permitted by law, be deemed cumulative and not exclusive of
any other powers and remedies available to the Trustee or the holders of the
Debentures, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or
observance of the covenants and agreements contained in this Indenture or
otherwise established with respect to such Debentures.
(b) No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any holder of any of the
Debentures to exercise any right or power accruing upon any Event of Default
occurring and continuing as aforesaid shall impair any such right or power, or
shall be construed to be a waiver of any such default or on acquiescence
therein; and, subject to the provisions of Section 7.4, every power and remedy
given by this Article VII or by law to the Trustee or the Debentureholders may
be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be deemed expedient, by
the Trustee or by the Debentureholders.
7.6 CONTROL BY DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Debentures at the time Outstanding, determined in accordance with Section 10.4,
shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any
proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or
power conferred on the Trustee; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such direction shall not
be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture. Subject to the
provisions of Section 9.1, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow
any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer
or Officers of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would
involve the Trustee in personal liability. The holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Debentures at the time Outstanding affected
thereby, determined in accordance with Section 10.4, may on behalf of the
holders of all of the Debentures waive any past default in the performance of
any of the covenants contained herein and its consequences, except (i) a default
in the payment of the principal of, or interest on, any of the Debentures as and
when the same shall become due by the terms of such Debentures
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otherwise than by acceleration (unless such default has been cured and a sum
sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest and principal has been
deposited with the Trustee (in accordance with Section 7.1(c)); (ii) a default
in the covenants contained in Section 5.7; or (iii) in respect of a covenant or
provision hereof which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the
holder of each Outstanding Debenture affected; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the
Debentures are held by the Trust or a trustee of the Trust, such waiver or
modification to such waiver shall not be effective until the holders of a
majority in liquidation preference of Trust Securities of the Trust shall have
consented to such waiver or modification to such waiver; PROVIDED FURTHER, that
if the consent of the holder of each Outstanding Debenture is required, such
waiver shall not be effective until each holder of the Trust Securities of the
Trust shall have consented to such waiver. Upon any such waiver, the default
covered thereby shall be deemed to be cured for all purposes of this Indenture
and the Company, the Trustee and the holders of the Debentures shall be restored
to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver
shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent
thereon.
7.7 UNDERTAKING TO PAY COSTS.
All parties to this Indenture agree, and each holder of any Debentures
by such holder's acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any
court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any
right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any
action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in
such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court
may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys'
fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits
and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the
provisions of this Section 7.7 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the
Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Debentureholder, or group of
Debentureholders holding more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the
Outstanding Debentures, or to any suit instituted by any Debentureholder for the
enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on the Debentures, on
or after the respective due dates expressed in such Debenture or established
pursuant to this Indenture.
7.8 DIRECT ACTION; RIGHT OF SET-OFF
In the event that an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing
and such event is attributable to the failure of the Company to pay interest on
or principal of the Debentures on an Interest Payment Date or Maturity Date, as
applicable, then a holder of Preferred Securities may institute a legal
proceeding directly against the Company for enforcement of payment to such
holder of the principal of or interest on such Debentures having a principal
amount equal to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities of
such holders (a "Direct Action"). In connection with such Direct Action, the
Company will have a right of set-off under this Indenture to the extent of any
payment actually made by the Company to such holder of the Preferred Securities
with respect to such Direct Action.
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ARTICLE VIII
FORM OF DEBENTURE AND ORIGINAL ISSUE
8.1 FORM OF DEBENTURE.
The Debenture and the Trustee's Certificate of Authentication to be
endorsed thereon are to be substantially in the forms contained as Exhibit A to
this Indenture, attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
8.2 ORIGINAL ISSUE OF DEBENTURES.
Debentures in the aggregate principal amount of $25,773,200 may, upon
execution of this Indenture, be executed by the Company and delivered to the
Trustee for authentication. The Trustee shall thereupon authenticate and deliver
said Debentures to or upon the written order of the Company, signed by its
President, or any Vice President and its Chief Financial Officer or the
Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, without any further action by the Company.
ARTICLE IX
CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE
9.1 CERTAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEE.
(a) The Trustee, prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and
after the curing of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall
undertake to perform with respect to the Debentures such duties and only such
duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants
shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. In case an Event of
Default has occurred that has not been cured or waived, the Trustee shall
exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use
the same degree of care and skill in its exercise, as a prudent person would
exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own
affairs.
(b) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the
Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure
to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after
the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have
occurred:
(1) the duties and obligations of the Trustee shall
with respect to the Debentures be determined
solely by the express provisions of this
Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be liable
with respect to the Debentures except for the
performance of such duties and obligations as
are specifically set forth in this Indenture,
and no implied
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covenants or obligations shall be read into
this Indenture against the Trustee; and
(2) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Trustee, the Trustee may with respect to the
Debentures conclusively rely, as to the truth of
the statements and the correctness of the
opinions expressed therein, upon any
certificates or opinions furnished to the
Trustee and conforming to the requirements of
this Indenture; but in the case of any such
certificates or opinions that by any provision
hereof are specifically required to be furnished
to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a
duty to examine the same to determine whether or
not they conform to the requirements of this
Indenture;
(ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment
made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of
the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent
in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
(iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any
action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance
with the direction of the holders of not less than a majority in
principal amount of the Debentures at the time Outstanding relating to
the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy
available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred
upon the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Debentures;
and
(iv) none of the provisions contained in this Indenture shall
require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur
personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or
in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if there is reasonable
ground for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is
not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Indenture or
adequate indemnity against such risk is not reasonably assured to it.
9.2 NOTICE OF DEFAULTS.
Within 90 days after actual knowledge by a Responsible Officer of the
Trustee of the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the
Debentures, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all holders of the Debentures,
as their names and addresses appear in the Debenture Register, notice of such
default, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that, except in the case default in the payment of the principal or interest
(including any Additional Interest) on any Debenture, the Trustee shall be
protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors,
the executive committee or a trust committee of the directors and/or Responsible
Officers of the Trustee determines in good faith that the withholding of such
notice is in the interests of the holders of such Debentures; and PROVIDED,
FURTHER, that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section
7.1(a)(iii), no such notice to holders of Debentures need be sent until at least
30 days after the occurrence thereof.
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For the purposes of this Section 9.2, the term "default" means any event which
is, or after notice or lapse of time or both, would become, an Event of Default
with respect to the Debentures.
9.3 CERTAIN RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 9.1:
(a) The Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining
from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion,
report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, bond, security or other paper
or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by
the proper party or parties;
(b) Any request, direction, order or demand of the Company mentioned
herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution or an instrument
signed in the name of the Company by its President or any Vice President and by
the Clerk or an Assistant Clerk or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer
thereof (unless other evidence in respect thereof is specifically prescribed
herein);
(c) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of a default or
an Event of Default, other than an Event of Default specified in Section
7.1(a)(i) or (ii), unless and until it receives written notification of such
Event of Default from the Company or by holders of at least 25% of the aggregate
principal amount of the Debentures at the time Outstanding;
(d) The Trustee may consult with counsel and the advice of such counsel
or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and
protection in respect of any action taken or suffered or omitted hereunder in
good faith and in reliance thereon;
(e) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the
rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or
direction of any of the Debentureholders, pursuant to the provisions of this
Indenture, unless such Debentureholders shall have offered to the Trustee
reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities
that may be incurred therein or thereby; nothing contained herein shall,
however, relieve the Trustee of the obligation, upon the occurrence of an Event
of Default (that has not been cured or waived) to exercise with respect to the
Debentures such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and to
use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise, as a prudent person would
exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own
affairs;
(f) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to
be taken by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the
discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture;
(g) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the
facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument,
opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, bond, security, or
other papers or documents, unless requested in writing so to do by the holders
of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debentures
(determined as provided in Section 10.4); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the payment
within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or liabilities
likely to be incurred
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by it in the making of such investigation is, in the opinion of the Trustee, not
reasonably assured to the Trustee by the security afforded to it by the terms of
this Indenture, the Trustee may require reasonable indemnity against such costs,
expenses or liabilities as a condition to so proceeding. The reasonable expense
of every such examination shall be paid by the Company or, if paid by the
Trustee, shall be repaid by the Company upon demand; and
(h) The Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or
perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or
attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or
negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it
hereunder.
(i) The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given
to the Trustee, including without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are
extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities
hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed [BY THE TRUSTEE]
to act hereunder.
(j) The Trustee may request that the Company deliver an Officers'
Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of offices
authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture,
which Officers' Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an
Officer's Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any
such certificate previously delivered and not superseded.
9.4 TRUSTEE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS, ETC.
(a) The Recitals contained herein and in the Debentures shall be taken
as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for
the correctness of the same.
(b) The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or
sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Debentures.
(c) The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by
the Company of any of the Debentures or of the proceeds of such Debentures, or
for the use or application of any moneys paid over by the Trustee in accordance
with any provision of this Indenture, or for the use or application of any
moneys received by any paying agent other than the Trustee.
9.5 MAY HOLD DEBENTURES.
The Trustee or any paying agent or registrar for the Debentures, in its
individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Debentures
with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, paying agent or
Debenture Registrar.
9.6 MONEYS HELD IN TRUST.
Subject to the provisions of Section 13.5, all moneys received by the
Trustee shall, until used or applied as herein provided, be held in trust for
the purposes for which they were received, but need not be segregated from other
funds except to the extent required by law. The
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Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any moneys received by it
hereunder except such as it may agree with the Company to pay thereon.
9.7 COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT.
(a) The Company covenants and agrees to pay to the Trustee, and the
Trustee shall be entitled to, such compensation (which shall not be limited by
any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express
trust), as the Company and the Trustee may from time to time agree in writing,
for all services rendered by it in the execution of the trusts hereby created
and in the exercise and performance of any of the powers and duties hereunder of
the Trustee, and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the Company
shall pay or reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses,
disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with
any of the provisions of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation
and the expenses and disbursements of its counsel and of all Persons not
regularly in its employ) except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may
arise from its negligence or bad faith. The Company also covenants to indemnify
the Trustee (and its officers, agents, directors and employees) for, and to hold
it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence
or bad faith on the part of the Trustee and arising out of or in connection with
the acceptance or administration of this trust, including the costs and expenses
of defending itself against any claim of liability in the premises.
(b) The obligations of the Company under this Section 9.7 to compensate
and indemnify the Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee for expenses,
disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder.
Such additional indebtedness shall be secured by a lien prior to that of the
Debentures upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such,
except funds held in trust for the benefit of the holders of particular
Debentures.
9.8 RELIANCE ON OFFICERS' CERTIFICATE.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 9.1, whenever in the
administration of the provisions of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it
necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking or
suffering or omitting to take any action hereunder, such matter (unless other
evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the
absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be
conclusively proved and established by an Officers' Certificate delivered to the
Trustee and such certificate, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the
part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the Trustee for any action taken,
suffered or omitted to be taken by it under the provisions of this Indenture
upon the faith thereof.
9.9 DISQUALIFICATION: CONFLICTING INTERESTS.
If the Trustee has or shall acquire any "conflicting interest" within
the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee and the
Company shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of
the Trust Indenture Act.
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9.10 CORPORATE TRUSTEE REQUIRED; ELIGIBILITY.
There shall at all times be a Trustee with respect to the Debentures
issued hereunder which shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States of America or any State or
territory thereof or of the District of Columbia, or a corporation or other
Person permitted to act as trustee by the Commission, authorized under such laws
to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at
least $50,000,000, and subject to supervision or examination by federal, State,
territorial, or District of Columbia authority. If such corporation publishes
reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements
of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of
this Section 9.10, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be
deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent
report of condition so published. The Company may not, nor may any Person
directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with
the Company, serve as Trustee. In case at any time the Trustee shall cease to be
eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 9.10, the Trustee
shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in Section
9.11.
9.11 RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL; APPOINTMENT OF SUCCESSOR.
(a) The Trustee or any successor hereafter appointed, may at any time
resign by giving written notice thereof to the Company and by transmitting
notice of resignation by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the
Debentureholders, as their names and addresses appear upon the Debenture
Register. Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the Company shall promptly
appoint a successor trustee with respect to Debentures by written instrument, in
duplicate, executed by order of the Board of Directors, one copy of which
instrument shall be delivered to the resigning Trustee and one copy to the
successor trustee. If no successor trustee shall have been so appointed and have
accepted appointment within 30 days after the mailing of such notice of
resignation, the resigning Trustee may, at the expense of the Company, petition
any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor trustee
with respect to Debentures, or any Debentureholder who has been a bona fide
holder of a Debenture or Debentures for at least six months may, subject to the
provisions of Sections 9.9 and 9.10, on behalf of himself and all others
similarly situated, petition any such court for the appointment of a successor
trustee. Such court may thereupon after such notice, if any, as it may deem
proper and prescribe, appoint a successor trustee.
(b) In case at any time any one of the following shall occur:
(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of
Section 9.9 after written request therefor by the Company or by any
Debentureholder who has been a bona fide holder of a Debenture or
Debentures for at least six months; or
(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with
the provisions of Section 9.10 and shall fail to resign after written
request therefor by the Company or by any such Debentureholder; or
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(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting, or shall
be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or commence a voluntary bankruptcy
proceeding, or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be
appointed or consented to, or any public officer shall take charge or
control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of
rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation.
Then, in any such case, the Company may remove the Trustee with respect to all
Debentures and appoint a successor trustee by written instrument, in duplicate,
executed by order of the Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall
be delivered to the Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor trustee,
or, subject to the provisions of Sections 9.9 and 9.10, unless the Trustee's
duty to resign is stayed as provided herein, any Debentureholder who has been a
bona fide holder of a Debenture or Debentures for at least six months may, on
behalf of that holder and all others similarly situated, petition any court of
competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a
successor trustee. Such court may thereupon after such notice, if any, as it may
deem proper and prescribe, remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee.
