Exhibit 4.7
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FORM OF
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
CENDANT CAPITAL II
Dated as of [ ]
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS
SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation.........................1
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act: Application.......................4
SECTION 2.2 List of Holders of Securities..........................4
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.............5
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Preferred Guarantee Trustee........5
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.......5
SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver..............................5
SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice...............................5
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests..................................6
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee...6
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee..........7
SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee..9
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility...............9
SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Preferred
Guarantee Trustees..................................10
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee.............................................10
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand...........................10
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected..............................11
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders.....................................11
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment..................................12
SECTION 5.6 Subrogation...........................................12
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations...............................12
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions............................12
SECTION 6.2 Ranking...............................................13
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination...........................................13
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation...........................................14
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification.......................................14
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns................................15
SECTION 9.2 Amendments............................................15
SECTION 9.3 Notices...............................................15
SECTION 9.4 Benefit...............................................16
SECTION 9.5 Governing Law.........................................16
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Preferred Securities Guarantee"),
dated as of [DATE], is executed and delivered by CENDANT, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Guarantor"), and The 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 Cendant Capital II, a Delaware statutory business trust (the
"Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust
(the "Declaration"), dated as of [ ], 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 [ ] preferred securities, liquidation amount
$[ ] per preferred security, having an aggregate liquidation amount of [ ]
designated the [ ] Trust Originated 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.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS
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 reference 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 Saturday, Sunday or any
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.
"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 The Wilmington Trust Company, Xxxxxx Square North, 0000 Xxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, 00000.
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of Preferred
Securities.
"Debentures" means the series of junior subordinated debt
securities of the Guarantor or designated the [ ] Junior Subordinated
Debentures due [ ] held by the Institutional Trustee (as defined in the
Declaration) of the Issuer.
"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.
"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 "Repayment Price")
with respect to Preferred Securities in respect of which the related
Debentures have been redeemed by the Company upon the occurrence of a Tax
Event Redemption, to the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor,
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 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 [DATE], among the
Guarantor (the "Debenture Issuer") and The Wilmington Trust Company, 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 [ ]% 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, unincorporated association or
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other
entity of whatever nature.
"Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means The 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.
"Tax Event Redemption" has the same meaning as defined in Annex I
to the Declaration.
"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 List 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 [DATE] and [DATE] of each year, and (ii) at any other time within 30
days of receipt by the Guarantor of a written request for a List of Holders
as of a date no more than 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 [DATE] 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 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 and the Indenture 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 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 or waiver 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 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
Securities 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.
(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 reregistration thereof).
(v) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may consult with
competent legal 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 Trustees,
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, 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, 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.
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 [
] U.S. dollars ($[ ]), 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.
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.
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 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 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, Repayment 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, Repayment 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 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. The Guarantor waives any
right or remedy to require that any action on this Preferred Securities
Guarantee be brought first against the Issuer or any other person or entity
before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.
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 rights, if any, 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 and written notice of such Event of Default has been given to
the Guarantor, then (a) the Guarantor shall not declare or pay dividends or
make any distribution with respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make
a liquidation payment with respect to, any of its capital stock (other than
(i) purchases or acquisitions of capital stock of the Guarantor in
connection with the satisfaction by the Guarantor of its obligations under
any employee or agent benefit plans or the satisfaction by the Guarantor of
its obligations pursuant to any contract or security outstanding on the
date of such event requiring the Guarantor to purchase capital stock of the
Guarantor, (ii) as a result of a reclassification of the Guarantor's
capital stock or the exchange or conversion of one class or series of the
Guarantor's capital stock for another class or series of the Guarantor's
capital stock, (iii) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the
Guarantor's capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions
of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged, (iv)
dividends or distributions in capital stock of the Guarantor (or rights to
acquire capital stock) or repurchases or redemptions of capital stock
solely from the issuance or exchange of capital stock or (v) redemptions or
purchases of any rights outstanding under a shareholder rights plan), (b)
the Guarantor shall not make any payment of interest, principal or premium,
if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities issued by the
Guarantor that rank junior to the Debentures to the extent appropriate
notice has been given to the holders thereof effectively blocking such
payment or to the extent the failure to make any such payment is otherwise
authorized under the agreements governing such debt securities, and (c) the
Guarantor shall not make any guarantee payments with respect to the
foregoing (other than payments pursuant to the Guarantee or the Common
Securities Guarantee) to the extent appropriate notice has been given to
the beneficiaries thereof effectively blocking such payment or to the
extent the failure to make any such payment is otherwise authorized under
the agreements governing such guarantee payments.
SECTION 6.2 Ranking
This Preferred Securities Guarantee will constitute an unsecured
obligation of the Guarantor and, at all times when an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing under the Declaration, will rank:
(i) subordinate and junior in right of payment to, and
shall not be paid until the prior payment in full of, all
liabilities of the Guarantor except those liabilities of the
Guarantor made pari passu herewith or subordinate hereto by their
terms;
(ii) pari passu with, and shall be paid ratably in any
bankruptcy, liquidation or dissolution of the Guarantor 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 Preferred Securities Guarantee shall terminate upon (i) full
payment of the Repayment 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 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
out-of-pocket 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 provisions set forth in this Section 8.2 shall survive the
termination of the Preferred Securities Guarantee or the resignation or
removal of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
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):
The Wilmington Trust Company
Xxxxxx Square North
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
(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):
CENDANT CORPORATION
0 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
(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.
THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and
year first above written.
CENDANT CORPORATION, as Guarantor
By:
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Name:
Title:
THE WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, as Preferred
Guarantee Trustee
By:
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Name:
Title:
