U.S. BANCORP UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT STANDARD PROVISIONS (CAPITAL SECURITIES) (December 7, 2009)
EXHIBIT
1.2
(December 7, 2009)
From time to time, U.S. Bancorp, a Delaware corporation (the “Guarantor”), and each of USB
Capital XIII (“USB XIII”), USB Capital XIV (“USB XIV”), USB Capital XV (“USB XV”) or USB Capital
XVI (“USB XVI”), each a statutory trust formed under the laws of the State of Delaware, may enter
into one or more underwriting agreements (each such agreement, an “Underwriting Agreement”) that
provide for the sale of designated capital securities to the several underwriters (the
“Underwriters”) named therein.
The standard provisions hereof may be incorporated by reference in any Underwriting Agreement.
As used herein, the term “Trust” means the statutory trust named in the first sentence of the
Underwriting Agreement. The term “Agreement” means the Underwriting Agreement, including the
provisions hereof incorporated therein by reference. Unless otherwise defined herein, all other
defined terms have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Underwriting Agreement.
I
The Guarantor and each of USB XIII, USB XIV, USB XV and USB XVI, severally and not jointly,
issue from time to time, in one or more series, capital securities (the “Securities”) pursuant to
the provisions of the registration statement on Form S-3 filed on April 17, 2009 Registration No.
333-150298, as thereby amended. Such Securities may be issued in amounts, at prices and other
terms to be determined in light of market conditions at the time of sale. The specific number of
the Securities, title and liquidation preference of each Security, issuance price, distribution
rate or rates (or method of calculation), distribution periods, distribution payment dates,
redemption provisions, and any other specific terms of the Securities shall be set forth in a
prospectus supplement. Promptly after execution and delivery of an Underwriting Agreement, the
Guarantor and the Trust will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of
Rule 430B under the Securities Act and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 under the Securities Act. Any
information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the
time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of and included in such registration
statement pursuant to Rule 430B(f) is referred to as the “Rule 430B Information.”
The Securities specified in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement are the “Firm
Securities.” If specified in such Underwriting Agreement, the Guarantor and the Trust may grant to
the Underwriters the right to purchase at their election an additional number of the Securities
specified in such Underwriting Agreement as provided in Article III hereof (the “Optional
Securities”). The Firm Securities and the Optional Securities, if any, which the Underwriters
elect to purchase pursuant to Article III hereof are herein collectively called the “Offered
Securities.”
The Guarantor and USB XIII, USB XIV, USB XV and USB XVI have filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement in respect of the Securities, the
Guarantee and the Junior Subordinated Debentures (collectively, the “Registered Securities”),
including a prospectus relating to the Registered Securities, and will file with, the Commission a
prospectus supplement specifically relating to the Offered Securities pursuant to Rule 424 under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Such registration statement, at any
given time, including the amendments thereto to such time, the exhibits and any schedules thereto
at such time, the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under
the Securities Act at such time and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included
therein by the rules and regulations under the Securities Act, is herein called the “Registration
Statement.” The Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective is herein called
the “Original Registration Statement.”
The term “Basic Prospectus” means the base prospectus relating to the Registered Securities
included in the Registration Statement in the form in which it has most recently been filed with
the Commission and became effective on or prior to the date of the Underwriting Agreement.
The term “Statutory Prospectus” means as of any time means the prospectus relating to the
Offered Securities that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the
Applicable Time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or
other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof.
The term “Prospectus” means the final prospectus supplement dated the date of the Underwriting
Agreement relating to the Offered Securities and the final base prospectus, collectively, in the
form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Offered
Securities, including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form
S-3 under the Securities Act at the time of the execution of the Underwriting Agreement.
The term “Preliminary Prospectus” means a preliminary prospectus (including the base
prospectus and any preliminary prospectus supplement) used in connection with the offering of the
Offered Securities that omits Rule 430B Information.
As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “Basic Prospectus,” “Prospectus” and
“Preliminary Prospectus” shall include in each case the material, if any, incorporated by reference
therein as of its effective time, in the case of the Registration Statement and the Basic
Prospectus, and as of the date of such prospectus, in the case of any Prospectus or Preliminary
Prospectus. Any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Basic Prospectus, Prospectus or
preliminary prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any document incorporated by
reference after the date of such Basic Prospectus or any Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, as
the case may be. Any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to
include any document incorporated by reference after the effective time of such Registration
Statement.
The term “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as
defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act (“Rule 433”), relating to the Offered Securities that
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(i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Guarantor or the Trust, (ii) is a “road
show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) whether or not
required to be filed with the Commission or (iii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule
433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Offered Securities or of the offering that
does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the
Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the records of the Guarantor
and the Trust pursuant to Rule 433(g).
The term “Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being
specified in Schedule II to the Underwriting Agreement.
The term “Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.
All references herein to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the
copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Date Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval
system (“XXXXX”).
The “Guarantor Agreements” shall mean, collectively, the Guarantee, the Junior Subordinated
Debentures, the Trust Agreement and the Indenture.
II
The terms of the public offering of the Firm Securities are set forth in the General
Disclosure Package (as such term is defined in Article VII(c) hereof) and the Prospectus.
III
The Guarantor and the Trust may specify in the Underwriting Agreement applicable to any
Securities that the Guarantor and the Trust thereby grant to the Underwriters the right (an
“Overallotment Option”) to purchase at their election up to the number of Optional Securities set
forth in such Underwriting Agreement, on the terms set forth in the paragraph above, for the sole
purpose of covering over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Securities. Any such election to
purchase Optional Securities may be exercised by written notice from each of the Representatives
(as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) to the Guarantor and the Trust, given within a period
specified in the Underwriting Agreement, setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Securities
to be purchased and the date on which such Optional Securities are to be delivered, as determined
by the Representatives but in no event earlier than the first Closing Date or, unless the
Representatives, the Guarantor and the Trust otherwise agree in writing, earlier than or later than
the respective number of business days after the date of such notice set forth in such Underwriting
Agreement.
The number of Optional Securities to be added to the number of Firm Securities to be purchased
by each Underwriter as set forth in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement applicable to such
Securities shall be, in each case, the number of Optional Securities which the Guarantor has been
advised by the Representatives have been attributed to such Underwriter;
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provided, that, if the Guarantor and the Trust have not been so advised, the number of
Optional Securities to be so added shall be, in each case, that proportion of Optional Securities
which the number of Firm Securities to be purchased by such Underwriter under such Underwriting
Agreement bears to the aggregate number of Firm Securities (rounded as the Representatives may
determine to the nearest 10 shares). The total number of Offered Securities to be purchased by all
Underwriters pursuant to such Underwriting Agreement shall be the aggregate number of Firm
Securities set forth in Schedule I to such Underwriting Agreement plus the aggregate number of
Optional Securities which the Underwriters elect to purchase.
