Exhibit 4.7-B
SOUTHERN COMPANY CAPITAL TRUST VI
AMENDED AND RESTATED
TRUST AGREEMENT
among
SOUTHERN COMPANY CAPITAL FUNDING, INC., as Depositor,
BANKERS TRUST COMPANY, as Property Trustee,
BANKERS TRUST (DELAWARE), as Delaware Trustee,
and
▇▇▇▇▇ BOSTON AND ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. CHILDS,
as Administrative Trustees
Dated as of ________ 1, ____
SOUTHERN COMPANY CAPITAL TRUST VI
Certain Sections of this Trust Agreement
relating to Sections 310 through 318 of the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939:
Trust Indenture Act Section Trust Agreement Section
Section 310(a)(1)................................8.07
(a)(2)..................................8.07
(a)(3)..................................8.09
(a)(4)........................Not Applicable
(b).....................................8.08
Section 311(a)...................................8.13
(b).....................................8.13
Section 312(a)...................................5.07
(b).....................................5.07
(c).....................................5.07
Section 313(a)................................8.14(a)
(a)(4)...............................8.14(b)
(b)..................................8.14(b)
(c)..................................8.14(a)
(d).........................8.14(a), 8.14(b)
Section 314(a)...................................8.15
(b)...........................Not Applicable
(c)(1)............................8.15, 8.16
(c)(2)..................................8.16
(c)(3)..................................8.16
(d)...........................Not Applicable
(e).....................................8.16
Section 315(a)...................................8.01
(b)............................8.02, 8.14(b)
(c)..................................8.01(a)
(d)...............................8.01, 8.03
(e)...........................Not Applicable
Section 316(a).........................Not Applicable
(a)(1)(A)...............................8.19
(a)(1)(B)...............................8.19
(a)(2)........................Not Applicable
(b)...........................Not Applicable
(c)...........................Not Applicable
Section 317(a)(1)......................Not Applicable
(a)(2)........................Not Applicable
(b).....................................5.09
Section 318(a)..................................10.10
Note: This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of the Trust Agreement
and shall not affect the interpretation of any of its terms and provisions.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I....................................................1
Section 1.01 Definitions............................1
ARTICLE II...................................................8
Section 2.01 Name...................................8
Section 2.02 Offices of the Trustees;
Principal Place of Business................8
Section 2.03 Initial Contribution of Trust
Property; Organizational Expenses..........8
Section 2.04 Issuance of the Preferred
Securities.................................9
Section 2.05 Subscription and Purchase of
Junior Subordinated Notes;
Issuance of the Common Securities..........9
Section 2.06 Declaration of Trust...................9
Section 2.07 Authorization to Enter into
Certain Transactions.......................9
Section 2.08 Assets of Trust.......................12
Section 2.09 Title to Trust Property...............13
Section 2.10 Mergers and Consolidations of
the Trust.................................13
ARTICLE III.................................................14
Section 3.01 Payment Account.......................14
ARTICLE IV..................................................14
Section 4.01 Distributions.........................14
Section 4.02 Redemption............................15
Section 4.03 Subordination of Common
Securities................................16
Section 4.04 Payment Procedures....................17
Section 4.05 Tax Returns and Reports...............17
ARTICLE V...................................................17
Section 5.01 Initial Ownership.....................17
Section 5.02 The Trust Securities
Certificates..............................17
Section 5.03 Authentication of Trust
Securities Certificates...................18
Section 5.04 Registration of Transfer and
Exchange of Preferred Securities
Certificates..............................18
Section 5.05 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or
Stolen Trust Securities
Certificates..............................19
Section 5.06 Persons Deemed Securityholders........19
Section 5.07 Access to List of
Securityholders' Names and
Addresses.................................19
Section 5.08 Maintenance of Office or
Agency....................................20
Section 5.09 Appointment of Paying Agent...........20
Section 5.10 Ownership of Common
Securities by Depositor...................20
Section 5.11 Book-Entry Preferred
Securities Certificates; Common
Securities Certificate....................21
Section 5.12 Notices to Clearing Agency............21
Section 5.13 Definitive Preferred
Securities Certificates...................21
Section 5.14 Rights of Securityholders.............22
ARTICLE VI..................................................22
Section 6.01 Limitations on Voting Rights..........22
Section 6.02 Notice of Meetings....................23
Section 6.03 Meetings of Preferred
Securityholders...........................23
Section 6.04 Voting Rights.........................24
Section 6.05 Proxies, etc..........................24
Section 6.06 Securityholder Action by
Written Consent...........................24
Section 6.07 Record Date for Voting and
Other Purposes............................24
Section 6.08 Acts of Securityholders...............24
Section 6.09 Inspection of Records.................25
ARTICLE VII.................................................25
Section 7.01 Representations and
Warranties of Property Trustee............25
Section 7.02 Representations and
Warranties of Delaware Trustee............26
ARTICLE VIII................................................26
Section 8.01 Certain Duties and
Responsibilities..........................26
Section 8.02 Notice of Defaults....................27
Section 8.03 Certain Rights of Property
Trustee...................................27
Section 8.04 Not Responsible for Recitals
or Issuance of Securities.................28
Section 8.05 May Hold Securities...................28
Section 8.06 Compensation; Fees; Indemnity.........28
Section 8.07 Trustees Required; Eligibility........29
Section 8.08 Conflicting Interests.................29
Section 8.09 Co-Trustees and Separate
Trustee...................................29
Section 8.10 Resignation and Removal;
Appointment of Successor..................30
Section 8.11 Acceptance of Appointment by
Successor.................................31
Section 8.12 Merger, Conversion,
Consolidation or Succession to
Business..................................32
Section 8.13 Preferential Collection of
Claims Against Depositor or Trust.........32
Section 8.14 Reports by Property Trustee...........32
Section 8.15 Reports to the Property
Trustee...................................33
Section 8.16 Evidence of Compliance with
Conditions Precedent......................33
Section 8.17 Number of Trustees....................33
Section 8.18 Delegation of Power...................33
Section 8.19 Enforcement of Rights of
Property Trustee by Securityholders.......33
ARTICLE IX..................................................34
Section 9.01 Termination Upon Expiration
Date......................................34
Section 9.02 Early Termination.....................34
Section 9.03 Termination...........................35
Section 9.04 Liquidation...........................35
Section 9.05 Bankruptcy............................36
ARTICLE X...................................................36
Section 10.01 Expense Agreement....................36
Section 10.02 Limitation of Rights of
Securityholders...........................36
Section 10.03 Amendment............................36
Section 10.04 Separability.........................37
Section 10.05 Governing Law........................37
Section 10.06 Successors...........................38
Section 10.07 Headings.............................38
Section 10.08 Notice and Demand....................38
Section 10.09 Agreement Not to Petition............38
Section 10.10 Conflict with Trust
Indenture Act.............................39
EXHIBIT A......... [INTENTIONALLY RESERVED]
EXHIBIT B......... [INTENTIONALLY RESERVED]
EXHIBIT C......... Form of Common Securities Certificate
EXHIBIT D......... Form of Expense Agreement
EXHIBIT E......... Form of Preferred Securities Certificate
AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST AGREEMENT is made as of ________ 1,
____, by and among (i) Southern Company Capital Funding, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Depositor" or the "Company"), (ii) Bankers Trust Company, a
banking corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of New York, as
trustee (the "Property Trustee" and, in its separate corporate capacity and not
in its capacity as Property Trustee, the "Bank"), (iii) Bankers Trust
(Delaware), a banking corporation duly organized under the laws of Delaware, as
Delaware trustee (the "Delaware Trustee" and, in its separate corporate capacity
and not in its capacity as Delaware Trustee, the "Delaware Bank"), (iv) ▇▇▇▇▇
Boston, an individual, and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. Childs, an individual, as administrative
trustees (each an "Administrative Trustee" and together the "Administrative
Trustees") (the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Administrative
Trustees referred to collectively as the "Trustees") and (v) the several
Holders, as hereinafter defined.
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Depositor and the Delaware Trustee have heretofore duly
declared and established a business trust pursuant to the Delaware Business
Trust Act by the entering into that certain Trust Agreement, dated as of
September __, 1998 (the "Original Trust Agreement"), and by the execution and
filing by the Delaware Trustee with the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware of the Certificate of Trust, dated September __, 1998; and
WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to amend and restate the Original
Trust Agreement in its entirety as set forth herein to provide for, among other
things, (i) the addition of the Bank, ▇▇▇▇▇ Boston and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. Childs as
trustees of the Trust, (ii) the acquisition by the Trust from the Depositor of
all of the right, title and interest in the Junior Subordinated Notes, (iii) the
issuance of the Common Securities by the Trust to the Depositor, and (iv) the
issuance and sale of the Preferred Securities by the Trust pursuant to the
Underwriting Agreement.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements and obligations set
forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency of
which is hereby acknowledged, each party, for the benefit of the other parties
and for the benefit of the Securityholders, hereby amends and restates the
Original Trust Agreement in its entirety and agrees as follows:
ARTICLE I
Defined Terms
Section 1.01 Definitions. For all purposes of this Trust Agreement,
except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to
them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular;
(b) all other terms used herein that are defined in the Trust Indenture
Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them
therein;
(c) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an
"Article" or a "Section" refers to an Article or a Section, as the case may be,
of this Trust Agreement; and
(d) the words "herein," "hereof" and "hereunder" and other words of
similar import refer to this Trust Agreement as a whole and not to any
particular Article, Section or other subdivision.
"Act" has the meaning specified in Section 6.08.
"Additional Amount" means, with respect to Trust Securities of a given
Liquidation Amount and/or a given period, an amount equal to the Additional
Interest (as defined in clause (ii) of the definition of "Additional Interest"
in the Subordinated Indenture) paid by the Depositor on a Like Amount of Junior
Subordinated Notes for such period.
"Administrative Trustee" means each of the individuals identified as an
"Administrative Trustee" in the preamble to this Trust Agreement solely in their
capacities as Administrative Trustees of the Trust formed and continued
hereunder and not in their individual capacities, or such trustee's successor(s)
in interest in such capacity, or any successor "Administrative Trustee"
appointed as herein provided.
"Affiliate" of any specified Person means any other Person directly or
indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common
control with such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition,
"control" when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to
direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly,
whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise;
and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have meanings correlative to the
foregoing.
"Bank" has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Trust
Agreement.
"Bankruptcy Event" means, with respect to any Person:
(i) the entry of a decree or order by a court having jurisdiction in
the premises judging such Person a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as
properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjudication or
composition of or in respect of such Person under federal bankruptcy law or any
other applicable federal or state law, or appointing a receiver, liquidator,
assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of such Person or of
any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation
of its affairs, and the continuance of such decree or order unstayed and in
effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or
(ii) the institution by such Person of proceedings to be adjudicated a
bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the institution of bankruptcy or
insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer
or consent seeking reorganization or relief under federal bankruptcy law or any
other applicable federal or state law, or the consent by it to the filing of
such petition or to the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee,
trustee, sequestrator or similar official of such Person or of any substantial
part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of
creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts
generally as they become due, or the taking of action by such Person in
furtherance of any such action.
"Bankruptcy Laws" has the meaning specified in Section 10.09.
"Board Resolution" means a copy of a resolution certified by the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Depositor to have been duly adopted
by the Depositor's Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof and
to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered
to the Trustees.
"Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates" means certificates
representing Preferred Securities issued in global, fully registered form to the
Clearing Agency as described in Section 5.11.
"Business Day" means a day other than (i) a Saturday or a Sunday, (ii)
a day on which banks in New York, New York are authorized or obligated by law or
executive order to remain closed or (iii) a day on which the Corporate Trust
Office or the Indenture Trustee's principal corporate trust office is closed for
business.
"Certificate Depository Agreement" means the agreement among the Trust,
the Property Trustee and The Depository Trust Company, as the initial Clearing
Agency, dated _____________, relating to the Preferred Securities Certificates,
as the same may be amended and supplemented from time to time.
"Clearing Agency" means an organization registered as a "clearing
agency" pursuant to Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended. The Depository Trust Company will be the initial Clearing Agency.
"Clearing Agency Participant" means a broker, dealer, bank, other
financial institution or other Person for whom from time to time a Clearing
Agency effects book-entry transfers and pledges of securities deposited with the
Clearing Agency.
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time
to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or, if
at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not
existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture
Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.
"Common Security" means an undivided beneficial ownership interest in
the assets of the Trust having a Liquidation Amount of $25 and having the rights
provided therefor in this Trust Agreement, including the right to receive
Distributions and a Liquidation Distribution as provided herein.
"Common Securities Certificate" means a certificate evidencing
ownership of a Common Security or Securities, substantially in the form attached
as Exhibit C.
"Company" means Southern Company Capital Funding, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, its successors and assigns.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Property Trustee at
which its corporate trust business shall be principally administered.
"Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates" means either or both (as
the context requires) of (i) Preferred Securities Certificates issued in
certificated, fully registered form as provided in Section 5.11(a) and (ii)
Preferred Securities Certificates issued in certificated, fully registered form
as provided in Section 5.13.
"Delaware Bank" has the meaning specified in the preamble to this Trust
Agreement.
"Delaware Business Trust Act" means Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the
Delaware Code, 12 Del. Code Section 3801 et seq., as it may be amended from time
to time.
"Delaware Trustee" means the commercial bank or trust company or any
other Person identified as the "Delaware Trustee" and has the meaning specified
in the preamble to this Trust Agreement solely in its capacity as Delaware
Trustee of the Trust formed and continued hereunder and not in its individual
capacity, or its successor in interest in such capacity, or any successor
Delaware Trustee appointed as herein provided.
"Depositor" means Southern Company Capital Funding, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, in its capacity as "Depositor" under this Trust Agreement, its
successors and assigns.
"Distribution Date" has the meaning specified in Section 4.01(a).
"Distributions" means amounts payable in respect of the Trust
Securities as provided in Section 4.01.
"Event of Default" means any one of the following events (whatever the
reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or
involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment,
decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any
administrative or governmental body):
(i) the occurrence of an Indenture Event of Default; or
(ii) default by the Trust in the payment of any Distribution when it
becomes due and payable, and continuation of such default for a period of 30
days; or
(iii) default by the Trust in the payment of any Redemption Price of
any Trust Security when it becomes due and payable; or
(iv) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty
of the Trustees in this Trust Agreement (other than a covenant or warranty a
default in whose performance or breach is dealt with in clause (ii) or (iii)
above) and continuation of such default or breach for a period of 60 days after
there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Trustees by the
Holders of at least 10% in Liquidation Amount of the Outstanding Preferred
Securities a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it
to be remedied and stating that such notice is a "Notice of Default" hereunder;
or
(v) the occurrence of a Bankruptcy Event with respect to the Trust.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
"Expense Agreement" means the Agreement as to Expenses and Liabilities
between the Guarantor and the Trust, substantially in the form attached as
Exhibit D, as amended from time to time.
