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Exhibit 4.1
METROPOLITAN FINANCIAL CORP.
AND
WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY,
AS TRUSTEE
INDENTURE
9.5% JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEFERRABLE INTEREST DEBENTURES
DUE JUNE 30, 2029
DATED AS OF MAY 14, 1999
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ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS 2
Section 1.1 Definitions of Terms 2
ARTICLE II ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, TERMS, CONDITIONS REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE 10
OF THE DEBENTURES
Section 2.1 Designation And Principal Amount 10
Section 2.2 Maturity 10
Section 2.3 Form And Payment 10
Section 2.4 Interest 11
Section 2.4A Defaulted Interest 12
Section 2.5 Execution And Authentications 12
Section 2.6 Registration of Transfer And Exchange 13
Section 2.7 Temporary Debentures 14
Section 2.7A Global Securities 15
Section 2.8 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Debentures 16
Section 2.9 Cancellation 17
Section 2.10 Benefit of Indenture 17
Section 2.11 Authenticating Agent 18
Section 2.12 Right of Set-off 18
Section 2.13 Cusip Numbers 18
ARTICLE III REDEMPTION OF DEBENTURES 19
Section 3.1 Redemption 19
Section 3.2 Special Event Redemption 19
Section 3.3 Optional Redemption by Corporation 19
Section 3.4 Notice of Redemption 20
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Section 3.5 Payment Upon Redemption 21
Section 3.6 No Sinking Fund 21
ARTICLE IV EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD 22
Section 4.1 Extension of Interest Payment Period 22
Section 4.2 Notice of Extension 22
Section 4.3 Limitation on Transactions 23
ARTICLE V PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE CORPORATION 23
Section 5.1 Payment of Principal And Interest 23
Section 5.2 Maintenance of Agency 24
Section 5.3 Paying Agents 24
Section 5.4 Appointment to Fill Vacancy in Office of Trustee 25
Section 5.5 Compliance With Consolidation Provisions 25
Section 5.6 Limitations on Transactions 25
Section 5.7 Covenants as to The Trust 26
Section 5.8 Covenants as to Purchases 26
ARTICLE VI DEBENTURE HOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE CORPORATION AND THE 27
TRUSTEES
Section 6.1 Corporation to Furnish Trustee Names And Addresses of 27
Debenturesholders
Section 6.2 Preservation of Information Communications With Debenture 27
Holders
Section 6.3 Reports by The Corporation 27
Section 6.4 Reports by The Trustee 28
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Section 6.5 Statements As to Default 28
ARTICLE VII REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND DEBENTURE HOLDERS ON EVENT OF 29
DEFAULT
Section 7.1 Events of Default 29
Section 7.2 Collection of Indebtedness And Suits For Enforcement by Trustee 31
Section 7.3 Application of Moneys Collected 32
Section 7.4 Limitation on Suits 33
Section 7.5 Rights And Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission Not Waiver 33
Section 7.6 Control by Debenture Holders 33
Section 7.7 Undertaking to Pay Costs 34
Section 7.8 Direct Action by Holders of Preferred Securities 35
ARTICLE VIII FORM OF DEBENTURE AND ORIGINAL ISSUE 35
Section 8.1 Form of Debenture 35
Section 8.2 Original Issue of Debentures 35
ARTICLE IX CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE 35
Section 9.1 Certain Duties And Responsibilities 35
Section 9.2 Notice of Defaults 37
Section 9.3 Certain Rights of Trustee 37
Section 9.4 Trustee Not Responsible For Recitals, Etc. 38
Section 9.5 May Hold Debentures 38
Section 9.6 Moneys Held in Trust 39
Section 9.7 Compensation And Reimbursement 39
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Section 9.8 Reliance on Officers' Certificate 40
Section 9.9 Disqualification: Conflicting Interests 40
Section 9.10 Corporate Trustee Required Eligibility 40
Section 9.11 Resignation And Removal; Appointment of Successor 40
Section 9.12 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor 42
Section 9.13 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business 42
Section 9.14 Preferential Collection of Claims Against The Corporation 43
ARTICLE X CONCERNING THE DEBENTURE HOLDERS 43
Section 10.1 Evidence of Action by Holders 43
Section 10.2 Proof of Execution by Debenture Holders 44
Section 10.3 Who May Be Deemed Owners 44
Section 10.4 Certain Debentures Owned by Corporation Disregarded 44
Section 10.5 Actions Binding on Future Debenture Holders 45
ARTICLE XI SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES 45
Section 11.1 Supplemental Indentures Without The Consent of Debenture Holders 45
Section 11.2 Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Debenture Holders 46
Section 11.3 Effect of Supplemental Indentures 47
Section 11.4 Debentures Affected by Supplemental Indentures 47
Section 11.5 Execution of Supplemental Indentures 47
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ARTICLE XII SUCCESSOR CORPORATION 48
Section 12.1 Corporation May Consolidate, Etc. 48
Section 12.2 Successor Corporation Substituted 48
Section 12.3 Evidence of Consolidation, Etc. to Trustee 49
ARTICLE XIII SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE 49
Section 13.1 Satisfaction And Discharge of Indenture 49
Section 13.2 Discharge of Obligations 50
Section 13.3 Deposited Money to Be Held in Trust 50
Section 13.4 Payment of Monies Held by Paying Agents 50
Section 13.5 Repayment to Corporation 50
ARTICLE XIV IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS 51
Section 14.1 No Recourse 51
ARTICLE XV MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 52
Section 15.1 Effect on Successors And Assigns 52
Section 15.2 Actions by Successor 52
Section 15.3 Surrender of Corporation Powers 52
Section 15.4 Notices 52
Section 15.5 Governing Law 53
Section 15.6 Treatment of Debentures as Debt 53
Section 15.7 Compliance Certificates And Opinions 53
Section 15.8 Payments on Business Days 53
Section 15.9 Conflict With Trust Indenture Act 54
Section 15.10 Counterparts 54
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Section 15.11 Separability 54
Section 15.12 Assignment 54
Section 15.13 Acknowledgment of Rights 54
Section 15.14 Additional Provisions for the Payment of Expenses 55
ARTICLE XVI SUBORDINATION OF DEBENTURES 55
Section 16.1 Agreement to Subordinate 55
Section 16.2 Default on Senior Debt or Subordinated Debt 56
Section 16.3 Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy 56
Section 16.4 Subrogation 57
Section 16.5 Trustee to Effectuate Subordination 58
Section 16.6 Notice by The Corporation 58
Section 16.7 Rights of The Trustee; Holders of Senior Indebtedness 59
Section 16.8 Subordination May Not Be Impaired 60
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CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE
Section of Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended Section of Indenture
310(a) 9.10
310(b) 9.9
9.11
310(c) N/A
311(a) 9.14
311(b) 9.14
311(c) N/A
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(a)
313(c) 6.4(a)
6.4(b)
313(d) 6.4(b)
314(a) 6.3(a)
6.3(b)
6.3(c)
6.5(a)
314(b) N/A
314(c) 15.7
314(d) N/A
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Section of Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended Section of Indenture
314(e) 15.7
314(f) N/A
315(a) 9.1(a)
9.1(b)
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(b)
317(b) 7.2(c)
318(a) 5.3
Note: This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of this Indenture and
shall not affect the interpretation of any of its terms or provisions.
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INDENTURE
INDENTURE, dated as of May 14, 1999, between METROPOLITAN FINANCIAL
CORP., an Ohio corporation (the "Corporation"), and WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, a
Delaware banking corporation (the "Trustee").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, for its lawful corporate purposes, the Corporation has duly
authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the
issuance of unsecured securities to be known as its 9.5% Junior Subordinated
Deferrable Interest Debentures due June 30, 2029 (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;
and
WHEREAS, Metropolitan Capital Trust II, a Delaware statutory business
trust (the "Trust"), has offered to the public up to $16 million 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 Corporation of up to $666,670 aggregate
liquidation amount of its Common Securities (as defined herein), in up to
$16,666,670 aggregate principal amount of the Debentures; and
WHEREAS, the Corporation has requested that the Trustee execute and
deliver this Indenture; and
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 Corporation and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the
valid obligations of the Corporation, have been performed, and the execution and
delivery of this Indenture have been duly authorized in all respects; and
WHEREAS, to provide the terms and conditions upon which the Debentures
are to be authenticated, issued and delivered, the Corporation has duly
authorized the execution of this Indenture; and
WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement
of the Corporation, 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 and
intending to be legally bound hereby:
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 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 as in
effect at the time of computation.
