Exhibit 4.3
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GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
by and between
FIRST BANKS, INC.
and
WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Dated as of March 1, 2006
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GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
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This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this "Guarantee"), dated as of March 1, 2006,
is executed and delivered by First Banks, Inc., a Missouri corporation (the
"Guarantor"), and Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation, as
trustee (the "Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined
herein) from time to time of the Capital Securities (as defined herein) of First
Bank Statutory Trust IV, a Delaware statutory trust (the "Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the
"Declaration"), dated as of the date hereof among Wilmington Trust Company, not
in its individual capacity but solely as institutional trustee, the
administrators 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 those undivided beneficial
interests, having an aggregate liquidation amount of $40,000,000.00 (the
"Capital Securities"); and
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 Guarantee, to pay to the Holders of Capital
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 the
Capital Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the
Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee for the benefit of
the Holders.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
Section 1.1. Definitions and Interpretation. In this Guarantee,
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unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this 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 Guarantee has the same
meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Guarantee" or "this Guarantee" are to
this Guarantee as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
(d) all references in this Guarantee to "Articles" or "Sections"
are to Articles or Sections of this Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;
(e) terms defined in the Declaration as at the date of execution
of this Guarantee have the same meanings when used in this Guarantee, unless
otherwise defined in this Guarantee or unless the context otherwise requires;
and
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice
versa.
"Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of
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the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule thereunder.
"Beneficiaries" means any Person to whom the Issuer is or hereafter
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becomes indebted or liable.
"Capital Securities" has the meaning set forth in the recitals to
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this Guarantee.
"Common Securities" means the common securities issued by the Issuer
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to the Guarantor pursuant to the Declaration.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Guarantee Trustee at
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which the corporate trust business of the Guarantee Trustee shall, at any
particular time, be principally administered, which office at the date of
execution of this Guarantee is located at Rodney Square North, 1100 North Market
Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19890-1600, Attention: Corporate Trust
Administration.
"Covered Person" means any Holder of Capital Securities.
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"Debentures" means the debt securities of the Guarantor designated the
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Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due 2036 held
by the Institutional Trustee (as defined in the Declaration) of the Issuer.
"Declaration Event of Default" means an "Event of Default" as defined
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in the Declaration.
"Event of Default" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(a).
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"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions,
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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 the Declaration) which are required to be paid on such Capital Securities to
the extent the Issuer shall have funds available therefor, (ii) the Redemption
Price to the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor, with respect to any
Capital Securities called for redemption by the Issuer, (iii) the Special
Redemption Price to the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor, with
respect to Capital Securities redeemed upon the occurrence of a Special Event,
and (iv) upon a voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, winding-up or
termination of the Issuer (other than in connection with the distribution of
Debentures to the Holders of the Capital Securities in exchange therefor as
provided in the Declaration), the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation
amount and all accrued and unpaid Distributions on the Capital Securities to the
date of payment, to the extent the Issuer shall have funds available therefor,
and (b) the amount of assets of the Issuer remaining available for distribution
to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer (in either case, the "Liquidation
Distribution").
"Guarantee Trustee" means Wilmington Trust Company, until a Successor
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Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant
to the terms of this Guarantee and thereafter means each such Successor
Guarantee Trustee.
"Guarantor" means First Banks, Inc. and each of its successors and
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assigns.
"Holder" means any holder, as registered on the books and records of
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the Issuer, of any Capital Securities; provided, however, that, in determining
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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 Guarantee Trustee, any Affiliate of the
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Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners,
employees, representatives, nominees, custodians or agents of the Guarantee
Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of the date hereof between
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the Guarantor and Wilmington Trust Company, not in its individual capacity but
solely as trustee, and any indenture supplemental thereto pursuant to which the
Debentures are to be issued to the institutional trustee of the Issuer.
"Issuer" has the meaning set forth in the opening paragraph to this
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Guarantee.
