EXHIBIT 4.6
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
BY AND BETWEEN
PEOPLE'S BANCSHARES, INC.
AND
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
_______________, 1997
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
----
ARTICLE I Definitions And Interpretation.......................................1
Section 1.1. Definitions And Interpretation....................................1
ARTICLE II Trust Indenture Act.................................................4
Section 2.1. Trust Indenture Act; Application..................................4
Section 2.2. Lists Of Holders Of Securities....................................5
Section 2.3. Reports By The Preferred Guarantee Trustee........................5
Section 2.4. Periodic Reports To Preferred Guarantee Trustee...................5
Section 2.5. Evidence Of Compliance With Conditions Precedent..................5
Section 2.6. Events Of Default; Waiver.........................................5
Section 2.7. Event Of Default; Notice..........................................6
Section 2.8. Conflicting Interests.............................................6
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ARTICLE III Powers, Duties And Rights Of Preferred Guarantee Trustee...........6
Section 3.1. Powers And Duties Of The Preferred Guarantee Trustee..............6
Section 3.2. Certain Rights Of Preferred Guarantee Trustee.....................8
Section 3.3. Not Responsible For Recitals Or Issuance Of Guarantee............10
ARTICLE IV Preferred Guarantee Trustee........................................10
Section 4.1. Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.........................10
Section 4.2. Appointment, Removal And Resignation Of Preferred Guarantee
Trustee..........................................................11
ARTICLE V Guarantee...........................................................11
Section 5.1. Guarantee........................................................11
Section 5.2. Waiver Of Notice And Demand......................................12
Section 5.3. Obligations Not Affected.........................................12
Section 5.4. Rights Of Holders................................................13
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Section 5.5. Guarantee Of Payment.............................................13
Section 5.6. Subrogation......................................................13
Section 5.7. Independent Obligations..........................................13
ARTICLE VI Limitation Of Transactions; Subordination..........................14
Section 6.1. Limitation On Transactions.......................................14
Section 6.2. Ranking..........................................................14
ARTICLE VII Termination.......................................................14
Section 7.1. Termination......................................................14
ARTICLE VIII Indemnification..................................................14
Section 8.1. Exculpation......................................................14
Section 8.2. Indemnification..................................................15
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ARTICLE IX Miscellaneous......................................................15
Section 9.1. Successors And Assigns...........................................15
Section 9.2. Amendments.......................................................15
Section 9.3. Notices..........................................................16
Section 9.4. Benefit..........................................................16
Section 9.5. Governing Law....................................................16
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CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE
Section of
Trust Indenture Act Section of
of 1939, as amended Indenture
310(a)..................................................................4.1(a)
310(b).............................................................4.1(c), 2.8
310(c)..........................................................Not Applicable
311(a)..................................................................2.2(b)
311(b)..................................................................2.2(b)
311(c)..........................................................Not Applicable
312(a)................................................................. 2.2(a)
312(b)................................................................. 2.2(b)
313....................................................................... 2.3
314(a).....................................................................2.4
314(b)..........................................................Not Applicable
314(c).....................................................................2.5
314(d)..........................................................Not Applicable
314(e)............................................................1.1, 2.5,3.2
314(f)................................................................2.1, 3.2
315(a)..................................................................3.1(d)
315(b).....................................................................2.7
315(c).....................................................................3.1
315(d)..................................................................3.1(d)
316(a)...........................................................1.1, 2.6, 5.4
316(b).....................................................................5.3
317(a).....................................................................3.1
317(b)..........................................................Not Applicable
318(a).....................................................................2.1
318(b).....................................................................2.1
318(c)..................................................................2.1(b)
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Note: This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of this Agreement and
shall not affect the interpretation of any of its terms or provisions.
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PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this "Preferred
Securities Guarantee"), dated as of ___________, 1997, is executed and delivered
by PEOPLE'S BANCSHARES, INC., a Massachusetts corporation (the "Guarantor"), and
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a trust company organized and existing
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as trustee (the "Preferred
Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from
time to time of the Preferred Securities (as defined herein) of People's
Bancshares Capital Trust, a Delaware statutory business trust (the "Trust").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Trust Agreement
(the "Trust Agreement"), dated as of ___________, 1997, among the trustees of
the Trust named therein, the Guarantor, as depositor, and the holders from time
to time of undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust, the Trust
is issuing on the date hereof up to 1,380,000 preferred securities, having an
aggregate liquidation amount of up to $13,800,000, designated the ________%
Cumulative Trust Preferred Securities (the "Preferred Securities");
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the
Preferred Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to
agree, to the extent set forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, to pay to
the Holders of the Preferred Securities the Guarantee Payments (as defined
herein) and to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth
herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each
Holder of
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Preferred Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit
the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Preferred Securities
Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION.