"1995 Notes" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1 hereof.
"1995 Notes Indenture" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1 hereof.
"Additional Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.
"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 executive officer, director or general partner.
"Applicable Procedures" means, with respect to any transfer or
transaction involving a Global Security or beneficial interest therein, the
rules and procedures of the Depositary for such Global Security, in each case to
the extent applicable to such transaction and as in effect from time to time.
"Authenticating Agent" means an authenticating agent with respect to
the Debentures appointed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 2.11.
"Bankruptcy Law" means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar federal or
state law for the relief of debtors.
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"Board of Directors" means the Board of Directors of the Corporation or
any duly authorized committee of such Board.
"Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution certified by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation 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 banking institutions in the City
of New York are authorized or required by law, executive order or regulation to
close, or a day on which the principal Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or
the Property Trustee is closed for business.
"Capital Treatment Event" means the receipt by the Trust of an Opinion
of Counsel to the effect that, as a result of any amendment to, or change
(including any proposed 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 such proposed change pronouncement, action or decision is
announced on or after the date of original issuance of the Preferred Securities
under the Trust Agreement, there is more than an insubstantial risk that the
Preferred Securities would not constitute "Tier 1 Capital" (or the then
equivalent thereof) applied as if the Corporation (or its successor) were a bank
holding company for purposes of the capital adequacy guidelines of the Federal
Reserve (or any successor regulatory authority with jurisdiction over bank
holding companies), or any capital adequacy guidelines as then in effect and
applicable to the Corporation.
"Certificate" means a certificate signed by the principal executive
officer, the principal financial officer, the principal accounting officer, the
treasurer or any vice president of the Corporation. 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, as from time
to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or, if at any time after
the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing
the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body
performing such duties at such time.
"Common 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 (i) distributions and (ii)
payments upon liquidation, redemption and otherwise are subordinated to the
rights of holders of Preferred Securities.
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"Compounded Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.
"Corporate Trust Office" means (i) when used with respect to the
Trustee, 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 at Xxxxxx Square North, 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration, or (ii)
when used with respect to the Property Trustee, the office of the Property
Trustee, at which, at any particular time, its corporate trust business shall be
principally administered, which office at the date hereof is located at Xxxxxx
Square North, 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention:
Corporate Trust Administration.
"Corporation" means Metropolitan Financial Corp., a corporation duly
organized and existing under the laws of the State of Ohio, and, subject to the
provisions of Article XII, shall also include its successors and assigns.
"Coupon Rate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.
"Custodian" means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator, or
similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
"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 Corporation 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
2.6(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; (vi) all
indebtedness of such Person, whether incurred on or prior to the date of the
Indenture or thereafter incurred, for claims in respect of financial derivative
products, including interest rate, foreign exchange rate and commodity forward
contracts, options, swaps and similar arrangements; (vii) 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,
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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.
"Defaulted Interest" has the meaning provided in Section 2.4A hereof.
"Deferred Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1.
"Depositary" means, with respect to the Debentures issuable or issued
in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the Person
designated as Depositary by the Corporation pursuant to Section 2.3.
The initial Depositary shall be DTC.
"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.
"DTC" shall mean The Depository Trust Company.
"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, or any
successor statute, in each case as amended from time to time.
"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.
"Generally Accepted Accounting Principles" means such accounting
principles as are generally accepted at the time of any computation required
hereunder.
"Global Security" means a Debenture evidencing all or part of the
Debentures, issued to the Depositary or its nominee, and registered in the name
of such Depositary or its nominee.
"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
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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, shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.
"Investment Company Act" means the Investment Company Act of 1940, and
any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.
"Investment Company Event" means the receipt by the Trust of an Opinion
of Counsel, 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.
"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, as set forth in Section 2.2.
"Ministerial Action" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the Chairman,
President or a Vice President and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer or
the Controller or an Assistant Controller or the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary, of the Corporation, and delivered to the Trustee. Any Officers'
Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Indenture shall include:
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(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers'
Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the
definitions relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination
or investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the
Officers' Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such officer has made such examination
or investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is necessary
to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to
whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied
with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Opinion of Counsel" means an opinion in writing of independent legal
counsel experienced in such matters as being opined upon, that is delivered to
the Trustee in accordance with the terms hereof.
"Other Debentures" means all junior subordinated debentures (other than
the Debentures) issued by the Corporation from time to time and sold to trusts
established or to be established by the Corporation, in each case similar to the
Trust.
"Outstanding" when used with 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 Corporation) or shall have been set aside and
segregated in trust by the Corporation (if the Corporation 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 provided in Article III or provision
satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made for giving such notice; (c)
Debentures in lieu of or in substitution for which other Debentures shall have
been authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.6 and (d)
Debentures paid pursuant to Section 2.8.
"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership,
joint-venture, trust, limited liability company, joint-stock company,
unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision
thereof.
"Place of Payment" means the place or places where the principal of and
interest on the Debentures are payable in accordance with the terms of this
Indenture.
"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 2.8 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 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 the Preferred Securities
Guarantee Agreement dated May 14, 1999, as amended from time to time, by and
between the Corporation, as guarantor, and the Trustee, executed and delivered
for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
"Property Trustee" has the meaning set forth in the Trust Agreement.
"Regular Record Date" means the Business Day next preceding any
Interest Payment Date.
"Responsible Officer" when used with respect to the Trustee means any
officer of the Trustee in its corporate trust administration who is responsible
for the administration of the Trust and whose name appears on the list of
Responsible Officers of the Trustee which shall be furnished by the Trustee to
the Corporation, as such list may be revised from time to time.
"Scheduled Maturity Date" means June 30, 2029.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, or any successor
statute, in each case as amended from time to time.
"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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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
Corporation; (ii) any Debt of the Corporation to any of its subsidiaries; and
(iii) any Debt to any employee of the Corporation.
"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
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relating to the Corporation 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 other Debt of the Corporation (other
than the Debentures), except that Subordinated Debt shall not include Debentures
or Other Debentures, including debentures sold by the Corporation to
Metropolitan Capital Trust I or to the holders of Metropolitan Capital Trust I
Preferred Securities, which Other Debentures, including the aforementioned
debentures, shall be pari passu with the Debentures for purposes of this
Indenture and the indenture pursuant to which such debentures were issued.
"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, 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 Trust of an Opinion of Counsel,
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; (ii) interest payable by the Corporation on the Debentures is not,
or within 90 days after the date of such Opinion of Counsel, shall not be,
deductible by the Corporation, 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. The Trust or the
Corporation shall request and receive such Opinion of Counsel with regard to
such matters within a reasonable period of time after the Trust or the
Corporation shall have become aware of the possible occurrence of any of the
events described in clauses (i) through (iii) above.
"Trust" means Metropolitan Capital Trust II, a Delaware statutory
business trust created by the Trust Agreement.
"Trust Agreement" means the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, dated
May 14, 1999, of the Trust, as amended, modified or supplemented in accordance
with the applicable provisions thereof, among the trustees of the trust named
therein, the Corporation, as depositor, and the holders from time to time of
undivided beneficial ownership interests in the assets of the Trust, including
all exhibits thereto, including, for all purposes of the Trust Agreement, and
any such modification,
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amendment or supplement, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are
deemed to be a part of and govern the Trust Agreement and any such modification,
amendment or supplement, respectively.
"Trustee" means Wilmington Trust Company 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 and any
successor statute thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.
"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
SECTION 2.1 DESIGNATION AND PRINCIPAL AMOUNT.
There are hereby authorized Debentures designated the "9.5% Junior
Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due June 30, 2029," limited in
aggregate principal amount to not more than $16,666,670 which amount shall be as
set forth in any written order of the Corporation for the authentication and
delivery of Debentures pursuant to Section 2.5.
SECTION 2.2 MATURITY.
The Maturity Date shall be the Scheduled Maturity Date.
SECTION 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 Corporation
by check mailed to the holder at such address as shall appear in the Debenture
Register or by wire transfer to an account maintained
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by the holder as specified in the Debenture Register, provided that the holder
provides proper wire 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 the 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.
Debentures shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or
more Global Securities and, in such case, the Depositary for such Global
Securities shall be DTC.
SECTION 2.4 INTEREST.
(a) Each Debenture shall bear interest at the rate of 9.5% per annum
(the "Coupon Rate") from the original date of issuance until the principal
thereof becomes due and payable, 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 June 30, 1999), to the Person in whose name such
Debenture or any Predecessor Debenture is registered at the close of business on
the Regular Record Date next preceding such Interest Payment Date.
(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. Except as provided in the
following sentence, 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 actual number of days elapsed in such period. 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, 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 Corporation 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 governmental charges been imposed.
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SECTION 2.4A DEFAULTED INTEREST.
Any interest on any Debenture that is payable, but is not punctually
paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called
"Defaulted Interest") shall, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.4(a),
forthwith cease to be payable to the holder on the relevant Regular Record Date
by virtue of having been such holder; and such Defaulted Interest shall be paid
by the Corporation, at its election, as provided in clause (a) or clause (b)
below:
(a) The Corporation may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on
Debentures to the Persons in whose names such Debentures (or their respective
Predecessor Debentures) are registered at the close of business on a special
record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in
the following manner: the Corporation shall notify the Trustee in writing of the
amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each such Debenture and the
date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Corporation shall deposit
with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be
paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements
satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed
payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the
Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as herein provided. Thereupon the
Trustee shall fix a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted
Interest which shall not be more than 15 nor less than 10 days prior to the date
of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the
Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify
the Corporation of such special record date and, in the name and at the expense
of the Corporation, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted
Interest and the special record date therefor to be mailed, first class postage
prepaid, to each Debentureholder at his or her address as it appears in the
Debenture Register, not less than 10 days prior to such special record date.
Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the special record
date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be
paid to the Persons in whose names such Debentures (or their respective
Predecessor Debentures) are registered on such special record date and shall be
no longer payable pursuant to the following clause (b).
(b) The Corporation may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on any
Debentures in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of
any securities exchange on which such Debentures may be listed, and upon such
notice as may be required by such exchange if, after notice given by the
Corporation to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such
manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.
SECTION 2.5 EXECUTION AND AUTHENTICATIONS.
(a) The Debentures shall be signed on behalf of the Corporation by its
Chairman, President or one of its Vice Presidents, under its corporate seal
attested by its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries. Signatures may be
in the form of a manual or facsimile signature. The Corporation may use the
facsimile signature of any Person who shall have been a Chairman, President or
Vice President thereof, or of any Person who shall have been a Secretary or
Assistant
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Secretary 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 Chairman, President or a Vice President, or the Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary, of the Corporation. The seal of the Corporation may be in
the form of a facsimile of such seal and may be impressed, affixed, imprinted or
otherwise reproduced on the Debentures. 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 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 Corporation may deliver Debentures executed by the
Corporation to the Trustee for authentication, together with a written order of
the Corporation for the authentication and delivery of such Debentures signed by
its Chairman, President or any Vice President and its Secretary or any Assistant
Secretary, and the Trustee in accordance with such written order shall
authenticate and make available for delivery 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.
SECTION 2.6 REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER AND EXCHANGE.
(a) Debentures may be exchanged upon presentation thereof at the office
or agency of the Corporation designated for such purpose, for other Debentures
and for a like aggregate principal amount, upon payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any tax or other governmental charge in relation thereto, all as provided
in this Section 2.6. In respect of any Debentures so surrendered for exchange,
the Corporation shall execute, the Trustee shall authenticate and such office or
agency shall deliver in exchange therefor the Debenture or Debentures that the
Debenture holder making the exchange shall be entitled to receive, bearing
numbers not contemporaneously outstanding.
(b) The Corporation shall keep, or cause to be kept, at its office or
agency designated for such purpose or such other location designated by the
Corporation a register or registers (herein referred to as the "Debenture
Register") in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may
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prescribe, the Corporation 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 be
appointed as authorized by Board Resolution (the "Debenture Registrar"). Upon
surrender for transfer of any Debenture at the office or agency of the
Corporation designated for such purpose, the Corporation shall execute, the
Trustee shall authenticate and such office or agency shall make available for
delivery in the name of the transferee or transferees a new Debenture or
Debentures for a like aggregate principal amount. All Debentures presented or
surrendered for exchange or registration of transfer, as provided in this
Section 2.6, shall be accompanied (if so required by the Corporation or the
Debenture Registrar) by a written instrument or instruments of transfer, in form
satisfactory to the Corporation 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 Corporation may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or other governmental charge in relation thereto, other than exchanges
pursuant to Section 2.7, Section 3.5(b) and Section 11.4 not involving any
transfer.
(d) The Corporation 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) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, transfers
and exchanges of Debentures and beneficial interests in a Global Security,
whether pursuant to this Article II, Section 3.5, Article IX or otherwise, shall
be made only in accordance with this Section 2.6(e).
(i) A Debenture that is not a Global Security may be
transferred, in whole or in part, to a Person who takes
delivery in the form of another Debenture that is not a Global
Security or may be exchanged, in whole or in part, for another
Debenture that is not a Global Security, as provided in this
Section 2.6.
(ii) A beneficial interest in a Global Security may be
transferred or exchanged for a Debenture that is not a Global
Security only as provided in Section 2.7A.
SECTION 2.7 TEMPORARY DEBENTURES.
Pending the preparation of definitive Debentures, the Corporation 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
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temporary Debentures, all as may be determined by the Corporation. Every
temporary Debenture shall be executed by the Corporation 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
Corporation 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 Corporation designated
for such purpose, 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 Corporation advises the
Trustee to the effect that definitive Debentures need not be executed and
furnished until further notice from the Corporation. Until so exchanged, the
temporary Debentures shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture
as definitive Debentures authenticated and delivered hereunder.
SECTION 2.7A GLOBAL SECURITIES.
(a) Each Global Security issued under this Indenture shall be
registered in the name of the Depositary designated by the Corporation for such
Global Security or a nominee thereof and delivered to such Depositary or a
nominee thereof or custodian therefor, and each such Global Security shall
constitute a single Security for all purposes of this Indenture.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, no Global
Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for Debentures registered, and no
transfer of a Global Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name
of any Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee
thereof unless (i) such Depositary advises the Trustee in writing that such
Depositary is no longer willing or able to properly discharge its
responsibilities as Depositary with respect to such Global Security, and the
Corporation is unable to locate a qualified successor, (ii) the Corporation
executes and delivers to the Trustee a Corporation order stating that the
Corporation elects to terminate the book-entry system through the Depositary, or
(iii) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default.
(c) If any Global Security is to be exchanged for other Debentures or
cancelled in whole, it shall be surrendered by or on behalf of the Depositary or
its nominee to the Securities Registrar for exchange or cancellation as provided
in this Article II. If any Global Security is to be exchanged for other
Debentures or cancelled in part, or if another Debenture is to be exchanged in
whole or in part for a beneficial interest in any Global Security, then either
(i) such Global Security shall be so surrendered for exchange or cancellation as
provided in this Article II or (ii) the principal amount thereof shall be
reduced or increased by an amount equal to the portion thereof to be so
exchanged or cancelled, or equal to the principal amount of such Debenture to be
so exchanged for a beneficial interest therein, as the case may be, by means of
an appropriate adjustment made on the records of the Securities Registrar,
whereupon the Trustee, in accordance with Applicable Procedures, shall instruct
the Depositary or its authorized representative to make a corresponding
adjustment to its records. Upon any such surrender or adjustment of a Global
Security by the Depositary, accompanied by registration instructions, the
Trustee shall, subject to Section 2.6 and as otherwise
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provided in this Article II, authenticate and make available for delivery any
Debentures issuable in exchange for such Global Security (or any portion
thereof) in accordance with the instructions of the Depositary. The Trustee
shall not be liable for any delay in delivery of such instructions and may
conclusively rely on, and shall be fully protected in relying on, such
instructions.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in the preceding provisions of this
Section 2.7A, every Debenture authenticated and delivered upon registration of
transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Security or any portion
thereof, whether pursuant to this Article II, Section 3.5 or Article IX or
otherwise, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a
Global Security, unless such Debenture is registered in the name of a Person
other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof.
