DEPOSIT AGREEMENT among Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd., as the Company American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC as Depositary, and THE HOLDERS FROM TIME TO TIME OF THE DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS DESCRIBED HEREIN Dated as of July 9, 2020
Exhibit 4.3
among
Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd.,
as the Company
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC
as Depositary,
and
THE HOLDERS FROM TIME TO TIME OF
THE DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS DESCRIBED HEREIN
Dated as of July 9, 2020
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE I |
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DEFINED TERMS | 1 | |||||
Section 1.1. |
Definitions. |
1 | ||||
ARTICLE II |
||||||
FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF STOCK, EXECUTION AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER, SURRENDER AND REDEMPTION OF RECEIPTS | 3 | |||||
Section 2.1. |
Form and Transfer of Receipts. |
3 | ||||
Section 2.2. |
Deposit of Stock; Execution and Delivery of Receipts in Respect Thereof. |
5 | ||||
Section 2.3. |
Registration of Transfer of Receipts. |
6 | ||||
Section 2.4. |
Split-ups and Combinations of Receipts; Surrender of Receipts and Withdrawal of Stock. |
6 | ||||
Section 2.5. |
Limitations on Execution and Delivery, Transfer, Surrender and Exchange of Receipts. |
7 | ||||
Section 2.6. |
Lost Receipts, etc. |
7 | ||||
Section 2.7. |
Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts. |
8 | ||||
Section 2.8. |
Redemption of Stock. |
8 | ||||
Section 2.9. |
Receipts Issuable in Global Registered Form. |
9 | ||||
Section 2.10. |
Bank Accounts. |
10 | ||||
Section 2.11. |
No Pre-Release. |
11 | ||||
ARTICLE III |
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CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF HOLDERS OF RECEIPTS AND THE COMPANY | 11 | |||||
Section 3.1. |
Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information. |
11 | ||||
Section 3.2. |
Payment of Taxes or Other Governmental Charges. |
11 | ||||
Section 3.3. |
Warranty as to Stock. |
12 | ||||
Section 3.4. |
Warranty as to Receipts. |
12 | ||||
Section 3.5. |
Corporate Existence and Authority of the Depositary. |
12 | ||||
Section 3.6. |
Taxes. |
12 | ||||
ARTICLE IV |
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THE DEPOSITED SECURITIES; NOTICES | 13 | |||||
Section 4.1. |
Cash Distributions. |
13 | ||||
Section 4.2. |
Distributions Other than Cash, Rights, Preferences or Privileges. |
13 | ||||
Section 4.3. |
Subscription Rights, Preferences or Privileges. |
14 |
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Section 4.4. |
Notice of Dividends, etc.; Fixing Record Date for Holders of Receipts. |
15 | ||||
Section 4.5. |
Voting Rights. |
15 | ||||
Section 4.6. |
Changes Affecting Deposited Securities and Reclassifications, Recapitalizations, etc. |
16 | ||||
Section 4.7. |
Delivery of Reports. |
16 | ||||
Section 4.8. |
Lists of Receipt Holders. |
17 | ||||
Section 4.9. |
Withholding. |
17 | ||||
ARTICLE V |
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THE DEPOSITARY, THE DEPOSITARY’S AGENTS, THE REGISTRAR AND THE COMPANY | 17 | |||||
Section 5.1. |
Appointment, Maintenance of Offices, Agencies and Transfer Books by the Depositary; Registrar. |
17 | ||||
Section 5.2. |
Prevention of or Delay in Performance by the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar or the Company. |
18 | ||||
Section 5.3. |
Obligations of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar and the Company. |
18 | ||||
Section 5.4. |
Resignation and Removal of the Depositary; Appointment of Successor Depositary. |
20 | ||||
Section 5.5. |
Corporate Notices and Reports |
20 | ||||
Section 5.6. |
Indemnification. |
21 | ||||
Section 5.7. |
Fees, Charges and Expenses. |
22 | ||||
Section 5.8. |
Tax Compliance. |
23 | ||||
ARTICLE VI |
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AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION | 23 | |||||
Section 6.1. |
Amendment. |
23 | ||||
Section 6.2. |
Termination. |
24 | ||||
ARTICLE VII |
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MISCELLANEOUS | 24 | |||||
Section 7.1. |
Counterparts; Electronic Signatures. |
24 | ||||
Section 7.2. |
Exclusive Benefit of Parties. |
25 | ||||
Section 7.3. |
Invalidity of Provisions. |
25 | ||||
Section 7.4. |
Notices. |
25 | ||||
Section 7.5. |
Depositary’s Agents. |
26 | ||||
Section 7.6. |
Appointment of Registrar in Respect of the Receipts. |
26 | ||||
Section 7.7. |
Holders of Receipts Are Parties |
26 | ||||
Section 7.8. |
Governing Law |
26 | ||||
Section 7.9. |
Inspection of Deposit Agreement. |
27 | ||||
Section 7.10. |
Headings. |
27 | ||||
Section 7.11. |
Confidentiality. |
27 | ||||
Section 7.12. |
Force Majeure. |
27 | ||||
Section 7.13. |
Certificate of Designations |
27 |
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DEPOSIT AGREEMENT, dated as of July 9, 2020, among (i) Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd., an exempted company organized under the laws of Bermuda, (ii) American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, a limited liability trust company formed under the laws of the State of New York, as Depositary and (iii) the holders from time to time of the Receipts described herein.
WHEREAS, it is desired to provide, as hereinafter set forth in this Deposit Agreement, for the deposit of shares of 7.00% Resettable Fixed Rate Preference Shares, Series A, of the Company with the Depositary for the purposes set forth in this Deposit Agreement and for the issuance hereunder of Depositary Shares representing a fractional interest in the Stock deposited and for the execution and delivery of Receipts evidencing Depositary Shares;
WHEREAS, the Receipts are to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A annexed hereto, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided in this Deposit Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the terms and conditions of the 7.00% Resettable Fixed Rate Preference Shares, Series A, of the Company are substantially set forth in the Certificate of Designations attached hereto as Exhibit B;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINED TERMS
Section 1.1. Definitions.
The following definitions shall for all purposes, unless otherwise indicated, apply to the respective terms (in the singular and plural forms of such terms) used in this Deposit Agreement and the Receipts:
“Certificate of Designations” shall mean the Certificate of Designations, adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company or a duly authorized committee thereof, establishing and setting forth the rights, preferences and privileges of the Stock, and attached hereto as Exhibit B, and as such certificate may be amended or restated from time to time.
“Company” shall mean Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd., an exempted company organized under the laws of Bermuda, and its successors.
“Deposit Agreement” shall mean this Deposit Agreement, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.
“Depositary” shall mean American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, a limited liability trust company formed under the laws of the State of New York, and any successor as Depositary hereunder.
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“Depositary Share Redemption Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.8.
“Depositary Shares” shall mean the security representing a 1/1,000th fractional interest in a share of the Stock, and the same proportionate interest in any and all other property received by the Depositary in respect of such share of Stock and held under this Deposit Agreement, all as evidenced by the Receipts issued hereunder. Subject to the terms of this Deposit Agreement, each owner of a Depositary Share is entitled, proportionately, to all the rights, preferences and privileges of the Stock represented by such Depositary Share (including the dividend, voting, redemption and liquidation rights contained in the Certificate of Designations).
“Depositary’s Agent” shall mean an agent appointed by the Depositary pursuant to Section 7.5.
“Depositary’s Office” shall mean the principal office of the Depositary, at which at any particular time its depositary receipt business in respect of matters governed by this Deposit Agreement shall be administered, which at the date of this Deposit Agreement is located at 0000 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
“DTC” shall mean The Depository Trust Company.
“Exchange Event” shall mean with respect to any Global Registered Receipt:
(1) (A) the Global Receipt Depository which is the holder of such Global Registered Receipt or Receipts notifies the Company that it is no longer willing or able to properly discharge its responsibilities under any Letter of Representations or that it is no longer eligible or in good standing under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended to serve as Global Receipt Depository, and (B) the Company has not appointed a qualified successor Global Receipt Depository within ninety (90) calendar days after the Company received such notice, or
(2) the Company in its sole discretion notifies the Depositary in writing that the Receipts or a portion thereof issued or issuable in the form of one or more Global Registered Receipts shall no longer be represented by such Global Registered Receipt or Receipts.
“Funds” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.10.
“Global Receipt Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Receipt issued hereunder, DTC or such other entity designated as Global Receipt Depository by the Company in, or pursuant to, this Deposit Agreement, which entity must be, to the extent required by any applicable law or regulation, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Global Registered Receipts” shall mean a global registered Receipt registered in the name of a nominee of DTC.
“Indemnified Party” shall mean a party seeking indemnification under this Deposit Agreement.
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“Indemnifying Party” shall mean a party receiving notification of an indemnification claim from an Indemnified Party.
“Letter of Representations” shall mean any applicable agreement among the Company, the Depositary and a Global Receipt Depository with respect to such Global Receipt Depository’s rights and obligations with respect to any Global Registered Receipts, as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time and any successor agreement thereto.
“Moody’s” shall mean Xxxxx’x Investors Service.
“Receipt” shall mean a receipt issued hereunder to evidence one or more Depositary Shares held of record by the record holder of such Depositary Shares, whether in definitive or temporary form, substantially in the form set forth as Exhibit A.
“record holder” or “holder” as applied to a Receipt shall mean the person in whose name such Receipt is registered on the books of the Depositary for such purpose.
“Redemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.8.
“Redemption Price” shall have the meaning set forth in the Certificate of Designations.
“Registrar” shall mean the Depositary or such other successor bank or trust company which shall be appointed by the Company to register ownership and transfers of Receipts as herein provided and if a successor Registrar shall be so appointed, references herein to “the books” of or maintained by the Depositary shall be deemed, as applicable, to refer as well to the register maintained by such Registrar for such purpose.
“S&P” shall mean S&P Global Ratings.
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. “Signature Guarantee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3.
“Stock” shall mean shares of the Company’s 7.00% Resettable Fixed Rate Preference Shares, Series A, $1.00 par value per share, $25,000 liquidation preference per share, designated and described in the Certificate of Designations.
ARTICLE II
FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF STOCK, EXECUTION AND DELIVERY,
TRANSFER, SURRENDER AND REDEMPTION OF RECEIPTS
Section 2.1. Form and Transfer of Receipts.
Definitive Receipts shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A annexed to this Deposit Agreement, in each case with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided (but which do not affect the rights, duties, liabilities or responsibilities of
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the Depositary). Pending the preparation of definitive Receipts, the Depositary, upon the written order of the Company, delivered in compliance with Section 2.2, shall execute and deliver temporary Receipts which may be printed, lithographed, typewritten or otherwise substantially of the same tenor of the definitive Receipts in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the persons executing such Receipts may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Receipts. If temporary Receipts are issued, the Company and the Depositary will cause definitive Receipts to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Receipts, the temporary Receipts shall be exchangeable for definitive Receipts upon surrender of the temporary Receipts at an office described in the penultimate paragraph of Section 2.2, without charge to the holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Receipts, the Depositary shall execute and deliver in exchange therefor definitive Receipts representing the same number of Depositary Shares as represented by the surrendered temporary Receipt or Receipts registered in the name (and only in the name) of the holder of the temporary receipt; provided, however, the Depositary has been provided with all necessary information that it may reasonably request in order to execute and deliver such definitive Receipt or Receipts. Such exchange shall be made at the Company’s expense and without any charge therefor. Until so exchanged, the temporary Receipts shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Deposit Agreement as definitive Receipts.
Receipts shall be executed by the Depositary by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer of the Depositary. No Receipt shall be entitled to any benefits under this Deposit Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless it shall have been executed manually or by facsimile signature by a duly authorized officer of the Depositary or, if a Registrar for the Receipts (other than the Depositary) shall have been appointed, by manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer of the Depositary and countersigned by manual or facsimile signature a duly authorized officer of such Registrar. The Depositary shall record on its books each Receipt so signed and delivered as hereinafter provided.
Receipts shall be in denominations of any number of whole Depositary Shares. All Receipts shall be dated the date of their issuance.
Receipts may be endorsed with or have incorporated in the text thereof such legends or recitals or changes not inconsistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement all as may be required by the Depositary and approved by the Company or required to comply with any applicable law or any regulation thereunder or with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange upon which the Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts may be listed or to conform with any usage with respect thereto, or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular Receipts are subject.
Title to Depositary Shares evidenced by a Receipt which is properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer, shall be transferable by delivery with the same effect as in the case of a negotiable instrument; provided, however, that until transfer of any particular Receipt shall be registered on the books of the Depositary as provided in Section 2.3, the Depositary may, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, treat the record holder thereof at such time as the absolute owner thereof for the purpose of determining the person entitled to distributions of dividends or other distributions or to any notice provided for in this Deposit Agreement and for all other purposes.
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Section 2.2. Deposit of Stock; Execution and Delivery of Receipts in Respect Thereof.
Subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Company may from time to time deposit shares of the Stock under this Deposit Agreement by delivery to the Depositary by book entry on the books and records of the Company’s transfer agent, or otherwise, of (i) a certificate or certificates for the Stock to be deposited, properly endorsed or accompanied, if required by the Depositary, by a duly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement or (ii) an instruction letter from the Company authorizing the Depositary to register such shares of the Stock in book-entry form, each in form reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary, together with all such certifications as may be required by the Depositary in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement and all other information required to be set forth, and together with a written order of the Company directing the Depositary to execute and deliver to, or upon the written order of, the person or persons stated in such order a Receipt or Receipts evidencing in the aggregate the number of Depositary Shares representing such deposited Stock. Concurrently with the execution of this Deposit Agreement, the Company is delivering 6,000 shares of Stock to the Depositary and the Depositary hereby acknowledges receipt of such 6,000 shares of Stock and all related documentation and information required to be delivered to the Depositary under this Section 2.2 and agrees to hold such deposited Stock in accordance with this Deposit Agreement.
Deposited Stock shall be held by the Depositary in an account to be established by the Depositary at the Depositary’s Office or at such other place or places, as the Depositary shall determine. The Company hereby appoints the Depositary as transfer agent and registrar for the Stock and the Depositary hereby accepts such appointment and, as such, will reflect changes in the number of shares of deposited Stock held by it by notation, book-entry or other appropriate method. The Depositary shall not lend any Stock deposited hereunder.
Upon receipt by the Depositary of (i) a certificate or certificates for Stock deposited in accordance with the provisions of this Section or (ii) an instruction letter from the Company in accordance with the provisions of this Section, together with the other documents required as above specified, and upon recordation of the Stock on the books of the Company (or its duly appointed transfer agent) in the name of the Depositary, the Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall execute and deliver to or upon the written request of the person or persons named in the written order delivered to the Depositary referred to in the first paragraph of this Section, a Receipt or Receipts evidencing in the aggregate the number of Depositary Shares representing the Stock so deposited and registered in such name or names as may be requested by such person or persons. The Depositary shall execute and deliver such Receipt or Receipts at the Depositary’s Office or such other offices, if any, as the Depositary may designate. Delivery at other offices shall be at the risk and expense of the person requesting such delivery.
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Section 2.3. Registration of Transfer of Receipts.
Subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall register on its books from time to time transfers of Receipts upon any surrender thereof by the holder in person or by duly authorized attorney, properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer which shall be affixed with the signature guarantee of a guarantor institution which is a participant in a signature medallion guarantee program approved by the Securities Transfer Association (a “Signature Guarantee”), together with any evidence of the payment of any taxes or charges as may be required by law. Thereupon, the Depositary shall execute a new Receipt or Receipts evidencing the same aggregate number of Depositary Shares as those evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts surrendered and deliver such new Receipt or Receipts to or upon the order of the person entitled thereto.
The Depositary shall not be required (a) to issue, transfer or exchange any Receipts for a period beginning at the opening of business fifteen (15) days next preceding any selection of Depositary Shares and Stock to be redeemed and ending at the close of business on the day of the mailing of notice of redemption, or (b) to transfer or exchange for another Receipt any Receipt called or being called for redemption in whole or in part except as provided in Section 2.8.
Section 2.4. Split-ups and Combinations of Receipts; Surrender of Receipts and Withdrawal of Stock.
Upon surrender of a Receipt or Receipts at the Depositary’s Office or at such other offices as it may designate for the purpose of effecting a split-up or combination of such Receipt or Receipts, and subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall execute a new Receipt or Receipts in the authorized denomination or denominations requested, evidencing the aggregate number of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts surrendered, and shall deliver such new Receipt or Receipts to or upon the order of the holder of the Receipt or Receipts so surrendered.
Any holder of a Receipt or Receipts may (unless the related Depositary Shares have previously been called for redemption) withdraw the number of whole shares of Stock and all money and other property, if any, represented thereby by surrendering such Receipt or Receipts at the Depositary’s Office or at such other offices as the Depositary may designate for such withdrawals. Thereafter, without unreasonable delay, the Depositary shall deliver to such holder, or to the person or persons designated by such holder as hereinafter provided, the number of whole shares of Stock and all money and other property, if any, represented by the Receipt or Receipts so surrendered for withdrawal, but holders of such whole shares of Stock will not thereafter be entitled to deposit such Stock hereunder or to receive a Receipt evidencing Depositary Shares therefor. If a Receipt delivered by the holder to the Depositary in connection with such withdrawal shall evidence a number of Depositary Shares in excess of the number of Depositary Shares representing the number of whole shares of Stock to be so withdrawn, the Depositary shall at the same time, in addition to such number of whole shares of Stock and such money and other property, if any, to be so withdrawn, deliver to such holder, or subject to Section 2.3 upon such holder’s order, a new Receipt evidencing such excess number of Depositary Shares.
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Except as provided in Section 6.2, in no event will fractional shares of Stock (or any cash payment in lieu thereof) be delivered by the Depositary. Delivery of the Stock and money and other property, if any, being withdrawn may be made by the delivery of such certificates, documents of title and other instruments as the Depositary may deem appropriate.
If the Stock and the money and other property, if any, being withdrawn are to be delivered to a person or persons other than the record holder of the Receipt or Receipts being surrendered for withdrawal of Stock, such holder shall execute and deliver to the Depositary a written order so directing the Depositary and the Depositary may require that the Receipt or Receipts surrendered by such holder for withdrawal of such shares of Stock be properly endorsed in blank or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer in blank.
Delivery of the Stock and the money and other property, if any, represented by Receipts surrendered for withdrawal shall be made by the Depositary at the Depositary’s Office, except that, at the request, risk and expense of the holder surrendering such Receipt or Receipts and for the account of the holder thereof, such delivery may be made at such other place as may be designated by such holder.
Section 2.5. Limitations on Execution and Delivery, Transfer, Surrender and Exchange of Receipts.
As a condition precedent to the execution and delivery, registration of transfer, split-up, combination, surrender or exchange of any Receipt, the Depositary, any of the Depositary’s Agents or the Company may require payment to it of a sum sufficient for the payment (or, in the event that the Depositary or the Company shall have made such payment, the reimbursement to it) of any charges or expenses payable by the holder of a Receipt pursuant to Section 5.7, may require the production of evidence satisfactory to it as to the identity and genuineness of any signature (which evidence will include a Signature Guarantee), and any other reasonable evidence of authority that may be required by the Depositary and may also require compliance with such regulations, if any, as the Depositary or the Company may establish consistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, the requirements of any securities exchange on which the deposited Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts may be included for quotation or listed and/or applicable law.
The deposit of Stock may be refused, the delivery of Receipts against Stock may be suspended, the registration of transfer of Receipts may be refused and the registration of transfer, surrender or exchange of outstanding Receipts may be suspended (i) during any period when the register of stockholders of the Company is closed or (ii) if any such action is deemed necessary or advisable by the Depositary, any of the Depositary’s Agents or the Company at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body or commission or under any provision of this Deposit Agreement.
Section 2.6. Lost Receipts, etc.
In case any Receipt shall be mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen, the Depositary in its discretion may execute and deliver a Receipt of like form and tenor in exchange and substitution for such mutilated Receipt, or in lieu of and in substitution for such destroyed, lost or stolen
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Receipt, upon (i) the filing by the holder thereof with the Depositary of evidence satisfactory to the Depositary of such destruction or loss or theft of such Receipt, of the authenticity thereof and of such holder’s ownership thereof, (ii) the holder thereof furnishing of the Depositary with an affidavit and an open penalty surety bond reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary and (iii) the payment of any reasonable expense (including reasonable fees, charges and expenses of the Depositary). Applicants for substitute receipts shall also comply with such other reasonable regulations and pay such other reasonable charges as the Depositary may prescribe and as required by Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of New York.
Section 2.7. Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts.
All Receipts surrendered to the Depositary or any Depositary’s Agent shall be cancelled by the Depositary. Except as prohibited by applicable law or regulation, the Depositary is authorized and directed to destroy all Receipts so cancelled.
Section 2.8. Redemption of Stock.
Whenever the Company shall be permitted and shall elect to redeem shares of Stock in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Designations (including on account of a Capital Disqualification Event as described therein), it shall (unless otherwise agreed to in writing with the Depositary) give or cause to be given to the Depositary, not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date (as defined below), notice of the date of such proposed redemption of Stock and of the number of such shares held by the Depositary to be so redeemed and the Depositary Share Redemption Price, which notice shall be accompanied by a certificate from the Company stating that such redemption of Stock is in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate of Designations. On the date of such redemption, provided that the Company shall then have paid or caused to be paid in full to the Depositary the Redemption Price per share of Stock to be redeemed, in accordance with and as required by the provisions of the Certificate of Designations, the Depositary shall redeem the number of Depositary Shares representing such Stock. The Depositary shall mail notice of the Company’s redemption of Stock and the proposed simultaneous redemption of the number of Depositary Shares representing the Stock to be redeemed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, at the respective last addresses as they appear on the records of the Depositary, or transmit in accordance with the applicable procedures of any Global Receipt Depository or by such other method approved by the Depositary, in its reasonable discretion subject to Section 2.9 below, in either case not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption of such Stock and Depositary Shares (the “Redemption Date”), to the record holders of the Receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares to be so redeemed at the addresses of such holders as they appear on the records of the Depositary; but neither failure to mail or transmit any such notice of redemption of Depositary Shares to one or more such holders nor any defect in any notice of redemption of Depositary Shares to one or more such holders shall affect the sufficiency of the proceedings for redemption as to the other holders. Each such notice shall be prepared by the Company and shall state: (i) the Redemption Date; (ii) the number of Depositary Shares to be redeemed and, if less than all the Depositary Shares held by any such holder are to be redeemed, the number of such Depositary Shares held by such holder to be so redeemed; (iii) the Depositary Share Redemption Price; (iv) the place or places where Receipts evidencing such Depositary Shares are to be surrendered for payment of the Depositary Share Redemption Price and (v) that dividends on
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such shares of Stock represented by the Depositary Shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue on such Redemption Date. In case less than all the outstanding Depositary Shares are to be redeemed, the Depositary Shares to be so redeemed shall be selected either pro rata or by lot or in such other manner as may be determined by the Depositary to be fair and equitable and provided that such methodology is consistent with any applicable stock exchange rules. In any such case, the Depositary Shares shall only be redeemed in increments of 1,000 Depositary Shares and any integral multiple thereof.
Notice having been mailed or transmitted by the Depositary as aforesaid, from and after the Redemption Date (unless the Company shall have failed to provide the funds necessary to redeem the Stock evidenced by the Depositary Shares called for redemption) (i) all shares of Stock called for redemption shall cease to be outstanding and any rights with respect to such shares shall cease and terminate (except for the right to receive the Redemption Price without interest), (ii) the Depositary Shares being redeemed from such proceeds shall be deemed no longer to be outstanding and all rights of the holders of Receipts evidencing such Depositary Shares shall, to the extent of such Depositary Shares, cease and terminate (except the right to receive the Depositary Share Redemption Price without interest), and (iii) upon surrender in accordance with such redemption notice of the Receipts evidencing any such Depositary Shares called for redemption (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Depositary or applicable law shall so require), such Depositary Shares shall be redeemed by the Depositary at a redemption price per Depositary Share equal to 1/1,000th of the Redemption Price per share of Stock so redeemed plus all money and other property, if any, represented by such Depositary Shares, including dividends which on the Redemption Date have been declared on the shares of Stock to be so redeemed and have not theretofore been paid, in all cases without interest on such amounts (the “Depositary Share Redemption Price”). Any funds deposited by the Company with the Depositary for any Depositary Shares that the holders thereof fail to redeem will be returned to the Company after a period of three years from the date such funds are so deposited.
If fewer than all of the Depositary Shares evidenced by a Receipt are called for redemption, the Depositary will deliver to the holder of such Receipt upon its surrender to the Depositary, together with the redemption payment, a new Receipt evidencing the Depositary Shares evidenced by such prior Receipt and not called for redemption or its nominee.
Section 2.9. Receipts Issuable in Global Registered Form.
If the Company shall determine in a writing delivered to the Depositary that the Receipts are to be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Registered Receipts, then the Depositary shall, in accordance with the other provisions of this Deposit Agreement, execute and deliver one or more Global Registered Receipts evidencing such Receipts, which (i) shall represent, and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the number of Depositary Shares evidenced by, the Receipts to be represented by such Global Registered Receipt or Receipts, and (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Global Receipt Depository therefor.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Deposit Agreement to the contrary, unless otherwise provided in the Global Registered Receipt, a Global Registered Receipt may only be transferred in whole and only by the applicable Global Receipt Depository for such Global Registered Receipt to a nominee of such Global Receipt Depository, or by a nominee of such
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Global Receipt Depository to such Global Receipt Depository or another nominee of such Global Receipt Depository, or by such Global Receipt Depository or any such nominee to a successor Global Receipt Depository for such Global Registered Receipt selected or approved by the Company or to a nominee of such successor Global Receipt Depository. Except as provided below, owners solely of beneficial interests in a Global Registered Receipt shall not be entitled to receive physical delivery of the Receipts represented by such Global Registered Receipt. Neither any such beneficial owner nor any direct or indirect participant of a Global Receipt Depository shall have any rights or obligations under this Deposit Agreement with respect to any Global Registered Receipt held on their behalf by a Global Receipt Depository and such Global Receipt Depository may be treated by the Company, the Depositary and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or the Depositary as the holder of such Global Registered Receipt for all purposes whatsoever.
Unless and until definitive Receipts are delivered to the owners of the beneficial interests in a Global Registered Receipt, (1) the applicable Global Receipt Depository will make book-entry transfers among its participants and receive and transmit all payments and distributions in respect of the Global Registered Receipts to such participants, in each case, in accordance with its applicable procedures and arrangements, and (2) whenever any notice, payment or other communication to the holders of Global Registered Receipts is required under this Deposit Agreement, the Company and the Depositary shall give all such notices, payments and communications specified herein to be given to such holders to the applicable Global Receipt Depository.
If an Exchange Event has occurred with respect to any Global Registered Receipt, then, in any such event, the Depositary shall, upon receipt of a written order from the Company for the execution and delivery of individual definitive registered Receipts in exchange for such Global Registered Receipt, execute and deliver, individual definitive registered Receipts, in authorized denominations and of like tenor and terms in an aggregate number equal to the beneficial interest represented by such Global Registered Receipt surrendered in exchange for such Global Registered Receipt.
Definitive registered Receipts issued in exchange for a Global Registered Receipt pursuant to this Section shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Global Receipt Depository for such Global Registered Receipt, pursuant to instructions from its participants, shall instruct the Depositary in writing. The Depositary shall deliver such Receipts to the persons in whose names such Receipts are so registered.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Deposit Agreement, should the Company determine that the Receipts should be issued as a Global Registered Receipt, the parties hereto shall comply with the terms of each Letter of Representations, if applicable.
Section 2.10. Bank Accounts.
All funds received by the Depositary under this Agreement that are to be distributed or applied by the Depositary in the performance of services described herein (the “Funds”) shall be held by the Depositary as agent for the Company and deposited in one or more bank accounts to be maintained by the Depositary in its name as agent for the Company. Until paid pursuant to
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this Agreement, the Depositary will hold or invest the Funds solely as directed in writing by the Company in: (i) obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States of America, (ii) commercial paper obligations rated A-1 or P-1 or better by S&P or Xxxxx’x, respectively, (iii) money market funds that comply with Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, or (iv) demand deposit accounts, short term certificates of deposit, bank repurchase agreements or bankers’ acceptances, of commercial banks with Tier 1 capital exceeding $1 billion or with an average rating above investment grade by S&P (LT Local Issuer Credit Rating), Xxxxx’x (Long Term Rating) and Fitch Ratings, Inc. (LT Issuer Default Rating) (each as reported by Bloomberg Finance L.P.). The Depositary shall have no responsibility or liability for any diminution of the Funds that may result from any deposit or investment made by the Depositary in accordance with this paragraph, including any such losses resulting from a default by any bank, financial institution or other third party. The Depositary may from time to time receive interest, dividends or other earnings in connection with such deposits or investments. The Depositary shall pay such interest, dividends or earnings to the Company.
Section 2.11. No Pre-Release.
The Depositary shall not deliver any Stock evidenced by Receipts prior to the receipt and cancellation of such Receipts or other similar method used with respect to Receipts held by a Global Receipt Depository. The Depositary shall not issue any Receipts prior to the receipt by the Depositary of the corresponding Stock evidenced by such Receipts. At no time will any Receipts be outstanding if such Receipts do not represent Stock deposited with the Depositary.
ARTICLE III
CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF HOLDERS OF RECEIPTS AND THE COMPANY
Section 3.1. Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information.
Any holder of a Receipt may be required from time to time to file such proof of residence, or other matters or other information, to execute such certificates and to make such representations and warranties as the Depositary or the Company may reasonably deem necessary or proper. The Depositary or the Company may withhold the delivery, or delay the registration of transfer or redemption, of any Receipt or the withdrawal of the Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by any Receipt or the distribution of any dividend or other distribution or the sale of any rights or of the proceeds thereof until such proof or other information is filed or such certificates are executed or such representations and warranties are made.
Section 3.2. Payment of Taxes or Other Governmental Charges.
Holders of Receipts shall be obligated to make payments to the Depositary of certain charges and expenses, as provided in Section 5.7. Registration of transfer of any Receipt or any withdrawal of Stock and all money or other property, if any, represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt may be refused until any such payment due is made, and any dividends or other distributions may be withheld or any part of or all the Stock or other property represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt and not theretofore sold may be
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sold for the account of the holder thereof (after attempting by reasonable means to notify such holder prior to such sale), and such dividends or other distributions or the proceeds of any such sale may be applied to any payment of such charges or expenses, the holder of such Receipt remaining liable for any deficiency.
Section 3.3. Warranty as to Stock.
The Company hereby represents and warrants that the Stock, when issued, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Such representation and warranty shall survive the deposit of the Stock and the issuance of Receipts.
Section 3.4. Warranty as to Receipts.
The Company hereby represents and warrants that the Receipts, when issued, will represent legal and valid interests in the Depositary Shares and each Depositary Share will represent a legal and valid 1/1,000th fractional interest in a share of Stock represented by such Depositary Share. Such representation and warranty shall survive the deposit of the Stock and the issuance of Receipts.
Section 3.5. Corporate Existence and Authority of the Depositary.
The Depositary hereby represents and warrants that it: (i) has been duly incorporated and is validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation; (ii) has full corporate power and authority and possesses all governmental or other franchises, licenses, permits, authorizations and approvals necessary to enable it to own, lease or otherwise hold its properties and assets and to carry on its business as presently conducted; (iii) has been duly qualified as a foreign entity for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, or is subject to no material liability or disability by reason of the failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction; and (iv) is a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States of America and having a combined capital and surplus, along with its affiliates, of at least $50,000,000. The Depositary hereby agrees to promptly inform the Company in the event that any of the statements in the foregoing sentence cease to be true and complete in all material respects.
This Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Depositary and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Depositary, enforceable against the Depositary in accordance with its terms and this Deposit Agreement will be maintained continuously as part of the Depositary’s official records, in accordance with law and their records management policy. The Depositary hereby agrees to perform its obligations under this Deposit Agreement with the diligent care of a professional provider of such services, in a timely manner and in conformance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations.
Section 3.6. Taxes.
The Company will pay any and all stock transfer, documentary, stamp and similar taxes that may be payable in respect of any issuance or delivery of Depositary Shares or Stock or other securities issued on account of Depositary Shares or certificates representing such shares or
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securities. The Company, however, will not be required to pay any such tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance or delivery of Stock, Depositary Shares or other securities in a name other than that in which the Depositary Shares with respect to which such shares or other securities are issued or delivered were registered, or in respect of any payment to any person other than a payment to the record holder thereof, and will not be required to make any such issuance, delivery or payment unless and until the person otherwise entitled to such issuance, delivery or payment has paid to the Company the amount of any such tax or has established, to the satisfaction of the Company, that such tax has been paid or is not payable.
ARTICLE IV
THE DEPOSITED SECURITIES; NOTICES
Section 4.1. Cash Distributions.
Whenever the Depositary shall receive any cash dividend or other cash distribution on Stock, including any cash received upon redemption of any Stock, the Depositary shall, subject to Sections 3.1 and 3.2, distribute to record holders of Receipts on the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.4 such amounts of such dividend or distribution as are, as nearly as practicable, in proportion to the respective numbers of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts held by such holders; provided, however, that in case the Company or the Depositary shall be required to withhold and shall withhold from any cash dividend or other cash distribution in respect of the Stock an amount on account of taxes or as otherwise required by law, regulation or court process, the amount made available for distribution or distributed in respect of Depositary Shares shall be reduced accordingly. The Depositary shall distribute or make available for distribution, as the case may be, only such amount, however, as can be distributed without attributing to any holder of Depositary Shares a fraction of one cent, with any such fractional amounts to be rounded down to the nearest whole cent and so distributed to the record holders entitled thereto and any balance not so distributable shall be held by the Depositary (without liability for interest thereon) and shall be added to and be treated as part of the next sum received by the Depositary for distribution to record holders of Receipts then outstanding. Each holder of a Receipt shall provide the Depositary with its certified tax identification number on a properly completed Form W-8 or W-9, as may be applicable. Each holder of a Receipt acknowledges that, in the event of non-compliance with the preceding sentence, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, may require withholding by the Depositary of a portion of any of the distributions to be made hereunder.
Section 4.2. Distributions Other than Cash, Rights, Preferences or Privileges.
Whenever the Depositary shall receive any distribution other than cash, rights, preferences or privileges upon Stock, the Depositary shall, subject to Sections 3.1 and 3.2, distribute to record holders of Receipts on the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.4 such amounts of the securities or property received by it as are, as nearly as practicable, in proportion to the respective numbers of Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipts held by such holders, in any manner that the Depositary may deem equitable and practicable for accomplishing such distribution. If in the opinion of the Depositary, after consultation with the Company, such distribution cannot be made proportionately among such record holders, or if for any other
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reason (including any requirement that the Company or the Depositary withhold an amount on account of taxes) the Depositary deems, after consultation with the Company, such distribution not to be feasible, the Depositary may, with the approval of the Company, adopt such method as it deems equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such distribution, including the sale (at public or private sale) of the securities or property thus received, or any part thereof, in a commercially reasonable manner. The net proceeds of any such sale shall, subject to Sections 3.1 and 3.2, be distributed or made available for distribution, as the case may be, by the Depositary to record holders of Receipts as provided by Section 4.1 in the case of a distribution received in cash. The Company shall not make any distribution of such securities or property to the Depositary and the Depositary shall not make any distribution of such securities or property to the holders of Receipts unless the Company shall have provided an opinion of counsel stating that such securities or property have been registered under the Securities Act or do not need to be registered in connection with such distributions.
Section 4.3. Subscription Rights, Preferences or Privileges.
If the Company shall at any time offer or cause to be offered to the persons in whose names Stock is recorded on the books of the Company any rights, preferences or privileges to subscribe for or to purchase any securities or any rights, preferences or privileges of any other nature, such rights, preferences or privileges shall in each such instance be made available by the Depositary to the record holders of Receipts in such manner as the Company shall instruct and the Depositary shall agree, subject to the applicable rules of the Global Receipt Depository, either by the issue to such record holders of warrants representing such rights, preferences or privileges or by such other method as may be approved by the Company in its discretion with the acknowledgement of the Depositary; provided, however, that (i) if at the time of issue or offer of any such rights, preferences or privileges the Company determines upon advice of its legal counsel that it is not lawful or not feasible to make such rights, preferences or privileges available to holders of Receipts by the issue of warrants or otherwise, or (ii) if and to the extent so instructed by holders of Receipts who do not desire to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges, then the Depositary shall, if so directed by the Company, and provided with an opinion of counsel that if the Depositary undertakes such actions it will not be deemed an “issuer” under the Securities Act or an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and if applicable laws or the terms of such rights, preferences or privileges permit such transfer, sell such rights, preferences or privileges at public or private sale, at such place or places and upon such terms as it may deem proper. The net proceeds of any such sale shall, subject to Sections 3.1 and 3.2, be distributed by the Depositary to the record holders of Receipts entitled thereto as provided by Section 4.1 in the case of a distribution received in cash. The Depositary shall not make any distribution of such rights, preferences or privileges, unless the Company shall have provided to the Depositary an opinion of counsel stating that such rights, preferences or privileges have been registered under the Securities Act or do not need to be registered.
The Company shall notify the Depositary whether registration under the Securities Act of the securities to which any rights, preferences or privileges relate is required in order for holders of Receipts to be offered or sold the securities to which such rights, preferences or privileges relate, and the Company agrees with the Depositary that it will file promptly a registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act with respect to such rights, preferences or privileges and
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securities and use its best efforts and take all steps available to it to cause such registration statement to become effective sufficiently in advance of the expiration of such rights, preferences or privileges to enable such holders to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges. In no event shall the Depositary make available to the holders of Receipts any right, preference or privilege to subscribe for or to purchase any securities unless and until such registration statement shall have become effective, or the Company shall have provided to the Depositary an opinion of counsel to the effect that the offering and sale of such securities to such holders are exempt from registration under the provisions of the Securities Act.
The Company shall notify the Depositary whether any other action under the laws of any jurisdiction or any governmental or administrative authorization, consent or permit is required in order for such rights, preferences or privileges to be made available to holders of Receipts, and the Company agrees with the Depositary that the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to take such action or obtain such authorization, consent or permit sufficiently in advance of the expiration of such rights, preferences or privileges to enable such holders to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges.
Section 4.4. Notice of Dividends, etc.; Fixing Record Date for Holders of Receipts.
Whenever any cash dividend or other cash distribution shall become payable or any distribution other than cash shall be made, or if rights, preferences or privileges shall at any time be offered, with respect to Stock, or whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of any meeting at which holders of Stock are entitled to vote or of which holders of Stock are entitled to notice, or whenever the Depositary and the Company shall decide it is appropriate, the Depositary shall in each such instance fix a record date (which shall be the same date as the record date fixed by the Company with respect to, or otherwise in accordance with the terms of, the Stock, as identified in a written notice to the Depositary of such record date) for the determination of the holders of Receipts who shall be entitled to receive such dividend, distribution, rights, preferences or privileges or the net proceeds of the sale thereof, or to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at any such meeting, or who shall be entitled to notice of such meeting or for any other appropriate reasons.
Section 4.5. Voting Rights.
Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Designations, upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of Stock are entitled to vote, the Depositary shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, mail or transmit by such other method approved by the Company, in its reasonable discretion, to the record holders of Receipts a notice prepared by the Company which shall contain (i) such information as is contained in such notice of meeting and (ii) a statement that the holders may, subject to any applicable restrictions, instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of Stock represented by their respective Depositary Shares (including an express indication that instructions may be given to the Depositary to give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by the Company) and a brief statement as to the manner in which such instructions may be given. Upon the written request of the holders of Receipts on the relevant record date, the Depositary shall to the extent possible vote or cause to be voted, in accordance with the instructions set forth in such requests, the maximum number of whole shares of Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by
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all Receipts as to which any particular voting instructions are received. To the extent any such instructions request the voting of a fractional interest of a deposited Stock, the Depositary shall aggregate such interest with all other fractional interests resulting from requests with the same voting instructions and shall vote the number of whole votes resulting from such aggregation in accordance with the instructions received in such requests. Each share of Stock is entitled to one vote and, accordingly, each Depositary Share is entitled to 1/1,000th of a vote. The Company hereby agrees to take all reasonable action which may be deemed necessary by the Depositary in order to enable the Depositary to vote such Stock or cause such Stock to be voted. In the absence of specific instructions from holders of Receipts, the Depositary will vote, to the extent permitted by the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, the Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts of such holders proportionately with votes cast pursuant to instructions received from the other holders.
Section 4.6. Changes Affecting Deposited Securities and Reclassifications, Recapitalizations, etc.
Upon any change in liquidation preference, par or stated value, split-up, combination or any other reclassification of the Stock, subject to the Certificate of Designations, or upon any recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation affecting the Company or to which it is a party, the Depositary shall, upon the written instructions of the Company setting forth any adjustments, (i) make such adjustments as are certified by the Company in the fraction of an interest represented by one Depositary Share in one share of Stock and in the ratio of the Depositary Share Redemption Price to the Redemption Price, in each case as may be necessary fully to reflect the effects of such change in liquidation preference, par or stated value, split-up, combination or other reclassification of Stock, or of such recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation and (ii) treat any securities which shall be received by the Depositary in exchange for or upon conversion of or in respect of the Stock as new deposited securities so received in exchange for or upon conversion or in respect of such Stock. In any such case the Depositary may in its discretion, with the approval of the Company, execute and deliver additional Receipts or may call for the surrender of all outstanding Receipts to be exchanged for new Receipts specifically describing such new deposited securities. Anything to the contrary herein notwithstanding, holders of Receipts shall have the right from and after the effective date of any such change in liquidation preference, par or stated value, split-up, combination or other reclassification of the Stock or any such recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation to surrender such Receipts to the Depositary with instructions to convert, exchange or surrender the Stock represented thereby only into or for, as the case may be, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property and cash into which the Stock represented by such Receipts might have been converted or for which such Stock might have been exchanged or surrendered immediately prior to the effective date of such transaction.
Section 4.7. Delivery of Reports.
The Depositary shall furnish to holders of Receipts any reports and communications received from the Company which are received by the Depositary and which the Company is required to furnish to the holders of the Stock.
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Section 4.8. Lists of Receipt Holders.
Reasonably promptly upon request from time to time by the Company, the Depositary shall furnish to it a list, as of the most recent practicable date, of the names, addresses and holdings of Depositary Shares of all record holders of Receipts.
Section 4.9. Withholding.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Deposit Agreement, in the event that the Depositary determines that any distribution in property is subject to any tax or other governmental charge which the Depositary is obligated by law to withhold, the Depositary may dispose of, by public or private sale, all or a portion of such property in such amounts and in such manner as the Depositary deems necessary and practicable to pay such taxes, and the Depositary shall distribute the net proceeds of any such sale or the balance of any such property after deduction of such taxes to the holders of Receipts entitled thereto in proportion to the number of Depositary Shares held by them, respectively; provided, however, that in the event the Depositary determines that such distribution of property is subject to withholding tax only with respect to some but not all holders of Receipts, the Depositary will use its best efforts (i) to sell only that portion of such property distributable to such holders that is required to generate sufficient proceeds to pay such withholding tax and (ii) to effect any such sale in such a manner so as to avoid affecting the rights of any other holders of Receipts to receive such distribution in property.
ARTICLE V
THE DEPOSITARY, THE DEPOSITARY’S AGENTS, THE REGISTRAR AND THE COMPANY
Section 5.1. Appointment, Maintenance of Offices, Agencies and Transfer Books by the Depositary; Registrar.
