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EXHIBIT 4.6
DRAFT
MAY 28, 1998
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GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
Between
AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.
(as Guarantor)
and
BANKERS TRUST COMPANY
(as Guarantee Trustee)
dated as of
_____ __, 1998
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ABI CAPITAL TRUST
Certain Sections of this Guarantee Agreement relating to
Sections 310 through 318 of the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939:
Trust Indenture Guarantee Agreement
Act Section Section
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Section 310 (a)(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1(a)
(a)(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1(a)
(a)(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(a)(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.8, 4.1(c)
Section 311 (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
Section 312 (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.2(a)
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.2(b)
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
Section 313 (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3
(a)(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3
(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3
Section 314 (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.4
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.4
(c)(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5
(c)(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5
(c)(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.5
(e) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1, 2.5, 3.2
Section 315 (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.1(d)
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.7
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.1(c)
(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.1(d)
(e) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
Section 316 (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1, 2.6, 5.4
(a)(1)(A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.4
(a)(1)(B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.4
(a)(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.3
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
Section 317 (a)(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(a)(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Not Applicable
Section 318 (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.1
Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to
be a part of the Guarantee Agreement.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1. Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
ARTICLE II. TRUST INDENTURE ACT
Section 2.1. Trust Indenture Act; Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section 2.2. List of Holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Section 2.3. Reports by the Guarantee Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Section 2.4. Periodic Reports to Guarantee
Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Section 2.8. Conflicting Interests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
ARTICLE III. POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE GUARANTEE
TRUSTEE
Section 3.1. Powers and Duties of the Guarantee
Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Section 3.2. Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Section 3.3. Indemnity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Section 3.4. Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
ARTICLE IV. GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 4.1. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Section 4.2. Appointment, Removal and Resignation
of the Guarantee Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
ARTICLE V. GUARANTEE
Section 5.1. Guarantee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Section 5.2. Waiver of Notice and Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Section 5.3. Obligations Not Affected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Section 5.4. Rights of Holders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Section 5.5. Guarantee of Payment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Section 5.6. Subrogation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Section 5.7. Independent Obligations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
ARTICLE VI. COVENANTS AND SUBORDINATION
Section 6.1. Subordination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Section 6.2. Pari Passu Guarantees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
ARTICLE VII. TERMINATION
Section 7.1 Termination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
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ARTICLE VIII. MISCELLANEOUS
Section 8.1. Successors and Assigns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 8.2. Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 8.3. Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Section 8.4. Benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Section 8.5. Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Section 8.6. Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Section 8.7. Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
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GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT, dated as of _______ __, 1998 (this
"Guarantee Agreement"), is executed and delivered by AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.,
a Florida corporation (the "Guarantor"), having its principal office at 0000
Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, 00000 and BANKERS TRUST COMPANY, a New
York banking corporation, as trustee, for the benefit of the Holders (as
defined herein) from time to time of the Preferred Securities (as defined
herein) of ABI Capital Trust, a Delaware statutory business trust (the "Issuer
Trust").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement (the
"Trust Agreement"), dated as of _______ __, 1998, among American Bancshares,
Inc., as Depositor, Bankers Trust Company, as Property Trustee (the "Property
Trustee"), Bankers Trust (Delaware), as Delaware Trustee (the "Delaware
Trustee") (collectively, the "Issuer Trustees") and the Holders from time to
time of preferred undivided beneficial ownership interests in the assets of the
Issuer Trust, the Issuer Trust is issuing $_________ aggregate Liquidation
Amount (as defined herein) of its ____% Preferred Securities, Liquidation
Amount $10 per preferred security (the "Preferred Securities"), representing
preferred undivided beneficial ownership interests in the assets of the Issuer
Trust and having the terms set forth in the Trust Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Preferred Securities will be issued by the Issuer Trust
and the proceeds thereof, together with the proceeds from the issuance of the
Issuer Trust's Common Securities (as defined herein), will be used to purchase
the Junior Subordinated Debentures due ______ __, 2028 (as defined in the Trust
Agreement) (the "Junior Subordinated Debentures") of the Guarantor which will
be deposited with Bankers Trust Company, as Property Trustee under the Trust
Agreement, as trust assets; and
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase Preferred
Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to
the extent set forth herein, 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 of Preferred
Securities by each Holder, which purchase the Guarantor hereby acknowledges
shall benefit the Guarantor, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the
Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the
Holders from time to time of the Preferred Securities.
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1. Definitions.
As used in this Guarantee Agreement, the terms set forth below shall,
unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings.
Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings
assigned to such terms in the Trust Agreement as in effect on the date hereof.
"Additional Amount" has the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.
"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to
direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.
"Common Securities" means the securities representing common undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer Trust.
"Delaware Trustee" shall have the meaning specified in the first
recital of this Guarantee Agreement.
"Distributions" means preferential cumulative cash distributions
accumulating from _______ __, 1998 and payable quarterly in arrears on March
31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 of each year, commencing _______ __,
1998 at the annual rate of ____% of the Liquidation Amount.
"Event of Default" means (a) a default by the Guarantor in any of its
payment obligations under this Guarantee Agreement, or (b) a default by the
Guarantor in any other obligation hereunder that remains unremedied for 30
days.
"Guarantee Agreement" means this Guarantee Agreement, as modified,
amended or supplemented from time to time.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions,
without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to the extent
not paid or made by or on behalf of the Issuer Trust: (a) any accrued and
unpaid Distributions (as defined in the Trust Agreement) required to be paid on
the Preferred Securities, to the extent the Issuer Trust shall have funds on
hand available therefor at such time, (b) the Redemption Price, with respect to
the Preferred Securities called for redemption by the Issuer Trust to the
extent that the Issuer Trust shall have funds on hand available therefor at
such time, and (c) upon a voluntary or involuntary termination, winding-up or
liquidation of the Issuer Trust, unless Junior Subordinated
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Debentures are distributed to the Holders, the lesser of (i) the aggregate of
the Liquidation Amount and all accumulated and unpaid Distributions to the date
of payment to the extent the Issuer Trust shall have funds on hand available to
make such payment at such time and (ii) the amount of assets of the Issuer Trust
remaining available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer
Trust (in either case, the "Liquidation Distribution").
"Guarantee Trustee" means Bankers Trust Company, until a Successor
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant
to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means each such
Successor Guarantee Trustee.
"Guarantor" shall have the meaning specified in the preamble of this
Guarantee Agreement.
"Holder" means any holder, as registered on the books and records of
the Issuer 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, the Guarantee Trustee, or any
Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Junior Subordinated Indenture dated as of
_______ __, 1998, between American Bancshares, Inc. and Bankers Trust Company,
as trustee, as may be modified, amended or supplemented from time to time.
"Issuer Trust" shall have the meaning specified in the preamble of
this Guarantee Agreement.
"Issuer Trustees" shall have the meaning specified in the first
recital of this Guarantee Agreement.
"Junior Subordinated Debentures" shall have the meaning specified in
the first recital of this Guarantee Agreement.
"Like Amount" means (a) with respect to a redemption of Preferred
Securities, Preferred Securities having a Liquidation Amount equal to the
principal amount of Junior Subordinated Debentures to be contemporaneously
redeemed in accordance with the Indenture, the proceeds of which will be used
to pay the Redemption Price of such Preferred Securities, (b) with respect to a
distribution of Junior Subordinated Debentures to Holders of Preferred
Securities in connection with a dissolution or liquidation of the Issuer Trust,
Junior Subordinated Debentures having a principal amount equal to the
Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities of the Holder to whom such Junior
Subordinated Debentures are distributed, and (c) with respect to any
distribution of an Additional Amount to Holders of Preferred Securities, Junior
Subordinated Debentures having a principal amount equal to the Liquidation
Amount of the Preferred Securities in respect of which such distribution is
made.
"Liquidation Amount" means the stated amount of $10 per Preferred
Security.
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"Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities" means,
except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, Preferred Securities
representing more than 50% of the aggregate Liquidation Amount of all then
outstanding Preferred Securities issued by the Issuer Trust.
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer,
President or a Vice President, and by the Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer,
an Associate Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of such Person, and delivered to the Guarantee Trustee. Any
Officers' Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or
covenant provided for in this Guarantee Agreement shall include:
(a) a statement by each officer signing the Officers'
Certificate that such officer 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 such officer in rendering the
Officers' Certificate;
(c) a statement that 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 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 Securities" shall have the meaning specified in the first
recital of this Guarantee Agreement.
"Property Trustee" shall have the meaning specified in the first
recital of this Guarantee Agreement.
"Redemption Date" means, with respect to any Preferred Security to be
redeemed, the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to the Trust
Agreement; provided that each Junior Subordinated Debenture Redemption Date (as
such term is defined in the Indenture) and the stated maturity of the Junior
Subordinated Debentures shall be a Redemption Date for a Like Amount of
Preferred Securities.
"Redemption Price" shall have the meaning specified in the Trust
Agreement.
"Responsible Officer" means, when used with respect to the Guarantee
Trustee, any officer assigned to the Corporate Trust Office, including any
managing director, principal, vice president, assistant vice president,
assistant treasurer, assistant secretary or any other officer of
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the Guarantee Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those
performed by any of the above designated officers and having direct
responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, and also,
with respect to a particular matter, any other officer to whom such matter is
referred because of such officer's knowledge of and familiarity with the
particular subject.
"Senior Indebtedness" shall have the meaning specified in the
Indenture.
"Successor Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Guarantee Trustee
possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.1.
"Trust Agreement" shall have the meaning specified in the Recitals to
this Guarantee Agreement.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended by the Trust Indenture Reform Act of 1990, or any successor statute, in
each case as amended from time to time.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
Section 2.1. Trust Indenture Act; Application.
If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a
provision of the Trust Indenture Act that is required to be a part of and
govern this Guarantee Agreement, the provision of the Trust Indenture Act shall
control. If any provision of this Guarantee Agreement modifies or excludes any
provision of the Trust Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, the
latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Guarantee Agreement as so
modified or excluded, as the case may be.
Section 2.2. List of Holders.
(a) The Guarantor will furnish or cause to be furnished to the
Guarantee Trustee:
(i) quarterly, not more than 15 days after March 15, June
15, September 15 and December 15 in each year, a list, in such form as
the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and
addresses of the Holders as of such date; and
(ii) at such other times as the Guarantee Trustee may
request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor
of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date
not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with the requirements of
Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
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Section 2.3. Reports by the Guarantee Trustee.
Within 60 days of January 31 of each year commencing January 31, 1999,
the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders such reports, if any, as are
required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act in the form and in the
manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Guarantee
Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust
Indenture Act.
Section 2.4. Periodic Reports to the Guarantee Trustee.
The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee and the Holders
such documents, reports and information, if any, as required by Section 314 of
the Trust Indenture Act 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 Guarantee Trustee such evidence of
compliance with such conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this
Guarantee Agreement 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 the Preferred
Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders, 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 Guarantee Agreement, but
no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of
Default or impair any right consequent therefrom.
Section 2.7. Event of Default; Notice.
(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the
occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class postage
prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all Events of Default known to the
Guarantee Trustee, unless such Events of Default have been cured before the
giving of such notice; provided that, except in the case of a default in the
payment of a Guarantee Payment, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in
withholding such notice if and so long as the Board of Directors, the executive
committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the
Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice
is in the interests of the Holders.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of
any Event of Default unless (i) a Responsible Officer charged with the
administration of this Guarantee
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Agreement shall have received written notice of such Event of Default, or (ii) a
Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee charged with administration of the
Trust Agreement shall have obtained actual knowledge thereof.
Section 2.8. Conflicting Interests.
The Trust Agreement shall be deemed to be specifically described in
this Guarantee Agreement 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 THE
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 3.1. Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.
(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee
Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not
transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except to a Holder exercising
his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.4(d) or to a Successor Guarantee
Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to
act as Successor Guarantee Trustee hereunder. The right, title and interest of
the Guarantee Trustee, as such, hereunder shall automatically vest in any
Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon acceptance by such Successor Guarantee
Trustee of its appointment hereunder, 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 Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the
Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the
Holders.
(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of
Default and after the curing of all Events of Default that may have occurred,
shall be obligated to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in
this Guarantee Agreement (including pursuant to Section 2.1), and no implied
covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee
Trustee. If an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or
waived pursuant to Section 2.6), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of
the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, 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.
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(d) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be construed to
relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its
own negligent failure to act or its own bad faith or 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 Guarantee
Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions
of this Guarantee Agreement (including pursuant to Section
2.1), and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for
the performance of such duties and obligations as are
specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement (including
pursuant to Section 2.1); and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of
the Guarantee Trustee, the 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 Guarantee Trustee and conforming to
the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case
of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision
hereof or of the Trust Indenture Act are specifically required
to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee
Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine
whether or not they conform to the requirements of this
Guarantee Agreement;
(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any
error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the
Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee
Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which
such judgment was made;
(iii) the 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 Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power
conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement;
and
(iv) no provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall
require the 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
Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the
repayment of such funds or liability is not assured to it under the
terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such
risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
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Section 3.2. Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) the 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 reasonably
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 Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an
Officers' Certificate unless otherwise prescribed herein;
(iii) whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee
Agreement, the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter
be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting to take
any action hereunder, the 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 from the Guarantee Trustee, shall
be promptly delivered by the Guarantor;
(iv) the Guarantee Trustee may consult with legal counsel,
and the written advice or opinion of such legal counsel with respect
to legal matters shall be full and complete authorization and
protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be
taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice
or opinion. Such legal counsel may be legal counsel to the Guarantor
or any of its Affiliates and may be one of its employees. The
Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek
instructions concerning the administration of this Guarantee Agreement
from any court of competent jurisdiction;
(v) the Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee
Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such
Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and
indemnity as would satisfy a reasonable person in the position of the
Guarantee Trustee, against the costs, expenses (including attorneys'
fees and expenses) 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 Guarantee Trustee; provided,
however, that nothing herein shall relieve the Guarantee Trustee of
its obligations upon the occurrence of an Event of Default that has
not been cured or waived to exercise the rights and powers vested in
the Guarantee Trustee by this Guarantee, and to use the same degree of
care and skill in exercising such rights and powers as a reasonably
prudent person would use under the circumstances in the conduct of his
own affairs.
(vi) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, opinion,
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report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture,
note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document,
but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further
inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit;
(vii) the Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts
or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or
by or through its agents or attorneys, and the Guarantee Trustee shall
not be responsible for any negligence or willful misconduct on the
part of any such agent or attorney appointed with due care by it
hereunder. Nothing herein shall be construed as limiting or
restricting the right of the Guarantor to bring any action directly
against any agent or attorney appointed by the Guarantee Trustee for
any negligence or willful misconduct on the part of such agent or
attorney; and
(viii) whenever in the administration of this Guarantee
Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive
instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking
any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (A) may request
instructions from the Holders, (B) may refrain from enforcing such
remedy or right or taking such other action until such instructions
are received and (C) shall be fully protected in acting in accordance
with such instructions.
(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to
impose any duty or obligation on the 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 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 Guarantee
Trustee shall be construed to be a duty to act in accordance with such power
and authority.
Section 3.3. Indemnity.
The Guarantor agrees to indemnify the Guarantee Trustee, its
directors, officers, employees and agents for, and to hold them harmless
against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence, willful
misconduct or bad faith on the part of the Guarantee Trustee, its directors,
officers, employees and agents, arising out of or in connection with the
acceptance or administration of this Guarantee Agreement, including the
reasonable costs and expenses of defending against any claim or liability in
connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties
hereunder. The Guarantee Trustee will not claim or exact any lien or charge on
any Guarantee Payments as a result of any amount due to it under this Guarantee
Agreement.
Section 3.4. Expenses.
The Guarantor shall from time to time reimburse the Guarantee Trustee
for its reasonable expenses and costs (including reasonable attorneys' or
agents' fees) incurred in connection with the performance of its duties
hereunder.
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ARTICLE IV
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 4.1. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.
(a) There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust
Indenture Act to act as such and has a combined capital and surplus of
at least $50,000,000, and shall be a corporation meeting the
requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such
corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant
to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining
authority, then, for the purposes of this Section and to the extent
permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, 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 Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be
eligible to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall
immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.2(b).
(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any "conflicting
interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the
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 the Guarantee Trustee.
(a) No resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee and no
appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this Article IV shall
become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the Successor Guarantee
Trustee by written instrument executed by the Successor Guarantee Trustee and
delivered to the Holders and the Guarantee Trustee.
(b) Subject to Section 4.2(a), a Guarantee Trustee may resign at
any time by giving written notice thereof to the Holders. The Guarantee
Trustee shall appoint a successor by requesting from at least three Persons
meeting the eligibility requirements such Person's expenses and charges to
serve as the Guarantee Trustee, and selecting the Person who agrees to the
lowest expenses and charges. If the instrument of acceptance by the Successor
Guarantee Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Guarantee Trustee within
60 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the Guarantee Trustee
may petition, at the expense of the Guarantor, any court of competent
jurisdiction for the appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee.
(c) The Guarantee Trustee may be removed for cause at any time by
Act (within the meaning of Section 6.8 of the Trust Agreement) of the Holders
of at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities,
delivered to the Guarantee Trustee.
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(d) If a resigning Guarantee Trustee shall fail to appoint a
successor, or if a Guarantee Trustee shall be removed or become incapable of
acting as Guarantee Trustee, or if any vacancy shall occur in the office of any
Guarantee Trustee for any cause, the Holders of the Preferred Securities, by
Act of the Holders of record of not less than 25% in aggregate Liquidation
Amount of the Preferred Securities then outstanding delivered to such Guarantee
Trustee, shall promptly appoint a successor Guarantee Trustee. If no Successor
Guarantee Trustee shall have been so appointed by the Holders of the Preferred
Securities and such appointment accepted by the Successor Guarantee Trustee,
any Holder, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, may
petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a Successor
Guarantee Trustee.
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
Section 5.1. Guarantee.
The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full on
a subordinated basis as set forth in Section 6.1 hereof to the Holders the
Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by or on
behalf of the Issuer Trust), as and when due, regardless of any defense, right
of set-off or counterclaim which the Issuer Trust may have or assert, except
the defense of payment. 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 Trust to pay such amounts to the Holders.
The Guarantor shall give prompt written notice to the Guarantee Trustee in the
event it makes any direct payment hereunder.
Section 5.2. Waiver of Notice and Demand.
The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of the Guarantee
Agreement and of any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment,
demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against the
Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer 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 Guarantee Agreement 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 Trust of any express or implied
agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities to
be performed or observed by the Issuer Trust;
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(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer Trust of
all or any portion of the Distributions (other than an extension of time for
payment of Distributions that results from the extension of any interest
payment period on the Junior Subordinated Debentures as so provided in the
Indenture), 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;
(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 Issuer 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 Issuer Trust or any of
the assets of the Issuer Trust;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Preferred
Securities;
(f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed
hereby or hereby incurred; or
(g) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise
constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor (other than
payment of the underlying obligation), 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 the consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of
the foregoing.
Section 5.4. Rights of Holders.
The Guarantor expressly acknowledges that: (a) this Guarantee
Agreement will be deposited with the Guarantee Trustee to be held for the
benefit of the Holders; (b) the Guarantee Trustee has the right to enforce this
Guarantee Agreement on behalf of the Holders; (c) the 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 Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or exercising any
trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee
Agreement; and (d) any Holder may institute a legal proceeding directly against
the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this Guarantee Agreement, without
first instituting a legal proceeding against the Guarantee Trustee, the Issuer
Trust or any other Person.
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Section 5.5. Guarantee of Payment.
This Guarantee Agreement creates a guarantee of payment and not of
collection. This Guarantee Agreement will not be discharged except by payment
of the Guarantee Payments in full (without duplication of amounts theretofore
paid by the Issuer Trust) or upon the distribution of Junior Subordinated
Debentures to Holders as provided in the Trust Agreement.
Section 5.6. Subrogation.
The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights (if any) of the
Holders against the Issuer Trust in respect of any amounts paid to the Holders
by the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the
Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of
law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any rights which it may acquire by way
of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases
as a result of payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if at the time of any
such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement.
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 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
Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in
subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.