"Liquidation Distribution" has the meaning set forth in the definition
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of "Guarantee Payments" herein.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities" means
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Holder(s) of outstanding Capital Securities, voting together as a class, but
separately from the holders of Common Securities, of 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 then outstanding.
"Obligations" means any costs, expenses or liabilities (but not
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including liabilities related to taxes) of the Issuer other than obligations of
the Issuer to pay to holders of any Trust Securities the amounts due such
holders pursuant to the terms of the Trust Securities.
"Officer's Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a
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certificate signed by one Authorized Officer of such Person. Any Officer's
Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Guarantee shall include:
(a) a statement that the officer signing the Officer's
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 the officer in rendering
the Officer's Certificate;
(c) a statement that the 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 the officer,
such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation,
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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.
"Redemption Price" has the meaning set forth in the Indenture.
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"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Guarantee Trustee,
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any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Guarantee Trustee including
Vice President, Assistant Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary or any
other officer of the Guarantee Trustee customarily performing functions similar
to those performed by any of the above designated officers and also, 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.
"Special Event" has the meaning set forth in the Indenture.
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"Special Redemption Price" has the meaning set forth in the Indenture.
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"Successor Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Guarantee Trustee
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possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 3.1.
"Trust Securities" means the Common Securities and the Capital
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Securities.
ARTICLE II
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 2.1. Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee.
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(a) This Guarantee shall be held by the Guarantee Trustee for the
benefit of the Holders of the Capital Securities, and the Guarantee Trustee
shall not transfer this Guarantee to any Person except a Holder of Capital
Securities exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 4.4(b) or to a
Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Guarantee Trustee of
its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and
interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor
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 Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Defaul actually known to a Responsible Officer
of the Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Guarantee Trustee
shall enforce this Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders of the Capital
Securities.
(c) The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of
Default and after curing all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall
undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this
Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee against
the Guarantee Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not
been waived pursuant to Section 2.4) and is actually known to a Responsible
Officer of the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of
the rights and powers vested in it by this 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 Guarantee shall be construed to relieve
the 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 Guarantee
Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions
of this Guarantee, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be
liable except for the performance of such duties and
obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee,
and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into
this Guarantee against the Guarantee Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Guarantee Trustee, the 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 Guarantee Trustee and conforming to
the requirements of this Guarantee; but in the case of any
such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are
specifically required to be furnished to the Guarantee
Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to
examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to
the requirements of this Guarantee;
(ii) the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any
error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the
Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that such Responsible
Officer of the Guarantee Trustee or the Guarantee Trustee was
negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment
was made;
(iii) the 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 written 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 Guarantee Trustee, or relating to the exercise of any
trust or power conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this
Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this Guarantee shall require the
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 Guarantee
Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment
of such funds is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this
Guarantee or security and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the
Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
Section 2.2. Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee.
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(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.1:
(i) The Guarantee Trustee may conclusivelyrely, and shall
be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any
resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note,
other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by
it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the
proper party or parties.
(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by
this Guarantee shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officer's
Certificate.
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Guarantee, the
Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or
established before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder,
the 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 Officer's Certificate of the Guarantor
which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by
the Guarantor.
(iv) The Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to see to any
recording, filing or registration of any instrument (or any
re-recording, refiling or re-registration thereof).
(v) The Guarantee Trustee may consult with counsel of its
selection, and the 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 Guarantee Trustee shall have the
right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration
of this Guarantee from any court of competent jurisdiction.
(vi) The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee at
the request or direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have
provided to the Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity,
reasonably satisfactory to the Guarantee Trustee, against the costs,
expenses (including attorneys' fees and expenses and the expenses of
the 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 Guarantee Trustee; provided, however, that nothing
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contained in this Section 2.2(a)(vi) shall relieve the Guarantee
Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation
to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee.
(vii) The 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 Guarantee Trustee, in
its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into
such facts or matters as it may see fit.
(viii) The 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
Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or
negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due
care by it hereunder.