(e) The Depositary or its nominee, as the registered owner of a Global
Security, shall be the Holder of such Global Security for all purposes under
this Indenture and the Debenture, and owners of beneficial interests in a Global
Security shall hold such interests pursuant to Applicable Procedures.
Accordingly, any such owner's beneficial interest in a Global Security shall be
shown only on, and the transfer of such interest shall be effected only through,
records maintained by the Depositary or its nominee or agent. Neither the
Trustee nor the Securities Registrar shall have any liability in respect of any
transfers effected by the Depositary.
(f) The rights of owners of beneficial interests in a Global Security
shall be exercised only through the Depositary and shall be limited to those
established by law and agreements between such owners and the Depositary and/or
its Agent Members.
SECTION 2.8 MUTILATED, DESTROYED, LOST OR STOLEN DEBENTURES.
(a) In case any temporary or definitive Debenture shall become
mutilated or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Corporation (subject to the next
succeeding sentence) shall execute, and upon the Corporation's request the
Trustee (subject as aforesaid) shall authenticate and make available for
delivery, 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 or stolen. In every case the
applicant for a substituted Debenture shall furnish to the Corporation 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 Corporation 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 make available for delivery the same upon the written request or
authorization of any officer of the Corporation. Upon the issuance of any
substituted Debenture, the Corporation 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
Corporation may, instead of issuing a substitute Debenture, pay or authorize the
payment of the same (without surrender thereof
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except in the case of a mutilated Debenture) if the applicant for such payment
shall furnish to the Corporation 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 Corporation 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 2.8 shall constitute an additional contractual obligation of the
Corporation 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.
SECTION 2.9 CANCELLATION.
All Debentures surrendered for the purpose of payment, redemption,
exchange or registration of transfer shall, if surrendered to the Corporation 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 Corporation at the time of such
surrender, the Trustee shall deliver to the Corporation 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. If the
Corporation 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.
SECTION 2.10 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).
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SECTION 2.11 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 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 Corporation 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 Corporation. The Trustee may at
any time (and upon request by the Corporation shall) terminate the agency of any
Authenticating Agent by giving written notice of termination to such
Authenticating Agent and to the Corporation. Upon resignation, termination or
cessation of eligibility of any Authenticating Agent, the Trustee may appoint an
eligible successor Authenticating Agent acceptable to the Corporation. 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.
SECTION 2.12 RIGHT OF SET-OFF.
With respect to the Debentures initially issued to the Trust,
notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Corporation shall have the
right to set-off any payment it is otherwise required to make in respect of any
such Debenture to the extent the Corporation has theretofore made, or is
concurrently on the date of such payment making, a payment under the Preferred
Securities Guarantee relating to such Debenture or to a holder of Preferred
Securities pursuant to an action undertaken under Section 7.8 of this Indenture.
SECTION 2.13 CUSIP NUMBERS.
The Corporation in issuing the Debentures may use "CUSIP" numbers (if
then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use "CUSIP" numbers in
notices of redemption as a convenience to Debentureholders; PROVIDED that any
such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of
such numbers either as printed on the Debentures or as contained in any notice
of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification
numbers printed on the Debentures, and any such redemption shall not be affected
by any defect in or omission or such numbers. The Corporation will promptly
notify the Trustee of any change in the CUSIP numbers.
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ARTICLE III
REDEMPTION OF DEBENTURES
SECTION 3.1 REDEMPTION.
Subject to the Corporation having received prior regulatory approval,
if then required under applicable capital guidelines or regulatory policies, and
subject to any applicable restrictions set forth in the indenture (the "1995
Notes Indenture") for the Corporation's 9.625% subordinated notes due January 1,
2005 (the "1995 Notes") on payments other than the payment of interest with
respect to Funded Indebtedness (as defined in the 1995 Notes Indenture) at any
time the 1995 Notes are outstanding (as defined in the 1995 Notes Indenture),
the Corporation may redeem the Debentures issued hereunder on and after the
dates set forth in and in accordance with the terms of this Article III.
SECTION 3.2 SPECIAL EVENT REDEMPTION.
Subject to the Corporation having received prior regulatory approval,
if then required under applicable capital guidelines or regulatory policies, and
subject to any applicable restrictions set forth in the 1995 Notes Indenture for
the 1995 Notes on payments other than the payment of interest with respect to
Funded Indebtedness (as defined in the 1995 Notes Indenture) at any time the
1995 Notes are outstanding (as defined in the 1995 Notes Indenture), if a
Special Event has occurred and is continuing, then, notwithstanding Section 3.3,
the Corporation 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 90 days following the occurrence of such
Special Event (the "90-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 such
Special Event is a Tax Event and at the time there is available to the
Corporation the opportunity to eliminate, within the 90-Day Period, such 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 Corporation, the Trust or the holders of the
Trust Securities, the Corporation shall pursue such Ministerial Action in lieu
of redemption, and, provided further, that the Corporation shall have no right
to redeem the Debentures while the Trust is pursuing any Ministerial Action
pursuant to its obligations under the Trust Agreement. 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 Corporation determines, provided that the
Corporation 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.
SECTION 3.3 OPTIONAL REDEMPTION BY CORPORATION.
Except as otherwise may be specified in this Indenture but not in
limitation of Section 3.2, the Corporation shall have the right to redeem the
Debentures, in whole or in part, from time to time, on or after June 30, 2004,
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
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redemption pursuant to this Section 3.3 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, 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 Corporation determines provided that
the Corporation 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.
SECTION 3.4 NOTICE OF REDEMPTION.
(a) In case the Corporation shall desire to exercise such right to
redeem all or a portion of the Debentures in accordance with the right reserved
so to do, the Corporation shall, or shall cause the Trustee to, upon receipt of
45 days written notice from the Corporation, 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 Corporation shall furnish the Trustee with an
Officers' Certificate evidencing compliance with any such restriction. Each such
notice of redemption shall identify the Debenture to be redeemed (including
CUSIP numbers, if any) and 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 Corporation 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 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) If less than all the Debentures are to be redeemed, the Corporation
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, by lot or in such other manner as it
shall deem appropriate and fair in its discretion, the portion or portions
(equal to $10 or any integral multiple thereof) of the Debentures to be redeemed
and shall thereafter promptly notify the Corporation in writing of the numbers
of the Debentures to be redeemed, in
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whole or in part. The Corporation may, if and whenever it shall so elect
pursuant to the terms hereof, by delivery of instructions signed on its behalf
by its Chairman, President or any Vice President, 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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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.
SECTION 3.5 PAYMENT UPON REDEMPTION.
(a) If the giving of notice of redemption shall have been completed as
above provided, subject to the provisions of Section 3.2 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
Corporation 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 not be part of the
Redemption Price and shall be payable instead to the registered holder at the
close of business on the Regular Record Date next preceding such Interest
Payment Date).
(b) Subject to the provisions of Article II, upon presentation of any
Debenture that is to be redeemed in part only, the Corporation shall execute and
the Trustee shall authenticate and the office or agency where the Debenture is
presented shall make available for delivery to the holder thereof, at the
expense of the Corporation, a new Debenture of authorized denomination in
principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Debenture so presented.
SECTION 3.6 NO SINKING FUND.
The Debentures are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.
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ARTICLE IV
EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD
SECTION 4.1 EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD.
