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Exhibit 4.5
GUARANTEE
AGREEMENT
by and between
WELLS FARGO &
COMPANY
as Guarantor
and
THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST
COMPANY, N.A.
as Guarantee
Trustee
relating to
WELLS FARGO CAPITAL
XI
Dated as of May 25,
2007
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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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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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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Section 2.8.
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Conflicting Interests. |
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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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Section 3.2.
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Certain
Rights of Guarantee Trustee. |
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Section 3.3.
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Compensation; Indemnity; Fees. |
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ARTICLE IV GUARANTEE
TRUSTEE
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Section 4.1.
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Guarantee
Trustee; Eligibility. |
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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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Section 5.2.
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Waiver of
Notice and Demand. |
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Section 5.3.
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Obligations Not Affected. |
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Section 5.4.
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Rights of
Holders. |
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Section 5.5.
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Guarantee
of Payment. |
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Section 5.6.
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Subrogation. |
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12 |
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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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ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
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Section 7.1.
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Termination. |
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ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
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Section 8.1.
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Successors and Assigns. |
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Section 8.2.
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Amendments. |
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Section 8.3.
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Notices. |
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Section 8.4.
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Benefit. |
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Section 8.5.
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Governing
Law. |
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Section 8.6.
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Counterparts. |
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ii
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT, dated as
of May 25, 2007, 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 TRUST COMPANY, N.A., 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 XI, 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 $1,000,000,000 aggregate Liquidation Amount (as
defined in the Trust Agreement) of its 6.25% 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 Trust Company, N.A., 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 Trust Company, N.A.,
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.
“ Indenture
” means the Indenture, dated as of August 1, 2005,
between Wells Fargo & Company and The Bank of New York
Trust Company, N.A. (as successor in interest to J.P. Morgan Trust
Company, National Association), as trustee, as supplemented by the
Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of May 25, 2007,
between Wells Fargo & Company and The Bank of New York
Trust Company, N.A., 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.
“ 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.
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“ Redemption
Price ” shall have the meaning specified in the Trust
Agreement.
“ Responsible
Officer ” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee,
any Senior Vice President, any Vice President, any Assistant Vice
President, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer,
any Assistant Treasurer, any Trust Officer or Assistant Trust
Officer or any other officer of the Global Corporate Trust
Department of the Guarantee Trustee and also means, with respect to
a particular matter, any other officer to whom such matter is
referred because of that officer’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 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.
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(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, 2008, 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 def
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