Exhibit 4.6
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
BY AND BETWEEN
PENNFIRST BANCORP, INC.
AND
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
, 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE NO.
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ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION 1
Section 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation 1
ARTICLE II TRUST INDENTURE ACT 5
Section 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application 5
Section 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities 5
Section 2.3 Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee 6
Section 2.4 Periodic Reports to Preferred Guarantee Trustee 6
Section 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent 6
Section 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver 6
Section 2.7 Event of Default; Notice 7
Section 2.8 Conflicting Interests 7
ARTICLE III POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE
TRUSTEE 7
Section 3.1 Powers And Duties of The Preferred Guarantee
Trustee 7
Section 3.2 Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee 9
Section 3.3 Not Responsible For Recitals or Issuance of
Guarantee 11
ARTICLE IV PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE 11
Section 4.1 Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility 11
Section 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Preferred
Guarantee Trustees 12
ARTICLE V GUARANTEE 13
Section 5.1 Guarantee 13
Section 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand 13
Section 5.3 Obligations Not Affected 13
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Section 5.4 Rights of Holders 15
Section 5.5 Guarantee of Payment 15
Section 5.6 Subrogation 15
Section 5.7 Independent Obligations 15
ARTICLE VI LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION 16
Section 6.1 Limitation of Transactions 16
Section 6.2 Ranking 16
ARTICLE VII TERMINATION 16
Section 7.1 Termination 16
ARTICLE VIII INDEMNIFICATION 17
Section 8.1 Exculpation 17
Section 8.2 Indemnification 17
ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS 18
Section 9.1 Successors and Assigns 18
Section 9.2 Amendments 18
Section 9.3 Notices 18
Section 9.4 Benefit 19
Section 9.5 Governing Law 19
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CROSS REFERENCE TABLE
SECTION OF TRUST INDENTURE
ACT OF 1939, AS AMENDED SECTION OF GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
-------------------------- ------------------------------
310(a) 4.1 (a)
3 10(b) 4.1 (a), 2.8
310(c) Not Applicable
31 l(a) 2.2(b)
31 1 (b) 2.2(b)
31 1 (c) Not Applicable
312(a) 2.2(a)
312(b) 2.2(b)
313 2.3
314(a) 2.4
314(b) Not Applicable
314(c) 2.5
314(d) Not Applicable
314(e) 1.1,2.5,3.2
314(f) 2.1,3.2
315(a) 3. 1 (d)
315(b) 2.7
315(c) 3.1
315(d) 3. 1 (d)
316(a) 1.1,2.6, 5.4
316(b) 5 3
317(a) 3.1
317(b) Not Applicable
318(a) 2. 1 (a)
318(b) 2.1
318(c) 2. 1 (b)
Note: This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of this Agreement
and shall not affect the interpretation of any of its terms or
provisions.
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this "Preferred Securities
Guarantee"), dated as of , 1997, is executed and delivered by PENNFIRST
BANCORP, INC., a Pennsylvania corporation (the "Guarantor"), and THE BANK OF NEW
YORK, a New York banking corporation, as trustee (the "Preferred Guarantee
Trustee"), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time
of the Preferred Securities (as defined herein) of PennFirst Capital Trust I, a
Delaware statutory business trust (the "Trust").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement (the "Trust
Agreement"), dated as of , 1997, among the trustees of the Trust named
herein, the Guarantor, as depositor, and the holders from time to time of
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust, the Trust is issuing
on the date hereof preferred securities, having an aggregate liquidation amount
of $10, designated the % Cumulative Trust Preferred Securities (the
"Preferred Securities") representing undivided beneficial ownership interests in
the assets of the Trust and having the terms set forth in the Trust Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Preferred Securities will be issued by the Trust and the
proceeds thereof, will be used to purchase the Junior Subordinated Deferrable
Interest Debentures due 2027 (the "Junior Subordinated Debentures") of the
Guarantor which will be deposited with The Bank of New York, as Property Trustee
under the Trust Agreement, as trust assets; and
WHEREAS, as an incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred
Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to
the extent set forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, to pay to the
Holders of the Preferred Securities the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein)
and to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of Preferred
Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the
Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Preferred Securities
Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
Section 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation.
In this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless the context otherwise
requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Preferred Securities Guarantee but not
defined in the preamble above have the respective meanings assigned to them in
this Section 1.1;
(b) terms defined in the Trust Agreement in effect on the date of execution
of this Preferred Securities Guarantee have the same meaning when used in this
Preferred Securities Guarantee unless otherwise defined herein;
(c) a term defined anywhere in this Preferred Securities Guarantee has the
same meaning throughout;
(d) all references to "the Preferred Securities Guarantee" or "this
Preferred Securities Guarantee" are to this Preferred Securities Guarantee as
modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
(e) all references in this Preferred Securities Guarantee to Articles and
Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Preferred Securities Guarantee,
unless otherwise specified;
(f) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used
in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless otherwise defined in this
Preferred Securities Guarantee or unless the context otherwise requires; and
(g) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa.
"Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule thereunder.
"Business Day" means any day other than a day on which federal or state
banking institutions in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or the
State of Delaware are authorized or required by law, executive order or
regulation to close or a day on which the Corporate Trust Office of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee is closed for business.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
at which the corporate trust business of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall,
at any particular time, be principally administered, which office at the date of
execution of this Agreement is located at The Bank of New York, 000 Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00 Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: Corporate Trust
Trustee Administration.
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of Preferred
Securities.
"Debentures" means the % Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2027, of the
Debenture Issuer held by the Property Trustee of the Trust.
"Debenture Issuer" means the Guarantor.
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"Debt" means with respect to any person, whether recourse is to all or a
portion of the assets of such Person and whether or not contingent: (i) every
obligation of such Person for money borrowed; (ii) every obligation of such
Persons evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments,
including obligations incurred in connection with the acquisition of property,
assets or businesses; (iii) every reimbursement obligation of such Person with
respect to letters of credit, bankers' acceptances or similar facilities issued
for the account of such Person; (iv) every obligation of such Person issued or
assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (but excluding
trade accounts payable or accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of
business); (v) every capital lease obligation of such Person; (vi) all
indebtedness of such person whether incurred on or prior to the date of the
Indenture or thereafter incurred, for claims in respect of derivative products,
including interest rate, foreign exchange rate and commodity forward contracts,
options and swaps and similar arrangements; and (vii) every obligation of the
type referred to in clauses (i) through (vi) of another Person and all dividends
of another Person the payments of which, in either case, such Person has
guaranteed or is responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, as obligor or
otherwise.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment or
other obligations under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
"Guarantor" means PennFirst Bancorp, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions,
without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to the extent
not paid or made by the Trust: (i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as
defined in the Trust Agreement) that are required to be paid on such
Preferred Securities, to the extent the Trust shall have funds available
therefor, (ii) the redemption price, including all accrued and unpaid
Distributions to the date of redemption (the "Redemption Price"), to the
extent the Trust has funds available therefor, with respect to any Preferred
Securities called for redemption by the Trust, and (iii) upon a voluntary or
involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Trust (other than
in connection with the distribution of Junior Subordinated Debentures to the
Holders in exchange for Preferred Securities as provided in the Trust
Agreement or a redemption of all of the Preferred Securities), the lesser of
(a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and all accrued and unpaid
Distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of payment, to the
extent the Trust shall have funds available therefor (the "Liquidation
Distribution"), and (b) the amount of assets of the Trust remaining available
for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Trust.
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records of
the Trust, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however, that, in determining
whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have
given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder" shall not
include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor.
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"Indemnified Person" means the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, any Affiliate of
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors, shareholders,
members, partners, employees, representatives, nominees, custodians or agents of
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of , 1997, among the
Debenture Issuer and The Bank of New York, as trustee, and any supplemental
indenture thereto pursuant to which certain subordinated debt securities of the
Debenture Issuer are to be issued to the Property Trustee of the Trust.
"Junior Subordinated Debentures" shall have the meaning set forth in the
Recitals hereto.
