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EXHIBIT 5.4
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PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
MCN Financing II
Dated as of November 18, 1998
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation...............................2
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application.............................5
SECTION 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities...............................5
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee...................6
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Preferred Guarantee Trustee..............6
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.............6
SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver....................................6
SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice.....................................7
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests........................................7
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.........7
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee................9
SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee.......12
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility....................12
SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Preferred Guarantee
Trustees..................................................13
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee...................................................14
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand.................................14
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected....................................14
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders...........................................15
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Page
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment........................................16
SECTION 5.6 Subrogation.................................................16
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations.....................................16
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions..................................16
SECTION 6.2 Ranking.....................................................17
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination.................................................17
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation.................................................17
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification.............................................18
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns......................................19
SECTION 9.2 Amendments..................................................19
SECTION 9.3 Notices.....................................................19
SECTION 9.4 Benefit.....................................................20
SECTION 9.5 Governing Law...............................................20
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PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Preferred Securities Guarantee"), dated
as of November 18, 1998, is executed and delivered by MCN Energy Group Inc., a
Michigan corporation (the "Company" or the "Guarantor"), and Wilmington Trust
Company, as trustee (the "Preferred Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of the
Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Preferred Securities (as
defined herein) of MCN Financing II, a Delaware statutory business trust (the
"Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the
"Declaration"), dated as of November 18, 1998, among the trustees of the Issuer
named therein, the Guarantor, as sponsor, and the holders from time to time of
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer, the Issuer is
issuing on the date hereof 4,000,000 preferred securities, having an aggregate
liquidation amount of $100,000,000, designated the 8 5/8% Trust Preferred
Securities (the "Preferred Securities");
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred
Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to
the extent set forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, to pay to the
Holders of the Preferred Securities the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein)
and to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein;
and
WHEREAS, the Guarantor is also executing and delivering a guarantee
agreement (the "Common Securities Guarantee") in substantially identical terms
to this Preferred Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the holders of the
Common Securities (as defined herein), except that if an Event of Default (as
defined in the Indenture), has occurred and is continuing, the rights of holders
of the Common Securities to receive Guarantee Payments under the Common
Securities Guarantee are subordinated to the rights of Holders of Preferred
Securities to receive Guarantee Payments under this Preferred Securities
Guarantee.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of
Preferred Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit
the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Preferred Securities
Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders.
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation
In this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless the context otherwise
requires:
(a) Capitalized terms used in this Preferred Securities 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 Preferred Securities Guarantee
has the same meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Preferred Securities Guarantee" or "this
Preferred Securities Guarantee" are to this Preferred Securities
Guarantee as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
(d) all references in this Preferred Securities Guarantee to
Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning
when used in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless
otherwise defined in this Preferred Securities Guarantee or
unless the context otherwise requires; and
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa.
"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.
"Authorized Officer" of a Person means any Person that is authorized to
bind such Person.
"Business Day" means any day other than a day on which banking
institutions in the City of New York, New York are authorized or required by any
applicable law to close.
"Common Securities" means the securities representing common undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer.
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"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which office at the
date of execution of this Agreement is located at Wilmington Trust Company,
Xxxxxx Square North, 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000,
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration.
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of Preferred
Securities.
"Debentures" means the series of junior subordinated deferrable
interest debentures of the Guarantor designated the 8 5/8% Junior Subordinated
Debentures due November 15, 2038 held by the Institutional Trustee (as defined
in the Declaration) of the Issuer.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its
payment or other obligations under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions,
without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to the extent not
paid or made by the Issuer: (i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as defined
in the Declaration) that are required to be paid on such Preferred Securities
to the extent the Issuer shall have funds available therefor, (ii) the
redemption price, including all accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date of
redemption (the "Redemption Price") to the extent the Issuer has funds available
therefor, with respect to any Preferred Securities called for redemption by the
Issuer, and (iii) upon a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or
termination of the Issuer (other than in connection with the distribution of
Debentures to the Holders in exchange for Preferred Securities as provided in
the Declaration), the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and
all accrued and unpaid Distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of
payment, to the extent the Issuer shall have funds available therefor, and (b)
the amount of assets of the Issuer remaining available for distribution to
Holders in liquidation of the Issuer (in either case, the "Liquidation
Distribution"). If an event of default under the Indenture has occurred and is
continuing, the rights of holders of the Common Securities to receive payments
under the Common Securities Guarantee Agreement are subordinated to the rights
of Holders of Preferred Securities to receive Guarantee Payments.
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records
of the Issuer of any Preferred Securities; provided, however, that, in
determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred
Securities have given any
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request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder" shall not include the
Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor.