ARTICLE VI
COVENANTS AND SUBORDINATION
Section 6.1. Subordination.
This Guarantee Agreement will constitute an unsecured obligation of
the Guarantor and will rank subordinate and junior in right of payment to all
Senior Indebtedness of the Guarantor to the extent and in the manner set forth
in the Indenture with respect to the Junior Subordinated Debentures, and the
provisions of Article XIII of the Indenture will apply, mutatis mutandis, to
the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder. The obligations of the Guarantor
hereunder do not constitute Senior Indebtedness of the Guarantor.
Section 6.2. Pari Passu Guarantees.
The obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement shall
rank pari passu with any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor
on behalf of the holders of preferred or capital securities issued by the
Issuer Trust and with any other security, guarantee or
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other obligation that is expressly stated to rank pari passu with the
obligations of the Guarantor under this Guarantee Agreement.
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
Section 7.1. Termination.
This Guarantee Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force
and effect upon (a) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Preferred
Securities, (b) the distribution of Junior Subordinated Debentures to the
Holders in exchange for all of the Preferred Securities or (c) full payment of
the amounts payable in accordance with Article IX of the Trust Agreement upon
liquidation of the Issuer Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Guarantee
Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may
be, if at any time any Holder is required to repay any sums paid with respect
to the Preferred Securities or this Guarantee Agreement.
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 8.1. Successors and Assigns.
All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement
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 VIII of the
Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in writing to perform the
Guarantor's obligations hereunder, the Guarantor shall not assign its
obligations hereunder, and any purported assignment that is not in accordance
with these provisions shall be void.
Section 8.2. Amendments.
Except with respect to any changes that do not materially adversely
affect the rights of the Holders (in which case no consent of the Holders will
be required), this Guarantee Agreement may only be amended with the prior
approval of the Holders of not less than a Majority in Liquidation Amount of
the Preferred Securities. The provisions of Article VI of the Trust Agreement
concerning meetings of the Holders shall apply to the giving of such approval.
Section 8.3. Notices.
Any notice, request or other communication required or permitted to be
given hereunder shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such
notice, and delivered, telecopied (confirmed by delivery of the original) or
mailed by first class mail as follows:
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(a) if given to the Guarantor, to the address or telecopy number
set forth below or such other address or telecopy number or to the attention of
such other Person as the Guarantor may give notice to the Holders:
American Bancshares, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Office of the Secretary
(b) if given to the Issuer Trust, in care of the Guarantee
Trustee, at the Issuer Trust's (and the Guarantee Trustee's) address set forth
below or such other address or telecopy number or to the attention of such
other Person as the Guarantee Trustee on behalf of the Issuer Trust may give
notice to the Holders:
ABI Capital Trust
American Bancshares, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Office of the Secretary
with a copy to:
Bankers Trust Company
Four Xxxxxx Xxxxxx - 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust and Agency Group;
Corporate Market Services
(c) if given to the Guarantee Trustee:
Bankers Trust Company
Four Xxxxxx Xxxxxx - 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust and Agency Group
Corporate Market Services
(d) if given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books
and records of the Issuer Trust.
All notices hereunder 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
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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 8.4. Benefit.
This Guarantee Agreement is solely for the benefit of the Holders and
is not separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.
Section 8.5. Interpretation.
In this Guarantee Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement but not
defined in the preamble hereto have the respective meanings assigned to them in
Section 1.1;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the
same meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Guarantee Agreement" or "this Guarantee
Agreement" are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented or amended
from time to time;
(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and
Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement unless
otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning
when used in this Guarantee Agreement unless otherwise defined in this
Guarantee Agreement or unless the context otherwise requires;
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice
versa; and
(g) the masculine, feminine or neuter genders used herein shall
include the masculine, feminine and neuter genders.
Section 8.6. Governing Law.
THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT 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.
Section 8.7. Counterparts.
This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts
shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
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[SIGNATURES APPEAR ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE]
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THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first
above written.
AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.
as Guarantor
By:_____________________________________
Name:
Title:
BANKERS TRUST COMPANY,
as Guarantee Trustee
and not in its individual capacity
By:_____________________________________
Name:
Title:
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