Exhibit 4.5
GUARANTEE
AGREEMENT
Dated as of February 1,
2007
By and Between
U.S. BANCORP,
as Guarantor
and
WILMINGTON TRUST
COMPANY,
as Trustee
CROSS REFERENCE TABLE
(1)
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Section of Trust
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Section of
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Indenture Act of
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Guarantee
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1939, as amended
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Agreement
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310(a)
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4.1(a)
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310(b)
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2.8; 4.1(c)
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310(c)
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Inapplicable
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311(a)
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2.2(b)
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311(b)
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2.2(b)
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311(c)
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Inapplicable
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312(a)
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2.2(a); 2.9
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312(b)
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2.2(b); 2.9
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312(c)
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2.9
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313(a)
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2.3
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313(b)
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2.3
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313(c)
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2.3
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313(d)
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2.3
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314(a)
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2.4
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314(b)
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Inapplicable
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314(c)
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2.5
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314(d)
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Inapplicable
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314(e)
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2.5
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314(f)
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Inapplicable
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315(a)
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3.1(d); 3.2(a)
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315(b)
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2.7(a)
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315(c)
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3.1(c)
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315(d)
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3.1(d)
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316(a)
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2.6; 5.4(a)
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316(b)
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5.3
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316(c)
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Inapplicable
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317(a)
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2.10
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317(b)
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Inapplicable
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318(a)
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2.1(b)
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(1)
This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of the
Agreement and shall not have any bearing upon the interpretation of
any of its terms or provisions.
ii
Table of Contents
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Page
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ARTICLE 1 INTERPRETATION AND
DEFINITIONS
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1
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SECTION
1.1.
Interpretation and Definitions
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1
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ARTICLE 2 TRUST INDENTURE
ACT
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5
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SECTION
2.1. Trust
Indenture Act; Application
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5
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SECTION
2.2. Lists of
Holders of Securities
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5
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SECTION
2.3. Reports
by Guarantee Trustee
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5
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SECTION
2.4. Periodic
Reports to Guarantee Trustee
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5
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SECTION
2.5. Evidence
of Compliance with Conditions Precedent
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5
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SECTION
2.6.
Guarantee Event of Default; Waiver
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6
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SECTION
2.7.
Guarantee Event of Default; Notice
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6
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SECTION
2.8.
Conflicting Interests
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6
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SECTION
2.9.
Disclosure of Information
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6
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SECTION
2.10. Guarantee Trustee
May File Proofs of Claim
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6
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ARTICLE 3 POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF GUARANTEE
TRUSTEE
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7
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SECTION
3.1. Powers
and Duties of Guarantee Trustee
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7
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SECTION
3.2. Certain
Rights of Guarantee Trustee
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8
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ARTICLE 4 GUARANTEE
TRUSTEE
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10
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SECTION
4.1.
Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility
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10
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SECTION
4.2.
Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee
Trustee
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11
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ARTICLE 5 GUARANTEE
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12
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SECTION
5.1.
Guarantee
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12
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SECTION
5.2. Waiver
of Notice and Demand
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12
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SECTION
5.3.
Obligations Not Affected
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12
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SECTION
5.4. Rights
of Holders
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13
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SECTION
5.5.
Guarantee of Payment
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14
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SECTION
5.6.
Subrogation
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14
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SECTION
5.7.
Independent Obligations
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14
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ARTICLE 6 LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS;
SUBORDINATION
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14
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SECTION
6.1.
Limitation of Transactions
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14
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SECTION
6.2.
Ranking
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15
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SECTION
6.3.
Subordination of Common Securities
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15
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iii
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ARTICLE 7 TERMINATION
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15
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SECTION
7.1.
Termination
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15
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ARTICLE 8 INDEMNIFICATION
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15
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SECTION
8.1.
Indemnification
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15
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ARTICLE 9 MISCELLANEOUS
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16
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SECTION
9.1.
Successors and Assigns
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16
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SECTION
9.2.
Amendments
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16
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SECTION
9.3.
Notices
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16
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SECTION
9.4.
Benefit
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17
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SECTION
9.5.
Governing Law
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17
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iv
GUARANTEE
AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the
“Guarantee”), dated as of February 1, 2007, is executed
and delivered by U.S. BANCORP, a Delaware corporation (the
“Guarantor”), and WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, a Delaware
banking corporation, as trustee (the “Guarantee
Trustee”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein)
from time to time of the Securities (as defined herein) of USB
CAPITAL XII, a Delaware statutory trust (the
“Trust”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Trust
Agreement (as defined herein), the Trust may issue up to
$575,000,000aggregate liquidation amount of capital securities,
having a liquidation amount of $25.00 per security and designated
the “6.30% Trust Preferred Securities”of the Trust (the
“Capital Securities”) and $1,000,000 aggregate
liquidation amount of common securities, having a liquidation
amount of $25.00 per security and designated the “6.30%
Common Securities” of the Trust (the “Common
Securities” and, together with the Capital Securities, the
“Securities”);
WHEREAS, as incentive for the
Holders to purchase the Securities, the Guarantor desires
irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth
in this Guarantee, to pay to the Holders of the Securities the
Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make certain other
payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein;
and
WHEREAS, if a Trust Enforcement
Event (as defined herein) has occurred and is continuing, the
rights of holders of the Common Securities to receive Guarantee
Payments (as defined herein) under this Guarantee are subordinated
to the rights of Holders of Capital Securities to receive Guarantee
Payments under this Guarantee;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the purchase by each Holder of Securities, which purchase the
Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor
executes and delivers this Guarantee for the benefit of the
Holders.