(c) The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Debentures at the time Outstanding may at any time remove the Trustee by so
notifying the Trustee and the Company and may appoint a successor Trustee with
the consent of the Company.
(d) Any resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a
successor trustee with respect to the Debentures pursuant to any of the
provisions of this Section 9.11 shall become effective upon acceptance of
appointment by the successor trustee as provided in Section 9.12.
(e) Any successor trustee appointed pursuant to this Section 9.11 may
be appointed with respect to the Debentures, and at any time there shall be only
one Trustee with respect to the Debentures.
9.12 ACCEPTANCE OF APPOINTMENT BY SUCCESSOR.
(a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor trustee with
respect to the Debentures, every successor trustee so appointed shall execute,
acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument
accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the
retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor trustee, without any
further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights,
powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the
Company or the successor trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of
its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor
trustee all the rights, powers, and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall
duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor trustee all property and
money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.
(b) Upon request of any successor trustee, the Company shall execute
any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming
to such successor trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in
paragraph (a) of this Section 9.12.
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(c) No successor trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the
time of such acceptance such successor trustee shall be qualified and eligible
under this Article IX.
(d) Upon acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee as provided
in this Section 9.12, the Company shall transmit notice of the succession of
such trustee hereunder by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the
Debentureholders, as their names and addresses appear upon the Debenture
Register. If the Company fails to transmit such notice within ten days after
acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee, the successor trustee shall
cause such notice to be transmitted at the expense of the Company.
9.13 MERGER, CONVERSION, CONSOLIDATION OR SUCCESSION TO BUSINESS.
Any corporation into which the 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 the Trustee shall be a party, or any
corporation succeeding to the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be
the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided that such corporation shall be
qualified under the provisions of Section 9.9 and eligible under the provisions
of Section 9.10, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act
on the part of any of the parties hereto, anything herein to the contrary
notwithstanding. In case any Debentures shall have been authenticated, but not
delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or
consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and
deliver the Debentures so authenticated with the same effect as if such
successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Debentures.
9.14 PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AGAINST THE COMPANY.
The Trustee shall comply with Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture
Act, excluding any creditor relationship described in Section 311(b) of the
Trust Indenture Act. A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject
to Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act to the extent included therein.
ARTICLE X
CONCERNING THE DEBENTUREHOLDERS
10.1 EVIDENCE OF ACTION BY HOLDERS.
(a) Whenever in this Indenture it is provided that the holders of a
majority or specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures
may take any action (including the making of any demand or request, the giving
of any notice, consent or waiver or the taking of any other action), the fact
that at the time of taking any such action the holders of such majority or
specified percentage have joined therein may be evidenced by any instrument or
any number of instruments of similar tenor executed by such holders of
Debentures in Person or by agent or proxy appointed in writing.
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(b) If the Company shall solicit from the Debentureholders any request,
demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, the
Company may, at its option, as evidenced by an Officers' Certificate, fix in
advance a record date for the determination of Debentureholders entitled to give
such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other
action, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such a record date
is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other action may be given before or after the record date, but only
the Debentureholders of record at the close of business on the record date shall
be deemed to be Debentureholders for the purposes of determining whether
Debentureholders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Debentures have
authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, and for that purpose the
Outstanding Debentures shall be computed as of the record date; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that no such authorization, agreement or consent by such
Debentureholders on the record date shall be deemed effective unless it shall
become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six
months after the record date.
10.2 PROOF OF EXECUTION BY DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
Subject to the provisions of Section 9.1, proof of the execution of any
instrument by a Debentureholder (such proof shall not require notarization) or
such Debentureholder's agent or proxy and proof of the holding by any Person of
any of the Debentures shall be sufficient if made in the following manner:
(a) The fact and date of the execution by any such Person of any
instrument may be proved in any reasonable manner acceptable to the Trustee.
(b) The ownership of Debentures shall be proved by the Debenture
Register of such Debentures or by a certificate of the Debenture Registrar
thereof.
(c) The Trustee may require such additional proof of any matter
referred to in this Section 10.2 as it shall deem necessary.
10.3 WHO MAY BE DEEMED OWNERS.
Prior to the due presentment for registration of transfer of any
Debenture, the Company, the Trustee, any paying agent, any Authenticating Agent
and any Debenture Registrar may deem and treat the Person in whose name such
Debenture shall be registered upon the books of the Company as the absolute
owner of such Debenture (whether or not such Debenture shall be overdue and
notwithstanding any notice of ownership or writing thereon made by anyone other
than the Debenture Registrar) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on
account of the principal of and interest on such Debenture (subject to Section
2.3) and for all other purposes; and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any
paying agent nor any Authenticating Agent nor any Debenture Registrar shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary.
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10.4 CERTAIN DEBENTURES OWNED BY COMPANY DISREGARDED.
In determining whether the holders of the requisite aggregate principal
amount of Debentures have concurred in any direction, consent or waiver under
this Indenture, the Debentures that are owned by the Company or any other
obligor on the Debentures or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or
controlled by or under common control with the Company or any other obligor on
the Debentures shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding for the
purpose of any such determination, except (i) that for the purpose of
determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such
direction, consent or waiver, only Debentures that the Trustee actually knows
are so owned shall be so disregarded; and (ii) for purposes of this Section
10.4, the Trust shall be deemed not to be controlled by the Company. The
Debentures so owned that have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as
Outstanding for the purposes of this Section 10.4, if the pledgee shall
establish to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee's right so to act with
respect to such Debentures and that the pledgee is not a Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with the Company or any such other obligor. In case of a dispute as to
such right, any decision by the Trustee taken upon the advice of counsel shall
be full protection to the Trustee.
10.5 ACTIONS BINDING ON FUTURE DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as
provided in Section 10.1, of the taking of any action by the holders of the
majority or percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures specified
in this Indenture in connection with such action, any holder of a Debenture that
is shown by the evidence to be included in the Debentures the holders of which
have consented to such action may, by filing written notice with the Trustee,
and upon proof of holding as provided in Section 10.2, revoke such action so far
as concerns such Debenture. Except as aforesaid any such action taken by the
holder of any Debenture shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder and
upon all future holders and owners of such Debenture, and of any Debenture
issued in exchange therefor, on registration of transfer thereof or in place
thereof, irrespective of whether or not any notation in regard thereto is made
upon such Debenture. Any action taken by the holders of the majority or
percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures specified in this
Indenture in connection with such action shall be conclusively binding upon the
Company, the Trustee and the holders of all the Debentures.