IV
Payment for the Securities shall be made in federal (same day) funds at the time, date and
place set forth in the Underwriting Agreement, upon delivery to the Representatives, through the
facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the respective accounts of the several
Underwriters of the Securities. Each time and date of such payment and delivery of the Securities,
including any payment and delivery pursuant to the exercise of the Overallotment Option by the
Underwriters, is herein referred to as a “Closing Date.” The Trust will cause the certificates
representing the Securities to be made available for checking and packaging at least one day prior
to the Closing Date at the office of DTC or its designated custodian.
V
The several obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the condition that all
representations and warranties and other statements of the Guarantor and the Trust in or
incorporated by reference in the Underwriting Agreement are, at and as of each Closing Date, true
and correct, the condition that the Guarantor and the Trust shall have performed all of their
respective obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and to the following additional
conditions:
(a) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate of the
Administrative Trustees with respect to the Trust and a certificate of the Chairman, Vice Chairman,
President or a Vice President of the Guarantor, each dated the Closing Date and to the effect (i)
that there has been no downgrading, nor any notice given of any potential or intended downgrading,
or of a possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible change, in the rating
accorded any of the Trust’s securities or the Guarantor’s securities by any nationally recognized
statistical rating organization, (ii) that the representations and warranties of the Guarantor
contained in Section VII are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly
made at and as of the date of such certificate, (iii) that the Trust and the Guarantor have
complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
at or prior to the date of such certificate, and (iv) that no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose
have been initiated or threatened by the Commission.
(b) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Squire, Xxxxxxx
& Xxxxxxx L.L.P., counsel to the Guarantor and the Trust, dated the Closing Date, and addressed to
the Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A.
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(c) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of the General
Counsel of the Guarantor, and addressed to the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, to the effect
set forth in Exhibit B.
(d) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of counsel to the
Underwriters specified in the applicable Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters’ Counsel”),
dated the Closing Date, and addressed to the Representatives, relating to the incorporation of the
Guarantor, the validity of the Offered Securities and the Underwriting Agreement, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and other related matters as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(e) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of special tax
counsel for the Trust and the Guarantor, to be specified in the Underwriting Agreement (the
“Special Tax Counsel”), dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, to the effect set
forth in Exhibit C.
(f) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx
& Finger, P.A., special Delaware counsel for the Trust and the Guarantor, dated the Closing Date
and addressed to the Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Exhibit D.
(g) At the time of execution of the applicable Underwriting Agreement, the Representatives
shall have received a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, from Ernst & Young LLP, containing statements and information of the type
ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial
statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement and the General Disclosure Package.
(h) On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a
letter, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the
letter furnished pursuant to subsection (g) of this Article V, except that the specified date
referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Date, and such
letter shall contain statements and information with respect to certain financial information
contained in the Prospectus.
(i) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Underwriters’ Counsel, shall have been furnished with
such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass
upon the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities as herein contemplated and related
proceedings, or in order to evidence the accuracy and completeness of any of the representations
and warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings
taken by the Guarantor and the Trust in connection with the issuance and sale of the Offered
Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriters
and the Underwriters’ Counsel.
(j) Since the date of the latest audited financial statements incorporated by reference in the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there shall not have been any material adverse
change in the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Trust or of the Guarantor and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, or in the earnings, affairs or business prospects of the
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Trust or of the Guarantor and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business, other than as set forth in the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, and (ii) there shall not have occurred since the date of the applicable
Underwriting Agreement any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any material change in
financial markets or other calamity or crisis the effect of which is such as to make it, in the
judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering
or the delivery of the Offered Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and (iii) trading in securities of the Guarantor as
of the date of the Underwriting Agreement shall not have been suspended by the Commission or a
national securities exchange, nor shall trading generally on either the American Stock Exchange or
the New York Stock Exchange have been suspended, or minimum or maximum prices for trading of
securities generally have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities (other than
trading limits currently in effect and other similar trading limits) have been required, or trading
otherwise materially limited, by either of said exchanges or by order of the Commission or any
other governmental authority, nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared by either Federal
or New York authorities nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared by the relevant
authorities in the country or countries of origin of any foreign currency or currencies in which
the Securities are denominated or payable, and (iv) the rating assigned by any nationally
recognized statistical rating organization to any debt securities of the Guarantor as of the date
of the Underwriting Agreement shall not have been downgraded nor shall any notice have been given
by any such nationally recognized statistical rating organization of any intended or potential
downgrading or any review for possible change that does not indicate the direction of the possible
change in such rating, and (v) the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time it
was required to be delivered to a purchaser of the Offered Securities, shall not have contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances existing at such time, not misleading.
(k) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate of Wilmington
Trust Company, as Debenture, Guarantee, Property and Delaware Trustee.
(l) The Trust Agreement, the Guarantee and the Indenture shall have been duly authorized,
executed and delivered, in each case in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.
(m) The Securities to be sold by the Trust at such time of delivery shall have been duly
listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the New York Stock Exchange.
VI
In further consideration of the agreements of the Underwriters contained in the Underwriting
Agreement, the Guarantor and the Trust, jointly and severally, covenant as follows:
(a) The Guarantor and the Trust will give the Representatives notice of their intention to
file any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus,
whether by the filing of documents pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
6
as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the Securities Act or otherwise. The Guarantor and the Trust
will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such amendment or supplement or other
documents, other than documents filed pursuant to the Exchange Act, proposed to be filed a
reasonable time in advance of filing, and will furnish the Representatives with copies of documents
filed pursuant to the Exchange Act promptly upon the filing thereof;
(b) The Guarantor and the Trust will promptly notify the Representatives immediately (i) of
the filing and effectiveness of any amendment to the Registration Statement, (ii) of the mailing or
the delivery to the Commission for filing of any supplement to the Prospectus or any document to be
filed pursuant to the Exchange Act which will be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, (iii)
of the receipt of any comments from the Commission with respect to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, (iv) of any request by the Commission for
any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for
additional information, (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation or threat of initiation of any
proceedings for that purpose, or (vi) of the suspension of qualification of the Offered Securities
for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threat of initiation of any
proceedings for that purpose. The Guarantor and the Trust will make every reasonable effort to
prevent the issuance of any stop order or suspension of qualification and, if any stop order or
suspension of qualification is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible
moment;
(c) If, during the period after the date of the first public offering of the Offered
Securities when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, a notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the
Securities Act) is required by law to be delivered, any event shall occur or condition exist as a
result of which it is necessary, in the reasonable opinion of the counsel for the Underwriters or
counsel for the Guarantor and the Trust, to further amend or supplement the Prospectus in order
that the Prospectus will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the
circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in
the reasonable opinion of either such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement
or to file a new registration statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply
with the requirements of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations issued by the Commission
thereunder, immediate notice shall be given, and confirmed in writing, to the Representatives, and
the Guarantor and the Trust will promptly prepare and file with the Commission such amendment or
supplement, whether by filing documents pursuant to the Exchange Act, the Securities Act or
otherwise, or new registration statement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission
or to comply with such requirements, and the Guarantor and the Trust each will use its best efforts
to have any such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable
(if it is not an automatic shelf registration statement with respect to the Offered Securities);
and if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs
an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or
would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or any other
registration statement relating to the Offered Securities or included or would include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent
time, not misleading, the Guarantor will
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promptly notify the Representatives and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense,
such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or
omission;
(d) The Guarantor and the Trust will make generally available to its security holders (as
defined in Rule 158) as soon as practicable, but not later than 45 days after the close of each of
the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year and 90 days after the close of each fiscal
year, earnings statements (in form complying with the provisions of Rule 158 under the Securities
Act) covering a twelve month period beginning not later than the first day of the fiscal quarter
next following the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158) with
respect to each sale of Securities;
(e) The Guarantor and the Trust will deliver to the Representatives, without charge, as many
signed and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (as originally filed) and of each
amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and
documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus) as the Representatives may reasonably
request; and the copies of the Original Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished
to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with
the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. The Guarantor
and the Trust will furnish to the Representatives as many copies of the Prospectus (as amended or
supplemented) as the Representatives shall reasonably request so long as the Underwriters are
required to deliver a Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, a notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the
Securities Act) in connection with the offering or sale of the Offered Securities; and the
Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be
identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T;
(f) The Guarantor and the Trust will endeavor, in cooperation with the Representatives, to
qualify the Offered Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such
states and other jurisdictions of the United States as the Representatives may designate, and will
maintain such qualifications in effect for as long as may be required for the distribution of the
Offered Securities; provided, however, that neither the Guarantor nor the Trust shall be obligated
to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation in any
jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified. The Guarantor and the Trust will file such
statements and reports as may be required by the laws of each jurisdiction in which the Securities
have been qualified as above provided;
(g) The Guarantor, during the period when the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice
referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Securities Act) is required to be delivered under the
Securities Act, will file promptly all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant
to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act;
(h) Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Underwriting Agreement, during the period of
30 days from the date of the Underwriting Agreement, the Guarantor and Trust will not offer, sell,
contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any Securities, any other beneficial interest in the
assets of the Trust, or any other securities of the Trust or any other similar trust which are
substantially similar to the Offered Securities, including any guarantee of such securities, or any
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junior subordinated debentures of the Guarantor issued to the Trust or other similar trust, or
any securities convertible into or exchangeable for or representing the right to receive
Securities, or any such substantially similar securities of the Trust or any other similar trust,
or any junior subordinated debentures of the Guarantor issued to the Trust or other similar trust,
without the prior written consent of the Representatives;
(i) The Guarantor will issue the Guarantee and the Junior Subordinated Debentures concurrently
with the issue and sale of the Offered Securities as contemplated herein;
(j) The Guarantor will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Junior
Subordinated Debentures, and to cause the Trust to use the net proceeds received by the Trust from
the sale of Offered Securities pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, in the manner specified in
the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds,” and to further cause the Trust to comply with
the provisions of this Article VI that are applicable to it, including paragraph (h);
(k) The Guarantor and the Trust will use their best efforts to list, subject to notice of
issuance, the Offered Securities on the New York Stock Exchange;
(l) The Guarantor and the Trust will: (A) prepare the Prospectus as amended and supplemented
in relation to the applicable Offered Securities in a form approved by the Representatives and to
file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act in the manner and within the
time period required by Rule 424(b); (B) prepare a final term sheet, containing solely a
description of the Offered Securities, in a form approved by you and to file such term sheet
pursuant to Rule 433(d) within the time required by such Rule; (C) file promptly all material
required to be filed by the Trust or the Guarantor with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d); and
(D) make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus after
the date of the Underwriting Agreement relating to such Offered Securities and prior to any Closing
Date for such Offered Securities which shall be disapproved by the Representatives for such Offered
Securities promptly after reasonable notice thereof; and
(m) The Guarantor and the Trust each represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior
consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter represents and agrees that, unless it obtains
the prior consent of the Guarantor and the Trust and the Representative, it has not made and will
not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an “issuer free writing
prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing
prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free
writing prospectus consented to by The Guarantor, the Trust and the Representative is hereinafter
referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Guarantor and the Trust each represents
that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an
“issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the
requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely
filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping.
VII
Each of the Guarantor and the Trust jointly and severally represents and warrants to each
Underwriter that:
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(a) The Registration Statement has been filed with the Commission in the form heretofore
delivered or to be delivered to the Representatives and, excluding exhibits to the Registration
Statement, but including all documents incorporated by reference in the Basic Prospectus, to the
Representatives for each of the other Underwriters and the Registration Statement in such form has
been declared effective by the Commission and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or
threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional
information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the
Underwriters; no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission; the Guarantor and the Trust each meets
the requirements for use of Form S-3; and a prospectus containing the Rule 430B Information shall
have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time period required by Rule
424(b) without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) (or a post-effective amendment providing such information
shall have been filed and become effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B under
the Securities Act);
(b) The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, at
the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied or will comply in all
material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, and when read together and with the other information in the Prospectus, (a)
at the time the Registration Statement became effective, (b) at the earlier of the time the
Prospectus was first used and the date and time of the first contract of sale of the Offered
Securities and (c) as of the Closing Date, did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were or are made, not
misleading; and the Guarantor and the Trust each has given the Representatives notice of any
filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the
Applicable Time; the Guarantor and the Trust each will give the Representatives notice of its
intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the
Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such
proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the
Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object;
(c) At the respective times the Original Registration Statement and each amendment thereto
became effective, at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule
430B(f)(2) under the Securities Act and at the Closing Time, the Registration Statement complied
and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules
and regulations under the Securities Act and the 1939 Act and the rules and regulations under the
1939 Act, and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the
Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was issued and at the Closing Time, included or will
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading; each Preliminary Prospectus complied when filed with the
Commission in all material respects with the rules and regulations under the Securities Act and
each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the
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Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent
permitted by Regulation S-T; and, as of the Applicable Time, neither (x) the Statutory Prospectus
and the Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus(es), all considered together (collectively, the
“General Disclosure Package”), nor (y) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus,
when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; each Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of
the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier date that the Guarantor or the
Trust notified or notifies the Representative, did not, does not and will not include any
information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein
and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or
modified; provided, however, that the representations and warranties in this
Article VII(c) shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with
written information furnished to the Guarantor or the Trust by any Underwriter through the
Representatives expressly for use therein or to that part of the Registration Statement
constituting the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the Trust Indenture Act (Form
T-1) of the Trustee;
(d) The Guarantor has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, is duly registered as a bank holding company
under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, with corporate power and authority to own,
lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus; and the Guarantor is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to
transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of
substantial properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the
failure to do so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect
(as hereinafter defined);
(e) U.S. Bank National Association, the Guarantor’s principal subsidiary bank, has been duly
incorporated and is validly existing as a national banking association in good standing under the
laws of the United States and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of such bank has been duly authorized
and validly issued and is fully paid and, except as provided in 12 U.S.C. Section 55,
non-assessable; and 100% of its capital stock, other than any director’s qualifying shares, is
owned by the Guarantor, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any mortgage, pledge,
lien, encumbrance, claim or equity;
(f) Each of the Guarantor and its subsidiaries maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (A) the transactions are executed in
accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (B) transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain
asset accountability; (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with
11
management’s general or specific authorization; and (D) the recorded accountability for assets
is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences; the Guarantor has established and maintains disclosure controls and
procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Exchange Act) and such controls and
procedures are effective in ensuring that material information relating to the Guarantor, including
its subsidiaries, is made known to the principal executive officer and the principal financial
officer; and the Guarantor has utilized such controls and procedures in preparing and evaluating
the disclosures in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;
(g) The authorized capitalization of the Guarantor is as set forth in the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, and the shares of issued and outstanding capital stock set forth
thereunder have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
(h) Each of the Administrative Trustees is an employee of or affiliated with the Guarantor
and, at the Closing Date, the Trust Agreement will have been duly executed and delivered by each
Administrative Trustee and will constitute a valid and legally binding instrument of each
Administrative Trustee, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as the enforceability
thereof may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization, arrangement,
liquidation, conservatorship, readjustment of debt, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws
affecting the rights of creditors generally, and (ii) the discretion of any court of competent
jurisdiction in awarding equitable remedies, including, without limitation, acceleration, specific
performance or injunctive relief, and the effect of general principles of equity embodied in
Minnesota, Delaware and New York statutes and common law.
(i) The Trust has been duly created and is validly existing as a statutory trust in good
standing under the Trust Agreement and the Delaware Statutory Trust Act and has the trust power and
authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus, and the Trust has conducted no business to date, and it will conduct no
business in the future that would be inconsistent with the description of the Trust set forth in
the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; the Trust is not a party to or bound by any
agreement or instrument other than the Underwriting Agreement, the Trust Agreement and the
agreements and instruments contemplated by the Trust Agreement; the Trust has no liabilities or
obligations other than those arising out of the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting
Agreement and the Trust Agreement and described in the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus; based on expected operations and current law, the Trust is not and will not be
classified as an association taxable as a corporation for United States federal income tax
purposes; and the Trust is not a party to or subject to any action, suit or proceeding of any
nature;
(j) The Offered Securities have been duly authorized by the Trust Agreement and, when issued
and delivered in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Trust Agreement, as
described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will be validly issued and, subject
to the qualifications set forth herein, fully paid and nonassessable undivided beneficial interests
in the assets of the Trust under the Trust Agreement and the Delaware Statutory Trust Act and will
conform to the description of the Offered Securities contained in the General Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus; the issuance of the Offered
12
Securities is not subject to any preemptive or other similar rights; the Offered Securities
will have the rights set forth in the Trust Agreement; and the holders of Offered Securities, as
beneficial owners of the Trust, will be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability
extended to stockholders of private corporations for profit organized under the General Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware, provided that the holders of Offered Securities may be obligated,
pursuant to the Trust Agreement, (a) to provide indemnity and/or security in connection with any
taxes or governmental charges arising from transfers or exchanges of Capital Securities
Certificates (as defined in the Trust Agreement) and the issuance of replacement Capital Securities
Certificates and (b) to provide security and indemnity in connection with requests of or directions
to the Property Trustee (as defined in the Trust Agreement) to exercise its rights and remedies
under the Trust Agreement;
(k) The Common Securities of the Trust to be sold to the Guarantor have been duly authorized
by the Trust Agreement, and, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement and
delivered to the Guarantor against payment therefor as described in the General Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus, will represent validly issued undivided beneficial interests in the assets of
the Trust and will conform to the description thereof contained in the General Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus; the issuance of the Common Securities is not subject to preemptive or other
similar rights; and at the Closing Date all of the issued and outstanding Common Securities of the
Trust will be directly owned by the Guarantor free and clear of any security interest, mortgage,
pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity;
(l) The Guarantor Agreements have each been duly authorized and when validly executed and
delivered by the Guarantor will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Guarantor,
enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except as the enforceability thereof may be
limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, reorganization, arrangement, liquidation,
conservatorship, readjustment of debt, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting the
rights of creditors generally; and (ii) the discretion of any court of competent jurisdiction in
awarding equitable remedies, including, without limitation, acceleration, specific performance or
injunctive relief, and the effect of general principles of equity embodied in Minnesota, Delaware
and New York statutes and common law. The Junior Subordinated Debentures are entitled to the
benefits of the Indenture; and the Guarantor Agreements will conform to the descriptions thereof in
the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;
(m) The Trust Agreement has been duly authorized and when validly executed and delivered by
the Guarantor and the Administrative Trustees as of the Closing Date will constitute a valid and
binding obligation of the Guarantor and the Administrative Trustees, enforceable in accordance with
its terms, subject to the effect upon the Trust Agreement of (i) bankruptcy, insolvency,
moratorium, receivership, reorganization, liquidation, fraudulent conveyance or transfer and other
similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally, (ii)
principles of equity, including applicable law relating to fiduciary duties (regardless of whether
considered and applied in a proceeding in equity or at law), and (iii) the effect of applicable
public policy on the enforceability of provisions relating to indemnification or contribution;
(n) The execution and delivery by the Trust of, and the performance by the Trust of its
obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement and the Trust Agreement do not violate (A)
13
the Trust Agreement or the Certificate of Trust of the Trust, (B) any applicable Delaware law,
rule or regulation or (C) any provision of applicable law of the United States; will not contravene
any provision of applicable law, the Trust Agreement, the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of
the Guarantor or articles of association of bylaws of U.S. Bank National Association or any
agreement or other instrument binding upon the Trust, the Guarantor or U.S. Bank National
Association that is material to the Trust or to the Guarantor and its subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having
jurisdiction over the Trust; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, license, certificate,
permit, registration or qualification of, or with, any governmental or regulatory body is required
for the performance by the Trust of its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement or the Trust
Agreement, except such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states
in connection with the offer and sale of the Offered Securities and Common Securities;
(o) The execution and delivery by the Guarantor of, and the performance by the Guarantor of
its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement and the Guarantor Agreements, will not contravene
any provision of applicable law, the Trust Agreement, the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of
the Guarantor or articles of association or bylaws of U.S. Bank National Association or any
agreement or other instrument binding upon the Guarantor or U.S. Bank National Association that is
material to the Guarantor and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any judgment, order or decree
of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Guarantor or any subsidiary;
and no consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental or
regulatory body is required for the performance by the Guarantor of its obligations under the
Underwriting Agreement or the Guarantor Agreements, except such as may be required by the
securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the
Junior Subordinated Debentures;
(p) Neither the Trust, the Guarantor nor U.S. Bank National Association is in violation of its
organizational documents or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation,
agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan
agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of
its properties may be bound, which violation or default would be material to the Trust or to the
Guarantor and its subsidiaries taken as a whole;
(q) The statements set forth in the General Disclosure Package and Prospectus Supplement under
the captions “U.S. Bancorp,” “USB Capital XIII,” “USB Capital XIV,” “USB Capital XV”, or “USB
Capital XVI”, as applicable; “Certain Terms of the Capital Securities,” “Certain Terms of the
Junior Subordinated Debentures,” “Description of the Guarantee,” “Relationship Among the Capital
Securities, the Junior Subordinated Debentures and the Guarantee,” “Certain United States Federal
Income Tax Consequences,” “Underwriting” and such other sections as may be identified in the
Underwriting Agreement, are accurate, complete and fair;
(r) The Trust is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Offered
Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus will not be, an “investment company” that is required to be registered
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the Guarantor is not, and after giving
effect to the issuance of the Junior Subordinated Debentures and the application
14
of the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will
not be an “investment company” that is required to be registered under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended;
(s) Each of the Trust, the Guarantor and the subsidiaries of the Guarantor own or possess or
have obtained all material governmental licenses, permits, consents, orders, approvals and other
authorizations necessary to lease or own, as the case may be, and to operate their respective
properties and to carry on their respective businesses as presently conducted;
(t) Each of the Trust, the Guarantor and the subsidiaries of the Guarantor own or possess
adequate trademarks, service marks and trade names necessary to conduct the business now operated
by them, and neither the Trust, the Guarantor nor any of the subsidiaries of the Guarantor has
received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to
any trademarks, service marks or trade names which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of
an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would materially adversely affect the conduct of the
business, operations, financial condition or income of the Trust or of the Guarantor and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise;
(u) There is no action, suit or proceeding before or by any court or governmental agency or
body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Trust or the Guarantor,
threatened against or affecting, the Trust or the Guarantor or any of the subsidiaries of the
Guarantor, which might result in any material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, of the Trust or the Guarantor and the subsidiaries of the Guarantor considered as one
enterprise, or in the business prospects of the Guarantor and the subsidiaries of the Guarantor
considered as one enterprise, or might materially and adversely affect the properties or assets
thereof or might materially and adversely affect the consummation of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby; and there are no material contracts or
documents of the Trust or the Guarantor or any of the subsidiaries of the Guarantor which are
required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Securities Act or by the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder which have not been so filed;
(v) No labor dispute with the employees of the Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries exists or,
to the knowledge of the Guarantor, is imminent;
(w) The accountants who certified the financial statements, Guarantor management’s assessment
of internal controls, and the Guarantor’s internal controls included or incorporated by reference
in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are an independent registered public
accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and
regulations issued by the Commission thereunder;
(x) The financial statements of the Guarantor and its consolidated subsidiaries included or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, comply as to form in all material
respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and present fairly the financial position of
the Guarantor and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of
operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the Guarantor and its consolidated subsidiaries
for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared
15
in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent
basis throughout the periods involved; and the pro forma financial information, and the related
notes thereto, included or incorporated by reference to the General Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, have been prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act
and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations issued by the Commission thereunder;
(y) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement,
the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein or
contemplated thereby, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, of the Trust or the Guarantor and the subsidiaries of the Guarantor considered as one
enterprise or in the earnings, affairs or business prospects of the Trust or the Guarantor and the
subsidiaries of the Guarantor considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary
course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), and (B) there have been no material transactions
entered into by the Trust or the Guarantor, or any of the subsidiaries of the Guarantor other than
those in the ordinary course of business;
(z) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Guarantor and the
Trust;
(aa) Neither the Guarantor nor any of its affiliates, as such term is defined in Rule 501(b)
under the Securities Act (each, an “Affiliate”) has taken, nor will the Guarantor or any Affiliate
take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which
would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security
of the Guarantor to facilitate the sale or resale of the Offered Securities;
(bb) To the best knowledge of the Guarantor, the operations of the Guarantor and its
subsidiaries are currently in compliance with applicable financial record keeping and reporting
requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money
laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or
similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental
agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and any instances of non-compliance have been
resolved with the applicable governmental agency and no formal action, suit or proceeding by or
before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the
Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to
the best knowledge of the Guarantor, threatened;
(cc) None of the Trust, the Guarantor, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the
Guarantor, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Guarantor or any of its
subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign
Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Guarantor will not directly
or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or
otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or
entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S.
sanctions administered by OFAC;
(dd) The Guarantor and, to the best of its knowledge, its officers and directors are in
compliance with applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the rules and
16
regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”), including Section
402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications; and
(ee) (A) At the time the Guarantor or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for
this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the Securities Act) made any offer relating to Offered
Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 under the Securities Act and (B) at the date
hereof, the Guarantor was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the
Securities Act (“Rule 405”), including not having been and not being an “ineligible issuer” as
defined in Rule 405.
(ff) Neither the Guarantor nor any of its subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the
Guarantor, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person acting on behalf of the Guarantor
or any of its subsidiaries, has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift,
entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or
indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate
funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
of 1977; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other
unlawful payment.
(gg) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings among the Trust, Guarantor and any
person granting such person the right to require the Trust or the Guarantor to file a registration
statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Trust or the Guarantor or
to require the Trust or the Guarantor to include such securities with the Securities registered
pursuant to the Registration Statement.
VIII
(a) The Guarantor and the Trust agree, jointly and severally, to indemnify and hold harmless
each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter (each an “Indemnified
Person”) within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act
as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever arising
out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, including without limitation the Rule 430B Information (or any
amendment to the Registration Statement), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto or any related
preliminary prospectus or preliminary prospectus supplement) or in any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in
order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, unless such untrue statement or omission was made in reliance upon and
in conformity with written information relating to such Indemnified Person furnished to the
Guarantor or the Trust by the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration
Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus
(or any amendment or
17
supplement thereto or any related preliminary prospectus or preliminary prospectus
supplement);
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever to the
extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim
whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue
statement or omission (except as made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
relating to such Indemnified Person furnished by the Representatives as aforesaid) if such
settlement is effected with the written consent of the Guarantor or the Trust (which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed); and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever (including the fees and disbursements of
counsel chosen by such Indemnified Person), as incurred, reasonably incurred in
investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or investigation or proceeding
by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based
upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission
(except as made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such
Indemnified Person furnished by the Representatives as aforesaid), to the extent that any
such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the
Guarantor and the Trust, each of their respective directors or trustees, each of their officers who
signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Guarantor or the Trust
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against
any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in
subsection (a) of this Section, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged
untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto or any
related preliminary prospectus or preliminary prospectus supplement) in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Guarantor or the
Trust by the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto) or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto or any related preliminary prospectus or preliminary prospectus supplement).
(c) Each indemnified party shall give prompt notice to each indemnifying party of any action
commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder but failure to so notify
an indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on
account of this indemnity agreement. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in
the defense of such action. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for the fees and
expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) for all indemnified parties in
connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction
arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances; provided, however, that when more
than one of the Underwriters is an indemnified party each such Underwriter shall be entitled to
separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel) in each such jurisdiction to the extent such
Underwriter may have interests conflicting with those of the other
18
Underwriter or Underwriters because of the participation of one Underwriter in a transaction
hereunder in which the other Underwriter or Underwriters did not participate. No indemnifying
party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of
any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have
been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such
settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims
that are the subject matter of such proceeding.
(d) In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the
indemnity agreement provided for in this Section VIII is for any reason held to be unavailable to
the Underwriters in accordance with its terms, the Guarantor, the Trust and the Underwriters shall
contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses of the nature
contemplated by said indemnity agreement incurred by the Guarantor and the Trust on the one hand
and the Underwriters on the other with respect to Securities sold to the Underwriters in such
proportions as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Guarantor and the
Trust on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other. The relative benefits received by the
Guarantor and the Trust on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in
such proportion represented by the percentage that the total commissions and underwriting discounts
received by the Underwriters to the date of such liability bears to the total sales price (before
deducting expenses) received by the Trust from the sale of the Offered Securities made to the
Underwriters to the date of such liability, and the Guarantor and the Trust are responsible for the
balance. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not
permitted by applicable law or if the Underwriters failed to give the notice required under (c),
then the Guarantor and the Trust on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall contribute
to such aggregate losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Guarantor
and the Trust on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements
or omissions which resulted in such liabilities, claims, damages and expenses, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among
other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Guarantor and the
Trust or the Representatives and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Guarantor, the Trust and the
Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this
paragraph were determined pro rata (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
considerations referred to in this paragraph. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph,
the Underwriters shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which
the total price at which the Securities referred to in the second sentence of this paragraph that
were offered and sold to the public through the Underwriters exceeds the amount of any damages that
the Underwriters have otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation
(within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled under this paragraph
to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For
purposes of this Section, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as
19
such Underwriter, and each director of the Guarantor, each trustee of the Trust, each officer
of the Guarantor and the Trust who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who
controls the Guarantor or the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or
Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Guarantor and the
Trust.
IX
The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in Section VIII hereof and the
representations and warranties of the Guarantor and the Trust in this Agreement or in any
certificate submitted pursuant hereto shall remain operative and in full force and effect
regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by any Underwriter
or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the
Guarantor and the Trust or each of their respective directors or trustees or each of their officers
or any person controlling the Guarantor and the Trust and (iii) acceptance of any payment for any
of the Offered Securities, if any.
X
If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Offered Securities, which
it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the Representatives may in their discretion arrange for
themselves or another party or other parties to purchase such Offered Securities on the terms
contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter the
Representatives do not arrange for the purchase of such Offered Securities then the Guarantor and
the Trust shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another
party or other parties satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase such Offered Securities on
such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed period, the Representatives notify
the Guarantor and the Trust that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Offered Securities
or the Guarantor or the Trust notify the Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase
of such Offered Securities, the Representatives, the Guarantor or the Trust shall have the right to
postpone the Closing Date for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever
changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any
other documents or arrangements, and the Guarantor and the Trust agree to file promptly any
amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in the reasonable
opinion of the Representatives may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriters” as used in
this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section X with like effect as if
such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Offered Securities.
If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Offered Securities of a
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Guarantor and the Trust as
provided in the immediately preceding paragraph hereof, the aggregate principal amount of such
Offered Securities which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate
principal amount of all the Offered Securities then the Guarantor and the Trust shall have the
right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the Offered Securities which such
Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting
Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Offered
20
Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Offered Securities of
such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but
nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Offered Securities of a
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives and the Guarantor and the Trust as
provided in the first paragraph of this Section X, the aggregate principal amount of Offered
Securities which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all
the Offered Securities or if the Guarantor and the Trust shall not exercise the right described in
the immediately preceding paragraph to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Offered
Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement shall thereupon
terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriters, the Guarantor or the
Trust, except for the expenses to be borne by the Guarantor, the Trust and the Underwriters as
provided in Section XI hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section VIII hereof;
but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
XI
The Guarantor covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Guarantor will pay
or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Guarantor’s and
the Trust’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Securities under the
Securities Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, and filing of the
Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and
delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and to dealers and any costs associated with
electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors; (ii) the cost of
printing this Agreement and any Blue Sky and legal investment memoranda; (iii) all expenses in
connection with the qualification of the Offered Securities for offering and sale under state
securities laws as provided in Section VI hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel
in connection with such qualification and in connection with the preparation of any Blue Sky
memorandum or any Blue Sky and legal investment surveys; (iv) any fees charged by securities rating
services for rating the Securities; (v) the cost of preparing the Securities; (vi) the fees and
expenses of the Trustee and any agent of the Trustee and the fees and disbursements of counsel for
the Trustee in connection with the Indenture, the Trust Agreement and the Securities; (vii) the
fees and expenses incident to any Overallotment Options which are not otherwise specifically
provided for in this section; (viii) the costs and expenses (including without limitation any
damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with
the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Offered Securities made by the Underwriters caused
by a breach of the representation contained in the fourth paragraph of Article VII(c); and (ix) all
other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not
otherwise specifically provided for in this Section XI. It is understood, however, that, except as
provided in this Section XI and Sections VIII and XII hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of
their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any
of the Offered Securities by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may
make.
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XII
If the Underwriting Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters or any of them, because
of any failure or refusal on the part of the Guarantor or the Trust to comply with the terms or to
fulfill any of the conditions of the Underwriting Agreement, or if for any reason the Guarantor or
the Trust shall be unable to perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement except
pursuant to Article X hereof, the Guarantor will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as
have so terminated the Underwriting Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all
out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred
by such Underwriters in connection with the Offered Securities.
XIII
In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives of the Underwriters of Offered Securities shall
act on behalf of each of such Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and
rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by
such Representatives jointly or by such of the representatives, if any, as may be designated for
such purpose hereunder.
All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing or by telegram
if promptly confirmed in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be sufficient in all respects if
delivered or sent by registered mail to the address of the principal offices of the Representatives
and if to the Guarantor or the Trust shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent by
registered mail to the address of the Guarantor set forth in the Underwriting Agreement, Attention:
Treasurer; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section VIII hereof
shall be delivered or sent by registered mail to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its
Underwriters’ Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Underwriters’ Questionnaire, which address
will be supplied to the Guarantor by the Representatives upon request.
XIV
This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters,
the Guarantor, the Trust and, to the extent provided in Section VIII hereof, the officers and
directors of the Guarantor, the Trust and each person who controls the Guarantor or the Trust or
any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and
no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser
of any of the Offered Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by
reason merely of such purchase.
XV
The Trust and the Guarantor acknowledge and agree that (i) the purchase and sale of the
Offered Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering
price of the Offered Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length
commercial transaction between the Trust and the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the several
Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such
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transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and not the agent or
fiduciary of the Trust or the Guarantor, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an
advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Trust or the Guarantor with respect to the
offering contemplated hereby and the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such
Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Trust or the Guarantor on other matters) or
any other obligation to the Trust or the Guarantor except the obligations expressly set forth in
this Agreement, (iv) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad
range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Trust and the Guarantor,
and (v) the Trust and the Guarantor have consulted their own legal and financial advisors to the
extent they deemed appropriate. The Trust and the Guarantor agree that they will not claim that
the Underwriters, or any of them, has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes
a fiduciary or similar duty to the Trust or the Guarantor, in connection with such transaction or
the process leading thereto, or the financial, tax or other related consequences of the transaction
for the Trust or the Guarantor.
XVI
Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement.
This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an
original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same
instrument.
This Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties created hereby shall be governed
by the laws of the State of New York.
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Exhibit A
Opinion of Counsel for the Trust and the Guarantor
The opinion or opinions of Squire, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxx L.L.P., counsel for the Trust and the
Guarantor, to be delivered pursuant to Section V(b) of the Agreement, shall be to the following
effect (all terms used herein which are defined in the Agreement have the meanings set forth
therein):
(i) The Guarantor has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(ii) The Guarantor has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties
and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(iii) U.S. Bank National Association has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
national banking association in good standing under the laws of the United States, and has
corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its business as
described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(iv) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Guarantor and the Trust.
(v) Each of the Trust Agreement, the Indenture, and the Guarantee has been duly and validly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Guarantor and constitutes a valid and binding agreement
of the Guarantor, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to (A) applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting
creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect, and (B) general principles of equity,
regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law and an implied covenant of
good faith and fair dealing. Each of the Trust Agreement, the Guarantee and the Indenture has been
duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.
(vi) The Junior Subordinated Debentures have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary
corporate action and, when authenticated by the Debenture Trustee, executed, issued and delivered
in the manner provided in the Indenture, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the
Guarantor, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Guarantor in
accordance with their terms, subject to (A) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency reorganization,
moratorium, fraudulent transfer and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from
time to time in effect, and (B) general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
(vii) The statements in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus Supplement under the
captions “Certain Terms of the Capital Securities,” “Certain Terms of the Junior Subordinated
Debentures;” “Description of the Guarantee;” “Relationship Among the Capital Securities, the Junior
Subordinated Debentures and the Guarantee,” insofar as these statements are descriptions of
contracts, agreements or other legal documents or describe federal statutes,
rules and regulations, are in all material respects accurate summaries of the matters referred
to therein.
(viii) The Registration Statement has been declared effective under the 1933 Act; any required
filing of each prospectus relating to the Offered Securities (including the Prospectus) pursuant to
Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without
reference to Rule 424(b)(8)); any required filing of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant
to Rule 433 has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 433(d); and, to
the best of our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
has been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted
or are pending or threatened by the Commission. The Exchange Act reports incorporated by reference
into the Registration Statement (other than the financial statements, supporting schedules and
other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to
which such counsel need express no opinion), when they were filed with the Commission, complied as
to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder; and such counsel has no reason to believe that any of
such documents, when they were so filed, as of its date contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made when such documents were so filed, not
misleading.
(ix) The Registration Statement, including without limitation the Rule 430B Information, the
Prospectus, excluding the documents incorporated by reference therein, and each amendment or
supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, excluding the documents incorporated
by reference therein, as of their respective effective or issue dates (including without limitation
each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under the
Securities Act), other than the financial statements, supporting schedules and other financial data
included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, and any Trustee’s Statement of
Eligibility on Form T-1 (each a “Form T-1”), as to which such counsel need express no opinion
complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(x) Neither the Trust nor the Guarantor is, and after giving effect to the application of
proceeds from the offering of the Securities as contemplated in the Prospectus, will be, an
“investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(xi) No consent, approval, license, authorization, or order of any court or governmental
authority or agency is required in connection with the issuance or sale of the Securities, the
Junior Subordinated Debentures or the Guarantee, except such as may be required under state
securities or Blue Sky laws.
(xii) No consent, approval, license, authorization, or order of any federal or Delaware court
or federal or Delaware government authority or agency is required for the performance by the Trust
and the Guarantor of their obligations under this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby.
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(xiii) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge, there are no contracts, indentures, mortgages,
loan agreements, notes, leases or other instruments required to be described or referred to in the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement
other than those described or referred to therein or incorporated by reference and the description
thereof or references thereto are correct.
(xiv) The execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement, the Trust Agreement, the
Guarantee, the Indenture, the issuance of the Guarantee and the Junior Subordinated Debentures, and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein, and the performance of the
obligations hereunder and thereunder will not result in a violation of any federal or state law nor
will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws of the
Guarantor.
(xv) The execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement by the Trust and the performance
by the Trust of its obligations hereunder, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the Common
Securities by the Trust and the consummation of the other transactions contemplated hereby will not
violate any provision of federal law or, to the best knowledge of such counsel, any agreement or
instrument binding upon the Trust or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency
or court having jurisdiction over the Trust, except such contravention as would not, individually
or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other),
business, properties, net worth or results of operations of the Trust.
Such counsel shall also have furnished to the Representatives a written statement, addressed
to the Underwriters and dated the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, to the effect that (x) such counsel has acted as counsel to the Guarantor in
connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the
Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein, and in the course of preparation of
those documents such counsel has participated in conferences with representatives of the Guarantor
and with representatives of Ernst & Young LLP and (y) based upon such counsel’s examination of the
Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and the documents
incorporated by reference therein, such counsel’s investigations made in connection with the
preparation of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and the
documents incorporated by reference therein and such counsel’s participation in the conferences
referred to above, such counsel has no reason to believe that: (A) the Registration Statement
including the Rule 430B Information (other than the financial statements, supporting schedules and
other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, and any
Form T-1, as to which no statement need be rendered), as of its effective date and each deemed
effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f) under the Securities Act,
contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (B) that the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto (other than the financial statements, supporting
schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which no statement need be rendered) as of its date and as of the Closing Date,
contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which
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they were made, not misleading. In addition, nothing has come to such counsel’s attention
that would lead such counsel to believe that the documents included in the General Disclosure
Package (other than the financial statements, supporting schedules and other financial data
included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which no statement need
be rendered), as of the Applicable Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light
of circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. With respect to statements contained
in the General Disclosure Package, any statement contained in any of the constituent documents
shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that any information contained in
subsequent constituent documents modifies or replaces such statement.
A-4
Exhibit B
Opinion of General Counsel of the Guarantor
The opinion of the General Counsel of the Guarantor, to be delivered pursuant to Section V(c)
of the Agreement, shall be to the following effect (all terms used herein which are defined in the
Agreement have the meanings set forth therein):
(i) The Guarantor is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing in each U.S. jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of substantial properties or the
conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure so to qualify would
not have a material adverse effect on the Guarantor and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(ii) U.S. Bank National Association is lawfully able to transact business in each jurisdiction
in which it owns or leases substantial properties or conducts business, except for the
jurisdictions in which the failure to be lawfully able to conduct business would not have a
material adverse effect on U.S. Bank National Association and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(iii) There are no pending or, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, overtly
threatened lawsuits or claims against the Guarantor or its subsidiaries which are required to be
disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that are not disclosed as required.
(iv) To the best of the knowledge of such counsel, there are no legal or governmental
proceedings pending or threatened against the Trust or to which the Trust or any of its property is
subject, that are required to be described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
that are not described as required and there are no agreements, contracts, indentures, leases or
other instruments of the Trust that are required to be described in the General Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus that are not described as required.
(v) The execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement, each of the Guarantor
Agreements, the issuance of the Junior Subordinated Debentures and the Guarantee, and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and therein, and the performance of the
obligations thereunder will not conflict with or result in the creation or imposition of any lien,
charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Guarantor or any subsidiary pursuant to
any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or other instrument to which the
Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound or to
which any of the property or assets of the Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries is subject and that
is material to the Guarantor and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
Exhibit C
Opinion of Special Tax Counsel of the Trust and the Guarantor
The statements set forth in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the
caption “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Consequences,” insofar as they purport to
constitute summaries of matters of United States federal tax law and regulations or legal
conclusions with respect thereto, constitute accurate summaries of the matters described therein in
all material respects. In addition, the opinion or opinions of the Special Tax Counsel, to be
delivered pursuant to Section V(e) of the Agreement, shall confirm the opinions set forth in the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Certain United States Federal
Income Tax Consequences.”
Opinion of Special Delaware Counsel for the Trust and the Guarantor
The opinion or opinions of Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx & Finger, P.A., special Delaware counsel for the
Trust and the Guarantor, to be delivered pursuant to Section V(f) of the Agreement, shall be to the
following effect (all terms used herein which are defined in the Agreement have the meanings set
forth therein):
(i) The Trust has been duly created and is validly existing in good standing as a statutory
trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, and all filings required under the laws of the State
of Delaware with respect to the creation and valid existence of the Trust as a statutory trust have
been made.
(ii) Under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act and the Trust Agreement, the Trust has the trust
power and authority (A) to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, the
Underwriting Agreement, (B) to issue and perform its obligations under the Securities and the
Common Securities and (C) to own its property and conduct its business, all as described in the
General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(iii) Under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act and the Trust Agreement, (A) the execution and
delivery by the Trust of the Underwriting Agreement and the performance by the Trust of its
obligations thereunder, have been duly authorized by all necessary trust action on the part of the
Trust and (B) the Guarantor is authorized to execute and deliver the Underwriting Agreement on
behalf of the Trust.
(iv) The Trust Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Guarantor and each
trustee of the Trust, and is enforceable against the Guarantor and each trustee of the Trust, in
accordance with its terms.
(v) The Common Securities have been duly authorized by the Trust Agreement and, when issued
and delivered by the Trust to the Guarantor in exchange for the Junior Subordinated Debentures as
described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will be duly and validly issued
and, subject to the qualifications set forth in this paragraph (v), will be fully paid undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust. We note that the holder of the Common Securities
may be obligated, pursuant to the Trust Agreement, (A) to provide indemnity and/or security in
connection with and pay taxes or governmental charges arising from transfers or exchanges of the
certificates representing the Common Securities and the issuance of replacement certificates
representing the Common Securities, (B) to provide security or indemnity in connection with
requests of or directions to the Property Trustee to exercise its rights and powers under the Trust
Agreement and (C) will be liable for the debts and obligations of the Trust to the extent provided
in Section 9.1 of the Trust Agreement.
(vi) The Securities have been duly authorized by the Trust Agreement and, when issued and
delivered by the Trust to the Guarantor in exchange for the Junior Subordinated Debentures as
described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will be duly and validly issued
and, subject to the qualifications set forth in this paragraph (vi), will be fully paid and
nonassessable undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust and will be entitled to
the benefits of the Trust Agreement. The holders of the Securities, as beneficial owners of
the Trust, will be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to stockholders
of private corporations for profit organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware. We note that such holders may be obligated, pursuant to the Trust Agreement, (A) to
provide indemnity and/or security in connection with and pay taxes or governmental charges arising
from transfers or exchanges of the certificates representing the Securities and the issuance of
replacement certificates representing the Securities, and (B) to provide security or indemnity in
connection with requests of or directions to the Property Trustee to exercise its rights and powers
under the Trust Agreement.
(vii) Under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act and the Trust Agreement, (A) the issuance of the
Securities and the Common Securities is not subject to preemptive or other similar rights and (B)
the Trust is not authorized to issue any securities other than the Securities and the Common
Securities.
(viii) The issuance and sale by the Trust of the Securities and the Common Securities, the
execution, delivery and performance by the Trust of the Underwriting Agreement, the consummation by
the Trust of the transactions contemplated thereby and compliance by the Trust with its obligations
thereunder, (A) do not violate (I) any of the provisions of the Certificate of Trust of the Trust
or the Trust Agreement or (II) any applicable Delaware law or administrative regulation thereunder
which is applicable to the Trust, and (B) do not require any consent, approval, license,
authorization or validation of, or filing or registration with, any Delaware legislative,
administrative or regulatory body under the laws or administrative regulations of the State of
Delaware.
(ix) Assuming that the Trust is treated as a grantor trust under the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, the holders of the Securities (other than those holders of Securities who reside
or are domiciled in the State of Delaware) will have no liability for income taxes imposed by the
State of Delaware solely as a result of their participation in the Trust, and the Trust will not be
liable for any income tax imposed by the State of Delaware.
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