So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the
Corporation shall have the right, at any time and from time to time during the
term of the Debentures, 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. Interest,
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 rate of 9.5%
per annum, compounded quarterly during the Extended Interest Payment Period (the
"Compounded Interest"). At the end of the Extended Interest Payment Period, the
Corporation 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 in respect of such period (together, "Deferred
Interest") that shall be payable to the holders of the Debentures in whose names
the Debentures are registered in the Debenture Register as of the close of
business on the Regular Record Date immediately preceding the end of the
Extended Interest Payment Period. Before the termination of any Extended
Interest Payment Period, the Corporation may further extend such period,
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. Upon the termination of any Extended Interest Payment Period and
upon the payment of all Deferred Interest then due, the Corporation 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 Corporation may prepay at any time all or any
portion of the interest accrued during an Extended Interest Payment Period,
which prepayments shall be payable to the holders of the Debentures in whose
names the Debentures are registered in the Debenture Register as of the close of
business on the Regular Record Date immediately preceding the date of
prepayment.
SECTION 4.2 NOTICE OF EXTENSION.
(a) If the Property Trustee is the only registered holder of the
Debentures at the time the Corporation selects an Extended Interest Payment
Period, the Corporation shall give written notice to the Administrative
Trustees, the Property Trustee and the Trustee of its selection of such Extended
Interest Payment Period at least one Business Day before the earlier of (i) the
next succeeding date on which Distributions (as such term is defined in the
Trust Agreement) 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 Stock Market's National Market
or other applicable self-regulatory 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.
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(b) If the Property Trustee is not the only holder of the Debentures at
the time the Corporation selects an Extended Interest Payment Period, the
Corporation shall give the holders of the Debentures and the Trustee written
notice of its selection of such Extended Interest Payment Period at least one
Business Day before the earlier of (i) the next succeeding Interest Payment
Date; or (ii) the date the Corporation is required to give notice of the record
or payment date of such interest payment to The Nasdaq Stock Market's National
Market or other applicable self-regulatory organization or to holders of the
Debentures, but in any event at least one Business Day before such record date.
(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 Minimum Extended Interest Payment Period permitted under Section 4.1.
SECTION 4.3 LIMITATION ON TRANSACTIONS.
If (i) the Corporation shall exercise its right to defer payment of
interest as provided in Section 4.1; (ii) there shall have occurred any Event of
Default that is continuing; or (iii) the Corporation is in default with respect
to its obligations under the Preferred Securities Guarantee, then (a) the
Corporation will not declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or
redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of
the Corporation's capital stock (other than (1) the reclassification of any
class of the Corporation's capital stock into another class of its capital
stock; (2) dividends or distributions payable in any class of the Corporation's
common stock, (3) any declaration of a 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, (4) payments under the Preferred Securities Guarantee and (5)
purchases of the Corporation's common stock related to the rights under any of
the Corporation's benefit plans for its or its subsidiaries' directors, officers
or employees); (b) the Corporation will not make any payment of interest,
principal or premium, if any, or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities
issued by the Corporation (including Other Debentures) which rank pari passu
with or junior to the Debentures; provided, however, that notwithstanding the
foregoing the Corporation may make payments pursuant to its obligations under
the Preferred Securities Guarantee; and (c) the Corporation 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 CORPORATION
SECTION 5.1 PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST.
The Corporation 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.
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SECTION 5.2 MAINTENANCE OF AGENCY.
So long as any of the Debentures remain Outstanding, the Corporation
shall maintain a designated office or agency in the Place of Payment where (i)
Debentures may be presented for payment; (ii) Debentures may be presented as
hereinabove authorized for registration of transfer and exchange; and (iii)
notice and demands to or upon the Corporation 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 Corporation shall, by written notice signed
by its Chairman, President or a 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 Corporation 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 Corporation hereby appoints the Trustee as its
agent to receive all such presentations, notices and demands. In addition to any
such office or agency, the Corporation may from time to time designate one or
more offices or agencies where the Debentures may be presented for registration
or transfer and for exchange in the manner provided herein, and the Corporation
may from time to time rescind such designation as the Corporation may deem
desirable or expedient; provided, however, that no such designation or
rescission shall in any manner relieve the Corporation of its obligation to
maintain any such office or agency in the Place of Payment for such purposes.
The Corporation shall give the Trustee prompt written notice of any such
designation or rescission thereof.
SECTION 5.3 PAYING AGENTS.
(a) If the Corporation shall appoint one or more paying agents for the
Debentures, other than the Trustee, the Corporation 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 Corporation 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 prompt written notice of
any failure by the Corporation (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;
(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
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(iv) that it shall perform all other duties of paying agent as
set forth in this Indenture.
(b) If the Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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.
SECTION 5.4 APPOINTMENT TO FILL VACANCY IN OFFICE OF TRUSTEE.
The Corporation, 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 that meets the requirements of Section 9.10, so that there shall at all
times be a Trustee hereunder.
SECTION 5.5 COMPLIANCE WITH CONSOLIDATION PROVISIONS.
The Corporation shall not, while any of the Debentures remain
outstanding, consolidate with, or merge into, or merge into itself, or convey,
transfer or lease all or substantially all of its property and assets to any
other entity and no entity shall consolidate with or merge into the Corporation
or convey, transfer or lease substantially all of its properties and assets to
the Corporation, unless the provisions of Article XII hereof are complied with.
SECTION 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 Corporation shall be in default with respect to its payment of any
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obligations under the Preferred Securities Guarantee relating to the Trust; or
(iii) the Corporation shall have given notice of its election to defer payments
of interest on such Debentures by extending the interest payment period as
provided in this Indenture and such period, or any extension thereof, shall be
continuing, then (a) the Corporation may 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 Corporation's capital stock (other
than (1) the reclassification of any class of the Corporation's capital stock
into another class of capital stock, (2) dividends or distributions payable in
any class of the Corporation's common stock, (3) any declaration of a 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, (4) payments under the Preferred
Securities Guarantee and (5) purchases of the Corporation's common stock related
to the rights under any of the Corporation's benefit plans for its or its
subsidiaries' directors, officers or employees); (b) the Corporation shall not
make any payment of interest, principal or premium, if any, or repay, repurchase
or redeem any debt securities issued by the Corporation (including Other
Debentures) which rank pari passu with or junior to the Debentures; provided,
however, that the Corporation may make payments pursuant to its obligations
under the Preferred Securities Guarantee; and (c) the Corporation shall not
redeem, purchase or acquire less than all of the outstanding Debentures or any
of the Preferred Securities.
SECTION 5.7 COVENANTS AS TO THE TRUST.
For so long as such Trust Securities of the Trust remain outstanding,
the Corporation shall (i) maintain 100% direct or indirect ownership of the
Common Securities of the Trust; provided, however, that any permitted successor
of the Corporation under this Indenture may succeed to the Corporation's
ownership of the Common Securities; (ii) not voluntarily terminate, wind up or
liquidate the Trust, except upon prior regulatory approval if then so required
under applicable capital guidelines or regulatory policies, and use its
reasonable efforts to cause the Trust (a) to remain a business trust, 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; and (iii) use its reasonable efforts to
cause each holder of Trust Securities to be treated as owning an individual
beneficial interest in the Debentures. In connection with the distribution of
the Debentures to the holders of the Preferred Securities issued by the Trust
upon a Dissolution Event, the Corporation shall use its best efforts to list
such Debentures on The Nasdaq Stock Market's National Market or on such other
exchange as the Preferred Securities are then listed.
SECTION 5.8 COVENANTS AS TO PURCHASES.
Prior to June 30, 2004, the Corporation shall not purchase any
Debentures, in whole or in part, from the Trust, except as otherwise permitted
by Section 3.2.
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ARTICLE VI
DEBENTUREHOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY
THE CORPORATION AND THE TRUSTEE
SECTION 6.1 CORPORATION TO FURNISH TRUSTEE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF DEBENTURE
HOLDERS
The Corporation shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee a
list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and
addresses of the holders of the Debentures as of each April 30 and October 31 of
each year and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing ;
provided that the Corporation 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 Corporation; provided,
however, that, in either case, no such list need be furnished if the Trustee
shall be the Debenture Registrar.