ARTICLE XI
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
11.1 SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
In addition to any supplemental indenture otherwise authorized by this
Indenture, the Company and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time
enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform
to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act
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as then in effect), without the consent of the Debentureholders, for one or more
of the following purposes:
(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect, or inconsistency herein, or in the
Debentures;
(b) to comply with Article X;
(c) to provide for uncertificated Debentures in addition to or in place
of certificated Debentures;
(d) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the
holders of all or any of the Debentures or to surrender any right or power
herein conferred upon the Company;
(e) to add to, delete from, or revise the conditions, limitations, and
restrictions on the authorized amount, terms, or purposes of issue,
authentication, and delivery of Debentures, only as herein set forth;
(f) to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any
Debentureholder in any material respect;
(g) to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and
conditions of the Debentures, to establish the form of any certifications
required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of this Indenture or of the
Debentures, or to add to the rights of the holders of the Debentures;
(h) to qualify or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under
the Trust Indenture Act; or
(i) to evidence a consolidation or merger involving the Company as
permitted under Section 12.1.
The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the execution of
any such supplemental indenture, and to make any further appropriate agreements
and stipulations that may be therein contained, but the Trustee shall not be
obligated to enter into any such supplemental indenture that affects the
Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section 11.1 may
be executed by the Company and the Trustee without the consent of the holders of
any of the Debentures at the time Outstanding, notwithstanding any of the
provisions of Section 11.2.
11.2 SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES WITH CONSENT OF DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
With the consent (evidenced as provided in Section 10.1) of the holders
of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Debentures at
the time Outstanding, the Company, when authorized by Board Resolutions, and the
Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or
indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the
Trust Indenture Act as then in effect) for the purpose of adding any provisions
to or
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changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or
of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner not covered by
Section 11.1 the rights of the holders of the Debentures under this Indenture;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no such supplemental indenture shall without the consent
of the holders of each Debenture then Outstanding and affected thereby, (i)
extend the fixed maturity of any Debentures, reduce the principal amount
thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon,
without the consent of the holder of each Debenture so affected; or (ii) reduce
the aforesaid percentage of Debentures, the holders of which are required to
consent to any such supplemental indenture; PROVIDED FURTHER, that if the
Debentures are held by the Trust or a trustee of the Trust, such supplemental
indenture shall not be effective until the holders of a majority in liquidation
preference of Trust Securities of the Trust shall have consented to such
supplemental indenture; PROVIDED FURTHER, that if the consent of the holder of
each Outstanding Debenture is required, such supplemental indenture shall not be
effective until each holder of the Trust Securities of the Trust shall have
consented to such supplemental indenture. It shall not be necessary for the
consent of the Debentureholders affected thereby under this Section 11.2 to
approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall
be sufficient if such consent shall approve the substance thereof.
11.3 EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES.
Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the
provisions of this Article XI, this Indenture shall be and be deemed to be
modified and amended in accordance therewith and the respective rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities under this Indenture
of the Trustee, the Company and the holders of Debentures shall thereafter be
determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such
modifications and amendments, and all the terms and conditions of any such
supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be part of the terms and
conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.
11.4 DEBENTURES AFFECTED BY SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES.
Debentures affected by a supplemental indenture, authenticated and
delivered after the execution of such supplemental indenture pursuant to the
provisions of this Article XI, may bear a notation in form approved by the
Company, provided such form meets the requirements of any exchange or automated
quotation system upon which the Debentures may be listed or quoted, as to any
matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so
determine, new Debentures so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Board
of Directors of the Company, to any modification of this Indenture contained in
any such supplemental indenture may be prepared by the Company, authenticated by
the Trustee and delivered in exchange for the Debentures then Outstanding.
11.5 EXECUTION OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES.
(a) Upon the request of the Company, accompanied by its Board
Resolutions authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and
upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of Debentureholders
required to consent thereto as aforesaid, the Trustee shall join with the
Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless
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such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee's own rights, duties or
immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in
its discretion but shall not be obligated to enter into such supplemental
indenture. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 9.1, may receive
an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any supplemental indenture
executed pursuant to this Article XI is authorized or permitted by, and conforms
to, the terms of this Article XI and that it is proper for the Trustee under the
provisions of this Article XI to join in the execution thereof.
(b) Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Trustee of any
supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section 11.5, the
Trustee shall transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, a notice, setting
forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental indenture, to the
Debentureholders as their names and addresses appear upon the Debenture
Register. Any failure of the Trustee to mail such notice, or any defect therein,
shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such
supplemental indenture.
ARTICLE XII
SUCCESSOR CORPORATION
12.1 COMPANY MAY CONSOLIDATE, ETC.
Nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Debentures shall
prevent any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into any other
corporation or corporations (whether or not affiliated with the Company, as the
case may be), or successive consolidations or mergers in which the Company, as
the case may be, or its successor or successors shall be a party or parties, or
shall prevent any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of the
property of the Company, as the case may be, or its successor or successors as
an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to any other corporation (whether
or not affiliated with the Company, as the case may be, or its successor or
successors) authorized to acquire and operate the same; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, the
Company hereby covenants and agrees that, (i) upon any such consolidation,
merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, the due and punctual
payment, in the case of the Company, of the principal of and interest on all of
the Debentures, according to their tenor and the due and punctual performance
and observance of all the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be kept
or performed by the Company as the case may be, shall be expressly assumed, by
supplemental indenture (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act, as then in effect) satisfactory in form to the Trustee executed
and delivered to the Trustee by the entity formed by such consolidation, or into
which the Company, as the case may be, shall have been merged, or by the entity
which shall have acquired such property, and the ultimate parent entity of such
successor entity expressly assumes the obligations of the Company under the
related Preferred Securities Guarantee, to the extent the Preferred Securities
are then Outstanding; (ii) in case the Company consolidates with or merges into
another Person or conveys or transfers its properties and assets substantially
as an entirety to any Person, the successor Person is organized under the laws
of the United States or any State or the District of Columbia; and (iii)
immediately after giving effect thereto, no Event of Default, and no event
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which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default,
shall have occurred and be continuing.
12.2 SUCCESSOR CORPORATION SUBSTITUTED.
(a) In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance,
transfer or other disposition and upon the assumption by the successor
corporation, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee
and satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of, in the case of the Company, the due
and punctual payment of the principal of and interest on all of the Debentures
Outstanding and the due and punctual performance of all of the covenants and
conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Company, as the case may be,
such successor corporation shall succeed to and be substituted for the Company,
with the same effect as if it had been named as the Company herein, and
thereupon the predecessor corporation shall be relieved of all obligations and
covenants under this Indenture and the Debentures.
(b) In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance,
transfer or other disposition such changes in phraseology and form (but not in
substance) may be made in the Debentures thereafter to be issued as may be
appropriate.
(c) Nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Debentures
shall prevent the Company from merging into itself or acquiring by purchase or
otherwise all or any part of the property of any other Person (whether or not
affiliated with the Company).
12.3 EVIDENCE OF CONSOLIDATION, ETC. TO TRUSTEE.
The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 9.1, may receive an
Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger,
sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, and any such assumption, comply
with the provisions of this Article XII.
ARTICLE XIII
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
13.1 SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE.
If at any time: (a) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee for
cancellation all Debentures theretofore authenticated (other than any Debentures
that shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that shall have been replaced
or paid as provided in Section 2.9) and all Debentures for whose payment money
or Governmental Obligations have theretofore been deposited in trust or
segregated and held in trust by the Company (and thereupon repaid to the Company
or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 13.5); or (b) all such
Debentures not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation shall have
become due and payable, or are by their terms to become due and payable within
one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements
satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption, and the
Company shall deposit or cause to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds
the entire amount in moneys or Governmental Obligations sufficient or a
combination
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thereof, sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of
independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof
delivered to the Trustee, to pay at maturity or upon redemption all Debentures
not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including principal
and interest due or to become due to such date of maturity or date fixed for
redemption, as the case may be, and if the Company shall also pay or cause to be
paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; then this Indenture shall
thereupon cease to be of further effect except for the provisions of Sections
2.3, 2.7, 2.9, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 9.6, 9.7 and 9.10, that shall survive until the
date of maturity or redemption date, as the case may be, and Sections 9.7 and
13.5, that shall survive to such date and thereafter, and the Trustee, on demand
of the Company and at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper
instruments acknowledging satisfaction of and discharging this Indenture.
13.2 DISCHARGE OF OBLIGATIONS.
If at any time all Debentures not heretofore delivered to the Trustee
for cancellation or that have not become due and payable as described in Section
13.1 shall have been paid by the Company by depositing irrevocably with the
Trustee as trust funds moneys or an amount of Governmental Obligations
sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized certified public accounting
firm to pay at maturity or upon redemption all Debentures not theretofore
delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including principal and interest due
or to become due to such date of maturity or date fixed for redemption, as the
case may be, and if the Company shall also pay or cause to be paid all other
sums payable hereunder by the Company, then after the date such moneys or
Governmental Obligations, as the case may be, are deposited with the Trustee,
the obligations of the Company under this Indenture shall cease to be of further
effect except for the provisions of Sections 2.3, 2.7, 2.9, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 9.6,
9.7 and 13.5 hereof that shall survive until such Debentures shall mature and be
paid. Thereafter, Sections 9.7 and 13.5 shall survive.
13.3 DEPOSITED MONEYS TO BE HELD IN TRUST.
All monies or Governmental Obligations deposited with the Trustee
pursuant to Sections 13.1 or 13.2 shall be held in trust and shall be available
for payment as due, either directly or through any paying agent (including the
Company acting as its own paying agent), to the holders of the Debentures for
the payment or redemption of which such moneys or Governmental Obligations have
been deposited with the Trustee.
13.4 PAYMENT OF MONIES HELD BY PAYING AGENTS.
In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture,
all moneys or Governmental Obligations then held by any paying agent under the
provisions of this Indenture shall, upon demand of the Company, be paid to the
Trustee and thereupon such paying agent shall be released from all further
liability with respect to such moneys or Governmental Obligations.
13.5 REPAYMENT TO COMPANY.
Any monies or Governmental Obligations deposited with any paying agent
or the Trustee, or then held by the Company in trust, for payment of principal
of or interest on the
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Debentures that are not applied but remain unclaimed by the holders of such
Debentures for at least two years after the date upon which the principal of or
interest on such Debentures shall have respectively become due and payable,
shall be repaid to the Company, as the case may be, on December 31 of each year
or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and
thereupon the paying agent and the Trustee shall be released from all further
liability with respect to such moneys or Governmental Obligations, and the
holder of any of the Debentures entitled to receive such payment shall
thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for the
payment thereof.
ARTICLE XIV
IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
14.1 NO RECOURSE.
No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of this
Indenture, or of the Debentures, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in
respect thereof, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or
director, past, present or future as such, of the Company or of any predecessor
or successor corporation, either directly or through the Company or any such
predecessor or successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution,
statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or
otherwise; it being expressly understood that this Indenture and the obligations
issued hereunder are solely corporate obligations, and that no such personal
liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, the
incorporators, stockholders, officers or directors as such, of the Company or of
any predecessor or successor corporation, or any of them, because of the
creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the
obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any of
the Debentures or implied therefrom; and that any and all such personal
liability of every name and nature, either at common law or in equity or by
constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against,
every such incorporator, stockholder, officer or director as such, because of
the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the
obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any of
the Debentures or implied therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as
a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and
the issuance of such Debentures.
ARTICLE XV
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
15.1 EFFECT ON SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.
All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements in this
Indenture contained by or on behalf of the Company shall bind its respective
successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
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15.2 ACTIONS BY SUCCESSOR.
Any act or proceeding by any provision of this Indenture authorized or
required to be done or performed by any board, committee or officer of the
Company shall and may be done and performed with like force and effect by the
corresponding board, committee or officer of any corporation that shall at the
time be the lawful sole successor of the Company.
15.3 SURRENDER OF COMPANY POWERS.
The Company by instrument in writing executed by appropriate authority
of its Board of Directors and delivered to the Trustee may surrender any of the
powers reserved to the Company, and thereupon such power so surrendered shall
terminate both as to the Company, as the case may be, and as to any successor
corporation.
15.4 NOTICES.
Except as otherwise expressly provided herein any notice or demand that
by any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be given or
served by the Trustee or by the holders of Debentures to or on the Company may
be given or served by being deposited first class postage prepaid in a
post-office letterbox addressed (until another address is filed in writing by
the Company with the Trustee), as follows: Independent Bank Corp., 000 Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Chief Financial Officer. Any
notice, election, request or demand by the Company or any Debentureholder to or
upon the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for
all purposes, if given or made in writing at the Corporate Trust Office of the
Trustee.
15.5 GOVERNING LAW.
This Indenture and each Debenture shall be deemed to be a contract made
under the internal laws of the State of New York and for all purposes shall be
construed in accordance with the laws of said State.
15.6 TREATMENT OF DEBENTURES AS DEBT.
It is intended that the Debentures shall be treated as indebtedness and
not as equity for federal income tax purposes. The provisions of this Indenture
shall be interpreted to further this intention.
15.7 COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATES AND OPINIONS.
(a) Upon any application or demand by the Company to the Trustee to
take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, the Company shall
furnish to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate stating that all conditions
precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have
been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such
counsel all such conditions precedent have been complied with, except that in
the case of any such application or demand as to which the furnishing of such
documents is
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specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such
particular application or demand, no additional certificate or opinion need be
furnished.
(b) Each certificate or opinion of the Company provided for in this
Indenture and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a
condition or covenant in this Indenture shall include (1) a statement that the
Person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such
certificate or opinion are based; (3) a statement that, in the opinion of such
Person, he has made such examination or investigation as, in the opinion of such
Person, is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether
or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and (4) a statement as
to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such condition or covenant has
been complied with; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that each such certificate shall comply
with the provisions of Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act.
15.8 PAYMENTS ON BUSINESS DAYS.
In any case where the date of maturity of interest or principal of any
Debenture or the date of redemption of any Debenture shall not be a Business
Day, then payment of interest or principal may be made on the next succeeding
Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the nominal date of
maturity or redemption, and no interest shall accrue for the period after such
nominal date.
15.9 CONFLICT WITH TRUST INDENTURE ACT.
If and to the extent that any provision of this Indenture limits,
qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317,
inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.
15.10 COUNTERPARTS.
This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but
one and the same instrument.
15.11 SEVERABILITY.
In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Indenture
or in the Debentures shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability
shall not affect any other provisions of this Indenture or of the Debentures,
but this Indenture and the Debentures shall be construed as if such invalid or
illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein or therein.
15.12 ASSIGNMENT.
The Company shall have the right at all times to assign any of its
respective rights or obligations under this Indenture to a direct or indirect
wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company, provided that, in the event of any such
assignment, the Company shall remain liable for all such
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obligations. Subject to the foregoing, this Indenture is binding upon and inures
to the benefit of the parties thereto and their respective successors and
assigns. This Indenture may not otherwise be assigned by the parties thereto.
15.13 ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RIGHTS.
The Company acknowledges that, with respect to any Debentures held by
the Trust or a trustee of the Trust, if the Property Trustee fails to enforce
its rights under this Indenture as the holder of the Debentures held as the
assets of the Trust, any holder of Preferred Securities may institute legal
proceedings directly against the Company to enforce such Property Trustee's
rights under this Indenture without first instituting any legal proceedings
against such Property Trustee or any other person or entity. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and such event
is attributable to the failure of the Company to pay interest or principal on
the Debentures on the date such interest or principal is otherwise payable (or
in the case of redemption, on the redemption date), the Company acknowledges
that a holder of Preferred Securities may directly institute a proceeding for
enforcement of payment to such holder of the principal of or interest on the
Debentures having a principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount
of the Preferred Securities of such holder on or after the respective due date
specified in the Debentures.
ARTICLE XVI
SUBORDINATION OF DEBENTURES
16.1 AGREEMENT TO SUBORDINATE.
The Company covenants and agrees, and each holder of Debentures issued
hereunder by such holder's acceptance thereof likewise covenants and agrees,
that all Debentures shall be issued subject to the provisions of this Article
XVI; and each holder of a Debenture, whether upon original issue or upon
transfer or assignment thereof, accepts and agrees to be bound by such
provisions. The payment by the Company of the principal of and interest on all
Debentures issued hereunder shall, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter
set forth, be subordinated and junior in right of payment to the prior payment
in full of all Senior Debt, Subordinated Debt and Additional Senior Obligations
(collectively, "Senior Indebtedness") to the extent provided herein, whether
outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred. No provision
of this Article XVI shall prevent the occurrence of any default or Event of
Default hereunder.
16.2 DEFAULT ON SENIOR DEBT, SUBORDINATED DEBT OR ADDITIONAL SENIOR
OBLIGATIONS.
In the event and during the continuation of any default by the Company
in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other payment due on any
Senior Indebtedness of the Company, or in the event that the maturity of any
Senior Indebtedness of the Company has been accelerated because of a default,
then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to
the principal (including redemption payments) of or interest on the Debentures.
In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall be received
by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding sentence of this
Section 16.2, such payment
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shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered
to, the holders of Senior Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or
to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any of such
Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may
appear, but only to the extent that the holders of the Senior Indebtedness (or
their representative or representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in
writing within 90 days of such payment of the amounts then due and owing on the
Senior Indebtedness and only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee
shall be paid to the holders of Senior Indebtedness.
16.3 LIQUIDATION; DISSOLUTION; BANKRUPTCY.
(a) Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the
Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to
creditors upon any dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization of
the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy, insolvency,
receivership or other proceedings, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness
of the Company shall first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in
money in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made by the Company on
account of the principal or interest on the Debentures; and upon any such
dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization, any payment by the
Company, or distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character,
whether in cash, property or securities, to which the holders of the Debentures
or the Trustee would be entitled to receive from the Company, except for the
provisions of this Article XVI, shall be paid by the Company or by any receiver,
trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such
payment or distribution, or by the holders of the Debentures or by the Trustee
under this Indenture if received by them or it, directly to the holders of
Senior Indebtedness of the Company (pro rata to such holders on the basis of the
respective amounts of Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, as calculated by
the Company) or their representative or representatives, or to the trustee or
trustees under any indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such
Senior Indebtedness may have been issued, as their respective interests may
appear, to the extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full, in
money or money's worth, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or
distribution to or for the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any
payment or distribution is made to the holders of Debentures or to the Trustee.
(b) In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or
distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash,
property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing, shall be received by the
Trustee before all Senior Indebtedness of the Company is paid in full, or
provision is made for such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such
payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be
paid over or delivered to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their
representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any
indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness
may have been issued, and their respective interests may appear, as calculated
by the Company, for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of the
Company, as the case may be, remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay
such Senior Indebtedness in full in money in accordance with its terms, after
giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the benefit of
the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.
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(c) For purposes of this Article XVI, the words "cash, property or
securities" shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as
reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation
provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which
is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article XVI with respect
to the Debentures to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of the Company, as
the case may be, that may at the time be outstanding, provided that (i) such
Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new corporation, if any, resulting from
any such reorganization or readjustment; and (ii) the rights of the holders of
such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the consent of such holders, altered
by such reorganization or readjustment. The consolidation of the Company with,
or the merger of the Company into, another corporation or the liquidation or
dissolution of the Company following the conveyance or transfer of its property
as an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to another corporation upon the
terms and conditions provided for in Article XII shall not be deemed a
dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this
Section 16.3 if such other corporation shall, as a part of such consolidation,
merger, conveyance or transfer, comply with the conditions stated in Article
XII. Nothing in Section 16.2 or in this Section 16.3 shall apply to claims of,
or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 9.7.
16.4 SUBROGATION.
(a) Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness of the
Company, the rights of the holders of the Debentures shall be subrogated to the
rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or
distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may
be, applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of and interest
on the Debentures shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such
subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the holders of the
Debentures or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of this
Article XVI, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article XVI
to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by holders of
the Debentures or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors
other than holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company, and the holders of the
Debentures, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such
Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article XVI
are and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of
the holders of the Debentures, on the one hand, and the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness on the other hand.