In this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless the context
otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee but not defined in the preamble above have the respective meanings
assigned to them in this Section 1.1;
(b) terms defined in the Trust Agreement as at the date of
execution of this Preferred Securities Guarantee have the same meaning when used
in this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
(c) a term defined anywhere in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee has the same meaning throughout;
(d) all references to "the Preferred Securities Guarantee" or
"this Preferred Securities Guarantee" are to this Preferred Securities Guarantee
as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
(e) all references in this Preferred Securities Guarantee to
Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;
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(f) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same
meaning when used in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless otherwise
defined in this Preferred Securities Guarantee or unless the context otherwise
requires; and
(g) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice
versa.
"Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule
405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule thereunder.
"Business Day" means any day other than a day on which federal
or state banking institutions in New York, New York are authorized or required
by law, executive order or regulation to close or a day on which the Corporate
Trust Office of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee is closed for business.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall, at any particular time, be principally administered,
which office at the date of execution of this Preferred Securities Guarantee is
located at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇,
Attention: Corporate Trust Department.
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of
Preferred Securities.
"Debentures" means the ____% Subordinated Debentures due June
30, 2027, of the Debenture Issuer held by the Property Trustee of the Trust.
"Debenture Issuer" means the Guarantor.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of
its payment or
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other obligations under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
"Guarantor" means People's Bancshares, Inc., a Massachusetts
corporation.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or
distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to
the extent not paid or made by the Trust: (i) any accrued and unpaid
Distributions that are required to be paid on such Preferred Securities, to the
extent the Trust shall have funds available therefor, (ii) the redemption price,
including all accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date of redemption (the
"Redemption Price"), to the extent the Trust has funds available therefor, with
respect to any Preferred Securities called for redemption by the Trust, and
(iii) upon a voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of
the Trust (other than in connection with the distribution of Debentures to the
Holders in exchange for Preferred Securities as provided in the Trust
Agreement), the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the Liquidation Amount and all
accrued and unpaid Distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of
payment, to the extent the Trust shall have funds available therefor (the
"Liquidation Distribution"), and (b) the amount of assets of the Trust remaining
available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Trust.
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and
records of the Trust, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however, that, in
determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred
Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder"
shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor.
"Indemnified Person" means the Preferred Guarantee Trustee,
any Affiliate of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors,
shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, nominees,
custodians or agents of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of _____________,
1997, among the
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Debenture Issuer and State Street Bank and Trust Company, as trustee, and any
indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to which Subordinated Debentures of the
Debenture Issuer are to be issued to the Property Trustee of the Trust.
"Liquidation Distribution" has the meaning provided therefor
in the definition of Guarantee Payments.
"Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities"
means the holders of more than 50% of the Liquidation Amount (including the
stated amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus
accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages
are determined) of all of the Preferred Securities.
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed by two authorized officers of such Person. Any Officers'
Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers'
Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the definition relating
thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the
examination or investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the
Officers' Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such officer has made such
examination or investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is necessary to
enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such
covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
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officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual,
corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock
company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity
of whatever nature.
"Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means State Street Bank and
Trust Company, until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed
and has accepted such appointment pursuant to the terms of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee and thereafter means each such Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee.
"Redemption Price" has the meaning provided therefor in the
definition of Guarantee Payments.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, including any vice- president, any assistant
vice-president, any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer
or other officer of the Corporate Trust Office of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of
the above designated officers and also means, with respect to a particular
corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred
because of that officer's knowledge of and familiarity with the particular
subject.
"Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means a successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Preferred
Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.1.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
as amended, as in
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force at the date of which this instrument was executed; provided, however, that
in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, 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.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1. TRUST INDENTURE ACT; APPLICATION.
(a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee is subject to the
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed
by such provisions.
(b) If and to the extent that any provision of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by
Section 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties
shall control.
SECTION 2.2. LISTS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES.