SECTION 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) or in any other capacity in respect of the Debentures.
(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. The Trustee shall comply with the
provisions of said Section and shall be entitled to the protections provided by
Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 6.3 REPORTS BY THE CORPORATION.
(a) The Corporation covenants and agrees to file with the Trustee,
within 15 days after the Corporation 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
Corporation may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13
or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; or, if the Corporation 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
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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 Corporation covenants and agrees to file with the Trustee and
the Commission, in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed from to
time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with
respect to compliance by the Corporation 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 Corporation covenants and agrees to transmit to the
Debentureholders, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of
the Trust Indenture Act, within 30 days after the filing thereof with the
Trustee, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be
filed by the Corporation 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.
(d) 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 Corporation's
compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is
entitled to rely exclusively on Officers' Certificates).
SECTION 6.4 REPORTS BY THE TRUSTEE.
(a) The Trustee shall transmit to Debentureholders such reports
concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required
pursuant to Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the
manner provided pursuant thereto. If required by Section 313(a) of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Trustee shall, within sixty days after each April 30
following the date of this Indenture deliver to Debentureholders a brief report,
dated as of such April 30, which complies with the provisions of such Section
313(a).
(b) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission
to Debentureholders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange, if any,
upon which the Debentures are listed, with the Commission and with the
Corporation. Corporation will promptly notify the Trustee when any Debentures
become listed on any stock exchange.
SECTION 6.5 STATEMENTS AS TO DEFAULT.
(a) The Corporation will deliver to the Trustee annually, within 120
days after the end of each of its fiscal years, a certificate, from its
principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting
officer, stating whether or not to the best knowledge of the signer thereof the
Corporation is in compliance (without regard to periods of grace or notice
requirements) with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture, and if the
Corporation shall not be in compliance,
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specifying such non-compliance and the nature and status thereof of which such
signer may have knowledge.
(b) The Corporation shall deliver to the Trustee, as soon as possible
and in any event within five days after the Corporation becomes aware of the
occurrence of any Event of Default or an event which, with notice or the lapse
of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default, an Officers' Certificate
setting forth the details of such Event of Default or Default and the action
which the Corporation proposes to take with respect thereto.
ARTICLE VII
REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND DEBENTUREHOLDERS
ON EVENT OF DEFAULT
SECTION 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 Corporation defaults in the payment of any installment
of interest (including Additional Interest or Compounded
Interest, if any) 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
Corporation in accordance with the terms of Article IV of this
Indenture shall not constitute a default in the payment of
interest for this purpose;
(ii) the Corporation 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
of acceleration of maturity or otherwise;
(iii) the Corporation 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 Corporation by the Trustee, by
registered or certified mail, or to the Corporation and the
Trustee by the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal
amount of the Debentures at the time Outstanding;
(iv) the Corporation 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
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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
Corporation in an involuntary case; (ii) appoints a Custodian
of the Corporation for all or substantially all of its
property; or (iii) orders the liquidation of the Corporation,
and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60
days; or
(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, 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 Corporation (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 Corporation and the Trustee, may
rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if: (i) the Corporation
has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all matured
installments of interest (including Additional Interest and Compounded Interest,
if any) upon all the Debentures and the principal of any and all Debentures that
shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration (and, without duplication
of any of the foregoing, interest upon such principal, and 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
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adversely to the Trustee, then and in every such case the Corporation and the
Trustee shall be restored respectively to their former positions and rights
hereunder, and all rights, remedies and powers of the Corporation and the
Trustee shall continue as though no such proceedings had been taken.
SECTION 7.2 COLLECTION OF INDEBTEDNESS AND SUITS FOR ENFORCEMENT BY TRUSTEE.
(a) The Corporation covenants that (1) in case it shall default in the
payment of any installment of interest (including Additional Interest and
Compounded Interest) on any of the Debentures, and such default shall have
continued for a period of 90 Business 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 Debentures or upon
redemption or upon declaration or otherwise, then, upon demand of the Trustee,
the Corporation shall pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the holders of the
Debentures, the whole amount that then shall have been 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 (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 and its counsel under Section
9.7.
(b) If the Corporation shall fail to pay such amounts 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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation under this Indenture at the date of institution
of such proceedings and for any additional amount that may become due and
payable by the Corporation 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 and
its counsel 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
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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 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 relating 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 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.
SECTION 7.3 APPLICATION OF MONEYS COLLECTED.
Any moneys 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 on
account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Debentures, and
notation thereon of 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
Corporation 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.
FOURTH: Any remaining balance to the Corporation.
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SECTION 7.4 LIMITATION ON SUITS.
(a) 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; and (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 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.
SECTION 7.5 RIGHTS AND REMEDIES CUMULATIVE; DELAY OR OMISSION NOT WAIVER.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.8, 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
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default or an 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.
SECTION 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 otherwise than by
acceleration (unless such default has been cured and a sum sufficient to pay all
matured installments of interest and principal, other than principal maturing
because of the acceleration, has been deposited with the Trustee (in accordance
with Section 7.1(c)); (ii) a default in the covenants contained in Section 4.3;
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 Corporation, 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.
SECTION 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 and expenses, against any party litigant in such
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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.
SECTION 7.8 DIRECT ACTION BY HOLDERS OF PREFERRED SECURITIES.
Any registered holder of the Preferred Securities issued by the Trust
shall have the right, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default described in
Section 7.1(a)(i) or 7.1(a)(ii), to institute a suit directly against the
Corporation for enforcement of payment to such holder of principal of and
(subject to Sections 2.4 and 4.1) interest (including any Additional Interest)
on the Debentures having a principal amount equal to the aggregate Liquidation
Amount (as defined in the Trust Agreement) of such Preferred Securities held by
such holder. The Corporation may not amend this Indenture to remove this right
to institute a suit directly against the Corporation without the prior consent
of the holders of all the Preferred Securities.
ARTICLE VIII
FORM OF DEBENTURE AND ORIGINAL ISSUE
SECTION 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
attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
SECTION 8.2 ORIGINAL ISSUE OF DEBENTURES.
Debentures in the aggregate principal amount of up to $16,666,670 may,
upon execution of this Indenture, be executed by the Corporation and delivered
to the Trustee for authentication, and the Trustee shall thereupon authenticate
and make available for delivery said Debentures to or upon the written order of
the Corporation, signed by its Chairman, its President, or any Vice President
and its Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, without any further action by the
Corporation.
ARTICLE IX
CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE
SECTION 9.1 CERTAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
(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
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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 their exercise, as
a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of
his 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:
(1) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after the curing
or waiving of all Events of Default that may have occurred:
(i) 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 covenants or
obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the
Trustee; and
(ii) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee,
the Trustee may with respect to the Indenture 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;
(2) 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;
(3) 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 (within the meaning of
Section 316(a) of the Trust Indenture Act) 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
(4) 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
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the terms of this Indenture or adequate indemnity against such risk is
not reasonably assured to it.
SECTION 9.2 NOTICE OF DEFAULTS.
The Trustee shall transmit by mail to all holders of the Debentures, in
the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture
Act, notice of any default hereunder, within 90 days after the occurrence
thereof; provided, however, that, except in the case of any default in the
payment of the principal or interest (including Additional Interest and
Compounded Interest, if any) 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. 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.
SECTION 9.3 CERTAIN RIGHTS OF TRUSTEE.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 9.1 or elsewhere in this
Indenture:
(a) The Trustee may conclusively 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 Corporation
mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution or an
instrument signed in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman, President or
any Vice President and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary 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 notification of such Event of
Default from the Corporation 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 of its selection 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
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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 their exercise, as a prudent man
would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his 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, but the Trustee in its discretion may make such
inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if
the Trustee shall determine to make such inquiry or investigation, it shall be
entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Corporation,
personally or by agent or attorney; 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.
SECTION 9.4 TRUSTEE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS, ETC.
