EXHIBIT 4.4
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PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
GREAT WESTERN FINANCIAL TRUST I
Dated as of December 6, 1995
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION........... 2
Section 1.1. Definitions and Interpretation................. 2
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ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT................ 5
Section 2.1. Trust Indenture Act; Application............... 5
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Section 2.2. Lists of Holders of Trust Securities........... 5
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Section 2.3. Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee..... 6
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Section 2.4. Periodic Reports to Preferred Guarantee
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Trustee.................................................... 6
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Section 2.5. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions
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Precedent.................................................. 6
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Section 2.6. Events of Default; Waiver...................... 6
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Section 2.7. Event of Default; Notice....................... 7
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Section 2.8. Conflicting Interests.......................... 7
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ARTICLE III
POWER, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE........... 7
Section 3.1. Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee
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Trustee........................................ 7
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Section 3.2. Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee.. 9
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Section 3.3. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of
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Guarantee...................................... 12
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ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE........... 12
Section 4.1. Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility....... 12
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Section 4.2. Appointment Removal and Resignation of
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Preferred Guarantee Trustees................... 13
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ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE.................... 14
Section 5.1. Guarantee...................................... 14
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Section 5.2. Subordination.................................. 14
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Section 5.3. Waiver of Notice and Demand.................... 14
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Section 5.4. Obligations Not Affected....................... 14
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Section 5.5. Rights of Holders.............................. 16
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Section 5.6. Guarantee of Payment........................... 16
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Section 5.7. Subrogation.................................... 16
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Section 5.8. Independent Obligations........................ 16
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ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION...... 17
Section 6.1. Limitation of Transactions..................... 17
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Section 6.2. Ranking........................................ 17
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ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION................... 17
Section 7.1. Termination.................................... 17
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ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION................. 18
Section 8.1. Exculpation.................................... 18
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Section 8.2. Indemnification................................ 18
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ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS................... 19
Section 9.1. Successors and Assigns......................... 19
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Section 9.2. Amendments..................................... 19
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Section 9.3. Notices........................................ 19
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Section 9.4. Benefit........................................ 20
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Section 9.5. Governing Law.................................. 20
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PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT ("Guarantee Agreement"), dated as of December
6, 1995, is executed and delivered by Great Western Financial Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Guarantor"), and The First National Bank of Chicago,
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 Great Western Financial Trust I, a Delaware statutory business trust
(the "Issuer").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the
"Declaration"), dated as of December 6, 1995, 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 $100 million aggregate stated liquidation amount of
Preferred Securities designated the 8-1/4% Trust Originated Preferred Securities
(the "Preferred Securities");
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders (as hereinafter defined) to
purchase the Preferred Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and
unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth in this Guarantee Agreement,
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 Agreement") with substantially
identical terms to this Guarantee Agreement 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 (as defined herein)), has occurred and is continuing,
the rights of holders of the Common Securities to receive Guarantee Payments
under the Common Securities Guarantee Agreement are subordinated to the rights
of Holders of Preferred Securities to receive Guarantee Payments under this
Guarantee Agreement.
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 Guarantee Agreement for
the benefit of the Holders.
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
Section 1.1. Definitions and Interpretation.
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In this Guarantee Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee Agreement but not defined in
the preamble above have the respective meanings assigned to them in
this Section 1.1;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Guarantee Agreement has the same
meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Guarantee Agreement" or "this Guarantee
Agreement" are to this Guarantee Agreement as modified, supplemented
or amended from time to time;
(d) all references in this Guarantee Agreement to Articles and Sections
are to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement unless
otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when
used in this Guarantee Agreement unless otherwise defined in this
Guarantee Agreement 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 or any successor rule thereunder.
"Authorized Officer" of a Person means any Person that is authorized
to bind such Person.
"Common Securities" means the common securities representing undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer.
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of Preferred
Securities.
"Direction" by a Person means a written direction signed:
(a) if the Person is a natural person by that Person; or
(b) in any other case, in the name of such Person by one or more
Authorized Officers of that Person.
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"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its
payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.
"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 received a payment of interest or
principal on the Notes 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 received a payment of interest or principal
on the Notes with respect to any Preferred Securities called for redemption by
the Issuer, and (iii) upon a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution,
winding-up or termination of the Issuer (other than in connection with the
distribution of Notes and/or Depositary Shares to the Holders in exchange for
Preferred Securities as provided in the Declaration or the redemption of all of
the Preferred Securities upon the maturity or redemption of the Notes), 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 has received a payment on the Notes 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").
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records
of the Issuer of any Preferred Securities; provided, that, in determining
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whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have
given any 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 or agents of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of September 12, 1990, as
amended and supplemented by a First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April
30, 1993, and the Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of December 6, 1995,
among the Note Issuer and Xxxxxx Trust and Savings Bank, as trustee, and any
indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to which certain Notes are to be issued.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Trust 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
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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.
"Note Issuer" means the Guarantor in its capacity as issuer of the
Notes.
"Notes" means the subordinated debt securities of the Note Issuer
issued pursuant to the Indenture and acquired by the Issuer.
"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 Guarantee Agreement 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, unincorporated association, or government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.
"Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means The First National Bank of Chicago
until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has
accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and
thereafter means each such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, any vice-president, any assistant vice-president, the secretary, any
assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, any trust officer
or
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assistant trust officer or any other officer of 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.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from
time to time, or any successor legislation.
"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, in effect
at the date as of which this instrument was executed; provided, however, that in
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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.
"Trust Securities" means collectively the Common Securities and the
Preferred Securities.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
Section 2.1. Trust Indenture Act; Application.
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(a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement
and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions;
and
(b) if and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee Agreement
limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Section 310
to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such duties imposed by
the Trust Indenture Act shall control.