(ix) Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its
agents hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Capital Securities, and
the signature of the 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 Guarantee
Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and
provisions of this Guarantee, both of which shall be conclusively
evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee's or its agent's taking such
action.
(x) Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee the
Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with
respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action
hereunder, the 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.
(xi) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any
action taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by it in good faith,
without negligence, and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or
within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this
Guarantee.
(b) No provision of this Guarantee shall be deemed to impose any
duty or obligation on the 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 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 Guarantee Trustee shall be
construed to be a duty.
Section 2.3. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee.
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The recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the statements of the
Guarantor, and the Guarantee Trustee does not assume any responsibility for
their correctness. The Guarantee Trustee makes no representation as to the
validity or sufficiency of this Guarantee.
Section 2.4. Events of Default; Waiver.
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(a) An Event of Default under this Guarantee will occur upon the
failure of the Guarantor to perform any of its payment or other obligations
hereunder.
(b) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital
Securities may, voting or consenting as a class, 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 shall be
deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee, but no such
waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or
impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 2.5. Events of Default; Notice.
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(a) The 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 Capital Securities and the Guarantor, notices of
all Events of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee
Trustee, unless such defaults have been cured before the giving of such notice,
provided, however, that the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding
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such notice if and so long as a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee in
good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of
the Holders of the Capital Securities.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of
any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written
notice from the Guarantor or a Holder of the Capital Securities (except in the
case of a payment default), or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee
charged with the administration of this Guarantee shall have obtained actual
knowledge thereof.
ARTICLE III
GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
Section 3.1. Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.
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(a) There shall at all times be a 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 Person authorized under
such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined
capital and surplus of at least 50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000),
and subject to supervision or examination by Federal, State,
Territorial or District of Columbia authority. If such corporation
publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or
to the requirements of the supervising or examining authority referred
to above, then, for the purposes of this Section 3.1(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 Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be
eligible to so act under Section 3.1(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall immediately
resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 3.2(c).
(c) If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any "conflicting
interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the
Guarantee Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign to the extent
and in the manner provided by, and subject to this Guarantee.
Section 3.2. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Guarantee
Trustee. ------------------------------------------------------
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(a) Subject to Section 3.2(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be
appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor except during an
Event of Default.
(b) The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with
Section 3.2(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has
accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor
Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office
until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its
removal or resignation. The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office (without
need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing executed by
the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall
not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has
accepted such appointment by an instrument in writing executed by such Successor
Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Guarantee
Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed
and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 3.2 within 60 days after
delivery of an instrument of removal or resignation, the Guarantee Trustee
resigning or being removed may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for
appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after
prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor
Guarantee Trustee.
(e) No Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the acts or omissions
to act of any Successor Guarantee Trustee.
(f) Upon termination of this Guarantee or removal or resignation
of the Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this Section 3.2, the Guarantor shall pay
to the Guarantee Trustee all amounts owing to the Guarantee Trustee under
Sections 7.2 and 7.3 accrued to the date of such termination, removal or
resignation.
ARTICLE IV
GUARANTEE
Section 4.1. Guarantee.
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(a) The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in
full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts
theretofore paid by the Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any defense
(except the defense of payment by the Issuer), 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.
(b) The Guarantor hereby also agrees to assume any and all
Obligations of the Issuer and in the event any such Obligation is not so
assumed, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Guarantor hereby
irrevocably and unconditionally guarantees to each Beneficiary the full payment,
when and as due, of any and all Obligations to such Beneficiaries. This
Guarantee is intended to be for the benefit of, and to be enforceable by, all
such Beneficiaries, whether or not such Beneficiaries have received notice
hereof.
Section 4.2. Waiver of Notice and Demand. The Guarantor hereby
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waives notice of acceptance of this 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 4.3. Obligations Not Affected. The obligations, covenants,
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agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this 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, Special 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
(other than an extension of time for payment of Distributions, Redemption Price,
Special 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 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;
(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 4.3 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 4.4. Rights of Holders.
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(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 Guarantee Trustee in respect of this
Guarantee or to direct the exercise of any trust or power conferred upon the
Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee; provided, however, that (subject to
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Section 2.1) the Guarantee Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any
such direction if the Guarantee Trustee being advised by counsel determines that
the action or proceeding so directed may not lawfully be taken or if the
Guarantee Trustee in good faith by its board of directors or trustees, executive
committees or a trust committee of directors or trustees and/or Responsible
Officers shall determine that the action or proceedings so directed would
involve the Guarantee Trustee in personal liability.
(b) Any Holder of Capital Securities may institute a legal
proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce the Guarantee Trustee's
rights under this Guarantee, without first instituting a legal proceeding
against the Issuer, the Guarantee Trustee or any other Person. The Guarantor
waives any right or remedy to require that any such action be brought first
against the Issuer, the Guarantee Trustee or any other Person before so
proceeding directly against the Guarantor.
Section 4.5. Guarantee of Payment. This Guarantee creates a
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guarantee of payment and not of collection.
Section 4.6. Subrogation. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all
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(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
Guarantee; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the
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extent required by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or
exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity,
reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this
Guarantee, if, after giving effect to any such payment, any amounts are due and
unpaid under this 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 4.7. Independent Obligations. The Guarantor acknowledges
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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 Guarantee notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to
in subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of Section 4.3 hereof.
Section 4.8. Enforcement by a Beneficiary. A Beneficiary may
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enforce the obligations of the Guarantor contained in Section 4.1(b) directly
against the Guarantor and the Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require
that any action be brought against the Issuer or any other person or entity
before proceeding against the Guarantor. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to
all rights (if any) of any Beneficiary against the Issuer in respect of any
amounts paid to the Beneficiaries by the Guarantor under this Guarantee;
provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required
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by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any rights
that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or
other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Guarantee, if at
the time of any such payment, and after giving effect to such payment, any
amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee.
ARTICLE V
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
Section 5.1. Limitation of Transactions. So long as any Capital
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Securities remain outstanding, if (a) there shall have occurred and be
continuing an Event of Default or a Declaration Event of Default or (b) the
Guarantor shall have selected an Extension Period as provided in the Declaration
and such period, or any extension thereof, shall have commenced and be
continuing, then the Guarantor shall not and shall not permit any Affiliate to
(x) declare or pay any dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase,
acquire, or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of the Guarantor's
or such Affiliate's capital stock (other than payments of dividends or
distributions to the Guarantor) or make any guarantee payments with respect to
the foregoing or (y) make any payment of principal of or interest or premium, if
any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities of the Guarantor or
any Affiliate that rank pari passu in all respects with or junior in interest to
the Debentures (other than, with respect to clauses (x) and (y) above, (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 one or more employees, officers,
directors or consultants, in connection with a dividend reinvestment or
stockholder stock purchase plan or in connection with the issuance of capital
stock of the Guarantor (or securities convertible into or exercisable for such
capital stock) as consideration in an acquisition transaction entered into prior
to the occurrence of the Event of Default, Declaration Event of Default or
Extension Period, as applicable, (ii) as a result of any exchange or conversion
of any class or series of the Guarantor's capital stock (or any capital stock of
a subsidiary of the Guarantor) for any class or series of the Guarantor's
capital stock or of any class or series of the Guarantor's indebtedness for any
class or series of the Guarantor's capital stock, (iii) the purchase of
fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor's capital stock pursuant to the
conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being
converted or exchanged, (iv) any declaration of a dividend in connection with
any stockholders' rights plan, or the issuance of rights, stock or other
property under any stockholders' rights plan, or the redemption or repurchase of
rights pursuant thereto, (v) any dividend in the form of stock, warrants,
options or other rights where the dividend stock or the stock issuable upon
exercise of such warrants, options or other rights is the same stock as that on
which the dividend is being paid or ranks pari passu with or junior to such
stock and any cash payments in lieu of fractional shares issued in connection
therewith, or (vi) payments under this Guarantee).
Section 5.2. Ranking. This Guarantee will constitute an unsecured
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obligation of the Guarantor and will rank subordinate and junior in right of
payment to all present and future Senior Indebtedness (as defined in the
Indenture) of the Guarantor. By their acceptance thereof, each Holder of Capital
Securities agrees to the foregoing provisions of this Guarantee and the other
terms set forth herein.
The right of the Guarantor to participate in any distribution of assets
of any of its subsidiaries upon any such subsidiary's liquidation or
reorganization or otherwise is subject to the prior claims of creditors of that
subsidiary, except to the extent the Guarantor may itself be recognized as a
creditor of that subsidiary. Accordingly, the Guarantor's obligations under this
Guarantee will be effectively subordinated to all existing and future
liabilities of the Guarantor's subsidiaries, and claimants should look only to
the assets of the Guarantor for payments hereunder. This Guarantee does not
limit the incurrence or issuance of other secured or unsecured debt of the
Guarantor, including Senior Indebtedness of the Guarantor, under any indenture
that the Guarantor may enter into in the future or otherwise.
ARTICLE VI
TERMINATION
Section 6.1. Termination. This Guarantee shall terminate as to the
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Capital Securities (i) upon full payment of the Redemption Price or Special
Redemption Price of all Capital Securities then outstanding, (ii) upon the
distribution of all of the Debentures to the Holders of all of the Capital
Securities or (iii) upon full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with
the Declaration upon dissolution of the Issuer. This Guarantee will continue to
be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any
Holder of Capital Securities must restore payment of any sums paid under the
Capital Securities or under this Guarantee.
ARTICLE VII
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 7.1. Exculpation.
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(a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or
accountable in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any Covered Person for
any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or
omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in accordance with this
Guarantee and in a manner that such Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be
within the scope of the authority conferred on such Indemnified Person by this
Guarantee 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 Issuer or the Guarantor and upon such
information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Issuer or 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, if
selected by such Indemnified Person, has been selected with reasonable care by
such Indemnified Person, 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 Capital Securities might properly be paid.
Section 7.2. Indemnification.
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(a) The Guarantor agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person for,
and to hold each Indemnified Person harmless against, any and all loss,
liability, damage, claim or expense incurred without negligence or willful
misconduct on the part of the Indemnified Person, arising out of or in
connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts
hereunder, including, but not limited to, the costs and expenses (including
reasonable legal fees and expenses) of the Indemnified Person defending itself
against, or investigating, any claim or liability in connection with the
exercise or performance of any of the Indemnified Person's powers or duties
hereunder. The obligation to indemnify as set forth in this Section 7.2 shall
survive the resignation or removal of the Guarantee Trustee and the termination
of this Guarantee.
(b) Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person under this
Section 7.2 of notice of the commencement of any action, such Indemnified Person
will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Guarantor under
this Section 7.2, notify the Guarantor in writing of the commencement thereof;
but the failure so to notify the Guarantor (i) will not relieve the Guarantor
from liability under paragraph (a) above unless and to the extent that the
Guarantor did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the
forfeiture by the Guarantor of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will
not, in any event, relieve the Guarantor from any obligations to any Indemnified
Person other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a)
above. The Guarantor shall be entitled to appoint counsel of the Guarantor's
choice at the Guarantor's expense to represent the Indemnified Person in any
action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the Guarantor shall
not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel
retained by the Indemnified Person or Persons except as set forth below);
provided, however, that such counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the
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Indemnified Person. Notwithstanding the Guarantor's election to appoint counsel
to represent the Guarantor in an action, the Indemnified Person shall have the
right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the Guarantor
shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if
(i) the use of counsel chosen by the Guarantor to represent the Indemnified
Person would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual
or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the
Indemnified Person and the Guarantor and the Indemnified Person shall have
reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or
other Indemnified Person(s) which are different from or additional to those
available to the Guarantor, (iii) the Guarantor shall not have employed counsel
satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person
within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv)
the Guarantor shall authorize the Indemnified Person to employ separate counsel
at the expense of the Guarantor. The Guarantor will not, without the prior
written consent of the Indemnified Persons, settle or compromise or consent to
the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim,
action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution
may be sought hereunder (whether or not the Indemnified Persons are actual or
potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or
consent includes an unconditional release of each Indemnified Person from all
liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.
Section 7.3. Compensation; Reimbursement of Expenses. The Guarantor
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agrees:
(a) to pay to the Guarantee Trustee from time to time such
compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder as the parties shall
agree to from time to time (which compensation shall not be limited by any
provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express
trust); and
(b) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse
the Guarantee Trustee upon request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements
and advances incurred or made by it in accordance with any provision of this
Guarantee (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and
disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement
or advance as may be attributable to its negligence or willful misconduct.
For purposes of clarification, this Section 7.3 does not contemplate
the payment by the Guarantor of acceptance or annual administration fees owing
to the Guarantee Trustee for services to be provided by the Guarantee Trustee
under this Guarantee or the fees and expenses of the Guarantee Trustee's counsel
in connection with the closing of the transactions contemplated by this
Guarantee. The provisions of this Section 7.3 shall survive the resignation or
removal of the Guarantee Trustee and the termination of this Guarantee.
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 8.1. Successors and Assigns. All guarantees and agreements
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contained in this 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. Except in connection
with any merger or consolidation of the Guarantor with or into another entity or
any sale, transfer or lease of the Guarantor's assets to another entity, in each
case, to the extent permitted under the Indenture, the Guarantor may not assign
its rights or delegate its obligations under this Guarantee without the prior
approval of the Holders of at least a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Capital Securities.
Section 8.2. Amendments. Except with respect to any changes that do
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not adversely affect the rights of Holders of the Capital Securities in any
material respect (in which case no consent of Holders will be required), this
Guarantee may be amended only with the prior approval of the Holders of not less
than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities. The provisions
of the Declaration with respect to amendments thereof apply to the giving of
such approval.
Section 8.3. Notices. All notices provided for in this Guarantee
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shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be
delivered, telecopied or mailed by first class mail, as follows:
(a) If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee's
mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee Trustee
may give notice of to the Holders of the Capital Securities and the Guarantor):
Wilmington Trust Company
Rodney Square North
1100 North Market Street
Wilmington, Delaware 19890-1600
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
Telecopy: 302-636-4140
(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 Capital Securities and to the Guarantee Trustee):
First Banks, Inc.
600 James S. McDonnell Boulevard
Hazelwood, Missouri 63042
Attention: Lisa K. Vansickle
Telecopy: 314-592-6621
(c) If given to any Holder of the Capital Securities, at the
address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.
All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in
person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail,
postage prepaid, except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery
or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was
given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on
the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.
Section 8.4. Benefit. This Guarantee is solely for the benefit of
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the Beneficiaries and, subject to Section 2.1(a), is not separately transferable
from the Capital Securities.
Section 8.5. Governing Law. THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY,
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AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF (OTHER THAN SECTION
5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW).
Section 8.6. Counterparts. This Guarantee may be executed in one
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or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
Section 8.7 Separability. In case one or more of the provisions
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contained in this Guarantee shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal
or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability
shall not affect any other provisions of this Guarantee, but this Guarantee
shall be construed as if such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision had
never been contained herein.
Signatures appear on the following page
THIS GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and year first above written.
FIRST BANKS, INC., as Guarantor
By:/s/ Lisa K. Vansickle
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Name: Lisa K. Vansickle
Title: Senior Vice President
WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, as Guarantee
Trustee
By:/s/ Christopher Monigle
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Name: Christopher Monigle
Title: Assistant Vice President