The Company hereby appoints the American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as Depositary for the Stock, and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC hereby accepts such appointment as Depositary for the Stock, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Deposit Agreement. Upon execution of this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall maintain at the Depositary’s Office, facilities for the execution and delivery, registration and registration of transfer, surrender and exchange of Receipts, and at the offices of the Depositary’s Agents, if any, facilities for the delivery, registration of transfer, surrender and exchange of Receipts, all in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement.
The Depositary shall keep books at the Depositary’s Office for the registration and registration of transfer, surrender and exchange of Receipts, which books at all reasonable times during regular business hours shall be made available for inspection by the record holders of Receipts; provided that any such holder requesting to exercise such right shall certify to the Depositary that such inspection shall be for a proper purpose reasonably related to such person’s interest as an owner of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts.
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The Depositary or Registrar may close such books, at any time or from time to time, when deemed expedient by it in connection with the performance of its duties hereunder, or because of any requirement of law or any government, governmental body or commission, stock exchange or any applicable self-regulatory body.
If the Receipts or the Depositary Shares evidenced thereby or the Stock represented by such Depositary Shares shall be listed on one or more national stock exchanges, the Company will appoint the Depositary as Registrar (with the prior written approval of the Depositary) for registration of such Receipts or Depositary Shares in accordance with any requirements of such exchange. Such Registrar (which may be the Depositary if so permitted by the requirements of any such exchange) may be removed and a substitute Registrar appointed by the Company. If the Receipts, such Depositary Shares or such Stock are listed on one or more other stock exchanges, the Depositary will, at the request of the Company, arrange such facilities for the delivery, registration, registration of transfer, surrender and exchange of such Receipts, such Depositary Shares or such Stock as may be required by law or applicable stock exchange regulation.
Section 5.2. Prevention of or Delay in Performance by the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar or the Company.
Neither the Depositary nor any Depositary’s Agent nor any Registrar nor the Company shall incur any liability to any holder of any Receipt if by reason of any provision of any present or future law, or regulation thereunder, of the United States of America or of any other governmental authority or, in the case of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent or the Registrar, by reason of any provision, present or future, of the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum of Association, as amended (including the Certificate of Designations), or by reason of any act of God or war or other circumstance beyond the control of the relevant party, the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent, the Registrar or the Company shall be prevented or forbidden from, or subjected to any penalty on account of, doing or performing any act or thing which the terms of this Deposit Agreement provide shall be done or performed; nor shall the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Company incur liability to any holder of a Receipt (i) by reason of any nonperformance or delay, caused as aforesaid, in the performance of any act or thing which the terms of this Deposit Agreement shall provide shall or may be done or performed, or (ii) by reason of any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in this Deposit Agreement except as otherwise explicitly set forth in this Deposit Agreement.
Section 5.3. Obligations of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar and the Company.
None of the Depositary nor any Depositary’s Agent nor any Registrar nor the Company assumes any obligation or shall be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement to holders of Receipts other than for its gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith or fraud. Notwithstanding anything in this Deposit Agreement to the contrary, none of the Depositary, nor the Depositary’s Agent nor any Registrar nor the Company shall be liable in any event for special, punitive, incidental, indirect or consequential losses or damages of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, lost profits).
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None of the Depositary nor any Depositary’s Agent nor any Registrar nor the Company shall be under any obligation under this Deposit Agreement to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, suit or other proceeding in respect of the Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts which in its reasonable opinion may involve it in expense or liability unless indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against all reasonable out-of-pocket expense and liability be furnished as incurred.
None of the Depositary nor any Depositary’s Agent nor any Registrar nor the Company shall be liable for any action or any failure to act by it under this Deposit Agreement in good faith upon the written advice of legal counsel or accountants, or information from any person presenting Stock for deposit, any holder of a Receipt or any other person reasonably believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such information. The Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar and the Company may each rely and shall each be protected in acting upon or omitting to act upon any written notice, request, direction or other document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.
The Depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to carry out any instruction to vote any of the shares of Stock or for the manner or effect of any such vote made, as long as any such action or non-action is not due to the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Depositary. The Depositary undertakes, and any Registrar shall be required to undertake, to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Deposit Agreement against the Depositary or any Registrar.
The Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, and any Registrar may own and deal in any class of securities of the Company and its affiliates and in Receipts. The Depositary may also act as transfer agent or registrar of any of the securities of the Company and its affiliates.
The Depositary shall not be under any liability for interest on any monies at any time received by it pursuant to any of the provisions of this Deposit Agreement or of the Receipts, the Depositary Shares or the Stock nor shall it be obligated to segregate such monies from other monies held by it, except as required by law. The Depositary shall not be responsible for advancing funds on behalf of the Company and shall have no duty or obligation to make any payments if it has not timely received sufficient funds to make timely payments.
In the event the Depositary reasonably believes any ambiguity or uncertainty exists hereunder or in any notice, instruction, direction, request or other communication, paper or document received by the Depositary hereunder, or in the administration of any of the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall deem it reasonably necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, omitting or suffering to take any action hereunder, the Depositary may, in its sole discretion upon written notice to the Company, refrain from taking any action and shall be fully protected and shall not be liable in any way to the Company, any holders of Receipts or any other person or entity for refraining from taking such action, unless the Depositary receives written instructions or a certificate signed by an authorized representative of the Company which eliminates such ambiguity or uncertainty to the satisfaction of the Depositary or which proves or establishes the applicable matter to the satisfaction of the Depositary. The Depositary shall not be liable to the Company or any holder of Receipts, for any action taken by it in accordance with the written instruction of the Company.
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Section 5.4. Resignation and Removal of the Depositary; Appointment of Successor Depositary.
The Depositary may at any time resign as Depositary hereunder by delivering notice of its election to do so to the Company, such resignation to take effect upon the appointment of a successor Depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.
The Depositary may at any time be removed by the Company by notice of such removal delivered to the Depositary, such removal to take effect upon the appointment of a successor Depositary hereunder and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.
In case at any time the Depositary acting hereunder shall resign or be removed, the Company shall, within 60 days after the delivery of the notice of resignation or removal, as the case may be, appoint a successor Depositary, which shall be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States of America and having a combined capital and surplus, including with its affiliates, of at least $50,000,000. If no successor Depositary shall have been so appointed and have accepted appointment within 60 days after delivery of such notice, the resigning or removed Depositary shall cease to act as Depositary hereunder and the Company or the holders of Receipts may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Depositary. Every successor Depositary shall execute and deliver to its predecessor and to the Company an instrument in writing accepting its appointment hereunder that is mutually acceptable to the predecessor, the successor and the Company, and thereupon such successor Depositary, without any further act or deed, shall become fully vested with all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor and for all purposes shall be the Depositary under this Deposit Agreement, and such predecessor, upon payment of all sums due it and on the written request of the Company, shall promptly execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor all rights and powers of such predecessor hereunder, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver all right, title and interest in the Stock and any moneys or property held hereunder to such successor, and shall deliver to such successor a list of the record holders of all outstanding Receipts and such records, books and other information in its possession relating thereto. Any successor Depositary shall promptly mail or transmit by such other method approved by such successor Depositary, in its reasonable discretion, notice of its appointment to the record holders of Receipts.
Any entity into or with which the Depositary may be merged, consolidated or converted shall be the successor of such Depositary without the execution or filing of any document or any further act, and notice thereof shall not be required hereunder. Such successor Depositary may authenticate the Receipts in the name of the predecessor Depositary or in the name of the successor Depositary.
Section 5.5. Corporate Notices and Reports.
The Company agrees that it will deliver to the Depositary, and the Depositary will, promptly after receipt thereof, transmit to the record holders of Receipts, in each case at the
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addresses recorded in the Depositary’s books, copies of all notices and reports (including without limitation financial statements) required by law, by the rules of any national securities exchange upon which the Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts are listed or by the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended (including the Certificate of Designations), to be furnished to the record holders of Receipts. Such transmission will be at the Company’s expense and the Company will provide the Depositary with such number of copies of such documents as the Depositary may reasonably request. In addition, the Depositary will transmit to the record holders of Receipts at the Company’s expense such other documents as may be requested by the Company.
From time to time and after the date hereof, the Company agrees that it will perform, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, documents, instruments and assurances as may be reasonably required by the Depositary for the carrying out or performing by the Depositary of the provisions of this Deposit Agreement.
Section 5.6. Indemnification.
The Depositary will indemnify the Company and hold it harmless from any loss, liability or expense actually incurred (including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses of defending itself) which may arise out of acts performed or omitted by the Depositary, including when such Depositary acts as Registrar, or the Depositary’s Agents in connection with this Deposit Agreement due to its or their gross negligence, intentional misconduct, bad faith or fraud.
