AMENDED AND RESTATED GUARANTEE
Exhibit
10
AMENDED
AND RESTATED GUARANTEE
THIS
AMENDED AND RESTATED GUARANTEE (the “Guarantee”),
dated 14 January, 2008, is executed and delivered by Banco Bilbao Vizcaya
Argentaria, S.A., a limited liability company (sociedad anónima)
incorporated under the laws of the Kingdom of Spain (the
“Bank” or the “Guarantor”) for the benefit of
the Holders (as defined below).
WHEREAS,
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1)
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This
amended and restated guarantee amends and restates the Guarantee
signed by
the Bank on April 18, 2007 regarding the Series C $600,000,000
Fixed/Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Guaranteed Preferred Securities
(the
“Series C Preferred
Securities”) issued by BBVA International Preferred,
S.A. Unipersonal.
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2)
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The
Bank wishes to procure the issue by BBVA International Preferred,
S.A.
Unipersonal, a limited liability company (sociedad anónima)
incorporated under the laws of the Kingdom of Spain (the
“Issuer”) of the Series C $600,000,000 Fixed/Floating
Rate Non-Cumulative Guaranteed Preferred Securities (the “Exchange
Preferred Securities”), and together with the Series C Preferred
Securities (the “Preferred Securities”) and the Bank
wishes to issue this Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders of
the
Preferred Securities.
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NOW,
THEREFORE the Bank executes and delivers this Guarantee for the benefit of
the
Holders.
1.
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Interpretation
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1.1
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Definitions
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As
used in
this Guarantee, the following terms shall, unless the context otherwise
requires, have the following meanings:
“Bank
Shares” means any ordinary shares of the Bank;
“Conditions”
means the conditions of the Preferred Securities, as set out in the Offering
Circular, or the Prospectus, as applicable;
“Fiscal
Year” means the accounting year of the Guarantor as set out in its
by-laws;
“Guarantee
Payments” means (without duplication) (i) any accrued but unpaid
Distribution payable on the Preferred Securities for the most recent
Distribution Period; (ii) the Redemption Price or the Special Redemption Amount,
as the case may be, payable on the redemption of Preferred Securities; and
(iii)
the Liquidation Distributions due on the Liquidation Date;
“Holder”
means any holder from time to time of any Preferred Security; provided, however,
that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred
Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, Holder
shall not include the Bank or any Subsidiary (including the
Issuer);
“Liquidation
Date” means the date of final distribution of the assets of the Issuer
in the case of any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Issuer (whether
voluntary or involuntary);
“Offering
Circular” means the offering circular dated 11 April, 2007 relating to
the Series C Preferred Securities; and
“Prospectus”
means the prospectus relating to the Exchange Preferred Securities
as
filed with the Bank’s registration statement on Form F-4 on January 14, 2008, as
it maybe, and amended from time to time.
“Spain”
means the Kingdom of Spain.
1.2
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Other
defined terms
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Terms
used
but not defined in this Guarantee shall have the meanings ascribed thereto
in
the Conditions.
1.3
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Clauses
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Any
reference in this Guarantee to a Clause is, unless otherwise stated, to a clause
hereof.
1.4
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Headings
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Headings
and sub-headings are for ease of reference only and shall not affect the
construction of this Guarantee.
2.
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Guarantee
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2.1
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Guarantee
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Subject
to
the limitations contained in the following paragraphs of this Clause 2, the
Bank
irrevocably, jointly (in Spanish, solidariamente) and unconditionally
agrees to pay in full to the Holders, the Guarantee Payments (to the extent
not
paid by the Issuer), as and when due upon receipt of a notice by any Holder
demanding payment, regardless of any defence, right of set-off or counterclaim
which the Issuer may have or assert. This Guarantee is unconditional and
irrevocable.
2.2
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Limitations
to the Guarantee Payments in relation to the
Distributions
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Notwithstanding
Clause 2.1, a Holder’s right to receive any Guarantee Payment in respect of
Distributions (including accrued and unpaid Distributions relating to the
Redemption Price, Special Redemption Amount or Liquidation Distribution) on
any
Preferred Securities is conditional upon the following:
2.2.1
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the
aggregate of such Distributions, together with any other distributions
previously paid during the then current Fiscal Year and any distributions
proposed to be paid during the then current Distribution Period in
each
case on or in respect of Parity Securities (including the Preferred
Securities), not exceeding the Distributable Profits of the immediately
preceding Fiscal Year; or
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2.2.2
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even
if Distributable Profits are sufficient, to the extent that under
applicable Spanish banking regulations affecting financial institutions
which fail to meet their capital ratios, the Bank not being prevented
at
such time from making payments on its ordinary shares or Parity Securities
issued by it.
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2.3
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Limitations
to the Guarantee Payments in relation to the Liquidation
Distributions
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Notwithstanding
Clause 2.1, if, at the time that any Liquidation Distributions are to be paid
by
the Bank in respect of the Preferred Securities or any other Parity Securities,
proceedings are or have been commenced for the voluntary or involuntary
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Bank or for a reduction in the
Bank’s shareholders’ equity pursuant to Article 169 of the Spanish Corporation
Law (Ley de Sociedades Anónimas) the Liquidation Distribution with
respect to all Parity Securities (including the
Preferred
Securities) shall not exceed the amount that would have been paid from the
assets of the Bank (after payment in full, in accordance with Spanish law,
of
all creditors of the Bank, including Holders of its subordinated debt, but
excluding Holders of any guarantee or other contractual right expressed to
rank
pari passu with or junior to this Guarantee) had Parity Securities
(including the Preferred Securities) been issued by the Bank and ranked (A)
junior to all liabilities of the Bank, (B) pari passu with Parity
Securities issued by the Bank, if any, and (C) senior to the Bank
Shares.
2.4
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Pro
Rata Payments
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If
the
amounts described in Clause 2.1 cannot be paid by reason of any limitation
referred to in Clause 2.2 or 2.3, such amounts will be payable pro rata
in the proportion that the amount available for payment bears to
the full
amount that would have been payable but for such limitations. The
determination of any such limitation of the Bank’s obligations under this
Guarantee as set forth will be made on the relevant Distribution Payment Date,
Special Redemption Date, redemption date or Liquidation Date, as the case may
be.
2.5
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Ranking
of the Guarantee
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The
Bank
agrees that subject to applicable laws, the Bank’s obligations hereunder
constitute unsecured obligations of the Bank and rank and will at all times
rank
(a) junior to all liabilities of the Bank (including subordinated liabilities);
(b) pari passu with any Parity Securities issued by the Bank and any
obligation assumed by the Bank under any guarantee in favour of holders of
any
Parity Securities issued by any Subsidiary; and (c) senior to the Bank Shares
and any other class of share capital expressed to rank junior as to
participation in profits to the Bank’s obligations hereunder.
2.6
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Acceptance
of the Guarantee
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The
mere
subscription of Preferred Securities will be deemed for all purposes to
constitute the plain and full acceptance of this Guarantee.
3.
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Characteristics
of the Guarantor’s obligations under the
Guarantee
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3.1
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Waiver
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The
Guarantor waives any right or benefit (of order or excussio and
division – orden, excusión y división) to which it may be entitled
under Spanish law with regard to objecting to make any payment by virtue of
the
Guarantee.
The
obligations of the Guarantor are independent of those of the Issuer. The
Guarantor shall remain liable as the principal and sole debtor hereunder to
make
Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee, and shall not be
able to demand that the Holders of the Preferred Securities exhaust any of
their
rights or take any legal action against the Issuer prior to taking action
against the Guarantor (Garantía Solidaria under Spanish
law).
3.2
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Obligations
and Commitments of the
Guarantor
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The
obligations and commitments of the Guarantor shall not be affected by any of
the
following circumstances:
3.2.1
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the
waiver by the Issuer, either by the application of a legal provision
or
for any other reason, to fulfil any commitment, term or condition,
whether
implicit or explicit, in relation to the Preferred Securities;
or
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3.2.2
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the
extension of the Distribution Payment Date, the Liquidation Date
or the
date for payment of the Redemption Price or the Special Redemption
Date
with regard to the Preferred
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Securities
or the extension granted for the fulfilment of any other obligation
related to the Preferred Securities;
or
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3.2.3
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any
breach, omission or delay by the Holders in exercising the rights
granted
by the Preferred Securities; or
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3.2.4
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the
liquidation, dissolution, or sale of any asset given as a guarantee,
temporary receivership, bankruptcy, receivership proceedings or
renegotiation of debt affecting the Issuer;
or
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3.2.5
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any
defect in or invalidity of the Preferred Securities;
or
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3.2.6
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transactions
involving any obligation guaranteed by this Guarantee or undertaken
by
virtue of this Guarantee.
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The
Holders of Preferred Securities shall not be obliged in any circumstances to
notify the Guarantor of the occurrence of any of the above circumstances and
nor
shall they be obliged to obtain the Guarantor’s consent in relation to the
same.
3.3
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Subrogation
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The
Bank
shall be subrogated to any and all rights of the Holders against the Issuer
in
respect of any amounts paid to the Holders by the Bank under this Guarantee.
The
Bank shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of law)
exercise any rights which it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity,
reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of a payment under
this Guarantee, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and
unpaid under this Guarantee. If any amount shall be paid to the Bank in
violation of the preceding sentence, the Bank agrees to pay over such amount
to
the Holders.
3.4
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Deposit
of the Guarantee
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This
Guarantee shall be deposited with and held by The Bank of New York as Paying
Agent until all the obligations of the Bank have been discharged in full. The
Bank hereby acknowledges the right of every Holder to the production of, and
the
right of every Holder to obtain a copy of, this Guarantee. A Holder may enforce
this Guarantee directly against the Bank, and the Bank waives any right or
remedy to require that any action be brought against the Issuer or any other
person or entity before proceeding against the Bank. Subject to Clause 3.1,
all
waivers contained in this Guarantee shall be without prejudice to the Holder’s
right to proceed against the Issuer. The Bank agrees that this Guarantee shall
not be discharged except by payment of the Guarantee Payments in full and by
complete performance of all obligations of the Bank under this
Guarantee.
4.
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Other
obligations of the Guarantor under the
Guarantee
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4.1
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No
further issues
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The
Bank
will not issue any preferred securities or other instruments equivalent to
preferred securities ranking senior to its obligations under this Guarantee
or
give any guarantee in respect of any preferred securities or other instruments
equivalent to preferred securities, issued by any Subsidiary, if such guarantee
would rank senior to this Guarantee (including, without limitation, any
guarantee that would provide a priority of payment with respect to Distributable
Profits) unless, in each case, this Guarantee is amended so that it ranks
pari passu with, and contains substantially equivalent rights of
priority as to payment of Distributable Profits as, any such other preferred
securities or securities or other instruments equivalent to preferred securities
or other such guarantee.
4.2
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Non-Payments
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The
Bank
undertakes that if any amount required to be paid pursuant to this Guarantee
in
respect of any Distribution payable in respect of the most recent Distribution
Period has not been paid, whether by reason of the limitations of Clause 2.2
and
2.3 or otherwise, no distributions (except distributions in the form of the
Bank
Shares or other shares of the Bank ranking junior to the obligations of the
Bank
under this Guarantee) will be declared or paid or set aside for payment, or
other distribution made, upon the Bank Shares or any other class of share
capital or any securities of the Bank ranking junior to this Guarantee, nor
will
any Bank Shares or any other class of share capital or securities of the Bank
ranking pari passu with or junior to the obligations of the Bank under
this Guarantee, be redeemed, repurchased or otherwise acquired for any
consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund
for
the redemption of any such Bank Shares, class of share capital or securities)
by
the Bank (except by conversion into or in exchange for shares or securities
of
the Bank ranking junior to this Guarantee), until such time as the Issuer or
the
Bank pursuant to this Guarantee shall have made payment in full of Distributions
on any two consecutive Fixed Rate Distribution Payment Dates or on any four
consecutive Floating Rate Distribution Payment Dates in respect of all Preferred
Securities then outstanding.
4.3
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Ownership
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The
Guarantor undertakes to hold (directly or indirectly) 100% of the ordinary
shares of the Issuer so long as any Preferred Securities of the Issuer shall
remain outstanding, and not to permit or take any action to cause the
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Issuer except as provided in
paragraph 3.2 of the terms and conditions of the Preferred
Securities.
4.4
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Voting
Rights
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The
Bank
undertakes in connection with the right of the Holders to participate in the
adoption of certain decisions in the General Meetings as contemplated in the
Conditions:
4.4.1
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to
vote, in the corresponding general meeting of shareholders of the
Issuer,
in favour of the appointment or removal of the directors so named
by the
General Meetings and to take all necessary measures in such
regard;
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4.4.2
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to
vote, in the corresponding general meeting of shareholders of the
Issuer,
in conformity with the result of the vote of the General Meetings
with
respect to the dissolution and winding-up of the Issuer;
and
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4.4.3
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to
vote, in the corresponding general meeting of shareholders of the
Issuer,
in conformity with the result of the vote of the General Meetings
with
respect to the issuance of further Preferred Securities or of other
preferred securities where the Issuer has not duly made the most
recent
distribution required in respect of the preferred securities issued
and
outstanding at the time.
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4.5
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Compliance
with the Preferred Securities
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The
Guarantor agrees to comply with any obligations expressed to be undertaken
by it
under the terms of the Preferred Securities.
5.
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Termination
of the Guarantee
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This
Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force and effect upon payment
in
full of the Redemption Price or the Special Redemption Amount, as the case
may
be, or purchase and cancellation of all Preferred Securities or payment in
full
of the Liquidation Distributions, provided, however, that this Guarantee will
continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any
time payment of any sums paid under the Preferred Securities or this Guarantee
must be restored by a Holder for any reason whatsoever.
6.
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General
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6.1
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Successors
and Assigns
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Subject
to
operation of law, all guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee
shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives
of
the Bank and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders, each of whom shall
be
entitled severally to enforce this Guarantee against the Bank. The Bank shall
not transfer its obligations hereunder without the prior approval of (i) the
Bank of Spain and (ii) the Holders of not less than two-thirds in Liquidation
Preference of the Preferred Securities or by resolution of a General Meeting
approved by the Holders of Preferred Securities representing at least two-thirds
of the Liquidation Preference, provided, however, that the foregoing shall
not
preclude the Bank from merging or consolidating with, or transferring or
otherwise assigning all or substantially all of its assets to, a banking
organization or any other entity permitted by applicable laws without obtaining
any approval of such Holders. The convening and holding of the General Meeting
shall be done in accordance with the Regulations.
The
Bank
shall notify (i) any request for approval from the Holders and (ii) any merger,
consolidation, transfer or assignment, each as referred to in this Clause 6.1,
in accordance with Clause 6.4.
6.2
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Transfers
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This
Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders and is not separately
transferable from the Preferred Securities.
6.3
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Amendments
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Except
for
those changes (a) required by Clause 4.1 hereof, (b) which do not adversely
affect the rights of Holders or (c) necessary or desirable to give effect to
any
one or more transactions referred to in the proviso to Clause 6.1 (in any of
which cases no agreements will be required), this Guarantee shall be changed
only by agreement in writing signed by the Bank with the prior approval of
(i)
the Bank of Spain and (ii) the Holders of not less than two-thirds in
Liquidation Preference of the Preferred Securities or by resolution of a General
Meeting approved by the Holders of the Preferred Securities representing at
least two-thirds of the Liquidation Preference. The calling and holding of
such
General Meeting shall be done in accordance with the Regulations.
6.4
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Notices
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6.4.1
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Any
notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be
given
hereunder to the Bank shall be given in writing by delivering the
same
against receipt therefore or by facsimile transmission (confirmed
by mail)
addressed to the Bank, as follows (and if so given by facsimile
transmission), shall be deemed given upon mailing of confirmation,
to:
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Banco
Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A.
Xxxxx
xx
xx Xxxxxxxxxx, 00
00000
Xxxxxx
Facsimile:
x00 00 000 0000
Attention:
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
The
address of the Bank may be changed at any time and from time to time and shall
be the most recent such address furnished in writing by the Bank to The Bank
of
New York as Paying Agent.
6.4.2
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Any
notice, request or other communication required to be given by the
Bank
under this Guarantee will be given by it (i) if any Preferred Security
is
admitted to the official list
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maintained
by the UK Listing Authority and admitted to trading on the London
Stock
Exchange plc’s Gilt-Edged and Fixed Interest Market, and the UK Listing
Authority so requires, by publication in a leading newspaper having
a
general circulation in London (which is expected to be the Financial
Times) or, if such a publication is not practicable, in a leading
daily newspaper in English and having general circulation in
Europe, (ii) if any Preferred Securities is listed on the New
York Stock Exchange, in accordance with the requirement of such
exchange
and (iii) by mail to DTC or one of its direct or indirect participants
(in
any case not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the date
of the
act or event to which such notice, request or communication
relates).
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In
accordance with their published rules and regulations, DTC or one of its direct
or indirect participants will notify Holders of securities accounts with it
to
which any Preferred Securities are credited of any such notices received by
it.
6.5
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Annual
Reports
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The
Bank
will furnish any prospective Holder, upon request of such Holder, with a copy
of
its annual report, and any interim reports made generally available by the
Bank
to Holders of the Bank Shares.
7.
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Law
and Jurisdiction
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7.1
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Law
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This
Guarantee shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, Spanish
law.
7.2
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Jurisdiction
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The
Bank
hereby irrevocably agrees for the benefit of the Holders that the courts of
Madrid are to have jurisdiction to settle any disputes which may arise out
of or
in connection with this Guarantee and that accordingly any suit, action or
proceedings arising out of or in connection with this Guarantee (together
referred to as “Proceedings”) may be brought in such courts.
The Bank irrevocably waives any objection which it may have now or hereinafter
to the laying of the venue of any Proceedings in the courts of Madrid. Nothing
contained in this clause shall limit any right to take Proceedings against
the
Bank in any other court of competent jurisdiction, nor shall the taking of
Proceedings in one or more jurisdictions preclude the taking of Proceedings
in
any other competent jurisdictions, whether concurrently or not.
THIS
GUARANTEE is executed as of the date first above written on behalf of
the Bank.
BANCO
BILBAO VIZCAYA ARGENTARIA, S.A.
By:
/s/
Xxxxx Ma Urresti Laca