"Indemnified Person" means the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, any
Affiliate of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors,
shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, nominees,
custodians or agents of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of September 1, 1994, among
the Guarantor (the "Debenture Issuer") and NBD Bank, N.A., as trustee, and any
indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to which certain subordinated debt
securities of the Debenture Issuer are to be issued to the Institutional Trustee
of the Issuer.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Securities" means, except as
provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Holder(s) of Preferred
Securities, voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the liquidation
amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption,
liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date
upon which the voting percentages are determined) of all Preferred Securities.
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed by two Authorized Officers of such Person. Any Officers'
Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers' Certificate
has read the covenant or condition and the definition relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the Officers'
Certificate;
(c) a statement that each 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 each 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, limited
liability company, trust, unincorpo-
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rated association, or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof,
or any other entity of whatever nature.
"Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means Wilmington Trust Company, until a
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such
appointment pursuant to the terms of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and
thereafter means each such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, including any vice-president, any assistant vice-president,
any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer or other officer
of the Corporate Trust Office of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee customarily
performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated
officers 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.
"Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Preferred Guarantee
Trustee under Section 4.1.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application
(a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee is subject to the provisions of
the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such
provisions; and
(b) if and to the extent that any provision of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by
Section 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 Preferred Guarantee Trustee with a
list, in such form as the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of
the names and addresses of the Holders of the Preferred Securities ("List of
Holders") as of such date, (i) within 1 Business Day after January 1 and June 30
of each year, and (ii) at any other time within 30 days of re-
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ceipt by the Guarantor of a written request for a List of Holders as of a date
no more than 14 days before such List of Holders is given to the Preferred
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 Preferred Guarantee Trustee by the
Guarantor. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders
previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations
under Section 311(a), 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
Within 60 days after May 15 of each year, the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall provide to the Holders of the Preferred 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 Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of
the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Preferred Guarantee Trustee
The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such
documents, reports and information as required by Section 314 (if any) 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.
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent
The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such
evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in
this Preferred Securities 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 Events of Default; Waiver
The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of Preferred
Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Preferred
Securities, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such
waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default
arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, but no such waiver shall extend
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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 Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the
occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class postage
prepaid, to the Holders of the Preferred Securities, notices of all Events of
Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, unless such defaults have been cured before the giving of such notice,
provided, that, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in
withholding such notice if and so long as a Responsible Officer of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice
is in the interests of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
have received written notice, or of which a Responsible Officer of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of the Declaration shall have
obtained actual knowledge.
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests
The Declaration shall be deemed to be specifically described in this
Preferred Securities Guarantee 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
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee
(a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be held by the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities,
and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Preferred Securities
Guarantee to any Person except a Holder of Preferred Securities exercising his
or her rights pursuant to Section 5.4(b) or to a Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee of its
appointment to act as Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee. The right, title
and interest of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee, and such vesting and cessation of title
shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents
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have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Preferred Securities Guarantee for the
benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(c) The Preferred 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 Preferred Securities Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be read into
this Preferred Securities Guarantee against the Preferred Guarantee Trustee. In
case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived
pursuant to Section 2.6) and is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall exercise
such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Preferred Securities
Guarantee, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as
a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of
his or her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be
construed to relieve the Preferred Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own
negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful
misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the
curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be
liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are
specifically set forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and no
implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Preferred
Securities Guarantee against the Preferred Guarantee Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may conclusively
rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the
opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished
to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements
of this Preferred Securi-
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ties Guarantee; but in the case of any such certificates or
opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically
required to be furnished to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee,
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to
examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to
the requirements of this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
(ii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for
any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon
which such judgment was made;
(iii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with
respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in
accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities relating to the time, method
and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred
upon the Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this Preferred Securities
Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall
require the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or
otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of
its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing
that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to
it under the terms of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or indemnity,
reasonably satisfactory to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, against such
risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, and
shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any
resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice,
request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence
of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and
to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.
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(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this
Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be sufficiently evidenced by a
Direction or an Officers' Certificate.
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a
matter be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any
action hereunder, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is
herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its
part, request and conclusively rely upon an Officers' Certificate which,
upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.
(iv) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to see to any
recording, filing or registration of any instrument (or any rerecording,
refiling or registration thereof).
(v) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may consult with counsel, and the
written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters
shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any
action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in
accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be counsel to the
Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees.
The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek
instructions concerning the administration of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee from any court of competent jurisdiction.
(vi) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Preferred
Securities Guarantee at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such
Holder shall have provided to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such
security and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, against the costs, expenses (including attorneys' fees and
expenses and the expenses of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee's agents,
nominees or custodians) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in
complying with such request or direction, including such reasonable
advances as may be requested by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee; provided
that, nothing contained in this Section 3.2(a)(vi) shall be taken to
relieve the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of
Default, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it
by this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
(vii) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution,
certificate, statement, instru-
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ment, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond,
debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document,
but the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such
further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see
fit.