(a) The Recitals contained herein and in the Debentures, except the
certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the
Corporation, 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 Corporation 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.
SECTION 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
and, subject to Sections 9.9 and 9.14, may otherwise deal with the Corporation
with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, paying agent or
Debenture Registrar.
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SECTION 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 Trustee shall be under no
liability for interest on any moneys received by it hereunder except such as it
may agree in writing with the Corporation to pay thereon.
SECTION 9.7 COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT.
The Corporation agrees:
(1) to pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation as the
Corporation and the Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing for all
services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by
any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express
trust);
(2) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the
Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances
incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this
Indenture (including the compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its
agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be
attributable to its negligence or bad faith; and
(3) to indemnify each of the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee and
their agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any and all loss, damage,
claims, liability or expense, including taxes (other than taxes based upon,
measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee), arising out of or in
connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts
hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any
claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its
powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that such loss, damage, claim,
liability or expense is due to its own negligence or bad faith.
The Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Debentures as to all
property and funds held by it hereunder for any amount owing it or any
predecessor Trustee pursuant to this Section 9.7, except with respect to funds
held in trust for the benefit of the holders of particular Debentures. When the
Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of
Default specified in Section 7.1(a)(iv), Section 7.1(a)(v) or 7.1(a)(vi), the
expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the
compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of
administration under any applicable Bankruptcy Law.
The provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of this
Indenture.
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SECTION 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.
SECTION 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
Corporation shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b)
of the Trust Indenture Act; provided, however, that for purposes of the first
proviso contained in Section 310 (b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trust
Agreement and Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be deemed to be specifically
described in this Indenture.
SECTION 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 Corporation may not, nor may any Person
directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with
the Corporation, 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.
SECTION 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 Corporation 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 Corporation shall
promptly appoint a successor trustee with respect to Debentures by written
instrument, in duplicate, executed by order
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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
petition at the expense of the Corporation 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 Section 9.9, 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, 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 Corporation
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 Corporation or by any such
Debentureholder; or
(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting, or shall
be adjudged 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 Corporation 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 Section 9.9, 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 Corporation and may appoint a successor Trustee
with the consent of the Corporation. If no successor trustee shall have been so
appointed and have accepted appointment within 30 days after such notification,
the Trustee may petition at the expense of the Corporation 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
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provisions of Section 9.9, on behalf of himself and all others similarly
situated, petition any such court for the appointment of a successor trustee.
Such court may appoint a successor trustee.
(d) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a
successor trustee with respect to the Debentures pursuant to any of the
provisions of this Section 9.11 shall become effective until acceptance of
appointment by the successor trustee as provided in Section 9.12.
SECTION 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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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.
(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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation.
SECTION 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 all or substantially all 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
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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.
SECTION 9.14 PREFERENTIAL COLLECTION OF CLAIMS AGAINST THE CORPORATION.
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
SECTION 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.
(b) If the Corporation shall solicit from the Debentureholders any
request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other
action, the Corporation 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 Corporation 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 computed 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.
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SECTION 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
his 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.
SECTION 10.3 WHO MAY BE DEEMED OWNERS.
Prior to the due presentment for registration of transfer of any
Debenture, the Corporation, 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 Corporation 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 Corporation nor the
Trustee nor any paying agent nor any Authenticating Agent nor any Debenture
Registrar shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
SECTION 10.4 CERTAIN DEBENTURES OWNED BY CORPORATION 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 Corporation or any other
obligor on the Debentures or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or
controlled by, or under common control with, the Corporation or any other
obligor on the Debentures shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding
for the purpose of any such determination, except that for the purpose of
determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such
direction, consent or waiver, only Debentures that a Responsible Officer of the
Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. 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 Corporation 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.
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SECTION 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
Corporation, the Trustee and the holders of all the Debentures.
ARTICLE XI
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
SECTION 11.1 SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF DEBENTUREHOLDERS.
In addition to any supplemental indenture otherwise authorized by this
Indenture, the Corporation 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), without the
consent of the Debentureholders, for one or more of the following purposes:
(a) to cure any ambiguity, defect, or inconsistency herein, 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 Corporation for the benefit of the
holders of all or any of the Debentures or to surrender any right or power
herein conferred upon the Corporation;
(e) to evidence the succession of another corporation to the
Corporation, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the
Corporation herein and in the Debentures contained;
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(f) to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge to or with the
Trustee any property or assets which the Corporation may desire to convey,
transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge;
(g) 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, as herein set forth;
(h) to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any
Debentureholder in any material respect;
(i) 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; or
(j) to qualify or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under
the Trust Indenture Act.
The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Corporation 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 adversely 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 Corporation 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.
SECTION 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 Corporation, 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 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 (other than the Corporation's right to defer interest pursuant to this
Indenture), 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
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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.
SECTION 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 Corporation 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.
SECTION 11.4 DEBENTURES AFFECTED BY SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES.
Debentures affected by a supplemental indenture that are 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
Corporation, provided such form meets the requirements of any exchange upon
which the Debentures may be listed, as to any matter provided for in such
supplemental indenture. If the Corporation shall so determine, new Debentures so
modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation, to any modification of this Indenture contained in any such
supplemental indenture may be prepared by the Corporation, authenticated by the
Trustee and delivered in exchange for the Debentures then Outstanding.
SECTION 11.5 EXECUTION OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES.
(a) Upon the request of the Corporation, accompanied by 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
Corporation in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such
supplemental indenture adversely 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 Section 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 Corporation and the Trustee of
any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section 11.5, the
Trustee shall transmit by mail, first
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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
SECTION 12.1 CORPORATION MAY CONSOLIDATE, ETC.
Nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Debentures shall
prevent any consolidation or merger of the Corporation with or into any other
corporation or corporations (whether or not affiliated with the Corporation, as
the case may be), or successive consolidations or mergers in which the
Corporation, 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 Corporation, 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 Corporation, as the case may be,
or its successor or successors) authorized to acquire and operate the same;
provided, however, the Corporation 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 Corporation, 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 Corporation 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 Corporation, as the case may be, shall
have been merged, or by the entity which shall have acquired such property; (ii)
in case the Corporation consolidates with or merges into another Person or
conveys or transfers its properties and assets substantially then 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 which, after notice or
lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and
be continuing.
SECTION 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 Corporation, 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 Corporation,
as the case may be, such successor corporation shall succeed to and be
substituted for the Corporation, with the same effect as if it had been named as
the
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Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation).
SECTION 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
SECTION 13.1 SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE.
If at any time: (a) the Corporation 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 2.8 and Debentures for whose
payment money or Governmental Obligations have theretofore been deposited in
trust or segregated and held in trust by the Corporation (and thereupon repaid
to the Corporation or retained by Corporation and 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 Corporation 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 thereof, sufficient in the
opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants
expressed in 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 Corporation shall also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable
hereunder by the Corporation; then this Indenture shall thereupon cease to be of
further effect except for the provisions of Sections 2.3, 2.6, 2.8, 5.1, 5.2,
5.3 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 Corporation and at the cost
and expense of the
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Corporation, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction of and
discharging this Indenture.
SECTION 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 Corporation by depositing irrevocably with the
Trustee as trust funds monies or an amount of Governmental Obligations
sufficient 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 Corporation shall also pay or cause to be paid all other
sums payable hereunder by the Corporation, then after the date such moneys or
Governmental Obligations, as the case may be, are deposited with the Trustee,
the obligations of the Corporation under this Indenture shall cease to be of
further effect except for the provisions of Sections 2.3, 2.6, 2.8, 5.1, 5.2,
5.3, 9.7, 9.10 and 13.5 hereof that shall survive until such Debentures shall
mature and be paid. Thereafter, Sections 9.7 and 13.5 shall survive.
SECTION 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
Corporation 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.
The Corporation shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax,
fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations
deposited pursuant to Section 13.1 or the principal and interest received in
respect thereof, other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is
for the account of the holders of Outstanding Debentures.