ARTICLE
1
INTERPRETATION
AND DEFINITIONS
SECTION
1.1
Interpretation and Definitions . In this Guarantee,
unless the context otherwise requires:
(a)
capitalized terms
used in this Guarantee but not defined in the preamble above have
the respective meanings assigned to them in this Section
1.1;
(b)
a term defined
anywhere in this Guarantee has the same meaning
throughout;
1
(c)
all references to
“the Guarantee” or “this Guarantee” are to
this Guarantee as modified, supplemented or amended from time to
time;
(d)
all references in
this Guarantee to Articles, Sections and Recitals are to Articles,
Sections and Recitals of this Guarantee, unless otherwise
specified;
(e)
unless otherwise
defined in this Guarantee, a term defined in the Trust Indenture
Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee;
(f)
a reference to
the singular includes the plural and vice versa and a reference to
any masculine form of a term shall include the feminine form of a
term, as applicable; and
(g)
the following
terms have the following meanings:
“ Affiliate ” has
the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule
thereunder.
“ Business Day ”
has the meaning specified in the Trust Agreement.
“ Capital Securities
” has the meaning specified in the Recitals
hereto.
“ Common Securities
” has the meaning specified in the Recitals
hereto.
“ Common Stock ”
means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the
Guarantor.
“ Corporate Trust
Office ” means the principal office of the Guarantee
Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust
business shall be administered, which office at the date of
execution of this Guarantee is located at 1100 Market Street,
Wilmington, Delaware 19890.
“ Deferral Period
” has the meaning specified in the Indenture.
“ Global Security
” means a fully registered, global Capital Security, as
defined in the Indenture, representing the Capital
Securities.
“ Guarantee Event of
Default ” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its
payment or other obligations under this Guarantee.
“ Guarantee Payments
” means the following payments or distributions, without
duplication, with respect to the Securities, to the extent not paid
by or on behalf of the Trust: (i) any accumulated and unpaid
Distributions (as defined in the Trust Agreement) that are required
to be paid on such Securities to the extent the Trust has
sufficient funds available therefor at the time, (ii) the
redemption price, including all accumulated and unpaid
Distributions to the date of redemption, with respect to any
Securities called for redemption by the Trust, to the extent the
Trust shall have sufficient funds available therefor at the time or
(iii) upon a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up
or termination of the Trust (other than in
2
connection with the distribution of
ICONs to the Holders in exchange for Securities as provided in the
Trust Agreement), the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the
liquidation amount and all accumulated and unpaid Distributions on
the Securities to the date of payment, to the extent the Trust has
sufficient funds available therefor and (b) the amount of assets of
the Trust remaining available for distribution to Holders in
liquidation of the Trust (in either case, the “Liquidation
Distribution”).
“ Guarantee Trustee
” means Wilmington Trust Company, until a Successor Guarantee
Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment
pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee and thereafter means each
such Successor Guarantee Trustee.
“ Holder ” means
any holder of Securities, as registered on the books and records of
the Trust; 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 or any
Affiliate of the Guarantor or any other obligor on the Capital
Securities.
“ ICONs ” means
the series of 6.30% Income Capital Obligation Notes due 2067
designated the “6.30% Income Capital Obligation Notes due
2067”, held by the Property Trustee as defined in the Trust
Agreement.
“ Indenture ”
means the Junior Subordinated Indenture dated as of April 28, 2005,
between U.S. Bancorp and Delaware Trust Company, National
Association (the “Original Indenture Trustee”), as
supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of August
3, 2005, between U.S. Bancorp and the Original Indenture Trustee,
as further supplemented by the Second Supplemental Indenture dated
as of December 29, 2005, between U.S. Bancorp, the Original
Indenture Trustee, and Wilmington Trust Company, as successor
trustee (the “Successor Indenture Trustee”), as further
supplemented by the Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of March
17, 2006, between U.S. Bancorp and the Successor Indenture Trustee,
as further supplemented by the Fourth Supplemental Indenture dated
as of April 12, 2006, between U.S. Bancorp and the Successor
Indenture Trustee, as further supplemented by the Fifth
Supplemental Indenture dated as of August 30, 2006, between U.S.
Bancorp and the Successor Indenture Trustee and as further
supplemented by the Sixth Supplemental Indenture dated as of
February 1, 2007, between U.S. Bancorp and the Successor Indenture
Trustee and any indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to which
the ICONs are to be issued to the Property Trustee, as defined in
the Trust Agreement.
“ List of Holders
” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.2
hereof.