(b) Nothing contained in this Article XVI or elsewhere in this
Indenture or in the Debentures is intended to or shall impair, as between the
Company, its creditors (other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the
Company), and the holders of the Debentures, the obligation of the Company,
which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the holders of the Debentures the
principal of and interest on the Debentures as and when the same shall become
due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or shall
affect the relative rights of the holders of the Debentures and creditors of the
Company, as the case may be, other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness of
the Company, as the case may be, nor shall anything herein or therein prevent
the Trustee or the holder of any Debenture from exercising all remedies
otherwise permitted by applicable law upon default under this Indenture, subject
to the rights, if
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any, under this Article XVI of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in
respect of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may be,
received upon the exercise of any such remedy.
(c) Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred
to in this Article XVI, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article IX,
and the holders of the Debentures shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon
any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which such
dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are pending,
or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation trustee,
agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to the
Trustee or to the holders of the Debentures, for the purposes of ascertaining
the Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior
Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, the
amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed
thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article XVI.
16.5 TRUSTEE TO EFFECTUATE SUBORDINATION.
Each holder of Debentures by such holder's acceptance thereof
authorizes and directs the Trustee on such holder's behalf to take such action
as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination provided in
this Article XVI and appoints the Trustee such holder's attorney-in-fact for any
and all such purposes.
16.6 NOTICE BY THE COMPANY.
(a) The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible
Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the
making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the
Debentures pursuant to the provisions of this Article XVI. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Article XVI or any other provision of this Indenture, the
Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that
would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in
respect of the Debentures pursuant to the provisions of this Article XVI, unless
and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written
notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness or
from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice,
the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 9.1, shall be entitled in all
respects to assume that no such facts exist; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the
Trustee shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 16.6 at
least two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any
money may become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the
payment of the principal of or interest on any Debenture), then, anything herein
contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall have full power and
authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the purposes for which
they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice to the contrary that
may be received by it within two Business Days prior to such date.
(b) The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 9.1, shall be
entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a written notice by a
Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior Indebtedness of the Company
(or a trustee on behalf of such holder) to establish
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that such notice has been given by a holder of such Senior Indebtedness or a
trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event that the Trustee
determines in good faith that further evidence is required with respect to the
right of any Person as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to participate in
any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article XVI, the Trustee may
request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable satisfaction of the
Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness held by such Person, the
extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such payment or
distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such Person under
this Article XVI, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the Trustee may defer
any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as to the right of
such Person to receive such payment.
16.7 RIGHTS OF THE TRUSTEE; HOLDERS OF SENIOR INDEBTEDNESS.
(a) The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the
rights set forth in this Article XVI in respect of any Senior Indebtedness at
any time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior
Indebtedness, and nothing in this Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of any of
its rights as such holder. The Trustee's right to compensation and reimbursement
of expenses as set forth in Section 9.7 shall not be subject to the
subordination provisions of the Article XVI.
(b) With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company,
the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and
obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article XVI, and no implied
covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness
shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be
deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness and,
subject to the provisions of Section 9.1, the Trustee shall not be liable to any
holder of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or deliver to holders of
Debentures, the Company or any other Person money or assets to which any holder
of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this Article XVI or
otherwise.
16.8 SUBORDINATION MAY NOT BE IMPAIRED.
(a) No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness
of the Company to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in
any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of
the Company or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder,
or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants
of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may
have or otherwise be charged with.
(b) Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing
paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company may, at any time
and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the
holders of the Debentures, without incurring responsibility to the holders of
the Debentures and without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in
this Article XVI or the obligations hereunder of the holders of the Debentures
to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following:
(i) change the manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment
of, or renew or
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alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any
manner such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the same or any
agreement under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (ii) sell,
exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged or
otherwise securing such Senior Indebtedness; (iii) release any Person liable
in any manner for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (iv)
exercise or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any
other Person.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be
duly executed, all as of the day and year first above written.
INDEPENDENT BANK CORP.
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
-------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Chief Financial Officer
THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
as Trustee
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
-------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Assistant Treasurer
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EXHIBIT A
(FORM OF FACE OF DEBENTURE)
INDEPENDENT BANK CORP.
8.625% JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBENTURE
DUE December 31, 2031
NO. 1 $25,773,200
CUSIP NO. 453836 AD 0
Independent Bank Corp., a Massachusetts corporation (the "Company,"
which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter
referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to INDEPENDENT
CAPITAL TRUST III or registered assigns, the principal sum of Twenty Five
Million Seven Hundred Seventy Three Thousand Two Hundred No/Dollars
($25,773,200) on December 31, 2031 (the "Stated Maturity"), and to pay
interest on said principal sum from December 11, 2031 or from the most recent
interest payment date (each such date, an "Interest Payment Date") to which
interest has been paid or duly provided for, quarterly (subject to deferral
as set forth herein) in arrears on the last day of March, June, September and
December of each year commencing December 31, 2001, at the rate of 8.625% per
annum until the principal hereof shall have become due and payable, and on
any overdue principal and (without duplication and to the extent that payment
of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) on any overdue
installment of interest at the same rate per annum compounded quarterly. The
amount of interest payable on any Interest Payment Date shall be computed on
the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. The amount of interest
for any partial period shall be computed on the basis of the number of days
elapsed in a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. In the event that any date
on which interest is payable on this Debenture is not a business day, then
payment of interest payable on such date shall be made on the next succeeding
day that is a business day (and without any interest or other payment in
respect of any such delay) except that, if such business day is in the next
succeeding calendar year, payment of such interest will be made on the
immediately preceding business day, in each case, with the same force and
effect as if made on such date. The interest installment so payable, and
punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall, as
provided in the Indenture, be paid to the person in whose name this Debenture
(or one or more Predecessor Debentures, as defined in said Indenture) is
registered at the close of business on the regular record date for such
interest installment, which shall be the close of business on the business
day next preceding such Interest Payment Date unless otherwise provided in
the Indenture. Any such interest installment not punctually paid or duly
provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered holders on
such regular record date and may be paid to the Person in whose name this
Debenture (or one or more Predecessor Debentures) is registered at the close
of business on a special record date to be fixed by the Trustee for the
payment of such defaulted interest, notice thereof shall be fixed by the
Trustee for the payment of such defaulted interest, notice thereof shall be
given to the registered holders of the Debentures not less than 10 days prior
to such special record date, or
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may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the
requirements of any securities exchange or quotation system on or in which the
Debentures may be listed or quoted, and upon such notice as may be required by
such exchange, all as more fully provided in the Indenture. The principal of and
the interest on this Debenture shall be payable at the office or agency of the
Trustee maintained for that purpose in any coin or currency of the United States
of America that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and
private debts; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that payment of interest may be made at the
option of the Company by check mailed to the registered holder at such address
as shall appear in the Debenture Register. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so
long as the holder of this Debenture is the Property Trustee, the payment of the
principal of and interest on this Debenture shall be made at such place and to
such account as may be designated by the Trustee.
The Stated Maturity may be shortened at any time by the Company to any
date not earlier than December 31, 2006, subject to the Company having received
prior approval of the Federal Reserve if then required under applicable capital
guidelines, policies or regulations of the Federal Reserve.
The indebtedness evidenced by this Debenture is, to the extent provided
in the Indenture, subordinate and junior in right of payment to the prior
payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness, and this Debenture is issued subject
to the provisions of the Indenture with respect thereto. Each holder of this
Debenture, by accepting the same, (a) agrees to and shall be bound by such
provisions; (b) authorizes and directs the Trustee on his or her behalf to take
such action as may be necessary or appropriate to acknowledge or effectuate the
subordination so provided; and (c) appoints the Trustee his or her
attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes. Each holder hereof, by his or
her acceptance hereof, hereby waives all notice of the acceptance of the
subordination provisions contained herein and in the Indenture by each holder of
Senior Indebtedness, whether now outstanding or hereafter incurred, and waives
reliance by each such holder upon said provisions.
This Debenture shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture
hereinafter referred to, be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the
Certificate of Authentication hereon shall have been signed by or on behalf of
the Trustee.
The provisions of this Debenture are continued on the reverse side
hereof and such continued provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect
as though fully set forth at this place.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be
executed.
Dated December 11, 2001.
INDEPENDENT BANK CORP.
By:________________________________
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Chief Financial Officer
Attest:
By:
--------------------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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[FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION]
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Debentures described in the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated: December 11, 0000
Xxx Xxxx xx Xxx Xxxx,
as Trustee or Authentication Agent
By:
-------------------------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
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[FORM OF REVERSE OF DEBENTURE]
8.625% JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBENTURE DUE 2031
(CONTINUED)
This Debenture is one of the subordinated debentures of the Company
(herein sometimes referred to as the "Debentures"), all issued or to be issued
under and pursuant to an Indenture dated as of December 11, 2001 (the
"Indenture") duly executed and delivered between the Company and The Bank of New
York, as Trustee (the "Trustee"), to which Indenture reference is hereby made
for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and
immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and the holders of the
Debentures. The Debentures are limited in aggregate principal amount as
specified in the Indenture.
Because of the occurrence and continuation of a Special Event (as
defined in the Indenture), in certain circumstances, this Debenture may
become due and payable at the principal amount together with any interest
accrued thereon (the "Redemption Price"). The Redemption Price shall be paid
prior to 12:00 noon, Eastern Standard Time, on the date of such redemption or
at such earlier time as the Company determines. The Company shall have the
right as set forth in the Indenture to redeem this Debenture at the option of
the Company, without premium or penalty, in whole or in part at any time on
or after December 31, 2006 (an "Optional Redemption"), or at any time in
certain circumstances upon the occurrence of a Special Event, at a Redemption
Price equal to 100% of the principal amount hereof plus any accrued but
unpaid interest hereon, to the date of such redemption. Any redemption
pursuant to this paragraph shall be made upon not less than 30 days nor more
than 60 days notice, at the Redemption Price. The Redemption Price shall be
paid at the time and in the manner provided therefor in the Indenture. If the
Debentures are only partially redeemed by the Company pursuant to an Optional
Redemption, the Debentures shall be redeemed pro rata or by lot or by any
other method utilized by the Trustee as described in the Indenture.
In the event of redemption of this Debenture in part only, a new
Debenture or Debentures for the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the
name of the holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.
In case an Event of Default (as defined in the Indenture) shall have
occurred and be continuing, the principal of all of the Debentures may be
declared, and upon such declaration shall become, due and payable, in the
manner, with the effect and subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.
The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the
Trustee, with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Debentures at the time Outstanding (as defined
in the Indenture) to execute supplemental indentures for the purpose of adding
any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions
of the Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner
the rights of the holders of the Debentures; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that no such
supplemental indenture shall (i) extend the fixed maturity of the Debentures
except as provided in the Indenture, or
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reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the time of
payment of interest thereon, without the consent of the holder of each Debenture
so affected; or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Debentures, the holders
of which are required to consent to any such supplemental indenture, without the
consent of the holders of each Debenture then Outstanding and affected thereby.
The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount of the Debentures at the time Outstanding, on behalf
of all of the holders of the Debentures, to waive any past default in the
performance of any of the covenants contained in the Indenture, or established
pursuant to the Indenture, and its consequences, except a default in the payment
of the principal of or interest on any of the Debentures. Any such consent or
waiver by the registered holder of this Debenture (unless revoked as provided in
the Indenture) shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all
future holders and owners of this Debenture and of any Debenture issued in
exchange herefor or in place hereof (whether by registration of transfer or
otherwise), irrespective of whether or not any notation of such consent or
waiver is made upon this Debenture.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Debenture
or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which
is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal and interest on this
Debenture at the time and place and at the rate and in the money herein
prescribed.
Provided certain conditions are met, the Company shall have the right
at any time during the term of the Debentures and from time to time to extend
the interest payment period of such Debentures for up to 20 consecutive quarters
(each, an "Extended Interest Payment Period"), at the end of which period the
Company shall pay all interest then accrued and unpaid (together with interest
thereon at the rate specified for the Debentures to the extent that payment of
such interest is enforceable under applicable law). Before the termination of
any such Extended Interest Payment Period, so long as no Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing, the Company may further extend such Extended
Interest Payment Period, provided that such Extended Interest Payment Period
together with all such further extensions thereof shall not exceed 00
xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx, xxxxxx beyond the Stated Maturity or end on a date other
than an Interest Payment Date. At the termination of any such Extended Interest
Payment Period and upon the payment of all accrued and unpaid interest and any
additional amounts then due and subject to the foregoing conditions, the Company
may commence a new Extended Interest Payment Period.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth, this Debenture is transferable by the registered holder hereof on the
Debenture Register of the Company, upon surrender of this Debenture for
registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Trustee accompanied by a
written instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Company or the Trustee duly executed by the registered holder hereof or his
attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Debentures of
authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount shall be
issued to the designated transferee or transferees. No service charge shall be
made for any such transfer, but the Company may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in relation
thereto.
A-6
Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of this
Debenture, the Company, the Trustee, any paying agent and the Debenture
Registrar may deem and treat the registered holder hereof as the absolute owner
hereof (whether or not this Debenture shall be overdue and notwithstanding any
notice of ownership or writing hereon made by anyone other than the Debenture
Registrar) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the
principal hereof and interest due hereon and for all other purposes, and neither
the Company nor the Trustee nor any paying agent nor any Debenture Registrar
shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or the
interest on this Debenture, or for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in
respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture, against any
incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, as
such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor corporation, whether by
virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any
assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance
hereof and as part of the consideration for the issuance hereof, expressly
waived and released.
The Debentures are issuable only in registered form without coupons in
denominations of $25 and any integral multiple thereof.
All terms used in this Debenture that are defined in the Indenture
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
This Debenture shall be deemed to be a contract made under the internal
laws of the State of New York and for all purposes shall be construed in
accordance with the laws of said State.
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