EXHIBIT 4.14
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
Comcast Cable Trust [_]
Dated as of _______ __, 199[_]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE 1 ----
Definitions and Interpretation
Section 1.01. Definitions and Interpretation..........................2
ARTICLE 2
Trust Indenture Act
Section 2.01. Trust Indenture Act; Application........................5
Section 2.02. Lists of Holders of Securities..........................5
Section 2.03. Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee..............6
Section 2.04. Periodic Reports to Preferred Guarantee Trustee.........6
Section 2.05. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent........6
Section 2.06. Events of Default; Waiver...............................6
Section 2.07. Event of Default; Notice................................7
Section 2.08. Conflicting Interests...................................7
ARTICLE 3
Powers, Duties and Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee
Section 3.01. Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee....7
Section 3.02. Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee...........9
Section 3.03. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Preferred
Securities Guarantee...................................12
ARTICLE 4
Preferred Guarantee Trustee
Section 4.01. Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility...............12
Section 4.02. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Preferred
Guarantee Trustee......................................13
ARTICLE 5
Guarantee
Section 5.01. Guarantee..............................................14
Section 5.02. Waiver of Notice and Demand............................14
Section 5.03. Obligations Not Affected...............................14
Section 5.04. Rights of Holders......................................15
Section 5.05. Guarantee of Payment...................................16
Section 5.06. Subrogation............................................16
Section 5.07. Independent Obligations................................16
ARTICLE 6
Limitation of Transactions; Subordination
Section 6.01. Limitation of Transactions.............................17
Section 6.02. Ranking................................................17
ARTICLE 7
Termination
Section 7.01. Termination............................................17
ARTICLE 8
Indemnification
Section 8.01. Exculpation............................................18
Section 8.02. Indemnification........................................18
ARTICLE 9
Miscellaneous
Section 9.01. Successors and Assigns.................................19
Section 9.02. Amendments.............................................19
Section 9.03. Notices................................................19
Section 9.04. Benefit................................................20
Section 9.05. Governing Law..........................................20
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Preferred Securities
Guarantee"), dated as of _______ __, 199[_], is executed and delivered by
Comcast Cable Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Guarantor"),
and [ ], 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
Comcast Cable Trust [_], a Delaware statutory business trust (the "Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of
Trust (the "Declaration"), dated as of ________, 199[_], among the trustees of
the Issuer named therein, the Guarantor, as sponsor, and the holders from time
to time of undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer, the
Issuer is issuing on the date hereof [ ] preferred securities, having an
aggregate liquidation amount of $[ ] (plus up to an additional [ ] preferred
securities, having an aggregate liquidation amount of $[ ], to cover
over-allotments)], designated the _____% Guaranteed Trust Preferred Securities
(the "Preferred Securities");
WHEREAS, as 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 1
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 1.01;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee has the same meaning throughout;
(c) 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;
(d) all references in this Preferred Securities Guarantee to
Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;
(e) 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
(f) 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 banking
institutions in the City of New York, New York are authorized or required by
any applicable law to close.
"Common Securities" means the securities representing common
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer.
"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 [
].
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of
Preferred Securities.
"Debentures" means the series of junior subordinated debt
securities of the Guarantor designated the ___% [Junior Subordinated
Deferrable Interest Debentures] due [ ] held by the Institutional Trustee
(as defined in the Declaration) of the Issuer.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of
its payment or other obligations under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
"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 Issuer:
(i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as defined in the
Declaration) that are required to be paid on such Preferred Securities to the
extent the Issuer 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 Issuer has funds
available therefor, with respect to any Preferred Securities called for
redemption by the Issuer, and (iii) upon a voluntary or involuntary
dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Issuer (other than in connection
with the distribution of Debentures to the Holders in exchange for Preferred
Securities as provided in the Declaration), 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 Issuer shall
have funds available therefor, and (b) the amount of assets of the Issuer
remaining available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer
(in either case, the "Liquidation Distribution"). If an event of default
under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the rights of holders of
the Common Securities to receive payments under the Common Securities
Guarantee Agreement are subordinated to the rights of Holders of Preferred
Securities to receive Guarantee Payments.
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and
records of the Issuer 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.
"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 _______, 1998, among
the Guarantor (the "Debenture Issuer") and [Bank of Montreal Trust Company],
as trustee, and any indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to which certain
subordinated debt securities of the Debenture Issuer are to be issued to the
Institutional Trustee of the Issuer.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Securities" means,
except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Holder(s) of Preferred
Securities, voting separately as a class, 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 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 definition 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.
"Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means [
], a [New York] banking corporation, 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.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, any assistant vice
president, any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer or
other officer of the Corporate Trust Office of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
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
officer's knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means a successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Preferred
Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.01.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended.