“ Majority in Liquidation
Amount ” means, except as provided in the terms of the
Capital Securities or by the Trust Indenture Act, Holder(s) of
outstanding Securities, voting together as a single class, or, as
the context may require, Holders of outstanding Capital Securities
or Holders of outstanding Common Securities, voting separately as a
class, who are the record owners of more than 50% of the aggregate
liquidation amount (including the stated amount that would be paid
on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accumulated and
unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages
are determined) of all outstanding Securities of the relevant
class. In determining whether the Holders of the requisite
amount of
3
Securities have voted, Securities
which are owned by the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor
or any other obligor on the Securities shall be disregarded for the
purpose of any such determination.
“ Officers’
Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed on behalf of such Person by two Authorized
Officers (as defined in the Trust Agreement) of such Person.
Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to
compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this
Guarantee shall include:
(i)
a statement that
each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the
covenant or condition and the definitions relating
thereto;
(ii)
a brief statement
of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation
undertaken by each officer on behalf of such Person in rendering
the Officers’ Certificate;
(iii)
a statement that
each such officer has made such examination or investigation as, in
such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer
on behalf of such Person to express an informed opinion as to
whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with;
and
(iv)
a statement as to
whether, in the opinion of each such officer acting on behalf of
such Person, such condition or covenant has been complied
with.
“ Person ” means
a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate,
partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company,
limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any
other entity of whatever nature.
“ Redemption Price
” has the meaning specified in the Trust
Agreement.
“ Responsible Officer
” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer
with direct responsibility for the administration of this Guarantee
and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust
matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because
of that officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the
particular subject.
“ Securities ”
has the meaning specified in the Recitals hereto.
“ 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 Trust Agreement, dated as of
the date hereof, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to
time, among the trustees of the Trust named therein, the Guarantor,
as sponsor, and the Holders, from time to time, of undivided
beneficial ownership interests in the assets of the
Trust.
4
“ Trust Enforcement
Event ” in respect of the Securities means an Event of
Default (as defined in the Indenture) has occurred and is
continuing in respect of the ICONs.
“ Trust Indenture Act
” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time
to time, or any successor legislation.
ARTICLE
2
TRUST INDENTURE
ACT
SECTION 2.1
Trust Indenture Act;
Application . (a) This
Guarantee is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act
that are required to be part of this Guarantee and shall, to the
extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
(b)
If and to the
extent that any provision of this Guarantee 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
Lists of Holders of
Securities . (a) The
Guarantor shall provide the Guarantee Trustee (i) except while
the Capital Securities are represented by one or more Global
Securities, at least two Business Days prior to the date for
payment of Distributions, a list, in such form as the Guarantee
Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the
Holders of the Securities (“List of Holders”) as of the
record date relating to the payment of such Distributions, and
(ii) at any other time, within 30 days of receipt by the
Guarantor of a written request from the Guarantee Trustee for a
List of Holders as of a date no more than 15 days before such List
of Holders is given to the Guarantee Trustee; provided that the
Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such List of Holders at
any time the List of Holders does not differ from the most recent
List of Holders given to the Guarantee Trustee by the
Guarantor. The Guarantee Trustee shall preserve, in as
current a form as is reasonably practicable, all information
contained in Lists of Holders given to it, provided that 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 its obligations under Sections 311(a),
311(b) and 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3
Reports by Guarantee
Trustee . Within 60
days after May 15 of each year (commencing with the year of the
first anniversary of the issuance of the Securities), the Guarantee
Trustee shall provide to the Holders of the Securities such reports
as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act (if any)
in the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust
Indenture Act. The Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with
the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
SECTION 2.4
Periodic Reports to Guarantee
Trustee . The
Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such documents,
reports and information as required by Section 314(a) (if any) of
the Trust Indenture Act 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(a) of the Trust
Indenture Act, but in no event later than 120 days after the end of
each calendar year.
5
SECTION 2.5
Evidence of Compliance with
Conditions Precedent . The Guarantor shall provide to the
Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance with any conditions
precedent, if any, provided for in this Guarantee that relate to
any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust
Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be
given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in
the form of an Officers’ Certificate.
SECTION 2.6
Guarantee Event of Default;
Waiver . The
Holders of a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Capital
Securities may, by vote or written consent, on behalf of the
Holders of all of the Securities, waive any past Guarantee Event of
Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such
Guarantee Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Guarantee
Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been
cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee, but no such waiver
shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Guarantee Event
of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 2.7
Guarantee Event of Default;
Notice . (a) The
Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of a
Guarantee Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer
of the Guarantee Trustee, transmit by mail, first class postage
prepaid, to the Holders of the Securities, notices of all such
Guarantee Events of Default, unless such defaults have been cured
before the giving of such notice; provided, that the Guarantee
Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so
long as a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee in good
faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the
interests of the Holders of the Securities.
(b)
The Guarantee
Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Guarantee
Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received
written notice thereof or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee
Trustee charged with the administration of this Guarantee Agreement
shall have obtained actual knowledge thereof.
SECTION 2.8
Conflicting Interests
. The Trust Agreement
shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee for
the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in
Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.9
Disclosure of
Information . The disclosure of information as to
the names and addresses of the Holders of the Securities in
accordance with Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless
of the source from which such information was derived, shall not be
deemed to be a violation