"Guarantee" means the Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement executed
and delivered by the Guarantor and Bankers Trust Company, as Guarantee Trustee,
contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this Trust Agreement, for
the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities, as amended from time to
time.
"Guarantor" means The Southern Company, a Delaware corporation, its
successors and assigns.
"Indenture Event of Default" means an "Event of Default" as defined in
the Subordinated Indenture.
"Indenture Redemption Date" means "Redemption Date," as defined in the
Subordinated Indenture.
"Indenture Trustee" means the trustee under the Subordinated Indenture.
"Issue Date" means the date of the delivery of the Trust Securities.
"Junior Subordinated Notes" means the $__________ aggregate principal
amount of the Depositor's Series ___ _______% Junior Subordinated Notes due
________________, issued pursuant to the Subordinated Indenture.
"Lien" means any lien, pledge, charge, encumbrance, mortgage, deed of
trust, adverse ownership interest, hypothecation, assignment, security interest
or preference, priority or other security agreement or preferential arrangement
of any kind or nature whatsoever.
"Like Amount" means (i) Trust Securities having a Liquidation Amount
equal to the principal amount of Junior Subordinated Notes to be
contemporaneously redeemed in accordance with the Subordinated Indenture and the
proceeds of which will be used to pay the Redemption Price of such Trust
Securities and (ii) Junior Subordinated Notes having a principal amount equal to
the Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities of the Holder to whom such Junior
Subordinated Notes are distributed.
"Liquidation Amount" means the stated amount of $25 per Trust Security.
"Liquidation Date" means the date on which Junior Subordinated Notes
are to be distributed to Holders of Trust Securities in connection with a
dissolution and liquidation of the Trust pursuant to Section 9.04.
"Liquidation Distribution" has the meaning specified in Section 9.05.
"Officers' Certificate" means a certificate signed by the Chairman of
the Board, a Vice Chairman of the Board, the President or a Vice President, and
by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary, of the Depositor, and delivered to the appropriate Trustee. One of
the officers signing an Officers' Certificate given pursuant to Section 8.16
shall be the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the
Depositor. An Officers' Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a
condition or covenant provided for in this Trust Agreement shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers' Certificate has
read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the Officers' Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such officer has made such examination or
investigation as is necessary, in such officer's opinion, 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.
"Opinion of Counsel" means a written opinion of counsel, who may be
counsel for the Trust, the Trustees, the Guarantor or the Depositor, but not an
employee of the Trust or the Trustees, and who shall be reasonably acceptable to
the Property Trustee. Any Opinion of Counsel pertaining to federal income tax
matters may rely on published rulings of the Internal Revenue Service.
"Original Trust Agreement" has the meaning specified in the recitals to
this Trust Agreement.
"Outstanding", when used with respect to Preferred Securities, means,
as of the date of determination, all Preferred Securities theretofore
authenticated and delivered under this Trust Agreement, except:
(i) Preferred Securities theretofore canceled by the Administrative
Trustees or delivered to the Administrative Trustees for cancellation;
(ii) Preferred Securities for whose payment or redemption money in the
necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Property Trustee or any
Paying Agent for the Holders of such Preferred Securities; provided that if such
Preferred Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly
given pursuant to this Trust Agreement; and
(iii) Preferred Securities in exchange for or in lieu of which other
Preferred Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this
Trust Agreement;
provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the
requisite Liquidation Amount of the Outstanding Preferred Securities have given
any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver
hereunder, Preferred Securities owned by the Depositor, the Holder of the Common
Securities, the Guarantor, any Administrative Trustee or any Affiliate of the
Depositor, the Guarantor or any Administrative Trustee shall be disregarded and
deemed not to be Outstanding, except that (a) in determining whether any Trustee
shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Preferred Securities which such
Trustee knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded and (b) the foregoing shall
not apply at any time when all of the outstanding Preferred Securities are owned
by the Depositor, the Holder of the Common Securities, the Guarantor, one or
more Administrative Trustees and/or any such Affiliate. Preferred Securities so
owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if
the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Administrative Trustees the
pledgee's right so to act with respect to such Preferred Securities and that the
pledgee is not the Depositor, the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Depositor or
the Guarantor.
"Owner" means each Person who is the beneficial owner of a Book-Entry
Preferred Securities Certificate as reflected in the records of the Clearing
Agency or, if a Clearing Agency Participant is not the Owner, then as reflected
in the records of a Person maintaining an account with such Clearing Agency
(directly or indirectly, in accordance with the rules of such Clearing Agency).
"Paying Agent" means any paying agent or co-paying agent appointed
pursuant to Section 5.09 and shall initially be the Property Trustee.
"Payment Account" means a segregated non-interest-bearing corporate
trust account maintained by the Property Trustee for the benefit of the
Securityholders in which all amounts paid in respect of the Junior Subordinated
Notes will be held and from which the Property Trustee shall make payments to
the Securityholders in accordance with Section 4.01.
"Person" means an individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust, limited liability company or corporation, unincorporated organization or
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
"Preferred Security" means an undivided beneficial ownership interest
in the assets of the Trust having a Liquidation Amount of $25 and having rights
provided therefor in this Trust Agreement, including the right to receive
Distributions and a Liquidation Distribution as provided herein.
"Preferred Securities Certificate" means a certificate evidencing
ownership of a Preferred Security or Securities, substantially in the form
attached as Exhibit E.
"Property Trustee" means the commercial bank or trust company
identified as the "Property Trustee" in the preamble to this Trust Agreement
solely in its capacity as Property Trustee of the Trust formed and continued
hereunder and not in its individual capacity, or its successor in interest in
such capacity, or any successor "Property Trustee" as herein provided.
"Redemption Date" means, with respect to any Trust Security to be
redeemed, the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Trust
Agreement; provided that each Indenture Redemption Date shall be a Redemption
Date for a Like Amount of Trust Securities.
"Redemption Price" means, with respect to any date fixed for redemption
of any Trust Security, the Liquidation Amount of such Trust Security, plus
accrued and unpaid Distributions to such date.
"Relevant Trustee" has the meaning specified in Section 8.10.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time
to time, or any successor legislation.
"Securities Register" and "Securities Registrar" are described in
Section 5.04.
"Securityholder" or "Holder" means a Person in whose name a Trust
Security or Securities is registered in the Securities Register; any such Person
is a beneficial owner within the meaning of the Delaware Business Trust Act.
"Subordinated Indenture" means the Subordinated Note Indenture, dated
as of June 1, 1997, among the Depositor, the Guarantor and the Indenture
Trustee, as heretofore supplemented and as supplemented by the Supplemental
Indenture.
"Supplemental Indenture" means the ________ Supplemental Indenture,
dated as of ____________________, by and among the Depositor, the Guarantor and
the Indenture Trustee.
"Trust" means the Delaware business trust continued hereby and
identified on the cover page to this Trust Agreement.
"Trust Agreement" means this Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, as
the same may be modified, amended or supplemented in accordance with the
applicable provisions hereof, including all exhibits hereto, including, for all
purposes of this Amended and Restated Trust Agreement and any modification,
amendment or supplement, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are
deemed to be a part of and govern this Amended and Restated Trust Agreement and
any such modification, amendment or supplement, respectively.
"Trustees" means the Persons identified as "Trustees" in the preamble
to this Trust Agreement solely in their capacities as Trustees of the Trust
formed and continued hereunder and not in their individual capacities, or their
successor in interest in such capacity, or any successor trustee appointed as
herein provided.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force
at the date as of which this instrument was executed; provided, however, that in
the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, "Trust
Indenture Act" means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.
"Trust Property" means (i) the Junior Subordinated Notes, (ii) any cash
on deposit in, or owing to, the Payment Account, and (iii) all proceeds and
rights in respect of the foregoing and any other property and assets for the
time being held or deemed to be held by the Property Trustee pursuant to this
Trust Agreement.
"Trust Securities Certificate" means any one of the Common Securities
Certificates or the Preferred Securities Certificates.
"Trust Security" means any one of the Common Securities or the
Preferred Securities.
"Underwriting Agreement" means the Underwriting Agreement, dated
____________, among the Depositor, the Guarantor, the Trust and the Underwriters
named therein.
ARTICLE II
Establishment of the Trust
Section 2.01 Name. The Trust continued hereby shall be known as
"Southern Company Capital Trust VI", in which name the Trustees may conduct the
business of the Trust, make and execute contracts and other instruments on
behalf of the Trust and ▇▇▇ and be sued. The Administrative Trustees may change
the name of the Trust from time to time following written notice to the Holders.
Section 2.02 Offices of the Trustees; Principal Place of Business. The
address of the Property Trustee is Bankers Trust Company, Four ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, or at such other address as the Property Trustee may
designate by written notice to the Securityholders, the Depositor and the
Guarantor. The principal place of business of the Delaware Trustee is E.A. Delle
Donne Corporate Center, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Building, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, or at such other address in Delaware as the
Delaware Trustee may designate by notice to the Depositor and the Guarantor. The
address of the Administrative Trustees is c/o The Southern Company, ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇.▇., ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Secretary. The
principal place of business of the Trust is c/o The Southern Company, ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇.▇., ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇. The Depositor may change the
principal place of business of the Trust at any time by giving notice thereof to
the Trustees.
Section 2.03 Initial Contribution of Trust Property; Organizational
Expenses. The Delaware Trustee acknowledges receipt in trust from the Depositor
in connection with the Original Trust Agreement of the sum of $10, which
constituted the initial Trust Property. The Depositor shall pay organizational
expenses of the Trust as they arise or shall, upon request of the Trustees,
promptly reimburse the Trustees for any such expenses paid by the Trustees. The
Depositor shall make no claim upon the Trust Property for the payment of such
expenses.
Section 2.04 Issuance of the Preferred Securities. Contemporaneously
with the execution and delivery of this Trust Agreement, the Administrative
Trustees, on behalf of the Trust, shall execute and deliver to the underwriters
named in the Underwriting Agreement Preferred Securities Certificates,
registered in the name of the nominee of the initial Clearing Agency, in an
aggregate amount of ____________ Preferred Securities having an aggregate
Liquidation Amount of $____________, against receipt of the aggregate purchase
price of such Preferred Securities of $____________, which amount the
Administrative Trustees shall promptly deliver to the Property Trustee.
Section 2.05 Subscription and Purchase of Junior Subordinated Notes;
Issuance of the Common Securities. Contemporaneously with the execution and
delivery of this Trust Agreement, the Administrative Trustees, on behalf of the
Trust, shall execute and deliver to the Depositor Common Securities
Certificates, registered in the name of the Depositor, in an aggregate amount of
_________ Common Securities having an aggregate Liquidation Amount of
$_____________, against payment by the Depositor of such amount.
Contemporaneously therewith, the Administrative Trustees, on behalf of the
Trust, shall subscribe to and purchase from the Depositor Junior Subordinated
Notes, registered in the name of the Property Trustee, on behalf of the Trust
and the Holders, and having an aggregate principal amount equal to
$_____________, and, in satisfaction of the purchase price for such Junior
Subordinated Notes, the Property Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall deliver
to the Depositor the sum of $_____________.
Section 2.06 Declaration of Trust. The exclusive purposes and functions
of the Trust are (i) to issue and sell the Trust Securities and use the proceeds
from such sale to acquire the Junior Subordinated Notes, and (ii) to engage in
those activities necessary, incidental, appropriate or convenient thereto. The
Depositor hereby appoints each of the Bank, the Delaware Bank, ▇▇▇▇▇ Boston and
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. Childs as trustees of the Trust, to have all the rights, powers and
duties to the extent set forth herein. The Property Trustee hereby declares that
it will hold the Trust Property in trust upon and subject to the conditions set
forth herein for the benefit of the Trust and the Securityholders. The Trustees
shall have all rights, powers and duties set forth herein and in accordance with
applicable law with respect to accomplishing the purposes of the Trust. The
Delaware Trustee shall not be entitled to exercise any powers, nor shall the
Delaware Trustee have any of the duties and responsibilities, of the Property
Trustee or the Administrative Trustees set forth herein. The Delaware Trustee
shall be one of the Trustees for the sole and limited purpose of fulfilling the
requirements of the Delaware Business Trust Act.
Section 2.07 Authorization to Enter into Certain Transactions. The
Trustees shall conduct the affairs of the Trust in accordance with the terms of
this Trust Agreement. Subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph C of
this Section, and in accordance with the following paragraphs A and B, the
Trustees shall have the authority to enter into all transactions and agreements
determined by the Trustees to be appropriate in exercising the authority,
express (in the case of the Property Trustee) or implied, otherwise granted to
the Trustees under this Trust Agreement, and to perform all acts in furtherance
thereof, including without limitation, the following:
A. As among the Trustees, the Administrative Trustees, acting singly or
jointly, shall have the exclusive power, duty and authority to act on behalf of
the Trust with respect to the following matters:
(i) to acquire the Junior Subordinated Notes with the proceeds of the
sale of the Trust Securities; provided, however, the Administrative Trustees
shall cause legal title to all of the Junior Subordinated Notes to be vested in,
and the Junior Subordinated Notes to be held of record in the name of, the
Property Trustee for the benefit of the Trust and Holders of the Trust
Securities;
(ii) to give the Depositor and the Property Trustee prompt written
notice of the occurrence of any Special Event (as defined in the Supplemental
Indenture) and to take any ministerial actions in connection therewith;
provided, that the Administrative Trustees shall consult with the Depositor and
the Property Trustee before taking or refraining to take any ministerial action
in relation to a Special Event;
(iii) to establish a record date with respect to all actions to be
taken hereunder that require a record date be established, including for the
purposes of ss. 316(c) of the Trust Indenture Act and with respect to
Distributions, voting rights, redemptions, and exchanges, and to issue relevant
notices to Holders of the Trust Securities as to such actions and applicable
record dates;
(iv) to bring or defend, pay, collect, compromise, arbitrate, resort to
legal action, or otherwise adjust claims or demands of or against the Trust
("Legal Action"), unless pursuant to Section 2.07(B)(iii), the Property Trustee
has the power to bring such Legal Action;
(v) to employ or otherwise engage employees and agents (who may be
designated as officers with titles) and managers, contractors, advisors, and
consultants and pay reasonable compensation for such services;
(vi) to cause the Trust to comply with the Trust's obligations under
the Trust Indenture Act;
(vii) to give the certificate to the Property Trustee required by ss.
314(a)(4) of the Trust Indenture Act, which certificate may be executed by any
Administrative Trustee;
(viii) to take all actions and perform such duties as may be required
of the Administrative Trustees pursuant to the terms of this Trust Agreement;
(ix) to take all action that may be necessary or appropriate for the
preservation and the continuation of the Trust's valid existence, rights,
franchises and privileges as a statutory business trust under the laws of the
State of Delaware and of each other jurisdiction in which such existence is
necessary to protect the limited liability of the Holders of the Trust
Securities or to enable the Trust to effect the purposes for which the Trust has
been created;
(x) to take all action necessary to cause all applicable tax returns
and tax information reports that are required to be filed with respect to the
Trust to be duly prepared and filed by the Administrative Trustees, on behalf of
the Trust;
(xi) to issue and sell the Trust Securities;
(xii) to cause the Trust to enter into, and to execute, deliver and
perform on behalf of the Trust, the Expense Agreement and the Certificate
Depository Agreement and such other agreements as may be necessary or desirable
in connection with the consummation hereof;
(xiii) to assist in the registration of the Preferred Securities under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and under state securities or blue sky
laws, and the qualification of this Trust Agreement as a trust indenture under
the Trust Indenture Act;
(xiv) to assist in the listing of the Preferred Securities upon such
securities exchange or exchanges, if any, as shall be determined by the
Depositor and, if required, the registration of the Preferred Securities under
the Exchange Act, and the preparation and filing of all periodic and other
reports and other documents pursuant to the foregoing;
(xv) to send notices (other than notices of default) and other
information regarding the Trust Securities and the Junior Subordinated Notes to
the Securityholders in accordance with this Trust Agreement;
(xvi) to appoint a Paying Agent (subject to Section 5.09),
authenticating agent and Securities Registrar in accordance with this Trust
Agreement;
(xvii) to register transfers of the Trust Securities in accordance with
this Trust Agreement;
(xviii) to assist in, to the extent provided in this Trust Agreement,
the winding up of the affairs of and termination of the Trust and the
preparation, execution and filing of the certificate of cancellation with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware; and
(xix) to take any action incidental to the foregoing as the
Administrative Trustees may from time to time determine is necessary,
appropriate, convenient or advisable to protect and conserve the Trust Property
for the benefit of the Securityholders (without consideration of the effect of
any such action on any particular Securityholder).
B. The Property Trustee shall:
(i) engage in such ministerial activities as shall be necessary or
appropriate to effect the redemption of the Trust Securities to the extent the
Junior Subordinated Notes are redeemed or mature;
(ii) upon notice of distribution issued by the Administrative Trustees
in accordance with the terms of this Trust Agreement, engage in such ministerial
activities as shall be necessary or appropriate to effect the distribution
pursuant to terms of this Trust Agreement of Junior Subordinated Notes to
Holders of Trust Securities;
(iii) subject to the terms hereof, take any Legal Action which arises
out of or in connection with an Event of Default of which a Responsible Officer
of the Property Trustee has actual knowledge or the Property Trustee's duties
and obligations under this Trust Agreement or the Trust Indenture Act; and
(iv) take all actions and perform such duties as may be specifically
required of the Property Trustee pursuant to the terms of this Trust Agreement.
C. So long as this Trust Agreement remains in effect, the Trust (or the
Trustees acting on behalf of the Trust) shall not undertake any business,
activities or transaction except as expressly provided herein or contemplated
hereby. In particular, the Trustees shall not (i) acquire any investments or
engage in any activities not authorized by this Trust Agreement, (ii) sell,
assign, transfer, exchange, pledge, set-off or otherwise dispose of any of the
Trust Property or interests therein, including to Securityholders, except as
expressly provided herein, (iii) take any action that would cause the Trust to
fail or cease to qualify as a grantor trust for United States federal income tax
purposes, (iv) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money, (v) take or consent to
any action that would result in the placement of a Lien on any of the Trust
Property, (vi) issue any securities other than the Trust Securities, or (vii)
have any power to, or agree to any action by the Depositor that would, vary the
investment (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-4(c)) of
the Trust or of the Securityholders. The Trustees shall defend all claims and
demands of all Persons at any time claiming any Lien on any of the Trust
Property adverse to the interest of the Trust or the Securityholders in their
capacity as Securityholders.
D. In connection with the issue and sale of the Preferred Securities,
the Depositor shall have the right and responsibility to assist the Trust with
respect to, or effect on behalf of the Trust, the following (and any actions
taken by the Depositor in furtherance of the following prior to the date of this
Trust Agreement are hereby ratified and confirmed in all respects):
(i) to prepare for filing by the Trust with the Commission a
registration statement on Form S-3 under the Securities Act in relation to the
Preferred Securities, including any amendments thereto;
(ii) to determine the states in which to take appropriate action to
qualify or register for sale all or part of the Preferred Securities and to do
any and all such acts, other than actions which must be taken by or on behalf of
the Trust, and advise the Trustees of actions they must take on behalf of the
Trust, and prepare for execution and filing any documents to be executed and
filed by the Trust or on behalf of the Trust, as the Depositor deems necessary
or advisable in order to comply with the applicable laws of any such States;
(iii) to prepare for filing by the Trust an application to the New York
Stock Exchange or any other national stock exchange or the NASDAQ National
Market for listing upon notice of issuance of any Preferred Securities;
(iv) to prepare for filing by the Trust with the Commission a
registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the registration of the Preferred
Securities under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments
thereto;
(v) to negotiate the terms of the Underwriting Agreement providing for
the sale of the Preferred Securities and to execute, deliver and perform the
Underwriting Agreement on behalf of the Trust; and
(vi) any other actions necessary, incidental, appropriate or convenient
to carry out any of the foregoing activities.
E. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrative
Trustees are authorized and directed to conduct the affairs of the Trust and to
operate the Trust so that the Trust will not be deemed to be an "investment
company" required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, or taxed as other than a grantor trust for United States federal income
tax purposes and so that the Junior Subordinated Notes will be treated as
indebtedness of the Depositor for United States federal income tax purposes. In
this connection, the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees are authorized to
take any action, not inconsistent with applicable law, the Certificate of Trust
or this Trust Agreement, that each of the Depositor and the Administrative
Trustees determines in its discretion to be necessary or desirable for such
purposes, as long as such action does not materially and adversely affect the
interests of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
Section 2.08 Assets of Trust. The assets of the Trust shall consist of
the Trust Property.
Section 2.09 Title to Trust Property. Legal title to all Trust Property
shall be vested at all times in the Property Trustee (in its capacity as such)
and shall be held and administered by the Property Trustee for the benefit of
the Securityholders and the Trust in accordance with this Trust Agreement. The
right, title and interest of the Property Trustee to the Junior Subordinated
Notes shall vest automatically in each Person who may thereafter be appointed as
Property Trustee in accordance with the terms hereof. Such vesting and cessation
of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been
executed and delivered.
Section 2.10 Mergers and Consolidations of the Trust. The Trust may not
consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or be replaced by, or convey,
transfer or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any
corporation or other body, except as described below or otherwise provided in
this Trust Agreement. The Trust may at the request of the Company, with the
consent of the Administrative Trustees and without the consent of the Holders of
the Trust Securities, consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or be
replaced by a trust organized as such under the laws of any state; provided,
that (i) such successor entity either (x) expressly assumes all of the
obligations of the Trust with respect to the Trust Securities or (y) substitutes
for the Preferred Securities other securities having substantially the same
terms as the Trust Securities (herein referred to as the "Successor Securities")
so long as the Successor Securities rank the same as the Trust Securities rank
in priority with respect to Distributions and payments upon liquidation,
redemption and otherwise, (ii) the Company expressly appoints a trustee of such
successor entity possessing the same powers and duties as the Property Trustee
as the holder of legal title to the Junior Subordinated Notes, (iii) the
Preferred Securities or any Successor Securities are listed, or any Successor
Securities will be listed upon notification of issuance, on any national
securities exchange or other organization on which the Preferred Securities are
then listed, (iv) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement does
not cause the Preferred Securities (including any Successor Securities) to be
downgraded by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, (v)
such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement does not adversely
affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the Holders of the Trust
Securities (including any Successor Securities) in any material respect, (vi)
such successor entity has a purpose substantially identical to that of the
Trust, (vii) prior to such merger, consolidation, amalgamation, or replacement,
the Company and the Property Trustee have received an Opinion of Counsel to the
effect that (A) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement does not
adversely affect the rights, preferences and privileges of the Holders of the
Trust Securities (including any Successor Securities) in any material respect,
and (B) following such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or replacement,
neither the Trust nor such successor entity will be required to register as an
investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, and (viii) the
Company guarantees the obligations of such successor entity under the Successor
Securities at least to the extent provided by the Guarantee. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Trust shall not, except with the consent of Holders of 100% in
Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities, consolidate, amalgamate, merge with
or into, or be replaced by any other entity or permit any other entity to
consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or replace it if such
consolidation, amalgamation, merger or replacement would cause the Trust or the
successor entity to be classified as other than a grantor trust for federal
income tax purposes.
ARTICLE III
Payment Account
Section 3.01 Payment Account.
(a) On or prior to the Issue Date, the Property Trustee shall establish
the Payment Account. The Property Trustee and an agent of the Property Trustee
shall have exclusive control and sole right of withdrawal with respect to the
Payment Account for the purpose of making deposits in and withdrawals from the
Payment Account in accordance with this Trust Agreement. All monies and other
property deposited or held from time to time in the Payment Account shall be
held by the Property Trustee in the Payment Account for the exclusive benefit of
the Securityholders and for distribution as herein provided, including (and
subject to) any priority of payments provided for herein.
(b) The Property Trustee shall deposit in the Payment Account, promptly
upon receipt, all payments of principal or interest on, and any other payments
or proceeds with respect to, the Junior Subordinated Notes. Amounts held in the
Payment Account shall not be invested by the Property Trustee pending
distribution thereof.
ARTICLE IV
Distributions; Redemption
Section 4.01 Distributions.
(a) Distributions on the Trust Securities shall be cumulative and
accrue from the Issue Date and, except in the event that the Depositor exercises
its right to extend the interest payment period for the Junior Subordinated
Notes pursuant to Section 104 of the Supplemental Indenture, shall be payable
quarterly in arrears on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each
year, commencing on ________________. If any date on which Distributions are
otherwise payable on the Trust Securities is not a Business Day, then the
payment of such Distribution shall be made on the next succeeding day which is a
Business Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any such
delay) except that, if such Business Day is in the next succeeding calendar
year, payment of such Distribution shall be made on the immediately preceding
Business Day, in each case, with the same force and effect as if made on such
date (each such date, a "Distribution Date").
(b) Distributions payable on the Trust Securities shall be fixed at a
rate of ______% per annum of the Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities. The
amount of Distributions payable for any full quarterly period shall be computed
on the basis of twelve 30-day months and a 360-day year. If the interest payment
period for the Junior Subordinated Notes is extended pursuant to Section 104 of
the Supplemental Indenture (an "Extension Period"), then the rate per annum at
which Distributions on the Trust Securities accumulate shall be increased by an
amount such that the aggregate amount of Distributions that accumulate on all
Trust Securities during any such Extension Period is equal to the aggregate
amount of interest (including interest payable on unpaid interest at the
percentage rate per annum set forth above, compounded quarterly, to the extent
permitted by applicable law) that accrues during any such Extension Period on
the Junior Subordinated Notes. The payment of such deferred interest, together
with interest thereon, will be distributed to the Holders of the Trust
Securities as received at the end of any Extension Period. The amount of
Distributions payable for any period shall include the Additional Amounts, if
any.
(c) Distributions on the Trust Securities shall be made and shall be
deemed payable on each Distribution Date only to the extent that the Trust has
legally and immediately available funds in the Payment Account for the payment
of such Distributions.
(d) Distributions, including Additional Amounts, if any, on the Trust
Securities on each Distribution Date shall be payable to the Holders thereof as
they appear on the Securities Register for the Trust Securities on the relevant
record date, which shall be the close of business on the fifteenth calendar day
prior to the relevant Distribution Date.
Each Trust Security upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for
or in lieu of any other Trust Security shall carry the rights of Distributions
accrued (including Additional Amounts, if any) and unpaid, and to accrue
(including Additional Amounts, if any), which were carried by such other Trust
Security.
Section 4.02 Redemption.
(a) On each Redemption Date with respect to the Junior Subordinated
Notes, the Trust will be required to redeem a Like Amount of Trust Securities at
the Redemption Price.
(b) Notice of redemption shall be given by the Property Trustee by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days
prior to the Redemption Date to each Holder of Trust Securities to be redeemed,
at such Holder's address appearing in the Securities Register. All notices of
redemption shall state:
(i) the Redemption Date;
(ii) the Redemption Price;
(iii) the CUSIP number;
(iv) if less than all the Outstanding Trust Securities are to be
redeemed, the total Liquidation Amount of the Trust Securities to be redeemed;
and
(v) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will become due
and payable upon each such Trust Security to be redeemed and that Distributions
thereon will cease to accrue on and after such date.
(c) The Trust Securities redeemed on each Redemption Date shall be
redeemed at the Redemption Price with the proceeds from the contemporaneous
redemption of Junior Subordinated Notes. Redemptions of the Trust Securities
shall be made and the Redemption Price shall be deemed payable on each
Redemption Date only to the extent that the Trust has funds legally and
immediately available in the Payment Account for the payment of such Redemption
Price.
(d) If the Property Trustee gives a notice of redemption in respect of
any Preferred Securities, then, by 2:00 p.m. New York time, on the Redemption
Date, subject to Section 4.02(c), the Property Trustee will, so long as the
Preferred Securities are in book-entry only form, irrevocably deposit with the
Clearing Agency for the Preferred Securities funds sufficient to pay the
applicable Redemption Price. If the Preferred Securities are not in book-entry
only form, the Property Trustee, subject to Section 4.02(c), shall irrevocably
deposit with the Paying Agent funds sufficient to pay the applicable Redemption
Price and will give the Paying Agent irrevocable instructions to pay the
Redemption Price to the Holders thereof upon surrender of their Preferred
Securities Certificates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Distributions payable on
or prior to the Redemption Date for any Trust Securities called for redemption
shall be payable to the Holders of such Trust Securities as they appear on the
Securities Register for the Trust Securities on the relevant record dates for
the related Distribution Dates. If notice of redemption shall have been given
and funds deposited as required, then upon the date of such deposit, all rights
of Securityholders holding Trust Securities so called for redemption will cease,
except the right of such Securityholders to receive the Redemption Price, but
without interest, and such Securities will cease to be outstanding. In the event
that any date on which any Redemption Price is payable is not a Business Day,
then payment of the Redemption Price payable on such date shall be made on the
next succeeding day which is a Business Day (and without any interest or other
payment in respect of any such delay) except that, if such Business Day is in
the next succeeding calendar year, payment of such Redemption Price shall be
made on the immediately preceding Business Day, in each case, with the same
force and effect as if made on such date. In the event that payment of the
Redemption Price in respect of Trust Securities is improperly withheld or
refused and not paid either by the Trust or by the Guarantor pursuant to the
Guarantee, Distributions on such Trust Securities will continue to accrue at the
then applicable rate, from such Redemption Date originally established by the
Trust for such Preferred Securities to the date such Redemption Price is
actually paid.
(e) If less than all the Outstanding Trust Securities are to be
redeemed on a Redemption Date, then the aggregate Liquidation Amount of Trust
Securities to be redeemed shall be allocated 3% to the Common Securities and 97%
to the Preferred Securities, with such adjustments that each amount so allocated
shall be divisible by $25. The particular Preferred Securities to be redeemed
shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the
Property Trustee from the Outstanding Preferred Securities not previously called
for redemption, by such method as the Property Trustee shall deem fair and
appropriate and which may provide for the selection for a redemption of portions
(equal to $25 or integral multiple thereof) of the Liquidation Amount of
Preferred Securities of a denomination larger than $25; provided, however, that
before undertaking redemption of the Preferred Securities on other than a pro
rata basis, the Property Trustee shall have received an Opinion of Counsel that
the status of the Trust as a grantor trust for federal income tax purposes would
not be adversely affected. The Property Trustee shall promptly notify the
Securities Registrar in writing of the Preferred Securities selected for
redemption and, in the case of any Preferred Securities selected for partial
redemption, the Liquidation Amount thereof to be redeemed. For all purposes of
this Trust Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions
relating to the redemption of Preferred Securities shall relate, in the case of
any Preferred Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion
of the Liquidation Amount of Preferred Securities which has been or is to be
redeemed.
(f) Subject to the foregoing provisions of Section 4.02 and to
applicable law (including, without limitation, United States federal securities
laws), the Company, the Guarantor or their Affiliates may, at any time and from
time to time, purchase outstanding Preferred Securities by tender, in the open
market or by private agreement.
Section 4.03 Subordination of Common Securities.
(a) Payment of Distributions (including Additional Amounts, if
applicable) on, and the Redemption Price of, the Trust Securities, as
applicable, shall be made pro rata based on the Liquidation Amount of the Trust
Securities; provided, however, that if on any Distribution Date or Redemption
Date an Indenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, no
payment of any Distribution (including Additional Amounts, if applicable) on, or
Redemption Price of, any Common Security, and no other payment on account of the
redemption, liquidation or other acquisition of Common Securities, shall be made
unless payment in full in cash of all accumulated and unpaid Distributions
(including Additional Amounts, if applicable) on all Outstanding Preferred
Securities for all distribution periods terminating on or prior thereto, or in
the case of payment of the Redemption Price the full amount of such Redemption
Price on all Outstanding Preferred Securities, shall have been made or provided
for, and all funds immediately available to the Property Trustee shall first be
applied to the payment in full in cash of all Distributions (including
Additional Amounts, if applicable) on, or Redemption Price of, Preferred
Securities then due and payable.
(b) In the case of the occurrence of any Indenture Event of Default,
the Holder of Common Securities will be deemed to have waived any such Event of
Default under this Trust Agreement until the effect of all such Events of
Default with respect to the Preferred Securities have been cured, waived or
otherwise eliminated. Until any such Events of Default under this Trust
Agreement with respect to the Preferred Securities have been so cured, waived or
otherwise eliminated, the Property Trustee shall act solely on behalf of the
Holders of the Preferred Securities and not the Holder of the Common Securities,
and only the Holders of the Preferred Securities will have the right to direct
the Property Trustee to act on their behalf.
Section 4.04 Payment Procedures. Payments in respect of the Preferred
Securities shall be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled
thereto as such address shall appear on the Securities Register or, if the
Preferred Securities are held by a Clearing Agency, such Distributions shall be
made to the Clearing Agency, which shall credit the relevant Persons' accounts
at such Clearing Agency on the applicable distribution dates. Payments in
respect of the Common Securities shall be made in such manner as shall be
mutually agreed between the Property Trustee and the Holder of the Common
Securities.
Section 4.05 Tax Returns and Reports. The Administrative Trustee(s)
shall prepare (or cause to be prepared), at the Depositor's expense, and file
all United States federal, state and local tax and information returns and
reports required to be filed by or in respect of the Trust. The Administrative
Trustee(s) shall provide or cause to be provided on a timely basis to each
Holder any Internal Revenue Service form required to be so provided in respect
of the Trust Securities.
ARTICLE V
Trust Securities Certificates
Section 5.01 Initial Ownership. Upon the creation of the Trust by the
contribution by the Depositor pursuant to Section 2.03 and until the issuance of
the Trust Securities, and at any time during which no Trust Securities are
outstanding, the Depositor shall be the sole beneficial owner of the Trust.
Section 5.02 The Trust Securities Certificates. Each of the Preferred
and Common Securities Certificates shall be issued in minimum denominations of
$25 and integral multiples in excess thereof. The Trust Securities Certificates
shall be executed on behalf of the Trust by manual or facsimile signature of at
least one Administrative Trustee. Trust Securities Certificates bearing the
manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were, at the time when such
signatures shall have been affixed, authorized to sign on behalf of the Trust,
shall be validly issued and entitled to the benefits of this Trust Agreement,
notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them shall have ceased to be so
authorized prior to the authentication and delivery of such Trust Securities
Certificates or did not hold such offices at the date of authentication and
delivery of such Trust Securities Certificates. A transferee of a Trust
Securities Certificate shall become a Securityholder, and shall be entitled to
the rights and subject to the obligations of a Securityholder hereunder, upon
due registration of such Trust Securities Certificate in such transferee's name
pursuant to Section 5.04.
Section 5.03 Authentication of Trust Securities Certificates. On the
Issue Date, the Administrative Trustees shall cause Trust Securities
Certificates, in an aggregate Liquidation Amount as provided in Sections 2.04
and 2.05, to be executed on behalf of the Trust, authenticated and delivered to
or upon the written order of the Depositor signed by its Chairman of the Board,
its President or any Vice President, without further corporate action by the
Depositor, in authorized denominations. No Trust Securities Certificate shall
entitle its holder to any benefit under this Trust Agreement, or shall be valid
for any purpose, unless there shall appear on such Trust Securities Certificate
a certificate of authentication substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit E
or Exhibit C, as applicable, executed by at least one Administrative Trustee by
manual signature; such authentication shall constitute conclusive evidence that
such Trust Securities Certificate shall have been duly authenticated and
delivered hereunder. All Trust Securities Certificates shall be dated the date
of their authentication.
Section 5.04 Registration of Transfer and Exchange of Preferred
Securities Certificates. The Securities Registrar shall keep or cause to be
kept, at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 5.08, a Securities
Register in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe,
the Securities Registrar shall provide for the registration of Preferred
Securities Certificates and the Common Securities Certificates (subject to
Section 5.10 in the case of the Common Securities Certificates) and registration
of transfers and exchanges of Preferred Securities Certificates as herein
provided. The Property Trustee shall be the initial Securities Registrar.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Preferred Securities
Certificate at the office or agency maintained pursuant to Section 5.08, the
Administrative Trustees shall execute, authenticate and deliver in the name of
the designated transferee or transferees one or more new Preferred Securities
Certificates in authorized denominations of a like aggregate Liquidation Amount
dated the date of authentication by the Administrative Trustee or Trustees. The
Securities Registrar shall not be required to register the transfer of any
Preferred Securities that have been called for redemption. At the option of a
Holder, Preferred Securities Certificates may be exchanged for other Preferred
Securities Certificates in authorized denominations of the same class and of a
like aggregate Liquidation Amount upon surrender of the Preferred Securities
Certificates to be exchanged at the office or agency maintained pursuant to
Section 5.08.
Every Preferred Securities Certificate presented or surrendered for
registration of transfer or exchange shall be accompanied by a written
instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Administrative Trustees and
the Securities Registrar duly executed by the Holder or his attorney duly
authorized in writing. Each Preferred Securities Certificate surrendered for
registration of transfer or exchange shall be canceled and subsequently disposed
of by the Securities Registrar in accordance with its customary practice.
No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or
exchange of Preferred Securities Certificates, but the Securities Registrar or
the Administrative Trustees may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer
or exchange of Preferred Securities Certificates.
Section 5.05 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Trust Securities
Certificates. If (a) any mutilated Trust Securities Certificate shall be
surrendered to the Securities Registrar, or if the Securities Registrar shall
receive evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any
Trust Securities Certificate and (b) there shall be delivered to the Securities
Registrar and the Administrative Trustees such security or indemnity as may be
required by them to save each of them harmless, then in the absence of notice
that such Trust Securities Certificate shall have been acquired by a bona fide
purchaser, the Administrative Trustees or any one of them on behalf of the Trust
shall execute and authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for
or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Trust Securities
Certificate, a new Trust Securities Certificate of like class, tenor and
denomination. In connection with the issuance of any new Trust Securities
Certificate under this Section, the Administrative Trustees or the Securities
Registrar may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection therewith. Any duplicate
Trust Securities Certificate issued pursuant to this Section shall constitute
conclusive evidence of an ownership interest in the Trust, as if originally
issued, whether or not the lost, stolen or destroyed Trust Securities
Certificate shall be found at any time.
Section 5.06 Persons Deemed Securityholders. Prior to due presentation
of a Trust Securities Certificate for registration of transfer, the Trustees or
the Securities Registrar shall treat the Person in whose name any Trust
Securities Certificate shall be registered in the Securities Register as the
owner of such Trust Securities Certificate for the purpose of receiving
Distributions (subject to Section 4.01(d)) and for all other purposes
whatsoever, and neither the Trustees nor the Securities Registrar shall be bound
by any notice to the contrary.
Section 5.07 Access to List of Securityholders' Names and Addresses.
The Administrative Trustees shall furnish or cause to be furnished to (i) the
Depositor and the Property Trustee semi-annually, not later than June 1 and
December 1 in each year, and (ii) the Depositor or the Property Trustee, as the
case may be, within 30 days after receipt by any Administrative Trustee of a
request therefor from the Depositor or the Property Trustee, as the case may be,
in writing, a list, in such form as the Depositor or the Property Trustee, as
the case may be, may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the
Securityholders as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list
is furnished; provided, that the Administrative Trustees shall not be obligated
to provide such list at any time such list does not differ from the most recent
list given to the Depositor and the Property Trustee by the Administrative
Trustees or at any time the Property Trustee is the Securities Registrar. If
three or more Securityholders or one or more Holders of Trust Securities
Certificates evidencing not less than 25% of the outstanding Liquidation Amount
apply in writing to the Administrative Trustees, and such application states
that the applicants desire to communicate with other Securityholders with
respect to their rights under this Trust Agreement or under the Trust Securities
Certificates and such application is accompanied by a copy of the communication
that such applicants propose to transmit, then the Administrative Trustees
shall, within five Business Days after the receipt of such application, afford
such applicants access during normal business hours to the current list of
Securityholders. Each Holder, by receiving and holding a Trust Securities
Certificate, shall be deemed to have agreed not to hold either the Depositor or
the Administrative Trustees accountable by reason of the disclosure of its name
and address, regardless of the source from which such information was derived.
Section 5.08 Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Administrative
Trustees shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, New York, an office or
offices or agency or agencies where Preferred Securities Certificates may be
surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and
demands to or upon the Trustees in respect of the Trust Securities Certificates
may be served. The Administrative Trustees initially designate Bankers Trust
Company, Four ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, as its principal agency
for such purposes. The Administrative Trustees shall give prompt written notice
to the Depositor and to the Securityholders of any change in the location of the
Securities Register or any such office or agency.
Section 5.09 Appointment of Paying Agent. The Paying Agent shall make
Distributions and other payments provided hereby to Securityholders from the
Payment Account and shall report the amounts of such Distributions and payments
to the Property Trustee and the Administrative Trustees. Any Paying Agent shall
have the revocable power to withdraw funds from the Payment Account for the
purpose of making the Distributions and payments provided hereby. The
Administrative Trustees may revoke such power and remove the Paying Agent if
such Trustees determine in their sole discretion that the Paying Agent shall
have failed to perform its obligations under this Agreement in any material
respect. The Paying Agent shall initially be the Property Trustee, and it may
choose any co-paying agent that is acceptable to the Administrative Trustees and
the Depositor. Any Person acting as Paying Agent shall be permitted to resign as
Paying Agent upon 30 days' written notice to the Administrative Trustees and the
Depositor. In the event that a Paying Agent shall resign or be removed, the
Administrative Trustees shall appoint a successor that is acceptable to the
Depositor to act as Paying Agent (which shall be a bank or trust company). The
Administrative Trustees shall cause such successor Paying Agent or any
additional Paying Agent appointed by the Administrative Trustees to execute and
deliver to the Trustees an instrument in which such successor Paying Agent or
additional Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustees that as Paying Agent, such
successor Paying Agent or additional Paying Agent will hold all sums, if any,
held by it for payment to the Securityholders in trust for the benefit of the
Securityholders entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such
Securityholders. The Paying Agent shall return all unclaimed funds to the
Property Trustee and upon removal of a Paying Agent such Paying Agent shall also
return all funds in its possession to the Property Trustee. The provisions of
Sections 8.01, 8.03 and 8.06 shall apply to the Property Trustee also in its
role as Paying Agent, for so long as the Property Trustee shall act as Paying
Agent and, to the extent applicable, to any other paying agent appointed
hereunder. Any reference in this Agreement to the Paying Agent shall include any
co-paying agent unless the context requires otherwise.
Section 5.10 Ownership of Common Securities by Depositor. On the Issue
Date, the Depositor shall acquire, and thereafter retain, beneficial and record
ownership of the Common Securities. Any attempted transfer of the Common
Securities, except for transfers by operation of law or to an Affiliate of the
Guarantor or the Depositor or a permitted successor under Section 801 of the
Subordinated Indenture, shall be void. The Administrative Trustees shall cause
each Common Securities Certificate issued to the Depositor to contain a legend
stating "THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT TRANSFERABLE EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THE TRUST
AGREEMENT REFERRED TO HEREIN".
Section 5.11 Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates; Common
Securities Certificate.
(a) The Preferred Securities Certificates, upon original issuance, will
be issued in the form of a typewritten Preferred Securities Certificate or
Certificates representing Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates, to be
delivered to The Depository Trust Company, the initial Clearing Agency, by, or
on behalf of, the Trust. Such Preferred Securities Certificate or Certificates
shall initially be registered on the Securities Register in the name of Cede &
Co., the nominee of the initial Clearing Agency, and no Owner will receive a
definitive Preferred Securities Certificate representing such beneficial owner's
interest in such Preferred Securities, except as provided in Section 5.13.
Unless and until Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates have been issued
to Owners pursuant to Section 5.13:
(i) the provisions of this Section 5.11(a) shall be in full force and
effect;
(ii) the Securities Registrar and the Trustees shall be entitled to
deal with the Clearing Agency for all purposes of this Trust Agreement relating
to the Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates (including the payment of
principal of and interest on the Book-Entry Preferred Securities and the giving
of instructions or directions to Owners of Book-Entry Preferred Securities) as
the sole Holder of Book-Entry Preferred Securities and shall have no obligations
to the Owners thereof;
(iii) to the extent that the provisions of this Section conflict with
any other provisions of this Trust Agreement, the provisions of this Section
shall control; and
(iv) the rights of the Owners of the Book-Entry Preferred Securities
Certificates shall be exercised only through the Clearing Agency and shall be
limited to those established by law and agreements between such Owners and the
Clearing Agency and/or the Clearing Agency Participants. Pursuant to the
Certificate Depository Agreement, unless and until Definitive Preferred
Securities Certificates are issued pursuant to Section 5.13, the Clearing Agency
will make book-entry transfers among the Clearing Agency Participants and
receive and transmit payments on the Preferred Securities to such Clearing
Agency Participants.
(b) A single Common Securities Certificate representing the Common
Securities shall be issued to the Depositor in the form of a definitive Common
Securities Certificate.
Section 5.12 Notices to Clearing Agency. To the extent a notice or
other communication to the Owners is required under this Trust Agreement, unless
and until Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates shall have been issued to
Owners pursuant to Section 5.13, the Trustees shall give all such notices and
communications specified herein to be given to Owners to the Clearing Agency,
and shall have no obligations to the Owners.
Section 5.13 Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates. If (i) the
Depositor advises the Trustees in writing that the Clearing Agency is no longer
willing or able to properly discharge its responsibilities with respect to the
Preferred Securities Certificates, and the Depositor is unable to locate a
qualified successor, or (ii) the Depositor at its option advises the Trustees in
writing that it elects to terminate the book-entry system through the Clearing
Agency, then the Administrative Trustees shall notify the Clearing Agency and
Holders of the Preferred Securities. Upon surrender to the Administrative
Trustees of the typewritten Preferred Securities Certificate or Certificates
representing the Book-Entry Preferred Securities Certificates by the Clearing
Agency, accompanied by registration instructions, the Administrative Trustees or
any one of them shall execute and authenticate the Definitive Preferred
Securities Certificates in accordance with the instructions of the Clearing
Agency. Neither the Securities Registrar nor the Trustees shall be liable for
any delay in delivery of such instructions and may conclusively rely on, and
shall be protected in relying on, such instructions. Upon the issuance of
Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates, the Trustees shall recognize the
Holders of the Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates as Securityholders.
The Definitive Preferred Securities Certificates shall be printed, lithographed
or engraved or may be produced in any other manner as is reasonably acceptable
to the Administrative Trustees, as evidenced by the execution thereof by the
Administrative Trustees or any one of them.
Section 5.14 Rights of Securityholders. The legal title to the Trust
Property is vested exclusively in the Property Trustee (in its capacity as such)
in accordance with Section 2.09, and the Securityholders shall not have any
right or title therein other than the beneficial ownership interest in the
assets of the Trust conferred by their Trust Securities, and they shall have no
right to call for any partition or division of property, profits or rights of
the Trust except as described below. The Trust Securities shall be personal
property giving only the rights specifically set forth therein and in this Trust
Agreement. The Trust Securities shall have no preemptive or other similar rights
and when issued and delivered to Securityholders against payment of the purchase
price therefor, except as otherwise provided in the Expense Agreement and
Section 10.01 hereof, will be fully paid and nonassessable by the Trust. Except
as otherwise provided in the Expense Agreement and Section 10.01 hereof, the
Holders of the Trust Securities shall be entitled to the same limitation of
personal liability extended to stockholders of private corporations for profit
organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
ARTICLE VI
Acts of Securityholders; Meetings; Voting
Section 6.01 Limitations on Voting Rights.
(a) Except as provided in this Section, in Section 8.10 or Section
10.03 of this Trust Agreement, in the Subordinated Indenture, and as otherwise
required by law, no Holder of Preferred Securities shall have any right to vote
or in any manner otherwise control the administration, operation and management
of the Trust or the obligations of the parties hereto, nor shall anything herein
set forth, or contained in the terms of the Trust Securities Certificates, be
construed so as to constitute the Securityholders from time to time as partners
or members of an association.
(b) So long as any Junior Subordinated Notes are held by the Property
Trustee, the Trustees shall not (i) direct the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Indenture Trustee, or
executing any trust or power conferred on the Indenture Trustee with respect to
such Junior Subordinated Notes, (ii) waive any past default which is waivable
under Section 513 of the Subordinated Indenture, (iii) exercise any right to
rescind or annul a declaration that the principal of all the Junior Subordinated
Notes shall be due and payable or (iv) consent to any amendment, modification or
termination of the Subordinated Indenture or the Junior Subordinated Notes,
where such consent shall be required, or to any other action, as holder of the
Junior Subordinated Notes, under the Subordinated Indenture, without, in each
case, obtaining the prior approval of the Holders of at least 66-2/3% in
Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities; provided, however, that where a
consent under the Subordinated Indenture would require the consent of each
holder of Junior Subordinated Notes affected thereby, no such consent shall be
given by the Trustees without the prior written consent of each Holder of
Preferred Securities. The Trustees shall not revoke any action previously
authorized or approved by a vote of the Holders of Preferred Securities, except
pursuant to a subsequent vote of the Holders of Preferred Securities. The
Property Trustee shall notify all Holders of the Preferred Securities of any
notice of default received from the Indenture Trustee with respect to the Junior
Subordinated Notes. In addition to obtaining the foregoing approvals of the
Holders of the Preferred Securities, prior to taking any of the foregoing
actions, the Trustees shall, at the expense of the Depositor, obtain an Opinion
of Counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that the Trust will not be
classified as other than a grantor trust for United States federal income tax
purposes on account of such action.
(c) If any proposed amendment to this Trust Agreement provides for, or
the Trustees otherwise propose to effect, (i) any action that would adversely
affect the powers, preferences or special rights of the Preferred Securities,
whether by way of amendment to this Trust Agreement or otherwise, or (ii) the
dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Trust, other than pursuant to the
terms of this Trust Agreement, then the Holders of Outstanding Preferred
Securities as a class will be entitled to vote on such amendment or proposal and
such amendment or proposal shall not be effective except with the approval of
the Holders of at least 66-2/3% in Liquidation Amount of the Outstanding
Preferred Securities. In addition to obtaining the foregoing approvals of the
Holders of the Preferred Securities, prior to taking any of the foregoing
actions, the Trustees shall, at the expense of the Depositor, obtain an Opinion
of Counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that the Trust will not be
classified as other than a grantor trust for United States federal income tax
purposes on account of such action.
Section 6.02 Notice of Meetings. Notice of all meetings of the
Preferred Securityholders, stating the time, place and purpose of the meeting,
shall be given by the Administrative Trustees pursuant to Section 10.08 to each
Preferred Securityholder of record, at his registered address, at least 15 days
and not more than 90 days before the meeting. At any such meeting, any business
properly before the meeting may be so considered whether or not stated in the
notice of the meeting. Any adjourned meeting may be held as adjourned without
further notice.
Section 6.03 Meetings of Preferred Securityholders. No annual meeting
of Securityholders is required to be held. The Administrative Trustees, however,
shall call a meeting of Securityholders to vote on any matter upon the written
request of the Preferred Securityholders of record of 25% of the Preferred
Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount) and the Administrative Trustees
or the Property Trustee may, at any time in their discretion, call a meeting of
Preferred Securityholders to vote on any matters as to which Preferred
Securityholders are entitled to vote.
Preferred Securityholders of record of 50% of the Preferred Securities
(based upon their Liquidation Amount), present in person or by proxy, shall
constitute a quorum at any meeting of Securityholders.
If a quorum is present at a meeting, an affirmative vote by the
Preferred Securityholders of record present, in person or by proxy, holding more
than 66-2/3% of the Preferred Securities (based upon their Liquidation Amount)
held by the Preferred Securityholders of record present, either in person or by
proxy, at such meeting shall constitute the action of the Securityholders,
unless this Trust Agreement requires a greater number of affirmative votes.
Section 6.04 Voting Rights. Securityholders shall be entitled to one
vote for each $25 of Liquidation Amount represented by their Trust Securities in
respect of any matter as to which such Securityholders are entitled to vote.
Section 6.05 Proxies, etc. At any meeting of Securityholders, any
Securityholder entitled to vote may vote by proxy, provided that no proxy shall
be voted at any meeting unless it shall have been placed on file with the
Administrative Trustees, or with such other officer or agent of the Trust as the
Administrative Trustees may direct, for verification prior to the time at which
such vote shall be taken. Pursuant to a resolution of the Property Trustee,
proxies may be solicited in the name of the Property Trustee or one or more
officers of the Property Trustee. Only Securityholders of record shall be
entitled to vote. When Trust Securities are held jointly by several Persons, any
one of them may vote at any meeting in person or by proxy in respect of such
Trust Securities, but if more than one of them shall be present at such meeting
in person or by proxy, and such joint owners or their proxies so present
disagree as to any vote to be cast, such vote shall not be received in respect
of such Trust Securities. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a
Securityholder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its
exercise, and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger. No
proxy shall be valid more than three years after its date of execution.
Section 6.06 Securityholder Action by Written Consent. Any action which
may be taken by Securityholders at a meeting may be taken without a meeting if
Securityholders holding at least 66-2/3% of all outstanding Trust Securities
entitled to vote in respect of such action (or such other proportion thereof as
shall be required by any express provision of this Trust Agreement) shall
consent to the action in writing (based upon their Liquidation Amount).
Section 6.07 Record Date for Voting and Other Purposes. For the
purposes of determining the Securityholders who are entitled to notice of and to
vote at any meeting or by written consent, or to participate in any Distribution
on the Trust Securities in respect of which a record date is not otherwise
provided for in this Trust Agreement, or for the purpose of any other action,
the Administrative Trustees may from time to time fix a date, not more than 90
days prior to the date of any meeting of Securityholders or the payment of
Distribution or other action, as the case may be, as a record date for the
determination of the identity of the Securityholders of record for such
purposes.
Section 6.08 Acts of Securityholders. Any request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or
permitted by this Trust Agreement to be given, made or taken by Securityholders
may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially
similar tenor signed by such Securityholders in person or by an agent appointed
in writing; and, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, such action
shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the
Administrative Trustees. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied
therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the "Act" of
the Securityholders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution
of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be
sufficient for any purpose of this Trust Agreement and (subject to Section 8.01)
conclusive in favor of the Trustees, if made in the manner provided in this
Section.
The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument
or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a
certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take
acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument
or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by
a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such
certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his
authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing,
or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any
other manner which the Trustees deem sufficient.
The ownership of Preferred Securities shall be proved by the Securities
Register.
Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver
or other Act of the Securityholder of any Trust Security shall bind every future
Securityholder of the same Trust Security and the Securityholder of every Trust
Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange
therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to
be done by the Trustees or the Trust in reliance thereon, whether or not
notation of such action is made upon such Trust Security.
Without limiting the foregoing, a Securityholder entitled hereunder to
take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Trust Security may do so
with regard to all or any part of the Liquidation Amount of such Trust Security
or by one or more duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such
appointment with regard to all or any part of such Liquidation Amount.
If any dispute shall arise between the Securityholders of Trust
Securities and the Administrative Trustees or among such Securityholders or
Trustees with respect to the authenticity, validity or binding nature of any
request, demand, authorization, direction, consent, waiver or other Act of such
Securityholder or Trustee under this Article VI, then the determination of such
matter by the Property Trustee shall be conclusive with respect to such matter.
Section 6.09 Inspection of Records. Upon reasonable notice to the
Trustees, the records of the Trust shall be open to inspection by
Securityholders during normal business hours for any purpose reasonably related
to such Securityholder's interest as a Securityholder.
ARTICLE VII
Representations and Warranties of the
Property Trustee and Delaware Trustee
Section 7.01 Representations and Warranties of Property Trustee. The
Trustee that acts as initial Property Trustee represents and warrants to the
Trust and to the Depositor at the date of this Trust Agreement, and each
Successor Property Trustee represents and warrants to the Trust and the
Depositor at the time of the Successor Property Trustee's acceptance of its
appointment as Property Trustee that:
(a) the Property Trustee is a New York banking corporation with trust
powers and authority to execute and deliver, and to carry out and perform its
obligations under the terms of, this Trust Agreement;
(b) The execution, delivery and performance by the Property Trustee of
this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action
on the part of the Property Trustee. This Trust Agreement has been duly executed
and delivered by the Property Trustee and constitutes a legal, valid and binding
obligation of the Property Trustee, enforceable against it in accordance with
its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, moratorium,
insolvency, and other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and to
general principles of equity and the discretion of the court (regardless of
whether the enforcement of such remedies is considered in a proceeding in equity
or at law);
(c) The execution, delivery and performance of this Trust Agreement by
the Property Trustee does not conflict with or constitute a breach of the
charter or by-laws of the Property Trustee; and
(d) No consent, approval or authorization of, or registration with or
notice to, any New York State or federal banking authority is required for the
execution, delivery or performance by the Property Trustee of this Trust
Agreement.
Section 7.02 Representations and Warranties of Delaware Trustee.
The Trustee that acts as initial Delaware Trustee represents and
warrants to the Trust and to the Depositor at the date of this Trust Agreement,
and each Successor Delaware Trustee represents and warrants to the Trust and the
Depositor at the time of the Successor Delaware Trustee's acceptance of its
appointment as Delaware Trustee that:
(a) The Delaware Trustee is duly organized, validly existing and in
good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with trust power and
authority to execute and deliver, and to carry out and perform its obligations
under the terms of, this Trust Agreement;
(b) The execution, delivery and performance by the Delaware Trustee of
this Trust Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action
on the part of the Delaware Trustee. This Trust Agreement has been duly executed
and delivered by the Delaware Trustee and constitutes a legal, valid and binding
obligation of the Delaware Trustee, enforceable against it in accordance with
its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, moratorium,
insolvency, and other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and to
general principles of equity and the discretion of the court (regardless of
whether the enforcement of such remedies is considered in a proceeding in equity
or at law);
(c) No consent, approval or authorization of, or registration with or
notice to, any federal banking authority is required for the execution, delivery
or performance by the Delaware Trustee of this Trust Agreement; and
(d) The Delaware Trustee is a natural person who is a resident of the
State of Delaware or, if not a natural person, an entity which has its principal
place of business in the State of Delaware.
ARTICLE VIII
The Trustees
Section 8.01 Certain Duties and Responsibilities.
(a) The rights, duties and responsibilities of the Trustees shall be as
provided by this Trust Agreement and, in the case of the Property Trustee, the
Trust Indenture Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision of this Trust
Agreement shall require the Trustees to expend or risk their own funds or
otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of their
duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of their rights or powers, if they
shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or
adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to
them. Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this
Trust Agreement relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or
affording protection to the Trustees shall be subject to the provisions of this
Section.
(b) All payments made by the Property Trustee in respect of the Trust
Securities shall be made only from the income and proceeds from the Trust
Property and only to the extent that there shall be sufficient income or
proceeds from the Trust Property to enable the Property Trustee to make payments
in accordance with the terms hereof. Each Securityholder, by its acceptance of a
Trust Security, agrees that it will look solely to the income and proceeds from
the Trust Property to the extent available for distribution to it as herein
provided and that the Trustees are not personally liable to it for any amount
distributable in respect of any Trust Security or for any other liability in
respect of any Trust Security. This Section 8.01(b) does not limit the liability
of the Trustees expressly set forth elsewhere in this Trust Agreement or, in the
case of the Property Trustee, in the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 8.02 Notice of Defaults. Within 90 days after the occurrence of
any Event of Default, the Property Trustee shall transmit, in the manner and to
the extent provided in Section 10.08, notice of any Event of Default known to
the Property Trustee to the Securityholders, the Administrative Trustees, the
Guarantor and the Depositor, unless such Event of Default shall have been cured
or waived.
Section 8.03 Certain Rights of Property Trustee. Subject to the
provisions of Section 8.01 and except as provided by law:
(i) the Property Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected
in acting or refraining from acting in good faith upon any resolution, Opinion
of Counsel, certificate, written representation of a Holder or transferee,
certificate of auditors or any other certificate, statement, instrument,
opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, appraisal, bond or other paper
or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by
the proper party or parties;
(ii) if (A) in performing its duties under this Trust Agreement the
Property Trustee is required to decide between alternative courses of action, or
(B) in construing any of the provisions in this Trust Agreement the Property
Trustee finds the same ambiguous or inconsistent with any other provisions
contained herein, or (C) the Property Trustee is unsure of the application of
any provision of this Trust Agreement, then, except as to any matter as to which
the Preferred Securityholders are entitled to vote under the terms of this Trust
Agreement, the Property Trustee shall deliver a notice to the Depositor
requesting written instructions of the Depositor as to the course of action to
be taken. The Property Trustee shall take such action, or refrain from taking
such action, as the Property Trustee shall be instructed in writing to take, or
to refrain from taking, by the Depositor; provided, however, that if the
Property Trustee does not receive such instructions of the Depositor within ten
Business Days after it has delivered such notice, or such reasonably shorter
period of time set forth in such notice (which to the extent practicable shall
not be less than two Business Days), it may, but shall be under no duty to, take
or refrain from taking such action not inconsistent with this Trust Agreement as
it shall deem advisable and in the best interests of the Securityholders, in
which event the Property Trustee shall have no liability except for its own bad
faith, negligence or willful misconduct;
(iii) the Property Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection
and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel 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 reliance thereon;
(iv) the Property Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any
of the rights or powers vested in it by this Trust Agreement at the request or
direction of any of the Securityholders pursuant to this Trust Agreement, unless
such Securityholders shall have offered to the Property Trustee reasonable
security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be
incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;
(v) the Property 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, consent, order, approval, bond or
other document, unless requested in writing to do so by one or more
Securityholders; and
(vi) the Property Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers
hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through its
agents or attorneys, provided that the Property Trustee shall be responsible for
its own negligence or recklessness with respect to selection of any agent or
attorney appointed by it hereunder.
Section 8.04 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities.
The recitals contained herein and in the Trust Securities Certificates shall be
taken as the statements of the Trust, and the Trustees do not assume any
responsibility for their correctness. The Trustees shall not be accountable for
the use or application by the Trust of the proceeds of the Trust Securities in
accordance with Section 2.05.
The Property Trustee may conclusively assume that any funds held by it
hereunder are legally available unless a Responsible Officer shall have received
written notice from the Company, any Holder or any other Trustee that such funds
are not legally available.
Section 8.05 May Hold Securities. Except as provided in the definition
of the term "Outstanding" in Article I, any Trustee or any other agent of the
Trustees or the Trust, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the
owner or pledgee of Trust Securities and may otherwise deal with the Trust with
the same rights it would have if it were not a Trustee or such other agent.
Section 8.06 Compensation; Fees; Indemnity.
The Depositor agrees:
(1) to pay to the Trustees from time to time reasonable compensation
for all services rendered by the Trustees hereunder (which compensation shall
not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a
trustee of an express trust);
(2) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the
Trustees upon request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances
incurred or made by the Trustees in accordance with any provision of this Trust
Agreement (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and
disbursements of their agents and counsel), except any such expense,
disbursement or advance as may be attributable to their willful misconduct,
negligence or bad faith; and
(3) to indemnify the Trustees for, and to hold the Trustees harmless
against, any and all loss, damage, claims, liability or expense incurred without
willful misconduct, negligence or bad faith on their part, arising out of or in
connection with the acceptance or administration of this Trust Agreement,
including the costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or
liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers
or duties hereunder.
The provisions of this Section 8.06 shall survive the termination of
this Trust Agreement.
Section 8.07 Trustees Required; Eligibility.
(a) There shall at all times be a Property Trustee hereunder with
respect to the Trust Securities. The Property Trustee shall be a Person that has
a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If any such Person
publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the
requirements of its supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of
this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to
be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of
condition so published. If at any time the Property Trustee with respect to the
Trust Securities shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of
this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect
hereinafter specified in this Article.
(b) There shall at all times be one or more Administrative Trustees
hereunder with respect to the Trust Securities. Each Administrative Trustee
shall be either a natural person who is at least 21 years of age or a legal
entity that shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind such
entity.
(c) There shall at all times be a Delaware Trustee with respect to the
Trust Securities. The Delaware Trustee shall either be (i) a natural person who
is at least 21 years of age and a resident of the State of Delaware or (ii) a
legal entity authorized to conduct a trust business and with its principal place
of business in the State of Delaware that shall act through one or more persons
authorized to bind such entity.
Section 8.08 Conflicting Interests.
If the Property Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest
within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Property Trustee shall either
eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by,
and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Trust
Agreement. To the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the Property
Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest by virtue of being
trustee under the Guarantee.
Section 8.09 Co-Trustees and Separate Trustee.
At any time or times, for the purpose of meeting the legal requirements
of the Trust Indenture Act or of any jurisdiction in which any part of the Trust
Property may at the time be located, the Holder of the Common Securities and the
Property Trustee shall have power to appoint, and upon the written request of
the Property Trustee, the Depositor shall for such purpose join with the
Property Trustee in the execution, delivery and performance of all instruments
and agreements necessary or proper to appoint, one or more Persons approved by
the Property Trustee either to act as co-trustee, jointly with the Property
Trustee, of all or any part of such Trust Property, or to act as separate
trustee of any such Trust Property, in either case with such powers as may be
provided in the instrument of appointment, and to vest in such Person or Persons
in the capacity aforesaid, any property, title, right or power deemed necessary
or desirable, subject to the other provisions of this Section. If the Depositor
does not join in such appointment within 15 days after the receipt by it of a
request so to do, or in case an Indenture Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing, the Property Trustee alone shall have power to make such
appointment. Any co-trustee or separate trustee appointed pursuant to this
Section shall satisfy the requirements of Section 8.07.
Should any written instrument from the Depositor be required by any
co-trustee or separate trustee so appointed for more fully confirming to such
co-trustee or separate trustee such property, title, right, or power, any and
all such instruments shall, on request, be executed, acknowledged, and delivered
by the Depositor.
Every co-trustee or separate trustee shall, to the extent permitted by
law, but to such extent only, be appointed subject to the following terms,
namely:
(i) The Trust Securities shall be executed, authenticated and delivered
and all rights, powers, duties, and obligations hereunder in respect of the
custody of securities, cash and other personal property held by, or required to
be deposited or pledged with, the Trustees hereunder, shall be exercised, solely
by the Trustees.
(ii) The rights, powers, duties, and obligations hereby conferred or
imposed upon the Property Trustee in respect of any property covered by such
appointment shall be conferred or imposed upon and exercised or performed by the
Property Trustee or by the Property Trustee and such co-trustee or separate
trustee jointly, as shall be provided in the instrument appointing such
co-trustee or separate trustee, except to the extent that under any law of any
jurisdiction in which any particular act is to be performed, the Property
Trustee shall be incompetent or unqualified to perform such act, in which event
such rights, powers, duties, and obligations shall be exercised and performed by
such co-trustee or separate trustee.
(iii) The Property Trustee at any time, by an instrument in writing
executed by it, with the written concurrence of the Depositor, may accept the
resignation of or remove any co-trustee or separate trustee appointed under this
Section, and, in case an Indenture Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing, the Property Trustee shall have power to accept the resignation of,
or remove, any such co-trustee or separate trustee without the concurrence of
the Depositor. Upon the written request of the Property Trustee, the Depositor
shall join with the Property Trustee in the execution, delivery, and performance
of all instruments and agreements necessary or proper to effectuate such
resignation or removal. A successor to any co-trustee or separate trustee so
resigned or removed may be appointed in the manner provided in this Section.
(iv) No co-trustee or separate trustee hereunder shall be personally
liable by reason of any act or omission of the Property Trustee, or any other
such trustee hereunder.
(v) The Trustees shall not be liable by reason of any act of a
co-trustee or separate trustee.
(vi) Any Act of Holders delivered to the Property Trustee shall be
deemed to have been delivered to each such co-trustee and separate trustee.
Section 8.10 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. No
resignation or removal of any Trustee (the "Relevant Trustee") and no
appointment of a successor Relevant Trustee pursuant to this Article shall
become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Relevant
Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 8.11.
The Relevant Trustee may resign at any time by giving written notice
thereof to the Securityholders. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor
Relevant Trustee required by Section 8.11 shall not have been delivered to the
Relevant Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation,
the resigning Relevant Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction
for the appointment of a successor Relevant Trustee.
Unless an Indenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, the Relevant Trustee may be removed at any time by Act of the Holder
of the Common Securities. If an Indenture Event of Default shall have occurred
and be continuing, the Relevant Trustee may be removed at such time by Act of
the Securityholders of a majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred
Securities Certificates, delivered to the Relevant Trustee (in its individual
capacity and on behalf of the Trust).
If the Relevant Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of
continuing to act as Trustee at a time when no Indenture Event of Default shall
have occurred and be continuing, the Holder of the Common Securities, by Act of
the Holder of the Common Securities delivered to the retiring Relevant Trustee,
shall promptly appoint a successor Relevant Trustee or Trustees, and the
retiring Relevant Trustee shall comply with the applicable requirements of
Section 8.11. If the Relevant Trustee shall resign, be removed or become
incapable of continuing to act as the Relevant Trustee at a time when an
Indenture Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the Holders of
Preferred Securities, by Act of the Securityholders of a majority in Liquidation
Amount of the Preferred Securities then outstanding delivered to the retiring
Relevant Trustee, shall promptly appoint a successor Relevant Trustee or
Trustees, and the Relevant Trustee shall comply with the applicable requirements
of Section 8.11. If no successor Relevant Trustee shall have been so appointed
in accordance with this Section 8.10 and accepted appointment in the manner
required by Section 8.11, any Securityholder who has been a Securityholder of
Trust Securities for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all
others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a successor Relevant Trustee.
The retiring Relevant Trustee shall give notice of each resignation and
each removal of the Relevant Trustee, and each appointment of a successor
Trustee to all Securityholders in the manner provided in Section 10.08 and shall
give notice to the Depositor. Each notice shall include the name of the
successor Relevant Trustee and the address of its Corporate Trust Office if it
is the Property Trustee.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Trust
Agreement, in the event any Administrative Trustee or a Delaware Trustee who is
a natural person dies or becomes incompetent or incapacitated or resigns, the
vacancy created by such death, incompetence or incapacity or resignation may be
filled by (i) the act of the remaining Administrative Trustee or (ii) otherwise
by the Depositor (with the successor in each case being an individual who
satisfies the eligibility requirement for Administrative Trustees set forth in
Section 8.07). Additionally, notwithstanding the foregoing or any other
provision of this Trust Agreement, in the event the Depositor believes that any
Administrative Trustee has become incompetent or incapacitated, the Depositor,
by notice to the remaining Trustees, may terminate the status of such Person as
an Administrative Trustee (in which case the vacancy so created will be filled
in accordance with the preceding sentence).
Section 8.11 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. In case of the
appointment hereunder of a successor Relevant Trustee, every such successor
Relevant Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the
Trust and to the retiring Relevant Trustee an instrument accepting such
appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Relevant
Trustee shall become effective and such successor Relevant Trustee, without any
further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights,
powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Relevant Trustee; but, on the request
of the Depositor or the successor Relevant Trustee, such retiring Relevant
Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument
transferring to such successor Relevant Trustee all the rights, powers and
trusts of the retiring Relevant Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and
deliver to such successor Relevant Trustee all property and money held by such
retiring Relevant Trustee hereunder.
Upon request of any such successor Relevant Trustee, the Trust shall
execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and
confirming to such successor Relevant Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts
referred to in the preceding paragraph.
No successor Relevant Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at
the time of such acceptance such successor Relevant Trustee shall be qualified
and eligible under this Article.
Section 8.12 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to
Business. Any Person into which the Property Trustee, Delaware Trustee or any
Administrative Trustee which is not a natural person may be merged or converted
or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger,
conversion or consolidation to which such Relevant Trustee shall be a party, or
any Person succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business
of such Relevant Trustee, shall be the successor of such Relevant Trustee
hereunder, provided such Person shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under
this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on
the part of any of the parties hereto.
