EXHIBIT 4.3
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
FIRST BANKS, INC.
Dated as of August 31, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1. Definitions and Interpretation........................................................1
ARTICLE II
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 2.1. Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee............................................4
SECTION 2.2. Certain Rights of the Guarantee Trustee...............................................5
SECTION 2.3. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee.................................7
SECTION 2.4. Events of Default; Waiver.............................................................7
SECTION 2.5. Events of Default; Notice.............................................................8
ARTICLE III
THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1. The Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility....................................................8
SECTION 3.2. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of the Guarantee Trustee.........................9
ARTICLE IV
GUARANTEE
SECTION 4.1. Guarantee.............................................................................9
SECTION 4.2. Waiver of Notice and Demand..........................................................10
SECTION 4.3. Obligations Not Affected.............................................................10
SECTION 4.4. Rights of Holders....................................................................11
SECTION 4.5. Guarantee of Payment.................................................................11
SECTION 4.6. Subrogation..........................................................................11
SECTION 4.7. Independent Obligations..............................................................12
SECTION 4.8. Enforcement..........................................................................12
ARTICLE V
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 5.1. Limitation of Transactions...........................................................12
SECTION 5.2. Ranking..............................................................................13
ARTICLE VI
TERMINATION
SECTION 6.1. Termination..........................................................................13
ARTICLE VII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 7.1. Exculpation..........................................................................14
SECTION 7.2. Indemnification......................................................................14
SECTION 7.3. Compensation; Reimbursement of Expenses..............................................15
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 8.1. Successors and Assigns...............................................................16
SECTION 8.2. Amendments...........................................................................16
SECTION 8.3. Notices..............................................................................16
SECTION 8.4. Benefit..............................................................................17
SECTION 8.5. Governing Law........................................................................17
SECTION 8.6. Counterparts.........................................................................17
GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
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This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Guarantee"), dated as of August 31,
2007, is executed and delivered by First Banks, Inc., incorporated in Missouri
(the "Guarantor"), and LaSalle Bank National Association, 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 X, a Delaware statutory trust (the "Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust
(the "Declaration"), dated as of August 31, 2007, among the trustees named
therein of the Issuer, the administrators of the Issuer named therein, First
Banks, Inc., 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 securities, having an aggregate liquidation amount of up to
$15,000,000, designated the TP Securities (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.
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In this Guarantee, 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 and Sections are
to Articles and Sections of this Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;
(e) terms defined in the Declaration as of 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.
"Beneficiaries" means any Person to whom the Issuer is or
hereafter becomes indebted or liable.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Guarantee Trustee
at which the corporate trust business of the Guarantee Trustee shall, at any
particular time, be principally administered.
"Covered Person" means any Holder of Capital Securities.
"Debentures" means the junior subordinated debentures of First
Banks, Inc., designated the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities due 2037, held
by the Institutional Trustee (as defined in the Declaration) of the Issuer.
"Event of Default" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4.
"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 the Declaration) which are required to be paid on
such Capital Securities to the extent the Issuer has funds available in the
Property Account (as defined in the Declaration) therefor at such time, (ii) the
Redemption Price (as defined in the Indenture) to the extent the Issuer has
funds available in the Property Account therefor at such time, with respect to
any Capital Securities called for redemption by the Issuer, (iii) the Special
Redemption Price (as defined in the Indenture) to the extent the Issuer has
funds available in the Property Account therefor at such time, with respect to
Capital Securities called for redemption upon the occurrence of a Special Event
(as defined in the Indenture), 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 has funds available in the Property Account therefor at such time,
and (b) the amount of assets of the Issuer remaining available for distribution
to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer after satisfaction of liabilities to
creditors of the Issuer as required by applicable law (in either case, the
"Liquidation Distribution").
"Guarantee Trustee" means LaSalle Bank National Association, until
a Successor 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.
"Holder" means 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 Guarantee Trustee (including in its
individual capacity), any Affiliate of the 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 August 31, 2007,
between the Guarantor and LaSalle Bank National Association, 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.
"Liquidation Distribution" has the meaning set forth in the
definition of "Guarantee Payments" herein.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities" means
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,
but excluding, the date upon which the voting percentages are determined) of all
Capital Securities then outstanding.
"Obligations" means any costs, expenses or liabilities (but not
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
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 each 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 each officer in rendering the Officer's
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 Guarantee
Trustee, any officer within the CDO Trust Services Group of the Corporate Trust
Office of the Guarantee Trustee with direct responsibility for the
administration of any matters relating to this Guarantee, including any vice
president, any assistant vice president, any secretary, any assistant secretary,
the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, any trust officer or other officer of
the Corporate Trust Office of the Guarantee Trustee customarily performing
functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and
also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other
officer to whom such matter is referred because of that officer's knowledge of
and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Successor Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Guarantee Trustee
possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under Section 3.1.
"Trust Securities" means the Common Securities and the Capital
Securities.
ARTICLE II
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF THE 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 Default 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 the curing or waiving of 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 cured or waived pursuant
to Section 2.4(b)) 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 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 furnished to the
Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a
duty to examine the same to determine whether or not on
their face 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 exercising 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 the Guarantee Trustee.
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(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2.1:
(i) The 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 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 other
writing (or any rerecording, refiling or reregistration 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 contained in this Section 2.2(a)
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(vi) shall be taken to 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 (A) may request
instructions from the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount
of the Capital Securities, (B) may refrain from enforcing such
remedy or right or taking such other action until such
instructions are received and (C) 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
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.
-------------------------
(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.
-------------------------
(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, 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
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in withholding 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 charged with knowledge of
any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received
written notice thereof from the Guarantor or a Holder of the Capital
Securities, or a Responsible Officer of the Guarantee Trustee charged
with the administration of this Guarantee shall have actual knowledge
thereof.
ARTICLE III
THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1. The 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 or national association 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 Fifty
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 or national association 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 or national
association 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 forth 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 the 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.
(g) Any Person into which the Guarantee Trustee may be merged or
converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting
from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Guarantee
Trustee shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to all or
substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall
be the successor of the Guarantee Trustee hereunder without the execution
or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the
parties hereto; provided, that such Person shall be otherwise eligible
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and qualified under this Article and Guarantee Trustee shall provide
reasonable notice to Guarantor informing Guarantor of such merger,
consolidation or other similar transaction.
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 as 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 Beneficiaries who
have received notice hereof.
SECTION 4.2. Waiver of Notice and Demand.
---------------------------
The Guarantor hereby 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, 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 the payment of
the Distributions, Redemption Price, Special Redemption Price,
Liquidation Distribution or other sums 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.
-----------------
(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 Sections 2.1 and 2.2) the Guarantee
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Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if
the Guarantee Trustee shall determine that the actions so directed would
be unjustly prejudicial to the Holders not taking part in such direction
or if the Guarantee Trustee being advised by legal 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 committee or a trust committee of directors or
trustees and/or Responsible Officers shall determine that the action or
proceeding 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 guarantee of payment and not of
collection.
SECTION 4.6. 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 Guarantee; provided, however, that
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the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by applicable 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 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.
-----------
A Beneficiary may 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
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Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by applicable 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, 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 Securities remain outstanding, if (a) there
shall have occurred and be continuing an 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 may not (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 capital stock 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 that rank pari passu in all respects with or junior
in interest to the Debentures (other than (i) payments under this Guarantee,
(ii) repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock
of the Guarantor (A) 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, (B) in connection with a dividend
reinvestment or stockholder stock purchase plan or (C) 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 or the
applicable Extension Period, (iii) as a result of any exchange,
reclassification, combination 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, (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,
(v) any declaration of a dividend in connection with any stockholder's rights
plan, or the issuance of rights, stock or other property under any stockholder's
rights plan, or the redemption or repurchase of rights pursuant thereto, or (vi)
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).
SECTION 5.2. Ranking.
-------
This Guarantee will constitute an unsecured 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 thereunder. 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
or agreement 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 Capital Securities (i)
upon full payment of the Redemption Price or the Special Redemption Price, as
the case may be, 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.
-----------
(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 of 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.
---------------
(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
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satisfactory to the Indemnified Person. Notwithstanding the Guarantor's
election to appoint counsel to represent the Indemnified Person in any
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 (and local
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 Persons 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.
---------------------------------------
Other than as provided in the Fee Agreement of even date herewith
between the Guarantor, Cohen & Company and the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantor
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.
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 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 or capital stock 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 not less than a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Capital Securities.
SECTION 8.2. Amendments.
----------
Except with respect to any changes that do 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 shall apply equally with respect
to amendments of the Guarantee.
SECTION 8.3. Notices.
-------
All notices provided for in this Guarantee 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):
LaSalle Bank National Association
135 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 1511
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Attention: CDO Trust Services Group
First Bank Statutory Trust X
Telecopy: (312) 904-0524
Telephone: (312) 904-0283
(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 Blvd.
Hazelwood, Missouri 63042
Attention: Peter D. Wimmer
Telecopy: (314) 592-6640
Telephone: (314) 592-6602
(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 the Holders of the
Capital Securities 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, AND CONSTRUED 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 GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW).
SECTION 8.6. Counterparts.
------------
This Guarantee may contain more than one counterpart of the
signature page and this Guarantee may be executed by the affixing of the
signature of the Guarantor and the Guarantee Trustee to any of such counterpart
signature pages. All of such counterpart signature pages shall be read as though
one, and they shall have the same force and effect as though all of the signers
had signed a single signature page.
THIS GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and year first above
written.
FIRST BANKS, INC., as Guarantor
By: /s/ Lisa K. Vansickle
-----------------------------------
Name: Lisa K. Vansickle
---------------------------------
Title: SVP - Chief Financial Officer
--------------------------------
LASALLE BANK NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, as Guarantee Trustee
By: /s/ Greg Myers
-----------------------------------
Name: Greg Myers
---------------------------------
Title: Assistant Vice President
--------------------------------