From time to time, the Company may provide Depositary with instructions concerning the services performed by the Depositary hereunder. In addition, at any time Depositary may apply to any authorized officer of Company for instruction, and may consult with legal counsel for Depositary or Company with respect to any matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Depositary under this Deposit Agreement. Depositary and its agents and subcontractors shall not be liable and shall be indemnified by Company for any action taken or omitted by Depositary in reliance upon any Company instructions or upon the advice or opinion of such counsel. Depositary shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person, until receipt of written notice thereof from Company.
Notwithstanding Section 5.3 to the contrary, the Company shall indemnify the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent and any Registrar (including each of their officers, directors, agents and employees) against, and hold each of them harmless from, any loss, damage, cost, penalty, liability or expense (including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses of defending itself) which may arise out of acts performed or omitted to be taken in connection with this Deposit Agreement and the Receipts by the Depositary, any Registrar or any of their respective agents (including any Depositary’s Agent), except for any liability arising out of gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith or fraud on the respective parts of any such person or persons.
Neither party to this Deposit Agreement shall be liable to the other party for any consequential, indirect, punitive, special or incidental damages under any provisions of this
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Deposit Agreement or for any consequential, indirect, punitive, special or incidental damages arising out of any act or failure to act hereunder even if that party has been advised of or has foreseen the possibility of such damages.
Promptly following becoming aware of circumstances that might give rise to a claim for indemnification under this Deposit Agreement, the Indemnified Party shall notify the Indemnifying Party of the relevant claim; provided that failure to so notify shall not affect the Indemnified Party’s right to indemnification hereunder, except to the extent the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced thereby. The Indemnifying Party shall, at its own expense, be entitled to control and direct the investigation and defense of any claim, and shall have the right to settle any such claim without the consent of the Indemnified Party; provided that such settlement (i) fully and irrevocably releases the Indemnified Party from any liability and provides no admission of wrongdoing, and (ii) does not subject the Indemnified Party to any additional obligation, whether financial or otherwise. In the event that any such settlement does not meet the requirements of (i) and (ii) above, then the Indemnified Party must consent to such settlement in writing, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. The Indemnified Party shall provide reasonable assistance to the Indemnifying Party in connection with the Indemnifying Party’s defense of a claim and may participate in the defense of a claim with counsel of its own choosing at its own cost and expense, unless the Indemnifying Party specifically authorizes the retaining of such counsel.
The rights and obligations of the Depositary and the Company set forth in this Section 5.6 shall survive any termination of this Deposit Agreement and any resignation, removal or succession of any Depositary, Registrar or Depositary’s Agent, in accordance with Section 7.2.
Section 5.7. Fees, Charges and Expenses.
The Company agrees promptly to pay the Depositary the compensation to be agreed upon with the Company for all services rendered by the Depositary hereunder and to reimburse the Depositary for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable counsel fees and expenses) incurred by the Depositary in connection with the services rendered and documented by it (or such Depositary’s Agent) hereunder. The Company shall pay all charges of the Depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the Stock and the initial issuance of the Depositary Shares, all withdrawals of shares of the Stock by owners of Depositary Shares, and any redemption or exchange of the Stock at the option of the Company. The Company shall pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. All other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges shall be at the expense of holders of Depositary Shares evidenced by Receipts. If, at the request of a holder of Receipts, the Depositary incurs charges or expenses for which the Company is not otherwise liable hereunder, such holder will be liable for such charges and expenses; provided, however, that the Depositary may, at its sole option, require a holder of a Receipt to prepay the Depositary any charge or expense the Depositary has been asked to incur at the request of such holder of Receipts. The Depositary shall present its statement for charges and expenses to the Company once every three months or at such other intervals as the Company and the Depositary may agree. No charges and expenses of the Depositary or any Depositary’s Agent hereunder shall be payable by any person, except as provided in this Section 5.7.
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Section 5.8. Tax Compliance.
The Depositary, on its own behalf and on behalf of the Company, will comply with all applicable certification, information reporting and withholding (including “backup” withholding) requirements imposed by applicable tax laws, regulations or administrative practice with respect to (i) any payments made with respect to the Depositary Shares or (ii) the issuance, delivery, holding, transfer, redemption or exercise of rights under the Receipts or the Depositary Shares. Such compliance shall include, without limitation, the preparation and timely filing of required returns and the timely payment of all amounts required to be withheld to the appropriate taxing authority or its designated agent.
The Depositary shall comply with any direction received from the Company with respect to the application of such requirements to particular payments or holders or in other particular circumstances, and may for purposes of this Deposit Agreement rely on any such direction in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 hereof.
The Depositary shall maintain all appropriate records documenting compliance with such requirements and shall make such records available on request to the Company or to its authorized representatives.
ARTICLE VI
AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
Section 6.1. Amendment.
The form of the Receipts and any provisions of this Deposit Agreement may at any time and from time to time be amended by agreement between the Company and the Depositary without the consent of holders of Receipts in any respect which they may deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that no such amendment which shall materially and adversely alter the rights of the holders of Receipts shall be effective unless such amendment shall have been approved by the holders of Receipts representing in the aggregate the amount of Receipts then outstanding necessary to approve any amendment that would alter or abrogate the special rights of the Stock. Every holder of an outstanding Receipt at the time any such amendment becomes effective shall be deemed, by continuing to hold such Receipt, to consent and agree to such amendment and to be bound by the Deposit Agreement as amended thereby. In no event shall any amendment impair the right, subject to the provisions of Sections 2.5 and 2.6 and Article III, of any owner of Depositary Shares to surrender any Receipt evidencing such Depositary Shares to the Depositary with instructions to deliver to the holder the Stock and all money and other property, if any, represented thereby, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law or the rules and regulations of any governmental body, agency or commission, or applicable stock exchange. As a condition precedent to the Depositary’s execution of any amendment, the Company shall deliver to the Depositary a certificate from a duly authorized officer of the Company that states that the proposed amendment is in compliance with the terms of this Section 6.1.
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Section 6.2. Termination.
This Deposit Agreement may be terminated by the Company at any time upon not less than 30 days prior written notice to the Depositary if the holders of Receipts evidencing a majority of the Depositary Shares then outstanding consent to such termination, whereupon the Depositary will mail notice of such termination to the record holders of all Receipts then outstanding.
If any Receipts shall remain outstanding after the date of termination of this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary thereafter shall discontinue the transfer of Receipts, shall suspend the distribution of dividends to the holders thereof and shall not give any further notices (other than notice of such termination) or perform any further acts under this Deposit Agreement, except that the Depositary shall continue to collect dividends and other distributions pertaining to Stock, shall sell rights, preferences or privileges as provided in this Deposit Agreement and shall deliver the number of whole or fractional shares of Stock and any money and other property, if any, represented by Receipts upon surrender thereof by the holders thereof. At any time after the expiration of two years from the date of termination, the Depositary may sell Stock then held hereunder at public or private sale, at such places and upon such terms as it deems proper and may thereafter hold the net proceeds of any such sale, together with any money and other property held by it hereunder, without liability for interest, for the benefit, pro rata in accordance with their holdings, of the holders of Receipts that have not theretofore been surrendered. After making such sale, the Depositary shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement except to account for such net proceeds and money and other property; provided, that Sections 5.3 and 5.6 shall survive the termination of this Deposit Agreement.
This Deposit Agreement will terminate automatically (i) if all outstanding Depositary Shares have been redeemed pursuant to Section 2.8, or (ii) if there shall have been made a final distribution in respect of the Stock in connection with any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company and such distribution shall have been distributed to the holders of Depositary Shares pursuant to Section 4.1 or 4.2, as applicable.
Upon the termination of this Deposit Agreement, the Company shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement except for its obligations to the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent and any Registrar under Sections 5.6 and 5.7; provided, however, that Sections 5.2, 5.3, 5.6, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.7, 7.8 and 7.11 shall survive the termination of this Deposit Agreement and any succession of any Depositary, Registrar or Depositary’s Agent.
ARTICLE VII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 7.1. Counterparts; Electronic Signatures.
This Deposit Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which when taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in this Deposit Agreement or in any other certificate, agreement or document related to
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this Deposit Agreement shall include images of manually executed signatures transmitted by facsimile or other electronic format (including, without limitation, “pdf”, “tif” or “jpg”) and other electronic signatures (including, without limitation, DocuSign and AdobeSign). The use of electronic signatures and electronic records (including, without limitation, any contract or other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means) shall be of the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a manually executed signature or use of a paper-based record-keeping system to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other applicable law, including, without limitation, any state law based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act or the Uniform Commercial Code.
Section 7.2. Exclusive Benefit of Parties.
This Deposit Agreement is for the exclusive benefit of the parties hereto, and their respective successors hereunder, and shall not be deemed to give any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim to any other person whatsoever.
Section 7.3. Invalidity of Provisions.
In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Deposit Agreement or in the Receipts should be or become invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein or therein shall in no way be affected, prejudiced or disturbed thereby.
Section 7.4. Notices.
Any and all notices to be given to the Company hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail, overnight delivery or by electronic mail, confirmed by letter, addressed to the Company at:
Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd.
00 Xxxxx Xxx Xxxx,
Xxxxxxxx, XX00 Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx: Investor Relations
or at any other addresses of which the Company shall have notified the Depositary in writing.
Any and all notices to be given to the Depositary hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail, overnight delivery or by electronic mail, confirmed by letter, addressed to the Depositary at the Depositary’s Office at
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC
0000 00xx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Relationship Management
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or at any other address of which the Depositary shall have notified the Company in writing.
Except as otherwise provided herein, any and all notices to be given to any record holder of a Receipt hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail or facsimile transmission confirmed by letter, addressed to such record holder at the address of such record holder as it appears on the books of the Depositary, or if such holder shall have timely filed with the Depositary a written request that notices intended for such holder be mailed to some other address, at the address designated in such request.
Delivery of a notice sent by mail or by facsimile transmission as provided in the previous sentence shall be deemed to be effected at the time when a duly addressed letter containing the same (or a confirmation thereof in the case of a facsimile transmission) is deposited, postage prepaid, in a post office letter box. The Depositary or the Company may, however, act upon any facsimile transmission received by it from the other or from any holder of a Receipt, notwithstanding that such facsimile transmission shall not subsequently be confirmed by letter or as aforesaid.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Deposit Agreement, if Depositary Shares are held in book-entry form through DTC, any notices to holders of Receipts may be given to such holders in any manner permitted by DTC.
Section 7.5. Depositary’s Agents.
The Depositary may from time to time appoint Depositary’s Agents to act in any respect for the Depositary for the purposes of this Deposit Agreement and may at any time appoint additional Depositary’s Agents and vary or terminate the appointment of such Depositary’s Agents. The Depositary will promptly notify the Company in advance of any such action.
Section 7.6. Appointment of Registrar in Respect of the Receipts.
The Company hereby appoints the Depositary as Registrar in respect of the Receipts and the Depositary hereby accepts such appointments.
Section 7.7. Holders of Receipts Are Parties.
The holders of Receipts from time to time shall be parties to this Deposit Agreement and shall be bound by all of the terms and conditions hereof and of the Receipts by acceptance of delivery thereof.
Section 7.8. Governing Law.
This Deposit Agreement and the Receipts and all rights hereunder and thereunder and provisions hereof and thereof shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to applicable conflicts of law principles.
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Section 7.9. Inspection of Deposit Agreement.
Copies of this Deposit Agreement shall be filed with the Depositary and the Depositary’s Agents and shall be made available for inspection during business hours upon reasonable notice to the Depositary at the Depositary’s Office and the respective offices of the Depositary’s Agents, if any, by any holder of a Receipt.
Section 7.10. Headings.
The headings of articles and sections in this Deposit Agreement and in the form of the Receipt set forth in Exhibit A hereto have been inserted for convenience only and are not to be regarded as a part of this Deposit Agreement or the Receipts or to have any bearing upon the meaning or interpretation of any provision contained herein or in the Receipts.
Section 7.11. Confidentiality.
The Depositary and the Company agree that all books, records, information and data pertaining to the business of the other party, including, inter alia, personal, non-public holder information, which are exchanged or received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this Deposit Agreement, shall remain confidential, and shall not be voluntarily disclosed to any other person, except as contemplated by this Deposit Agreement and as may be required by law or legal process.
Section 7.12. Force Majeure.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Depositary will not be liable for any delays or failures in performance resulting from acts beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation, acts of God, terrorist acts, shortage of supply, pandemics or epidemics, breakdowns or malfunctions, interruptions or malfunction of computer facilities, or loss of data due to power failures or mechanical difficulties with information storage or retrieval systems, labor difficulties, war, or civil unrest.
Section 7.13. Certificate of Designations.
The foregoing shall be further subject to the terms and conditions of the Certificate of Designations. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Deposit Agreement and the provisions of the Certificate of Designations, the provisions of the Certificate of Designations will govern and the Company will instruct the Depositary in writing accordingly of such governing terms; provided, however, that under no circumstances will the Certificate of Designations be deemed to change or modify any of the rights, duties or immunities of the Depositary contained herein.
[Signature Page Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Depositary have duly executed this Deposit Agreement as of the day and year first above set forth, and all holders of Receipts shall become parties hereto by and upon acceptance by them of delivery of Receipts issued in accordance with the terms hereof.
ARGO GROUP INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, LTD. | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | ||
Title: Vice President, Secretary and Corporate Counsel | ||
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx | ||
Title: IPO Specialist |
[Signature Page to Deposit Agreement]
[FORM OF FACE OF RECEIPT]
THE DEPOSITARY SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS RECEIPT ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OTHER OBLIGATIONS OF A BANK AND ARE NOT INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
UNLESS THIS RECEIPT IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO ARGO GROUP INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, LTD. OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
DEPOSITARY SHARES
[●]
DEPOSITARY RECEIPT FOR DEPOSITARY SHARES EACH
REPRESENTING 1/1,000TH OF ONE SHARE OF 7.00% RESETTABLE FIXED RATE
PREFERENCE SHARES, SERIES A
OF
ARGO GROUP INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, LTD.
AN EXEMPTED COMPANY ORGANIZED UNDER THE LAWS OF BERMUDA
CUSIP 040128 209
SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, a limited liability company formed under the laws of the State of New York, as Depositary (the “Depositary”), hereby certifies that Cede & Co. is the registered owner of [●] ([●]) DEPOSITARY SHARES (“Depositary Shares”), each Depositary Share representing 1/1,000th of one share of 7.00% Resettable Fixed Rate Preference Shares, Series A, $1.00 par value per share, liquidation preference $25,000 per share (the “Stock”), of Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd., an exempted company organized under the laws of Bermuda (the “Company”), on deposit with the Depositary, subject to the terms and entitled to the benefits of the Deposit Agreement, dated as of July 9, 2020 (the “Deposit Agreement”), among the Company, the Depositary and the holders from time to time of the Depositary Receipts. By accepting this Depositary Receipt, the holder hereof becomes a
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party to and agrees to be bound by all the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement. This Depositary Receipt shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose or entitled to any benefits under the Deposit Agreement unless it shall have been executed by the Depositary by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer.
This Depositary Receipt is transferable in New York, New York.
Dated: [●], 2020
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, Depositary
By: |
| |
Authorized Officer |
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[FORM OF REVERSE OF RECEIPT]
ARGO GROUP INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, LTD.
ARGO GROUP INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, LTD. WILL FURNISH WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH HOLDER OF A RECEIPT WHO SO REQUESTS A COPY OF THE DEPOSIT AGREEMENT AND A COPY OR SUMMARY OF THE CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS ESTABLISHING THE 7.00% RESETTABLE FIXED RATE PREFERENCE SHARES, SERIES A, OF ARGO GROUP INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, LTD. ANY SUCH REQUEST IS TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE DEPOSITARY NAMED ON THE FACE OF THIS RECEIPT.
The Company will furnish without charge to each holder of a receipt who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof of the Company, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Such request may be made to the Company or to the Registrar.
EXPLANATION OF ABBREVIATIONS
The following abbreviations when used in the form of ownership on the face of this certificate shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations. Abbreviations in addition to those appearing below may be used.
Abbreviation |
Equivalent Phrase |
Abbreviation |
Equivalent Phrase | |||
JT TEN | As joint tenants, with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common | TEN BY ENT | As tenants by the entireties | |||
TEN IN COM | As tenants in common | UNIF GIFT MIN ACT | Uniform Gifts to Minors Act |
Abbreviation |
Equivalent Word |
Abbreviation |
Equivalent Word |
Abbreviation |
Equivalent Word | |||||
ADM | Administrator(s), Administratrix | EX | Executor(s), Executrix | PAR | Paragraph | |||||
AGMT | Agreement | FBO | For the benefit of | PL | Public Law | |||||
ART | Article | FDN | Foundation | TR | (As) trustee(s), for, of | |||||
CH | Chapter | GDN | Guardian(s) | U | Under | |||||
CUST | Custodian for | GDNSHP | Guardianship | UA | Under agreement | |||||
DEC | Declaration | MIN | Minor(s) | UW | Under will of, Of will of, Under last will & testament | |||||
EST | Estate, of Estate of |
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ASSIGNMENT
For value received, hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto
Name: |
SSN/EIN: |
Address: |
Depositary Shares represented by the within Receipt, and do(es) hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney to transfer the said Depositary Shares on the books of the within named Depositary with full power of substitution in the premises. |
Dated: | NOTICE: The signature to the assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of this Receipt in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever. | |
SIGNATURE GUARANTEED |
NOTICE: The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution (banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations, and credit unions with membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to Rule 17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
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EXHIBIT A
CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS
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