"Trust Securities" means the Common Securities and the Preferred
Securities.
ARTICLE 2
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; and
(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) within 1 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 14 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.
Within 60 days after May 15 of each year, 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.
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)(1) may
be given in the form of an Officers' Certificate.
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 interests 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 Declaration
shall have obtained actual knowledge.
Section 2.8. Conflicting Interests.
The Declaration 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 3
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 5.04(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 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) 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 2.06) 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) 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 therein, 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 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 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 3.01:
(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.
(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, refiling or registration
thereof).
(v) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may consult with
counsel, and the written 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 3.02(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.
(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
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 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
Preferred Securities Guarantee.
The recitals contained in this Preferred Securities 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.
ARTICLE 4
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 million U.S. dollars
($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
4.01(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
so published.
(b) If at any time the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
cease to be eligible to so act under Section 4.01(a), the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the
effect set out in Section 4.02(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 Trustee.
(a) Subject to Section 4.02(b), the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the
Guarantor.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in
accordance with Section 4.02(a) 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.
(c) 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.
(d) If no Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have
been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.02
within 60 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of removal or
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.
(e) No Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the
acts or omissions to act of any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(f) 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 5
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 Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense,
right of set-off or counterclaim that the Issuer 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 Issuer to pay such amounts to the Holders.
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 Issuer 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 Issuer of any express or implied
agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities
to be performed or observed by the Issuer;
(b) extension of time for the payment by the Issuer 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 Debentures
or any extension of the maturity date of the Debentures permitted by the
Indenture);
(c) 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 Issuer granting
indulgence or extension of any kind;
(d) 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 Issuer
or any of the assets of the Issuer; (e) invalidity of, or defect or
deficiency in, the Preferred Securities;
(f) settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed
hereby or hereby incurred; or
(g) 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) Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Preferred Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of
conducting of 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) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee fails to enforce such
Preferred Securities Guarantee, any Holder of Preferred Securities may
institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee's rights under this Preferred Securities
Guarantee, without first instituting a legal proceeding against the Issuer,
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or any other person or entity. The
Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require that any action be brought
first against the Issuer or any other person or entity before proceeding
directly against the Guarantor.
Section 5.5. Guarantee of Payment.
This Preferred Securities Guarantee creates a guarantee of
payment and not of collection.
Section 5.6. Subrogation.
The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of the
Holders of Preferred Securities against the Issuer 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 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 Issuer 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 (g), inclusive, of Section 5.03 hereof.
ARTICLE 6
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 or an event of default under the
Declaration, then (a) the Guarantor shall not declare or pay any dividend on,
make any distributions with respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make
a liquidation payment with respect to, any of its capital stock (other than (i)
purchases or acquisitions of shares of Common Stock in connection with the
satisfaction by the Guarantor of its obligations under any employee benefit
plans, (ii) as a result of a reclassification of the Guarantor's capital stock
or the exchange or conversion of one class or series of the Guarantor's capital
stock for another class or series of the Guarantor's capital stock or, (iii)
the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor's capital stock
pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock of the
Guarantor or the security being converted or exchanged) or make any guarantee
payments with respect to the foregoing or (b) the Guarantor shall not make any
payment of interest, principal or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or
redeem any debt securities (including guarantees) issued by the Guarantor
which rank pari passu with or junior to the Debentures.
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 liabilities of the Guarantor, (ii) pari passu with the
most senior preferred or preference stock now or hereafter issued by the
Guarantor and with any guarantee now or hereafter entered into by the
Guarantor in respect of any Preferred or preference stock of any Affiliate of
the Guarantor, and (iii) senior to the Guarantor's common stock.
ARTICLE 7
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 the
distribution of the Debentures to the Holders of all of the Preferred
Securities or (iii) upon full payment of the amounts payable in accordance
with the Declaration upon liquidation of the Issuer. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, this Preferred Securities Guarantee will continue to be effective
or will 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 8
Indemnification
Section 8.1. Exculpation.
(a) Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible 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) 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 loss, liability or
expense incurred without 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
8.02 shall survive the termination of this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE 9
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.
Section 9.2. Amendments.
Except with respect to any changes that do not 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 (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 the outstanding Preferred Securities. The provisions of
Section 12.02 of the Declaration with respect to meetings of Holders of the
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 registered or certified mail, as follows:
(a) 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):
[ ]:
Corporate Trust Trustee Administration
(b) 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):
Comcast Cable Communications, Inc., 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000 Attention:
(c) given to any Holder of Preferred Securities, at the
address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.
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.
THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE is executed as of the day
and year first above written.
COMCAST COMMUNICATIONS,
INC., as Guarantor
By:________________________________
Name:
Title:
[ ],
as Preferred Guarantee Trustee
By:________________________________
Name:
Title:
