Exhibit 4.5
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
by and between
WELLS FARGO &
COMPANY
as Guarantor
and
THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST
COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Guarantee Trustee
relating to
WELLS FARGO CAPITAL XIV
Dated as of August 19,
2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS
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1
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Section 1.1.
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Definitions.
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1
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ARTICLE II TRUST INDENTURE ACT
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4
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Section 2.1.
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Trust
Indenture Act; Application.
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4
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Section 2.2.
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List of
Holders.
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4
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Section 2.3.
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Reports by
the Guarantee Trustee.
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5
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Section 2.4.
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Periodic
Reports to the Guarantee Trustee.
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5
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Section 2.5.
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Evidence of
Compliance with Conditions Precedent.
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5
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Section 2.6.
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Events of
Default; Waiver.
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5
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Section 2.7.
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Event of
Default; Notice.
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5
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Section 2.8.
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Conflicting
Interests.
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6
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ARTICLE III POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
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6
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Section 3.1.
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Powers and
Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.
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6
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Section 3.2.
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Certain
Rights of Guarantee Trustee.
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7
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Section 3.3.
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Compensation; Indemnity; Fees.
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9
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ARTICLE IV GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
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10
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Section 4.1.
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Guarantee
Trustee; Eligibility.
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10
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Section 4.2.
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Appointment,
Removal and Resignation of the Guarantee Trustee.
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10
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ARTICLE V GUARANTEE
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11
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Section 5.1.
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Guarantee.
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11
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Section 5.2.
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Waiver of
Notice and Demand.
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11
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Section 5.3.
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Obligations
Not Affected.
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11
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Section 5.4.
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Rights of
Holders.
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12
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Section 5.5.
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Guarantee of
Payment.
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12
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Section 5.6.
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Subrogation.
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13
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Section 5.7.
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Independent
Obligations.
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ARTICLE VI COVENANTS AND
SUBORDINATION
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13
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Section 6.1.
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Subordination.
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Section 6.2.
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Pari Passu
Guarantees.
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i
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ARTICLE VII TERMINATION
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14
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Section 7.1.
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Termination.
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14
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ARTICLE VIII MISCELLANEOUS
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14
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Section 8.1.
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Successors
and Assigns.
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14
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Section 8.2.
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Amendments.
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14
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Section 8.3.
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Notices.
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14
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Section 8.4.
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Benefit.
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15
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Section 8.5.
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Governing
Law.
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15
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Section 8.6.
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Counterparts.
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15
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Section 8.7
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Waiver of
Jury Trial
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15
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Section 8.8
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Force
Majeure
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16
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ii
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT, dated as of
August 19, 2008, between WELLS FARGO & COMPANY, a
Delaware corporation (the “ Guarantor ”), having
its principal office at 420 Montgomery Street, San Francisco,
California 94163, and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as trustee (the “ Guarantee
Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined
herein) from time to time of the Capital Securities (as defined
herein) of WELLS FARGO CAPITAL XIV, a Delaware statutory trust (the
“ Issuer Trust ”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, pursuant to
an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement,
of even date herewith (the “ Trust Agreement ”),
among Wells Fargo & Company, as Depositor, the Property
Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Administrative Trustees (each
as named therein) and the holders from time to time of undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer Trust, the Issuer
Trust is issuing $690,000,000 aggregate Liquidation Amount (as
defined in the Trust Agreement) of its 8.625% Enhanced Trust
Preferred Securities (Enhanced T RU PS ® ) (liquidation amount $25 per
capital security) (the “ Capital Securities ”),
representing preferred undivided beneficial interests in the assets
of the Issuer Trust and having the terms set forth in the Trust
Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Capital Securities will
be issued by the Issuer Trust, and the proceeds thereof, together
with the proceeds from the issuance of the Issuer Trust’s
Common Securities (as defined herein), will be used to purchase the
Debentures of the Guarantor, which Debentures will be deposited
with The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, National
Association, as Property Trustee under the Trust Agreement, as
trust assets; and
WHEREAS, as an incentive for the
Holders to purchase Capital Securities, the Guarantor desires
irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth
herein, to pay to the Holders of the Capital Securities the
Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other
payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the purchase of Capital Securities by each Holder, which purchase
the Guarantor hereby acknowledges shall benefit the Guarantor, the
Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee Agreement for the
benefit of the Holders from time to time.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1.
Definitions.
For all purposes of this Guarantee
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” or a
“Section” refers to an Article or a Section, as the
case may be, of this Guarantee Agreement; and
(f) the words “hereby,”
“herein,” “hereof” and
“hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to
this Guarantee Agreement as a whole and not to any particular
Article, Section or other subdivision.
“ 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.
“ Board of Directors
” means the board of directors of the Guarantor or any
committee of the board of directors of the Guarantor, comprised of
one or more members of the board of directors of the Guarantor or
officers of the Guarantor, or both.
“ Capital Securities
” has the meaning specified in the recitals to this Guarantee
Agreement.
“ Common Securities
” means the securities representing common undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer Trust.
“ Debentures ”
shall have the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.
“ Distributions ”
shall have the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.
“ Event of Default
” means (i) a default by the Guarantor in any of its
payment obligations under this Guarantee Agreement or (ii) a
default by the Guarantor in any other obligation hereunder that
remains unremedied for 30 days.
“ Guarantee Agreement
” means this Guarantee Agreement, as modified, amended or
supplemented from time to time.
“ Guarantee Payments
” means the following payments or distributions, without
duplication, with respect to the Capital Securities, to the extent
not paid or made by or on behalf of the Issuer Trust: (i) any
accumulated and unpaid Distributions required to be paid on the
Capital Securities, to the extent the Issuer Trust shall have funds
on hand available therefor at such time; (ii) the Redemption
Price with respect to any Capital Securities called for redemption
by the Issuer Trust, to the extent the Issuer Trust shall have
funds on hand available therefor at such time; and (iii) upon
a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or liquidation
of the Issuer Trust, unless Debentures are distributed to the
Holders, the lesser of (a) the Liquidation Distribution with
respect to the Capital Securities, to the extent that the Issuer
Trust shall have funds on hand available therefor at such time, and
(b) the amount of assets of the Issuer Trust remaining
available for distribution to Holders on liquidation of the Issuer
Trust.
“ Guarantee Trustee
” means The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, National
Association, solely in its capacity as Guarantee Trustee and not in
its individual capacity, until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has
been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the
terms of this Guarantee Agreement, and thereafter means each such
Successor Guarantee Trustee.
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“ Guarantor ” has
the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this Guarantee
Agreement.
“ Holder ” means
any Holder (as defined in the Trust Agreement) of any Capital
Securities; provided, however , that in determining whether
the holders of the requisite percentage of Capital Securities have
given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder,
“Holder” shall not include the Guarantor, the Guarantee
Trustee, or any Affiliate of the Guarantor or the Guarantee
Trustee.
“ Indemnified Person
” shall have the meaning specified in
Section 3.3(c).
“ Indenture ”
means the Indenture, dated as of August 1, 2005, between Wells
Fargo & Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust
Company, National Association (as successor in interest to J.P.
Morgan Trust Company, National Association), as trustee, as
supplemented by the Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of
August 19, 2008, between Wells Fargo & Company and
The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, National Association, as
trustee, as the same may be further modified, amended or
supplemented from time to time.
“ Issuer Trust ”
has the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this Guarantee
Agreement.
“ Liquidation
Distribution ” shall have the meaning specified in the
Trust Agreement.
“ List of Holders
” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.2(a).
“ 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 (as
defined in the Trust Agreement) of all Capital Securities then
Outstanding (as defined in the Trust Agreement).
“ Officers’
Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed by the Chairman or a Vice Chairman of the Board
of Directors of such Person or the President or a Vice President of
such Person, and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such Person. Any
Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance
with a condition or covenant provided for in this Guarantee
Agreement shall include:
(a) a statement by each officer
signing the Officers’ Certificate that such officer has read
the covenant or condition and the definitions relating
thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature
and scope of the examination or investigation undertaken by such
officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;
(c) a statement that such officer
has made such examination or investigation as, in such
officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to
express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or
condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in
the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been
complied with.
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“ Person ” means
a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate,
partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company,
company, limited liability company, trust, business trust,
unincorporated association, or government or any agency or
political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever
nature.
“ Redemption Price
” shall have the meaning specified in the Trust
Agreement.
“ Responsible Officer
” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer
within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee
having direct responsibility for the administration of this
Guarantee Agreement or to whom any corporate trust matter is
referred because of such person’s knowledge of and
familiarity with the particular subject.
“ Successor Guarantee
Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing
the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under
Section 4.1.
“ Trust Agreement
” means the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and
Trust Agreement of the Issuer Trust referred to in the recitals to
this Guarantee Agreement, as modified, amended or supplemented from
time to time.
“ Trust Indenture Act
” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the
date as of which this Guarantee Agreement was executed;
provided, however , that in the event 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.
“ Vice President
,” when used with respect to the Guarantor, means any duly
appointed vice president, whether or not designated by a number or
a word or words added before or after the title “vice
president.”
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE
ACT
Section 2.1. Trust Indenture
Act; Application.
Except as otherwise expressly
provided herein, the Trust Indenture Act shall apply as a matter of
contract to this Guarantee Agreement for purposes of
interpretation, construction and defining the rights and
obligations hereunder, and this Guarantee Agreement, the Guarantor
and the Guarantee Trustee shall be deemed for all purposes hereof
to be subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act to the
same extent as would be the case if this Guarantee Agreement were
qualified under the Trust Indenture Act on the date hereof. Except
as otherwise expressly provided herein, if and to the extent that
any provision of this Guarantee Agreement limits, qualifies or
conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317,
inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall
control.
Section 2.2. List of
Holders.
(a) The Guarantor shall furnish or
cause to be furnished to the Guarantee Trustee
(a) semiannually, on or before June 30 and
December 31 of each year, a list, in such form as the
Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and
addresses of the Holders (a “ List of Holders ”)
as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the delivery thereof,
and (b) at such other times as the Guarantee Trustee may
request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the
Guarantor of any
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such request, a List of Holders as of a date not
more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished, in each
case to the extent such information is in the possession or control
of the Guarantor and has not otherwise been received by the
Guarantee Trustee in its capacity as such. The Guarantee Trustee
may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt
of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall
comply with the requirements of Section 311(a),
Section 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
Section 2.3. Reports by the
Guarantee Trustee.
Within 60 days after May 15
each year, commencing May 15, 2009, the Guarantee Trustee
shall provide to the Holders such reports as are required by
Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form
and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust
Indenture Act. If this Guarantee Agreement shall have been
qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, the Guarantee Trustee
shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of
the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 2.4. Periodic
Reports to the Guarantee Trustee.
The Guarantor shall provide to the
Guarantee Trustee and the Holders such documents, reports and
information, if any, as required by Section 314 of the Trust
Indenture Act and the compliance certificate required by
Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, in the form, in the
manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust
Indenture Act, provided that such documents, reports and
information shall be required to be provided to the Securities and
Exchange Commission only if this Guarantee Agreement shall have
been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 2.5. Evidence of
Compliance with Conditions Precedent.
The Guarantor shall provide to the
Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with such conditions
precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee Agreement that
relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of
the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be
given by an officer of the Guarantor pursuant to
Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an
Officers’ Certificate.
Section 2.6. Events of
Default; Waiver.
The Holders of at least a Majority
in Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities may, by vote, on
behalf of the Holders of all the Capital 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 Guarantee Agreement, but
no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or
Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 2.7. Event of
Default; Notice.
(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall,
within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default known to
the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage
prepaid, to the Holders, notice of any such Event of Default known
to the Guarantee Trustee, unless such Event of Default has been
cured before the giving of such notice, provided that ,
except in the case of a default in the payment of a Guarantee
Payment, the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding
such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive
committee or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible
Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the
withholding of such notice is in the interests of the
Holders.
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(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not
be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the
Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice, or a
Responsible Officer charged with the administration of this
Guarantee Agreement shall have obtained written notice, of such
Event of Default.
Section 2.8. Conflicting
Interests.
The Trust Agreement and the
Indenture shall be deemed to be specifically described in this
Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of clause (i) of the
first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act.
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 3.1. Powers and
Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.
(a) This Guarantee Agreement shall
be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders,
and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee
Agreement to any Person except to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on
acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment
to act as Guarantee Trustee hereunder. The right, title and
interest of the Guarantee Trustee, as such, hereunder shall
automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, upon
acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment
hereunder, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be
effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been
execute