(a) In the event the Preferred Guarantee Trustee is not also
the Securities Registrar, the Guarantor shall provide the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee with a list, in such form as the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may
reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of the Preferred
Securities (the "List of Holders") as of such date, (i) within 1 Business Day
after January 1 and June 30 of each year, and (ii) at any other time within 30
days of receipt by the Guarantor of a written request for a List of Holders as
of a date no more than 15 days before such List of Holders is given to the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee; provided, that the Guarantor shall not be obligated
to provide such List of Holders at any time the List of Holders
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does not differ from the most recent List of Holders given to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee by the Guarantor. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may destroy
any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its
obligations under Sections 311(a), 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3. REPORTS BY THE PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
On or before July 15 of each year, the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall provide to the Holders of the Preferred Securities such reports as
are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and
in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of
the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.4. PERIODIC REPORTS TO PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
such documents, reports and information as required by Section 314 (if any) and
the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act in
the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust
Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.5. EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.
The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
such evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for
in this Preferred Securities Guarantee that relate to any of the matters set
forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion
required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may
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be given in the form of an Officers' Certificate.
SECTION 2.6. EVENTS OF DEFAULT; WAIVER.
The Holders of a Majority in Liquidation Amount of Preferred
Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Preferred
Securities, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such
waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default
arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, but no such waiver shall extend to any
subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent
thereon.
SECTION 2.7. EVENT OF DEFAULT; NOTICE.
(a) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days
after the occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class
postage prepaid, to the Holders of the Preferred Securities, notices of all
Events of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, unless such defaults have been cured before the giving of
such notice; provided, that the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be protected
in withholding such notice if and so long as a Responsible Officer of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of
such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to
have knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall have received written notice, or of which a Responsible Officer of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of the Trust
Agreement shall have obtained actual knowledge.
SECTION 2.8. CONFLICTING INTERESTS.
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The Trust Agreement shall be deemed to be specifically
described in this Preferred Securities Guarantee for the purposes of clause (i)
of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
(a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be held by the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred
Securities, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this
Preferred Securities Guarantee to any Person except a Holder of Preferred
Securities exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.4(b) or to a
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
automatically vest in any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee, and such
vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing
documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible
Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Preferred Securities Guarantee
for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of
any Event of Default and after the curing of all Events of Default that may have
occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set
forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and
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no implied covenants shall be read into this Preferred Securities Guarantee
against the Preferred Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has
occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.6) and is
actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested
in it by this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and use the same degree of care
and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use
under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall
be construed to relieve the Preferred Guarantee Trustee from liability for its
own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful
misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after
the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have
occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express
provisions of this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the
performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically
set forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and no
implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this
Preferred Securities Guarantee against the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and
the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any
certificates or opinions furnished to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee; but in the
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case of any such certificates or opinions that by any
provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine
whether or not they conform to the requirements of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee;
(ii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for
any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent
facts upon which such judgment was made;
(iii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with
respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith
in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a
Majority in Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities relating to
the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy
available to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust
or power conferred upon the Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this
Preferred Securities Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall
require the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds
or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of
any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for
believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not
reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee or indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
SECTION 3.2. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
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(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, and
shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any
resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note,
other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by
it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the
proper party or parties;
(ii) any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by
this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be sufficiently evidenced by
an Officers' Certificate;
(iii) whenever, in the administration of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem it
desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking,
suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may,
in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and conclusively rely
upon an Officers' Certificate which, upon receipt of such request,
shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor;
(iv) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to see
to any recording, filing or registration of any instrument (or any
rerecording, refiling or registration thereof);
(v) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may consult with counsel,
and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal
matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in
good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel
may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may
include any of its employees. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the
administration of this Preferred Securities Guarantee from any
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court of competent jurisdiction;
(vi) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under no
obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this
Preferred Securities Guarantee at the request or direction of any
Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory
to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, against the costs, expenses
(including attorneys' fees and expenses and the expenses of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee's agents, nominees or custodians) and
liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request
or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in
this Section 3.2(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its
obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this
Preferred Securities Guarantee;
(vii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to
make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any
resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note,
other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further
inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit;
(viii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the
trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either
directly or by or through agents, nominees, custodians or attorneys,
and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any
misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed
with due care by it hereunder;
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(ix) any action taken by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or
its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Preferred
Securities, and the signature of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or its
agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such
action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority
of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance
with any of the terms and provisions of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee's or its agent's taking such action;
(x) whenever in the administration of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem it
desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy
or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee (i) may request instructions from the Holders of a Majority in
Liquidation Amount of the Preferred Securities, (ii) may refrain from
enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such
instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in conclusively
relying on or acting in accordance with such instructions.
