EXHIBIT 4.3
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AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT
among
SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE, INCORPORATED,
as Depositor
FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK,
as Property Trustee
FIRST UNION TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Delaware Trustee
and
THE ADMINISTRATIVE TRUSTEES NAMED HEREIN
_________________________
Dated as of ________, 2000
_________________________
SOUTHERN STATES CAPITAL TRUST II
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I
Defined Terms
Section 1.1. Definitions...................................................... 2
ARTICLE II
Continuation of the Issuer Trust
Section 2.1. Name............................................................. 11
Section 2.2. Office of the Delaware Trustee; Principal Place of Business...... 11
Section 2.3. Initial Contribution of Trust Property; Organizational Expenses.. 12
Section 2.4. Issuance of the Capital Securities............................... 12
Section 2.5. Issuance of the Common Securities; Subscription
and Purchase of Debentures..................................... 12
Section 2.6. Continuation of Trust............................................ 13
Section 2.7. Authorization to Enter into Certain Transactions................. 13
Section 2.8. Assets of Trust.................................................. 17
Section 2.9. Title to Trust Property.......................................... 17
ARTICLE III
Payment Account
Section 3.1. Payment Account.................................................. 18
ARTICLE IV
Distributions; Redemption
Section 4.1. Distributions.................................................... 18
Section 4.2. Redemption....................................................... 19
Section 4.3. Subordination of Common Securities............................... 21
Section 4.4. Payment Procedures............................................... 22
Section 4.5. Tax Returns and Reports.......................................... 22
Section 4.6. Payment of Taxes, Duties, Etc. of the Issuer Trust............... 23
Section 4.7. Payments under Indenture or Pursuant to Direct Actions........... 23
ARTICLE V
Trust Securities Certificates
Section 5.1. Initial Ownership................................................ 23
Section 5.2. The Trust Securities Certificates................................ 23
Section 5.3. Execution and Delivery of Trust Securities Certificates.......... 24
Section 5.4. Book-Entry Capital Securities.................................... 24
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Section 5.5. Registration of Transfer and Exchange of
Capital Securities Certificates..................................... 26
Section 5.6. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Trust Securities Certificates... 28
Section 5.7. Persons Deemed Holders............................................... 28
Section 5.8. Access to List of Holders' Names and Addresses....................... 29
Section 5.9. Maintenance of Office or Agency...................................... 29
Section 5.10. Appointment of Paying Agents......................................... 29
Section 5.11. Ownership of Common Securities by Depositor.......................... 30
Section 5.12. Notices to Clearing Agency........................................... 30
Section 5.13. Rights of Holders; Waivers of Past Defaults.......................... 30
ARTICLE VI
Acts of Holders; Meetings; Voting
Section 6.1. Limitations on Voting Rights......................................... 32
Section 6.2. Notice of Meetings................................................... 33
Section 6.3. Meetings of Holders of the Capital Securities........................ 34
Section 6.4. Voting Rights........................................................ 34
Section 6.5. Proxies, etc......................................................... 34
Section 6.6. Holder Action by Written Consent..................................... 35
Section 6.7. Record Date for Voting and Other Purposes............................ 35
Section 6.8. Acts of Holders...................................................... 35
Section 6.9. Inspection of Records................................................ 36
ARTICLE VII
Representations and Warranties
Section 7.1. Representations and Warranties of the Property Trustee
and the Delaware Trustee............................................ 36
Section 7.2. Representations and Warranties of Depositor.......................... 38
ARTICLE VIII
The Issuer Trustees
Section 8.1. Certain Duties and Responsibilities.................................. 39
Section 8.2. Certain Notices...................................................... 41
Section 8.3. Certain Rights of Property Trustee................................... 42
Section 8.4. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities............... 44
Section 8.5. May Hold Securities.................................................. 44
Section 8.6. Compensation; Indemnity; Fees........................................ 44
Section 8.7. Corporate Property Trustee Required; Eligibility of Issuer Trustees.. 45
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Section 8.8. Conflicting Interests................................................. 46
Section 8.9. Co-Trustees and Separate Trustee...................................... 46
Section 8.10. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor..................... 48
Section 8.11. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor................................ 49
Section 8.12. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business........... 50
Section 8.13. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Depositor or Issuer Trust... 50
Section 8.14. Property Trustee May File Proofs of Claim............................. 50
Section 8.15. Reports by Property Trustee........................................... 51
Section 8.16. Reports to the Property Trustee....................................... 52
Section 8.17. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent...................... 52
Section 8.18. Number of Issuer Trustees............................................. 52
Section 8.19. Delegation of Power................................................... 52
Section 8.20. Appointment of Administrative Trustees................................ 53
ARTICLE IX
Dissolution, Liquidation and Merger
Section 9.1. Dissolution Upon Expiration Date...................................... 53
Section 9.2. Early Dissolution..................................................... 54
Section 9.3. Termination........................................................... 54
Section 9.4. Liquidation........................................................... 54
Section 9.5. Mergers, Consolidations, Amalgamations or
Replacements of Issuer Trust......................................... 56
ARTICLE X
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 10.1. Limitation of Rights of Holders....................................... 57
Section 10.2. Amendment............................................................. 57
Section 10.3. Separability.......................................................... 58
Section 10.4. Governing Law......................................................... 58
Section 10.5. Payments Due on Non-Business Day...................................... 59
Section 10.6. Successors............................................................ 59
Section 10.7. Headings.............................................................. 59
Section 10.8. Reports, Notices and Demands.......................................... 60
Section 10.9. Agreement Not to Petition............................................. 60
Section 10.10. Trust Indenture Act; Conflict with Trust Indenture Act................ 61
Section 10.11. Acceptance of Terms of Trust Agreement, Guarantee
Agreement and Indenture............................................. 61
Section 10.12. Submission to Jurisdiction; Service of Process........................ 62
Section 10.13. Counterparts.......................................................... 62
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Exhibit A Certificate of Trust
Exhibit B Form of Certificate Depository Agreement
Exhibit C Form of Common Securities Certificate
Exhibit D Form of Expense Agreement
Exhibit E Form of Capital Securities Certificate
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AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT, dated as of _________, 2000, among
(i) SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE, INCORPORATED, an agricultural cooperative
corporation organized under the laws of Virginia (including any successors or
assigns, the "Depositor"), (ii) FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK, a national banking
association, as property trustee (in such capacity, the "Property Trustee" and,
in its separate corporate capacity and not in its capacity as Property Trustee,
the "Bank"), (iii) FIRST UNION TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national
banking association, as Delaware trustee (in such capacity, the "Delaware
Trustee"), and (iv) XXXXXX X. XXXXXX, an individual, and XXXXXXXX X. XXXXXXX, an
individual, each of whose address is c/o Southern States Cooperative,
Incorporated, 0000 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000 (each an
"Administrative Trustee"), (the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the
Administrative Trustees being referred to collectively as the "Issuer
Trustees").
Witnesseth
Whereas, the Depositor and the Delaware Trustee have heretofore duly
declared and created a business trust pursuant to the Delaware Business Trust
Act by entering into the Trust Agreement, dated as of December __, 1999 (the
"Original Trust Agreement"), and by the execution and filing by the Delaware
Trustee with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of the Certificate
of Trust, filed on December __, 1999, attached as Exhibit A (the "Certificate of
Trust"); and
Whereas, the Depositor and the Issuer Trustees desire to amend and restate
the Original Trust Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein to provide for,
among other things, (i) the issuance of the Common Securities by the Issuer
Trust to the Depositor, (ii) the issuance and sale of the Capital Securities by
the Issuer Trust pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, (iii) the acquisition
by the Issuer Trust from the Depositor of all of the right, title and interest
in the Debentures, and (iv) the appointment of the Property Trustee and the
Administrative Trustees;
Now Therefore, in consideration of the agreements and obligations set forth
herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, each party, for the benefit of the
other parties and for the benefit of the Holders, hereby amends and restates the
Original Trust Agreement in its entirety and agrees as follows:
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ARTICLE I
Defined Terms
Section 1. Definitions.
For all purposes of this Trust Agreement, except as otherwise expressly
provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) The terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in
this Article, and include the plural as well as the singular;
(b) All other terms used herein that are defined in the Trust Indenture
Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them
therein;
(c) The words "include", "includes" and "including" shall be deemed to be
followed by the phrase "without limitation";
(d) All accounting terms used but not defined herein have the meanings
assigned to them in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting
principles;
(e) Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an "Article", a
"Section" or an "Exhibit" refers to an Article, a Section or an Exhibit, as the
case may be, of or to this Trust Agreement; and
(f) The words "hereby", "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder" and other words
of similar import refer to this Trust Agreement as a whole and not to any
particular Article, Section or other subdivision.
"Act" has the meaning specified in Section 6.8.
"Additional Distributions" means, with respect to Trust Securities of a
given Liquidation Amount and/or a given period, the amount of Additional
Interest (as defined in the Indenture) paid by the Depositor on a Like Amount of
Debentures for such period.
"Additional Sums" has the meaning specified in Section 10.6 of the
Indenture.
"Administrative Trustee" means each Person appointed in accordance with
Section 8.20 solely in such Person's capacity as Administrative Trustee of the
Issuer Trust heretofore created and continued hereunder and not in such Person's
individual capacity, or any successor Administrative Trustee appointed as herein
provided.
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"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to
direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.
"Applicable Procedures" means, with respect to any transfer or transaction
involving a Book-Entry Capital Security, the rules and procedures of the
Clearing Agency for such Book-Entry Capital Security, in each case to the extent
applicable to such transaction and as in effect from time to time.
"Bank" has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Trust Agreement.
"Bankruptcy Event" means, with respect to any Person:
(a) the entry of a decree or order by a court having jurisdiction in the
premises judging such Person a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly
filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjudication or
composition of or in respect of such Person under any applicable Federal or
State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or appointing
a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or other similar
official) of such Person or of any substantial part of its property or ordering
the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such
decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or
(b) the institution by such Person of proceedings to be adjudicated a
bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the institution of bankruptcy or
insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer
or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or
State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law, or the
consent by it to the filing of any such petition or to the appointment of a
receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of
such Person or of any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of
an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of
its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due and its willingness
to be adjudicated a bankrupt, or the taking of corporate action by such Person
in furtherance of any such action.
"Bankruptcy Laws" has the meaning specified in Section 10.9.
"Board of Directors" means the board of directors of the Depositor or the
Executive Committee of the board of directors of the Depositor (or any other
committee of the board of directors of the Depositor performing similar
functions) or a committee designated by the board of directors of the Depositor
(or any such committee), comprised of two or more members of the board of
directors of the Depositor or officers of the Depositor, or both.
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"Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate" means a Capital Securities
Certificate evidencing ownership of Book-Entry Capital Securities.
"Book-Entry Capital Security" means a Capital Security, the ownership and
transfers of which shall be made through book entries by a Clearing Agency as
described in Section 5.4.
"Business Day" means a day other than (a) a Saturday or Sunday, (b) a day
on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or required
by law or executive order to remain closed, or (c) a day on which the Property
Trustee's Corporate Trust Office or the Corporate Trust Office of the Debenture
Trustee is closed for business.
"Capital Security" means an undivided beneficial interest in the assets of
the Issuer Trust, having a Liquidation Amount of $25 and having the rights
provided therefor in this Trust Agreement, including the right to receive
Distributions and a Liquidation Distribution to the extent provided herein, and
designated as _____% Capital Securities.
"Capital Securities Certificate" means a certificate evidencing ownership
of Capital Securities, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit E.
"Certificate Depository Agreement" means the agreement among the Issuer
Trust, the Depositor and DTC, as the initial Clearing Agency, dated as of the
Closing Date, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B, as the same may
be amended and supplemented from time to time.
"Clearing Agency" means an organization registered as a "clearing agency"
pursuant to Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. DTC
will be the initial Clearing Agency.
"Clearing Agency Participant" means a broker, dealer, bank, other financial
institution or other Person for whom from time to time a Clearing Agency effects
book-entry transfers and pledges of securities deposited with the Clearing
Agency.
"Closing Date" means the Time of Delivery, which date is also the date of
execution and delivery of this Trust Agreement.
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to
time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or, if at any time after the
execution of this instrument such Securities and Exchange Commission is not
existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture
Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.
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"Common Securities Certificate" means a certificate evidencing ownership of
Common Securities, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit C.
"Common Security" means an undivided beneficial interest in the assets of
the Issuer Trust, having a Liquidation Amount of $25 and having the rights
provided therefor in this Trust Agreement, including the right to receive
Distributions and a Liquidation Distribution to the extent provided herein.
"Corporate Trust Office" means (i) when used with respect to the Property
Trustee, the principal office of the Property Trustee located in Richmond,
Virginia, and (ii) when used with respect to the Debenture Trustee, the
principal office of the Debenture Trustee located in Richmond, Virginia.
"Debenture Event of Default" means any "Event of Default" specified in
Section 5.1 of the Indenture.
"Debenture Redemption Date" means, with respect to any Debentures to be
redeemed under the Indenture, the date fixed for redemption of such Debentures
under the Indenture.
"Debenture Trustee" means the Person identified as the "Trustee" in the
Indenture, solely in its capacity as Trustee pursuant to the Indenture and not
in its individual capacity, or its successor in interest in such capacity, or
any successor Trustee appointed as provided in the Indenture.
"Debentures" means the Depositor's _____% Junior Subordinated Deferrable
Interest Debentures, Series A, issued pursuant to the Indenture.
"Definitive Capital Securities Certificates" means either or both (as the
context requires) of (i) Capital Securities Certificates issued as Book-Entry
Capital Securities Certificates as provided in Section 5.2 or 5.4, and (ii)
Capital Securities Certificates issued in certificated, fully registered form as
provided in Section 5.2, 5.4 or 5.5.
"Delaware Business Trust Act" means Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware
Code, 12 Del. Code (S) 3801 et seq., or any successor statute thereto, in each
case as amended from time to time.
"Delaware Trustee" means the Person identified as the "Delaware Trustee" in
the preamble to this Trust Agreement, solely in its capacity as Delaware Trustee
of the Issuer Trust heretofore created and continued hereunder and not in its
individual capacity, or its successor in interest in such capacity, or any
successor Delaware trustee appointed as herein provided.
"Depositor" has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Trust
Agreement.
"Distribution Date" has the meaning specified in Section 4.1(a).
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"Distributions" means amounts payable in respect of the Trust Securities as
provided in Section 4.1.
"DTC" means The Depository Trust Company.
"Early Termination Event" has the meaning specified in Section 9.2.
"Event of Default" means any one of the following events (whatever the
reason for such event and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be
effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any
court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental
body):
(a) the occurrence of a Debenture Event of Default; or
(b) default by the Issuer Trust in the payment of any Distribution
when it becomes due and payable, and continuation of such default for a
period of 30 days; or
(c) default by the Issuer Trust in the payment of any Redemption Price
of any Trust Security when it becomes due and payable; or
(d) default in the performance, or breach, in any material respect, of
any covenant or warranty of the Issuer Trustees in this Trust Agreement
(other than those specified in clause (b) or (c) above) and continuation of
such default or breach for a period of 60 days after there has been given,
by registered or certified mail, to the Issuer Trustees and to the
Depositor by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate Liquidation Amount of
the Outstanding Capital Securities a written notice specifying such default
or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a
"Notice of Default" hereunder; or
(e) the occurrence of a Bankruptcy Event with respect to the Property
Trustee if a successor Property Trustee has not been appointed within 90
days thereof.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and any successor
statute thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.
"Expense Agreement" means the Agreement as to Expenses and Liabilities,
dated as of the Closing Date, between Southern States Cooperative, Incorporated
and the Issuer Trust, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit D, as
amended from time to time.
"Expiration Date" has the meaning specified in Section 9.1.
"FUTC" means First Union Trust Company, National Association, a national
banking association.
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"Guarantee Agreement" means the Guarantee Agreement executed and delivered
by the Depositor and First Union National Bank, as guarantee trustee,
contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this Trust Agreement, for
the benefit of the Holders of the Capital Securities, as amended from time to
time.
"Holder" means a Person in whose name a Trust Security or Trust Securities
are registered in the Securities Register; any such Person shall be a beneficial
owner within the meaning of the Delaware Business Trust Act.
"Indenture" means the Junior Subordinated Indenture, dated as of _________,
2000, between the Depositor and the Debenture Trustee, as trustee, as amended or
supplemented from time to time.
"Investment Company Act" means the Investment Company Act of 1940, or any
successor statute thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.
"Issuer Trust" means the Delaware business trust known as "Southern States
Capital Trust II", which was created on December 1, 1999, under the Delaware
Business Trust Act pursuant to the Original Trust Agreement and is continued
pursuant to this Trust Agreement.
"Issuer Trustees" means, collectively, the Property Trustee, the Delaware
Trustee and the Administrative Trustees.
"Lien" means any lien, pledge, charge, encumbrance, mortgage, deed of
trust, adverse ownership interest, hypothecation, assignment, security interest
or preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement
of any kind or nature whatsoever.
"Like Amount" means (a) with respect to a redemption of any Trust
Securities, Trust Securities having a Liquidation Amount equal to the principal
amount of Debentures to be contemporaneously redeemed in accordance with the
Indenture, the proceeds of which will be used to pay the Redemption Price of
such Trust Securities, (b) with respect to a distribution of Debentures to
Holders of Trust Securities in connection with a dissolution or liquidation of
the Issuer Trust, Debentures having a principal amount equal to the Liquidation
Amount of the Trust Securities of the Holder to whom such Debentures are
distributed, and (c) with respect to any distribution of Additional
Distributions to Holders of Trust Securities, Debentures having a principal
amount equal to the Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities in respect of
which such distribution is made.
"Liquidation Amount" means the stated amount of $25 per Trust Security.
"Liquidation Date" means the date of the dissolution, winding-up or
termination of the Issuer Trust pursuant to Section 9.4.
"Liquidation Distribution" has the meaning specified in Section 9.4(d).
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"Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities" means, except as
provided by the Trust Indenture Act, Capital Securities representing more than
50% of the aggregate Liquidation Amount of all then Outstanding Capital
Securities.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the
Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, the President or one of the Executive Vice
Presidents, and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an
Assistant Secretary, of the Depositor, and delivered to the Issuer Trustees.
Any Officers' Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition
or covenant provided for in this Trust Agreement shall include:
(a) a statement by each officer signing the Officers' Certificate that
such officer has read the covenant or condition and the definitions
relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation undertaken by such officer in rendering the Officers'
Certificate;
(c) a statement that such officer has made such examination or
investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is necessary to enable such
officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant
or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of such officer, such
condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion of counsel, who may be counsel
for or an employee of the Depositor or any Affiliate of the Depositor.
"Optional Securities" has the meaning specified in the Underwriting
Agreement.
"Original Trust Agreement" has the meaning specified in the recitals to
this Trust Agreement.
"Outstanding", when used with respect to Trust Securities, means, as of the
date of determination, all Trust Securities theretofore executed and delivered
under this Trust Agreement, except:
(a) Trust Securities theretofore canceled by the Property Trustee or
delivered to the Property Trustee for cancellation;
(b) Trust Securities for whose redemption money in the necessary
amount has been theretofore deposited with the Property Trustee or any
Paying Agent; provided that, if such Trust Securities are to be redeemed,
notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Trust
Agreement; and
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(c) Trust Securities in exchange for or in lieu of which other
Capital Securities have been executed and delivered pursuant to Sections
5.4, 5.5, 5.6 and 5.11;
provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite
Liquidation Amount of the Outstanding Capital Securities have given any request,
demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, Capital
Securities owned by the Depositor, any Issuer Trustee or any Affiliate of the
Depositor or any Issuer Trustee shall be disregarded and deemed not to be
Outstanding, except that (a) in determining whether any Issuer Trustee shall be
protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction,
notice, consent or waiver, only Capital Securities that such Issuer Trustee
knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded, and (b) the foregoing clause (a)
shall not apply at any time when all of the Outstanding Capital Securities are
owned by the Depositor, one or more of the Issuer Trustees and/or any such
Affiliate. Capital Securities so owned that have been pledged in good faith may
be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the
Administrative Trustees the pledgee's right so to act with respect to such
Capital Securities and that the pledgee is not the Depositor or any Affiliate of
the Depositor.
"Owner" means each Person who is the beneficial owner of Book-Entry Capital
Securities as reflected in the records of the Clearing Agency or, if a Clearing
Agency Participant is not the Owner, then as reflected in the records of a
Person maintaining an account with such Clearing Agency (directly or indirectly,
in accordance with the rules of such Clearing Agency).
"Paying Agent" means any paying agent or co-paying agent appointed pursuant
to Section 5.10 and shall initially be the Bank.
"Payment Account" means a segregated non-interest-bearing corporate trust
account maintained by the Property Trustee with the Bank in its trust department
for the benefit of the Holders in which all amounts paid in respect of the
Debentures will be held and from which the Property Trustee, through the Paying
Agent, shall make payments to the Holders in accordance with Sections 4.1 and
4.2.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation,
estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, company,
limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or
any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever
nature.
"Property Trustee" means the Person identified as the "Property Trustee" in
the preamble to this Trust Agreement, solely in its capacity as Property Trustee
of the Issuer Trust heretofore created and continued hereunder and not in its
individual capacity, or its successor in interest in such capacity, or any
successor property trustee appointed as herein provided.
"Redemption Date" means, with respect to any Trust Security to be redeemed,
the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Trust Agreement;
provided that each Debenture
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Redemption Date and the stated maturity of the Debentures shall be a Redemption
Date for a Like Amount of Trust Securities.
"Redemption Price" means, with respect to any Trust Security, the
Liquidation Amount of such Trust Security, plus accumulated and unpaid
Distributions to the Redemption Date, plus the related amount of the premium, if
any, paid by the Depositor upon the concurrent redemption of a Like Amount of
Debentures.
"Relevant Trustee" has the meaning specified in Section 8.10.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, and any successor
statute thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.
"Securities Register" and "Securities Registrar" have the respective
meanings specified in Section 5.5.
"Successor Capital Securities" of any particular Capital Securities
Certificate means every Capital Securities Certificate issued after, and
evidencing all or a portion of the same beneficial interest in the Issuer Trust
as that evidenced by, such particular Capital Securities Certificate; and, for
the purposes of this definition, any Capital Securities Certificate executed and
delivered under Section 5.6 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated,
destroyed, lost or stolen Capital Securities Certificate shall be deemed to
evidence the same beneficial interest in the Issuer Trust as the mutilated,
destroyed, lost or stolen Capital Securities Certificate.
"Time of Delivery" has the meaning specified in the Underwriting Agreement.
"Trust Agreement" means this Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, as the
same may be modified, amended or supplemented in accordance with the applicable
provisions hereof, including (i) all Exhibits, and (ii) for all purposes of this
Trust Agreement and any such modification, amendment or supplement, the
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern
this Trust Agreement and any such modification, amendment or supplement,
respectively.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at
the date as of which this instrument was executed; provided, however, that if
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, "Trust Indenture
Act" means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture
Act of 1939 as so amended.
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"Trust Property" means (a) the Debentures, (b) any cash on deposit in, or
owing to, the Payment Account, and (c) all proceeds and rights in respect of the
foregoing and any other property and assets for the time being held or deemed to
be held by the Property Trustee pursuant to the trusts of this Trust Agreement.
"Trust Security" means any one of the Common Securities or the Capital
Securities.
"Trust Securities Certificate" means any one of the Common Securities
Certificates or the Capital Securities Certificates.
"Underwriting Agreement" means the Underwriting Agreement, dated as of
_________, 2000, among the Issuer Trust, the Depositor and the Underwriters, as
the same may be amended from time to time.
"Underwriters" has the meaning specified in the Underwriting Agreement and
Schedule I thereto.
ARTICLE II
Continuation of the Issuer Trust
Section 2.0. Name.
The trust continued hereby shall be known as "Southern States Capital Trust
II", as such name may be modified from time to time by the Administrative
Trustees following written notice to the Holders of Trust Securities and the
other Issuer Trustees, in which name the Issuer Trustees may conduct the
business of the Issuer Trust, make and execute contracts and other instruments
on behalf of the Issuer Trust and xxx and be sued.
Section 2.1. Office of the Delaware Trustee; Principal Place of Business.
The address of the Delaware Trustee in the State of Delaware is One Xxxxxx
Square, First Floor, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention:
Corporate Trust Administration, or such other address in the State of Delaware
as the Delaware Trustee may designate by written notice to the Holders, the
Depositor, the Property Trustee and the Administrative Trustees. The principal
executive office of the Issuer Trust is c/o Southern States Cooperative,
Incorporated, 0000 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention:
Chief Financial Officer.
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Section 2.2. Initial Contribution of Trust Property; Organizational
Expenses.
The Property Trustee acknowledges receipt in trust from the Depositor in
connection with the Original Trust Agreement of the sum of $10, which
constituted the initial Trust Property. The Depositor shall pay organizational
expenses of the Issuer Trust as they arise or shall, upon request of any Issuer
Trustee, promptly reimburse such Issuer Trustee for any such expenses paid by
such Issuer Trustee. The Depositor shall make no claim upon the Trust Property
for the payment of such expenses.
Section 2.3. Issuance of the Capital Securities.
As of __________, 2000, the Depositor, both on its own behalf and on behalf
of the Issuer Trust pursuant to the Original Trust Agreement, executed and
delivered the Underwriting Agreement. Contemporaneously with the execution and
delivery of this Trust Agreement, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the
Issuer Trust, shall manually execute in accordance with Sections 5.2 and 5.3,
and the Property Trustee shall deliver to the Underwriters, Capital Securities
Certificates, registered in the name of the nominee of the initial Clearing
Agency, evidencing an aggregate of 3,000,000 Capital Securities having an
aggregate Liquidation Amount of $75,000,000, against receipt of the aggregate
purchase price of such Capital Securities of $75,000,000 (plus accrued
Distributions, if any) by the Property Trustee. If the Underwriters purchase
any Optional Securities in accordance with the second paragraph of Section 1(a)
of the Underwriting Agreement, on the Second Clearing Date (as defined in the
Underwriting Agreement), an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Issuer
Trust, shall execute in accordance with Sections 5.2 and 5.3, and the Property
Trustee shall deliver to the Underwrites, deliver to the Underwriters, Capital
Securities Certificates, registered in the name of the nominee of the initial
Clearing Agency, evidencing an aggregate amount of up to 450,000 Capital
Securities having an aggregate Liquidation Amount of up to $11,250,000, against
receipt of the aggregate purchase price of such Capital Securities [of ____% of]
[equal to] the Liquidation Amount thereof [(plus accrued Distributions)] by the
Property Trustee.
Section 2.4. Issuance of the Common Securities; Subscription and Purchase
of Debentures.
Contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this Trust Agreement,
an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Issuer Trust, shall execute in
accordance with Sections 5.2 and 5.3, and the Property Trustee shall deliver to
the Depositor, Common Securities Certificates registered in the name of the
Depositor, evidencing an aggregate of 92,784 Common Securities having an
aggregate Liquidation Amount of $2,319,600, against receipt of the aggregate
purchase price of such Common Securities of $2,319,600 (plus accrued
Distributions, if any) by the Property Trustee. Contemporaneously therewith,
the Depositor shall issue and sell to the Issuer Trust, and the Issuer Trust
shall purchase from the Depositor, Debentures having an aggregate principal
amount equal to $77,319,600 registered in the name of the Property Trustee on
behalf of the Issuer Trust and, in satisfaction of the purchase price for such
Debentures, the Property Trustee, on behalf of the Issuer Trust, shall deliver
to the Depositor the sum of
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$77,319,600 (plus accrued Distributions, if any) (being the sum of the amounts
delivered to the Property Trustee pursuant to (i) the second sentence of Section
2.4, and (ii) the first sentence of this Section 2.5). If the Underwriters
purchase any Optional Securities in accordance with Section 1(a) of the
Underwriting Agreement, an Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Issuer
Trust, shall execute in accordance with Sections 5.2 and 5.3, and the Property
Trustee shall deliver to the Depositor, Common Securities Certificates,
registered in the name of the Depositor, evidencing Common Securities having an
aggregate Liquidation Amount of up to $347,940, against receipt of the aggregate
purchase price therefor by the Property Trustee. Contemporaneously therewith, an
Administrative Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall subscribe to and purchase
from the Depositor Debentures, registered in the name of the Trust and having an
aggregate principal amount of up to $11,597,940, and, in satisfaction of the
purchase price for such Debentures, the Property Trustee, on behalf of the
Trust, shall deliver to the Depositor the amount received by it pursuant to the
last sentence of Section 2.4 and the third sentence of this Section 2.5.
Section 2.5. Continuation of Trust.
The exclusive purposes and functions of the Issuer Trust are (a) to issue
and sell Trust Securities and use the proceeds from such sale to acquire the
Debentures, (b) to make Distributions to holders, and (c) to engage in only
those activities necessary or incidental thereto. The Depositor hereby appoints
the Issuer Trustees as trustees of the Issuer Trust, to have all the rights,
powers and duties to the extent set forth herein, and the respective Issuer
Trustees hereby accept such appointment. The Property Trustee hereby declares
that it will hold the Trust Property in trust upon and subject to the conditions
set forth herein for the benefit of the Issuer Trust and the Holders. The
Administrative Trustees shall have all rights, powers and duties set forth
herein and in accordance with applicable law. The Delaware Trustee shall not be
entitled to exercise any powers, nor shall the Delaware Trustee have any of the
duties and responsibilities, of the Property Trustee or the Administrative
Trustees set forth herein, except as required by the Delaware Business Trust
Act. The Delaware Trustee shall be one of the trustees of the Issuer Trust for
the sole and limited purpose of fulfilling the requirements of Section 3807 of
the Delaware Business Trust Act and for taking such actions as are required to
be taken by a Delaware trustee under the Delaware Business Trust Act.
Section 2.6. Authorization to Enter into Certain Transactions.
(a) The Issuer Trustees shall conduct the affairs of the Issuer Trust in
accordance with the terms of this Trust Agreement. Subject to the limitations
set forth in paragraph (b) of this Section 2.7, and in accordance with the
following provisions (i) and (ii), the Property Trustee and the Administrative
Trustees shall have the authority to enter into all transactions and agreements
determined by the Property Trustee and Administrative Trustees to be appropriate
in exercising the authority, express or implied, otherwise granted to such
Issuer Trustees, as the case may be, under this Trust Agreement, and to perform
all acts in furtherance thereof, including the following:
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(i) As among the Issuer Trustees, each Administrative Trustee, acting
individually or jointly, shall have the power and authority to act on
behalf of the Issuer Trust with respect to the following matters:
(A) the issuance and sale of the Trust Securities;
(B) causing the Issuer Trust to enter into, and to execute,
deliver and perform on behalf of the Issuer Trust, the Expense
Agreement and the Certificate Depository Agreement and such other
agreements as may be necessary or desirable in connection with the
purposes and function of the Issuer Trust;
(C) assisting in compliance with the registration of the Capital
Securities under the Securities Act and under applicable state
securities or blue sky laws and the qualification of this Trust
Agreement as a trust indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;
(D) assisting in listing the Capital Securities on the New York
Stock Exchange and such other securities exchange or exchanges as
shall be determined by the Depositor, in the registration of the
Capital Securities under the Exchange Act, and with the preparation
and in the filing of all periodic and other reports and other
documents pursuant to the foregoing;
(E) assisting in the sending of notices (other than notices of
default) and other information regarding the Trust Securities and the
Debentures to the Holders in accordance with this Trust Agreement;
(F) consenting to the appointment of a Paying Agent,
authenticating agent and Securities Registrar in accordance with this
Trust Agreement (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld);
(G) executing the Trust Securities on behalf of the Issuer Trust
in accordance with this Trust Agreement;
(H) executing and delivering closing certificates, if any,
pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement and an application for a
taxpayer identification number for the Issuer Trust;
(I) unless otherwise determined by the Property Trustee or
Holders of at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital
Securities or as otherwise required by the Delaware Business Trust Act
or the Trust Indenture Act, executing on behalf of the Issuer Trust
(either acting alone or together with any other Administrative
Trustee) any documents that the Administrative Trustees have the power
to execute pursuant to this Trust Agreement; and
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(J) taking any action incidental to the foregoing as the Issuer
Trustees may from time to time determine is necessary or advisable to
give effect to the terms of this Trust Agreement.
(ii) The Property Trustee shall have the power, duty and authority to
act on behalf of the Issuer Trust with respect to the following matters:
(A) establishing the Payment Account;
(B) receiving the Debentures;
(C) collecting interest, principal and any other payments made in
respect of the Debentures and the holding of such amounts in the
Payment Account;
(D) distributing through any Paying Agent amounts distributable
to the Holders in respect of the Trust Securities;
(E) exercising all of the rights, powers and privileges of a
holder of the Debentures;
(F) sending notices of default and other information regarding
the Trust Securities and the Debentures to the Holders in accordance
with this Trust Agreement;
(G) distributing the Trust Property in accordance with the terms
of this Trust Agreement;
(H) to the extent provided in this Trust Agreement, winding up
the affairs of and liquidating the Issuer Trust and preparing,
executing and filing the certificate of cancellation with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;
(I) after an Event of Default (other than under paragraph (b),
(c), (d) or (e) of the definition of such term if such Event of
Default is by or with respect to the Property Trustee) taking of any
action incidental to the foregoing as the Property Trustee may from
time to time determine is necessary or advisable to give effect to the
terms of this Trust Agreement and to protect and conserve the Trust
Property for the benefit of the Holders (without consideration of the
effect of any such action on any particular Holder); and
(J) performing any of the duties, liabilities, powers or the
authority of the Administrative Trustees set forth in Section
2.7(a)(i)(E), (F) and (J).
(b) So long as this Trust Agreement remains in effect, the Issuer Trust (or
the Issuer Trustees acting on behalf of the Issuer Trust) shall not undertake
any business, activities or
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transaction except as expressly provided herein or contemplated hereby. In
particular, the Issuer Trustees, acting in their capacity as such, shall not (i)
acquire any investments or engage in any activities not authorized by this Trust
Agreement, (ii) sell, assign, transfer, exchange, mortgage, pledge, set-off or
otherwise dispose of any of the Trust Property or interests therein, including
to Holders, except as expressly provided herein, (iii) take any action that
would reasonably be expected to cause the Issuer Trust to become taxable as a
corporation or classified as other than a grantor trust for United States
Federal income tax purposes, (iv) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or
issue any other debt, or (v) take or consent to any action that would result in
the placement of a Lien on any of the Trust Property. The Administrative
Trustees shall defend all claims and demands of all Persons at any time claiming
any Lien on any of the Trust Property adverse to the interest of the Issuer
Trust or the Holders in their capacity as Holders.
(c) In connection with the issue and sale of the Capital Securities, the
Depositor shall have the right and responsibility to assist the Issuer Trust
with respect to, or effect on behalf of the Issuer Trust, the following (and any
actions taken by the Depositor in furtherance of the following prior to the date
of this Trust Agreement are hereby ratified and confirmed in all respects):
(i) the preparation and filing by the Issuer Trust with the
Commission and the execution on behalf of the Issuer Trust of a
registration statement on the appropriate form in relation to the Capital
Securities, including any amendments thereto and the taking of any action
necessary or desirable to sell the Capital Securities in a transaction or a
series of transactions pursuant thereto;
(ii) the determination of the States, or other jurisdictions, if any,
in which to take appropriate action to qualify or register for sale all or
part of the Capital Securities and the determination of any and all such
acts, other than actions that must be taken by or on behalf of the Issuer
Trust, and the advice to the Issuer Trustees of actions they must take on
behalf of the Issuer Trust, and the preparation for execution and filing of
any documents to be executed and filed by the Issuer Trust or on behalf of
the Issuer Trust, as the Depositor deems necessary or advisable in order to
comply with the applicable laws of any such States in connection with the
sale of the Capital Securities;
(iii) the preparation for filing by the Issuer Trust and execution on
behalf of the Issuer Trust of any application to the New York Stock
Exchange or any other national stock exchange or the Nasdaq National Market
for listing upon notice of issuance of any Capital Securities;
(iv) the preparation for filing by the Issuer Trust with the
Commission and the execution on behalf of the Issuer Trust of any
registration statement on Form 8-A relating to Capital Securities under
Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments
thereto;
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(v) the negotiation of the terms of, and the execution and delivery
of, the Underwriting Agreement; and
(vi) the taking of any other actions necessary or desirable to carry
out any of the foregoing activities.
(d) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrative
Trustees are authorized and directed to conduct the affairs of the Issuer Trust
and to operate the Issuer Trust so that the Issuer Trust will not be deemed to
be an "investment company" required to be registered under the Investment
Company Act, and will not be taxable as a corporation or classified as other
than a grantor trust for United States Federal income tax purposes and so that
the Debentures will be treated as indebtedness of the Depositor for United
States Federal income tax purposes. In this connection, each Administrative
Trustee and the Holder of the Common Securities are authorized to take any
action, not inconsistent with applicable law, the Certificate of Trust or this
Trust Agreement, that such Administrative Trustee or Holder of the Common
Securities determines in its discretion to be necessary or desirable for such
purposes, as long as such action does not adversely affect in any material
respect the interests of the Holders of the Outstanding Capital Securities. In
no event shall the Issuer Trustees be liable to the Issuer Trust or the Holders
for any failure to comply with this section that results from a change in law or
regulation or in the interpretation thereof.
Section 2.7. Assets of Trust.
The assets of the Issuer Trust shall consist of the Trust Property.
Section 2.8. Title to Trust Property.
Legal title to all Trust Property shall be vested at all times in the
Property Trustee (in its capacity as such) and shall be held and administered by
the Property Trustee in trust for the benefit of the Issuer Trust and the
Holders in accordance with this Trust Agreement.
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ARTICLE III
Payment Account
Section 3.1. Payment Account.
(a) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Property Trustee shall establish
the Payment Account. The Property Trustee and its agents shall have exclusive
control and sole right of withdrawal with respect to the Payment Account for the
purpose of making deposits in and withdrawals from the Payment Account in
accordance with this Trust Agreement. All monies and other property deposited or
held from time to time in the Payment Account shall be held by the Property
Trustee in the Payment Account for the exclusive benefit of the Holders and for
distribution as herein provided, including (and subject to) any priority of
payments provided for herein.
(b) The Property Trustee shall deposit in the Payment Account, promptly
upon receipt, all payments of principal of or interest on, and any other
payments or proceeds with respect to, the Debentures. Amounts held in the
Payment Account shall not be invested by the Property Trustee pending
distribution thereof.
ARTICLE IV
Distributions; Redemption
Section 4.1. Distributions.
(a) The Trust Securities represent undivided beneficial interests in the
Trust Property, and Distributions (including any Additional Distributions) will
be made on the Trust Securities at the rate and on the dates that payments of
interest (including any Additional Interest, as defined in the Indenture) are
made on the Debentures. Accordingly:
(i) Distributions on the Trust Securities shall be cumulative, and
shall accumulate whether or not there are funds of the Issuer Trust
available for the payment of Distributions. Distributions shall accumulate
from __________, 2000, and, except in the event (and to the extent) that
the Depositor exercises its right to defer the payment of interest on the
Debentures pursuant to the Indenture, shall be payable quarterly in arrears
on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 of each year, commencing on
______ 1, 2000. If any date on which a Distribution is otherwise payable on
the Trust Securities is not a Business Day, then the payment of such
Distribution shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business
Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any such
delay), except that, if such next succeeding Business Day falls within the
next calendar year, such payment will be made on the immediately preceding
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Business Day, in each case, with the same force and effect as if made on
the date on which such payment was originally payable (each date on which
distributions are payable in accordance with this Section 4.1(a), a
"Distribution Date").
(ii) The Trust Securities shall be entitled to Distributions payable
at a rate, not including Additional Distributions, of _____% per annum of
the Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities. The amount of Distributions
payable for any period less than a full Distribution period shall be
computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months and the
actual number of days elapsed in a partial month in a period. Distributions
payable for each full Distribution period will be computed by dividing the
rate per annum by four. The amount of Distributions payable for any period
shall include any Additional Distributions in respect of such period.
(iii) Distributions on the Trust Securities shall be made by the
Property Trustee from the Payment Account and shall be payable on each
Distribution Date only to the extent that the Issuer Trust has funds then
on hand and available in the Payment Account for the payment of such
Distributions.
(b) Distributions on the Trust Securities with respect to a Distribution
Date shall be payable to the Holders thereof as they appear on the Securities
Register for the Trust Securities at the close of business on the relevant
record date, which shall be at the close of business on the fifteenth day
(whether or not a Business Day) next preceding the relevant Distribution Date.
Section 4.2. Redemption.
(a) On each Debenture Redemption Date and on the stated maturity of the
Debentures, the Issuer Trust will be required to redeem a Like Amount of Trust
Securities at the Redemption Price.
(b) Notice of redemption shall be given by the Property Trustee by first-
class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior
to the Redemption Date to each Holder of Trust Securities to be redeemed, at
such Holder's address appearing in the Security Register. All notices of
redemption shall state:
(i) the Redemption Date;
(ii) the Redemption Price;
(iii) the CUSIP number or CUSIP numbers of the Capital Securities
affected;
(iv) if less than all the Outstanding Trust Securities are to be
redeemed, the identification and the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the
particular Trust Securities to be redeemed;
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(v) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will become due
and payable upon each such Trust Security to be redeemed and that
Distributions thereon will cease to accumulate on and after such date,
except as provided in Section 4.2(d) below; and
(vi) the place or places where the Trust Securities are to be
surrendered for the payment of the Redemption Price.
The Issuer Trust in issuing the Trust Securities may use "CUSIP" numbers
(if then generally in use), and, if so, the Property Trustee shall indicate the
"CUSIP" numbers of the Trust Securities in notices of redemption and related
materials as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state
that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as
printed on the Trust Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption and
related materials.
(c) The Trust Securities redeemed on each Redemption Date shall be
redeemed at the Redemption Price with the proceeds from the contemporaneous
redemption of Debentures. Redemptions of the Trust Securities shall be made and
the Redemption Price shall be payable on each Redemption Date only to the extent
that the Issuer Trust has funds then on hand and available in the Payment
Account for the payment of such Redemption Price.
(d) If the Property Trustee gives a notice of redemption in respect of any
Capital Securities, then, by 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the Redemption
Date, subject to Section 4.2(c), the Property Trustee will, with respect to
Book-Entry Capital Securities, irrevocably deposit with the Clearing Agency for
such Book-Entry Capital Securities, to the extent available therefor, funds
sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption Price and will give such Clearing
Agency irrevocable instructions and authority to pay the Redemption Price to the
Holders of the Capital Securities. With respect to Capital Securities that are
not Book-Entry Capital Securities, the Property Trustee, subject to Section
4.2(c), will irrevocably deposit with the Paying Agent or Paying Agents, to the
extent available therefor, funds sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption
Price and will give the Paying Agent or Paying Agents irrevocable instructions
and authority to pay the Redemption Price to the Holders of the Capital
Securities upon surrender of their Capital Securities Certificates.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Distributions payable on or prior to the
Redemption Date for any Trust Securities called for redemption shall be payable
to the Holders of such Trust Securities as they appear on the Securities
Register on the relevant record dates for the related Distribution Dates. If
notice of redemption shall have been given and funds deposited as required, then
upon the date of such deposit, all rights of Holders holding Trust Securities so
called for redemption will cease, except the right of such Holders to receive
the Redemption Price and any Distribution payable in respect of the Trust
Securities on or prior to the Redemption Date, but without interest, and such
Securities will cease to be Outstanding. In the event that any date on which any
Redemption Price is payable is not a Business Day, then payment of the
Redemption Price payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day
that is a Business Day (without any interest or other payment in respect of any
such delay), except that, if such Business Day falls in the next
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calendar year, such payment will be made on the immediately preceding Business
Day, in each case, with the same force and effect as if made on such date. In
the event that payment of the Redemption Price in respect of any Trust
Securities called for redemption is improperly withheld or refused and not paid
either by the Issuer Trust or by the Depositor pursuant to the Guarantee
Agreement, Distributions on such Trust Securities will continue to accumulate,
as set forth in Section 4.1, from the Redemption Date originally established by
the Issuer Trust for such Trust Securities to the date such Redemption Price is
actually paid, in which case the actual payment date will be the date fixed for
redemption for purposes of calculating the Redemption Price.
(e) Subject to Section 4.3(a), if less than all the Outstanding Trust
Securities are to be redeemed on a Redemption Date, then the aggregate
Liquidation Amount of Trust Securities to be redeemed shall be allocated pro
rata to the Common Securities and the Capital Securities based upon the relative
aggregate Liquidation Amounts of such classes. The particular Capital Securities
to be redeemed shall be selected on a pro rata basis based upon their respective
aggregate Liquidation Amounts not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date
by the Property Trustee from the Outstanding Capital Securities not previously
called for redemption, provided that so long as the Capital Securities are in
book-entry-only form, such selection shall be made in accordance with the
customary procedures for the Clearing Agency for the Capital Securities. The
Property Trustee shall promptly notify the Securities Registrar in writing of
the Capital Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Capital
Securities selected for partial redemption, the Liquidation Amount thereof to be
redeemed. For all purposes of this Trust Agreement, unless the context otherwise
requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Capital Securities shall
relate, in the case of any Capital Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in
part, to the portion of the aggregate Liquidation Amount of Capital Securities
that has been or is to be redeemed.
Section 4.3. Subordination of Common Securities.
(a) Payment of Distributions (including any Additional Distributions) on,
the Redemption Price of, and the Liquidation Distribution in respect of the
Trust Securities, as applicable, shall be made, subject to Section 4.2(e), pro
rata among the Common Securities and the Capital Securities based on the
Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities; provided, however, that if on any
Distribution Date, Redemption Date or Liquidation Date any Event of Default
resulting from a Debenture Event of Default specified in Section 5.1(1) or
5.1(2) of the Indenture shall have occurred and be continuing, no payment of any
Distribution (including any Additional Distributions) on, Redemption Price of,
or Liquidation Distribution in respect of any Common Security, and no other
payment on account of the redemption, liquidation or other acquisition of Common
Securities, shall be made unless payment in full in cash of all accumulated and
unpaid Distributions (including any Additional Distributions) on all Outstanding
Capital Securities for all Distribution periods terminating on or prior thereto,
or in the case of payment of the Redemption Price the full amount of such
Redemption Price on all Outstanding Capital Securities then called for
redemption, or in the case of payment of the Liquidation Distribution the full
amount of such Liquidation Distribution on all Outstanding Capital Securities,
shall have been made or provided for, and all funds immediately available to the
Property Trustee shall first
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be applied to the payment in full in cash of all Distributions (including any
Additional Distributions) on, the Redemption Price of or the Liquidation
Distribution in respect of the Capital Securities then due and payable.
(b) In the case of the occurrence of any Event of Default resulting from
any Debenture Event of Default, the Holder of the Common Securities shall have
no right to act with respect to any such Event of Default under this Trust
Agreement until the effects of all such Events of Default with respect to the
Capital Securities have been cured, waived or otherwise eliminated. Until all
such Events of Default under this Trust Agreement with respect to the Capital
Securities have been so cured, waived or otherwise eliminated, the Property
Trustee shall act solely on behalf of the Holders of the Capital Securities and
not on behalf of the Holder of the Common Securities, and only the Holders of
the Capital Securities will have the right to direct the Property Trustee to act
on their behalf.
Section 4.4. Payment Procedures.
Payments of Distributions (including any Additional Distributions) or of
the Redemption Price, Liquidation Amount or any other amounts in respect of the
Capital Securities shall be made by check mailed to the address of the Person
entitled thereto as such address shall appear on the Securities Register or, if
the Capital Securities are held by a Clearing Agency, such Distributions shall
be made to the Clearing Agency in immediately available funds. Payments in
respect of the Common Securities shall be made in such manner as shall be
mutually agreed between the Property Trustee and the Holder of all the Common
Securities.
Section 4.5. Tax Returns and Reports.
The Administrative Trustees shall prepare (or cause to be prepared), at the
Depositor's expense, and file all United States Federal, state and local tax and
information returns and reports required to be filed by or in respect of the
Issuer Trust. In this regard, the Administrative Trustees shall (a) prepare and
file (or cause to be prepared and filed) all Internal Revenue Service forms
required to be filed in respect of the Issuer Trust in each taxable year of the
Issuer Trust, and (b) prepare and furnish (or cause to be prepared and
furnished) to each Holder all Internal Revenue Service forms required to be
provided by the Issuer Trust. The Administrative Trustees shall provide the
Depositor and the Property Trustee with a copy of all such returns and reports
promptly after such filing or furnishing. The Issuer Trustees shall comply with
United States Federal withholding and backup withholding tax laws and
information reporting requirements with respect to any payments to Holders under
the Trust Securities.
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Section 4.6. Payment of Taxes, Duties, Etc. of the Issuer Trust.
Upon receipt under the Debentures of Additional Sums, the Property Trustee
shall promptly pay any taxes, duties or governmental charges of whatsoever
nature (other than withholding taxes) imposed on the Issuer Trust by the United
States or any other taxing authority with respect to which such Additional Sums
were paid.
Section 4.7. Payments under Indenture or Pursuant to Direct Actions.
Any amount payable hereunder to any Holder of Capital Securities shall
be reduced by the amount of any corresponding payment such Holder has directly
received pursuant to Section 5.8 of the Indenture or Section 5.13 of this Trust
Agreement.
ARTICLE V
Trust Securities Certificates
Section 5.1. Initial Ownership.
Upon the creation of the Issuer Trust and the contribution by the Depositor
pursuant to Section 2.3 and until the issuance of the Trust Securities, and at
any time during which no Trust Securities are Outstanding, the Depositor shall
be the sole beneficial owner of the Issuer Trust.
Section 5.2. The Trust Securities Certificates.
(a) The Capital Securities Certificates shall be issued in fully registered
form in minimum denominations of $25 Liquidation Amount and integral multiples
thereof, and the Common Securities Certificates shall be issued in denominations
of $25 Liquidation Amount and integral multiples thereof. The Trust Securities
Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Issuer Trust by manual signature
of at least one Administrative Trustee. Trust Securities Certificates bearing
the manual signatures of individuals who were, at the time when such signatures
shall have been affixed, authorized to sign on behalf of the Issuer Trust, shall
be validly issued and entitled to the benefits of this Trust Agreement,
notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them shall have ceased to be so
authorized prior to the delivery of such Trust Securities Certificates or did
not hold such offices at the date of delivery of such Trust Securities
Certificates. A transferee of a Trust Securities Certificate shall become a
Holder, and shall be entitled to the rights and subject to the obligations of a
Holder hereunder, upon due registration of such Trust Securities Certificate in
such transferee's name pursuant to Section 5.5.
(b) Upon their original issuance, Capital Securities Certificates shall be
issued in the form of one or more Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificates
registered in the name of DTC, as Clearing Agency, or its nominee and deposited
with DTC or a custodian for DTC for credit by
23
DTC to the respective accounts of the Owners thereof (or such other accounts as
they may direct).
(c) A single Common Securities Certificate representing the Common
Securities shall be issued to the Depositor in the form of a definitive Common
Securities Certificate.
Section 5.3. Execution and Delivery of Trust Securities Certificates.
At the Time of Delivery, the Administrative Trustees shall cause Trust
Securities Certificates, in an aggregate Liquidation Amount as provided in
Sections 2.4 and 2.5, to be executed on behalf of the Issuer Trust and delivered
to or upon the written order of the Depositor, executed by an authorized officer
thereof, without further corporate action by the Depositor, in authorized
denominations.
Section 5.4. Book-Entry Capital Securities.
(a) Each Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate issued under this Trust
Agreement shall be registered in the name of the Clearing Agency or a nominee
thereof and delivered to such Clearing Agency or a nominee thereof or custodian
therefor, and each such Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate shall
constitute a single Capital Securities Certificate for all purposes of this
Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Trust Agreement, no Book-
Entry Capital Securities Certificate may be exchanged in whole or in part for
Capital Securities Certificates registered, and no transfer of a Book-Entry
Capital Securities Certificate in whole or in part may be registered, in the
name of any Person other than the Clearing Agency or a nominee thereof unless
(i) the Clearing Agency advises the Property Trustee in writing that the
Clearing Agency is no longer willing or able to properly discharge its
responsibilities with respect to the Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificates,
and the Property Trustee is unable to locate a qualified successor, (ii) the
Issuer Trust at its option advises the Clearing Agency in writing that it elects
to terminate the book-entry system through the Clearing Agency, or (iii) a
Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing. Upon the occurrence
of any event specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, the Property Trustee
shall notify the Clearing Agency and instruct the Clearing Agency to notify all
Owners of Book-Entry Capital Securities and the Administrative Trustees of the
occurrence of such event and of the availability of the Definitive Capital
Securities Certificates to Owners of the Capital Securities requesting the same.
(c) If any Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate is to be exchanged for
other Capital Securities Certificates or canceled in part, or if any other
Capital Securities Certificate is to be exchanged in whole or in part for Book-
Entry Capital Securities represented by a Book-Entry Capital Securities
Certificate, then either (i) such Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate
shall be so surrendered for exchange or cancellation as provided in this Article
V or (ii) the aggregate Liquidation Amount represented by such Book-Entry
Capital Securities Certificate shall be reduced, subject to Section 5.2, or
increased by an amount equal to that portion of the
24
Liquidation Amount represented by the Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate
to be so exchanged or canceled, or equal to that portion of the Liquidation
Amount represented by such other Capital Securities Certificates to be so
exchanged for Book-Entry Capital Securities represented thereby, as the case may
be, by means of an appropriate adjustment made on the records of the Securities
Registrar with notice to the Property Trustee, whereupon the Property Trustee,
in accordance with the Applicable Procedures, shall instruct the Clearing Agency
or its authorized representative to make a corresponding adjustment to its
records. Upon any such surrender or adjustment of a Book-Entry Capital
Securities Certificate by the Clearing Agency, accompanied by registration
instructions, the Administrative Trustees, or any one of them, shall, subject to
Section 5.5(b) and as otherwise provided in this Article V, execute the
Definitive Capital Securities Certificates issuable in exchange for such Book-
Entry Capital Securities Certificate (or any portion thereof) in accordance with
the instructions of the Clearing Agency. None of the Securities Registrar or the
Property Trustee or the Administrative Trustees shall be liable for any delay in
delivery of such instructions and may conclusively rely on, and shall be
protected in relying on, such instructions. Upon the issuance of Definitive
Capital Securities Certificates, the Issuer Trustees shall recognize the Holders
of the Definitive Capital Securities as Holders. The Definitive Capital
Securities Certificates shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or may be
produced in any other manner as is reasonably acceptable to the Administrative
Trustees, as evidenced by the execution thereof by the Administrative Trustees
or any one of them.
(d) Every Capital Securities Certificate executed and delivered upon
registration of transfer of, or in exchange for or in lieu of, a Book-Entry
Capital Securities Certificate or any portion thereof, whether pursuant to this
Article V or Section 4.2 or otherwise, shall be executed and delivered in the
form of, and shall be, a Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate, unless such
Capital Securities Certificate is registered in the name of a Person other than
the Clearing Agency or a nominee thereof.
(e) The Clearing Agency or its nominee, as registered owner of a Book-Entry
Capital Securities Certificate, shall be the Holder of such Book-Entry Capital
Securities Certificate for all purposes under this Trust Agreement and the
Capital Securities, and Owners with respect to a Book-Entry Capital Securities
Certificate shall hold such interests pursuant to the Applicable Procedures. The
Securities Registrar and the Property Trustee or the Administrative Trustees
shall be entitled to deal with the Clearing Agency for all purposes of this
Trust Agreement relating to the Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificates
(including the payment of the Liquidation Amount of and Distributions on the
Book-Entry Capital Securities represented thereby and the giving of instructions
or directions by or to Owners of Book-Entry Capital Securities represented
thereby) as the sole Holder of the Book-Entry Capital Securities represented
thereby and shall have no obligations to the Owners thereof. None of the
Depositor, the Issuer Trustees nor the Securities Registrar shall have any
liability in respect of any transfers effected by the Clearing Agency.
(f) The rights of the Owners of the Book-Entry Capital Securities shall be
exercised only through the Clearing Agency and shall be limited to those
established by law, the Applicable
25
Procedures and agreements between such Owners and the Clearing Agency and/or the
Clearing Agency Participants. Solely for the purposes of determining whether the
Holders of the requisite amount of Capital Securities have voted on any matter
provided for in this Trust Agreement, so long as Definitive Capital Securities
Certificates have not been issued in certificated fully registered form, the
Property Trustee and the Administrative Trustees may conclusively rely on, and
shall be protected in relying on, any written instrument (including a proxy)
delivered to such Issuer Trustees by the Clearing Agency setting forth the
Holders' votes or assigning the right to vote on any matter to any other Persons
either in whole or in part. Pursuant to the Certificate Depository Agreement,
unless and until Definitive Capital Securities Certificates are issued pursuant
to Section 5.4(b), the initial Clearing Agency will make book-entry transfers
among the Clearing Agency Participants and receive and transmit payments on the
Capital Securities to such Clearing Agency Participants, and neither of the
Depositor nor the Issuer Trustees shall have any responsibility or obligation
with respect thereto.
Section 5.5. Registration of Transfer and Exchange of Capital Securities
Certificates.
(a) The Property Trustee shall keep or cause to be kept, at the office or
agency maintained pursuant to Section 5.9, a register or registers (the
"Securities Register") in which the registrar and transfer agent with respect to
the Trust Securities (the "Securities Registrar"), subject to such reasonable
regulations as it may prescribe, shall provide for the registration of Capital
Securities Certificates and (subject to Section 5.11) Common Securities
Certificates and of transfers and exchanges of Capital Securities Certificates
as herein provided. The Property Trustee is hereby appointed Securities
Registrar for the purpose of registering Capital Securities Certificates and
(subject to Section 5.11) Common Securities and transfers and exchanges thereof
as provided herein.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Capital Securities
Certificate at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 5.9, the
Administrative Trustees or any one of them shall execute and deliver to the
Property Trustee, and the Property Trustee shall deliver, in the name of the
designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Capital Securities
Certificates in authorized denominations of a like aggregate Liquidation Amount,
dated the date of execution by such Administrative Trustee or Trustees.
At the option of the Holder, Capital Securities Certificates may be
exchanged for other Capital Securities Certificates of the same series of any
authorized denominations, of like tenor and aggregate Liquidation Amount, and
bearing a number not contemporaneously Outstanding, upon surrender of the
Capital Securities Certificates to be exchanged at such office or agency.
Whenever any Capital Securities Certificates are so surrendered for exchange,
the Administrative Trustees or any one of them shall execute and deliver to the
Property Trustee, and the Property Trustee shall deliver, the Capital Securities
Certificates that the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
All Capital Securities issued upon any transfer or exchange of Capital
Securities shall evidence the same interest in the assets of the Issuer Trust,
and be entitled to the same benefits
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under this Trust Agreement, as the Capital Securities surrendered upon such
transfer or exchange.
The Securities Registrar shall not be required, (i) to issue, register the
transfer of or exchange any Capital Security during a period beginning at the
opening of business 15 days before the day of selection for redemption of such
Capital Securities pursuant to Article IV and ending at the close of business on
the day of mailing of the notice of redemption, or (ii) to register the transfer
of or exchange any Capital Security so selected for redemption in whole or in
part, except, in the case of any such Capital Security to be redeemed in part,
any portion thereof not to be redeemed.
Every Capital Securities Certificate presented or surrendered for
registration of transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed, or be accompanied
by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to an Administrative
Trustee and the Securities Registrar duly executed by the Holder or such
Holder's attorney duly authorized in writing. Each Capital Securities
Certificate surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall be
canceled and subsequently disposed of by the Property Trustee in accordance with
its customary practice.
No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or
exchange of Capital Securities Certificates, but the Issuer Trust may require
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be
imposed in connection with any transfer or exchange of Capital Securities
Certificates.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Trust Agreement, transfers
and exchanges of Capital Securities Certificates and Book-Entry Capital
Securities shall be made only in accordance with this Section 5.5(b).
(i) Non-Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate to Book-Entry
-----------------------------------------------------------
Capital Securities Certificate. If the Holder of a Capital Securities
------------------------------
Certificate (other than a Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate) wishes
at any time to transfer all or any portion of such Capital Securities
Certificate to a Person who wishes to take delivery thereof in the form of
a beneficial interest in a Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate, such
transfer may be effected only in accordance with the provisions of this
Clause (b)(i) and subject to the Applicable Procedures. Upon receipt by the
Securities Registrar of such Capital Securities Certificate as provided in
Section 5.5(a) and instructions satisfactory to the Securities Registrar
directing that a specified number of Book-Entry Capital Securities to be
represented by such Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate not greater
than the number of Capital Securities represented by such Capital
Securities Certificate be credited to a specified Clearing Agency
Participant's account, then the Securities Registrar shall cancel such
Capital Securities Certificate (and issue a new Capital Securities
Certificate in respect of any untransferred portion thereof) as provided in
Section 5.5(a) and increase the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Book-
Entry Capital Securities Certificate by the Liquidation Amount of such
Capital Securities so transferred as provided in Section 5.4(c).
27
(ii) Non-Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate to Non-Book-Entry
---------------------------------------------------------------
Capital Securities Certificate. A Capital Securities Certificate that is
------------------------------
not a Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate may be transferred, in
whole or in part, to a Person who takes delivery in the form of another
Capital Securities Certificate that is not a Book-Entry Capital Securities
Certificate as provided in Section 5.5(a).
(iii) Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate to Non-Book-Entry
-----------------------------------------------------------
Capital Securities Certificate. A beneficial interest in a Book-Entry
------------------------------
Capital Securities Certificate may be exchanged for a Capital Securities
Certificate that is not a Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate as
provided in Section 5.4.
Section 5.6. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Trust Securities
Certificates.
If (a) any mutilated Trust Securities Certificate shall be surrendered to
the Securities Registrar, or if the Securities Registrar shall receive evidence
to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Trust Securities
Certificate, and (b) there shall be delivered to the Securities Registrar and
the Administrative Trustees such security or indemnity as may be required by
them to save each of them harmless, then in the absence of notice that such
Trust Securities Certificate shall have been acquired by a protected purchaser,
the Administrative Trustees, or any one of them, on behalf of the Issuer Trust
shall execute and make available for delivery, in exchange for or in lieu of any
such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Trust Securities Certificate, a new
Trust Securities Certificate of like class, tenor and denomination. In
connection with the issuance of any new Trust Securities Certificate under this
Section 5.6, the Administrative Trustees or the Securities Registrar may require
the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge
that may be imposed in connection therewith. Any duplicate Trust Securities
Certificate issued pursuant to this Section 5.6 shall constitute conclusive
evidence of an undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Issuer Trust
corresponding to that evidenced by the lost, stolen or destroyed Trust
Securities Certificate, as if originally issued, whether or not the lost, stolen
or destroyed Trust Securities Certificate shall be found at any time.
Section 5.7. Persons Deemed Holders.
The Issuer Trustees and the Securities Registrar shall each treat the
Person in whose name any Trust Securities Certificate shall be registered in the
Securities Register as the owner of such Trust Securities Certificate for the
purpose of receiving Distributions and for all other purposes whatsoever, and
none of the Issuer Trustees and the Securities Registrar shall be bound by any
notice to the contrary.
Section 5.8. Access to List of Holders' Names and Addresses.
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Each Holder and each Owner shall be deemed to have agreed not to hold the
Depositor or the Issuer Trustees accountable by reason of the disclosure of its
name and address, regardless of the source from which such information was
derived.
Section 5.9. Maintenance of Office or Agency.
The Property Trustee shall designate, with the consent of the
Administrative Trustees, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, an
office or offices or agency or agencies where Capital Securities may be
surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and
demands to or upon the Issuer Trustees in respect of the Trust Securities
Certificates may be served. The Property Trustee initially designates the
Corporate Trust Office, Attention: Corporate Trust Group, as its office and
agency for such purposes. The Property Trustee shall give prompt written notice
to the Depositor, the Administrative Trustees and to the Holders of any change
in the location of the Securities Register or any such office or agency.
Section 5.10. Appointment of Paying Agents.
The Paying Agent or Agents shall make Distributions to Holders from the
Payment Account and shall report the amounts of such Distributions to the
Property Trustee and the Administrative Trustees. Any Paying Agent shall have
the revocable power to withdraw funds from the Payment Account solely for the
purpose of making the Distributions referred to above. The Administrative
Trustees may revoke such power and remove the Paying Agent in its sole
discretion. The Paying Agent shall initially be the Bank and any co-paying agent
chosen by the Property Trustee and acceptable to the Administrative Trustees and
the Depositor. Any Person acting as Paying Agent shall be permitted to resign as
Paying Agent upon 30 days' written notice to the Administrative Trustees and the
Property Trustee. If the Bank shall no longer be the Paying Agent or a successor
Paying Agent shall resign or its authority to act be revoked, the Administrative
Trustees shall appoint a successor (which shall be a bank or trust company) that
is reasonably acceptable to the Depositor to act as Paying Agent. Such successor
Paying Agent or any additional Paying Agent shall execute and deliver to the
Issuer Trustees an instrument in which such successor Paying Agent or additional
Paying Agent shall agree with the Issuer Trustees that as Paying Agent, such
successor Paying Agent or additional Paying Agent will hold all sums, if any,
held by it for payment to the Holders in trust for the benefit of the Holders
entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Holders. The Paying Agent
shall return all unclaimed funds to the Property Trustee and upon removal of a
Paying Agent such Paying Agent shall also return all funds in its possession to
the Property Trustee. The provisions of Sections 8.1, 8.3 and 8.6 herein shall
apply to the Bank also in its role as Paying Agent, for so long as the Bank
shall act as Paying Agent and, to the extent applicable, to any other paying
agent appointed hereunder. Any reference in this Agreement to the Paying Agent
shall include any co-paying agent unless the context requires otherwise.
Section 5.11. Ownership of Common Securities by Depositor.
29
At the Time of Delivery, the Depositor shall acquire, and thereafter shall
retain, beneficial and record ownership of the Common Securities. Neither the
Depositor nor any successor Holder of the Common Securities may transfer less
than all the Common Securities (except in connection with a redemption thereof),
and the Depositor or any such successor Holder may transfer the Common
Securities only (i) in connection with a consolidation or merger of the
Depositor into another corporation, or any conveyance, transfer or lease by the
Depositor of its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any
Person, pursuant to Section 8.1 of the Indenture, or (ii) to the Depositor or an
Affiliate of the Depositor in compliance with applicable law (including the
Securities Act and applicable state securities and blue sky laws). To the
fullest extent permitted by law, any attempted transfer of the Common Securities
other than as set forth in the next proceeding sentence shall be void. The
Administrative Trustees shall cause each Common Securities Certificate issued to
the Depositor to contain a legend stating substantially "THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT
TRANSFERABLE EXCEPT TO THE DEPOSITOR OR AN AFFILIATE OF THE DEPOSITOR IN
COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND SECTION 5.11 OF THE TRUST AGREEMENT."
Section 5.12. Notices to Clearing Agency.
To the extent that a notice or other communication to the Holders is
required under this Trust Agreement, for so long as Capital Securities are
represented by a Book-Entry Capital Securities Certificate, the Issuer Trustees
shall give all such notices and communications specified herein to be given to
the Clearing Agency, and shall have no obligations to the Owners.
Section 5.13. Rights of Holders; Waivers of Past Defaults.
(a) The legal title to the Trust Property is vested exclusively in the
Property Trustee (in its capacity as such) in accordance with Section 2.9, and
the Holders shall not have any right or title therein other than the undivided
beneficial interest in the assets of the Issuer Trust conferred by their Trust
Securities and they shall have no right to call for any partition or division of
property, profits or rights of the Issuer Trust except as described below. The
Trust Securities shall be personal property giving only the rights specifically
set forth therein and in this Trust Agreement. The Trust Securities shall have
no preemptive or similar rights and when issued and delivered to Holders against
payment of the purchase price therefor will be fully paid and nonassessable by
the Issuer Trust. The Holders of the Trust Securities, in their capacities as
such, shall 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.
(b) For so long as any Capital Securities remain Outstanding, if, upon a
Debenture Event of Default, the Debenture Trustee fails or the holders of not
less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Debentures fail to declare
the principal of all of the Debentures to be immediately due and payable, the
Holders of at least 25% in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities then
Outstanding shall have the right to make such declaration by a notice in writing
to the Property Trustee, the Depositor and the Debenture Trustee.
30
At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to the
Debentures has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the
money due has been obtained by the Debenture Trustee as provided in the
Indenture, if the Property Trustee fails to annul any such declaration and waive
such default, the Holders of at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the
Capital Securities, by written notice to the Property Trustee, the Depositor and
the Debenture Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its
consequences if:
(i) the Depositor has paid or deposited with the Debenture Trustee a
sum sufficient to pay
(A) all overdue installments of interest on all of the
Debentures,
(B) any accrued Additional Interest (as defined in the Indenture)
on all of the Debentures,
(C) the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any Debentures
that have become due otherwise than by such declaration of
acceleration and interest and Additional Interest thereon at the rate
borne by the Debentures, and
(D) all sums paid or advanced by the Debenture Trustee under the
Indenture and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and
advances of the Debenture Trustee and the Property Trustee, their
agents and counsel; and
(ii) all Events of Default with respect to the Debentures, other than
the non-payment of the principal of the Debentures that has become due
solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in
Section 5.13 of the Indenture.
The Holders of at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital
Securities may, on behalf of the Holders of all the Trust Securities, waive any
past default or Event of Default under the Indenture, except a default or Event
of Default in the payment of principal or interest (unless such default or Event
of Default has been cured and a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments
of interest and principal due otherwise than by acceleration has been deposited
with the Debenture Trustee) or a default or Event of Default in respect of a
covenant or provision that under the Indenture cannot be modified or amended
without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Debenture. No such
rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent
thereon.
Upon receipt by the Property Trustee of written notice declaring such an
acceleration, or rescission and annulment thereof, by Holders of any part of the
Capital Securities, a record date shall be established for determining Holders
of Outstanding Capital Securities entitled to join in such notice, which record
date shall be at the close of business on the day the Property Trustee receives
such notice. The Holders on such record date, or their duly designated proxies,
and only
31
such Persons, shall be entitled to join in such notice, whether or not such
Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided, that, unless such
declaration of acceleration, or rescission and annulment, as the case may be,
shall have become effective by virtue of the requisite percentage having joined
in such notice prior to the day that is 90 days after such record date, such
notice of declaration of acceleration, or rescission and annulment, as the case
may be, shall automatically and without further action by any Holder be canceled
and of no further effect. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent a Holder, or a
proxy of a Holder, from giving, after expiration of such 90-day period, a new
written notice of declaration of acceleration, or rescission and annulment
thereof, as the case may be, that is identical to a written notice that has been
canceled pursuant to the proviso to the preceding sentence, in which event a new
record date shall be established pursuant to the provisions of this Section
5.13(b).
(c) For so long as any Capital Securities remain Outstanding, to the
fullest extent permitted by law and subject to the terms of this Trust Agreement
and the Indenture, upon a Debenture Event of Default specified in Section 5.1(1)
or 5.1(2) of the Indenture, any Holder of Capital Securities shall have the
right to institute a proceeding directly against the Depositor, pursuant to
Section 5.8 of the Indenture, for enforcement of payment to such Holder of any
amounts payable in respect of Debentures having an aggregate principal amount
equal to the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities of such
Holder (a "Direct Action"). Except as set forth in Section 5.13(b) and this
Section 5.13(c), the Holders of Capital Securities shall have no right to
exercise directly any right or remedy available to the holders of, or in respect
of, the Debentures.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this
Section 5.13, the Holders of at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the
Capital Securities may, on behalf of the Holders of all the Trust Securities,
waive any past default or Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such
waiver, any such default or Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any
default or Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been
cured, for every purpose of this Trust Agreement, but no such waiver shall
extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any
right consequent thereon.
ARTICLE VI
Acts of Holders; Meetings; Voting
Section 6.1. Limitations on Voting Rights.
(a) Except as expressly provided in this Trust Agreement and in the
Indenture and as otherwise required by law, no Holder of Capital Securities
shall have any right to vote or in any manner otherwise control the
administration, operation and management of the Issuer Trust or the obligations
of the parties hereto, nor shall anything herein set forth, or contained in the
terms of the Trust Securities Certificates, be construed so as to constitute the
Holders from time to time as partners or members of an association.
32
(b) So long as any Debentures are held by the Property Trustee on behalf of
the Issuer Trust, the Property Trustee shall not (i) direct the time, method and
place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Debenture
Trustee, or execute any trust or power conferred on the Property Trustee with
respect to the Debentures, (ii) waive any past default that may be waived under
Section 5.13 of the Indenture, (iii) exercise any right to rescind or annul a
declaration that the principal of all the Debentures shall be due and payable,
or (iv) consent to any amendment, modification or termination of the Indenture
or the Debentures, where such consent shall be required, without, in each case,
obtaining the prior approval of the Holders of at least a Majority in
Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities, provided, however, that where a
consent under the Indenture would require the consent of each Holder of
Debentures affected thereby, no such consent shall be given by the Property
Trustee without the prior written consent of each Holder of Capital Securities.
The Property Trustee shall not revoke any action previously authorized or
approved by a vote of the Holders of the Capital Securities, except by a
subsequent vote of the Holders of the Capital Securities. The Property Trustee
shall notify all Holders of the Capital Securities of any notice of default
received with respect to the Debentures. In addition to obtaining the foregoing
approvals of the Holders of the Capital Securities, prior to taking any of the
foregoing actions, the Issuer Trustees shall, at the expense of the Depositor,
obtain an Opinion of Counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that such
action shall not cause the Issuer Trust to be taxable as a corporation or
classified as other than a grantor trust for United States Federal income tax
purposes.
(c) If any proposed amendment to this Trust Agreement provides for, or the
Issuer Trustees otherwise propose to effect, (i) any action that would adversely
affect in any material respect the powers, preferences or special rights of the
Capital Securities, whether by way of amendment to this Trust Agreement or
otherwise, or (ii) the dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Issuer
Trust, other than pursuant to the terms of this Trust Agreement, then the
Holders of Outstanding Capital Securities as a class will be entitled to vote on
such amendment or proposal and such amendment or proposal shall not be effective
except with the approval of the Holders of at least a Majority in Liquidation
Amount of the Capital Securities. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Trust Agreement, no amendment to this Trust Agreement may be made if, as a
result of such amendment, it would cause the Issuer Trust to be taxable as a
corporation or classified as other than a grantor trust for United States
Federal income tax purposes.
Section 6.2. Notice of Meetings.
Notice of all meetings of the Holders of the Capital Securities, stating
the time, place and purpose of the meeting, shall be given by the Property
Trustee pursuant to Section 10.8 to each Holder of Capital Securities, at such
Holder's registered address, at least 15 days and not more than 90 days before
the meeting. At any such meeting, any business properly before the meeting may
be so considered whether or not stated in the notice of the meeting. Any
adjourned meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice.
33
Section 6.3. Meetings of Holders of the Capital Securities.
No annual meeting of Holders is required to be held. The Administrative
Trustees, however, shall call a meeting of the Holders of the Capital Securities
to vote on any matter upon the written request of the Holders of at least 25% in
aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Outstanding Capital Securities and the
Administrative Trustees or the Property Trustee may, at any time in their
discretion, call a meeting of the Holders of the Capital Securities to vote on
any matters as to which such Holders are entitled to vote.
The Holders of at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital
Securities, present in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at any
meeting of the Holders of the Capital Securities.
If a quorum is present at a meeting, an affirmative vote by the Holders
present, in person or by proxy, holding Capital Securities representing at least
a majority of the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities held by
the Holders present, either in person or by proxy, at such meeting shall
constitute the action of the Holders of the Capital Securities, unless this
Trust Agreement requires a greater number of affirmative votes.
Section 6.4. Voting Rights.
Holders shall be entitled to one vote for each $25 of Liquidation Amount
represented by their Outstanding Trust Securities in respect of any matter as to
which such Holders are entitled to vote.
Section 6.5. Proxies, etc.
At any meeting of Holders, any Holder entitled to vote thereat may vote by
proxy, provided that no proxy shall be voted at any meeting unless it shall have
been placed on file with the Administrative Trustees, or with such other officer
or agent of the Issuer Trust as the Administrative Trustees may direct, for
verification prior to the time at which such vote shall be taken. Pursuant to a
resolution of the Property Trustee, proxies may be solicited in the name of the
Property Trustee or one or more officers of the Property Trustee. Only Holders
of record shall be entitled to vote. When Trust Securities are held jointly by
several persons, any one of them may vote at any meeting in person or by proxy
in respect of such Trust Securities, but if more than one of them shall be
present at such meeting in person or by proxy, and such joint owners or their
proxies so present disagree as to any vote to be cast, such vote shall not be
received in respect of such Trust Securities. A proxy purporting to be executed
by or on behalf of a Holder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior
to its exercise, and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the
challenger. No proxy shall be valid more than three years after its date of
execution.
Section 6.6. Holder Action by Written Consent.
34
Any action that may be taken by Holders of Capital Securities at a meeting
may be taken without a meeting if Holders holding at least a Majority in
Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities entitled to vote in respect of such
action (or such larger proportion thereof as shall be required by any other
provision of this Trust Agreement) shall consent to the action in writing. Any
action that may be taken by the Holder of all the Common Securities may be taken
if such Holder shall consent to the action in writing.
Section 6.7. Record Date for Voting and Other Purposes.
For the purposes of determining the Holders who are entitled to notice of
and to vote at any meeting or by written consent, or to participate in any
distribution on the Trust Securities in respect of which a record date is not
otherwise provided for in this Trust Agreement, or for the purpose of any other
action, the Administrative Trustees may from time to time fix a date, not more
than 90 days prior to the date of any meeting of Holders or the payment of a
distribution or other action, as the case may be, as a record date for the
determination of the identity of the Holders of record for such purposes.
Section 6.8. Acts of Holders.
Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or
other action provided or permitted by this Trust Agreement to be given, made or
taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of
substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly
appointed in writing; and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, such
action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered
to an Administrative Trustee. Such instrument or instruments (and the action
embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the
"Act" of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution
of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be
sufficient for any purpose of this Trust Agreement and (subject to Section 8.1)
conclusive in favor of the Issuer Trustees, if made in the manner provided in
this Section 6.8.
The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or
writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a
certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take
acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument
or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by
a signer acting in a capacity other than such signer's individual capacity, such
certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of such signer's
authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing,
or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any
other manner that any Issuer Trustee receiving the same deems sufficient.
The ownership of Trust Securities shall be proved by the Securities
Register.
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Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or
other Act of the Holder of any Trust Security shall bind every future Holder of
the same Trust Security and the Holder of every Trust Security issued upon the
registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in
respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Issuer Trustees,
the Depositor or the Issuer Trust in reliance thereon, whether or not notation
of such action is made upon such Trust Security.
Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled hereunder to take any
action hereunder with regard to any particular Trust Security may do so with
regard to all or any part of the Liquidation Amount of such Trust Security or by
one or more duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such
appointment with regard to all or any part of such Liquidation Amount.
If any dispute shall arise among the Holders or the Issuer Trustees with
respect to the authenticity, validity or binding nature of any request, demand,
authorization, direction, consent, waiver or other Act of such Holder or Issuer
Trustee under this Article VI, then the determination of such matter by the
Property Trustee shall be conclusive with respect to such matter.
Section 6.9. Inspection of Records.
Upon reasonable notice to the Administrative Trustees and the Property
Trustee, the records of the Issuer Trust shall be open to inspection by Holders
(and other Issuer Trustees) during normal business hours for any purpose
reasonably related to such Holder's interest as a Holder (or such Issuer
Trustee's service as a Trustee hereunder).
ARTICLE VII
Representations and Warranties
Section 7.1. Representations and Warranties of the Property Trustee and
the Delaware Trustee.
The Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee, each severally on behalf of
and as to itself, hereby represents and warrants for the benefit of the
Depositor and the Holders that:
(a) the Property Trustee is a national banking association, duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the United States;
(b) the Property Trustee has full corporate power, authority and legal
right to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement
and has taken all necessary action to authorize the execution, delivery and
performance by it of this Trust Agreement;
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(c) FUTC is a national banking association, duly formed and validly
existing under the laws of the United States and satisfies for the Issuer Trust
the requirements of Section 3807(a) of the Delaware Business Trust Act;
(d) FUTC has full corporate power, authority and legal right to execute,
deliver and perform its obligations under this Trust Agreement and has taken all
necessary action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by it of
this Trust Agreement;
(e) this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee and constitutes the valid and
legally binding agreement of each of the Property Trustee and the Delaware
Trustee enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms, subject
to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and
similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights
and to general equity principles (regardless of whether considered in a
proceeding at law or in equity);
(f) the execution, delivery and performance of this Trust Agreement have
been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other action on the part of
the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee and do not require any approval of
stockholders of the Property Trustee and the Delaware Trustee and such
execution, delivery and performance will not (i) violate the Charter or By-laws
of the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, (ii) violate any provision of,
or constitute, with or without notice or lapse of time, a default under, or
result in the creation or imposition of, any Lien on any properties included in
the Trust Property pursuant to the provisions of, any indenture, mortgage,
credit agreement, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Property
Trustee or the Delaware Trustee is a party or by which it is bound, or (iii)
violate any law, governmental rule or regulation of the United States or the
State of Delaware, as the case may be, governing the banking, trust or general
powers of the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee (as appropriate in
context) or any order, judgment or decree applicable to the Property Trustee or
the Delaware Trustee;
(g) none of the authorization, execution or delivery by the Property
Trustee or the Delaware Trustee of this Trust Agreement nor the consummation of
any of the transactions by the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as
appropriate in context, contemplated herein requires the consent or approval of,
the giving of notice to, the registration with or the taking of any other action
with respect to any governmental authority or agency under any existing law of
the United States or the State of Delaware governing the banking, trust or
general powers of the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case may
be; and
(h) there are no proceedings pending or, to the best of each of the
Property Trustee's and the Delaware Trustee's knowledge, threatened against or
affecting the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee in any court or before
any governmental authority, agency or arbitration board or tribunal that,
individually or in the aggregate, would materially and adversely affect the
Issuer Trust or would question the right, power and authority of the Property
Trustee or the Delaware
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Trustee, as the case may be, to enter into or perform its obligations as one of
the Issuer Trustees under this Trust Agreement.
Section 7.2. Representations and Warranties of Depositor.
The Depositor hereby represents and warrants for the benefit of the Holders
that:
(a) the Trust Securities Certificates issued on behalf of the Issuer Trust
have been duly authorized and will have been duly and validly executed, issued
and delivered by the Issuer Trustees pursuant to the terms and provisions of,
and in accordance with the requirements of, this Trust Agreement and the Holders
will be, as of such date, entitled to the benefits of this Trust Agreement; and
(b) there are no taxes, fees or other governmental charges payable by the
Issuer Trust (or the Issuer Trustees on behalf of the Issuer Trust) under the
laws of the State of Delaware or any political subdivision thereof in connection
with the execution, delivery and performance by either Issuer Trustee of this
Trust Agreement.
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ARTICLE VIII
The Issuer Trustees
Section 8.1. Certain Duties and Responsibilities.
(a) The duties and responsibilities of the Issuer Trustees shall be as
provided by this Trust Agreement and, in the case of the Property Trustee, by
the Trust Indenture Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to Section
8.1(c), no provision of this Trust Agreement shall require any of the Issuer
Trustees to expend or risk its or their own funds or otherwise incur any
financial liability in the performance of any of its or their duties hereunder,
or in the exercise of any of its or their rights or powers, if it or they shall
have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate
indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it or
them. Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this
Trust Agreement relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or
affording protection to the Issuer Trustees shall be subject to the provisions
of this Section 8.1. Nothing in this Trust Agreement shall be construed to
release an Administrative Trustee from liability for his or her own gross
negligent action, his or her own gross negligent failure to act, or his or her
own wilful misconduct. To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Issuer
Trustee has duties and liabilities relating to the Issuer Trust or to the
Holders, such Issuer Trustee shall not be liable to the Issuer Trust or to any
Holder for such Issuer Trustee's good faith reliance on the provisions of this
Trust Agreement. The provisions of this Trust Agreement, to the extent that they
restrict the duties and liabilities of the Issuer Trustees otherwise existing at
law or in equity, are agreed by the Depositor and the Holders to replace such
other duties and liabilities of the Issuer Trustees.
(b) All payments made by the Property Trustee or a Paying Agent in respect
of the Trust Securities shall be made only from the revenue and proceeds from
the Trust Property and only to the extent that there shall be sufficient revenue
or proceeds from the Trust Property to enable the Property Trustee or a Paying
Agent to make payments in accordance with the terms hereof. Each Holder, by its
acceptance of a Trust Security, agrees that it will look solely to the revenue
and proceeds from the Trust Property to the extent legally available for
distribution to it as herein provided and that the Issuer Trustees are not
personally liable to it for any amount distributable in respect of any Trust
Security or for any other liability in respect of any Trust Security. This
Section 8.1(b) does not limit the liability of the Issuer Trustees expressly set
forth elsewhere in this Trust Agreement or, in the case of the Property Trustee,
in the Trust Indenture Act.
(c) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Property
Trustee shall enforce this Trust Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.
(d) The Property Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default and
after the curing of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall
undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this
Trust Agreement (including pursuant to Section 10.10), and no implied covenants
shall be read into this Trust Agreement against the Property Trustee. If an
Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to
Section 5.13),
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the Property Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it
by this Trust Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its
exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the
circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(e) No provision of this Trust Agreement shall be construed to relieve the
Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee from liability for its own negligent
action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own wilful misconduct, except
that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the
curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Property Trustee shall be
determined solely by the express provisions of this Trust Agreement
(including pursuant to Section 10.10), and the Property Trustee shall
not be liable except for the performance of such duties and
obligations as are specifically set forth in this Trust Agreement
(including pursuant to Section 10.10); and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Property
Trustee, the Property Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth
of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed
therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Property
Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Trust Agreement;
but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any
provision hereof or of the Trust Indenture Act are specifically
required to be furnished to the Property Trustee, the Property Trustee
shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not
they conform to the requirements of this Trust Agreement.
(ii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any error of
judgment made in good faith by an authorized officer of the Property
Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Property Trustee was negligent
in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
(iii) the Property Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any
action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with
the direction of the Holders of at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount
of the Capital Securities relating to the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Property Trustee,
or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Property Trustee under
this Trust Agreement;
(iv) the Property Trustee's sole duty with respect to the custody,
safe keeping and physical preservation of the Debentures and the Payment
Account shall be to deal with such Property in a similar manner as the
Property Trustee deals with similar property for its own account, subject
to the protections and limitations on liability afforded to the Property
Trustee under this Trust Agreement and the Trust Indenture Act;
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(v) the Property Trustee shall not be liable for any interest on any
money received by it except as it may otherwise agree with the Depositor;
and money held by the Property Trustee need not be segregated from other
funds held by it except in relation to the Payment Account maintained by
the Property Trustee pursuant to Section 3.1 and except to the extent
otherwise required by law;
(vi) the Property Trustee shall not be responsible for monitoring the
compliance by the Administrative Trustees or the Depositor with their
respective duties under this Trust Agreement, nor shall the Property
Trustee be liable for the default or misconduct of any other Issuer Trustee
or the Depositor; and
(vii) No provision of this Trust Agreement shall require the Property
Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal
financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the
exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Property Trustee shall have
reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or
liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Trust
Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
(f) The Administrative Trustees shall not be responsible for monitoring the
compliance by the Issuer Trustees or the Depositor with their respective duties
under this Trust Agreement, nor shall either Administrative Trustee be liable
for the default or misconduct of any other Issuer Trustee or the Depositor. The
Delaware Trustee shall not be responsible for monitoring compliance by the
Property Trustee, the Administrative Trustees or the Depositor with their
respective duties under this Trust Agreement, nor shall the Delaware Trustee be
liable for the default or misconduct of any other Issuer Trustee or the
Depositor.
Section 8.2. Certain Notices.
Within five Business Days after the occurrence of any Event of Default
actually known to the Property Trustee, the Property Trustee shall transmit, in
the manner and to the extent provided in Section 10.8, notice of such Event of
Default to the Holders and the Administrative Trustee, unless such Event of
Default shall have been cured or waived.
Within five Business Days after the receipt of notice of the Depositor's
exercise of its right to defer the payment of interest on the Debentures
pursuant to the Indenture, the Property Trustee shall transmit, in the manner
and to the extent provided in Section 10.8, notice of such exercise to the
Holders and the Administrative Trustees, unless such exercise shall have been
revoked.
The Property Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of
Default unless the Property Trustee shall have received written notice, or an
officer of the Property Trustee charged with the administration of this Trust
Agreement shall have obtained actual knowledge, of such Event of Default.
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Section 8.3. Certain Rights of Property Trustee.
Subject to the provisions of Section 8.1:
(a) the Property Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or
refraining from acting in good faith upon any resolution, Opinion of Counsel,
certificate, written representation of a Holder or transferee, certificate of
auditors or any other certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
notice, request, consent, order, appraisal, bond, debenture, note, other
evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;
(b) if (i) in performing its duties under this Trust Agreement the Property
Trustee is required to decide between alternative courses of action, (ii) in
construing any of the provisions of this Trust Agreement the Property Trustee
finds the same ambiguous or inconsistent with any other provisions contained
herein, or (iii) the Property Trustee is unsure of the application of any
provision of this Trust Agreement, then, except as to any matter as to which the
Holders of the Capital Securities are entitled to vote under the terms of this
Trust Agreement, the Property Trustee shall deliver a notice to the Depositor
requesting the Depositor's opinion as to the course of action to be taken and
the Property Trustee shall take such action, or refrain from taking such action,
as the Property Trustee shall be instructed in writing to take, or to refrain
from taking, by the Depositor; provided, however, that if the Property Trustee
does not receive such instructions of the Depositor within ten Business Days
after it has delivered such notice, or such reasonably shorter period of time
set forth in such notice (which to the extent practicable shall not be less than
two Business Days), it may, but shall be under no duty to, take or refrain from
taking such action not inconsistent with this Trust Agreement as it shall deem
advisable and in the best interests of the Holders, in which event the Property
Trustee shall have no liability except for its own bad faith, negligence or
wilful misconduct;
(c) any direction or act of the Depositor contemplated by this Trust
Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers' Certificate;
(d) any direction or act of an Administrative Trustee contemplated by this
Trust Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by a certificate executed by
such Administrative Trustee and setting forth such direction or act;
(e) the Property Trustee shall have no duty to see to any recording, filing
or registration of any instrument (including any financing or continuation
statement or any filing under tax or securities laws) or any rerecording,
refiling or re-registration thereof;
(f) the Property Trustee may consult with counsel (which counsel may be
counsel to the Depositor or any of its Affiliates, and may include any of its
employees) and the advice of such counsel shall be full and complete
authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted
by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon and in accordance with
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such advice; the Property Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek
instructions concerning the administration of this Trust Agreement from any
court of competent jurisdiction;
(g) the Property Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of
the rights or powers vested in it by this Trust Agreement at the request or
direction of any of the Holders pursuant to this Trust Agreement, unless such
Holders shall have offered to the Property Trustee reasonable security or
indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by
it in compliance with such request or direction; provided that, nothing
contained in this Section 8.3(g) shall be taken to relieve the Property Trustee,
upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise the
rights and powers vested in it by this Trust Agreement;
(h) the Property Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into
the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, bond,
debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document,
unless requested in writing to do so by one or more Holders, but the Property
Trustee may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or
matters as it may see fit;
(i) the Property Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder
or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through its agents or
attorneys, provided that the Property Trustee shall be responsible for its own
negligence, bad faith or wilful misconduct with respect to selection of any
agent or attorney appointed by it hereunder;
(j) whenever in the administration of this Trust Agreement the Property
Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to
enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Property
Trustee (i) may request instructions from the Holders (which instructions may
only be given by the Holders of the same proportion in Liquidation Amount of the
Trust Securities as would be entitled to direct the Property Trustee under the
terms of the Trust Securities in respect of such remedy, right or action), (ii)
may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action
until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in acting in
accordance with such instructions; and
(k) except as otherwise expressly provided by this Trust Agreement, the
Property Trustee shall not be under any obligation to take any action that is
discretionary under the provisions of this Trust Agreement.
No provision of this Trust Agreement shall be deemed to impose any duty or
obligation on any Issuer Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any
right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it, in any jurisdiction
in which it shall be illegal, or in which it shall be unqualified or incompetent
in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts, or to
exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or
authority available to any Issuer Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
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Section 8.4. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities.
The recitals contained herein and in the Trust Securities Certificates
shall be taken as the statements of the Depositor and the Issuer Trust, and the
Issuer Trustees do not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The
Issuer Trustees shall not be accountable for the use or application by the
Depositor of the proceeds of the Debentures.
The Property Trustee may conclusively assume that any funds held by it
hereunder are legally available unless an officer of the Property Trustee
assigned to its Corporate Trust division shall have received written notice from
the Depositor, any Holder or any other Issuer Trustee that such funds are not
legally available.
Section 8.5. May Hold Securities.
Any Issuer Trustee or any agent of any Issuer Trustee or the Issuer Trust,
in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of
Trust Securities and, subject to Sections 8.8 and 8.13 and, except as provided
in the definition of the term "Outstanding" in Article I, may otherwise deal
with the Issuer Trust with the same rights it would have if it were not an
Issuer Trustee or such agent.
Section 8.6. Compensation; Indemnity; Fees.
The Depositor agrees:
(a) to pay to each Issuer Trustee and Paying Agent from time to time such
reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder as may be
agreed by the Depositor and such Issuer Trustee or Paying Agent, as the case may
be, from time to time (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision
of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);
(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse each Issuer
Trustee and Paying Agent upon request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements
and advances incurred or made by it in accordance with any provision of this
Trust Agreement (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and
disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement
or advance as may be attributable to its own negligence, bad faith or wilful
misconduct; and
(c) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to indemnify and
hold harmless (i) each Issuer Trustee (individually and as an Issuer Trustee),
(ii) each Paying Agent, (iii) any Affiliate of any Issuer Trustee (individually
and as an Issuer Trustee), (iv) any officer, director, shareholder, employee,
representative or agent of any Issuer Trustee (individually and as an Issuer
Trustee) and (v) any employee or agent of the Issuer Trust (referred to herein
as an "Indemnified Person") from and against any loss, damage, liability, tax,
penalty, expense or claim of any kind or nature whatsoever incurred by such
Indemnified Person by reason of the
44
creation, operation or termination of the Issuer Trust or any act or omission
performed or omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith on behalf of the
Issuer Trust and in a manner such Indemnified Person believed in good faith to
be within the scope of authority conferred on such Indemnified Person by this
Trust Agreement, except that no Indemnified Person shall be entitled to be
indemnified in respect of any loss, damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified
Person by reason of its own negligence, bad faith or wilful misconduct with
respect to such acts or omissions.
(d) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the parties intend
that Section 3561 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code shall not apply to the Issuer
Trust and that compensation payable to any Issuer Trustee pursuant to this
Section 8.6 not be subject to review by any court under Section 3560 of Title 12
of the Delaware Code or otherwise.
The provisions of this Section 8.6 shall survive the termination of this
Trust Agreement and the resignation or removal of any Issuer Trustee.
No Issuer Trustee or Paying Agent may claim any Lien on any Trust Property
as a result of any amount due pursuant to this Section 8.6.
The Depositor, any Issuer Trustee (subject to Section 8.8(a)) and any
Paying Agent may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures of
any nature or description, independently or with others, similar or dissimilar
to the business of the Issuer Trust, and the Issuer Trust and the Holders of
Trust Securities shall have no rights by virtue of this Trust Agreement in and
to such independent ventures or the income or profits derived therefrom, and the
pursuit of any such venture, even if competitive with the business of the Issuer
Trust, shall not be deemed wrongful or improper. Neither the Depositor, any
Paying Agent nor any Issuer Trustee shall be obligated to present any particular
investment or other opportunity to the Issuer Trust even if such opportunity is
of a character that, if presented to the Issuer Trust, could be taken by the
Issuer Trust, and the Depositor, any Issuer Trustee or any Paying Agent shall
have the right to take for its own account (individually or as a partner or
fiduciary) or to recommend to others any such particular investment or other
opportunity. Any Issuer Trustee or Paying Agent may engage or be interested in
any financial or other transaction with the Depositor or any Affiliate of the
Depositor, or may act as depository for, trustee or agent for, or act on any
committee or body of holders of, securities or other obligations of the
Depositor or its Affiliates.
Section 8.7. Corporate Property Trustee Required; Eligibility of Issuer
Trustees.
(a) There shall at all times be a Property Trustee hereunder with respect
to the Trust Securities. The Property Trustee shall be a Person that is a
national or state chartered bank and eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture
Act to act as such, and that has at the time of such appointment securities
rated in one of the three highest rating categories by a nationally recognized
statistical rating organization and a combined capital and surplus of at least
$50,000,000. If any such Person publishes reports of condition at least
annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining
authority, then for the purposes of this
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Section 8.7 and to the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the combined
capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital
and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If
at any time the Property Trustee with respect to the Trust Securities shall
cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 8.7, it
shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified
in this Article. At the time of appointment, the Property Trustee must have
securities rated in one of the three highest rating categories by a nationally
recognized statistical rating organization.
(b) There shall at all times be one or more Administrative Trustees
hereunder with respect to the Trust Securities. Each Administrative Trustee
shall be either a natural person who is at least 21 years of age or a legal
entity that shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind that
entity.
(c) There shall at all times be a Delaware Trustee hereunder with respect
to the Trust Securities. The Delaware Trustee shall either be (i) a natural
person who is at least 21 years of age and a resident of the State of Delaware,
or (ii) a legal entity with its principal place of business in the State of
Delaware and that otherwise meets the requirements of applicable Delaware law
and that shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind such entity.
Section 8.8. Conflicting Interests.
(a) If the Property Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest
within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Property Trustee shall either
eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by,
and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Trust
Agreement.
(b) The Guarantee Agreement and the Indenture shall be deemed to be
specifically described in this Trust Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of
the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 8.9. Co-Trustees and Separate Trustee.
Unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, at any
time or times, for the purpose of meeting the legal requirements of the Trust
Indenture Act or of any jurisdiction in which any part of the Trust Property may
at the time be located, Depositor and the Administrative Trustees, by agreed
action of the majority of them shall have power to appoint, and upon the written
request of the Administrative Trustee and the Depositor shall for such purpose
join with the Administrative Trustees in the execution, delivery, and
performance of all instruments and agreements necessary or proper to appoint,
one or more Persons approved by the Property Trustee either to act as co-
trustee, jointly with the Property Trustee, of all or any part of such Trust
Property, or to the extent required by law to act as separate trustee of any
such property, in either case with such powers as may be provided in the
instrument of appointment, and to vest in such Person or Persons in the capacity
aforesaid, any property, title, right or power deemed necessary or desirable,
subject to the other provisions of this Section 8.9. Any co-trustee
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or separate trustee appointed pursuant to this Section 8.9 shall either be (i) a
natural person who is at least 21 years of age and a resident of the United
States, or (ii) a legal entity with its principal place of business in the
United States that shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind such
entity. If an Event of Default under the Indenture shall have occurred and be
continuing, the Property Trustee alone shall have the power to make such
appointment.
Should any written instrument from the Depositor be required by any co-
trustee or separate trustee so appointed for more fully confirming to such co-
trustee or separate trustee such property, title, right, or power, any and all
such instruments shall, on request, be executed, acknowledged and delivered by
the Depositor.
Every co-trustee or separate trustee shall, to the extent permitted by law,
but to such extent only, be appointed subject to the following terms, namely:
(a) The Trust Securities shall be executed by one or more Administrative
Trustees, and the Trust Securities shall be delivered by the Property Trustee,
and all rights, powers, duties, and obligations hereunder in respect of the
custody of securities, cash and other personal property held by, or required to
be deposited or pledged with, the Property Trustee specified hereunder shall be
exercised solely by the Property Trustee and not by such co-trustee or separate
trustee.
(b) The rights, powers, duties, and obligations hereby conferred or imposed
upon the Property Trustee in respect of any property covered by such appointment
shall be conferred or imposed upon and exercised or performed by the Property
Trustee or by the Property Trustee and such co-trustee or separate trustee
jointly, as shall be provided in the instrument appointing such co-trustee or
separate trustee, except to the extent that under any law of any jurisdiction in
which any particular act is to be performed, the Property Trustee shall be
incompetent or unqualified to perform such act, in which event such rights,
powers, duties and obligations shall be exercised and performed by such co-
trustee or separate trustee.
(c) The Property Trustee at any time, by an instrument in writing executed
by it, with the written concurrence of the Depositor, may accept the resignation
of or remove any co-trustee or separate trustee appointed under this Section
8.9, and, in case a Debenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing,
the Property Trustee shall have power to accept the resignation of, or remove,
any such co-trustee or separate trustee without the concurrence of the
Depositor. Upon the written request of the Property Trustee, the Depositor shall
join with the Property Trustee in the execution, delivery and performance of all
instruments and agreements necessary or proper to effectuate such resignation or
removal. A successor to any co-trustee or separate trustee so resigning or
removed may be appointed in the manner provided in this Section 8.9.
(d) No co-trustee or separate trustee hereunder shall be personally liable
by reason of any act or omission of the Property Trustee or any other trustee
hereunder.
(e) The Property Trustee shall not be liable by reason of any act of a co-
trustee or separate trustee.
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(f) Any Act of Holders delivered to the Property Trustee shall be deemed to
have been delivered to each such co-trustee and separate trustee.
Section 8.10. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.
No resignation or removal of any Issuer Trustee (the "Relevant Trustee")
and no appointment of a successor Issuer Trustee pursuant to this Article shall
become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Issuer
Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11.
Subject to the immediately preceding paragraph, the Relevant Trustee may
resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Holders. If the
instrument of acceptance by the successor Issuer Trustee required by Section
8.11 shall not have been delivered to the Relevant Trustee within 60 days after
the giving of such notice of resignation, the Relevant Trustee may petition, at
the expense of the Depositor, any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a successor Relevant Trustee.
Unless a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing,
any Issuer Trustee may be removed at any time by Act of the Holder of the Common
Securities. If a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, or both of them, may
be removed at such time by Act of the Holders of a Majority in Liquidation
Amount of the Capital Securities, delivered to the Relevant Trustee (in its
individual capacity and, in the case of the Property Trustee, on behalf of the
Issuer Trust). An Administrative Trustee may only be removed by the Holder of
the Common Securities and may be so removed at any time.
If any Issuer Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of
acting as Issuer Trustee, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of any
Issuer Trustee for any cause, at a time when no Debenture Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing, the Holder of the Common Securities, by Act
delivered to the retiring Issuer Trustee, shall promptly appoint a successor
Issuer Trustee or Issuer Trustees, and such successor Issuer Trustee shall
comply with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11. If the Property Trustee
or the Delaware Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of
continuing to act as the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee, as the case
may be, at a time when a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, the Holders of Capital Securities, by Act of the Holders of a
Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities delivered to the
retiring Relevant Trustee, shall promptly appoint a successor Relevant Trustee
or Trustees, and such successor Issuer Trustee shall comply with the applicable
requirements of Section 8.11. If an Administrative Trustee shall resign, be
removed or become incapable of acting as Administrative Trustee, at a time when
a Debenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Holder
of the Common Securities by Act delivered to the Administrative Trustee shall
promptly appoint a successor Administrative Trustee or Administrative Trustees
and such successor Administrative Trustee or Trustees shall comply with the
applicable requirements of Section
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8.11. If no successor Relevant Trustee shall have been so appointed by the
Holder of the Common Securities or the Holders of a Majority in Liquidation
Amount of the Capital Securities, as the case may be, and accepted appointment
in the manner required by Section 8.11, any Holder who has been a Holder of
Trust Securities for at least six months may, on behalf of such Holder and all
others similarly situated, or any other Issuer Trustee, may petition any court
of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Relevant Trustee.
The Property Trustee shall give notice of each resignation and each removal
of an Issuer Trustee and each appointment of a successor Issuer Trustee to all
Holders in the manner provided in Section 10.8 and shall give notice to the
Depositor. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Relevant Trustee
and the address of its Corporate Trust Office if it is the Property Trustee.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Trust
Agreement, if any Delaware Trustee who is a natural person dies or becomes, in
the opinion of the Depositor, incompeent or incapacitated, the vacancy created
by such death, incompetence or incapacity may be filled by (a) the unanimous act
of the remaining Administrative Trustees if there are at least two of them or
(b) otherwise by the Depositor (with the successor in either case being a Person
who satisfies the eligibility requirement for the Delaware Trustee set forth in
Section 8.7).
Section 8.11. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.
In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Relevant Trustee, the
retiring Relevant Trustee and each successor Relevant Trustee with respect to
the Trust Securities shall execute and deliver an amendment hereto wherein each
successor Relevant Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (a) shall
contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and
confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Relevant Trustee all the rights,
powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Relevant Trustee with respect to the
Trust Securities and the Issuer Trust, and (b) shall add to or change any of the
provisions of this Trust Agreement as shall be necessary to provide for or
facilitate the administration of the Issuer Trust by more than one Relevant
Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such amendment shall
constitute such Relevant Trustees co-trustees and upon the execution and
delivery of such amendment the resignation or removal of the retiring Relevant
Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such
successor Relevant Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall
become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring
Relevant Trustee; but, on request of the Issuer Trust or any successor Relevant
Trustee such retiring Relevant Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver
to such successor Relevant Trustee all Trust Property, all proceeds thereof and
money held by such retiring Relevant Trustee hereunder with respect to the Trust
Securities and the Issuer Trust.
Upon request of any Issuer Trustee or any such successor Relevant Trustee,
the retiring Relevant Trustee or the Issuer Trust, as the case may be, shall
execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and
confirming to such successor Relevant Trustee all such
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rights, powers and trusts referred to in the first or second preceding
paragraph, as the case may be.
No successor Relevant Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the
time of such acceptance such successor Relevant Trustee shall be qualified and
eligible under this Article.
Section 8.12. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.
Any Person into which the Property Trustee or the Delaware Trustee may be
merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person
resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Relevant
Trustee shall be a party, or any Person, succeeding to all or substantially all
the corporate trust business of such Relevant Trustee, shall be the successor of
such Relevant Trustee hereunder, provided that such Person shall be otherwise
qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of
any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto.
Section 8.13. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Depositor or
Issuer Trust.
If and when the Property Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the
Depositor or the Issuer Trust (or any other obligor upon the Capital
Securities), the Property Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the
Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Depositor or
the Issuer Trust (or any such other obligor).
Section 8.14. Property Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.
In case of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy,
reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other similar judicial
proceeding relative to the Issuer Trust or any other obligor upon the Trust
Securities or the property of the Issuer Trust or of such other obligor or their
creditors, the Property Trustee (irrespective of whether any Distributions on
the Trust Securities shall then be due and payable and irrespective of whether
the Property Trustee shall have made any demand on the Issuer Trust for the
payment of any past due Distributions) shall be entitled and empowered, to the
fullest extent permitted by law, by intervention in such proceeding or
otherwise:
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of any Distributions
owing and unpaid in respect of the Trust Securities and to file such other
papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims
of the Property Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation,
expenses, disbursements and advances of the Property Trustee, its agents and
counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and
(b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or
deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
50
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or
other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by
each Holder to make such payments to the Property Trustee and, in the event the
Property Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the
Holders, to pay to the Property Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable
compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Property Trustee, its
agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Property Trustee.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Property Trustee
to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan
of reorganization, arrangement adjustment or compensation affecting the Trust
Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Property
Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
Section 8.15. Reports by Property Trustee.
(a) Not later than 60 days following December 31 of each year commencing
with December 31, 2000 the Property Trustee shall transmit to all Holders in
accordance with Section 10.8, and to the Depositor, a brief report dated as of
the immediately preceding December 31 with respect to:
(i) its eligibility under Section 8.7 or, in lieu thereof, if to the
best of its knowledge it has continued to be eligible under said Section, a
written statement to such effect;
(ii) a statement that the Property Trustee has complied with all of
its obligations under this Trust Agreement during the twelve-month period
(or, in the case of the initial report, the period since the Closing Date)
ending with such December 31 or, if the Property Trustee has not complied
in any material respect with such obligations, a description of such
noncompliance; and
(iii) any change in the property and funds in its possession as
Property Trustee since the date of its last report and any action taken by
the Property Trustee in the performance of its duties hereunder which it
has not previously reported and which in its opinion materially affects the
Trust Securities.
(b) In addition the Property Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports
concerning the Property Trustee and its actions under this Trust Agreement as
may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the
manner provided pursuant thereto.
(c) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to
Holders, be filed by the Property Trustee with each national stock exchange, the
Nasdaq National Market or such other interdealer quotation system or self-
regulatory organization upon which the Trust Securities are listed or traded,
with the Commission and with the Depositor.
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Section 8.16. Reports to the Property Trustee.
Each of the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the
Issuer Trust shall provide to the Property Trustee such documents, reports and
information as required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act (if any) and
the compliance certificate required by Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act
in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust
Indenture Act. The Depositor and the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the
Issuer Trust shall annually file with the Property Trustee a certificate
specifying whether such Person is in compliance with all of the terms and
covenants applicable to such Person hereunder.
Section 8.17. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.
Each of the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the
Issuer Trust shall provide to the Property Trustee such evidence of compliance
with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Trust Agreement that
relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture
Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to
Section 314(c)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act shall be given in the form of an
Officers' Certificate.
Section 8.18. Number of Issuer Trustees.
(a) The number of Issuer Trustees shall be four, provided that the Property
Trustee and the Delaware Trustee may be the same Person.
(b) If an Issuer Trustee ceases to hold office for any reason, a vacancy
shall occur. The vacancy shall be filled with an Issuer Trustee appointed in
accordance with Section 8.10.
(c) The death, resignation, retirement, removal, bankruptcy, incompetence
or incapacity to perform the duties of an Issuer Trustee shall not operate to
annul, dissolve or terminate the Issuer Trust.
Section 8.19. Delegation of Power.
(a) Any Administrative Trustee, by power of attorney consistent with
applicable law, delegate to any other natural person over the age of 21 such
Administrative Trustee's power for the purpose of executing any documents
contemplated in Section 2.7(a), including any registration statement or
amendment thereto filed with the Commission, or making any other governmental
filing; and
(b) The Administrative Trustees shall have power to delegate from time to
time to such of their number or to the Depositor the doing of such things and
the execution of such instruments either in the name of the Issuer Trust or the
names of the Administrative Trustees or otherwise as
52
the Administrative Trustees may deem expedient, to the extent such delegation is
not prohibited by applicable law or contrary to the provisions of this Trust
Agreement.
Section 8.20. Appointment of Administrative Trustees.
(a) The Administrative Trustees shall initially be Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx and
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, and their successors shall be appointed by the Holder of all
the Common Securities. The Administrative Trustees may resign or be removed by
the Holder of all the Common Securities at any time. Upon any resignation or
removal of an Administrative Trustee, the Depositor shall appoint a successor
Administrative Trustee. If at any time there is no Administrative Trustee, the
Property Trustee or any Holder who has been a Holder of Trust Securities for at
least six months may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of one or more Administrative Trustees.
(b) Whenever a vacancy in the number of Administrative Trustees shall
occur, until such vacancy is filled by the appointment of an Administrative
Trustee in accordance with this Section 8.20, the Administrative Trustees in
office, regardless of their number (and notwithstanding any other provision of
this Agreement), shall have all the powers granted to the Administrative
Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed upon the Administrative
Trustees by this Trust Agreement.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Trust
Agreement, if any Administrative Trustee who is a natural person dies or
becomes, in the opinion of the Holder of all the Common Securities, incompetent
or incapacitated, the vacancy created by such death, incompetence or incapacity
may be filled by the unanimous act of the remaining Administrative Trustees, if
there were at least two of them prior to such vacancy, and by the Depositor, if
there were not two such Administrative Trustees immediately prior to such
vacancy (with the successor being a Person who satisfies the eligibility
requirement for Administrative Trustees set forth in Section 8.7).
ARTICLE IX
Dissolution, Liquidation and Merger
Section 9.1. Dissolution Upon Expiration Date.
Unless earlier dissolved, the Issuer Trust shall automatically dissolve on
_________, 2049 (the "Expiration Date"), and shall thereafter be terminated by
filing a Certificate of Cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware, following the distribution of the Trust Property in accordance with
Section 9.4.
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Section 9.2. Early Dissolution.
The first to occur of any of the following events is an "Early Termination
Event" upon the occurrence of which the Trust shall be dissolved:
(a) the occurrence of a Bankruptcy Event in respect of, or the dissolution
or liquidation of, the Holder of all the Common Securities;
(b) the written direction to the Property Trustee from the Holder of all
the Common Securities at any time to dissolve the Issuer Trust and to distribute
the Debentures to Holders in exchange for the Capital Securities (which
direction is optional and wholly within the discretion of the Holder of all the
Common Securities);
(c) the redemption of all of the Capital Securities in connection with the
redemption of all the Debentures; and
(d) the entry of an order for dissolution of the Issuer Trust by a court of
competent jurisdiction.
Section 9.3. Termination.
The respective obligations and responsibilities of the Issuer Trustees and
the Issuer Trust created and continued hereby shall terminate upon the latest to
occur of the following: (a) the distribution by the Property Trustee to Holders
of all amounts required to be distributed hereunder upon the liquidation of the
Issuer Trust pursuant to Section 9.4, or upon the redemption of all of the Trust
Securities pursuant to Section 4.2; (b) the payment of any expenses owed by the
Issuer Trust; and (c) the discharge of all administrative duties of the
Administrative Trustees, including the performance of any tax reporting
obligations with respect to the Issuer Trust or the Holders and (d) the filing
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of a certificate of
cancellation for the Issuer Trust upon the completion of winding up following
the dissolution of the Issuer Trust.
Section 9.4. Liquidation.
(a) If an Early Termination Event specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) of
Section 9.2 occurs or upon the Expiration Date, the Issuer Trust shall be
liquidated by the Issuer Trustees as expeditiously as the Issuer Trustees
determine to be possible by distributing, after satisfaction of liabilities to
creditors of the Issuer Trust as provided by Section 3808(e) of the Delaware
Business Trust Act and any other applicable law, to each Holder a Like Amount of
Debentures, subject to Section 9.4(d). Notice of liquidation shall be given by
the Property Trustee by first-class mail, postage prepaid mailed not less than
30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Liquidation Date to each Holder of Trust
Securities at such Holder's address appearing in the Securities Register. All
such notices of liquidation shall:
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(i) state the Liquidation Date;
(ii) state that from and after the Liquidation Date, the Trust
Securities will no longer be deemed to be Outstanding and any Trust
Securities Certificates not surrendered for exchange will be deemed to
represent a Like Amount of Debentures; and
(iii) provide such information with respect to the mechanics by which
Holders may exchange Trust Securities Certificates for Debentures, or if
Section 9.4(d) applies receive a Liquidation Distribution, as the Property
Trustee and the Administrative Trustees shall deem appropriate.
(b) Except where Section 9.2(c) or 9.4(d) applies, in order to effect the
liquidation of the Issuer Trust and distribution of the Debentures to Holders,
the Property Trustee, either itself acting as exchange agent or through the
appointment of a separate exchange agent, shall establish a record date for such
distribution (which shall be not more than 45 days prior to the Liquidation
Date) and establish such procedures as it shall deem appropriate to effect the
distribution of Debentures in exchange for the Outstanding Trust Securities
Certificates.
(c) Except where Section 9.2(c) or 9.4(d) applies, after the Liquidation
Date, (i) the Trust Securities will no longer be deemed to be Outstanding, (ii)
certificates representing a Like Amount of Debentures will be issued to Holders
of Trust Securities Certificates, upon surrender of such Trust Securities
Certificates to the exchange agent for exchange, (iii) any Trust Securities
Certificates not so surrendered for exchange will be deemed to represent a Like
Amount of Debentures bearing accrued and unpaid interest in an amount equal to
the accumulated and unpaid Distributions on such Trust Securities Certificates
until such certificates are so surrendered (and until such certificates are so
surrendered, no payments of interest or principal will be made to Holders of
Trust Securities Certificates with respect to such Debentures), and (iv) all
rights of Holders holding Trust Securities will cease, except the right of such
Holders to receive Debentures upon surrender of Trust Securities Certificates.
(d) If, upon dissolution of the Trust, notwithstanding the other provisions
of this Section 9.4, whether because of an order for dissolution entered by a
court of competent jurisdiction or otherwise, distribution of the Debentures in
the manner provided herein is determined by the Property Trustee not to be
practical, or if an Early Termination Event specified in clause (c) of Section
9.2 occurs, the Trust Property shall be liquidated by the Property Trustee in
such manner as the Property Trustee determines. In such event, in connection
with the winding-up of the Issuer Trust, Holders will be entitled to receive out
of the assets of the Issuer Trust available for distribution to Holders, after
satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of the Issuer Trust as provided by
Section 3808(e) of the Delaware Business Trust Act and other applicable law, an
amount equal to the Liquidation Amount per Trust Security plus accumulated and
unpaid Distributions thereon to the date of payment (such amount being the
"Liquidation Distribution"). If, upon any such winding up, the Liquidation
Distribution can be paid only in part because the Issuer Trust has insufficient
assets available to pay in full the aggregate Liquidation Distribution, then,
subject to the next succeeding sentence, the amounts payable by
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the Issuer Trust on the Trust Securities shall be paid on a pro rata basis
(based upon Liquidation Amounts). The Holder of all the Common Securities will
be entitled to receive Liquidation Distributions upon any such winding-up pro
rata (determined as aforesaid) with Holders of Capital Securities, except that,
if a Debenture Event of Default specified in Section 5.1(1) or 5.1(2) of the
Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the Capital Securities shall have a
priority over the Common Securities as provided in Section 4.3.
Section 9.5. Mergers, Consolidations, Amalgamations or Replacements of
Issuer Trust.
The Issuer Trust may not merge with or into, consolidate, amalgamate, or be
replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets
substantially as an entirety to any corporation or other body, except pursuant
to this Section 9.5. At the request of the Holder of all the Common Securities,
with the consent of the Administrative Trustees, but without the consent of the
Holders of the Outstanding Capital Securities, the Property Trustee and the
Delaware Trustee, the Issuer Trust may merge with or into, consolidate,
amalgamate, or be replaced by or convey, transfer or lease its properties and
assets substantially as an entirety to a trust organized as such under the laws
of any State; provided, that (i) such successor entity either (a) expressly
assumes all of the obligations of the Issuer Trust with respect to the Capital
Securities, or (b) substitutes for the Capital Securities other securities
having substantially the same terms as the Capital Securities (the "Successor
Securities") so long as the Successor Securities have the same priority as the
Capital Securities with respect to distributions and payments upon liquidation,
redemption and otherwise, (ii) a trustee of such successor entity possessing the
same powers and duties as the Property Trustee is appointed to hold the
Debentures, (iii) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement,
conveyance, transfer or lease does not cause the Capital Securities (including
any Successor Securities) to be downgraded by any nationally recognized
statistical rating organization that then assigns a rating to the Capital
Securities, (iv) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement,
conveyance, transfer or lease does not adversely affect the rights, preferences
and privileges of the holders of the Capital Securities (including any Successor
Securities) in any material respect, (v) such successor entity has a purpose
substantially identical to that of the Issuer Trust, (vi) prior to such merger,
consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, the
Depositor has received an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (a) such merger,
consolidation, amalgamation, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease does not
adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the Holders of the
Capital Securities (including any Successor Securities) in any material respect,
and (b) following such merger, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement,
conveyance, transfer or lease, neither the Issuer Trust nor such successor
entity will be required to register as an "investment company" under the
Investment Company Act, and (vii) the Depositor or its permitted transferee owns
all of the common securities of such successor entity and guarantees the
obligations of such successor entity under the Successor Securities at least to
the extent provided by the Guarantee Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Issuer Trust shall not, except with the consent of holders of all of the
Capital Securities, consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or be replaced
by or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an
entirety to any other entity or permit any other entity to consolidate,
amalgamate, merge with or into, or replace it if such consolidation,
amalgamation, merger,
56
replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease would cause the Issuer Trust or the
successor entity to be taxable as a corporation or classified as other than a
grantor trust for United States Federal income tax purposes.
ARTICLE X
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 10.1. Limitation of Rights of Holders.
Except as set forth in Section 9.2, the death, incapacity, dissolution,
termination or bankruptcy of any Person having an interest, beneficial or
otherwise, in Trust Securities shall not operate to annul, dissolve or terminate
this Trust Agreement, nor entitle the legal representatives, successors or heirs
of such Person or any Holder for such person, to claim an accounting, take any
action or bring any proceeding in any court for a partition or winding up of the
arrangements contemplated hereby, nor otherwise affect the rights, obligations
and liabilities of the parties hereto or any of them.
Section 10.2. Amendment.
(a) This Trust Agreement may be amended from time to time by the Property
Trustee, the Administrative Trustees and the Holder of the Common Securities,
without the consent of the Delaware Trustee or any Holder of the Capital
Securities, (i) to cure any ambiguity, correct or supplement any provision
herein that may be inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any
other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Trust
Agreement, which shall not be inconsistent with the other provisions of this
Trust Agreement, or (ii) to modify, eliminate or add to any provisions of this
Trust Agreement to such extent as shall be necessary to ensure that the Issuer
Trust will not be taxable as a corporation or will be classified as a grantor
trust for United States Federal income tax purposes at all times that any Trust
Securities are Outstanding or to ensure that the Issuer Trust will not be
required to register as an "investment company" under the Investment Company
Act; provided, however, that in either case (i) or (ii) such action shall not
adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the Delaware Trustee
or any Holder.
(b) Except as provided in Section 10.2(c) hereof, any provision of this
Trust Agreement may be amended by the Property Trustee, the Administrative
Trustees and the Holder of the Common Securities, without the consent of the
Delaware Trustee, and with (i) the consent of Holders of at least a Majority in
Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities, and (ii) receipt by the Issuer
Trustees of an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment or the
exercise of any power granted to the Issuer Trustees in accordance with such
amendment will not cause the Issuer Trust to be taxable as a corporation or as
other than a grantor trust for United States Federal income tax purposes or
affect the Issuer Trust's exemption from status as an "investment company" under
the Investment Company Act; provided, however, that such action shall not
adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the Delaware Trustee.
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(c) In addition to and notwithstanding any other provision in this Trust
Agreement, without the consent of each affected Holder, this Trust Agreement may
not be amended to (i) change the amount or timing of any Distribution on the
Trust Securities or otherwise adversely affect the amount of any Distribution
required to be made in respect of the Trust Securities as of a specified date,
or (ii) restrict the right of a Holder to institute suit for the enforcement of
any such payment on or after such date; and notwithstanding any other provision
herein, without the unanimous consent of the Holders, this paragraph (c) of this
Section 10.2 may not be amended.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Trust Agreement, no Issuer
Trustee shall enter into or consent to any amendment to this Trust Agreement
that would cause the Issuer Trust to fail or cease to qualify for the exemption
from status as an "investment company" under the Investment Company Act or to be
taxable as a corporation or to be classified as other than a grantor trust for
United States Federal income tax purposes.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Trust Agreement to the contrary, (i)
without the consent of the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees, this Trust
Agreement may not be amended in a manner that imposes any additional obligation
on the Depositor or the Administrative Trustees, and (ii) without the consent of
the Delaware Trustee, this Trust Agreement may not be amended in a manner that
imposes any additional obligation on the Delaware Trustee.
(f) In the event that any amendment to this Trust Agreement is made, the
Administrative Trustees or the Property Trustee shall promptly provide to the
Depositor and the Delaware Trustee a copy of such amendment.
(g) Neither the Property Trustee nor the Delaware Trustee shall be required
to enter into any amendment to this Trust Agreement that affects its own rights,
duties or immunities under this Trust Agreement. The Property Trustee and the
Delaware Trustee shall be entitled to receive an Opinion of Counsel and an
Officers' Certificate stating that any amendment to this Trust Agreement is in
compliance with this Trust Agreement.
Section 10.3. Separability.
In case any provision in this Trust Agreement or in the Trust Securities
Certificates shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality
and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected
or impaired thereby.
Section 10.4. Governing Law.
THIS TRUST AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF EACH OF THE HOLDERS,
THE ISSUER TRUST, THE DEPOSITOR AND THE ISSUER TRUSTEES WITH RESPECT TO THIS
TRUST AGREEMENT AND THE
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TRUST SECURITIES SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAWS
OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS.
THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 3540 OF TITLE 12 OF THE DELAWARE CODE SHALL NOT APPLY
TO THIS TRUST.
To the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, there shall not be
applicable to the Issuer Trust, the Issuer Trustees or this Trust Agreement any
provisions of law (whether statutory or common) of the State of Delaware
pertaining to trusts (other than the Delaware Business Trust Act) that relate to
or regulate in a manner inconsistent with the terms hereof (a) the filing with
any court or governmental body or agent of trustee accounts or schedules of
trustee fees and charges, (b) affirmative requirements to post bonds for
trustees, officers, agents or employees of a trust, (c) the acquisition, holding
or disposition of any property, (d) the allocation of receipts and expenditures
between income and principal, (e) restrictions or limitation on the permissible
nature, amount or concentration of trust investment or requirements relating to
the titling, storage or other manner of holding or investing trust assets, or
(f) the establishment of fiduciary or other standards of responsibility or
limitations on the acts or powers of trustees that are inconsistent (whether
more or less restrictive) with this provision.
Section 10.5. Payments Due on Non-Business Day.
If the date fixed for any payment on any Trust Security shall be a day that
is not a Business Day, then such payment need not be made on such date but may
be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day (except as otherwise
provided in Sections 4.1(a) and 4.2(d)), with the same force and effect as
though made on the date fixed for such payment, and no Distributions shall
accumulate on such unpaid amount for the period after such date.
Section 10.6. Successors.
This Trust Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit
of any successor to the Depositor, the Issuer Trust and any Issuer Trustee,
including any successor by operation of law. Except in connection with a
consolidation, merger or sale involving the Depositor that is permitted under
Article VIII of the Indenture and pursuant to which the assignee agrees in
writing to perform the Depositor's obligations hereunder, the Depositor shall
not assign its obligations hereunder.
Section 10.7. Headings.
The Article and Section headings are for convenience only and shall not
affect the construction of this Trust Agreement.
59
Section 10.8. Reports, Notices and Demands.
(a) Any report, notice, demand or other communication that by any
provision of this Trust Agreement is required or permitted to be given or served
to or upon any Holder or the Depositor may be given or served in writing by
deposit thereof, first-class postage prepaid, in the United States mail, hand
delivery or facsimile transmission, in each case, addressed, (a) in the case of
a Holder of Capital Securities, to such Holder as such Holder's name and address
may appear on the Securities Register; and (b) in the case of the Holder of the
Common Securities or the Depositor, to Southern States Cooperative,
Incorporated., 0000 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention:
Chief Financial Officer, Facsimile no.: (000 ) 000-0000, or to such other
address as may be specified in a written notice by the Holder of the Common
Securities or the Depositor, as the case may be, to the Property Trustee. Such
notice, demand or other communication to or upon a Holder shall be deemed to
have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, upon hand delivery,
mailing or transmission. Such notice, demand or other communication to or upon
the Depositor shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made only upon
actual receipt of the writing by the Depositor.
(b) Any notice, demand or other communication that by any provision of
this Trust Agreement is required or permitted to be given or served to or upon
the Issuer Trust or any Issuer Trustee may be given or served in writing by
deposit thereof, first-class postage prepaid, in the United States mail, hand
delivery or facsimile transmission, in each case, addressed, (a) in the case of
the Property Trustee to First Union National Bank, 000 Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Corporate Trust Group; (b) with
respect to the Delaware Trustee, to First Union Trust Company, National
Association, One Xxxxxx Square, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx
00000, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration; (c) in the case of the
Administrative Trustees, to them at the address above for notices to the
Depositor, marked "Attention: Administrative Trustees of Southern States Capital
Trust II"; and (d) in the case of the Issuer Trust, to its principal executive
office specified in Section 2.2, with a copy to each of the Property Trustee,
the Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees, or, in each such case, to
such other address as may be specified in a written notice by the applicable
Person to the Property Trustee, the Depositor and the Holders. Such notice,
demand or other communication to or upon the Property Trustee, the Delaware
Trustee, the Administrative Trustees or the Issuer Trust shall be deemed to have
been sufficiently given or made only upon actual receipt of the writing by the
Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee, such Administrative Trustees or the
Issuer Trust, as the case may be.
Section 10.9. Agreement Not to Petition.
Each of the Issuer Trustees and the Depositor agree for the benefit of the
Holders that, until at least one year and one day after the Issuer Trust has
been terminated in accordance with Article IX, they shall not file, or join in
the filing of, a petition against the Issuer Trust under any bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization or other similar law (including the United States
Bankruptcy Code) (collectively, "Bankruptcy Laws") or otherwise join in the
commencement of any proceeding against the Issuer Trust under any Bankruptcy
Law. The Property Trustee and
60
the Depositor agree, for the benefit of Holders, that if the Depositor or any
Issuer Trustee takes action in violation of this Section 10.9, then at the
expense of the Depositor, the Property Trustee or Depositor, as the case may be,
shall file an answer with the bankruptcy court or otherwise properly contest the
filing of such petition by the Depositor against the Issuer Trust or the
commencement of such action and raise the defense that the Depositor has agreed
in writing not to take such action and should be estopped and precluded
therefrom and such other defenses, if any, as counsel for the Issuer Trustees or
the Issuer Trust may assert.
Section 10.10. Trust Indenture Act; Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.
(a) This Trust Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Trust Agreement and shall, to
the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions of the Trust Indenture
Act.
(b) The Property Trustee shall be the only Issuer Trustee that is a trustee
for the purposes of the Trust Indenture Act.
(c) If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties
imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act through
operation of Section 318(c) thereof, such imposed duties shall control. If any
provision of this Trust Agreement modifies or excludes any provision of the
Trust Indenture Act which may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision
shall be deemed to apply to this Trust Agreement as so modified or excluded, as
the case may be.
(d) The application of the Trust Indenture Act to this Trust Agreement
shall not affect the nature of the Trust Securities as equity securities
representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer Trust.
Section 10.11. Acceptance of Terms of Trust Agreement, Guarantee Agreement
and Indenture.
THE RECEIPT AND ACCEPTANCE OF A TRUST SECURITY OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN BY
OR ON BEHALF OF A HOLDER OR ANY BENEFICIAL OWNER, WITHOUT ANY SIGNATURE OR
FURTHER MANIFESTATION OF ASSENT, SHALL CONSTITUTE THE UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE
BY THE HOLDER AND ALL OTHERS HAVING A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN SUCH TRUST SECURITY
OF ALL THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS TRUST AGREEMENT, THE GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
AND THE INDENTURE, AND AGREEMENT TO THE SUBORDINATION PROVISIONS AND OTHER TERMS
OF THE GUARANTEE AGREEMENT AND THE INDENTURE, AND SHALL CONSTITUTE THE AGREEMENT
OF THE ISSUER TRUST, SUCH HOLDER AND SUCH OTHERS THAT THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS
OF THIS TRUST AGREEMENT SHALL BE BINDING, OPERATIVE AND EFFECTIVE AS BETWEEN THE
ISSUER TRUST AND SUCH HOLDER AND SUCH OTHERS.
61
Section 10.12. Consent to Jurisdiction; Service of Process.
Each of the parties hereto hereby consents to (i) the non-exclusive
jurisdiction of courts of the State of Delaware or any federal court sitting in
Wilmington, Delaware for the purpose of any suit, action or proceeding relating
to or arising out of this Trust Agreement and (ii) service of process in
connection therewith by mail. The foregoing shall not be construed to prevent
any party from bringing any suit, action or proceeding in any other jurisdiction
or from serving process by any other means.
Section 10.13. Counterparts.
This Trust Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of
which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts
shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
62
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Amended and
Restated Trust Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE,
INCORPORATED, as Depositor
By:
Name:
Title:
FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK,
as Property Trustee
By:
Name:
Title:
FIRST UNION TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
as Delaware Trustee
By:
Name:
Title:
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
as Administrative Trustee
Name: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
as Administrative Trustee
63
Exhibit A
---------
CERTIFICATE OF TRUST
OF SOUTHERN STATES CAPITAL TRUST II
THIS Certificate of Trust of Southern States Capital Trust II (the
"Trust"), dated ________, 1999, is being duly executed and filed by the
undersigned, as trustee, to form a business trust under the Delaware Business
Trust Act (12 Del. C.(S)(S) 3801 et seq.).
------- -- ---
1. Name. The name of the business trust being formed hereby is
----
"Southern States Capital Trust II."
2. Delaware Trustee. The name and business address of the trustee
----------------
of the Trust with a principal place of business in the State of Delaware is
First Union Trust Company, National Association, One Xxxxxx Square, 000 Xxxx
Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Corporate Trust
Administration.
3. Effective Date. The Certificate of Trust shall be effective as
--------------
of ________, 1999.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, as the sole initial trustee of
the Trust, has executed this Certificate of Trust as of the date first above
written.
FIRST UNION TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, as Delaware Trustee
By:_____________________________
Name:
Title:
A-1
Exhibit B
---------
[CERTIFICATE DEPOSITORY AGREEMENT]
The Depository Trust Company
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000.
Attention: General Counsel's Office
Re: Southern States Capital Trust II
____% Capital Securities
CUSIP No.
---------------------------------
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The purpose of this letter is to set forth certain matters relating to
the issuance and deposit with The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") of the book-
entry-only portion of the ___% Capital Securities (the "Capital Securities") of
Southern States Capital Trust II, a statutory business trust formed under the
laws of the State of Delaware (the "Issuer"), governed by the Amended and
Restated Trust Agreement, dated as of ___________, 2000 (the "Amended and
Restated Trust Agreement"), between Southern States Cooperative, Incorporated
(the "Corporation"), as Depositor, First Union National Bank, as Property
Trustee, First Union Trust Company, National Association, as Delaware Trustee,
and the Administrative Trustees named therein. The payment of distributions on
the Capital Securities and payments due upon liquidation of the Issuer or
redemption of the Capital Securities, to the extent the Issuer has funds
available for the payment thereof, are guaranteed by the Corporation to the
extent set forth in a Guarantee Agreement, dated as of ___________, 2000,
between the Corporation and First Union National Bank, as Guarantee Trustee with
respect to the Capital Securities. The Corporation and the Issuer propose to
sell the Capital Securities to the Underwriters (the "Underwriters") pursuant to
an Underwriting Agreement, dated as of _____________, 2000, by and among the
Underwriters, the Issuer and the Corporation, and the Underwriters wish to take
delivery of the Capital Securities through DTC. First Union National Bank is
acting as transfer agent and registrar with respect to the Capital Securities
(the "Transfer Agent and Registrar").
To induce DTC to accept the Capital Securities as eligible for deposit
at DTC, and to act in accordance with DTC's rules with respect to the Capital
Securities, the Issuer and the Transfer Agent and Registrar make the following
representations to DTC:
1. Prior to the closing of the sale of the Capital Securities to the
Underwriters on ____________, 2000, there shall be deposited with, or held by
the Transfer Agent and Registrar as custodian for, DTC one or more global
certificates (individually and collectively, the
B-1
"Global Certificate") registered in the name of DTC's nominee, Cede & Co.,
representing an aggregate of _________ Capital Securities and bearing the
following legend:
Unless this Capital Security Certificate is presented by an authorized
representative of The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation
("DTC"), to Southern States Capital Trust II or its agent for registration
of transfer, exchange, or payment, and any Capital Security Certificate
issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or in such other name as is
requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is made
to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an authorized
representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE
OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch as the registered
owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.
2. The Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the Issuer provides
for the voting by holders (with no provision for revocation of consents or votes
by subsequent holders) of the Capital Securities under certain limited
circumstances. The Issuer shall establish a record date for such purposes and
shall, to the extent possible, give DTC notice of such record date not less than
15 calendar days in advance of such record date.
3. In the event of a stock split, conversion, recapitalization,
reorganization or any other similar transactions resulting in the cancellation
of all or any part of the Capital Securities outstanding, the Issuer or the
Transfer Agent and Registrar shall sent DTC a notice of such event as soon as
possible but, at least 5 business days prior to the effective date of such
event.
4. In the event of any distribution on, or an offering or issuance
of rights with respect to, the Capital Securities outstanding, the Issuer or the
Transfer Agent and Registrar shall send DTC a notice specifying: (a) the amount
of and conditions, if any, applicable to the payment of any such distribution or
any such offering or issuance of rights; (b) any applicable expiration or
deadline date, or any date by which any action on the part of the holders of
Capital Securities is required; and (c) the date any required notice is to be
mailed by or on behalf of the Issuer to holders of Capital Securities or
published by or on behalf of the Issuer (whether by mail or publication, the
"Publication Date"). Such notice shall be sent to DTC by a secure means (e.g.,
- -
legible telecopy, registered or certified mail, overnight delivery) in a timely
manner designed to assure that such notice is in DTC's possession no later than
the close of business on the business day before the Publication Date. The
Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar will forward such notice either in a
separate secure transmission for each CUSIP number or in a secure transmission
of multiple CUSIP numbers (if applicable) that includes a manifest or list of
each CUSIP number submitted in that transmission. (The party sending such
notice shall have a method to verify subsequently the use of such means and the
timeliness of such notice.) The Publication Date shall be not less than 30
calendar days nor more than 60 calendar days prior to the payment of any such
distribution or any such offering or issuance of rights with respect to the
Capital Securities. After establishing the amount of payment to be made on the
Capital Securities, the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar will notify
DTC's Dividend Department of such payment 5 business days prior to payment date.
Notices to DTC's Dividend
B-2
Department by telecopy shall be sent to (000) 000-0000. Such notices by mail or
by any other means shall be sent to:
Manager, Announcements
Dividend Department
The Depository Trust Company
0 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
The Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar shall confirm DTC's
receipt of such telecopy by telephoning the Dividend Department at (212) 709-
1270.
5. In the event of a redemption by the Issuer of the Capital
Securities, notice specifying the terms of the redemption and the Publication
Date of such notices shall be sent by the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and
Registrar to DTC not less than 30 calendar days prior to such event by a secure
means in the manner set forth in paragraph 4. Such redemption notice shall be
sent to DTC's Call Notification Department at (000) 000-0000 or (000) 000-0000,
and receipt of such notice shall be confirmed by telephoning (000) 000-0000.
Notice by mail or by any other means shall be sent to:
Call Notification Department
The Depository Trust Company
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
6. In the event of any invitation to tender the Capital Securities,
notice specifying the terms of the tender and the Publication Date of such
notice shall be sent by the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar to DTC by
a secure means and in a timely manner as described in paragraph 4. Notices to
DTC pursuant to this paragraph and notices of other corporate actions (including
mandatory tenders, exchanges and capital changes), shall be sent, unless
notification to another department is expressly provided for herein, by telecopy
to DTC's Reorganization Department at (000) 000-0000 or (000) 000-0000 and
receipt of such notice shall be confirmed by telephoning (000) 000-0000), or by
mail or any other means to:
B-3
Manager, Reorganization Department
Reorganization Window
The Depository Trust Company
0 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
7. All notices and payment advices sent to DTC shall contain the
CUSIP number or numbers of the Capital Securities and the accompanying
designation of the Capital Securities, which, as of the date of this letter, is
"Southern States Capital Trust II, ___% Capital Securities".
8. Distribution payments or other cash payments with respect to the
Capital Securities shall be governed by DTC's current Principal and Income
Payments Rider, a copy of which is attached hereto as Annex I. For purposes of
this letter, the term "Agent" used in Annex I shall be deemed to refer to First
Union National Bank or any successor Property Trustee under the Amended and
Restated Trust Agreement.
9. DTC may direct the Issuer and the Transfer Agent and Registrar to
use any other telecopy number or address of DTC as the number or address to
which notices or payments may be sent.
10. In the event of a conversion, redemption, or any other similar
transaction (e.g., tender made and accepted in response to the Issuer's or the
- -
Transfer Agent and Registrar's invitation) necessitating a reduction in the
aggregate number of Capital Securities outstanding evidenced by the Global
Certificate, DTC, in its discretion: (a) may request the Issuer or the
Transfer Agent and Registrar to issue and countersign a new Global Certificate;
or (b) may make an appropriate notation on the Global Certificate indicating the
date and amount of such reduction.
11. DTC may discontinue its services as a securities depositary with
respect to the Capital Securities at any time by giving reasonable prior written
notice to the Issuer and the Transfer Agent and Registrar (at which time DTC
will confirm with the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar the aggregate
number of Capital Securities deposited with it) and discharging its
responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such
circumstances, the Issuer may determine to make alternative arrangements for
book-entry settlement for the Capital Securities, make available one or more
separate global certificates evidencing Capital Securities to any Participant
having Capital Securities credited to its DTC account, or issue definitive
Capital Securities to the beneficial holders thereof, and in any such case, DTC
agrees to cooperate fully with the Issuer and the Transfer Agent and Registrar
and to return the Global Certificate, duly endorsed for transfer as directed by
the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar, together with any other
documents of transfer reasonably requested by the Issuer or the Transfer Agent
and Xxxxxxxxx.
00. In the event that the Issuer determines that beneficial owners of
Capital Securities shall be able to obtain definitive Capital Securities, the
Issuer or the Transfer Agent
B-4
and Registrar shall notify DTC of the availability of certificates. In such
event, the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar shall issue, transfer and
exchange certificates in appropriate amounts, as required by DTC and others, and
DTC agrees to cooperate fully with the Issuer and the Transfer Agent and
Registrar and to return the Global Securities, duly endorsed for transfer as
directed by the Issuer or the Transfer Agent and Registrar, together with any
other documents of transfer reasonably requested by the Issuer or the Transfer
Agent and Xxxxxxxxx.
00. This letter may be executed in any number of counterparts, each
of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such
counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
Nothing herein shall be deemed to require the Transfer Agent and
Registrar to advance funds on behalf of Southern States Capital Trust II.
Very truly yours,
SOUTHERN STATES CAPITAL TRUST II
(As Issuer)
By_________________________________
(Administrative Trustee)
FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK
(As Transfer Agent and Registrar)
By__________________________________
Name:
Title:
RECEIVED AND ACCEPTED:
THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY
By_________________________________
Authorized Officer
B-5
[Form of Common Securities Certificate]
THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT TRANSFERABLE EXCEPT TO THE DEPOSITOR OR AN AFFILIATE OF
THE DEPOSITOR IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND SECTION 5.11 OF THE TRUST
AGREEMENT.
Certificate Number Aggregate Liquidation Amount
C-__ $________
Certificate Evidencing Common Securities
of
Southern States Capital Trust II
___% Common Securities
(liquidation amount $25 per Common Security)
Southern States Capital Trust II, a statutory business trust created under
the laws of the State of Delaware (the "Issuer Trust"), hereby certifies that
[NAME OF HOLDER] (the "Holder") is the registered owner of __________ (____)
common securities (aggregate Liquidation Amount ______________________
($__________) of the Issuer Trust representing common undivided beneficial
interests in the assets of the Issuer Trust and designated the ___% Common
Securities (liquidation amount $25 per Common Security) (the "Common
Securities"). Except in accordance with Section 5.11 of the Trust Agreement (as
defined below) the Common Securities are not transferable and any attempted
transfer hereof other than in accordance therewith shall be void. The
designations, rights, privileges, restrictions, preferences and other terms and
provisions of the Common Securities are set forth in, and this certificate and
the Common Securities represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be
subject to the terms and provisions of, the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement
of the Issuer Trust, dated as of ________, 2000, as the same may be amended from
time to time (the "Trust Agreement"), among Southern States Cooperative,
Incorporated, an agricultural cooperative corporation organized under the laws
of Virginia, as Depositor, First Union National Bank, as Property Trustee,
First Union Trust Company, National Association, as Delaware Trustee, and the
Administrative Trustees named therein, including the designation of the terms of
the Common Securities as set forth therein. The Issuer Trust will furnish a copy
of the Trust Agreement to the Holder without charge upon written request to the
Issuer Trust at its principal place of business or registered office.
C-1
Upon receipt of this certificate, the Holder is bound by the Trust
Agreement and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.
Terms used but not defined herein have the meanings set forth in the Trust
Agreement.
In Witness Whereof, one of the Administrative Trustees of the Issuer Trust
has executed this certificate this _____ day of _______, 2000.
SOUTHERN STATES CAPITAL TRUST II
By:_________________________________
Name:
Administrative Trustee
C-2
Exhibit D
---------
[Form of Expense Agreement]
AGREEMENT AS TO EXPENSES AND LIABILITIES, dated as of ________, 2000 (as
modified, amended or supplemented, this "Agreement"), between Southern States
Cooperative, Incorporated, an agricultural cooperative corporation organized
under the laws of Virginia (the "Corporation"), and Southern States Capital
Trust II, a Delaware business trust (the "Issuer Trust").
Whereas, the Issuer Trust intends to issue its Common Securities (the
"Common Securities") to and acquire the Debentures from the Corporation, and to
issue and sell _____% Capital Securities (the "Capital Securities") with such
powers, preferences and special rights and restrictions as are set forth in the
Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the Issuer Trust, dated as of _________,
2000, among the Corporation, as Depositor, First Union National Bank, as
Property Trustee, First Union Trust Company, National Association, as Delaware
Trustee, and the Administrative Trustees named therein, as the same may be
amended from time to time (the "Trust Agreement"); and
Whereas, the Corporation will own all of the Common Securities of the
Issuer Trust and will issue the Debentures; and
Whereas, capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings
set forth in the Trust Agreement;
Now, Therefore, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Corporation and the Issuer
Trust hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Section 1.1. Guarantee by Corporation. Subject to the terms and conditions
hereof, the Corporation hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to
each person or entity to whom the Issuer Trust is now or hereafter becomes
indebted or liable (the "Beneficiaries") the full payment, when and as due, of
any and all Obligations (as hereinafter defined) to such Beneficiaries. As used
herein, "Obligations" means any costs, expenses or liabilities of the Issuer
Trust, other than obligations of the Issuer Trust to pay to holders of any Trust
Securities the amounts due such holders pursuant to the terms of the Trust
Securities. This Agreement is intended to be for the benefit of, and to be
enforceable by, all such Beneficiaries, whether or not such Beneficiaries have
received notice hereof.
Section 1.2. Subordination of Guarantee. The guarantee and other
liabilities and obligations of the Corporation under this Agreement shall
constitute unsecured obligations of the Corporation and shall rank subordinate
and junior in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness
D-1
(as defined in the Indenture) of the Corporation to the extent and in the manner
set forth in the Indenture with respect to the Debentures, and the provisions of
Article XIII of the Indenture will apply, mutatis mutandis, to the obligations
of the Corporation hereunder. The obligations of the Corporation hereunder do
not constitute Senior Indebtedness (as defined in the Indenture) of the
Corporation.
Section 1.3. Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate and be of no
further force and effect upon the dissolution of the Issuer Trust; provided,
however, that this Agreement shall continue to be effective or shall be
reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any holder of Capital Securities
or any Beneficiary must restore payment of any sums paid under the Capital
Securities, under any Obligation, under the Guarantee Agreement dated the date
hereof by the Corporation, as guarantor, and First Union National Bank, as
guarantee trustee, or under this Agreement for any reason whatsoever. This
Agreement is continuing, irrevocable, unconditional and absolute.
Section 1.4. Waiver of Notice. The Corporation hereby waives notice of
acceptance of this Agreement and of any Obligation to which it applies or may
apply, and the Corporation hereby waives presentment, demand for payment,
protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all
other notices and demands.
Section 1.5. No Impairment. The obligations, covenants, agreements and
duties of the Corporation under this Agreement shall in no way be affected or
impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:
(a) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer Trust of all
or any portion of the Obligations or for the performance of any other
obligation under, arising out of, or in connection with, the Obligations;
(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of
the Beneficiaries to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege,
power or remedy conferred on the Beneficiaries with respect to the
Obligations or any action on the part of the Issuer Trust granting
indulgence or extension of any kind; or
(c) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any
collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the
benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or
readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer
Trust or any of the assets of the Issuer Trust (other than the dissolution
of the Issuer Trust in accordance with the terms thereof).
There shall be no obligation of the Beneficiaries to give notice to, or obtain
the consent of, the Corporation with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
Section 1.6. Enforcement. A Beneficiary may enforce this Agreement directly
against the Corporation and the Corporation waives any right or remedy to
require that any action be
D-2
brought against the Issuer Trust or any other person or entity before proceeding
against the Corporation.
Section 1.7. Subrogation. The Corporation shall be subrogated to all rights
(if any) of any Beneficiary against the Issuer Trust in respect of any amounts
paid to the Beneficiaries by the Corporation under this Agreement; provided,
however, that the Corporation shall not (except to the extent required by
mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any rights that
it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other
agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Agreement, if, at the
time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
Section 2.1. Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned by either party
hereto without the consent of the other, and any purported assignment without
such consent shall be void.
Section 2.2. Binding Effect. All guarantees and agreements contained in
this Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and
representatives of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the
Beneficiaries.
Section 2.3. Amendment. So long as there remains any Beneficiary or any
Capital Securities are Outstanding, this Agreement shall not be modified or
amended in any manner adverse to such Beneficiary or to the Holders of the
Capital Securities without the consent of such Beneficiary or the Holders of the
Capital Securities, as the case may be.
Section 2.4. Notices. Any notice, request or other communication required
or permitted to be given hereunder shall be given in writing by delivering the
same against receipt therefor by facsimile transmission (confirmed by mail),
telex or by registered or certified mail, addressed as follows (and if so given,
shall be deemed given when mailed or upon receipt of an answer-back, if sent by
telex):
If given to the Corporation:
Southern States Cooperative, Incorporated
0000 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
D-3
If given to the Issuer Trust:
Southern States Capital Trust II
0000 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile No.:
Attention:
With a copy to:
First Union National Bank
000 Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust Group
Section 2.4. Choice of Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
In Witness Whereof, this Agreement as to Expenses and Liabilities is
executed as of the day and year first above written.
SOUTHERN STATES COOPERATIVE,
INCORPORATED
By:
Name:
Title:
SOUTHERN STATES CAPITAL TRUST II
By:
Name:
Administrative Trustee
D-4
Exhibit E
---------
[Form of Capital Securities Certificate]
[If the Capital Securities Certificate is to be a Book-Entry Capital
Securities Certificate, insert--This Capital Securities Certificate is a Book-
Entry Capital Securities Certificate within the meaning of the Trust Agreement
hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of a Clearing Agency or a
nominee of a Clearing Agency. This Capital Securities Certificate is
exchangeable for Capital Securities Certificates registered in the name of a
person other than the Clearing Agency or its nominee only in the limited
circumstances described in the Trust Agreement and may not be transferred except
as a whole by the Clearing Agency to a nominee of the Clearing Agency or by a
nominee of the Clearing Agency to the Clearing Agency or another nominee of the
Clearing Agency, except in the limited circumstances described in the Trust
Agreement.
Unless this Capital Security Certificate is presented by an authorized
representative of The Depository Trust Company, a New York Corporation ("DTC"),
to Southern States Capital Trust II or its agent for registration of transfer,
exchange or payment, and any Capital Security Certificate issued is registered
in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as is requested by an authorized
representative of DTC (and any payment is made to Cede & Co. or to such other
entity as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER,
PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO A PERSON IS WRONGFUL
inasmuch as the registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.]
E-1
Certificate Number Aggregate Liquidation Amount
P-__ $_______
CUSIP NO. ________
Certificate Evidencing Capital Securities
of
Southern States Capital Trust II
_____% Capital Securities
(liquidation amount $25 per Capital Security)
Southern States Capital Trust II, a statutory business trust created under
the laws of the State of Delaware (the "Issuer Trust"), hereby certifies that
_____________________________ (the "Holder") is the registered owner of
_________________ (____) capital securities (aggregate Liquidation Amount
____________________ ($________)) of the Issuer Trust representing a preferred
undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Issuer Trust and designated
the _____% Capital Securities (liquidation amount $25 per Capital Security) (the
"Capital Securities"). The Capital Securities are transferable on the books and
records of the Issuer Trust, in person or by a duly authorized attorney, upon
surrender of this certificate duly endorsed and in proper form for transfer as
provided in Section 5.5 of the Trust Agreement (as defined below). The
designations, rights, privileges, restrictions, preferences and other terms and
provisions of the Capital Securities are set forth in, and this certificate and
the Capital Securities represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects
be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Amended and Restated Trust
Agreement of the Issuer Trust, dated as of __________, 2000, as the same may be
amended from time to time (the "Trust Agreement"), among Southern States
Cooperative, Incorporated, an agricultural cooperative corporation organized
under the laws of Virginia, as Depositor, First Union National Bank, as Property
Trustee, First Union Trust Company, National Association, as Delaware Trustee,
and the Administrative Trustees named therein, including the designation of the
terms of the Capital Securities as set forth therein. The Holder is entitled to
the benefits of the Guarantee Agreement, dated as of ____________, 2000 (the
"Guarantee Agreement"), entered into by Southern States Cooperative,
Incorporated and First Union National Bank, as guarantee trustee, to the extent
provided therein. The Issuer Trust will furnish a copy of the Trust Agreement
and the Guarantee Agreement to the Holder without charge upon written request to
the Issuer Trust at its principal place of business or registered office.
Upon receipt of this certificate, the Holder is bound by the Trust
Agreement and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.
E-2
In Witness Whereof, one of the Administrative Trustees of the Issuer Trust
has executed this certificate this _____ day of __________, ____.
SOUTHERN STATES CAPITAL TRUST II
By:
Name:
Administrative Trustee
E-3
ASSIGNMENT
For Value Received, the undersigned assigns and transfers this Capital
Security to:
________________________________________________________________________________
(Insert assignee's social security or tax identification number)
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
(Insert address and zip code of assignee)
and irrevocably appoints _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
agent to transfer this Capital Securities Certificate on the books of the Issuer
Trust. The agent may substitute another to act for him or her.
Date: ________________
Signature: ___________________________________________________________________
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Capital
Security Certificate)
The signature(s) should be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution
(banks, stockbrokers, savings and loan associations and credit unions with
membership in an approved signature guarantee medallion program), pursuant to
S.E.C. Rule 17Ad-15.
E-4
