As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 8, 1997
Registration No. ___________
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
PEOPLE'S BANK
(Originator of the Trust described herein)
(Exact name as specified in registrant's charter)
PEOPLE'S BANK CREDIT CARD MASTER TRUST
(Issuer of the Certificates)
United States 6025 06-1213065
(State or other (Primary Standard Industrial (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of Classification Code Number) Identification No.)
incorporation
or organization)
850 Main Street
Bridgeport, Connecticut 06604
(203) 338-7171
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)
WILLIAM T. KOSTURKO, ESQ.
GENERAL COUNSEL
PEOPLE'S BANK
850 Main Street
Bridgeport, Connecticut 06604
(203) 338-7171
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of agent for service)
---------
Copy to:
LAURA A. DEFELICE, ESQ. ANDREW M. FAULKNER, ESQ.
MAYER, BROWN & PLATT SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE,
1675 Broadway MEAGHER & FLOM
New York, New York 10019 919 Third Avenue
(212) 506-2500 New York, New York 10022
(212) 735-3000
---------
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to
the public: As soon as practicable after this registration
statement becomes effective.
---------
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be
offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415
under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. [ ]
---------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Proposed maximum Proposed maximum
Title of each class of Amount to be aggregate offering aggregate offering Amount of
securities being registered registered price per unit (1) price (1) registration fee
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Floating Rate Class A Asset Backed
Certificates, Series 1997-2......... $ 500,000 100% $ 500,000 $ 151.52
Floating Rate Class B Asset Backed
Certificates, Series 1997-2......... $ 500,000 100% $ 500,000 $ 151.52
----------- ---- ----------- --------
Total $ 1,000,000 100% $ 1,000,000 $ 303.04
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(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.
</TABLE>
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates
as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file
a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement
shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the
Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become
effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a),
may determine.
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Cross Reference Sheet
Name and Caption in Form S-1 Caption in Prospectus
- ---------------------------- ---------------------
<S> <C>
1. Forepart of Registration Statement and Front Cover Page of Registration
Outside Front Cover Page of Statement; Outside Front Cover Page of
Prospectus Prospectus
2. Inside Front and Outside Back Cover Inside Front Cover Page of Prospectus;
Pages of Prospectus Outside Back Cover Page of Prospectus
3. Summary Information, Risk Factors and Prospectus Summary; Special
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Considerations; The Trust; The
Charges Receivables; Receivables Yield
Considerations; Certain Legal Aspects of
the Receivables
4. Use of Proceeds Use of Proceeds
5. Determination of Offering Price *
6. Dilution *
7. Selling Security Holders *
8. Plan of Distribution Underwriting
9. Description of Securities to be Registered Prospectus Summary; The Trust; The
Receivables; Maturity Assumptions;
Receivable Yield Considerations;
Description of the Certificates; Certain
Federal Income Tax Consequences
10. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel *
11. Information with Respect to the Registrant The Trust; The Credit Card Business of
People's Bank; People's Bank; Description
of the Certificates
12. Disclosure of Commission Position on *
Indemnification for Securities Act
Liabilities
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* Not applicable.
</TABLE>
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<PAGE>
==========================BEGINNING OF RED HERRING==============================
Information contained herein is subject to completion or amendment. A
registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. These securities may not be sold nor may
offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes
effective. This prospectus shall not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities
in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior
to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such State.
===============================END OF RED HERRING===============================
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER [ ], 1997
$-----------
PEOPLE'S BANK CREDIT CARD MASTER TRUST
$___________ Floating Rate Class A Asset Backed Certificates, Series 1997-2
$___________ Floating Rate Class B Asset Backed Certificates, Series 1997-2
LOGO
Transferor and Servicer
Each of the Floating Rate Class A Asset Backed Certificates, Series
1997-2 (the "Class A Certificates") and each of the Floating Rate Class B Asset
Backed Certificates, Series 1997-2 (the "Class B Certificates" and, together
with the Class A Certificates, the "Offered Certificates") offered hereby will
evidence undivided interests in certain assets of the People's Bank Credit Card
Master Trust (the "Trust") created pursuant to a pooling and servicing agreement
dated as of June 1, 1993, as amended and restated, between People's Bank, as
transferor and servicer (the "Transferor"), and Bankers Trust Company, as
trustee. In addition, the Collateral Interest (as defined herein), which is not
offered hereby, will be issued in the initial amount of $___________ (the
Collateral Interest together with the Offered Certificates, the "Certificates").
The property of the Trust includes, among other things, receivables (the
"Receivables") generated from time to time in a portfolio of VISA(R) and
MasterCard(R) credit card accounts, all monies due or to become due in payment
of the Receivables, Recoveries, Interchange, the benefits of the funds and
securities on deposit in certain bank accounts with respect to the Certificates
and certain interest rate cap agreements, each as defined or described herein.
People's Bank services the Receivables, and People's Structured Finance Corp.
("PSFC"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of People's Bank, owns the undivided
interest in the Trust not represented by the Certificates or the other interests
issued by the Trust. The Trust currently has five other series of certificates
outstanding, and PSFC and People's Bank may offer from time to time other series
of certificates which evidence fractional undivided interests in certain assets
of the Trust, which may have terms significantly different from the
Certificates, by exchanging a portion of PSFC's interest in the Trust.
Interest with respect to the Offered Certificates is scheduled to be
distributed on [October 15], 1997 and on the 15th day of each month thereafter
(or, if such 15th day is not a business day, on the next succeeding
(Continued on following page)
There currently is no secondary market for the Certificates, and there is no
assurance that one will develop. Potential investors should consider, among
other things, the information set forth in "Risk Factors" commencing on page
[19].
-----------------
THE CERTIFICATES REPRESENT INTERESTS IN THE TRUST ONLY AND DO NOT REPRESENT
INTERESTS IN OR RECOURSE OBLIGATIONS OF PEOPLE'S BANK, PSFC OR ANY OF THEIR
AFFILIATES. A CERTIFICATE IS NOT A DEPOSIT AND IS NOT INSURED BY THE FEDERAL
DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION (THE "FDIC"). THE RECEIVABLES ARE NOT
INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY THE FDIC OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY.
-----------------
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR
ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED UPON
THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS.
ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
-----------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Underwriting Proceeds to
Price to Public(1) Discount(2) PSFC(1)(3)
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Per Class A Certificate ______% ____% _____%
Per Class B Certificate ______% ____% _____%
Total $___________ $_________ $___________
(1) Plus accrued interest, if any, at the applicable Certificate Rate (as
defined herein) from the Closing Date.
(2) People's Bank and PSFC have agreed to indemnify the Underwriters (as
defined herein) against certain liabilities, including liabilities
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. (3) Before deduction of
expenses of the offering payable by People's Bank estimated to be
$_______.
</TABLE>
The Offered Certificates are offered by the Underwriters as specified
herein, subject to receipt and acceptance by the Underwriters and subject to
their right to reject in whole or in part. It is expected that the Offered
Certificates will be delivered in book-entry form on or about September __,
1997, through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company, Cedel Bank,
societe anonyme, and the Euroclear System.
-------------------
Underwriters of the Class A Certificates
-------------------
Underwriters of the Class B Certificates
-------------------
The date of this Prospectus is September __, 1997.
<PAGE>
(Continued from previous page)
business day) (each a "Distribution Date"). Interest will accrue on the Class A
Certificates from the Closing Date through and including [October 14], 1997 at
the rate of _____% per annum and with respect to each Interest Period (as
defined herein) thereafter in the manner and with the exceptions described
herein at the rate of ____% per annum above the London interbank offered
quotations rate for one-month United States dollar deposits. Interest will
accrue on the Class B Certificates from the Closing Date through and including
[October 14], 1997 at the rate of _____% per annum and with respect to each
Interest Period thereafter in the manner and with the exceptions described
herein at the rate of ____% per annum above the London interbank offered
quotations rate for one-month United States dollar deposits. See "Description of
the Certificates--Interest Payments". Principal with respect to the Class A
Certificates is scheduled to be distributed on the [August 2002] Distribution
Date (the "Class A Scheduled Payment Date"), but may be paid earlier or later
under certain limited circumstances as described herein. Principal with respect
to the Class B Certificates is scheduled to be distributed on the [September
2002] Distribution Date (the "Class B Scheduled Payment Date"), but may be paid
earlier or later under certain limited circumstances as described herein. See
"Maturity Considerations". Principal payments will not be made to Class B
Certificate holders until the final principal payment has been paid in respect
of the Class A Certificates. See "Description of the Certificates--Principal
Payments".
The fractional undivided interest in the Trust represented by the Class
B Certificates will be subordinated to the Class A Certificates to the extent
described herein. In addition, the Collateral Interest will be subordinated to
the Offered Certificates to the extent described herein.
REPORTS TO CERTIFICATE HOLDERS
Unless and until Definitive Certificates (as defined herein) are
issued, monthly and annual reports containing unaudited information concerning
the Trust and prepared by the Servicer will be sent on behalf of the Trust to
Cede & Co. ("Cede"), as nominee of The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") and
registered holder of the Offered Certificates, pursuant to the Agreement. See
"Description of the Certificates--Book-Entry Registration", "--Reports to
Certificate holders" and "--Evidence as to Compliance". Such reports will not
constitute financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles. The Transferor does not intend to send any of its
financial reports to Certificate holders or to the owners of beneficial
interests in the Offered Certificates ("Offered Certificate Owners"). The
Servicer will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") such periodic reports with respect to the Trust as are required
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
The Transferor, as originator of the Trust, has filed a Registration
Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"),
with the Commission on behalf of the Trust with respect to the Certificates
offered pursuant to this Prospectus. For further information, reference is made
to the Registration Statement and amendments thereof and exhibits thereto, which
are available for inspection without charge at the public reference facilities
maintained by the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549;
7 World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048; and Citicorp Center, 500 West
Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2511. Copies of the
Registration Statement and amendments thereof and exhibits thereto may be
obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission, 450 Fifth Street,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates. In addition, the Commission
maintains a Web site at "http://www.sec.gov" that contains information regarding
registrants that file electronically with the Commission.
Application will be made to list the Class A Certificates on the
Luxembourg Stock Exchange.
CERTAIN PERSONS PARTICIPATING IN THIS OFFERING MAY ENGAGE IN
TRANSACTIONS THAT STABILIZE, MAINTAIN OR OTHERWISE AFFECT THE PRICE OF THE
OFFERED CERTIFICATES, INCLUDING OVER-ALLOTMENT, STABILIZING AND SHORT-COVERING
TRANSACTIONS IN SUCH OFFERED CERTIFICATES, AND THE IMPOSITION OF A PENALTY BID,
DURING AND AFTER THE OFFERING. FOR A DESCRIPTION OF THESE ACTIVITIES, SEE
"UNDERWRITING".
-2-
<PAGE>
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
The following is qualified in its entirety by reference to the detailed
information appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus. Certain capitalized terms
used herein are defined elsewhere in this Prospectus. A listing of the pages on
which some of such terms are defined is found in the "Index of Key Terms".
Unless the context requires otherwise, certain capitalized terms, when used
herein, relate only to the Certificates.
Title of Securities $___________ Floating Rate Class A
Asset Backed Certificates, Series 1997-2 (the "Class
A Certificates") and $___________ Floating Rate Class
B Asset Backed Certificates, Series 1997-2 (the
"Class B Certificates" and, together with the Class A
Certificates, the "Offered Certificates" and,
together with the Collateral Interest described
herein, the "Certificates").
The Trust The Certificates represent fractional undivided
interests in certain assets of People's Bank Credit
Card Master Trust (the "Trust"). The Trust's fiscal
year ends December 31. As used herein, the term
"Series 1997-2 Supplement" refers to the supplement
to the Agreement relating to the Certificates; the
term "Agreement" refers to the Amended and Restated
Pooling and Servicing Agreement dated as of March 18,
1997, amending and restating in its entirety the
Pooling and Servicing Agreement dated as of June 1,
1993, and, unless the context requires otherwise,
refers to the Agreement as supplemented by the Series
1997-2 Supplement; the term "Offered Certificate
holders" refers to holders of the Offered
Certificates; the term "Certificate holders" refers
to the Offered Certificate holders and the Collateral
Interest Holder collectively; the term "Class A
Certificate holders" refers to holders of the Class A
Certificates and the term "Class B Certificate
holders" refers to holders of the Class B
Certificates; the term "Series" refers to any series
of certificates issued by the Trust, including the
Certificates; and the term "Series 1997-2" refers to
the Series represented by the Certificates.
The Trust currently has five other Series
outstanding. See "Annex I: Prior Series Issued and
Outstanding" for a summary of these outstanding
Series.
Trustee Bankers Trust Company, a New York banking corporation
(the "Trustee"). The Corporate Trust Office is
located at 4 Albany Street, New York, New York 10006.
Transferor People's Bank, a Connecticut stock savings bank and a
majority-owned subsidiary of People's Mutual
Holdings, is the Transferor of the Receivables and
the originator of the Trust. The principal executive
offices of People's Bank are located at 850 Main
Street, Bridgeport Center, Bridgeport, Connecticut
06604, telephone number (203) 338-7171.
Trust Assets The property of the Trust includes receivables (the
"Receivables") arising under certain VISA(R)* and
MasterCard(R)* credit card accounts, all Receivables
arising in Automatic Additional Accounts and
Additional Accounts designated from time to time, all
monies due or to become due in payment of the
Receivables, all proceeds of the Receivables,
proceeds of insurance policies relating to the
Receivables, and the right to receive Interchange,
Recoveries, all monies on deposit in certain bank
accounts of the Trust, all monies and securities on
deposit in certain bank accounts established and
maintained for the benefit of Certificate holders of
any Series, an interest rate cap agreement for the
exclusive benefit of the Class A Certificate holders
(the "Class A Interest Rate Cap") and
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<PAGE>
an interest rate cap agreement for the exclusive
benefit of the Class B Certificate holders (the
"Class B Interest Rate Cap" and, together with the
Class A Interest Rate Cap, the "Interest Rate Caps"),
each provided by _________________________________
(the "Interest Rate Cap Provider"), and any other
Enhancement issued with respect to any Series. The
term "Trust Portfolio" means the pool of Eligible
Receivables representing assets of the Trust as of a
specified date. The Trust does not and will not
include the Receivables of any Accounts designated
from time to time as Removed Accounts, the
Receivables of which have been removed from the
Trust.
The Offered Certificate holders will not be entitled
to the benefits of any Enhancement issued with
respect to any Series other than Series 1997-2, and
the holders of the certificates of other Series will
not be entitled to the benefits of the Interest Rate
Caps or the Collateral Interest. The term
"Enhancement" shall mean, with respect to any other
Series, any letter of credit, cash collateral
account, collateral interest, surety bond, guaranteed
rate agreement, maturity guaranty facility, tax
protection agreement, interest rate cap or swap or
other contract or agreement principally for the
benefit of Certificate holders of such Series. The
term "Enhancement" shall mean, with respect to the
Offered Certificates, the Interest Rate Caps, the
subordination of the Collateral Interest and, in the
case of the Class A Certificates, the subordination
of the Class B Investor Interest.
Securities Offered The Class A Certificates and the Class B Certificates
will be issued on September __, 1997 (the "Closing
Date") in book-entry form only, in the initial
principal amounts of $___________ and $___________,
respectively, and will each be represented by one or
more Offered Certificates registered in the name of
Cede. An Offered Certificate Owner will not be
entitled to receive a definitive certificate
representing such person's interest, except in the
event that Definitive Certificates are issued under
the limited circumstances described herein. In such
event, interests in the Offered Certificates will be
available in minimum denominations of $1,000 and
integral multiples thereof. All references herein to
Offered Certificate holders, Class A Certificate
holders or Class B Certificate holders shall refer to
Offered Certificate Owners, except as otherwise
specified herein. See "Description of the
Certificates--Definitive Certificates".
In addition to the Class A Certificates and the Class
B Certificates, the Collateral Interest will be
issued on the Closing Date in the initial amount of
$___________ (which amount represents ____% of the
amount of the Initial Investor Interest) as
Enhancement for the Offered Certificates. The
provider of such Enhancement is sometimes referred to
herein as the "Collateral Interest Holder".
Each of the Certificates represents a fractional
undivided interest in certain assets of the Trust.
The Trust assets will be allocated among the
Certificate holders, the holders of certificates of
any other Series which is outstanding at the time of
such allocation and the holder of the certificate
(the "Exchangeable Transferor Certificate") that
represents the Transferor Interest (as defined
below), which is currently held by People's
Structured Finance Corp. ("PSFC"), a wholly-owned
special purpose Connecticut subsidiary of People's
Bank, pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption
Agreement, dated as of December 15, 1995, by and
between the Transferor and PSFC. PSFC, in its
capacity as holder of the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate, or any other permitted
-4-
<PAGE>
assignee of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate
that is then currently the registered holder of the
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate, is sometimes
referred to herein as the "Holder of the Exchangeable
Transferor Certificate".
The Certificates represent interests in the Trust
only and do not represent interests in or recourse
obligations of the Transferor, PSFC or any of their
affiliates. A Certificate is not a deposit and is not
insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
(the "FDIC"). Neither the Receivables nor the
underlying Accounts are insured or guaranteed by the
FDIC or any other governmental agency.
Investor Interest;
Transferor Interest On the Closing Date, the amount of the Class A
Certificate holders' interest in Principal
Receivables will equal $___________ (the "Class A
Initial Investor Interest"), the amount of the Class
B Certificate holders' interest in Principal
Receivables will equal $___________ (the "Class B
Initial Investor Interest"), and the amount of the
Collateral Interest in Principal Receivables will
equal $___________ (the "Initial Collateral Interest"
and, together with the Class A Initial Investor
Interest and the Class B Initial Investor Interest,
the "Initial Investor Interest"). The Class A Initial
Investor Interest and the Class B Initial Investor
Interest may be reduced to reflect the tender and
cancellation of Offered Certificates pursuant to an
Investor Exchange. The Class A Certificate holders'
interest in Principal Receivables on any date after
the Closing Date (the "Class A Investor Interest")
will equal the Class A Initial Investor Interest,
less the sum of (i) an amount equal to the sum of all
payments in respect of principal made on the Class A
Certificates and (ii) all Class A Investor
Charge-Offs, plus any reimbursements of such Class A
Investor Charge-Offs. The "Class A Adjusted Investor
Interest" will equal (i) the Class A Investor
Interest less (ii) the Principal Funding Account
Balance on such date. The Class B Certificate
holders' interest in Principal Receivables on any
date after the Closing Date (the "Class B Investor
Interest") will equal the Class B Initial Investor
Interest, less all payments in respect of principal
made on the Class B Certificates, any Class B
Investor Charge-Offs and any other reductions of the
Class B Investor Interest as described herein, plus
any reimbursements of such Class B Investor Charge-
Offs and such other reductions of the Class B
Investor Interest as described herein. The Collateral
Interest Holder's interest in Principal Receivables
on any date after the Closing Date (the "Collateral
Interest") will equal the Initial Collateral
Interest, less all payments in respect of principal
made on the Collateral Interest, any Collateral
Interest Charge-Offs and any other reductions of the
Collateral Interest as described herein, plus any
reimbursements of such Collateral Interest
Charge-Offs and such other reductions of the
Collateral Interest as described herein. The
aggregate of the Class A Investor Interest, the Class
B Investor Interest and the Collateral Interest at
any time is the "Investor Interest". The aggregate of
the Class A Adjusted Investor Interest, the Class B
Investor Interest and the Collateral Interest at any
time is the "Adjusted Investor Interest".
The Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate
holds in the Trust the remaining undivided interest
in the Principal Receivables and amounts on deposit
in the Excess Funding Account not represented by the
Certificates or any other undivided interests in the
Trust that have been issued and are outstanding at
the time of such determination (the "Transferor
Interest"). As new Receivables are added to the Trust
and as payments are made on the Transferor Interest,
the
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<PAGE>
principal amount of the Transferor Interest will
fluctuate. The Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate may tender the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate or, if provided in the relevant
Supplement, the Transferor may tender certificates
representing all or a portion of any Series of
certificates and the Holder of the Exchangeable
Transferor Certificate may tender the Exchangeable
Transferor Certificate, to the Trustee and, upon
satisfying certain conditions, cause the Trustee to
issue one or more new Series, as described in
"Description of the Certificates--Exchanges", which
Exchange may have the effect of decreasing the
Transferor Interest. As of the date hereof, five
other Series have been issued by the Trust, one of
which has been paid in full. See "Annex I: Prior
Series Issued and Outstanding".
Allocation Percentages The Certificates will include the right to receive
(but only to the extent required to make payments
under the Agreement) a percentage (the "Investor
Percentage") of the Finance Charge Collections and
Principal Collections received during each calendar
month (a "Monthly Period"). Finance Charge
Collections and Receivables in Defaulted Accounts, at
all times, and Principal Collections during the
Revolving Period, will be allocated to the
Certificate holders based on the Floating Investor
Percentage as described under "Description of the
Certificates--Allocation Percentages." Such amounts
so allocated will be further allocated among the
Class A Certificate holders, the Class B Certificate
holders and the Collateral Interest Holder based on
the Class A Floating Allocation, the Class B Floating
Allocation and the Collateral Floating Allocation,
respectively, applicable during the related Monthly
Period.
Principal Collections during the Controlled
Accumulation Period and the Rapid Amortization Period
will be allocated to the Certificate holders based on
the Fixed Investor Percentage, as described under
"Description of the Certificates--Allocation
Percentages". Such amounts so allocated will be
further allocated between the Class A Certificate
holders, the Class B Certificate holders and the
Collateral Interest Holder based on the Class A Fixed
Allocation, the Class B Fixed Allocation and the
Collateral Fixed Allocation, respectively. See
"Description of the Certificates--Allocation
Percentages."
Interest Interest is required to be distributed on [October
15], 1997 and on the 15th day of each month
thereafter, or, if such 15th day is not a business
day, on the next succeeding business day (each, a
"Distribution Date"), in an amount equal to, in the
case of the Class A Certificates, the sum of (v) the
product of (a) the London interbank offered
quotations rate for one-month United States dollar
deposits ("LIBOR"), determined as described herein,
plus ____% (the "Class A Certificate Rate") (or
_____% for the Initial Interest Period), (b) the
lesser of the Class A Adjusted Investor Interest as
of the preceding Distribution Date (or, in the case
of the first Distribution Date, the Class A Initial
Investor Interest) after giving effect to all
payments, deposits and withdrawals on such
Distribution Date and the Expected Class A Principal
as of the preceding Distribution Date, and (c) the
actual number of days in the related Interest Period
divided by 360, plus (w) the Class A Covered Amounts
for such Interest Period, plus (x) the product of (a)
the Class A Excess Principal, (b) the lesser of the
Class A Certificate Rate and _____%, and (c) the
actual number of days in the related Interest Period
divided by 360 (clauses (v), (w) and (x)
collectively, the "Class A Monthly Interest"), plus
(y) to the extent permitted by applicable law, any
interest accrued on the Class A Certificates
(including interest on any overdue Class A Monthly
Interest) during any prior accrual
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<PAGE>
period which has not been distributed to the Class A
Certificate holders, plus, to the extent that there
is available Excess Spread, (z) an amount equal to
the product of (a) the amount by which the Class A
Certificate Rate exceeds _____%, (b) the Class A
Excess Principal and (c) the actual number of days in
the related Interest Period divided by 360 (the
"Class A Excess Interest"). In the case of the Class
B Certificates, interest will be distributed in an
amount equal to the sum of (w) the product of (a)
LIBOR, determined as described herein, plus ____%
(the "Class B Certificate Rate"; the Class A
Certificate Rate and the Class B Certificate Rate are
each sometimes referred to as an "Offered Certificate
Rate" and collectively, the "Offered Certificate
Rates") (or _____% for the Initial Interest Period),
(b) the lesser of the Class B Investor Interest as of
the preceding Distribution Date (or, in the case of
the first Distribution Date, the Class B Initial
Investor Interest) after giving effect to all
payments, deposits and withdrawals on such
Distribution Date and the Expected Class B Principal
as of the preceding Distribution Date, and (c) the
actual number of days in the related Interest Period
divided by 360, plus (x) the product of (a) the Class
B Excess Principal, (b) the lesser of the Class B
Certificate Rate and _____%, and (c) the actual
number of days in the related Interest Period divided
by 360 (collectively, the "Class B Monthly
Interest"), plus (y) to the extent permitted by
applicable law, any interest accrued on the Class B
Certificates (including interest on any overdue Class
B Monthly Interest) during any prior accrual period
which has not been distributed to the Class B
Certificate holders, plus, to the extent that there
is available Excess Spread, (z) an amount equal to
the product of (a) the amount by which the Class B
Certificate Rate exceeds _____%, (b) the Class B
Excess Principal and (c) the actual number of days in
the related Interest Period divided by 360 (the
"Class B Excess Interest"). For any Interest Period
in which the Class A Certificate Rate or the Class B
Certificate Rate, as the case may be, exceeds the
Class A Cap Rate or the Class B Cap Rate,
respectively, the portion of the Class A Monthly
Interest or the Class B Monthly Interest attributable
to the amount by which the Class A Certificate Rate
or the Class B Certificate Rate, as the case may be,
exceeds the Class A Cap Rate or the Class B Cap Rate,
respectively, will be funded from payments made
pursuant to the Class A Interest Rate Cap or the
Class B Interest Rate Cap, respectively, and from
Excess Spread. Interest distributable on [October
15], 1997 will accrue from and including the Closing
Date to and including [October 14], 1997 (the
"Initial Interest Period").
Revolving Period No principal will be payable to Offered Certificate
holders until the [August 2002] Distribution Date or,
upon the occurrence of a Pay Out Event as described
herein, the first Distribution Date with respect to
the Rapid Amortization Period. For each Monthly
Period during the period from and including the
Closing Date, up to and including the day prior to
the day on which the Controlled Accumulation Period
or the Rapid Amortization Period commences (the
"Revolving Period"), Available Investor Principal
Collections otherwise allocable to the Certificate
holders will, unless a reduction in the Required
Collateral Interest has occurred and subject to
certain other limitations, be applied as Shared
Principal Collections, as described below, and
thereafter (to the extent that the Transferor
Interest exceeds the Minimum Transferor Interest) be
paid to the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate to maintain the Investor Interest at the
Initial Investor Interest. See "Description of the
Certificates-Pay Out Events" for a discussion of the
events which might lead to the early termination of
the Revolving Period.
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<PAGE>
Principal Payments;
Controlled Accumulation
Period Unless a Pay Out Event has occurred or is deemed to
have occurred or the Controlled Accumulation Period
is postponed as a result of the conditions set forth
under "Description of the Certificates--Postponement
of Controlled Accumulation Period," the controlled
accumulation period for the Certificates (the
"Controlled Accumulation Period") will commence on
________________ (the "Controlled Accumulation
Date"), and will end on the earliest of (a) the
commencement of the Rapid Amortization Period, (b)
the payment of the Investor Interest in full and (c)
the termination of the Trust pursuant to the
Agreement. On the Business Day immediately preceding
each Distribution Date (each such date, a "Transfer
Date"), beginning with the Transfer Date following
the Monthly Period in which the Controlled
Accumulation Period commences, an amount equal to the
least of (a) the Available Investor Principal
Collections with respect to the related Monthly
Period, (b) the sum of the Controlled Accumulation
Amount for the related Monthly Period and the
Accumulation Shortfall, if any (such sum, the
"Controlled Deposit Amount") and (c) the Class A
Adjusted Investor Interest on such Transfer Date
(prior to any deposits on such date) will be
deposited in a trust account established by the
Trustee (the "Principal Funding Account"). The amount
on deposit in the Principal Funding Account (the
"Principal Funding Account Balance") will be
deposited in the Distribution Account for
distribution to the Class A Certificate holders on
the Class A Scheduled Payment Date. If, for any
Monthly Period prior to the Class A Scheduled Payment
Date, the Available Investor Principal Collections
for such Monthly Period are less than the applicable
Controlled Deposit Amount, the amount of such
deficiency will be the applicable "Accumulation
Shortfall" for the succeeding Monthly Period. See
"Description of the Certificates--Application of
Collections."
On the Transfer Date immediately following the
Distribution Date on which the Class A Investor
Interest has been paid in full, an amount equal to
the lesser of (a) the Available Investor Principal
Collections for the related Monthly Period and (b)
the Class B Investor Interest will be deposited into
the Distribution Account for distribution to the
Class B Certificate holders on the Class B Scheduled
Payment Date. If, for any Monthly Period, the
Available Investor Principal Collections for such
Monthly Period exceed the applicable Controlled
Deposit Amount, such excess will be first paid to the
Collateral Interest Holder to the extent that the
Collateral Interest exceeds the Required Collateral
Interest (such excess, the "Collateral Interest
Surplus") and then treated as Shared Principal
Collections and allocated to the holders of other
Series of certificates issued and outstanding or,
subject to certain limitations described herein (to
the extent that the Transferor Interest exceeds the
Minimum Transferor Interest), paid to the holder of
the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate.
Unless a Pay Out Event has occurred or is deemed to
have occurred, prior to the payment of the Class A
Investor Interest in full, all funds on deposit in
the Principal Funding Account will be invested at the
direction of the Servicer by the Trustee in certain
Permitted Investments. Investment earnings (net of
investment losses and expenses) on funds on deposit
in the Principal Funding Account (the "Principal
Funding Investment Proceeds") during the Controlled
Accumulation Period will be used to pay interest on
the Class A Certificates up to an amount (the "Class
A Covered Amount") equal to, for each Transfer Date,
the product of (a) a fraction, the numerator of which
is the actual number of days in the related Interest
Period and the denominator of which is 360, (b) the
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<PAGE>
Class A Certificate Rate in effect with respect to
the related Interest Period and (c) the Principal
Funding Account Balance as of the preceding
Distribution Date after giving effect to all
payments, deposits and withdrawals on such
Distribution Date. If, for any Transfer Date, the
Principal Funding Investment Proceeds are less than
the Class A Covered Amount, the amount of such
deficiency (the "Class A Principal Funding Investment
Shortfall") will be paid, to the extent available,
from the Reserve Account and, if necessary, from
Excess Spread and Reallocated Principal Collections.
Funds on deposit in the Principal Funding Account
will be available to pay the Class A Certificate
holders in respect of the Class A Investor Interest
on the Class A Scheduled Payment Date. If the
aggregate principal amount of deposits made to the
Principal Funding Account is insufficient to pay the
Class A Investor Interest in full on the Class A
Scheduled Payment Date, the Rapid Amortization Period
will commence as described below. Although it is
anticipated that during the Controlled Accumulation
Period prior to the payment of the Class A Investor
Interest in full, funds will be deposited in the
Principal Funding Account in an amount equal to the
applicable Controlled Deposit Amount on each Transfer
Date and that scheduled principal will be available
for distribution to the Class A Certificate holders
on the Class A Scheduled Payment Date, no assurance
can be given in that regard. See "Maturity
Considerations".
On the Class B Scheduled Payment Date, provided that
the Class A Investor Interest is paid in full on the
Class A Scheduled Payment Date and the Rapid
Amortization Period has not commenced, Available
Investor Principal Collections will be used to pay
the Class B Certificate holders in respect of the
Class B Investor Interest as described herein. If
Available Investor Principal Collections are
insufficient to pay the Class B Investor Interest in
full on the Class B Scheduled Payment Date, the Rapid
Amortization Period will commence as described below.
Although it is anticipated that scheduled principal
will be available for distribution to the Class B
Certificate holders on the Class B Scheduled Payment
Date, no assurance can be given in that regard. See
"Maturity Considerations".
If a Pay Out Event occurs during the Controlled
Accumulation Period, the Rapid Amortization Period
will commence and any amounts on deposit in the
Principal Funding Account will be deposited in the
Distribution Account for distribution to the Class A
Certificate holders on the Distribution Date
following the Monthly Period in which the Rapid
Amortization Period commences. See "Maturity
Considerations", "Description of the Certificates
Application of Collections" and "--Subordination of
the Class B Certificates".
Principal Payments;
Rapid Amortization
Period During the period beginning on the day on which a Pay
Out Event occurs or is deemed to occur and continuing
to and including the earlier of (a) the date on which
the Investor Interest has been paid in full and (b)
the Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination Date (the
"Rapid Amortization Period"), the Principal
Allocation along with Shared Principal Collections
from other Series, if any, will be distributed
monthly to the Class A Certificate holders until the
Class A Investor Interest is paid in full and,
following the final principal payment to the Class A
Certificate holders, to the Class B Certificate
holders until the Class B Investor Interest is paid
in full and, following the final principal payment to
the Class B Certificate holders, to the Collateral
Interest Holder until the Collateral
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<PAGE>
Interest is paid in full, on each Distribution Date
beginning with the Distribution Date in the month
following the Monthly Period in which the Rapid
Amortization Period commences. See "Description of
the Certificates--Pay Out Events" for a discussion of
the events which might lead to the commencement of a
Rapid Amortization Period.
Scheduled Payment of
Principal and Interest The final distributions of interest and the scheduled
payment of principal on the Class A Certificates and
the Class B Certificates, respectively, are scheduled
to be made on the [August 2002] Distribution Date
(the "Class A Scheduled Payment Date") and the
[September 2002] Distribution Date (the "Class B
Scheduled Payment Date"; "Scheduled Payment Date"
shall refer to the Class B Scheduled Payment Date
and/or the Class A Scheduled Payment Date, as
applicable) and will be made no later than the [April
2005] Distribution Date (the "Scheduled Series 1997-2
Termination Date"). After the Scheduled Series 1997-2
Termination Date, neither the Trust nor the
Transferor will have any further obligation to pay
principal or interest on the Certificates.
Exchanges The Agreement authorizes the Trustee to issue two
types of certificates: (i) one or more Series of
certificates transferable and having the
characteristics described below and (ii) the
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate, a certificate
evidencing the Transferor Interest, currently held by
PSFC and transferable only as provided in the
Agreement. The Agreement also provides that, pursuant
to any one or more supplements to the Agreement
(each, a "Supplement"), the Holder of the
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate may tender the
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate (a "Transferor
Exchange") or, if provided in the relevant
Supplement, the Transferor may transfer certificates
representing any Series of certificates and the
Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate may
transfer the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate (an
"Investor Exchange"), to the Trustee in exchange for
one or more new Series and a reissued Exchangeable
Transferor Certificate (any tender pursuant to a
Transferor Exchange or an Investor Exchange being
referred to as an "Exchange"). The Series 1997-2
Supplement permits an Investor Exchange with respect
to the Certificates. See "Description of the
Certificates--Exchanges". At all times, however, the
interest in the Principal Receivables in the Trust
represented by the Transferor Interest must equal or
exceed the Minimum Transferor Interest (as defined
below). Under the Agreement, the Supplement executed
by the Transferor and the Trust in conjunction with
an Exchange will define, with respect to any Series,
the Principal Terms of the Series. The Transferor and
the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate
may offer any Series to the public or other investors
under a prospectus or other disclosure document (a
"Disclosure Document") in transactions either
registered under the Securities Act or exempt from
registration thereunder, directly or through the
Underwriters or one or more other underwriters or
placement agents, in fixed-price offerings or in
negotiated transactions or otherwise. The Transferor
and the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate may offer, from time to time, additional
Series issued by the Trust. See "Description of the
Certificates--Exchanges".
Under the Agreement and pursuant to a Supplement, an
Exchange may occur only upon delivery to the Trustee
of the following: (i) a Supplement specifying the
Principal Terms of such Series, (ii) an opinion of
counsel to the effect that the certificates of such
Series under existing law will be characterized as
indebtedness for Federal income tax purposes and that
the issuance of such
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<PAGE>
Series will not materially adversely affect the
Federal income tax characterization of any
outstanding Series, (iii) if required by the related
Supplement, the form of Enhancement, (iv) if
Enhancement is required by the Supplement, an
appropriate Enhancement instrument or agreement, (v)
written confirmation from the Rating Agency that the
Exchange will not result in such Rating Agency
reducing or withdrawing its rating on any then
outstanding Series rated by it, and (vi) the existing
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate and, if
applicable, the certificates representing the Series
to be exchanged.
The Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate
also has the right, upon Transferor consent, to
transfer the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate, and
the Transferor also has the right to sell, transfer
or pledge the Accounts, provided that certain
requirements contained in the Agreement are satisfied
and that the Rating Agency has confirmed that such
sale, transfer or pledge will not result in the
reduction or withdrawal of its then existing rating
of the Certificates. See "Description of the
Certificates--Sale of Accounts" and "--Certain
Matters Regarding the Transferor and the Servicer".
Receivables The Receivables arise in Accounts that have been
selected from the VISA and MasterCard credit card
accounts owned by the Transferor based on criteria
provided in the Agreement as applied with respect to
each Account upon its inclusion in the portfolio and
on the date of the inclusion of the related
Receivables in the Trust. The Receivables consist of
amounts charged by cardholders for goods and services
and cash advances (the "Principal Receivables") plus
the related periodic finance charges billed to the
Accounts, amounts billed to the Accounts in respect
of annual membership fees, cash advance fees, late
fees, returned check fees, overlimit fees, certain
premiums in respect of credit insurance relating to
cardholders' balances, Recoveries, Interchange and
investment earnings on the Excess Funding Account
(collectively, the "Finance Charge Receivables").
Proceeds from the sale of all or a portion of an
Interest Rate Cap will also be treated under the
Supplement as Finance Charge Collections, allocable
to the related class of Offered Certificates. In
addition, if the Transferor exercises the Discount
Option in accordance with the terms and conditions of
the Agreement, an amount equal to the product of the
Discount Percentage and the amount of Receivables
arising in designated Accounts on and after the date
such option is exercised that otherwise would be
Principal Receivables will be treated as Finance
Charge Receivables. See "Description of the
Certificates--Discount Option". "Accounts" means VISA
and MasterCard credit card accounts identified as
part of the accounts underlying the Receivables in
the Trust Portfolio as of _________________, (the
"Series Cut-Off Date"). "Recoveries" means amounts
received with respect to charged-off credit card
receivables of the Bank Portfolio allocable to the
Trust. The aggregate amount of Receivables in the
Accounts as of the Series Cut-Off Date was
approximately $_____________. The Finance Charge
Receivables will not affect the amount of the
Investor Interest represented by the Certificates or
the amount of the Transferor Interest, which are
determined on the basis of the amount of the
Principal Receivables in the Trust.
During the term of the Trust, all new Receivables
arising in the Accounts will be automatically
transferred (without further action by the
Transferor) to the Trust by the Transferor. The total
amount of Receivables in the Trust will fluctuate
from day to day, because the amount of new
Receivables arising in the
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<PAGE>
Accounts and the amount of payments collected on
existing Receivables usually differ each day. Because
the Transferor Interest represents the interest in
the Principal Receivables in the Trust not
represented by the Certificates, the certificates of
other Series or any other undivided interests in the
Trust, the amount of the Transferor Interest will
fluctuate from day to day as Receivables are
collected and new Receivables are transferred to the
Trust. See "The Receivables".
Addition and Removal of
Accounts Pursuant to the Agreement, the Transferor has
(subject to certain limitations and conditions)
designated and may in the future designate additional
eligible consumer revolving credit accounts or
categories of eligible consumer revolving credit
accounts satisfying certain criteria specified in the
Agreement (the "Automatic Additional Accounts") and
has conveyed or will convey (as applicable) to the
Trust all of the Receivables in such Automatic
Additional Accounts whether such Receivables are then
existing or thereafter created. See "Description of
the Certificates--Addition of Accounts".
Additionally, pursuant to the Agreement, the
Transferor has the right (subject to certain
limitations and conditions) and, in some
circumstances, is obligated, to designate additional
eligible consumer revolving credit accounts to be
included as Accounts (the "Additional Accounts") and
to convey to the Trust all of the Receivables in the
Additional Accounts whether such Receivables are then
existing or thereafter created. The Transferor
previously designated Additional Accounts to be
included as Accounts on July 9, 1993, October 4,
1994, July 14, 1995, May 1, 1996, October 1, 1996,
May 1, 1997, and August 1, 1997.
Automatic Additional Accounts and Additional Accounts
will consist of certain of the Transferor's VISA
credit card accounts and MasterCard credit card
accounts constituting, respectively, Eligible
Automatic Additional Accounts and Eligible Additional
Accounts and satisfying certain other criteria, and
arising in Accounts designated by the Transferor from
time to time. Automatic Additional Accounts and
Additional Accounts may, subject to certain
conditions, also include certain other consumer
revolving credit accounts. See "Description of the
Certificates--Addition of Accounts".
Further, pursuant to the Agreement, the Transferor
has the right (subject to certain limitations and
conditions) to remove the Receivables related to
certain Accounts designated by the Transferor from
the Trust (the "Removed Accounts") and accept the
conveyance of all the Receivables in the Removed
Accounts, whether such Receivables are then existing
or thereafter created. See "Description of the
Certificates--Removal of Accounts".
Denomination The Offered Certificates will be offered for purchase
in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral
multiples thereof.
Registration of Offered
Certificates The Offered Certificates will initially be
represented by certificates registered in the name of
Cede, as the nominee of DTC. No Offered Certificate
Owner will be entitled to receive a definitive
certificate representing such person's interest,
except in the event that Definitive Certificates (as
defined herein) are issued under the limited
circumstances described herein. See "Description of
the Certificates--Definitive Certificates".
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<PAGE>
Clearance and Settlement Offered Certificate Owners may elect to hold their
certificates through DTC (in the United States) or
Cedel or Euroclear (in Europe), each of which in turn
hold through DTC. Transfers within DTC or Cedel or
Euroclear, as the case may be, will be made in
accordance with the usual rules and operating
procedures of the relevant system. Cross-market
transfers between persons holding directly or
indirectly through DTC in the United States, on the
one hand, and counterparties holding directly or
indirectly through Cedel or Euroclear, on the other,
will be effected in DTC through the relevant
Depositaries of Cedel or Euroclear. See "Description
of the Certificates--Book-Entry Registration" and
Annex II.
Servicer The Servicer is People's Bank, a Connecticut
chartered stock savings bank. In certain limited
circumstances, People's Bank may resign or be removed
as Servicer, in which event the Trustee or a third
party servicer may be appointed as successor servicer
(People's Bank, and any such successor servicer
acting in such capacity, are referred to herein as
the "Servicer"). The Servicer is permitted to
delegate certain of its duties as servicer under the
Agreement to any of its affiliates, but any such
delegation will not relieve the Servicer of its
obligations thereunder.
Collections The Servicer will deposit all Collections in an
account established for such purpose (the "Collection
Account"). All amounts deposited in the Collection
Account will be allocated in the manner provided in
the Agreement, as supplemented by the Series 1997-2
Supplement, and the Supplements relating to any past
or future Series, by the Servicer between Principal
Collections and Finance Charge Collections. If the
Discount Option is exercised by the Transferor,
certain Collections that would otherwise be
characterized as Principal Collections will instead
be treated as Finance Charge Collections. See
"Description of the Certificates--Discount Option".
In addition, pursuant to the Series 1997-2
Supplement, proceeds from any sale of the Class A
Interest Rate Cap or the Class B Interest Rate Cap
will be allocated as Finance Charge Collections to
the related class of Offered Certificates. All such
amounts will then be allocated in accordance with the
respective interests of the Certificate holders, the
Certificate holders of any other Series and the
Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate in
the Principal Receivables and in the Finance Charge
Receivables in the Trust. See "Description of the
Certificates--Allocation Percentages".
Subordination of the
Class B Certificates
and the Collateral
Interest The Class B Investor Interest and the Collateral
Interest will be subordinated as described herein to
the extent necessary to fund certain payments with
respect to the Class A Certificates and the Class A
Monthly Servicing Fee as described herein. In
addition, the Collateral Interest will be
subordinated as described herein to the extent
necessary to fund certain payments with respect to
the Class B Certificates and the Class B Monthly
Servicing Fee. If the Collateral Interest is reduced
to zero, the Class B Certificate holders will bear
directly the credit and other risks associated with
their interest in the Trust. If the Class B Investor
Interest and the Collateral Interest are reduced to
zero, the Class A Certificate holders will bear
directly the credit and other risks associated with
their interest in the Trust. To the extent the Class
B Investor Interest is thereby reduced, the
percentage of Finance Charge Collections allocated to
the Class B Certificate holders in subsequent Monthly
Periods will be reduced. Such reductions of the Class
B Investor Interest will thereafter be reimbursed and
the Class B Investor
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<PAGE>
Interest increased on each Distribution Date by the
amount, if any, of Excess Spread and any Shared
Finance Charge Collections from other Series
available for that purpose for such Distribution
Date. Moreover, to the extent the amount of such
reduction in the Class B Investor Interest is not
reimbursed, the amount of principal distributable to
the Class B Certificate holders will be reduced. See
"Description of Certificates--Subordination of the
Class B Certificates" and "--Application of
Collections".
Application of Excess
Spread and Reallocated
Cashflow If Finance Charge Collections allocable to the Class
A Investor Interest for any Monthly Period plus,
during the Controlled Accumulation Period, Principal
Funding Investment Proceeds and amounts, if any,
withdrawn from the Reserve Account with respect to
such Monthly Period, are insufficient (such
insufficiency being the "Class A Required Amount") to
pay (i) interest accrued on the Class A Certificates
with respect to the related Distribution Date in an
amount equal to the sum of (a) the Class A Monthly
Cap Rate Interest due on the related Distribution
Date and any overdue Class A Monthly Cap Rate
Interest, and (b) the Class A Covered Amount for the
related Interest Period, (ii) the Class A Monthly
Servicing Fee for the related Interest Period and any
overdue Class A Monthly Servicing Fees, (iii) the
Class A Investor Default Amount for such Monthly
Period, and (iv) unreimbursed Class A Investor
Charge-Offs (the aggregate of clauses (i) through
(iv), the "Class A Payment Amount"), then first,
Excess Spread, if any, from Finance Charge
Collections allocable to the Class B Certificates and
the Collateral Interest will be allocated to the
Class A Certificates up to the Class A Required
Amount, and second, Shared Finance Charge
Collections, if any, allocable to the Certificates
will be allocated to the Class A Certificates up to
the remaining Class A Required Amount. If the sum of
such Excess Spread and Shared Finance Charge
Collections is less than the Class A Required Amount
for such Monthly Period, Reallocated Collateral
Principal Collections and, if the foregoing is
insufficient, Reallocated Class B Principal
Collections with respect to the related Monthly
Period, will be used to fund the remaining Class A
Required Amount. The Collateral Interest will be
reduced by the amount of Reallocated Collateral
Principal Collections and Reallocated Class B
Principal Collections used to fund the Class A
Required Amount, and the Class B Investor Interest
will be reduced by the amount of Reallocated Class B
Principal Collections in excess of the Collateral
Interest (after giving effect to reductions for any
Collateral Interest Charge-Offs and any Reallocated
Collateral Principal Collections as of the related
Distribution Date) used to fund the Class A Required
Amount.
If, on the related Distribution Date, Reallocated
Principal Collections are insufficient to fund the
remaining Class A Required Amount for such Monthly
Period, then the Collateral Interest (after giving
effect to reductions for any Collateral Interest
Charge-Offs and Reallocated Principal Collections as
of such Distribution Date) will be reduced by the
amount of such deficiency (but not by more than the
Class A Investor Default Amount for the related
Monthly Period). In the event that such reduction
would cause the Collateral Interest to be a negative
number, the Collateral Interest will be reduced to
zero, and the Class B Investor Interest (after giving
effect to reductions for any Class B Investor
Charge-Offs and any Reallocated Class B Principal
Collections as of such Distribution Date) will be
reduced by the amount by which the Collateral
Interest would have been reduced below zero. In the
event that such reduction would cause the Class B
Investor Interest to be a negative number, the Class
B
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<PAGE>
Investor Interest will be reduced to zero and the
Class A Investor Interest will be reduced by the
amount by which the Class B Investor Interest would
have been reduced below zero (such reduction, a
"Class A Investor Charge-Off").
If Finance Charge Collections allocable to the Class
B Investor Interest for any Monthly Period are
insufficient (such insufficiency being the "Class B
Required Amount") to pay (i) interest accrued on the
Class B Certificates with respect to the related
Distribution Date in an amount equal to the Class B
Monthly Cap Rate Interest due on the related
Distribution Date and any overdue Class B Monthly Cap
Rate Interest, (ii) the Class B Monthly Servicing Fee
for the related Interest Period and any overdue Class
B Monthly Servicing Fees, (iii) the Class B Investor
Default Amount for such Monthly Period, and (iv)
unreimbursed Class B Investor Charge-Offs (the
aggregate of clauses (i) through (iv), the "Class B
Payment Amount"), then first, Excess Spread, if any,
from Finance Charge Collections allocable to the
Class A Certificates and the Collateral Interest, to
the extent not required to pay the Class A Required
Amount for such Monthly Period, will be allocated to
the Class B Certificates up to the Class B Required
Amount, and second, Shared Finance Charge
Collections, if any, allocable to the Certificates
and not required to pay the Class A Required Amount
for such Monthly Period will be allocated to the
Class B Certificates up to the remaining Class B
Required Amount. If the sum of such Excess Spread and
such Shared Finance Charge Collections is
insufficient to fund the Class B Required Amount for
such Monthly Period, Reallocated Collateral Principal
Collections for the related Monthly Period and not
required to fund the Class A Required Amount will be
used to fund the remaining Class B Required Amount.
If, on the related Distribution Date, Reallocated
Collateral Principal Collections not required to fund
the Class A Required Amount are insufficient to fund
the remaining Class B Required Amount for such
Monthly Period, then the Collateral Interest (after
giving effect to reductions for any Collateral
Interest Charge-Offs, Reallocated Principal
Collections and any adjustments made thereto for the
benefit of the Class A Certificate holders) will be
reduced by the amount of such deficiency (but not by
more than the Class B Investor Default Amount for
such Monthly Period). In the event that such
reduction would cause the Collateral Interest to be a
negative number, the Collateral Interest will be
reduced to zero, and the Class B Investor Interest
will be reduced by the amount by which the Collateral
Interest would have been reduced below zero (such
reduction, a "Class B Investor Charge-Off"). In the
event of a reduction of the Class A Investor
Interest, the Class B Investor Interest or the
Collateral Interest, the amount of principal and
interest available to fund payments with respect to
the Class A Certificates, the Class B Certificates
and the Collateral Interest will be decreased. See
"Description of the Certificates--Reallocation of
Cash Flows" and "--Defaulted Receivables; Adjustments
and Fraudulent Charges".
Finance Charge Collections allocable to the
Collateral Interest for any Monthly Period will be
applied to pay the Collateral Interest Monthly
Servicing Fee with respect to such Monthly Period and
any accrued and unpaid Collateral Interest Monthly
Servicing Fee with respect to prior Monthly Periods,
and any such remaining Finance Charge Collections
will be applied as Excess Spread.
With respect to the related Transfer Date, Excess
Spread not required to fund the Class A Required
Amount and the Class B Required Amount, if any, will
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<PAGE>
be applied as specified in "Description of the
Certificates--Allocation of Funds--Payment of Fees,
Interest and Other Items".
Required Collateral
Interest The "Required Collateral Interest" with respect to
any Transfer Date means (a) initially, the Initial
Collateral Interest and (b) on any Transfer Date
thereafter, an amount equal to ____% of the Adjusted
Investor Interest on such Transfer Date, after taking
into account deposits into the Principal Funding
Account on such Transfer Date and all payments to be
made on the related Distribution Date and all
adjustments made on such Transfer Date, but not less
than $_________; provided, however, that (1) if
certain reductions in the Collateral Interest occur
or if a Pay Out Event occurs, the Required Collateral
Interest for such Transfer Date shall equal the
Required Collateral Interest for the Transfer Date
immediately preceding the occurrence of such
reduction or Pay Out Event; (2) in no event shall the
Required Collateral Interest exceed the unpaid
principal amount of the Offered Certificates as of
the last day of the Monthly Period preceding such
Transfer Date, less cash held in the Principal
Funding Account as of such Transfer Date, after
taking into account payments to be made on the
related Distribution Date; and (3) the Required
Collateral Interest may be reduced at any time to a
lesser amount upon written confirmation from the
Rating Agency that such reduction will not result in
the Rating Agency reducing or withdrawing its rating
on any then outstanding Series rated by it. See
"Description of the Certificates--Required Collateral
Interest".
If on any Transfer Date, the Collateral Interest has
been reduced to an amount less than the Required
Collateral Interest, Excess Spread, to the extent
available, will be used to increase the Collateral
Interest to the extent of such shortfall. See
"Description of the Certificates--Allocation of
Funds--Excess Spread."
Interest Rate Cap On the Closing Date, the Trustee will enter into the
Class A Interest Rate Cap and the Class B Interest
Rate Cap with the Interest Rate Cap Provider for the
exclusive benefit of the Class A Certificate holders
and the Class B Certificate holders, respectively. On
each Transfer Date that the Class A Certificate Rate
or the Class B Certificate Rate for the related
Interest Period exceeds the Class A Cap Rate or the
Class B Cap Rate, respectively, the Interest Rate Cap
Provider will make a payment to the Trustee, on
behalf of the Trust, based on the amount of such
excess and the notional amount of the applicable
Interest Rate Cap. The Class A Notional Amount will
at all times be equal to or greater than the amount
of the Expected Class A Principal, and the Class B
Notional Amount will at all times equal the amount of
the Expected Class B Principal. The Class A Interest
Rate Cap and the Class B Interest Rate Cap will
terminate on the day immediately following the Class
A Scheduled Payment Date and the Class B Scheduled
Payment Date, respectively; provided, however, that
the Class A Interest Rate Cap and the Class B
Interest Rate Cap may each be terminated at an
earlier date if the Trustee has obtained a
Replacement Interest Rate Cap or entered into a
Qualified Substitute Arrangement with respect
thereto.
Shared Collections In any Monthly Period during the Revolving Period,
Principal Collections otherwise allocable to the
Certificates, to the extent not required to be paid
to the Collateral Interest Holder in respect of the
excess, if any, of the Collateral Interest over the
Required Collateral Interest, will be available to
cover principal payments due to or for the benefit of
the Certificate holders of other Series. In addition,
if in any Monthly Period during the Controlled
Accumulation Period
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the Principal Allocation is greater than the sum of
(i) the Controlled Deposit Amount and (ii) the
Collateral Monthly Principal, such excess will also
be available to cover principal payments due to or
for the benefit of Certificate holders of other
Series and holders of other undivided interests in
the Trust issued pursuant to the Agreement and the
applicable Supplements. Such Principal Collections
applied to the payment of certificates of other
Series and to such other interests in the Trust are
herein referred to as "Shared Principal Collections".
Any such application of Shared Principal Collections
to other Series will not result in a reduction in the
Investor Interest of this Series. In addition,
amounts designated as Shared Principal Collections
pursuant to the Supplement for any other Series may
be applied to cover principal payments due to or for
the benefit of the Certificate holders. See
"Description of the Certificates--Allocation of
Funds".
In any Monthly Period, the amount of Excess Spread
available after application of those items listed
under "Description of the Certificates--Allocation of
Funds--Payment of Fees, Interest and Other Items"
(such amount constituting "Shared Finance Charge
Collections") will be applied to cover any shortfalls
with respect to certain amounts payable from Finance
Charge Collections allocable to any other Series or
other undivided interests in the Trust then
outstanding. In addition, amounts designated as
Shared Finance Charge Collections pursuant to the
Supplement for any other Series may be applied to
cover certain payments due to be made out of Finance
Charge Collections to the Certificate holders,
including the reimbursement of reductions in the
Class B Investor Interest arising in connection with
the payment of the Class A Required Amount and the
reimbursement of reductions in the Collateral
Interest arising in connection with the payment of
the Class A Required Amount and the Class B Required
Amount. See "Description of the
Certificates--Allocation of Funds".
Shared Finance Charge Collections and Shared
Principal Collections will be applied to any Series
(and any related undivided interests in the Trust)
then outstanding pro rata, based upon the amount of
shortfall, if any, with respect to such Series (and
such interests).
Repurchase The Investor Interest will be subject to optional
purchase by the Transferor on any Distribution Date
on which the Investor Interest is an amount less than
or equal to 5% of the Initial Investor Interest
(after giving effect to all payments to be made on
such date), if certain conditions set forth in the
Agreement are met. The Investor Interest will be
subject to mandatory purchase by the Transferor on
the Distribution Date immediately preceding the
Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination Date if the
Investor Interest is reduced to an amount less than
or equal to 5% of the Initial Investor Interest, if
certain conditions set forth in the Agreement are
met. The mandatory purchase requirement is in
addition to any other provisions and remedies
provided by the Agreement and will not serve to
relieve any party of obligations it may otherwise
have or waive any remedy that is otherwise provided.
The purchase price will equal the Investor Interest,
accrued and unpaid interest on the Certificates and
all other amounts owing under the Loan Agreement
among the Trustee, the Transferor, the Servicer and
the Collateral Interest Holder (the "Loan Agreement")
through the last day preceding the Distribution Date
on which the purchase occurs. See "Description of the
Certificates--Final Payment of Principal; Termination
of the Trust".
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<PAGE>
Tax Status Special tax counsel to the Transferor, Mayer, Brown &
Platt, is of the opinion that under existing law the
Offered Certificates will be characterized as
indebtedness for federal income tax purposes. Under
the Agreement, the Transferor, the Trustee, the
Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate and
the Certificate Owners will agree to treat the
Certificates as debt for tax purposes. See "Certain
Federal Income Tax Consequences" for additional
information concerning the application of federal
income tax laws.
ERISA Considerations Under regulations issued by the Department of Labor,
the Trust's assets would not be deemed "plan assets"
of an employee benefit plan holding the Offered
Certificates of any class if certain conditions are
met, including that the Offered Certificates of such
class be held by at least 100 persons independent of
the Transferor and each other upon completion of the
public offering being made hereby. The Class A
Underwriters will not sell the Class A Certificates
to employee benefit plans unless they believe that
the Class A Certificates will be held by at least 100
persons upon the completion of this offering. The
Transferor anticipates that the other conditions of
the regulations will be met. The Class B Certificates
may not be acquired with the assets of any employee
benefit plan. If the Trust's assets were deemed to be
"plan assets" of such a plan, there is uncertainty as
to whether existing exemptions from the "prohibited
transaction" rules of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), would
apply to all transactions involving the Trust's
assets. Regardless of whether the Trust's assets are
deemed to constitute "plan assets", an employee
benefit plan's purchase of Offered Certificates may,
in the absence of an exemption, constitute a
prohibited transaction if any of the Transferor, the
Servicer, the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate, the Trustee or the Underwriters is a
party in interest with respect to that plan.
Accordingly, employee benefit plans contemplating
purchasing the Offered Certificates should consult
their counsel before making a purchase. See "Certain
Employee Benefit Plan Considerations".
Class A
Certificate Rating It is a condition to the issuance of the Class A
Certificates that the Class A Certificates be rated
in the highest generic rating category by at least
one nationally recognized rating agency.
Class B
Certificate Rating It is a condition to the issuance of the Class B
Certificates that the Class B Certificates be rated
in one of the three highest generic rating categories
by at least one nationally recognized rating agency.
Listing Application will be made to list the Class A
Certificates on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.
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RISK FACTORS
Limited Liquidity. There is currently no market for the Offered
Certificates. The Underwriters intend to make a market in the Offered
Certificates but are not obligated to do so. There is no assurance that a
secondary market will develop or, if it does develop, that it will provide
Offered Certificate holders with liquidity of investment or that it will
continue until the Offered Certificates are paid in full.
Certain Legal Aspects. While the Transferor transferred interests in
the Receivables to the Trust, a court could treat such transaction as an
assignment of collateral as security for the benefit of holders of certificates
issued by the Trust. The Transferor represents and warrants in the Agreement
that the transfer of the Receivables to the Trust is either a valid transfer and
assignment of the Receivables to the Trust or the grant to the Trust of a
security interest in the Receivables. The Transferor has taken certain actions
as are required to perfect the Trust's security interest in the Receivables and
warrants that if the transfer to the Trust is deemed to be a grant to the Trust
of a security interest in the Receivables, the Trustee will have a first
priority perfected security interest therein. Nevertheless, a tax or government
lien on property of the Transferor where notice of such lien has been filed
before Receivables are transferred to the Trust may have priority over the
Trust's interest in such Receivables, and if the FDIC were appointed conservator
or receiver of the Transferor, certain administrative expenses of the
conservator, receiver or the State of Connecticut Department of Banking may have
priority over the Trust's interest in such Receivables. See"Certain Legal
Aspects of the Receivables--Transfer of Receivables".
To the extent that the Transferor has granted a security interest in
the Receivables to the Trust and that security interest was validly perfected
before the appointment of the FDIC as conservator or receiver and before the
Transferor's insolvency, and certain other conditions are satisfied including
that such security interest was not taken in contemplation of the insolvency of
the Transferor, and was not taken with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud
the Transferor or the creditors of the Transferor, such security interest should
be enforceable (to the extent of the Trust's"actual direct compensatory
damages") and should not be subject to avoidance by the FDIC, as receiver or
conservator for the Transferor, and, therefore, in such circumstances, payments
to the Trust with respect to the Receivables (up to the amount of such damages)
should not be subject to recovery by a conservator or receiver for the
Transferor. The foregoing conclusions are based on FDIC general counsel opinions
and policy statements regarding the application of certain provisions of the
Federal Deposit Insurance Act (as amended, the "FDIA"). While a Policy Statement
of the Resolution Trust Company (the "RTC") indicates that "actual direct
compensatory damages" would include outstanding principal plus interest accrued
to the date of payment, in one case a federal district court held that such
damages constituted the fair market value of the repudiated bonds as of the date
of repudiation, which, with respect to the Certificates, depending upon
circumstances existing on the date of repudiation, could be an amount less than
the outstanding principal plus interest accrued to the date of repudiation. The
FDIC has not adopted a policy statement on payment of interest on collateralized
borrowings of banks. If the conservator or receiver for the Transferor were to
assert that such security interest should not be enforceable or should be
subject to avoidance or were to require the Trustee to establish its right to
those payments by submitting to and completing the administrative claims
procedure under the FDIA, or the conservator or receiver were to request a stay
of proceedings with respect to the Transferor as provided under the FDIA, delays
in payments on the Certificates and possible reductions in the amount of those
payments could occur. In addition, the appointment of a receiver or conservator
could result in administrative expenses of the receiver or conservator having
priority over the interest of the Trust in the Receivables. The FDIC, as
conservator or receiver, would also have the rights and powers conferred under
Connecticut law. See "Certain Legal Aspects of the Receivables--Certain Matters
Relating to Conservatorship and Receivership".
If a conservator or receiver were appointed for the Transferor, then a
Pay Out Event could occur with respect to all Series then outstanding and,
pursuant to the Agreement, new Principal Receivables would not be transferred to
the Trust and, unless holders of more than 50% of the investor interest of each
Series of certificates issued and outstanding (or with respect to any Series
with two or more classes, more than 50% of each class) instruct otherwise, the
Trustee would sell the portion of the Receivables allocable to each Series that
did not vote to disapprove of the sale of the Receivables in accordance with the
Agreement in a commercially reasonable manner
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<PAGE>
and on commercially reasonable terms, which may cause early termination of the
Trust and a loss to Certificate holders of each such Series (including the
Certificate holders) if the proceeds from such early sale allocable to such
Series, if any, and the amounts available under any Enhancement applicable to
such Series were insufficient to pay Certificate holders of such Series in full.