SECTION 13.4 PAYMENT OF MONIES HELD BY PAYING AGENTS.
In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture,
all monies or Governmental Obligations then held by any paying agent under the
provisions of this Indenture shall, upon demand of the Corporation, be paid to
the Trustee and thereupon such paying agent shall be released from all further
liability with respect to such monies or Governmental Obligations.
SECTION 13.5 REPAYMENT TO CORPORATION.
Any monies or Governmental Obligations deposited with any paying agent
or the Trustee, or then held by the Corporation in trust, for payment of
principal of or interest on the Debentures that are not applied but remain
unclaimed by the holders of such Debentures for at least two years after
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the date upon which the principal of or interest on such Debentures shall have
respectively become due and payable, shall be repaid to the Corporation or
retained by Corporation, as the case may be, on May 31 of each year and 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 monies 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 Corporation for the payment thereof.
ARTICLE XIV
IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS,
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
SECTION 14.1 NO RECOURSE.
(a) 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
Corporation or of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly or
through the Corporation 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 Corporation 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.
(b) 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
Trustee or of any predecessor or successor corporation, either directly or
through the Trustee 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 the
Indenture obligations of the Trustee are solely corporate obligations of the
Trustee, 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 Trustee 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
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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 by the Trustee.
ARTICLE XV
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SECTION 15.1 EFFECT ON SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.
All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements in this
Indenture contained by or on behalf of the Corporation shall bind its respective
successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
SECTION 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
Corporation 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 Corporation.
SECTION 15.3 SURRENDER OF CORPORATION POWERS.
The Corporation 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 Corporation, and thereupon such power so
surrendered shall terminate both as to the Corporation, as the case may be, and
as to any successor corporation.
SECTION 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 Corporation
may be given or served by being deposited first class postage prepaid in a
post-office letter box addressed (until another address is filed in writing by
the Corporation with the Trustee), as follows: Metropolitan Financial Corp.,
0000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxx 00000, Attention: President. Any
notice, election, request or demand by the Corporation 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.
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SECTION 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 Delaware and for all purposes shall be
construed in accordance with the laws of said State without regard to conflicts
of law principles.
SECTION 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.
SECTION 15.7 COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATES AND OPINIONS.
(a) Upon any application, request or demand by the Corporation to the
Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture,
including but not limited to actions which relate to the authentication and
delivery of the Debentures and to the satisfaction and discharge of the
Indenture, the Corporation shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate
stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to
the proposed action (including any covenants compliance with which constitutes a
condition precedent) 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.
(b) Each certificate or opinion of the Corporation provided for in this
Indenture with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant in this
Indenture (other than the certificates provided for in Section 6.3(d)) 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.
SECTION 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 (subject to Section 2.4) 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.
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SECTION 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.
SECTION 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.
SECTION 15.11 SEPARABILITY.
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.
SECTION 15.12 ASSIGNMENT.
The Corporation 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 Corporation, provided that, in the event of any
such assignment, the Corporation shall remain liable for all such obligations.
Subject to the foregoing, this Indenture is binding upon and inures to the
benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This
Indenture may not otherwise be assigned by the parties hereto.
SECTION 15.13 ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RIGHTS.
The Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation 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 Corporation
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.
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SECTION 15.14 ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS FOR THE PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.
In connection with the offering, sale and issuance of the
Debentures to the Trust and in connection with the sale of the Trust Securities
by the Trust, the Corporation, in its capacity as borrower with respect to the
Debentures, and not in limitation of the provisions contained in the "Expense
Agreement" (as such term is defined in the Trust Agreement) or the other
provisions contained herein, agrees to pay the following:
(a) All debts and other obligations (other than with respect to
the Preferred Securities) of the Trust and all costs and
expenses of the Trust (including costs and expenses relating
to the organization of the Trust, the fees and expenses of the
Property Trustee and the other costs and expenses relating to
the operation of the Trust); and
(b) Any and all taxes and all costs and expenses with respect
thereto (other than United States withholding taxes) to which
the Trust might become subject.
The foregoing obligations of the Corporation are for the benefit of, and shall
be enforceable by, any person to whom such debts, obligations, costs, expenses
and liabilities are owed (a "Creditor") whether or not such Creditor has
received notice thereof. Not in limitation of the provisions of the Expense
Agreement, any such Creditor may enforce such obligations of the Corporation
directly against the Corporation, and the Corporation irrevocably waives any
right or remedy to require that any such Creditor take any action against the
Trust or any other person before proceeding against the Corporation. The
Corporation also agrees to execute such additional agreements as may be
necessary or desirable to give full effect to the foregoing.
ARTICLE XVI
SUBORDINATION OF DEBENTURES
SECTION 16.1 AGREEMENT TO SUBORDINATE.
The Corporation 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 Corporation 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 and Subordinated Debt (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.
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SECTION 16.2 DEFAULT ON SENIOR DEBT OR SUBORDINATED DEBT.
In the event and during the continuation of any default by the
Corporation in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other payment
due on any Senior Indebtedness of the Corporation, or in the event that the
maturity of any Senior Indebtedness of the Corporation has been accelerated
because of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the
Corporation 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 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 Corporation or 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.
SECTION 16.3 LIQUIDATION; DISSOLUTION; BANKRUPTCY.
(a) Upon any payment by the Corporation or distribution of assets of
the Corporation of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or
securities, to creditors upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up,
reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors, marshaling of assets or
any bankruptcy, insolvency, debt restructuring or similar proceedings in
connection with any insolvency or bankruptcy proceeding of the Corporation, all
amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness of the Corporation 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 Corporation on account of the principal or
interest on the Debentures; and upon any such liquidation, dissolution,
winding-up, reorganization, assignment for the benefit of creditors, marshaling
of assets, any payment by the Corporation, or distribution of assets of the
Corporation 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 Corporation, except for the provisions of this Article XVI,
shall be paid by the Corporation 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
Corporation (pro rata to such holders on the basis of the respective amounts of
Senior Indebtedness held by such holders, as calculated by the Corporation) 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.
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(b) In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or
distribution of assets of the Corporation 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 Corporation 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, as their respective interests may appear, as calculated by
the Corporation, for application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of
the Corporation, 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.
(c) For purposes of this Article XVI, the words "cash, property or
securities" shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Corporation as
reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Corporation 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 Corporation, 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 Corporation with, or the merger of the Corporation into, another corporation
or the liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation 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.
SECTION 16.4 SUBROGATION.
(a) Subject to the payment in full of all Senior Indebtedness of the
Corporation, 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 Corporation, 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 Corporation, its creditors
other than holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Corporation, and the holders of
the Debentures, be deemed to be a payment by the Corporation to or on account
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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
Corporation, its creditors (other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the
Corporation), and the holders of the Debentures, the obligation of the
Corporation, 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 Corporation, as the case may be, other than the holders of
Senior Indebtedness of the Corporation, 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 any, under this Article XVI of the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness in respect of cash, property or securities of the Corporation, as
the case may be, received upon the exercise of any such remedy.
(c) Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Corporation
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 Corporation, 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.
SECTION 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.
SECTION 16.6 NOTICE BY THE CORPORATION.
(a) The Corporation shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible
Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Corporation 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 provisions 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
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provisions of this Article XVI, unless and until a Responsible Officer of the
Trustee shall have received written notice thereof from the Corporation 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
Corporation (or a trustee on behalf of such holder) to establish 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.
SECTION 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 this Article XVI.
(b) With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the
Corporation, 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 have 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 in good
faith mistakenly pay over or deliver to holders of Debentures, the Corporation
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.
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SECTION 16.8 SUBORDINATION MAY NOT BE IMPAIRED.
(a) No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness
of the Corporation 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 Corporation or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such
holder, or by any noncompliance by the Corporation 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 Corporation 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 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 Corporation
and any other Person.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be
duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.
METROPOLITAN FINANCIAL CORP.
By: ___________________________
Name: Xxxxx X. Lodge
Title: President
WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE
By: ___________________________
Name: ___________________________
Title: ___________________________
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