(b) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall
be deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to
perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation
conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or
in which the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in
accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise
any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority
available to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
SECTION 3.3. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS OR ISSUANCE OF GUARANTEE.
The Recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the
statements of the
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Guarantor, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee does not assume any
responsibility for their correctness. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee makes no
representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee.
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1. PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE; ELIGIBILITY.
(a) There shall at all times be a Preferred Guarantee Trustee
which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof
or of the District of Columbia, or a corporation or Person permitted by
the Securities and Exchange Commission to act as an institutional
trustee under the Trust Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to
exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus
of at least $50,000,000, and subject to supervision or examination by
Federal, State, Territorial or District of Columbia authority. If such
corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant
to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority
referred to above, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.1(a)(ii),
the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to
be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent
report of condition so published.
(b) If at any time the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall cease
to be eligible to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section
4.2(c).
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(c) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire
any "conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all
respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
SECTION 4.2. APPOINTMENT, REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF PREFERRED
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.
(a) Subject to Section 4.2(b), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in
accordance with Section 4.2(a) until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has
been appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed
by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall
hold office until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been
appointed or until its removal or resignation. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee
may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an
instrument in writing executed by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered
to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment
by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee
and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have
been appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within
60 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the
resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Preferred Guarantee
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Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it
may deem proper, appoint a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(e) No Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the
acts or omissions to act of any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(f) Upon termination of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or
removal or resignation of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this
Section 4.2, the Guarantor shall pay to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee all
amounts accrued to the date of such termination, removal or resignation.
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1. GUARANTEE.
The Guarantor irrevocably unconditionally agrees to pay in
full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts
theretofore paid by the Trust), as and when due, regardless of any defense,
right of set-off of counterclaim that the Trust may have or assert. The
Guarantor's obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct
payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing
the Trust to pay such amounts to the Holders.
SECTION 5.2 WAIVER OF NOTICE AND DEMAND.
The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee and of any liability to which it applies or may
apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first
against the Trust or any other Person before
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proceeding against the Guarantor, protest notice of nonpayment, notice of
dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.
SECTION 5.3 OBLIGATIONS NOT AFFECTED.
The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the
Guarantor under this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall in no way be affected
or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the
following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise,
of the performance or observance by the Trust of any express or implied
agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities to
be performed or observed by the Trust;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Trust of all
or any portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution
or any other sums payable under the terms of the Preferred Securities or the
extension of time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out
of, or in connection with, the Preferred Securities (other than an extension of
time for payment of Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or
other sum payable that results from the extension of any interest payment period
on the Debentures or any extension of the maturity date of the Debentures
permitted by the Indenture);
(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the
part of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power
or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Preferred
Securities, or any action on the part of the Trust granting indulgence or
extension of any kind;
(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution,
sale of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the
benefit of creditors, reorganization,
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arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar
proceedings affecting, the Trust or any of the assets of the Trust;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the
Preferred Securities;
(f) any failure or omission to receive any regulatory approval
or consent required in connection with the Preferred Securities (or the common
equity securities issued by the Trust), including the failure to receive any
approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System required for
the redemption of the Preferred Securities;
(g) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed
hereby or hereby incurred; or
(h) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise
constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being
the intent of this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder
shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstance .
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to,
or obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
SECTION 5.4. RIGHTS OF HOLDERS.
(a) The Holders of a Majority in Liquidation Amount of the
Preferred Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of
conducting of any proceeding for any remedy available to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee in respect of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or exercising any
trust or power conferred upon the Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this
Preferred Securities Guarantee.
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(b) Any Holder of Preferred Securities may institute a legal
proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, without first instituting a legal proceeding
against the Trust, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or any other Person.
SECTION 5.5. GUARANTEE OF PAYMENT.
This Preferred Securities Guarantee creates a guarantee of
payment and not of collection.
SECTION 5.6. SUBROGATION.
The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of
the Holders of Preferred Securities against the Trust in respect of any amounts
paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required
by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right
that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or
other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due
and unpaid under this Preferred Securities Guarantee. If any amount shall be
paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor
agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount
to the Holders.
SECTION 5.7. INDEPENDENT OBLIGATIONS.
The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are
independent of the obligations of the Trust with respect to the Preferred
Securities, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor
hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of
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this Preferred Securities Guarantee notwithstanding the occurrence of any event
referred to in subsections (a) through (h), inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1. LIMITATION ON TRANSACTIONS.
So long as any Preferred Securities remain outstanding, if
there shall have occurred an Event of Default under this Preferred Securities
Guarantee, an Event of Default under the Trust Agreement or during an Extended
Interest Payment Period (as defined in the Indenture), then a) the Guarantor
shall not declare or pay any dividend on, make any distributions with respect
to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to,
any of its capital stock and (b) the Guarantor shall not make any payment of
interest or principal on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities
issued by the Guarantor which rank pari passu with or junior to the Debentures
other than payments under this Preferred Securities Guarantee and (c) the
Guarantor shall not redeem, purchase or acquire less than all of the Outstanding
Debentures or any of the Preferred Securities.
SECTION 6.2. RANKING.
This Preferred Securities Guarantee will constitute an
unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and will rank (i) subordinate and junior
in right of payment to all other liabilities of the Guarantor, (ii) pari passu
with the most senior preferred securities or preference stock now or hereafter
issued by the Guarantor and with any guarantee now or hereafter entered into by
the Guarantor in respect of any preferred securities or preference stock of any
Affiliate of the Guarantor, and (iii) senior to the Guarantor's common stock.
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ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1. TERMINATION.
This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall terminate upon (i)
full payment of the redemption Price of all Preferred Securities, (ii) upon full
payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Trust Agreement upon
liquidation of the Trust, or (iii) upon distribution of the Debentures to the
Holders of the Preferred Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this
Preferred Securities Guarantee shall continue to be effective or shall be
reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder of Preferred
Securities must restore payment of any sums paid under the Preferred Securities
or under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1. EXCULPATION.
(a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or
accountable in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any Covered Person for
any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or
omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in accordance with this
Preferred Securities Guarantee and in a manner that such Indemnified Person
reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such
Indemnified Person by this Preferred Securities Guarantee or by law, except that
an Indemnified Person shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim
incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person's negligence or willful misconduct
with respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying
in good faith
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upon the records of the Guarantor and upon such information, opinions, reports
or statements presented to the Guarantor by any Person as to matters the
Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other Person's
professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care
by or on behalf of the Guarantor, including information, opinions, reports or
statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits,
losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from
which Distributions to Holders of Preferred Securities might properly be paid.
SECTION 8.2. INDEMNIFICATION.
The Guarantor agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person for,
and to hold each Indemnified Person harmless against, any loss, liability or
expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or
in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts
hereunder, including the costs and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and
expenses) of defending itself against, or investigating, any claim or liability
in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties
hereunder. The obligation to indemnify as set forth in this Section 8.2 shall
survive the termination of this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.
All guarantees and agreements contained in this Preferred
Securities Guarantee shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and
representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders
of the Preferred Securities then outstanding.
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SECTION 9.2. AMENDMENTS.
Except with respect to any changes that do not materially
adversely affect the rights of Holders (in which case no consent of Holders will
be required), this Preferred Securities Guarantee may only be amended with the
prior approval of the Holders of at least a Majority in Liquidation Amount of
the Preferred Securities. The provisions of Article VI of the Trust Agreement
with respect to meetings of Holders of the Preferred Securities apply to the
giving of such approval.
SECTION 9.3. NOTICES.
All notices provided for in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and
shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by registered or certified mail, as
follows:
(a) If given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, at the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee's mailing address set forth below (or such other
address as the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Holders of
the Preferred Securities):
State Street Bank and Trust Company
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Corporate Trust Department
(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor's mailing
address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice
of to the Holders of the Preferred Securities):
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People's Bancshares, Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
(c) If given to any Holder of Preferred Securities, at the
address set forth on the books and records of the Trust.
All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when
received in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class
mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused
delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice
was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered
on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.
SECTION 9.4. BENEFIT.
This Preferred Securities Guarantee is solely for the benefit
of the Holders of the Preferred Securities and, subject to Section 3.1(a), is
not separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.
SECTION 9.5. GOVERNING LAW.
THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND
CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF
MASSACHUSETTS.
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This Preferred Securities Guarantee is executed as of the day
and year first above written.
PEOPLE'S BANCSHARES, INC.
as Guarantor
By
Name:
Title:
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
as Preferred Guarantee Trustee
By
Name:
Title:
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