"Liquidation Distribution" has the meaning provided therefor in the
definition of Guarantee Payments. "Majority in liquidation amount of the
Preferred Securities" means the holders of more than 50% of the liquidation
amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption,
liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon
which the voting percentages are determined) of all of the Preferred Securities.
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a certificate
signed by two authorized officers of such Person. Any Officers' Certificate
delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for
in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers' Certificate has read
the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the Officers' Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such officer has made such examination or
investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is necessary to enable such officer
to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition
has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such officer, such
condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation,
estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited
liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.
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"Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means The Bank of New York, until a Successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment
pursuant to the terms of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and thereafter
means each such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Redemption Price" has the meaning provided therefor in the definition of
Guarantee Payments.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, any officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, including any
vice-president, any assistant vice-president, any assistant secretary, any
assistant treasurer or other officer customarily performing functions similar to
those performed by any of the above designated officers and also means, with
respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such
matter is referred because of that officers knowledge of and familiarity with
the particular subject.
"Senior Indebtedness" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 16.1 of
the Indenture.
"Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Preferred Guarantee
Trustee under Section 4.1.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
Section 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application.
(a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee is subject to the provisions of the
Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Section 310
to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall
control.
Section 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities.
(a) The Guarantor shall provide the Preferred Guarantee Trustee with a list,
in such form as the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the
names and addresses of the Holders of the Preferred Securities ("List of
Holders") as of such date, (i)
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within one Business Day after January 1 and June 30 of each year, and (ii) at
any other time within 30 days of receipt by the Guarantor of a written
request for a List of Holders as of a date no more than 15 days before such
List of Holders is given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee; provided, that
the Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such List of Holders at any
time the List of Holders does not differ from the most recent List of Holders
given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee by the Guarantor. The Preferred
Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on
receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under
Sections 311(a), 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 2.3 Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders of the
Preferred Securities such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust
Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of
the Trust Indenture Act. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with
the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 2.4 Periodic Reports to Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such
documents, reports and information as required by Section 314 (if any) and the
compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act in the
form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust
Indenture Act. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee's receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of
any information contained therein or determinable from information contained
herein, including the Guarantor's compliance with any of its covenants hereunder
(as to which the Preferred Guarantee Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on
Officer's Certificates).
Section 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.
The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such
evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in
this Preferred Securities Guarantee that relate to any of the matters set
forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or
opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c) may be
given in the form of an Officers' Certificate.
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Section 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver.
The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of Preferred Securities may,
by vote, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Preferred Securities, waive any
past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of
Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall
be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or
Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 2.7 Event of Default; Notice.
(a) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the
occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class postage
prepaid, to the Holders of the Preferred Securities, notices of all Events of
Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, unless such defaults have been cured before the giving of such notice;
provided, that the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding
such notice if and so long as a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the
interest of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of
any Event of Default unless the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have received
written notice, or of which a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee charged with the administration of the Trust Agreement shall have
obtained actual knowledge.
Section 2.8 Conflicting Interests.
