Exhibit 4.13
HITS G UARANTEE A GREEMENT
by and between
BANK OF AMERICA
CORPORATION,
as Guarantor
and
THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
as Guarantee Trustee
relating to
BAC CAPITAL TRUST XIV
Dated as of February 16,
2007
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
Certain Sections of this HITS Guarantee
Agreement relating to Sections 310 through 318,
inclusive, of the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939:
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Trust Indenture
Act Section
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Guarantee Section
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§ 310
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(a)
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4.1(a)
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(b)
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2.8,
4.1(c)
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(c)
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Not
applicable
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§ 311
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(a)
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2.2(b)
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(b)
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2.2(b)
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§ 312
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(a)
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2.2(a)
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(b)
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2.2(b)
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§ 313
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2.3
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§ 314
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(a)
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2.4
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(b)
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Not
applicable
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(c)
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2.5
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(d)
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Not
applicable
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(e)
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1.1,
2.4
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(f)
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2.1,
3.2
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§ 315
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(a)
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3.1(d)
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(b)
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2.7
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(c)
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3.1(c)
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(d)
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3.1(d)
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(e)
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Not
applicable
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§ 316
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(a)
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1.1, 2.6,
5.4
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(b)
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5.3
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(c)
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Not
applicable
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§ 317
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(a)
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Not
applicable
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(b)
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Not
applicable
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§ 318
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(a)
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2.1
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(b)
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2.1
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Note: This
reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose be deemed to be
part of the HITS Guarantee Agreement.
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2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I
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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
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TRUST INDENTURE
ACT
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5
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Section 2.1
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Trust Indenture
Act; Application
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5
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Section 2.2
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List of
Holders
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5
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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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6
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Section 2.6
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Events of
Default; Waiver
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6
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Section 2.7
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Events of
Default; Notice
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6
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Section 2.8
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Conflicting
Interests
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6
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ARTICLE III
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POWERS, DUTIES
AND RIGHTS OF THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
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7
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Section 3.1
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Powers and
Duties of the Guarantee Trustee
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7
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Section 3.2
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Certain Rights
of the Guarantee Trustee
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8
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Section 3.3
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Compensation;
Indemnity; Fees
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10
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ARTICLE IV
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GUARANTEE
TRUSTEE
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10
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Section 4.1
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The 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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ARTICLE V
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GUARANTEE
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Section 5.1
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Guarantee
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12
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Section 5.2
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Waiver of
Notice and Demand
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12
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Section 5.3
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Obligations Not
Affected
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12
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Section 5.4
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Rights of
Holders
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13
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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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Section 5.7
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Independent
Obligations
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14
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ARTICLE VI
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COVENANTS AND
SUBORDINATION
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14
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Section 6.1
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Limitation of
Transactions
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14
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Section 6.2
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Subordination
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-i-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page
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Section 6.3
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Pari Passu
Obligations
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15
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ARTICLE VII
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TERMINATION
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Section 7.1
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Termination
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ARTICLE VIII
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MISCELLANEOUS
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Section 8.1
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Successors and
Assigns
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16
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Section 8.2
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Amendments
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16
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Section 8.3
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Notices
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16
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Section 8.4
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Expenses
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Section 8.5
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Benefit
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17
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Section 8.6
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Governing
Law
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-ii-
HITS G UARANTEE A GREEMENT , dated as of February 16, 2007, between
Bank of America Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “
Guarantor ”), having its principal office at 100 North
Tryon Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28255, and The Bank of New
York, a Delaware banking corporation, as trustee (the “
Guarantee Trustee ”), for the benefit of the Holders
from time to time of 5.63% Fixed to Floating Rate Preferred Hybrid
Income Term Securities of BAC Capital Trust XIV, a Delaware
statutory trust (the “ Trust ”).
R ECITALS OF THE G UARANTOR
The Trust may issue and initially is
issuing on the date hereof 850,000 Preferred HITS (as defined
herein) having the terms set forth in an Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust, of even date herewith (the “
Declaration ”), among Bank of America Corporation, as
sponsor, the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Regular
Trustees (each as named therein) and the holders from time to time
of the Trust Securities.
The Preferred HITS will be issued by
the Trust, and the proceeds thereof, together with the proceeds
from the issuance of the Trust’s Common Securities, will be
used to purchase the Notes, which initially will be pledged by the
Trust, acting through The Bank of New York, as Property Trustee for
the Trust (the “ Property Trustee ”), to The
Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as collateral agent for the
Guarantor, pursuant to the Collateral Agreement, dated as of the
date hereof, among the Guarantor, The Bank of New York Trust
Company, N.A., as Collateral Agent, Custodial Agent, Securities
Intermediary and Securities Registrar, and the Trust.
As an incentive for the Holders to
purchase the Preferred HITS, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and
unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth herein, to pay to
the Holders of the HITS the Guarantee Payments and to make certain
other payments on the terms and conditions set forth
herein.
N OW , THEREFORE , THIS HITS G UARANTEE A GREEMENT W ITNESSETH : For
and in consideration of the purchase of Preferred HITS by each
Holder, which purchase the Guarantor hereby acknowledges shall
benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this
HITS Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders from time
to time.
ARTICLE I
Definitions
Section 1.1 Definitions
.
For all purposes of this HITS
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.
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(c) The words “hereby,”
“herein,” “hereof” and
“hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to
this HITS Guarantee Agreement as a whole and not to any particular
Article, Section or other subdivision.
(d) Unless the context otherwise
requires, any reference to an “Article”, a
“Section” or another subdivision refers to an Article,
a Section or another subdivision, as the case may be, of this HITS
Guarantee Agreement.
“ Affiliate ” has
the same meaning as given that term in Rule 405 of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule.
“ Authorized Officer
” of any Person means the Chief Executive Officer, President,
Chief Financial Officer, any Vice President, Treasurer, Assistant
Treasurer, Associate General Counsel or other Person authorized to
bind such Person.
“ Base Indenture
” has the meaning specified in the Declaration.
“ Class ” has the
meaning specified in the Declaration.
“ Common Security
” has the meaning specified in the Declaration.
“Contract
Payments” has the
meaning specified in the Stock Purchase Contract
Agreement.
“ Corporate HITS
” has the meaning specified in the Declaration.
“ Declaration ”
means the Amended and Restated Declaration of the Trust referred to
in the recitals to this HITS Guarantee Agreement, as modified,
amended or supplemented from time to time.
“ Distributions ”
has the meaning specified in the Declaration.
“ Event of Default
” means (i) a default by the Guarantor in any of its
payment obligations under this HITS Guarantee Agreement or
(ii) a default by the Guarantor in any other obligation
hereunder that remains unremedied for 30 days.
“Guarantee
Payments” means the
following payments or distributions, without duplication, with
respect to the HITS of any Class, to the extent not paid or made by
or on behalf of the Trust: (i) any accumulated and unpaid
Distributions required to be paid on the HITS of such Class, to the
extent the Trust shall have funds on hand available therefor at
such time; (ii) the Redemption Price with respect to any HITS
called for redemption by the Trust (other than in connection with
the redemption of Corporate HITS in exchange for Notes), to the
extent the 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 Trust, other than in
connection with the distribution of a Like Amount of Corresponding
Assets (as defined in the Declaration) to the Holders of Preferred
HITS and Trust Common Securities, the lesser of (a) the
Liquidation Distribution with respect to each Class of the HITS, to
the extent that the Trust shall have funds
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on hand available therefor at such time and
(b) the amount of assets of the Trust has remaining available
for distribution to Holders of the HITS on liquidation of the
Trust.
“ Guarantee Trustee
” means The Bank of New York, 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 HITS Guarantee
Agreement, and thereafter means each such Successor Guarantee
Trustee.
“ Guarantor ” has
the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this HITS Guarantee
Agreement.
“ HITS ” means
the Preferred HITS, Treasury HITS, and Corporate HITS.
“ HITS Guarantee
Agreement ” means this HITS Guarantee Agreement, as
modified, amended or supplemented from time to time.
“ Holder ” means
any Holder (as defined in the Declaration) of any HITS; provided,
however, that in determining whether the holders of the requisite
percentage of HITS of any Class or Classes 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 ” has
the meaning specified in the Declaration.
“ Indemnified Person
” has the meaning specified in
Section 3.3(c).
“ Liquidation
Distribution ” has the meaning specified in the
Declaration.
“ List of Holders
” has the meaning specified in
Section 2.2(a).
“ Majority in Liquidation
Amount ” has the meaning specified in the
Declaration.
“ Notes ” has the
meaning specified in the Declaration.
“ Officers’
Certificate ” means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed by an Authorized Officer of such person. Any
Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance
with a condition or covenant provided for in this HITS Guarantee
Agreement 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 such
officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;
(iii) 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
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(iv) a statement as to whether, in
the opinion of such officer, such condition or covenant has been
complied with.
“ Person ” means
any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust,
unincorporated organization or government or any agency or
political subdivision thereof.
“ Preferred HITS
” has the meaning specified in the Declaration.
“ Redemption Price
” has the meaning specified in the Declaration.
“ Responsible Officer
” means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee, any officer
within the corporate trust department of the Guarantee Trustee,
including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant
secretary, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer
or any other officer of the Guarantee Trustee who customarily
performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at
the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any
corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s
knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who
shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this
Declaration.
“ Senior Obligations
” has the meaning specified in the Fourteenth Supplemental
Indenture.
“ Stock Purchase Contract
Agreement” means the Stock Purchase Contract Agreement,
dated as of the date hereof, between the Guarantor and the Trust,
acting through The Bank of New York, as Property
Trustee.
“ Successor Guarantee
Trustee ” means a successor Guarantee Trustee possessing
the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under
Section 4.1.
“ Fourteenth Supplemental
Indenture ” has the meaning specified in the
Declaration.
“ Treasury HITS ”
has the meaning specified in the Declaration.
“ Trust ” has the
meaning specified in the first paragraph of this HITS Guarantee
Agreement.
“ Trust Indenture Act
” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C.
§§ 77aaa-77bbb), as amended and as in effect on the date
of this HITS Guarantee Agreement, except as provided in
Section 9.5 of the Indenture.
“ 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.”
4
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 HITS Guarantee Agreement for purposes of
interpretation, construction and defining the rights and
obligations hereunder, and this HITS 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 HITS
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 HITS 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 provide the
Guarantee Trustee with 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 such date,
(i) within 10 days after each record date, and (ii) at
any other time within 30 days of receipt by the Guarantor of a
written request for a List of Holders as of a date no more than 10
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 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 March 31
of each year (commencing with the year of the first anniversary of
the issuance of the HITS), 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. 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.
5
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 HITS 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 HITS may, by vote, on behalf of the
Holders of all the HITS, waive any past default or Event of Default
and its consequences; provided that each Class of HITS shall be
entitled, in the case of any default or Event of Default that
affects such Class differently from the other Class or Classes, to
vote separately as a Class with respect thereto. 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 HITS 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 Events of
Default; Notice.
(a) The Guarantee Trustee shall,
within 90 days after the occurrence of an 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 HITS,
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.
(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 HITS
Guarantee Agreement shall have obtained written notice, of such
Event of Default.
Section 2.8 Conflicting
Interests.
(a) The Declaration shall be deemed
to be specifically described in this HITS Guarantee Agreement for
the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in
Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
6
ARTICLE III
Powers, Duties and Rights of the
Guarantee Trustee
Section 3.1 Powers and
Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.
(a) This HITS Guarantee Agreement
shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the
Holders, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this HITS
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 executed
and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor
Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee shall enforce
this HITS Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the
Holders.
(c) The Guarantee 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 HITS
Guarantee Agreement (including pursuant to Section 2.1), and
no implied covenants shall be read into this HITS Guarantee
Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee. If an Event of Default has
occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to
Section 2.6), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the
rig