Section 8.13 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Depositor or
Trust. If and when the Property Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the
Depositor or the Trust (or any other obligor upon the Junior Subordinated Notes
or the Trust Securities), the Property Trustee shall be subject to the
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against
the Depositor or Trust (or any such other obligor). For purposes of Section
311(b)(4) and (6) of the Trust Indenture Act:
(a) "cash transaction" means any transaction in which full payment for
goods or securities sold is made within seven days after delivery of the goods
or securities in currency or in checks or other orders drawn upon banks or
bankers and payable upon demand; and
(b) "self-liquidating paper" means any draft, ▇▇▇▇ of exchange,
acceptance or obligation which is made, drawn, negotiated or incurred by the
Depositor or the Trust (or any such obligor) for the purpose of financing the
purchase, processing, manufacturing, shipment, storage or sale of goods, wares
or merchandise and which is secured by documents evidencing title to, possession
of, or a lien upon, the goods, wares or merchandise or the receivables or
proceeds arising from the sale of the goods, wares or merchandise previously
constituting the security, provided the security is received by the Property
Trustee simultaneously with the creation of the creditor relationship with the
Depositor or the Trust (or any such obligor) arising from the making, drawing,
negotiating or incurring of the draft, ▇▇▇▇ of exchange, acceptance or
obligation.
Section 8.14 Reports by Property Trustee.
(a) Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with May 15,
____, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Property
Trustee shall transmit a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to
any of the events specified in such Section 313(a) that may have occurred since
the later of the date of this Trust Agreement or the preceding May 15.
(b) The Property Trustee shall transmit to Securityholders the reports
required by Section 313(b) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified
therein.
(c) Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner
and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and (d) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
Section 8.15 Reports to the Property Trustee. The Depositor and the
Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Trust shall provide to the Property
Trustee such documents, reports and information as required by Section 314 of
the Trust Indenture Act (if any) and, within 120 days after the end of each
fiscal year of the Depositor, the compliance certificate required by Section
314(a)(4) of the Trust Indenture Act in the form and in the manner required by
Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 8.16 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent. Each of
the Depositor and the Administrative Trustees on behalf of the Trust shall
provide to the Property Trustee such evidence of compliance with any conditions
precedent, if any, provided for in this Trust 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 pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) of the
Trust Indenture Act shall comply with Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 8.17 Number of Trustees.
(a) The number of Trustees shall initially be four, provided that the
Depositor by written instrument may increase or decrease the number of
Administrative Trustees.
(b) If a Trustee ceases to hold office for any reason and the number of
Administrative Trustees is not reduced pursuant to Section 8.17(a), or if the
number of Trustees is increased pursuant to Section 8.17(a), a vacancy shall
occur. The vacancy shall be filled with a Trustee appointed in accordance with
Section 8.10.
(c) The death, resignation, retirement, removal, bankruptcy,
incompetence or incapacity to perform the duties of a Trustee shall not operate
to annul the Trust. Whenever a vacancy in the number of Administrative Trustees
shall occur, until such vacancy is filled by the appointment of an
Administrative Trustee in accordance with Section 8.10, the Administrative
Trustees in office, regardless of their number (and notwithstanding any other
provision of this Trust Agreement), shall have all powers granted to the
Administrative Trustees and shall discharge the duties imposed upon the
Administrative Trustees by this Trust Agreement.
Section 8.18 Delegation of Power.
(a) Any Administrative Trustee may, by power of attorney consistent
with applicable law, delegate to any other natural person over the age of 21 his
or her power for the purpose of executing any documents contemplated in Section
2.07(A), including any registration statement or amendment thereto filed with
the Commission, or making any other governmental filing; and
(b) The Administrative Trustees shall have power to delegate from time
to time to such of their number the doing of such things and the execution of
such instruments either in the name of the Trust or the names of the
Administrative Trustees or otherwise as the Administrative Trustees may deem
expedient, to the extent such delegation is not prohibited by applicable law or
contrary to the provisions of the Trust, as set forth herein.
Section 8.19 Enforcement of Rights of Property Trustee by
Securityholders. If (i) the Trust fails to pay Distributions in full on the
Preferred Securities for more than 20 consecutive quarterly distribution
periods, or (ii) an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, then the Holders
of Preferred Securities will rely on the enforcement by the Property Trustee of
its rights against the Company and the Guarantor as the holder of the Junior
Subordinated Notes. In addition, the Holders of a majority in aggregate
Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities will have the right to direct the
time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to
the Property Trustee or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred
upon the Property Trustee under this Trust Agreement, including the right to
direct the Property Trustee to exercise the remedies available to it as a holder
of the Junior Subordinated Notes, provided that such direction shall not be in
conflict with any rule of law or with this Trust Agreement, and could not
involve the Property Trustee in personal liability in circumstances where
reasonable indemnity would not be adequate. If the Property Trustee fails to
enforce its rights under the Junior Subordinated Notes, a Holder of Preferred
Securities may, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, institute a
legal proceeding against the Company or the Guarantor or both to enforce its
rights under this Trust Agreement without first instituting any legal proceeding
against the Property Trustee or any other Person, including the Trust; it being
understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right
in any manner whatsoever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this
Trust Agreement to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such
Holders or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other
of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Trust Agreement, except in
the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such
Holders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Holder of Preferred Securities may
institute a legal proceeding directly against the Company or the Guarantor or
both, without first instituting a legal proceeding against or requesting or
directing that action be taken by the Property Trustee or any other Person, for
enforcement of payment to such Holder of principal of or interest on the Junior
Subordinated Notes having a principal amount equal to the aggregate stated
liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of such Holder on or after the
due dates therefor specified or provided for in the Junior Subordinated Notes.
The Company or the Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights of the Holders of
Preferred Securities in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the
Company or the Guarantor pursuant to this Section.
ARTICLE IX
Termination and Liquidation
Section 9.01 Termination Upon Expiration Date. The Trust shall
automatically terminate on December 31, 2033 (the "Expiration Date") or earlier
pursuant to Section 9.02.
Section 9.02 Early Termination. Upon the first to occur of any of the
following events (such first occurrence, an "Early Termination Event"), the
Trust shall be dissolved and terminated in accordance with the terms hereof:
(i) the occurrence of a Bankruptcy Event in respect of the Depositor,
dissolution or liquidation of the Depositor, or the dissolution of the Trust
pursuant to judicial decree;
(ii) the delivery of written direction to the Property Trustee by the
Depositor at any time (which direction is optional and wholly within the
discretion of the Depositor) to terminate the Trust and distribute the Junior
Subordinated Notes to Securityholders as provided in Section 9.04; and
(iii) the payment at maturity or redemption of all of the Junior
Subordinated Notes, and the consequent payment of the Preferred Securities.
Section 9.03 Termination. The respective obligations and
responsibilities of the Trust and the Trustees created hereby shall terminate
upon the latest to occur of the following: (a) the distribution by the Property
Trustee to Securityholders upon the liquidation of the Trust pursuant to Section
9.04, or upon the redemption of all of the Trust Securities pursuant to Section
4.02, of all amounts or instruments required to be distributed hereunder upon
the final payment of the Trust Securities; (b) the payment of any expenses owed
by the Trust; and (c) the discharge of all administrative duties of the
Administrative Trustees, including the performance of any tax reporting
obligations with respect to the Trust or the Securityholders.
Section 9.04 Liquidation.
(a) If any Early Termination Event specified in clause (ii) of Section
9.02 occurs, the Trust shall be liquidated and the Property Trustee shall
distribute the Junior Subordinated Notes to the Securityholders as provided in
this Section 9.04.
(b) In connection with a distribution of the Junior Subordinated Notes,
each Holder of Trust Securities shall be entitled to receive, after the
satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of the Trust (as evidenced by a
certificate of the Administrative Trustees), a Like Amount of Junior
Subordinated Notes. Notice of liquidation shall be given by the Trustees by
first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not later than 30 nor more than 60
days prior to the Liquidation Date to each Holder of Trust Securities at such
Holder's address appearing in the Securities Register. All notices of
liquidation shall:
(i) state the Liquidation Date;
(ii) state that from and after the Liquidation Date, the Trust
Securities will no longer be deemed to be Outstanding and any Trust Securities
Certificates not surrendered for exchange will be deemed to represent a Like
Amount of Junior Subordinated Notes; and
(iii) provide such information with respect to the mechanics by which
Holders may exchange Trust Securities Certificates for Junior Subordinated Notes
as the Administrative Trustees or the Property Trustee shall deem appropriate.
(c) In order to effect the liquidation of the Trust and distribution of
the Junior Subordinated Notes to Securityholders, the Property Trustee shall
establish a record date for such distribution (which shall be not more than 45
days prior to the Liquidation Date) and, either itself acting as exchange agent
or through the appointment of a separate exchange agent, shall establish such
procedures as it shall deem appropriate to effect the distribution of Junior
Subordinated Notes in exchange for the Outstanding Trust Securities
Certificates.
(d) After the Liquidation Date, (i) the Trust Securities will no longer
be deemed to be Outstanding, (ii) certificates representing a Like Amount of
Junior Subordinated Notes will be issued to Holders of Trust Securities
Certificates, upon surrender of such certificates to the Administrative Trustees
or their agent for exchange, (iii) any Trust Securities Certificates not so
surrendered for exchange will be deemed to represent a Like Amount of Junior
Subordinated Notes, accruing interest at the rate provided for in the Junior
Subordinated Notes from the last Distribution Date on which a Distribution was
made on such Trust Certificates until such certificates are so surrendered (and
until such certificates are so surrendered, no payments of interest or principal
will be made to Holders of Trust Securities Certificates with respect to such
Junior Subordinated Notes) and (iv) all rights of Securityholders holding Trust
Securities will cease, except the right of such Securityholders to receive
Junior Subordinated Notes upon surrender of Trust Securities Certificates.
(e) The Depositor will use its best efforts to have the Junior
Subordinated Notes that are distributed in exchange for the Preferred Securities
to be listed on such securities exchange as the Preferred Securities are then
listed. The Depositor may elect to have the Junior Subordinated Notes issued in
book-entry form to the Clearing Agency or its nominee.
Section 9.05 Bankruptcy. If an Early Termination Event specified in
clause (i) of Section 9.02 has occurred, the Trust shall be liquidated. The
Property Trustee shall distribute the Junior Subordinated Notes to the
Securityholders as provided in Section 9.04, unless such distribution is
determined by the Administrative Trustees not to be practical, in which event
the Holders will be entitled to receive out of the assets of the Trust available
for distribution to Securityholders, after satisfaction of liabilities to
creditors, an amount equal to the Liquidation Amount per Trust Security plus
accrued and unpaid Distributions thereon to the date of payment (such amount
being the "Liquidation Distribution"). If such Liquidation Distribution can be
paid only in part because the Trust has insufficient assets available to pay in
full the aggregate Liquidation Distribution, then, subject to the next
succeeding sentence, the amounts payable by the Trust on the Trust Securities
shall be paid on a pro rata basis (based upon Liquidation Amounts). The Holder
of the Common Securities will be entitled to receive Liquidation Distributions
upon any such dissolution, winding-up or termination pro rata (determined as
aforesaid) with Holders of Preferred Securities, except that, if an Indenture
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Preferred Securities shall
have a priority over the Common Securities.
ARTICLE X
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 10.01 Expense Agreement. The Depositor shall cause the
Guarantor, contemporaneously with the execution and delivery of this Trust
Agreement, to execute and deliver the Expense Agreement.
Section 10.02 Limitation of Rights of Securityholders. The death or
incapacity of any Person having an interest, beneficial or otherwise, in a Trust
Security shall not operate to terminate this Trust Agreement, nor entitle the
legal representatives or heirs of such Person or any Securityholder for such
Person, to claim an accounting, take any action or bring any proceeding in and
for a partition or winding up of the arrangements contemplated hereby, nor
otherwise affect the rights, obligations and liabilities of the parties hereto
or any of them.
Section 10.03 Amendment.
(a) This Trust Agreement may be amended from time to time by the
Trustees and the Depositor, without the consent of any Securityholders, (i) to
cure any ambiguity, correct or supplement any provision herein which may be
inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions
with respect to matters or questions arising under this Trust Agreement, which
shall not be inconsistent with the other provisions of this Trust Agreement,
provided, however, that any such amendment shall not adversely affect in any
material respect the interests of any Securityholder or (ii) to modify,
eliminate or add to any provisions of this Trust Agreement to such extent as
shall be necessary to ensure that the Trust will not be classified as other than
a grantor trust for United States federal income tax purposes at any time that
any Trust Securities are outstanding; provided, however, that, except in the
case of clause (ii), such action shall not adversely affect in any material
respect the interests of any Securityholder and, in the case of clause (i), any
amendments of this Trust Agreement shall become effective when notice thereof is
given to the Securityholders.
(b) Except as provided in Section 10.03(c) hereof, any provision in
this Trust Agreement may be amended by the Trust or the Trustees with (i) the
consent of Trust Securityholders representing not less than 66-2/3% (based upon
Liquidation Amounts) of the Trust Securities then Outstanding and (ii) receipt
by the Trustees of an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such amendment or
the exercise of any power granted to the Trustees in accordance with such
amendment will not affect the Trust's status as a grantor trust for United
States federal income tax purposes or the Trust's exemption from status of an
"investment company" under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(c) In addition to and notwithstanding any other provision in this
Trust Agreement, without the consent of each affected Securityholder (such
consent being obtained in accordance with Section 6.03 or 6.06 hereof), this
Trust Agreement may not be amended to (i) change the amount or timing of any
Distribution on the Trust Securities or otherwise adversely affect the amount of
any Distribution required to be made in respect of the Trust Securities as of a
specified date, (ii) restrict the right of a Securityholder to institute suit
for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such date, or (iii) change
the consent required pursuant to Section 10.03.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Trust Agreement, the
Trustees shall not enter into or consent to any amendment to this Trust
Agreement which would cause the Trust to fail or cease to qualify for the
exemption from status of an "investment company" under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended, afforded by Rule 3a-5 thereunder.
(e) Without the consent of the Depositor, this Trust Agreement may not
be amended in a manner which imposes any additional obligation on the Depositor.
In executing any amendment permitted by this Trust Agreement, the Trustees shall
be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 8.01) shall be fully protected
in relying upon an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such
amendment is authorized or permitted by this Trust Agreement. Any Trustee may,
but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such amendment which affects such
Trustee's own rights, duties, immunities or liabilities under this Trust
Agreement or otherwise.
(f) In the event that any amendment to this Trust Agreement is made,
the Administrative Trustees shall promptly provide to the Depositor a copy of
such amendment.
Section 10.04 Separability. In case any provision in this Trust
Agreement or in the Trust Securities Certificates shall be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 10.05 Governing Law. THIS TRUST AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND
OBLIGATIONS OF EACH OF THE SECURITYHOLDERS, THE TRUST AND THE TRUSTEES WITH
RESPECT TO THIS TRUST AGREEMENT AND THE TRUST SECURITIES SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE;
PROVIDED THAT THE IMMUNITIES AND STANDARD OF CARE OF THE PROPERTY TRUSTEE SHALL
BE GOVERNED BY NEW YORK LAW.
Section 10.06 Successors. This Trust Agreement shall be binding upon
and shall inure to the benefit of any successor to both the Trust and the
Trustees, including any successor by operation of law.
Section 10.07 Headings. The Article and Section headings are for
convenience only and shall not affect the construction of this Trust Agreement.
Section 10.08 Notice and Demand. Any notice, demand or other
communication which by any provision of this Trust Agreement is required or
permitted to be given or served to or upon any Securityholder or the Depositor
may be given or served in writing by deposit thereof, first-class postage
prepaid, in the United States mail, hand delivery or facsimile transmission, in
each case, addressed, (i) in the case of a Preferred Securityholder, to such
Preferred Securityholder as such Securityholder's name and address appear on the
Securities Register and (ii) in the case of the Common Securityholder or the
Depositor, to Southern Company Capital Funding, Inc., c/o The Southern Company,
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇.▇., ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Secretary,
Facsimile No. (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, with a copy to Southern Company Services, Inc.,
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇.▇., ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention:
Corporate Finance Department, Facsimile No. (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇. Such notice, demand
or other communication to or upon a Securityholder shall be deemed to have been
sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, upon hand delivery, mailing or
transmission.
Any notice, demand or other communication which by any provision of
this Trust Agreement is required or permitted to be given or served to or upon
the Trust or the Trustees shall be given in writing addressed (until another
address is published by the Trust) as follows: (i) with respect to the Property
Trustee and the Delaware Trustee, Bankers Trust Company, Four ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Corporate Trust and Agency Group, Manager
Public Utilities Group; Bankers Trust (Delaware), E.A. Delle Donne Corporate
Center, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Building, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇, Attention: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, as the case may be; and (ii) with respect
to the Administrative Trustees, to them at the address above for notices to the
Depositor, marked Attention: Administrative Trustees of Southern Company Capital
Trust VI c/o Secretary. Such notice, demand or other communication to or upon
the Trust or the Trustees shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or
made only upon actual receipt of the writing by the applicable Trustee.
Section 10.09 Agreement Not to Petition. Each of the Trustees and the
Depositor agrees for the benefit of the Securityholders that, until at least one
year and one day after the Trust has been terminated in accordance with Article
IX, it shall not file, or join in the filing of, a petition against the Trust
under any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, liquidation or
other similar law (including, without limitation, the United States Bankruptcy
Code) (collectively, "Bankruptcy Laws") or otherwise join in the commencement of
any proceeding against the Trust under any Bankruptcy Law. In the event the
Depositor takes action in violation of this Section 10.09, the Property Trustee
agrees, for the benefit of Securityholders, that it shall file an answer with
the bankruptcy court or otherwise properly contest the filing of such petition
by the Depositor against the Trust or the commencement of such action and raise
the defense that the Depositor has agreed in writing not to take such action and
should be stopped and precluded therefrom and such other defenses, if any, as
counsel for the Trustees or the Trust may assert. The provisions of this Section
10.09 shall survive the termination of this Trust Agreement.
Section 10.10 Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.
(a) This Trust Agreement is subject to the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Trustee Agreement and shall,
to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.
(b) The Property Trustee shall be the only Trustee which is a Trustee
for the purposes of the Trust Indenture Act.
(c) If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another
provision hereof which is required to be included in this Trust Agreement by any
of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such required provision shall
control.
(d) The application of the Trust Indenture Act to this Trust Agreement
shall not affect the nature of the Trust Securities as equity securities
representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.
THE RECEIPT AND ACCEPTANCE OF A TRUST SECURITY OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN
BY OR ON BEHALF OF A SECURITYHOLDER OR ANY BENEFICIAL OWNER, WITHOUT ANY
SIGNATURE OR FURTHER MANIFESTATION OF ASSENT, SHALL CONSTITUTE THE UNCONDITIONAL
ACCEPTANCE BY THE SECURITYHOLDER AND ALL OTHERS HAVING A BENEFICIAL INTEREST IN
SUCH TRUST SECURITY OF ALL THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS TRUST AGREEMENT AND
AGREEMENT TO THE SUBORDINATION PROVISIONS AND OTHER TERMS OF THE GUARANTEE AND
THE SUBORDINATED INDENTURE AND THE AGREEMENT OF THE TRUST, SUCH SECURITYHOLDER
AND SUCH OTHERS THAT THOSE TERMS AND PROVISIONS SHALL BE BINDING, OPERATIVE AND
EFFECTIVE AS BETWEEN THE TRUST AND SUCH SECURITYHOLDER AND SUCH OTHERS.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Trust
Agreement or have caused this Trust Agreement to be executed on their behalf,
all as of the day and year first above written.
SOUTHERN COMPANY CAPITAL
FUNDING, INC.,
as Depositor
By:
Title:
BANKERS TRUST COMPANY,
as Property Trustee
By:
Title:
BANKERS TRUST (DELAWARE),
as Delaware Trustee
By:
Title:
▇▇▇▇▇ Boston,
as Administrative Trustee
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. Childs,
as Administrative Trustee
[EXHIBITS A AND B ARE INTENTIONALLY RESERVED]
EXHIBIT C
THIS CERTIFICATE IS NOT TRANSFERABLE EXCEPT AS PROVIDED
IN THE TRUST AGREEMENT REFERRED TO HEREIN
Certificate Number Number of Common Securities
C-1 ________
Certificate Evidencing Common Securities
of
Southern Company Capital Trust VI
Common Securities
(liquidation amount $25 per Common Security)
Southern Company Capital Trust VI, a statutory business trust created
under the laws of the State of Delaware (the "Trust"), hereby certifies that
Southern Company Capital Funding, Inc. (the "Holder") is the registered owner of
_____________ (_______) common securities of the Trust representing undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust and designated the Common
Securities (liquidation amount $25 per Common Security) (the "Common
Securities"). In accordance with Section 5.10 of the Trust Agreement (as defined
below) the Common Securities are not transferable, except by operation of law,
and any attempted transfer hereof shall be void. The designations, rights,
privileges, restrictions, preferences and other terms and provisions of the
Common Securities are set forth in, and this certificate and the Common
Securities represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be subject to
the terms and provisions of, the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the
Trust dated as of ______ 1, ____, as the same may be amended from time to time
(the "Trust Agreement"), including the designation of the terms of the Common
Securities as set forth therein. The Trust will furnish a copy of the Trust
Agreement to the Holder without charge upon written request to the Trust at its
principal place of business or registered office.
Upon receipt of this certificate, the Holder is bound by the Trust
Agreement and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Administrative Trustees of the Trust have
executed this certificate this ____ day of ________, ____.
Southern Company Capital Trust VI
By:
▇▇▇▇▇ Boston,
as Administrative Trustee
By:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. Childs,
as Administrative Trustee
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Common Securities referred to in the
within-mentioned Trust Agreement.
as Administrative Trustee
EXHIBIT D
AGREEMENT AS TO EXPENSES AND LIABILITIES
THIS AGREEMENT AS TO EXPENSES AND LIABILITIES (this "Agreement") is
made as of __________ 1, ____, between The Southern Company, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and Southern Company Capital Trust VI, a Delaware
business trust (the "Trust").
WHEREAS, the Trust intends to issue its Common Securities (the "Common
Securities") to and receive Junior Subordinated Notes from Southern Company
Capital Funding, Inc., a Delaware corporation and an indirect, wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company, and to issue and sell Southern Company Capital Trust
VI _______% Trust Preferred Securities (the "Preferred Securities") with such
powers, preferences and special rights and restrictions as are set forth in the
Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the Trust dated as of _______ 1, ____ as
the same may be amended from time to time (the "Trust Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, the Company is the guarantor of the Junior Subordinated Notes.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each holder of the
Preferred Securities, which purchase the Company hereby agrees shall benefit the
Company and which purchase the Company acknowledges will be made in reliance
upon the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company and the Trust
hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Section 1.01. Guarantee by the Company. Subject to the terms and
conditions hereof, the Company hereby irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees
to each person or entity to whom the Trust is now or hereafter becomes indebted
or liable (the "Beneficiaries") the full payment, when and as due, of any and
all Obligations (as hereinafter defined) to such Beneficiaries. As used herein,
"Obligations" means any indebtedness, expenses or liabilities of the Trust,
other than obligations of the Trust to pay to holders of any Preferred
Securities or other similar interests in the Trust the amounts due such holders
pursuant to the terms of the Preferred Securities or such other similar
interests, as the case may be. This Agreement is intended to be for the benefit
of, and to be enforceable by, all such Beneficiaries, whether or not such
Beneficiaries have received notice hereof.
Section 1.02. Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate and be
of no further force and effect upon the date on which there are no Beneficiaries
remaining; provided, however, that this Agreement shall continue to be effective
or shall be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any holder of
Preferred Securities or any Beneficiary must restore payment of any sums paid
under the Preferred Securities, under any Obligation, under the Preferred
Securities Guarantee Agreement dated the date hereof by the Company and Bankers
Trust Company, as guarantee trustee, or under this Agreement for any reason
whatsoever. This Agreement is continuing, irrevocable, unconditional and
absolute.
Section 1.03. Waiver of Notice. The Company hereby waives notice of
acceptance of this Agreement and of any Obligation to which it applies or may
apply, and the Company hereby waives presentment, demand for payment, protest,
notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other
notices and demands.
Section 1.04. No Impairment. The obligations, covenants, agreements and
duties of the Company under this Agreement shall in no way be affected or
impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:
(a) the extension of time for the payment by the Trust of all
or any portion of the Obligations or for the performance of any other
obligation under, arising out of, or in connection with, the
Obligations;
(b) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the
part of the Beneficiaries to enforce, assert or exercise any right,
privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Beneficiaries with respect
to the Obligations or any action on the part of the Trust granting
indulgence or extension of any kind; or
(c) 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 Trust or any of the assets of the Trust.
There shall be no obligation of the Beneficiaries to give notice to, or
obtain the consent of, the Company with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
Section 1.05. Enforcement. A Beneficiary may enforce this Agreement
directly against the Company and the Company waives any right or remedy to
require that any action be brought against the Trust or any other person or
entity before proceeding against the Company.
ARTICLE II
Section 2.01. Binding Effect. All guarantees and agreements contained
in this Agreement shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and
representatives of the Company and shall inure to the benefit of the
Beneficiaries.
Section 2.02. Amendment. So long as there remains any Beneficiary or
any Preferred Securities of any series are outstanding, this Agreement shall not
be modified or amended in any manner adverse to such Beneficiary or to the
holders of the Preferred Securities.
Section 2.03. Notices. Any notice, request or other communication
required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be given in writing by
delivering the same against receipt therefor by facsimile transmission
(confirmed by mail), telex or by registered or certified mail, addressed as
follows (and if so given, shall be deemed given when mailed or upon receipt of
an answer-back, if sent by telex), to-wit:
Southern Company Capital Trust VI
c/o Bankers Trust Company
Four ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: Corporate Trust and Agency Group
Manager Public Utilities Group
The Southern Company
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇.▇.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Facsimile No.: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: Secretary
Section 2.04. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND
INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
THIS AGREEMENT is executed as of the date and year first above written.
THE SOUTHERN COMPANY
By:
SOUTHERN COMPANY CAPITAL TRUST VI
By:
▇▇▇▇▇ Boston, as
Administrative Trustee
EXHIBIT E
Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of
The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation ("DTC"), to Southern
Company Capital Trust VI or its agent for registration of transfer, exchange, or
payment, and any certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or
in such other name as is requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and
any payment made to Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an
authorized representative of DTC), any transfer, pledge, or other use hereof for
value or otherwise by or to any person is wrongful inasmuch as the registered
owner thereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.
Certificate Number Number of Preferred Securities
---------
P-1 CUSIP NO.
Certificate Evidencing Preferred Securities
of
Southern Company Capital Trust VI
______% Trust Preferred Securities
(Liquidation amount $25 per Preferred Security)
Southern Company Capital Trust VI, a statutory business trust created
under the laws of the State of Delaware (the "Trust"), hereby certifies that
Cede & Co. (the "Holder") is the registered owner of _______ MILLION (_______)
Preferred Securities of the Trust representing undivided beneficial interests in
the assets of the Trust and designated the Southern Company Capital Trust VI
______% Trust Preferred Securities (liquidation amount $25 per Preferred
Security) (the "Preferred Securities"). The Preferred Securities are
transferable on the books and records of the Trust, in person or by a duly
authorized attorney, upon surrender of this certificate duly endorsed and in
proper form for transfer as provided in Section 5.04 of the Trust Agreement (as
defined below). The designations, rights, privileges, restrictions, preferences
and other terms and provisions of the Preferred Securities are set forth in, and
this certificate and the Preferred Securities represented hereby are issued and
shall in all respects be subject to the terms and provisions of, the Amended and
Restated Trust Agreement of the Trust, dated as of _______ 1, ____, as the same
may be amended from time to time (the "Trust Agreement"), including the
designation of the terms of Preferred Securities as set forth therein. The
holder of this certificate is entitled to the benefits of a guarantee by The
Southern Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), pursuant to a
Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement between the Company and Bankers Trust
Company, as guarantee trustee, dated as of _______ 1, ____, as the same may be
amended from time to time (the "Guarantee"), to the extent provided therein. The
Trust will furnish a copy of the Trust Agreement and the Guarantee to the holder
of this certificate without charge upon written request to the Trust at its
principal place of business or registered office.
Upon receipt of this certificate, the holder of this certificate is
bound by the Trust Agreement and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Administrative Trustees of the Trust have
executed this certificate this ____ day of ________, ____.
SOUTHERN COMPANY CAPITAL TRUST VI
By:
▇▇▇▇▇ Boston,
as Administrative Trustee
By:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. Childs,
as Administrative Trustee
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Preferred Securities referred to in the
within-mentioned Trust Agreement.
as Administrative Trustee
ASSIGNMENT
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned assigns and transfers this Preferred
Security to:
(Insert assignee's social security or tax identification number)
(Insert address and zip code of assignee)
and irrevocably appoints
agent to transfer this Preferred Securities Certificate on the books of the
Trust. The agent may substitute another to act for him or her.
Date:
Signature:
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Preferred
Securities Certificate)