The Trust Agreement shall be deemed to be specifically described in this
Preferred Securities Guarantee for the purposes of clause (i) of the first
proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be held by the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities,
and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Preferred Securities
Guarantee to any Person except a Holder of Preferred Securities exercising his
or her rights pursuant to Section 5.4(b) or to a Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee of its
appointment to act as Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee. The right, title
and interest of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall automatically
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vest in any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee, and such vesting and
cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents
have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Preferred Securities Guarantee for the
benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of
Default and after the curing of all Events of Default that may have occurred,
shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in
this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be read into
this Preferred Securities Guarantee against the Preferred Guarantee Trustee. In
case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived
pursuant to Section 2.6) and is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such
of the rights and powers vested in it by this Preferred Securities Guarantee,
and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent
person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or
her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be construed
to relieve the Preferred Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent
action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except
that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing
or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and
obligations as are specifically set forth in this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, and no implied covenants or obligations shall
be read into this Preferred Securities Guarantee against the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may conclusively
rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the
opinions expressed herein, upon any certificates or opinions
furnished to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the
requirements of this Preferred Securities Guarantee; but in the case
of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are
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specifically required to be furnished to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to
examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the
requirements of this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
(ii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any error
of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such
judgment was made;
(iii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with respect
to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance
with the written direction of the Holders of not less than a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities relating to the time, method
and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
and
(iv) no provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall require
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise
incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties
or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the
repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under
the terms of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or indemnity, reasonably
satisfactory to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
Section 3.2 Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, and shall be
fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report notice, request,
direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of
indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and
to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties;
(ii) any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this
Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be sufficiently evidenced by an
Officers' Certificate;
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(iii) whenever, in the administration of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a
matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any
action hereunder, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is
herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its
part, request and conclusively rely upon an Officers' Certificate which,
upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor;
(iv) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to see to any
recording, filing or registration of any instrument (or any rerecording,
refiring or reregistration thereof);
(v) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may consult with counsel of its
situation, and the advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal
matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect
of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and
in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to
the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees.
The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek
instructions concerning the administration of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee from any court of competent jurisdiction;
(vi) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Preferred
Securities Guarantee at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such
Holder shall have provided to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such security
and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee,
against the costs, expenses (including attorneys' fees and expenses and the
expenses of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee's agents, nominees or
custodians) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with
such request or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be
requested by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing
contained in this Section 3.2(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its
obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Preferred
Securities Guarantee;
(vii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request,
direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of
indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation
into such facts or matters as it may see fit;
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(viii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or
powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or
through agents, nominees, custodians or attorneys, and the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence
on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it
hereunder;
(ix) any action taken by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or its agents
hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Preferred Securities, and the
signature of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be
sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall be
required to inquire as to the authority of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of
this Preferred Securities Guarantee, both of which shall be conclusively
evidenced by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee's or its agent's taking such
action;
(x) whenever in the administration of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive
instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right
or taking any other action hereunder, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
(i) may request written instructions from the Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities, (ii) may refrain from
enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such
written instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in
conclusively relying on or acting in accordance with such instructions.
(b) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be deemed to
impose any duty or obligation on the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to perform any
act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or
imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance
with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such
right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
Section 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee.
The Recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the statements of
the Guarantor, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee does not assume any
responsibility for their correctness. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee makes no
representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee.
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ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 4.1 Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.
(a) There shall at all times be a Preferred Guarantee Trustee which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the
United States of America or any State or Territory thereof or of the
District of Columbia, or a corporation or Person permitted by the Securities
and Exchange Commission to act as an institutional trustee under the Trust
Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust
powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, and
subject to supervision or examination by Federal, State, Territorial or
District of Columbia authority. If such corporation publishes reports of
condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the
supervising or examining authority referred to above, then, for the purposes
of this Section 4.1 (a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such
corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set
forth in its most recent report of condition as published.
(b) If at any time the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be
eligible to so act under Section 4.1 (a), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.2(c).
(c) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any "conflicting
interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the
provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Preferred Guarantee
Trustees.
(a) Subject to Section 4.2(c), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may be
appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor except during an
Event of Default.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may be removed for cause at any time by
Act (within the meaning of Section 608 of the Trust Agreement) of the Holders of
at least a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities, delivered
to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
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(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with
Sections 4.2(a) and 4.2(b) until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has
been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed
by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(d) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office
until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until
its removal or resignation. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may resign from
office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in
writing executed by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the
Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by
instrument in writing executed by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and
delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(e) If no Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed
and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within 60 days after
delivery of an instrument of resignation, the resigning Preferred Guarantee
Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for appointment of a
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after
prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(f) No Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the acts or omissions
to act of any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(g) Upon termination of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or removal or
resignation of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this Section 4.2, the
Guarantor shall pay to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee all amounts accrued to
the date of such termination, removal or resignation.
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
Section 5.1 Guarantee.
The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full to the
Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid
by the Trust), as and when due, regardless of any defense, right of set-off or
counterclaim that the Trust may have or assert. The Guarantor's obligation to
make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct payment of the required
amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing the Trust to pay such
amounts to the Holders.
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Section 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand.
The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee and of any liability to which it applies or may apply,
presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against
the Trust or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest,
notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other
notices and demands.
Section 5.3 Obligations Not Affected.
The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under
this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall in no way be affected or impaired by
reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
performance or observance by the Trust of any express or implied agreement,
covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities to be performed
or observed by the Trust;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Trust of all or any portion
of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or any other
sums payable under the terms of the Preferred Securities or the extension of
time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or in
connection with, the Preferred Securities (other than an extension of time for
payment of Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other
sum payable that results from the extension of any interest payment period on
the Junior Subordinated Debentures);
(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the
Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy
conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Preferred Securities, or
any action on the part of the Trust granting indulgence or extension of any
kind;
(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any
collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of
creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of,
or other similar proceedings affecting, the Trust or any of the assets of the
Trust;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Preferred Securities;
(f) any failure or omission to receive any regulatory approval or consent
required in connection with the Preferred Securities (or the common equity
securities issued by the Trust), including the failure to receive any regulatory
approval required in connection with the redemption of the Preferred Securities;
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(g) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby or
hereby incurred; or
(h) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a
legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of
this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be
absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain
consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.
Section 5.4 Rights of Holders.
(a) The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (i) this Guarantee will be
deposited with the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to be held for the benefit of the
Holder; (ii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this
Preferred Securities Guarantee; and (iii) Holders of a Majority in liquidation
amount of the Preferred Securities have the right to direct the time, method and
place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or
exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
(b) Any Holder of Preferred Securities may institute a legal proceeding
directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the
Trust, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or any other Person.
Section 5.5 Guarantee of Payment.
This Preferred Securities Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not
of collection. This Preferred Securities Guarantee will not be discharged except
by payment of the Guarantee Payments in full (without duplication of amounts
theretofore paid by the Trust).
Section 5.6 Subrogation.
The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of the Holders
of Preferred Securities against the Trust in respect of any amounts paid to
such Holders by the Guarantor under this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent
required by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise
any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity,
reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under
this Preferred Securities Guarantee, if, at the time of any such payment, any
amounts are due and unpaid under this Preferred Securities Guarantee. If any
amount shall be paid to the Guarantor
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in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such
amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.
Section 5.7 Independent Obligations.
The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of
the obligations of the Trust with respect to the Preferred Securities, and that
the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make
Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Preferred Securities Guarantee
notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a)
through (h), inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
Section 6.1 Limitation Of Transactions.
So long as any Preferred Securities remain outstanding, if there shall have
occurred an Event of Default under this Preferred Securities Guarantee, an Event
of Default under the Trust Agreement or during an Extended Interest Payment
Period (as defined in the Indenture), then (a) the Guarantor shall not, and
shall not permit any Subsidiary to, declare or pay any dividend on, make any
distributions with respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a
liquidation payment with respect to, any of its capital stock (other than (i)
the reclassification of any class of the Company's capital stock into another
class of capital stock, (ii) dividends or distributions payable in any class of
the Company's common stock, (iii) any declaration of a dividend in connection
with the implementation of a shareholder rights plan, or the issuance of stock
under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or repurchase of any such
rights pursuant thereto and (iv) purchases of the Company's common stock related
to the rights under any of the Company's benefit plans for its or its
subsidiaries' directors, officers or employees), and (b) the Guarantor shall
not, and shall not permit any Subsidiary to, make any payment of interest or
principal on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities issued by the
Guarantor which rank PARI PASSU with or junior to the Junior Subordinated
Debentures; and (c) the Guarantor shall not redeem, purchase or acquire less
than all of the outstanding Debentures or any of the Preferred Securities.
Section 6.2 Ranking.
This Preferred Securities Guarantee will constitute an unsecured obligation
of the Guarantor and will rank (i) subordinate and junior in right of payment to
all other Senior Indebtedness of the Guarantor, (ii) PARI PASSU with the most
senior preferred securities or preference stock now or hereafter issued by the
Guarantor and with any guarantee now or hereafter entered into by the Guarantor
in respect to any preferred securities or preference stock of any Affiliate of
the Guarantor, and (iii) senior to the Guarantor's common stock.
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ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
Section 7.1 Termination.
This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall terminate upon (i) full payment of
the Redemption Price of all Preferred Securities, (ii) upon full payment of the
amounts payable in accordance with the Trust Agreement upon liquidation of the
Trust, or (iii) upon distribution of the Junior Subordinated Debentures to the
Holders of the Preferred Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this
Preferred Securities Guarantee shall continue to be effective or shall be
reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder of Preferred
Securities must restore payment of any sums paid under the Preferred Securities
or under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 8.1 Exculpation.
(a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, reasonable or accountable in
damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any Covered Person for any loss, damage
or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such
Indemnified Person in good faith in accordance with this Preferred Securities
Guarantee and in a manner that such Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be
within the scope of the authority conferred on such Indemnified Person by this
Preferred Securities Guarantee or by law, except that an Indemnified Person
shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of such
Indemnified Person's negligence or willful misconduct with respect to such acts
or omissions.
(b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in good faith
upon the records of the Guarantor and upon such information, opinions, reports
or statements presented to the Guarantor by any Person as to matters the
Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other Person's
professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care
by or on behalf of the Guarantor, including information, opinions, reports or
statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits,
losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from
which Distributions to Holders of Preferred Securities might properly be paid.
Section 8.2 Indemnification.
The Guarantor agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person for, and to hold
each Indemnified Person harmless against, any and all loss, liability or
expense, including taxes (other than taxes based on the income of the Guarantee
Trustee) incurred without
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negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the
acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the
costs and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) of
defending itself against, or investigating, any claim or liability in
connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties
hereunder. The obligation to indemnify as set forth in this Section 8.2 shall
survive the termination of this Preferred Securities Guarantee. The
provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of the Guarantee
Agreement.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 9.1 Successors and Assigns.
All guarantees and agreements contained in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and
representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the
Holders of the Preferred Securities then outstanding, except in connection
with a consolidation, merger or sale involving the Guarantor that is
permitted under Article XII of the Indenture and pursuant to which the
assignee agrees in writing to perform the Guarantees obligations hereunder,
and any purported assignment that is not in accordance with these provisions
shall be void.
Section 9.2 Amendments.
Except with respect to any changes that do not materially adversely affect
the rights of Holders (in which case no consent of Holders will be required),
this Preferred Securities Guarantee may only be amended with the prior approval
of the Holders of at least a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred
Securities. The provisions of Article VI of the Trust Agreement with respect to
meetings of Holders of the Preferred Securities apply to the giving of such
approval.
Section 9.3 Notices.
All notices provided for in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be in
writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered,
telecopied or mailed by first-class mail, as follows:
(a) If given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, at the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee's mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Holders of the Preferred
Securities):
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Xxx Xxxx xx Xxx Xxxx
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 00 Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile No. (000) 000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust Trustee Administration
(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor's mailing address set forth
below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders
of the Preferred Securities):
PennFirst Bancorp, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile No. (000) 000-0000
Attention: President
(c) If given to any Holder of Preferred Securities, at the address set forth
on the books and records of the Trust.
All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person,
telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage
prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot
be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such
notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of
such refusal or inability to deliver.
Section 9.4 Benefit.
This Preferred Securities Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders
of the Preferred Securities and, subject to Section 3.1(a), is not separately
transferable from the Preferred Securities.
Section 9.5 Governing Law.
THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND
INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD
TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PRINCIPLES THEREOF.
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This Preferred Securities Guarantee is executed as of the day and year first
above written.
PENNFIRST BANCORP, INC. as
Guarantor
By: ______________________________
Name: Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: President and
Chief Executive Officer
THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as
Preferred Guarantee Trustee
By: _______________________________
Name: _______________________________
Title:_______________________________
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