(viii) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or
powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or
through agents, nominees, custodians or attorneys, and the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence
on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it
hereunder.
(ix) Any action taken by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or its agents
hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Preferred Securities, and the
signature of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall be
sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No third party shall
be required to inquire as to the authority of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and
provisions of this Preferred Securities Guarantee, both of which shall be
conclusively evidenced by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee's or its agent's
taking such action.
(x) Whenever in the administration of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to
receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or
taking any other action hereunder, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee (i) may
request instructions from the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount
of the Preferred Securities, (ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or
right or taking such other action until such instructions are received, and
(iii) shall be protected in conclusively relying on or acting in accordance
with such instructions.
(b) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be
deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
to perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation
conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be
illegal, or in which the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified
or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act
or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or obligation. No
permissive power or authority available to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall be construed to be a duty.
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SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee
The recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the
statements of the Guarantor, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee does not assume
any responsibility for their correctness. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee makes
no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee.
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility
(a) There shall at all times be a Preferred Guarantee Trustee which
shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of
the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof or of the
District of Columbia, or a corporation or Person permitted by the
Securities and Exchange Commission to act as an institutional trustee under
the Trust Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least 50 million
U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to supervision or examination by
Federal, State, Territorial or District of Columbia authority. If such
corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to
law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority
referred to above, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.1(a)(ii), the
combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its
combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of
condition so published.
(b) if at any time the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be
eligible to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.2(c).
(c) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any
"conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all
respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
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SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Preferred
Guarantee Trustees
(a) Subject to Section 4.2(b), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may be
appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance
with Section 4.2(a) until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been
appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by
such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold
office until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed
or until its removal or resignation. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may
resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an
instrument in writing executed by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered
to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment
by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee
and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been
appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within 60
days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the
resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee. Such
court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem
proper, appoint a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(e) No Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the acts or
omissions to act of any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(f) Upon termination of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or removal
or resignation of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this Section 4.2,
the Guarantor shall pay to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee all amounts accrued
to the date of such termination, removal or resignation.
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ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee
The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full to
the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore
paid by the Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense, right of
set-off or counter-claim that the Issuer may have or assert. The Guarantor's
obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct payment of the
required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing the Issuer to pay
such amounts to the Holders.
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand
The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee and of any liability to which it applies or may apply,
presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against
the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest,
notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other
notices and demands.
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected
The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor
under this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall in no way be affected or
impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement,
covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities to be
performed or observed by the Issuer;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or any
portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or any
other sums payable under the terms of the Preferred Securities or the extension
of time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or in
connection with, the Preferred Securities (other than an extension of time for
payment of Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other
sum payable that results from the extension of any interest payment period on
the Debentures or any extension of the maturity date of the Debentures
permitted by the Indenture);
(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of
the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy
conferred on the Holders
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pursuant to the terms of the Preferred Securities, or any action on the part of
the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;
(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any
collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of
creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of,
or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the
Issuer;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Preferred
Securities;
(f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby or
hereby incurred; or
(g) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute a
legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of
this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be
absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or
obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders
(a) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred
Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting of
any proceeding for any remedy available to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee in
respect of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or exercising any trust or power
conferred upon the Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this Preferred Securities
Guarantee.
(b) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee fails to enforce this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, any Holder of Preferred Securities may institute a legal
proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, without first instituting a legal proceeding
against the Issuer, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or any other Person.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Guarantor has failed to make a Guarantee
Payment, a holder of Preferred Securities may directly institute a proceeding
against the Guarantor for enforcement of the Preferred Security Guarantee for
such payment.
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SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment
This Preferred Securities Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and
not of collection.
SECTION 5.6 Subrogation
The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of the Holders
of Preferred Securities against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid to
such Holders by the Guarantor under this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required
by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right
that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or
other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due
and unpaid under this Preferred Securities Guarantee. If any amount shall be
paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor
agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount
to the Holders.
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations
The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are
independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Preferred
Securities, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor
hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in
subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions
So long as any Preferred Securities remain outstanding, if there shall
have occurred an Event of Default or an event of default under the Declaration,
then (a) the Company shall not declare or pay any dividend on, make any
distributions with respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a
liquidation payment with respect to, any of its capital stock (other than (i)
repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of its capital stock
in connection with any employment contract, benefit plan or other similar
arrangement with or for the benefit of employees, officers, directors or
consultants, (ii) as a result of an exchange or conversion of any class or
series of its capital stock for any other class or series of its capital stock,
(iii) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of its capital stock
pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions
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of such capital stock or security being converted or exchanged or (iv)
distributions of rights under any shareholder rights plan adopted by the
Company) and (b) the Company shall not make any payment of interest, principal
or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities issued
by the Company or its Subsidiaries which rank pari passu with or junior to the
Debentures and (c) the Company shall not make any guarantee payments with
respect to the foregoing except pursuant to the Preferred Securities Guarantee.
The foregoing, however, will not apply to any stock dividends paid by the
Company where the dividend stock is the same stock as that on which the dividend
is being paid.
SECTION 6.2 Ranking
This Preferred Securities Guarantee will constitute an unsecured
obligation of the Guarantor and will rank (i) subordinate and junior in right
of payment to all other liabilities of the Guarantor including Senior
Indebtedness (as defined in the Indenture), (ii) pari passu with the most senior
preferred stock issued, from time to time, if any, by the Guarantor and with any
guarantee now or hereafter entered into by the Guarantor in respect of any
preferred or preference stock of any Affiliate of the Guarantor and (iii) senior
to the Guarantor's common stock.
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination
This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall terminate upon (i) full
payment of the Redemption Price of all Preferred Securities, (ii) upon the
distribution of the Debentures to the Holders of all of the Preferred Securities
or (iii) upon full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the
Declaration upon liquidation of the Issuer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this
Preferred Securities Guarantee will continue to be effective or will be
reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder of Preferred
Securities must restore payment of any sums paid under the Preferred Securities
or under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation
(a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or accountable
in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any
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Covered Person for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or
omission performed or omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in
accordance with this Preferred Securities Guarantee and in a manner that such
Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority
conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Preferred Securities Guarantee or
by law, except that an Indemnified Person shall be liable for any such loss,
damage or claim incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person's negligence or
willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in good
faith upon the records of the Guarantor and upon such information, opinions,
reports or statements presented to the Guarantor by any Person as to matters the
Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other Person's
professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care
by or on behalf of the Guarantor, including information, opinions, reports or
statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits,
losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from
which Distributions to Holders of Preferred Securities might properly be paid.
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Guarantor
shall indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified Person from and against any
loss, damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified Person by reason of any act
or omission performed or omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in
accordance with this Guarantee Agreement and in a manner such Indemnified Person
reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority conferred on such
Indemnified Person by this Guarantee Agreement, except that no Indemnified
Person shall be entitled to be indemnified in respect of any loss, damage or
claim incurred by such Indemnified Person by reason of negligence or willful
misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, reasonable
expenses (including legal fees) incurred by an Indemnified person in defending
any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be
advanced by the Guarantor prior to the final disposition of such claim, demand,
action, suit or proceeding upon receipt by the Guarantor of an undertaking by
or on behalf of the Indemnified Person to repay such amount if it shall be
determined that the Indemnified Person is not entitled to be indemnified as
authorized in Section 8.2(a).
(c) The obligation to indemnify as set forth in this Section 8.2 shall
survive the termination of the Preferred Securities Guarantee.
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ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns
All guarantees and agreements contained in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and
representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders
of the Preferred Securities then outstanding.
SECTION 9.2 Amendments
Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the
rights of Holders (in which case no consent of Holders will be required), this
Preferred Securities Guarantee may only be amended with the prior approval of
the Holders of at least a Majority in liquidation amount (including the stated
amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued
and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are
determined) of all the outstanding Preferred Securities. The provisions of
Section 12.2 of the Declaration with respect to meetings of Holders of the
Securities apply to the giving of such approval.
SECTION 9.3 Notices
All notices provided for in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall
be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be
delivered, telecopied or mailed by registered or certified mail, as follows:
(a) If given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, at the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee's mailing address set forth below (or such other address as
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Holders of the
Preferred Securities):
Wilmington Trust Company
Xxxxxx Square North
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor's mailing address set
forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the
Holders of the Preferred Securities):
MCN Energy Group Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Office of General Counsel
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(c) If given to any Holder of Preferred Securities, at the address set
forth on the books and records of the Issuer.
All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in
person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail,
postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or
cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given,
such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date
of such refusal or inability to deliver.
SECTION 9.4 Benefit
This Preferred Securities Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the
Holders of the Preferred Securities and, subject to Section 3.1(a), is not
separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.
SECTION 9.5 Governing Law
THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED
AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
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THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and year
first above written.
MCN ENERGY GROUP INC., as Guarantor
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and
Secretary
WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY,
as Preferred Guarantee Trustee
By: /s/ W. Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
-------------------------------
Name: W. Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx
Title: Assistant Vice President