Section 2.2. Lists of Holders of Trust Securities.
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(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 14 days
after each record date for payment of distributions on the Preferred
Securities, and (ii) at any other time within 30 days of receipt by
the
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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.
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Within 60 days after December 31 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.
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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.
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The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such
evidence of compliance with any 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 pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an
Officers' Certificate.
Section 2.6. Events of Default; Waiver.
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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
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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 Guarantee Agreement, but no such waiver
shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair
any right consequent thereon.
Section 2.7. Event of Default; Notice.
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(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 known to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, unless such defaults have been
cured before the giving of such notice, provided, that, the Preferred Guarantee
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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 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 a Responsible Officer shall have obtained written
notice, of such Event of Default.
Section 2.8. Conflicting Interests.
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The Declaration shall be deemed to be specifically described in this
Guarantee Agreement for the purposes of the first proviso contained in Section
310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
ARTICLE III
POWER, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 3.1. Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
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(a) This Guarantee Agreement 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 Guarantee
Agreement 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
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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 have been executed and delivered
pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement 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 Guarantee Agreement, and no implied
covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement 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), the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and
powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, 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 Guarantee Agreement 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 Guarantee Agreement, 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 Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants or
obligations shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement
against the Preferred Guarantee Trustee; and
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(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
Guarantee Agreement; 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 Guarantee
Agreement;
(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 Guarantee Agreement; and
(iv) no provision of this Guarantee Agreement 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
Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or
liability is not reasonably assured to it.
Section 3.2. Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
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(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:
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(i) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may 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.
(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this
Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by a
Direction or an Officers' Certificate.
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee Agreement, 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 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 Guarantee
Agreement 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
Guarantee Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder,
unless such Holder shall have provided to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee such adequate security and indemnity as would satisfy a
reasonable person in
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the position of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, against the
costs, expenses (including attorneys' fees and expenses) 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 Guarantee Agreement.
(vii) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution,
certificate, statement, instrument, 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 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
Guarantee Agreement, 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 Guarantee Agreement 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 the
Preferred Securities,
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(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 acting in accordance with such
instructions.
(b) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement 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.
Section 3.3. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee.
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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 Guarantee Agreement.
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 4.1. Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.
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(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
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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.
Section 4.2. Appointment Removal and Resignation of Preferred Guarantee
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Trustees.
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(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
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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.
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
Section 5.1. Guarantee.
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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 counterclaim 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. Subordination.
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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.
Section 5.3. Waiver of Notice and Demand.
---------------------------
The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee
Agreement 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 5.4. Obligations Not Affected.
------------------------
The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor
under this Guarantee Agreement shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason
of the happening from time to time of any of the following:
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(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
sums payable that results from the extension of any interest payment
period on the Notes or any extension of the maturity date of the Notes
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 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) 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.
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Section 5.5. 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 Guarantee Agreement or to direct
the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement.
(b) Any Holder of Preferred Securities may institute a legal proceeding
directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this
Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding
against the Issuer, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or any other
Person.
Section 5.6. Guarantee of Payment.
--------------------
This Guarantee Agreement creates a guarantee of payment and not of
collection.
Section 5.7. 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 Guarantee Agreement; 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 Guarantee Agreement,
if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due and unpaid under this
Guarantee Agreement. 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 5.8. 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 Guarantee
Agreement notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in subsections
(a) through (g), inclusive, of Section 5.4 hereof.
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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 Guarantor shall not, and shall cause any subsidiary of Guarantor
that is not a wholly owned subsidiary of Guarantor not to, declare or pay any
dividend on, or make any distribution with respect to, or redeem, purchase or
acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of its capital stock
or the capital stock of any such subsidiary and (b) the Guarantor shall not make
any payment of interest, principal or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase
or redeem any debt securities (including guarantees) issued by the Guarantor
which rank pari passu with or junior to the Notes, provided, that, the foregoing
restriction in this Section 6.1(a) shall not apply to any stock dividends paid
by Guarantor, or any of its subsidiaries, where the dividend stock is the same
stock as that on which the dividend is being paid.
Section 6.2. Ranking.
-------
This Guarantee Agreement 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 (other than the Common Securities
Guarantee or any guarantee now or hereafter entered into by the Guarantor in
respect of any preferred or preference stock of any Affiliate of the Guarantor),
(ii) pari passu with the most senior preferred or preference stock now or
hereafter issued 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 Guarantee Agreement shall terminate and the Guarantee will no
longer be deemed to be outstanding upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price
of all Preferred Securities, (ii) upon the distribution of the Notes and/or
Depositary Shares to the Holders of all 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 Guarantee
Agreement will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may
be, if at any time any Holder of
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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 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 Guarantee Agreement 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 Guarantee
Agreement 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.
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(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, 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 any 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).
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 9.1. Successors and Assigns.
----------------------
All guarantees and agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement
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
Guarantee Agreement may only be amended with the prior approval of the Holders
of at least 66-2/3% 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 Trust Securities apply to
the giving of such approval.
Section 9.3. Notices.
-------
All notices provided for in this Guarantee Agreement 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):
The First National Bank of Chicago
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
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Telecopy No. (000) 000-0000
(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):
Great Western Financial Corporation
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Telecopy No. (000) 000-0000
(c) If given to any Holder of Preferred Securities, at the address set
forth in 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 Guarantee Agreement 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 GUARANTEE AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND
INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Guarantee
Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized,
as of the day and year first above written.
GREAT WESTERN FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By: /s/ J. Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Name: J. Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President,
Secretary and General Counsel
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO,
as Preferred Guarantee Trustee
By:/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx
Title: Vice President
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