EXHIBIT 4.14
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CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
Citigroup Capital XV
Dated as of ______, 20__
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation............................... 1
ARTICLE II TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application............................. 4
SECTION 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities............................... 4
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Capital Guarantee Trustee..................... 4
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Capital Guarantee Trustee................ 5
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent............. 5
SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver.................................... 5
SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice..................................... 5
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests........................................ 5
ARTICLE III POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF CAPITAL GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Capital Guarantee Trustee........... 6
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Capital Guarantee Trustee.................. 7
SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee........ 9
ARTICLE IV CAPITAL GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Capital Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility....................... 9
SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Capital Guarantee
Trustees..................................................... 10
ARTICLE V GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee.................................................... 11
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand.................................. 11
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected..................................... 11
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders............................................ 12
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment......................................... 12
SECTION 5.6 Subrogation.................................................. 13
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations...................................... 13
ARTICLE VI LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions................................... 13
SECTION 6.2 Subordination................................................ 13
SECTION 6.3 Pari Passu Guarantees........................................ 14
ARTICLE VII TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination.................................................. 14
ARTICLE VIII INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation.................................................. 14
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification.............................................. 15
ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns....................................... 15
SECTION 9.2 Amendments................................................... 15
SECTION 9.3 Notices...................................................... 15
SECTION 9.4 Benefit...................................................... 16
SECTION 9.5 Governing Law................................................ 16
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CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Capital Securities Guarantee"), dated
as of __________, 20__, is executed and delivered by Citigroup Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Guarantor"), and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as trustee (the
"Capital Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein)
from time to time of the Capital Securities (as defined herein) of Citigroup
Capital XV, a Delaware statutory trust (the "Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the
"Declaration"), dated as of __________, 20__, among the trustees of the Issuer
named therein, the Guarantor, as sponsor, and the holders from time to time of
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer, the Issuer is
issuing on the date hereof ___________ capital securities, having an aggregate
liquidation amount of $__________, designated the _____% Capital Securities (the
"Capital Securities");
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Capital
Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to
the extent set forth in this Capital Securities Guarantee, to pay to the Holders
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
Capital Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the
Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Capital Securities Guarantee
for the benefit of the Holders.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation
In this Capital Securities Guarantee, unless the context otherwise
requires:
(a) Capitalized terms used in this Capital Securities Guarantee but
not defined in the preamble above have the respective meanings assigned to them
in this Section 1.1;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Capital Securities Guarantee has
the same meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Capital Securities Guarantee" or "this
Capital Securities Guarantee" are to this Capital Securities Guarantee as
modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
(d) all references in this Capital Securities Guarantee to Articles
and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Capital Securities Guarantee,
unless otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning
when used in this Capital Securities Guarantee, unless otherwise defined in this
Capital Securities Guarantee or unless the context otherwise requires; and
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa.
"Authorized Officer" of a Person means any Person that is authorized
to bind such Person.
"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 Saturday, Sunday or a day on
which banking institutions in the City of New York, New York are permitted or
required by any applicable law to close.
"Capital Guarantee Trustee" means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., until a
Successor Capital Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such
appointment pursuant to the terms of this Capital Securities Guarantee, and
thereafter means each such Successor Capital Guarantee Trustee.
"Common Securities" means the securities representing common undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Capital Guarantee
Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Capital Guarantee Trustee
shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which office at the
date of execution of this Agreement is located at 4 New York Plaza -15th Floor,
New York, New York 10004.
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of Capital
Securities.
"Debentures" means the series of junior subordinated debt securities
of the Guarantor designated the _____% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest
Debentures due __________, 20__ held by the Institutional Trustee (as defined in
the Declaration) of the Issuer.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its
payment or other obligations under this Capital Securities Guarantee.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions,
without duplication, with respect to the Capital Securities, to the extent not
paid or made by the Issuer: (i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as defined
in Annex I to the Declaration) that are required to be paid on the Capital
Securities, to the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor, (ii) the
redemption price of $______ per Capital Security, plus all accrued and unpaid
Distributions to the date of redemption (the "Redemption Price"), to the extent
that the Issuer has funds available therefor, with respect to any Capital
Securities called for redemption by the Issuer and (iii) upon a voluntary or
involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Issuer (other than in
connection with the distribution of Debentures to the Holders in exchange for
Capital Securities as provided in the Declaration or the redemption of all of
the Capital Securities upon the maturity or redemption of all of the Debentures
as provided in the Declaration) the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the
liquidation amount of $______ per Capital Security and all accrued and unpaid
Distributions on the Capital Securities to the date of payment, or (b) the
amount of assets of the
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Issuer remaining for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer (in
either case, the "Liquidation Distribution").
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records
of the Issuer, of any Capital Securities; provided, however, that, in
determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Capital
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 Capital Guarantee Trustee, any
Affiliate of the Capital Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors,
shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, nominees,
custodians or agents of the Capital Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of __________, 20__, among
the Guarantor and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as trustee, and any indenture
supplemental thereto, pursuant to which the Debentures are to be issued to the
Institutional Trustee of the Issuer.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Securities" means, except as
provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Holder(s), voting separately as a
class, holding Capital Securities representing more than 50% of the aggregate
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 Capital
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 Capital Securities Guarantee 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, in such officer's opinion, is necessary to enable such officer
to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition
has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such officer,
such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation,
estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited
liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Capital Guarantee
Trustee, any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Capital Guarantee
Trustee with direct
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responsibility for the administration of this Capital Securities Guarantee 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 Capital Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Capital
Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Capital Guarantee
Trustee under Section 4.1.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended.
"Underwriting Agreement" has the meaning set forth in the Indenture.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application
(a) This Capital Securities Guarantee is subject to the provisions of
the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Capital Securities
Guarantee and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions;
and
(b) if and to the extent that any provision of this Capital Securities
Guarantee limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Section 310
to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall
control.
SECTION 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities
(a) The Guarantor shall provide the Capital Guarantee Trustee with a
list, in such form as the Capital Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of
the names and addresses of the Holders ("List of Holders") as of such date, (i)
within one 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 14 days before such List of
Holders is given to the Capital Guarantee Trustee; provided, that the Guarantor
shall not be obligated to provide such List of Holders at any time the List of
Holders does not differ from the most recent List of Holders given to the
Capital Guarantee Trustee by the Guarantor. The Capital Guarantee Trustee may
destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of
Holders.
(b) The Capital Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations
under Sections 311(a), 311(b) and 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Capital Guarantee Trustee
Within 60 days after May 15 of each year, the Capital Guarantee
Trustee shall provide to the Holders 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 Capital Guarantee Trustee shall also
comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.
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SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Capital Guarantee Trustee
The Guarantor shall provide to the Capital 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 Capital Guarantee Trustee such
evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in
this Capital Securities Guarantee that relate to any of the matters set forth in
Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required
to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form
of an Officers' Certificate.
SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver
The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of Capital Securities
may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Capital 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 Capital 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 Capital Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the
occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class postage
prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all Events of Default actually known to a
Responsible Officer of the Capital Guarantee Trustee, unless such defaults have
been cured before the giving of such notice; provided, that the Capital
Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long
as a Responsible Officer of the Capital Guarantee Trustee in good faith
determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the
Holders.
(b) The Capital Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any Event of Default unless either the Capital Guarantee Trustee
shall have received written notice, or a Responsible Officer of the Capital
Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of the Declaration shall have
obtained actual knowledge.
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests
The Declaration shall be deemed to be specifically described in this
Capital 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
CAPITAL GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
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SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Capital Guarantee Trustee
(a) This Capital Securities Guarantee shall be held by the Capital
Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Capital Guarantee
Trustee shall not transfer its right, title and interest in this Capital
Securities Guarantee to any Person except a Holder exercising his or her rights
pursuant to Section 5.4(b) or to a Successor Capital Guarantee Trustee on
acceptance by such Successor Capital Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act
as Successor Capital Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the
Capital Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Capital
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 Capital Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of
the Capital Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Capital
Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Capital Securities Guarantee for the
benefit of the Holders of the Capital Securities.
(c) The Capital 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 Capital Securities Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be read into
this Capital Securities Guarantee against the Capital 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 Capital
Guarantee Trustee, the Capital Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the
rights and powers vested in it by this Capital 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 Capital Securities Guarantee shall be
construed to relieve the Capital 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 Capital Guarantee Trustee
shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Capital
Securities Guarantee, and the Capital Guarantee Trustee shall not be
liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as
are specifically set forth in this Capital Securities Guarantee, and
no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Capital
Securities Guarantee against the Capital Guarantee Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Capital
Guarantee Trustee, the Capital Guarantee Trustee may conclusively
rely, as to the truth of the statements and the
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correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates
or opinions furnished to the Capital Guarantee Trustee and conforming
to the requirements of this Capital Securities Guarantee; but in the
case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof
are specifically required to be furnished to the Capital Guarantee
Trustee, the Capital Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to
examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the
requirements of this Capital Securities Guarantee;
(ii) the Capital Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any error
of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Capital
Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Capital Guarantee
Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such
judgment was made;
(iii) the Capital 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 Capital Securities relating to the time, method
and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Capital Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon
the Capital Guarantee Trustee under this Capital Securities Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this Capital Securities Guarantee shall require
the Capital 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 Capital 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 Capital Securities Guarantee or indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to
the Capital Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it.
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Capital Guarantee Trustee
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) The Capital 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
Capital Securities Guarantee shall be sufficiently evidenced by an
Officers' Certificate.
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Capital Securities
Guarantee, the Capital Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a
matter be
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proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any action
hereunder, the Capital 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 Capital 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 Capital 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 Capital Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek
instructions concerning the administration of this Capital Securities
Guarantee from any court of competent jurisdiction.
(vi) The Capital Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Capital
Securities Guarantee at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such
Holder shall have provided to the Capital Guarantee Trustee such security
and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Capital Guarantee Trustee,
against the costs, expenses (including attorneys' fees and expenses and the
expenses of the Capital 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
Capital Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in this Section
3.2(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the Capital Guarantee Trustee, upon
the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation to exercise the
rights and powers vested in it by this Capital Securities Guarantee.
(vii) The Capital 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 Capital Guarantee Trustee,
in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such
facts or matters as it may see fit.
(viii) The Capital 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 Capital
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 Capital Guarantee Trustee or its agents
hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Capital Securities, and the
signature of the Capital 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 Capital Guarantee Trustee
to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of
this Capital Securities Guarantee, both of which shall be conclusively
evidenced by the Capital Guarantee Trustee's or its agent's taking such
action.
(x) Whenever in the administration of this Capital Securities
Guarantee the Capital Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive
instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any
other action hereunder, the Capital Guarantee Trustee (i) may request
instructions from the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Capital 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 Capital Securities Guarantee shall be deemed
to impose any duty or obligation on the Capital 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
Capital 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
Capital Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee
The recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the
statements of the Guarantor, and the Capital Guarantee Trustee does not assume
any responsibility for their correctness. The Capital Guarantee Trustee makes no
representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Capital Securities
Guarantee.
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Capital Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility
(a) There shall at all times be a Capital Guarantee Trustee which
shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of
the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof or of the
District of Columbia, or a corporation or Person permitted by the
Securities and Exchange Commission to act as an institutional trustee under
the Trust Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least 50 million
U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to
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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 Capital Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be
eligible to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Capital Guarantee Trustee shall
immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.2(c).
(c) If the Capital Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any
"conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Capital 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 Capital Guarantee Trustees
(a) Subject to Section 4.2(b), the Capital Guarantee Trustee may be
appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor except if an
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
(b) The Capital Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance
with Section 4.2(a) until a Successor Capital Guarantee Trustee has been
appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by
such Successor Capital Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Capital Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold
office until a Successor Capital Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or
until its removal or resignation. The Capital Guarantee Trustee may resign from
office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in
writing executed by the Capital Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the
Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Capital
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by
instrument in writing executed by such Successor Capital Guarantee Trustee and
delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Capital Guarantee Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Capital 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 Capital Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Capital Guarantee Trustee. Such
court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem
proper, appoint a Successor Capital Guarantee Trustee.
(e) No Capital Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the acts or
omissions to act of any Successor Capital Guarantee Trustee.
(f) Upon termination of this Capital Securities Guarantee or removal
or resignation of the Capital Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this Section 4.2,
the Guarantor shall pay
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to the Capital Guarantee Trustee all amounts accrued and owing to such Capital
Guarantee Trustee to the date of such termination, removal or resignation.
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee
The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full to
the Holders the Guarantee Payments, as and when due, regardless of any defense,
right of set-off or counterclaim that the Issuer may have or assert. The
Guarantor's obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct
payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing
the Issuer to pay such amounts to the Holders.
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand
The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Capital
Securities Guarantee and of any liability to which it applies or may apply,
presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first against
the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor, protest,
notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other
notices and demands.
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected
The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor
under this Capital Securities Guarantee shall in no way be affected or impaired
by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement,
covenant, term or condition relating to the Capital Securities to be performed
or observed by the Issuer;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or any
portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or any
other sums payable under the terms of the Capital Securities or the extension of
time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or in
connection with, the Capital Securities;
(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 Capital Securities, or any
action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any kind;
(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any
collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of
creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of,
or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the
Issuer;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Capital
Securities;
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(f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby
or hereby incurred; or
(g) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute
a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of
this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be
absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or
obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders
(a) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital
Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any
proceeding for any remedy available to the Capital Guarantee Trustee in respect
of this Capital Securities Guarantee or exercising any trust or power conferred
upon the Capital Guarantee Trustee under this Capital Securities Guarantee.
(b) If the Capital Guarantee Trustee fails to enforce its rights under
this Capital Securities Guarantee, any Holder may directly institute a legal
proceeding against the Guarantor to enforce the Capital Guarantee Trustee's
rights under this Capital Securities Guarantee, without first instituting a
legal proceeding against the Issuer, the Capital Guarantee Trustee or any other
Person or entity.
(c) A Holder of Capital Securities may also directly institute a legal
proceeding against the Guarantor to enforce such Holder's right to receive
payment under this Capital Securities Guarantee without first (i) directing the
Capital Guarantee Trustee to enforce the terms of this Capital Securities
Guarantee or (ii) instituting a legal proceeding directly against the Issuer or
any other Person or entity.
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment
This Capital Securities Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and
not of collection.
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SECTION 5.6 Subrogation
The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of the
Holders of Capital Securities against the Issuer in respect of any amounts paid
to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Capital 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 Capital
Securities Guarantee, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due
and unpaid under this Capital Securities Guarantee. If any amount shall be paid
to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to
hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the
Holders.
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations
The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are
independent of the obligations of the Issuer with respect to the Capital
Securities, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor
hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Capital
Securities Guarantee notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in
subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions
So long as any Capital Securities remain outstanding, if there shall
have occurred any event that would constitute an Event of Default or a Default
under the Declaration, 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
or make any guarantee payment with respect thereto (other than (i) repurchases,
redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor in
connection with any employment contract, benefit plan or other similar
arrangement with or for the benefit of employees, officers, directors or
consultants, (ii) repurchases of common stock of the Guarantor pursuant to a
contractually binding requirement to buy stock existing prior to the Event of
Default or Default, (iii) as a result of an exchange or conversion of any class
or series of the Guarantor's capital stock for any other class or series of the
Guarantor's capital stock, (iv) the purchase of fractional interests in shares
of the Guarantor's capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange
provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged)
or (v) purchase of the Guarantor's capital stock in connection with the
distribution thereof and (b) the Guarantor shall not make any payment of
interest on, or principal of (or premium, if any, on), or repay, repurchase or
redeem, any debt securities or guarantees issued by the Guarantor that rank pari
passu with or junior to the Debentures; provided, however, the Guarantor may
declare and pay a stock dividend where the dividend stock is the same stock as
that on which the dividend is being paid.
SECTION 6.2 Subordination
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The obligations of the Guarantor under this Capital Securities
Guarantee will constitute unsecured obligations of the Guarantor and will rank
subordinate and junior in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness (as
defined in the Indenture) of the Guarantor to the extent and in the manner set
forth in the Indenture with respect to the Debentures, and the provisions of
Article Fourteen of the Indenture will apply, mutatis mutandis, to the
obligations of the Guarantor hereunder. The obligations of the Guarantor
hereunder do not constitute Senior Indebtedness (as defined in the Indenture) of
the Guarantor.
SECTION 6.3 Pari Passu Guarantees
The obligations of the Guarantor under this Capital Securities
Guarantee shall rank pari passu with the obligations of the Guarantor under (i)
any similar guarantee agreements issued by the Guarantor on behalf of the
holders of preferred or capital securities issued by any Citigroup Trust (as
defined in the Indenture), (ii) the Indenture and the Securities (as defined
therein) issued thereunder, (iii) any expense agreements entered into by the
Guarantor in connection with the offering of preferred or capital securities by
any Citigroup Trust (as defined in the Indenture), and (iv) any other security,
guarantee or other agreement or obligation that is by its terms pari passu with
the Securities (as defined in the Indenture) and, in the case of this clause
(iv) only, (x) is issued with the concurrence or approval of the staff of the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the staff of the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System or (y) does not at the time of issuance prevent the
Securities from qualifying for tier 1 capital treatment (irrespective of any
limits on the amount of the Company's tier 1 capital) under the applicable
capital adequacy guidelines, regulations, policies or published interpretations
of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination
This Capital Securities Guarantee shall terminate upon (i) full
payment of the Redemption Price of all Capital Securities, (ii) the distribution
of the Debentures to the Holders of all of the Capital Securities or (iii) full
payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the Declaration upon
liquidation of the Issuer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Capital
Securities Guarantee will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the
case may be, if at any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid
under the Capital Securities or under this Capital 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 Capital
Securities Guarantee and in a manner that such
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Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority
conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Capital Securities Guarantee or by
law, except that an Indemnified Person shall be liable for any such loss, damage
or claim incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person's negligence or willful
misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in good
faith upon the records of the Guarantor and upon such information, opinions,
reports or statements presented to the Guarantor by any Person as to matters the
Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other Person's
professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care
by or on behalf of the Guarantor, including information, opinions, reports or
statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits,
losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from
which Distributions to Holders 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 Capital Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns
All guarantees and agreements contained in this Capital 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 Capital Securities then outstanding.
SECTION 9.2 Amendments
Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the
rights of Holders (in which case no consent of Holders will be required), this
Capital Securities Guarantee may be amended only with the prior approval of the
Holders of not less than a Majority in aggregate liquidation amount (including
the stated amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise,
plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting
percentages are determined) of all the outstanding Capital Securities. The
provisions of Section 12.2 of the Declaration with respect to meetings of
Holders apply to the giving of such approval.
SECTION 9.3 Notices
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All notices provided for in this Capital 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 Capital Guarantee Trustee, at the Capital
Guarantee Trustee's mailing address set forth below (or such other address as
the Capital Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Holders):
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
4 New York Plaza - 15th Floor
New York, New York 10004
Attention: Institutional Trust Services
(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):
Citigroup Inc.,
153 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10043
Attention: Charles E. Wainhouse, Assistant Treasurer
(c) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and
records of the Issuer.
All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in
person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail,
postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or
cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given,
such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date
of such refusal or inability to deliver.
SECTION 9.4 Benefit
This Capital Securities Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the
Holders of the Capital Securities and, subject to Section 3.1(a), is not
separately transferable from the Capital Securities.
SECTION 9.5 Governing Law
THIS CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED
AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND ALL
RIGHTS AND REMEDIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY SUCH LAWS WITHOUT REGARD FOR THE
PRINCIPLES OF ITS CONFLICTS OF LAWS.
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THIS CAPITAL SECURITIES GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and year
first above written.
CITIGROUP INC.,
as Guarantor
By:
------------------------------------
Name:
----------------------------------
Title:
---------------------------------
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Capital Guarantee Trustee
By:
------------------------------------
Name:
----------------------------------
Title:
---------------------------------
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