If the only Pay Out Event to occur is either the insolvency of the Transferor or
the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the Transferor, the conservator
or receiver would have the power to prevent the early sale, liquidation or
disposition of the Receivables and the commencement of the Rapid Amortization
Period. A conservator or receiver may also have the power to cause the early
sale of the Receivables and the early retirement of the Certificates, to
prohibit the continued transfer of Principal Receivables to the Trust, and to
repudiate the servicing obligations of the Transferor. In addition, in the event
of a Servicer Default relating to the insolvency of the Servicer, if no Servicer
Default other than such conservatorship or receivership or insolvency exists,
the conservator or receiver for the Servicer may have the power to prevent
either the Trustee or the Certificate holders from appointing a successor
Servicer. See "Certain Legal Aspects of the Receivables--Certain Matters
Relating to Conservatorship and Receivership".
Consumer Protection Laws. The Accounts and Receivables are subject to
numerous federal and state consumer protection laws imposing requirements on the
making, enforcement and collection of consumer loans. The United States Congress
("Congress") and the states may enact laws and amendments to existing laws to
regulate further the credit card industry or to reduce finance charges or other
fees or charges applicable to credit card accounts. Such laws, as well as any
new laws or rulings which may be adopted, may adversely affect the Servicer's
ability to collect on the Receivables or maintain the required level of periodic
finance charges, annual membership fees and other fees. In addition, failure by
the Servicer to comply with such requirements could adversely affect the
Servicer's ability to enforce the Receivables. During recent years, federal
legislative proposals have attempted unsuccessfully to limit the maximum annual
percentage rate that issuers may assess on credit card accounts. If such
legislation were enacted and imposed an interest rate cap substantially lower
than the annual percentage rates currently assessed on the Accounts, it is
likely that the Portfolio Yield (averaged over a period of three consecutive
Monthly Periods) would be reduced to a rate below the Base Rate for the last of
such Monthly Periods and therefore a Pay Out Event would occur with respect to
the Certificates. See "Description of the Certificates--Pay Out Events". In
addition, during recent years, there has been increased consumer awareness with
respect to the level of finance charges and fees and other practices of credit
card issuers. As a result of these developments and other factors, there can be
no assurance as to whether any federal or state legislation will be promulgated
imposing additional limitations on the monthly periodic finance charges or fees
relating to the Accounts.
Pursuant to the Agreement, the Transferor covenants to accept
reassignment of each Receivable not complying in all material respects with all
requirements of applicable law as of the time of its creation if, as a result of
such noncompliance, the related Account becomes a Defaulted Account or the
Trust's rights in, to or under the Receivable or its proceeds are impaired or
unavailable. The Transferor makes certain other representations and warranties
relating to the validity and enforceability of the Receivables. The Trustee has
not, however, and it is not anticipated that it will, make any examination of
the Receivables or the records relating thereto for the purpose of establishing
the presence or absence of defects, compliance with such representations and
warranties, or for any other purpose. The sole remedy if any such representation
or warranty is breached and such breach continues beyond the applicable cure
period is that the Transferor will be obligated to accept reassignment of the
Investor Interest in the Receivables affected thereby. See "Description of the
Certificate--Representations and Warranties" and "Certain Legal Aspects of the
Receivables--Consumer Protection Laws".
Application of federal and state bankruptcy and debtor relief laws
would affect the interests of the Certificate holders in the Receivables if such
laws result in any Receivables being written off as uncollectible when there are
insufficient funds available to reimburse such losses. See "Description of the
Certificates--Defaulted Receivables; Adjustments and Fraudulent Charges".
Competition in the Credit Card Industry. The credit card industry is
highly competitive and operates in an environment increasingly focused on the
interest and fees charged to consumers for credit card services. As new card
issuers enter the market and issuers seek to expand their shares of the market,
there is increased use of
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advertising, target marketing, pricing competition and incentive programs, all
of which may adversely impact issuer profit margins. The MasterCard and Visa
organizations do not require adherence to specific underwriting standards, and
therefore credit card issuers may compete on the basis of individual account
solicitation and underwriting criteria. People's Bank has traditionally competed
as a low fixed-rate provider of credit card services targeting highly
credit-worthy customers who carry balances on their credit cards. The growth of
People's Bank's credit card portfolio is largely due to customers who, attracted
by People's Bank's low rates, have transferred balances from competing credit
card issuers, as well as due to higher balances from purchases and cash
advances. The Transferor is participating in such competition through direct
marketing programs, average annual percentage rates and monthly minimum payment
rates the Transferor believes compare favorably to rates and fees charged by
certain of the Transferor's competitors and operating efficiencies which permit
it to maintain a favorable cost structure. If cardholders choose to utilize
competing sources of credit, the amount and rate of new Receivables generated in
the Accounts may be reduced and certain purchase and payment patterns with
respect to Receivables may be affected. The size of the Trust will be dependent
upon the Transferor's continued ability to generate new Receivables. If the
amount of new Receivables generated declines significantly, Receivables from
Additional Accounts (to the extent available) may be added to the Trust, as
described below, or a Pay Out Event could occur, in which event the Rapid
Amortization Period would commence. See "Description of the Certificates--Pay
Out Events".
Payments and Maturity. The Receivables may be paid at any time, and
there is no assurance that there will be additional Receivables created in the
Accounts or that any particular pattern of cardholder repayments will occur. The
commencement and continuation of the Controlled Accumulation Period will be
dependent upon the continued generation of new Receivables to be conveyed to the
Trust. A significant decline in the amount of Receivables generated could result
in the occurrence of a Pay Out Event for the Certificate holders and the
commencement of the Rapid Amortization Period. Certificate holders should be
aware that the Transferor's ability to continue to compete in the current
industry environment will affect the Transferor's ability to generate new
Receivables to be conveyed to the Trust and may also affect payment patterns.
The minimum monthly payment currently required on the Accounts generally
approximates 3% of the statement balances (as of specific dates), plus past due
amounts. A portion of the Receivables volume is a result of convenience use by
obligors who pay their entire monthly statement balance on or prior to its due
date and do not incur finance charges thereon. A significant decrease in the
cardholder monthly payment rate or minimum required payment could slow the
accumulation of principal during the Controlled Accumulation Period or delay the
payment of principal on the Class A Scheduled Payment Date or the Class B
Scheduled Payment Date or during the Rapid Amortization Period, and such delay
of the accumulation of principal or payment of principal, as the case may be,
could adversely affect the ability of investors to reinvest profitably. See
"--Ability to Change Terms of the Receivables", "Maturity Considerations" and
"The Credit Card Business of People's Bank--Underwriting Procedures".
Social, Technological and Economic Factors. Changes in card usage and
payment pattern by cardholders may result from a variety of social,
technological and economic factors. Social factors include potential changes in
consumers' attitudes to financing purchases with debt. Technological factors
include new methods of payment, such as debit cards. Economic factors include
the rate of inflation, unemployment levels, personal bankruptcy levels and
relative interest rates. As a consequence of some of these factors, the credit
card industry has in recent months experienced generally increased levels of
losses and delinquencies. The loss and delinquency experience of the Trust
Portfolio has reflected that trend.
While the Trust Portfolio is a geographically diverse portfolio, the
largest concentration of accounts giving rise to the Receivables included in the
Trust Portfolio are in Connecticut. The concentration of such accounts is
currently approximately 14%. See "The Receivables". The loss and delinquency
experience in Connecticut is currently more favorable than the experience of the
Bank Portfolio. Connecticut's economy has historically been highly dependent on
the insurance, aerospace and defense industries. As a result of consolidation
and structural changes in the financial services sector and defense budget
cutbacks, Connecticut's overall job growth has lagged behind the United States
as a whole. However, total job growth has been positive in the state since 1993
and Connecticut residents continue to have the highest per capita income of any
state in the country. The Transferor is unable to determine and has no basis to
predict whether, or to what extent, social, technological or economic factors
will affect future credit card usage or payment patterns.
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<PAGE>
Effect of Subordination of the Class B Certificates. The Class B
Certificates are subordinated in right of payment of principal to payments of
principal and interest on the Class A Certificates. Payments of principal in
respect of the Class B Certificates will not commence until after the principal
payment with respect to the Class A Certificates has been made as described
herein. In addition, the Class B Investor Interest is subject to reduction if
the Class A Required Amount for any Monthly Period is not funded from
Collections allocable to the Class A Investor Interest, from payments under the
Class A Interest Rate Cap, from Excess Spread, from Shared Finance Charge
Collections from other Series allocable to the Certificates or from Reallocated
Collateral Principal Collections and if the Collateral Interest has been reduced
to zero. If the Class B Investor Interest suffers such a reduction, the portion
of Finance Charge Collections allocable to the Class B Certificate holders in
future Monthly Periods will be reduced and principal and interest payments on
the Class B Certificates may be delayed or reduced. See "Description of the
Certificates--Subordination of the Class B Certificates". Such reductions of the
Class B Investor Interest will thereafter be reimbursed and the Class B Investor
Interest increased on each Distribution Date by the amount, if any, of Excess
Spread and Shared Finance Charge Collections from other Series available for
that purpose for such Distribution Date.
Further, in the event of a sale of the Receivables due to an Insolvency
Event, the portion of the net proceeds of such sale allocable to pay principal
of the Certificate holders' interest in such Receivables will first be used to
pay principal amounts due to the Class A Certificate holders and will then be
used to pay amounts due to the Class B Certificate holders, thereby causing a
loss to Class B Certificate holders if such remaining portion is insufficient to
pay the Class B Certificate holders in full. See "Description of the
Certificates--Principal Payments" and "--Pay Out Events". If the Class B
Investor Interest is reduced to zero, the Class A Certificate holders will bear
directly the credit and other risks associated with their undivided interest in
the Trust.
Ability to Change Terms of the Receivables. Pursuant to the Agreement,
the Transferor has not transferred, and will not transfer, the Accounts to the
Trust. Only the Receivables arising in the Accounts have been and will be so
transferred. As owner of the Accounts, the Transferor has the right (to the
extent provided in the applicable credit card agreements and the Agreement) to
determine the monthly periodic finance charge and other fees which will be
applicable from time to time to the Accounts, to alter the minimum monthly
payment required on the Accounts and to change various other terms with respect
to the Accounts. A decrease in the monthly periodic finance charges, annual
membership fees, cash advance fees or Interchange could decrease the effective
yield on the Accounts and could result in the occurrence of a Pay Out Event for
the Certificate holders and the commencement of the Rapid Amortization Period.
Under the Agreement, the Transferor has agreed that, except as otherwise
required by law or as is deemed by the Transferor to be necessary in order to
maintain its credit card business, based upon a good faith assessment by it, in
its sole discretion, of the nature of the competition in that business, the
Transferor will not (i) reduce the annual percentage rate which determines the
monthly periodic finance charges assessed on the Receivables or other fees on
the accounts, if as a result of such reduction, its reasonable expectation of
the Portfolio Yield as of such date would be less than the weighted average base
rates of all Series or (ii) unless required by law, reduce such periodic finance
charge if its reasonable expectation is that the Portfolio Yield would be less
than the highest certificate rate for any Series then issued and outstanding.
Such changes may include the reduction or waiver of annual membership fees in
connection with the Transferor's marketing effort. The term "Base Rate" with
respect to the Certificates generally means, with respect to any Monthly Period,
the weighted average of (x) the lesser of the Class A Certificate Rate and Class
A Cap Rate, (y) the lesser of the Class B Certificate Rate and the Class B Cap
Rate, and (z) the Collateral Rate (weighted based on the Class A Investor
Interest, the Class B Investor Interest and the Collateral Interest,
respectively, as of the last day of the preceding Monthly Period) plus the
Servicing Fee Rate. The term "Portfolio Yield" means generally, with respect to
the Certificates and any Monthly Period, the annualized percentage equivalent of
a fraction, the numerator of which is equal to the sum of the Finance Charge
Receivables allocable to the Investor Interest billed during such Monthly Period
after subtracting the Investor Default Amounts for such Monthly Period (but in
no event greater than the aggregate amount of Collections for such Monthly
Period), Principal Funding Investment Proceeds and amounts withdrawn from the
Reserve Account and deposited into the Finance Charge Account and allocable to
the Certificates for such Monthly Period, and the denominator of which is the
Investor Interest as of the last day of the preceding Monthly Period. In
addition, the Transferor has agreed that, upon the occurrence of the Pay Out
Event described in clause (iv) of "Description of the Certificates--Pay Out
Events" (relating to the average of the Portfolio
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Yields for any three consecutive Monthly Periods being less than the average of
the Base Rates for such period), the Transferor will not, unless required by
law, reduce the annual percentage rate determining the monthly periodic finance
charges on the Accounts to a rate resulting in the weighted average of the base
rates for all Series. The Transferor has also agreed not to change the terms of
the Accounts, unless (i) if the Transferor has a comparable segment of credit
card accounts, the change is also made applicable to the comparable segment of
the portfolio of accounts with similar characteristics owned by it and (ii) if
the Transferor does not own such a comparable segment, any such change is not
made with the intent to benefit the Transferor materially over the Certificate
holders. In servicing the Accounts, the Servicer is also required to exercise
the same care and apply the same policies that it exercises in handling similar
matters for its own comparable accounts. Except as specified above, there are no
restrictions on the Transferor's ability to change the terms of the Accounts.
While the Transferor has no current intention of decreasing the monthly periodic
finance charges on the overall Trust Portfolio, there can be no assurance that
changes in applicable law, changes in the marketplace or prudent business
practice might not result in a determination by the Transferor to take actions
changing this or other Account terms.
Master Trust Considerations. The Trust, as a master trust, will issue
the Certificates, has issued five prior Series of certificates, one of which has
been paid in full, and may issue additional Series of certificates in the
future. See "Annex I: Prior Series Issued and Outstanding". While the Principal
Terms of any Series will be specified in a Supplement, the provisions of a
Supplement and, therefore, the terms of any additional Series, will not be
subject to the prior review or consent of holders of the certificates of any
previously issued Series. Such Principal Terms may include methods for
determining applicable investor percentages and allocating Collections,
provisions creating different or additional security or other Enhancement,
provisions subordinating such Series to another Series (if the Supplement
relating to such Series so permits; the Series 1997-2 Supplement will not permit
the subordination of Series 1997-2 to any other Series) or other Series to such
Series, and any other amendment or supplement to the Agreement which is made
applicable only to such Series. It is a condition precedent to the issuance of
any additional Series that either (x) the Rating Agency delivers written
confirmation to the Trustee that such issuance or Exchange will not result in
the Rating Agency reducing or withdrawing its rating on any outstanding Series
or (y) if at the time of the issuance or Exchange there is no outstanding Series
currently rated by a Rating Agency, a nationally recognized investment banking
firm or commercial bank deliver a certificate to the Trustee to the effect that
the issuance or Exchange will not have an adverse effect on the timing or
distribution of payments to such other Series. There can be no assurance,
however, that the Principal Terms of any other Series, including any Series
issued from time to time hereafter, or that a change in the character of the
Trust Portfolio, through, for instance, the addition of Receivables arising from
Accounts and Receivables arising from Additional Accounts or Automatic
Additional Accounts, might not have an impact on the timing and amount of
payments received by a Certificateholder, including as a result of the refixing
of the Investor Percentage with respect to the allocation of the Principal
Receivables. See "Description of the Certificates--Exchanges" and "--Allocation
Percentages".
Addition of Accounts. The Transferor expects, and in some cases will be
obligated, to designate Additional Accounts from time to time, the Receivables
in which will be conveyed to the Trust. Such Additional Accounts will likely
include accounts originated using criteria different from those which were
applied to previously-designated Accounts, because such Accounts were originated
at a different date, under different underwriting criteria or by different
institutions, or represent a separate segment of People's Bank's credit card
business. Consequently, there can be no assurance that Additional Accounts
designated in the future will be originated, priced or underwritten in the same
manner as previously-designated Accounts. The designation of Additional Accounts
will be subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions described herein under
"Description of the Certificates--Addition of Accounts."
Control. Subject to certain exceptions, the Certificate holders of each
Series may take certain actions, or direct certain actions to be taken, under
the Agreement or the related Supplement. Under certain circumstances, however,
the consent or approval of a specified percentage of the aggregate investor
interest of all Series or of the investor interest of each Series will be
required to take or direct certain actions, including requiring the appointment
of a successor Servicer following a Servicer Default, amending the Agreement in
certain circumstances and directing a repurchase of all outstanding Series upon
the breach of certain representations and warranties by the Transferor. In such
instances, the interests of the Holders of the Certificates may not be aligned
with the interests of the holders
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of certificates of such other Series. Thus, even if the requisite majority of
Certificate holders votes to take or direct such action, the Certificate holders
of such other Series may control whether or not such action occurs.
Certificate Ratings. It is a condition to issuance of the Class A
Certificates that the Class A Certificates be rated in the highest generic
rating category by at least one nationally recognized rating agency. It is a
condition to the issuance of the Class B Certificates that the Class B
Certificates be rated in one of the three highest generic rating categories by
at least one nationally recognized rating agency. As used herein, the term
"Rating Agency" with respect to the Certificates, and with respect to any other
Series, means the rating agency or agencies from whom ratings have been
solicited as specified in the Supplement with respect to such Series. The
ratings address the likelihood of full payment of principal and interest of the
Certificates by the Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination Date. The ratings are
based primarily on the quality of the Receivables, the credit support provided
by the Collateral Interest, the Interest Rate Caps and, with respect to the
rating of the Class A Certificates, the terms of the Class B Certificates. The
ratings are not a recommendation to purchase, hold or sell Certificates,
inasmuch as such ratings do not comment as to the market price or suitability
for a particular investor. There is no assurance that the ratings will remain
for any given period of time or that the ratings will not be lowered or
withdrawn by the Rating Agency if in its judgment circumstances so warrant. The
ratings do not address the possibility of the occurrence of a Pay Out Event, and
they do not address the likelihood of any payment in respect of either Class A
Excess Interest or Class B Excess Interest.
Limited Credit Enhancement. Although credit enhancement with respect to
the Offered Certificates will be provided by (i) the Collateral Interest and
(ii) with respect to the Class A Certificates, the subordination of the Class B
Certificates, the Collateral Interest and the Class B Investor Interest are
limited and will be reduced by certain claims made that are not paid from
Finance Charge Collections allocated to the Certificates and are not reimbursed
from Excess Spread or Shared Finance Charge Collections. If Finance Charge
Collections allocated to the Investor Interest, Excess Spread, Shared Finance
Charge Collections allocated to the Certificates, and Reallocated Principal
Collections are not sufficient to cover the Class A Investor Default Amount and
the Class B Investor Default Amount in any Monthly Period and if the Collateral
Interest has been reduced to zero, the Investor Interest will be reduced (unless
it is otherwise reimbursed) resulting in a reduction of the amount of
Collections allocable to Certificate holders in future Monthly Periods and in a
reduction of the aggregate principal amount returned to the Certificate holders.
If the Collateral Interest and, with respect to the Class A Certificates, the
Class B Investor Interest are reduced to zero, Certificate holders will bear
directly the credit and other risks associated with their undivided interest in
the Trust. See "Description of the Certificates--Reallocation of Cash Flows" and
"--Defaulted Receivables; Adjustments and Fraudulent Charges".
Reductions of the Collateral Interest and the Class B Investor
Interest, other than reductions resulting from principal payments, will be
reimbursed by Excess Spread and Shared Finance Charge Collections which are
allocated and available to fund such amounts. Certain factors, such as lowering
the finance charges (including late fees and membership charges) on outstanding
Receivables balances and increased convenience use by obligors who pay their
entire monthly statement balance on or prior to its due date and do not incur
finance charges thereon, may lower the amount of Finance Charge Receivables
generated as well as Collections in respect thereof, and may thereby reduce the
Excess Spread and Shared Finance Charge Collections available to replenish the
credit enhancement. See "Description of the Certificates--Allocation of Funds".
Finally, a slowing in payment rates on the Receivables could extend the final
Distribution Date for the Class A Certificates and Class B Certificates beyond
the Scheduled Payment Date for each such class. See "--Payments and Maturity".
The Reallocated Collateral Principal Collections and the Reallocated Class B
Principal Collections may only be utilized to cover Required Amounts on and
prior to the Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination Date and will not be available
otherwise to pay the remaining principal on the Certificates at any time.
Book-Entry Registration. The Offered Certificates will be initially
represented by one or more certificates registered in the name of Cede, the
nominee for DTC, and will not be registered in the names of the Offered
Certificate Owners or their nominees. Because of this, unless and until
Definitive Certificates are issued, Offered Certificate Owners will not be
recognized by the Trustee as Offered Certificate holders, as that term is used
in the Agreement. Hence, until such time, Offered Certificate Owners will only
be able to exercise the rights of Offered
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Certificate holders indirectly through DTC and its participating organizations.
See "Description of the Certificates--Book-Entry Registration" and "--Definitive
Certificates".
Reports to Certificate holders. Unless and until Definitive
Certificates are issued, monthly and annual reports, containing information
concerning the Trust and prepared by the Servicer, will be sent on behalf of the
Trust to Cede, as nominee for DTC and the registered holder of the Offered
Certificates. Such reports will not constitute financial statements prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and will not be sent by
the Servicer or the Trustee to the Offered Certificate Owners. See "Description
of the Certificates--Book- Entry Registration", "--Definitive Certificates", and
"--Reports to Certificate holders".
Limitations on Interest Rate Cap Coverage. The Class A Notional Amount
of the Class A Interest Rate Cap will be reduced during the Controlled
Accumulation Period to an amount not less than the Expected Class A Principal.
Any Class A Excess Principal will not have the benefit of the Class A Interest
Rate Cap. The Class B Notional Amount of the Class B Interest Rate Cap will be
reduced to zero on the Class B Scheduled Payment Date. To the extent the Class B
Investor Interest is greater than zero on the Class B Scheduled Payment Date,
the Class B Certificate holders will not have the benefit at the Class B
Interest Rate Cap. In addition, the Certificates will not include the right to
receive any interest on Excess Principal in excess of the Class A Cap Rate or
the Class B Cap Rate, as applicable. While distributions may be made in respect
of the Class A Excess Interest or the Class B Excess Interest, such
distributions are not addressed in the ratings assigned by the Rating Agencies.
THE TRUST
The Trust has been formed in accordance with the laws of the State of
New York pursuant to the Agreement. Prior to its formation, the Trust did not
have any assets or obligations. The Trust has not and will not engage in any
activity, other than as described herein. The Trust will exist only for the
transactions described herein, including the receipt of the Receivables and
holding such Receivables, the issuance of the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate, the issuance of certificates of other, previously-issued Series,
the issuance of the Certificates and other undivided interests representing
additional Series and related activities (including, with respect to any Series,
receiving any Enhancement and entering into the Enhancement agreement relating
thereto) and making payments thereon. As a consequence, the Trust is not
expected to have any need for additional capital resources.
THE CREDIT CARD BUSINESS OF PEOPLE'S BANK
General
People's Bank began its credit card program in 1985 by marketing a low
interest rate credit card to highly creditworthy individuals in its market area.
As a result of the initial program's success, People's Bank expanded the program
nationally. The Nilson Report ranked People's Bank the 26th largest VISA USA,
Inc. ("VISA") and MasterCard International Incorporated ("MasterCard") credit
card issuer in the United States as of December 31, 1996 on the basis of
outstanding balances. People's Bank further expanded its credit card operations
in 1996 by establishing a limited branch in the United Kingdom, which had
generated credit card receivables of $49.5 million at December 31, 1996. No
receivable generated by the United Kingdom branch will be included in the Trust
Portfolio. All of the eligible receivables in the Trust Portfolio are payable in
United States dollars.
The Receivables conveyed or to be conveyed to the Trust by People's
Bank pursuant to the Agreement have been or will be generated from transactions
made by holders of certain VISA and certain MasterCard credit card accounts, a
subset of People's Bank's entire portfolio of credit card accounts, and include
finance charges and fees billed to the Accounts. The Accounts were generated
under the VISA or MasterCard associations of which People's Bank is a member.
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People's Bank services all of its accounts and receivables at its
facilities located in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Certain operations are performed
on behalf of People's Bank by Total System Services, Inc., of Columbus, Georgia
("Total System"), which operations include statement processing, printing and
mailing. People's Bank has used Total System for such services since it launched
its credit card program in 1985. If Total System were to fail or become
insolvent, delays in processing and recovery of information with respect to
charges incurred by cardholders could occur, and the replacement of such
services provided to People's Bank could be time-consuming. As a result, delays
in payments to Certificate holders could occur.
The entire portfolio of People's Bank VISA and MasterCard credit card
accounts (the "Bank Portfolio"), of which the accounts giving rise to the Trust
Portfolio are a part, includes premium accounts (i.e., VISA Gold, Gold
MasterCard and business accounts) and standard accounts (i.e., VISA Classic and
standard MasterCard). The accounts from which Receivables arose in the initial
Trust Portfolio included only the standard accounts and not premium accounts.
Effective with the May 1, 1996 addition of Additional Accounts, the Trust
Portfolio includes both standard and premium accounts. As of December 31, 1996,
4.98% of the accounts in the Bank Portfolio were premium accounts and 95.02%
were standard accounts, and the receivables balance of premium accounts and
standard accounts, as a percentage of the total balance of the receivables in
the Bank Portfolio, was 5.33% and 94.67%, respectively. Both premium and
standard accounts undergo the same credit analysis, but premium accounts
generally carry higher annual membership fees and have higher credit limits.
The VISA and MasterCard credit card accounts may be used for three
types of transactions: credit card purchases, cash advances and convenience
checks. Purchases occur when cardholders use credit cards to buy goods and/or
services. A cash advance is made when a credit card is used to obtain cash from
a financial institution or an automated teller machine. Cardholders may also use
convenience checks to (i) transfer balances from other credit card accounts to
their People's Bank accounts and (ii) draw against their VISA and MasterCard
credit card accounts at any time. Amounts due with respect to purchases, cash
advances and convenience checks are included in the Receivables.
In addition, cardholders have been able to purchase insurance covering
their account balances since March 1985. Premiums for this insurance are charged
to the account for each monthly Billing Cycle. Such insurance premiums are
included in the Receivables transferred to the Trust and are treated as Finance
Charge Receivables.
Each cardholder is subject to an agreement with People's Bank governing
the terms and conditions of the related VISA or MasterCard credit card account.
Pursuant to each such agreement, except as described herein, People's Bank
reserves the right, subject to fifteen days' prior notice to the cardholder or
as may be required by law, to add to, change or terminate any terms, conditions,
services or features of its VISA or MasterCard credit card accounts at any time,
including increasing or decreasing the periodic finance charges, other charges
or the minimum monthly payment requirements.
The credit evaluation, collection and charge-off policies and servicing
practices of People's Bank, as well as the terms and conditions governing
cardholder agreements in effect as of the date hereof, are under continuous
review and may change at any time in accordance with its business judgment,
applicable law and guidelines established by regulatory authorities.
Transactions creating the Receivables through the use of the credit
cards are processed through the VISA and MasterCard systems. Should either
system materially curtail its activities, or should People's Bank cease to be a
member of VISA or MasterCard, for any reason, a Pay Out Event could occur, and
delays in payments on the Receivables and possible reductions in the amounts
thereof could also occur.
Account Origination
The VISA and MasterCard credit card accounts owned by People's Bank
were principally generated through: (i) direct mail solicitations of individuals
who have been prescreened at credit bureaus on the basis of
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criteria furnished by People's Bank; (ii) applicant-initiated requests; (iii)
applications mailed to customers of People's Bank and customers of certain agent
banks for which People's Bank acts as a sponsor with VISA and/or MasterCard
pursuant to People's Bank's Agent Bank Account program (the "Agent Bank
Accounts"); and (iv) affinity marketing programs which are originated by
People's Bank by soliciting prospective cardholders from identifiable groups
with a common interest or a common cause, and with the assistance of an
organization of the members of such group ("Affinity Program Accounts"). In
addition to these account origination methods, People's Bank originates certain
co-brand accounts and solicits accounts from students and alumni of local
Connecticut universities. People's Bank applies the same credit criteria without
distinction among the foregoing sources of applications, as described below in
"Underwriting Procedures", and the performance by the cardholders of such
accounts is generally comparable to the remaining Bank Portfolio of accounts.
The largest percentage of all national accounts are originated through
targeted, prescreened direct-mail requests and a significant number of accounts
are originated through applicant-initiated requests. People's Bank's strategy of
offering a low interest rate credit card to highly creditworthy customers has
received significant attention by national consumer groups, consumer focused
publications and financial journals. These sources frequently publish
information regarding People's Bank's credit card products, including People's
Bank's toll free customer service telephone number. Prospective applicants
contact People's Bank using the toll free telephone number and request an
application, which they then complete and return to People's Bank, or complete
an application over the telephone.
Underwriting Procedures
All applications for accounts originated by People's Bank are reviewed
for completeness and creditworthiness based on the credit underwriting criteria
established by People's Bank. People's Bank uses credit reports issued by
independent credit reporting agencies with respect to the applicant. In the
event there are discrepancies between the application and the credit report, and
in certain other circumstances, People's Bank may verify certain information
regarding the applicant.
Applications and prescreened direct mail candidates are evaluated by
utilizing a credit scoring system, which was installed in July 1992. New scoring
models for prescreened and nonprescreened business were also installed in 1996.
Prior to such installation, People's Bank's credit card accounts were
underwritten completely judgmentally. Since July 1992, the judgmental
underwriting has been used to evaluate only those who score above a preset
level. The credit scoring model used by People's Bank was developed with Fair,
Isaac Companies, which has extensive experience in developing credit scoring
models. Credit scoring is intended to provide a general indication, based on the
information available, of the applicant's willingness and ability to repay his
or her obligations. Credit scoring evaluates a potential cardholder's credit
profile and certain application information in order to statistically quantify
credit risk. Models for credit scoring are developed by using statistics to
evaluate common characteristics and their correlation with credit risk. From
time to time, the credit scoring models used by People's Bank are reviewed and
are periodically updated to reflect more current statistical data. Based on
statistical analysis, People's Bank established a policy, as of August 1, 1994,
that certain accounts receiving high credit scores may be automatically approved
without judgmental review.
In the case of prescreened direct mail solicitations, selection
criteria established by People's Bank are used by credit bureaus to generate or
screen lists of qualifying individuals. Members of People's Bank's Credit Card
Services then mail solicitations to those qualifying individuals on the list.
Additional credit criteria are applied on a case-by-case basis to those
qualifying individuals accepting such solicitation to determine the appropriate
line of credit for such individuals. The information requested in the response
forms mailed to prescreened prospects is less extensive than the information
requested in the applications mailed to individuals who have not been
prescreened. Credit limits are assigned to prescreened prospective cardholders
based on a credit profile that includes existing indebtedness, past payment
patterns on other consumer loans and certain other criteria. The response forms
of individuals responding to prescreened direct mail solicitations are reviewed
by People's Bank and are checked again through credit reporting bureaus. If no
change in credit performance has occurred, an offer of credit is made.
Generally, each new cardholder is issued a credit card that expires two years
after issuance. People's Bank generally
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reissues credit cards with two-year expiration dates, so long as the payment
history of the cardholder satisfies certain criteria.
Billing and Payments
The Bank Portfolio has different billing and payment structures,
including minimum payment levels, annual membership fees and monthly periodic
charges.
For purposes of administrative convenience, the VISA and MasterCard
credit card accounts of People's Bank are currently grouped into twenty-two
billing cycles ending on the 5th through 27th day of each month (other than the
24th day) (each, a "Billing Cycle"). Each Billing Cycle has its own monthly
billing date, at which time the activity in the related accounts during the
month ending on such billing date is processed and billed to accountholders. See
"The Receivables". The Accounts include VISA and MasterCard credit card accounts
in Billing Cycles ending at the close of business on each of the days referred
to above. See "The Receivables".
Monthly billing statements are sent to accountholders with either debit
or credit activity during the Billing Cycle. Generally, each month,
accountholders must make at least a minimum payment equal to the greater of (i)
3% of the account balance and (ii) $10, plus any past due amount; provided,
however, that if the remaining balance is less than $10, the minimum payment
will be equal to the amount of such remaining balance.
The monthly periodic finance charges assessed on cash advances and
convenience checks are calculated by multiplying the average daily cash advance
balance by the applicable monthly periodic rate. Monthly periodic finance
charges are calculated on cash advances (including unpaid finance charges) from
the date of the transaction or, if a convenience check is used, the day the
convenience check is posted to the cardholder's account. The monthly periodic
finance charges assessed on purchases are calculated by multiplying the average
daily purchase balance by the applicable monthly periodic rate. Monthly periodic
finance charges are calculated on purchases (including certain fees and unpaid
finance charges) from the date of the purchase or the first day of the Billing
Cycle in which the purchase is posted to the account (whichever is later). The
credit card agreement provides that monthly periodic finance charges are not
assessed in most circumstances on purchases if the purchaser's new balance shown
in the billing statement is paid within 25 days after the last day of the
Billing Cycle, or if the purchaser's previous balance is zero. With certain
exceptions, the current fixed annual percentage rate for purchases is 13.9%;
however, periodically People's Bank will offer introductory rates below the
standard rate. An increase in the fixed annual percentage rate for purchases
might have the result of decreasing the volume of Receivables generated. The
current fixed annual percentage rate for cash advances is generally 19.8%. For a
break-down of the yield from finance charges and fees billed, see the table
titled "Revenue Experience Representative Portfolio" included under "Receivable
Yield Considerations".
People's Bank may, at its option, reduce the minimum payment
requirements and monthly periodic finance charges described above for the
accounts of cardholders who are members of Consumer Credit Counseling Services,
an organization which assists financially troubled cardholders with outstanding
credit card balances to devise a repayment program. Such repayment program
generally involves reducing the minimum monthly payment and/or reducing the
finance charges assessed. People's Bank may, but is not obligated to, accept
such repayment program.
People's Bank generally assesses a non-refundable annual membership fee
of $25 for standard accounts, $30 for business accounts and $40 for premium
accounts. In response to market trends commencing in 1995, People's Bank
originated a proportionately larger amount of credit card accounts that did not
require payment of an annual membership fee. In addition, People's Bank may
waive the annual membership fee, or a portion thereof, in connection with
certain solicitations, affinity programs and in certain other cases. Some of the
accounts may be subject to certain additional fees, including: (i) a late fee,
generally in the amount of $20, with respect to any monthly payment if the
required minimum monthly payment is not received by the payment due date shown
on the monthly billing statement; (ii) a cash advance fee equal to 2% of the
amount of each cash advance (minimum $3; maximum $25) applied per transaction at
ATMs, People's Bank or any other bank; (iii) an overlimit fee, generally in the
amount of $20; and (iv) a returned check fee, generally in the amount of $20.
Subject to the requirements
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of applicable laws, People's Bank may change certain of these fees and rates at
any time by written notice to cardholders. Pursuant to the terms of the
cardholder agreement, People's Bank may change the terms of such agreement and
must give cardholders 15 days' prior notice of any change which would result in
an increase in the rate of finance charges on existing balances or new activity,
or other fees, or impose a fee not set forth in such agreement.
Payments on People's Bank accounts are generally applied, in the
following order, to: finance charges, promotional balance transfers, the balance
of cash advances previously billed, the balance of new cash advances,
convenience checks, the balance of purchases previously billed, and the balance
of new purchases.
There can be no assurance that periodic finance charges, fees, and
other charges imposed by People's Bank will remain at current levels in the
future, or that the order of application of payments made on People's Bank's
accounts will remain as described above. See "Risk Factors--Consumer Protection
Laws".
Collection of Delinquent Accounts. An account is initially considered
delinquent if the minimum monthly payment indicated on the accountholder's
statement is not received within one calendar month from the statement date.
Efforts to collect delinquent credit card receivables are made by People's
Bank's personnel and collection agencies and attorneys retained by People's
Bank. Under current practice, accountholders that become one to ten days
delinquent are sent a notice on the billing statement and telephone calls to the
accountholder begin once an account becomes delinquent. People's Bank uses an
automated dialer to telephone delinquent accountholders. People's Bank also uses
the on-line collections system of Total System and a Fair, Isaac Companies
scoring system to analyze the collection risk on such accounts.
Generally, within 31 days of contractual delinquency, no additional
extensions of credit through such account are authorized and, at 61 days of
contractual delinquency, the account is closed. Consistent with the credit and
collection policies of People's Bank, in certain infrequent circumstances,
People's Bank may enter into arrangements with cardholders to extend or
otherwise change payment schedules, which can include the suspension of finance
charge accruals or bringing current (or "reaging") accounts where cardholders
make three consecutive minimum monthly payments. People's Bank will enter into
such arrangements only in circumstances where it believes its ability to collect
on the account will be enhanced by such arrangements.
The current policy of People's Bank is to charge-off, as a loan loss,
the principal portion of the receivables balance for both purchases and cash
advances at any time after the 210th through the 240th day of delinquency.
Charge-offs may occur earlier in some circumstances, as in the case of bankrupt
cardholders. At the time an account is charged off, an evaluation of its
collectibility is made on a case by case basis to determine whether further
remedies should be pursued by collection personnel at People's Bank, outside
collection agencies or, in some cases, outside attorneys. Delinquency levels are
monitored by collection managers and information is reported regularly to senior
management. Under the terms of the Agreement, any Recoveries will be included in
the assets of the Trust and considered Finance Charge Receivables.
Loss and Delinquency Experience
The following tables set forth the delinquency and loss experience for
each of the periods shown for receivables in accounts which would have
substantially satisfied the criteria for inclusion of its related receivables in
the Trust Portfolio (the "Representative Portfolio") set forth in the Agreement
as applied on each date listed in the tables below. The Servicer will file with
the Commission monthly reports with respect to the Trust, including information
with respect to revenues, losses and Portfolio Yield with respect to the
Accounts. There can be no assurance that the delinquency and loss experience for
the Receivables in the future will be similar to the historical experience of
the Representative Portfolio included in the tables set forth below because,
among other things, economic and financial conditions affecting the ability of
cardholders to pay may be different from those which prevailed during the
periods reflected below.
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Loss Experience
Representative Portfolio
(Dollars in Thousands)
Six Month Year Ended December 31,
Period Ended -------------------------------
June 30, 1997 1996 1995 1994
------------- ---- ---- ----
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Average Receivables Outstanding(1)
Gross Charge-Offs(2)(3)
Recoveries(4)
Net Charge-Offs(3)
Net Charge-Offs as Percentage of Average
Receivables Outstanding(3)
(1) Average Receivables Outstanding is the average of the daily receivable balance during the period indicated.
(2) Gross Charge-Offs are calculated before Recoveries and do not include the amount of any reductions in
Average Receivables Outstanding due to fraud.
(3) The amounts of charge-offs include the principal and interest portion of charged off receivables.
(4) Historically prepared as pro rata allocation of overall Bank Portfolio Recoveries. Prospectively, Recoveries
on Accounts in Trust Portfolio will be identified and allocated to the Trust.
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Delinquency Experience
Representative Portfolio
(Dollars in Thousands)
As of June 30, As of December 31,
-------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
1997 1996 1995 1994
Amount Percentage Amount Percentage Amount Percentage Amount Percentage
------ ---------- ------ ---------- ------ ---------- ------ ----------
Number of Days
Delinquent
(1)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
31 to 60 days $ $ $ $
61 to 90 days
91 to 120 days
121 to 150 days
151 to 180 days
181 days or greater
------ ---------- ------ ---------- ------ ---------- ------ ----------
Total (2) $ $ $ $
(1) Number of days delinquent means the number of days after the billing
date next following the original billing date. For example, 31 days
delinquent means that no payment is received within 61 days after the
original billing date.
(2) Delinquencies are calculated as a percentage of outstanding receivables
as of the end of each calendar month. Delinquencies include
bankruptcies.
</TABLE>
The rise in delinquencies and charge-offs as a percentage of the
Representative Portfolio in 1995 and in 1996 are the result of a variety of
factors. Among them are: (i) the reduction in the rate of growth in the
Receivables in the Representative Portfolio in calendar years 1995 and 1996 as
compared to the rate of growth in the Receivables in the Representative
Portfolio that occurred in 1994 (the rate of delinquency on new accounts
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typically being below the rate of delinquency on seasoned accounts; the average
receivables outstanding for the year ended December 31, 1993, was approximately
$794,728,000); (ii) general economic conditions in the United States and
particularly the nationwide rise in consumer loan delinquencies and the rise in
personal bankruptcy filings; (iii) the seasoning of the accounts in the
Representative Portfolio; and (iv) the creation and inclusion in the
Representative Portfolio of a new product group that generated higher revenues
and higher losses. This new product group represented approximately $102 million
of receivables as of June 30, 1997. People's Bank will not add additional
receivables of this type to the Trust without rating agency approval.
People's Bank believes that conformity with its underwriting procedures
(see "--Underwriting Procedures") will keep the loss and delinquency experience
within historical norms, although there can be no assurance that the loss and
delinquency amounts as a percentage of the Representative Portfolio will remain
at current levels.
Interchange
Creditors participating in the VISA and MasterCard associations receive
certain fees as partial compensation for taking credit risk, absorbing fraud
losses and funding receivables for a limited period prior to initial billing.
Under the VISA and MasterCard systems, a portion of these fees collected in
connection with cardholder charges for merchandise and services is passed from
the banks clearing the transactions for merchants to credit card issuing banks.
These fees currently range from approximately 0.90% to 2.17% of the transaction
amount. People's Bank is required, pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, to
transfer to the Trust those fees attributed to cardholder charges for
merchandise and services in the Accounts ("Interchange"). Such percentages are
set by the VISA and MasterCard associations and may be changed by either of them
respectively from time to time. Interchange is treated as Finance Charge
Receivables for the purposes of determining the amount of Finance Charge
Receivables, allocating collections and payments to Certificateholders and
calculating the Portfolio Yield.
THE RECEIVABLES
The Receivables conveyed to the Trust arise in Accounts from the Bank
Portfolio of VISA and MasterCard credit card accounts satisfying eligibility
criteria set forth in the Agreement (the "Trust Portfolio"). Such criteria do
not create a selection adverse to the Certificateholders. Pursuant to the
Agreement, the Transferor has the right (and, under certain circumstances, the
obligation), subject to certain limitations and conditions set forth therein, to
designate from time to time Additional Accounts and to transfer to the Trust all
Receivables of such Additional Accounts, whether such Receivables are then
existing or thereafter created. Any Additional Accounts designated pursuant to
the Agreement must be Eligible Additional Accounts as of the date the Transferor
designates such accounts as Additional Accounts. The Agreement also provides
that the Transferor will add as Automatic Additional Accounts certain new
accounts opened in the ordinary course of its business. Automatic Additional
Accounts will be added to the Trust on the business day that they are originated
if certain requirements are satisfied. See "Description of the
Certificates--Addition of Accounts". Automatic Additional Accounts will consist
of certain of the Transferor's VISA and MasterCard credit card accounts,
constituting Eligible Automatic Additional Accounts and satisfying certain other
criteria, and arising in Accounts designated by the Transferor from time to
time. The Transferor may designate additional categories of Automatic Additional
Accounts; provided, however, that the Transferor shall have received notice from
each Rating Agency that such designation will not result in a downgrading or
withdrawal of its rating of any certificates of any Series outstanding. In
addition, the Transferor is required to designate Eligible Additional Accounts
as Additional Accounts (x) to maintain the Transferor Interest such that on any
Record Date the Transferor Interest for the related Monthly Period equals or
exceeds 7% or such higher percentage as may be stated in any Supplement (such
percentage, the "Minimum Transferor Interest") of the average Aggregate
Principal Receivables and (y) to maintain, for so long as certificates of any
Series, including the Certificates, remain outstanding, Aggregate Principal
Receivables in an amount equal to or greater than the Minimum Aggregate
Principal Receivables. The term "Aggregate Principal Receivables" means in the
case of any date of determination, the sum of (i) the aggregate amount of
Principal Receivables and (ii) the amount on deposit in the Excess Funding
Account (exclusive of the amount of any investment earnings thereon), in each
case, as of the end of the last day of the Monthly Period immediately preceding
such date of determination. The "Minimum Aggregate Principal Receivables"
required to be maintained through the designation by the Transferor of
Additional
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Accounts shall generally be an amount equal to the sum of the numerators used to
calculate the Investor Percentage with respect to Principal Receivables for each
Series. Such amount may be increased by a Supplement pursuant to which
additional Series may be issued. The Transferor will convey the Receivables then
existing or thereafter created under such Additional Accounts to the Trust. See
"Description of the Certificates--Addition of Accounts". Further, pursuant to
the Agreement, the Transferor has the right (subject to certain limitations and
conditions discussed herein) to remove certain Accounts designated by the
Transferor whether such Receivables are then existing or thereafter created. See
"Description of Certificates--Removal of Accounts". Throughout the term of the
Trust, the Accounts from which the Receivables arise will be the same credit
card accounts designated as Accounts by the Transferor plus any Additional
Accounts and Automatic Additional Accounts and minus any Removed Accounts. As of
each date an Account is added, and on any date Additional Accounts or Automatic
Additional Accounts are added, to the Trust, and on the date any new Receivables
are created or are added to the Trust, as applicable, the Transferor will (or
will be deemed to) represent and warrant to the Trust that the Receivables meet
the eligibility requirements specified in the Agreement. See "Description of the
Certificates--Representations and Warranties".
Some of the Accounts are recently solicited, unseasoned accounts and
the Receivables include Receivables that may be up to 240 days contractually
delinquent. Because the Accounts were selected as of the Series Cut-Off Date,
there can be no assurance that all of the accounts will continue to meet the
eligibility requirements during the life of the Trust. The Receivables in the
Accounts are the unsecured obligations of the cardholders.
The Receivables in the Trust Portfolio as of the Series Cut-Off Date
totalled $________________. The Accounts had, as of the ________ 1997 Monthly
Period, an average outstanding balance of $_____ and an average credit limit of
$_____. The percentage of the aggregate total Receivables balance to the
aggregate total credit limit was _____%, and the weighted average age of the
Accounts was approximately __ months. As of the ________ 1997 Monthly Period,
cardholders whose Accounts giving rise to the Receivables are included in the
Trust Portfolio have billing addresses in all 50 States and the District of
Columbia.
-32-
<PAGE>
The following tables summarize the Trust Portfolio's balance and
account characteristics of the accounts giving rise to the Receivables as of the
close of the ________ 1997 Monthly Period for each of the Accounts. Because the
future composition of the Trust Portfolio may change over time, these tables may
not necessarily be indicative of the composition of the Trust Portfolio after
the ________ 1997 Monthly Period.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Composition by Account Balance
Trust Portfolio
Percentage
Percentage of of Total
Number of Total Number Receivables
Account Balance Range Accounts of Accounts Receivables Balance Balance
- --------------------- -------- ----------- ------------------- -------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Credit Balance
Zero Balance
$0.01-$1,000.00
$1,000.01-$3,000.00
$3,000.01-$5,000.00
$5,000.01-$10,000.00
Over $10,000.00 -------- ----------- ------------------- -------
Total 100.00%
=======
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Composition by Credit Limit
Trust Portfolio
Percentage
Percentage of of Total
Number of Total Number Receivables
Credit Limit Range Accounts of Accounts Receivables Balance Balance
- ------------------ -------- ----------- ------------------- -------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
$0.01-$1,000.00
$1,000.01-$2,000.00
$2,000.01-$3,000.00
$3,000.01-$4,000.00
$4,000.01-$5,000.00
$5,000.01-$10,000.00
Over $10,000.00 -------- ----------- ------------------- -------
Total 100.00% 100.00%
=========== =======
</TABLE>
-33-
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Composition by Period of Delinquency
Trust Portfolio
Percentage
Period of Delinquency Percentage of of Total
(Days Contractually Number of Total Number Receivables
Delinquent) Accounts of Accounts Receivables Balance Balance
- --------------------- -------- ----------- ------------------- -----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Current
1-30 Days
31-60 Days
61 or More Days -------- ----------- ------------------- -----------
Total 100.00% 100.00%
=========== ===========
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Composition by Account Age
Trust Portfolio
Percentage of
Number of Total Number Percentage of Total
Account Age Accounts of Accounts Receivables Balance Receivables Balance
- ----------- -------- ----------- ------------------- -------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
0 to 6 Months
Over 6 to 12 Months
Over 12 to 24 Months
Over 24 to 48 Months
Over 48 Months -------- ----------- ------------------- -------------------
Total 100.00% 100.00%
=========== ===================
</TABLE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Geographic Distribution by Receivables Balance
Trust Portfolio
Percentage of
Number of Total Number Percentage of Total
Accounts of Accounts Receivables Balance Receivables Balance
-------- ----------- ------------------- -------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Connecticut
California
Texas
New York
Florida
Illinois
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Michigan
New Jersey
Other(1) -------- ----------- ------------------- -------------------
Total 100.00% 100.00%
=========== ===================
(1) States with less than 3.07% of the Percentage of Total Receivables Balance.
</TABLE>
-34-
<PAGE>
MATURITY CONSIDERATIONS
The Agreement provides that the Class A Certificateholders and the
Class B Certificateholders will not receive principal payments until the Class A
Scheduled Payment Date and the Class B Scheduled Payment Date, respectively,
except in the event of a Pay Out Event, which will result in the commencement of
the Rapid Amortization Period. A "Pay Out Event" occurs, either automatically or
after specified notice, upon (a) the failure of the Transferor to make certain
payments or transfers of funds for the benefit of the Certificate holders within
the time periods stated in the Agreement, (b) material breaches of certain
representations, warranties or covenants of the Transferor, (c) certain
insolvency events involving the Transferor, (d) the occurrence of a Servicer
Default which would have a material adverse effect on the Certificate holders,
(e) the failure of the Transferor to convey Receivables arising under Additional
Accounts when required by the Agreement, (f) the Trust becoming subject to
regulation as an "investment company" by the Commission within the meaning of
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (g) a reduction in the average
of the Portfolio Yields for any three consecutive Monthly Periods to a rate
which is less than the average of the Base Rates for such period, (h) the
failure to pay each class of Offered Certificates in full on or prior to its
applicable Scheduled Payment Date or (i) the failure of the Interest Rate Cap
Provider to make any payment under the Interest Rate Caps within five days of
the date such payment was due. "Description of the Certificates--Pay Out
Events".
Controlled Accumulation Period. On each Transfer Date beginning with
the Transfer Date following the Monthly Period in which the Controlled
Accumulation Period commences, an amount equal to the least of (a) the Available
Investor Principal Collections with respect to the related Monthly Period, (b)
the "Controlled Deposit Amount", which is equal to the sum of the Controlled
Accumulation Amount for the related Monthly Period and the Accumulation
Shortfall, if any, for such Monthly Period, and (c) the Class A Adjusted
Investor Interest on such Transfer Date will be deposited in the Principal
Funding Account until the amount on deposit in the Principal Funding Account
(the "Principal Funding Account Balance") equals the Class A Investor Interest.
Amounts deposited in the Principal Funding Account will be deposited in the
Distribution Account for distribution to the Class A Certificate holders on the
Class A Scheduled Payment Date. On the Transfer Date during the Controlled
Accumulation Period immediately following the Distribution Date on which the
Class A Investor Interest has been paid in full, an amount equal to the lesser
of (a) the Available Investor Principal Collections for the related Monthly
Period and (b) the Class B Investor Interest will be deposited into the
Distribution Account for distribution to the Class B Certificate holders on the
Class B Scheduled Payment Date. If, for any Monthly Period prior to the payment
in full of the Class A Investor Interest and the Class B Investor Interest, the
Available Investor Principal Collections for such Monthly Period exceed the
applicable Controlled Deposit Amount, any such excess will be first paid to the
Collateral Interest Holder to the extent that the Collateral Interest exceeds
the Required Collateral Interest and then treated as Shared Principal
Collections and allocated to the holders of other Series of certificates issued
and outstanding or, subject to certain limitations described herein (to the
extent that the Transferor Interest exceeds the Minimum Transferor Interest),
paid to the holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate. After the Class A
Investor Interest and the Class B Investor Interest have each been paid in full,
the remaining Available Investor Principal Collections, to the extent required,
will be distributed to the Collateral Interest Holder on each related Transfer
Date until the earliest of the date the Collateral Interest has been paid in
full, the Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination Date and the termination of the
Trust.
Amounts in the Principal Funding Account are expected to be available
to pay the Class A Investor Interest in full on the Class A Scheduled Payment
Date. Available Investor Principal Collections are expected to be available to
pay the Class B Investor Interest in full on the Class B Scheduled Payment Date.
Although it is anticipated that Available Investor Principal Collections with
respect to each Monthly Period during the Controlled Accumulation Period will be
available on the related Transfer Date to make a deposit of the Controlled
Deposit Amount to the Principal Funding Account and that the Class A Investor
Interest will be paid to the Class A Certificate holders on the Class A
Scheduled Payment Date and the Class B Investor Interest will be paid to the
Class B Certificate holders on the Class B Scheduled Payment Date, respectively,
no assurance can be given in this regard. If the amount required to pay the
Class A Investor Interest or the Class B Investor Interest in full is not
available on the Class
<PAGE>
A Scheduled Payment Date or the Class B Scheduled Payment Date, respectively, a
Pay Out Event will occur and the Rapid Amortization Period will commence.
"Controlled Accumulation Amount" means (a) for any Transfer Date with
respect to the Controlled Accumulation Period, prior to the payment in full of
the Class A Investor Interest, $_____________; provided, however, that if the
commencement of the Controlled Accumulation Period is delayed as described below
under "Description of the Certificates--Postponement of Controlled Accumulation
Period," the Controlled Accumulation Amount may be higher than the amount stated
above for each Transfer Date with respect to the Controlled Accumulation Period
and will be determined by the Servicer in accordance with the Series 1997-2
Supplement based on the principal payment rates for the Accounts and on the
investor interests of other Series (other than certain excluded Series) which
are scheduled to be in their revolving periods and scheduled to create Shared
Principal Collections during the Controlled Accumulation Period and (b) for any
Transfer Date with respect to the Controlled Accumulation Period after the
payment in full of the Class A Investor Interest, an amount equal to the Class B
Investor Interest on such Transfer Date.
"Accumulation Shortfall" means on each Transfer Date with respect to
the Controlled Accumulation Period prior to the Class A Scheduled Payment Date,
the excess, if any, of the applicable Controlled Deposit Amount for such
Transfer Date over the amount deposited in the Principal Funding Account as
Class A Monthly Principal for such Transfer Date.
Should the Rapid Amortization Period commence, the Certificate holders
will be entitled to receive monthly payments as provided herein of principal on
each Distribution Date (beginning with the Distribution Date in the month
following the month in which the Rapid Amortization Period commences) equal to
the product of the applicable Investor Percentage and Principal Collections
received during the related Monthly Period (less the amount of Reallocated
Principal Collections with respect to such Monthly Period used to fund the
Required Amounts), plus certain amounts treated as Principal Collections with
respect to such Monthly Period (including amounts applied with respect to
Investor Default Amounts and Investor Charge-Offs), plus the amount of Shared
Principal Collections, if any, allocable to the Certificates with respect to
such Monthly Period (collectively, the "Available Investor Principal
Collections"). Allocations based upon the applicable Fixed Investor Percentage
may result in deposits to the Principal Funding Account during the Controlled
Accumulation Period or distributions of principal to Certificate holders during
the Rapid Amortization Period greater, relative to the declining balance of the
Investor Interest, than would be the case if a percentage based on such
declining balance were used to determine the percentage of Collections to be
deposited or distributed, as the case may be, in respect of the Investor
Interest. See "Description of the Certificates--Allocation Percentages".
A significant decline in the amount of Receivables generated during the
Revolving Period could result in the occurrence of a Pay Out Event for the
Certificate holders and the commencement of the Rapid Amortization Period, thus
shortening the maturity of the Certificates. Conversely, a significant decline
in the amount of Receivables generated during the Controlled Accumulation Period
or the Rapid Amortization Period could result in an extension of the final
payment of the Certificates. If the maturity of the Certificates has been
shortened at a time when interest rates generally available are lower than the
Certificate Rates, the yield to maturity realized by the Certificate holders
upon reinvestment at the lower prevailing interest rates may be lower than if
the Certificates remained outstanding until the expected maturity. Conversely,
if the maturity of the Certificates is extended at a time when interest rates
generally available are higher than the Certificate Rates, the yield to maturity
realized by the Certificate holders may be lower than if the Certificates had
matured when expected and the Certificate holders had reinvested at the higher
prevailing interest rates.
The following table sets forth the highest and lowest cardholder
monthly payment rates for the Representative Portfolio during any month in the
period shown and the average cardholder monthly payment rates for all months
during the periods shown, in each case calculated as a percentage of the prior
month's ending outstanding receivables balance during the periods shown. Payment
rates shown in the table are based on amounts which would be deemed payments of
Principal Receivables and Finance Charge Receivables with respect to the
Accounts.
-35-
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Cardholder Monthly Payment Rates(1)
Representative Portfolio
Six Month Year Ended December 31,
Period Ended --------------------------------
June 30, 1997 1996 1995 1994
------------- ---- ---- ----
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Lowest
Highest
Average(2)
(1) Monthly payment rates represent total payments collected during a given
month expressed as a percentage of the prior month's ending outstanding
receivables.
(2) The average monthly payment rates shown are expressed as an arithmetic
average of the payment rate during each month of the period indicated.
</TABLE>
The amount of Collections may vary from month to month due to seasonal
variations, general economic conditions and payment habits of individual
cardholders. There can be no assurance that Principal Collections with respect
to the Trust Portfolio, and thus the rate at which Certificate holders could
expect to receive payments of principal on the Certificates during either the
Controlled Accumulation Period or the Rapid Amortization Period, will be similar
to the historical experience set forth above. In addition, if a Pay Out Event
occurs, the average life and maturity of the Certificates could be significantly
reduced.
Because there may be a slowdown in the payment rate below the payment
rate used to determine the Controlled Accumulation Amounts, or because a Pay Out
Event may occur which would initiate the Rapid Amortization Period, there can be
no assurance that the Class A Investor Interest will be paid to the Class A
Certificate holders on the Class A Scheduled Payment Date and the Class B
Investor Interest will be paid to the Class B Certificate holders on the Class B
Scheduled Payment Date. As described under "Description of the
Certificates--Postponement of Controlled Accumulation Period," the Servicer may
shorten the Controlled Accumulation Period and, in such event, there can be no
assurance that there will be sufficient time to accumulate all amounts necessary
to pay the Class A Investor Interest and the Class B Investor Interest on the
Class A Scheduled Payment Date and the Class B Scheduled Payment Date,
respectively.
RECEIVABLE YIELD CONSIDERATIONS
The gross revenues from finance charges and fees billed to accounts in
the Representative Portfolio for each of the three years ended December 31,
1996, 1995 and 1994 and the six month period ended June 30, 1997 are set forth
in the following table. The historical yield figures in the table are calculated
on a billed basis, net of rebated fees and other charges. Collections of
Receivables included in the Trust are on a cash basis and may not reflect the
historical yield experience in the table. During periods of increasing
delinquencies or periodic payment deferral programs, accrual yields may exceed
cash yields as amounts collected on credit card receivables lag behind amounts
accrued and billed to cardholders. Conversely, as delinquencies decrease, cash
yields may exceed accrual yields as amounts collected in a current period may
include amounts accrued during prior periods. The Transferor believes, however,
that during the periods shown, the yields presented on an accrual basis closely
approximated the yields on a cash basis. The yield on both an accrual and a cash
basis will be affected by numerous factors, including the monthly periodic
finance charges on the Receivables, the amount of the annual membership fees and
cash advance fees, Interchange, changes in the delinquency rate on the
Receivables and the percentage of cardholders who pay their balances in full
each month and do not incur monthly periodic finance charges.
-36-
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Revenue Experience
Representative Portfolio
(Dollars in Thousands)
Six Month Year Ended December 31,
Period Ended --------------------------------
June 30, 1997 1996 1995 1994
------------- ---- ---- ----
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Finance Charges and Fees Billed(1)
Average Receivables Outstanding(2)
Yield from Finance Charges and Fees Billed(3)(4)
(1) Finance Charges and Fees Billed include periodic finance charges,
annual membership fees, late fees, returned check fees, overlimit fees,
the premium of any insurance covering a cardholder's account balances,
cash advance transaction fees, interchange and recoveries allocable to
the related receivables. The annual membership fees, as presented,
reflect full recognition upon billing.
(2) Average Receivables Outstanding is the average of the daily receivable
balance during the period indicated.
(3) Yield from Finance Charges and Fees Billed is calculated as a
percentage of the Average Receivables Outstanding. (4) Finance Charges
and Fees Billed in 1994 do not include interchange fees collected on
certain accounts that are included in this Representative Portfolio.
The Transferor does not believe that the effect on Yield from Finance
Charges and Fees Billed resulting from such exclusion is material.
</TABLE>
As payment rates decline, the balances subject to monthly periodic
finance charges tend to grow, assuming no change in the level of purchasing
activity. Accordingly, under these circumstances, the yield related to periodic
finance charges normally increases. As account balances increase, annual
membership fees, which remain constant, represent a smaller percentage of the
aggregate account balance. See "The Credit Card Business of People's Bank".
USE OF PROCEEDS
The net proceeds from the sale of the Offered Certificates,
approximately $______________, before deduction of expenses, will be paid to
PSFC, other than $____________ thereof, which will be deposited in the Finance
Charge Account for the payment of interest on the Certificates with respect to
the first Distribution Date. PSFC intends to distribute substantially all of the
remaining proceeds to the Transferor through the declaration and payment of a
dividend and/or a distribution of capital to the Transferor, and the Transferor
will use such proceeds for its general corporate purposes.
PEOPLE'S BANK
People's Bank was formed in 1842 and is headquartered in Bridgeport,
Connecticut. People's Bank is a majority-owned subsidiary of People's Mutual
Holdings, which as of December 31, 1996 owns 59.9% of the issued and outstanding
common stock of People's Bank. People's Bank is chartered as a Connecticut stock
savings bank, and, as a state chartered non-member bank, is regulated by the
State of Connecticut Department of Banking and by the FDIC. People's Bank is the
largest independent bank in Connecticut, with total assets of approximately $7.6
billion, total liabilities of approximately $7.0 billion, and total
stockholders' equity of approximately $618 million as of December 31, 1996. At
December 31, 1996, People's Bank's Tier 1 leverage capital ratio was 7.9%,
satisfying the minimum ratio of 4.0% to 5.0% generally required by the FDIC.
People's Bank is also subject to the FDIC's risk-based capital regulations,
which require minimum ratios of Tier 1 capital and total capital to risk-
weighted assets of 4.0% and 8.0%, respectively. People's Bank satisfied these
requirements at December 31, 1996 with ratios of 10.0% and 13.9%, respectively.
People's Bank's regulatory capital ratios at December 31, 1996 exceed the FDIC's
numeric criteria for classification as a "well-capitalized" institution.
-37-
<PAGE>
People's Structured Finance Corp. ("PSFC"), which is currently the
Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate, is a wholly-owned special
purpose Connecticut subsidiary of People's Bank. In establishing PSFC, People's
Bank has taken steps to ensure that PSFC is a bankruptcy-remote corporation,
which steps include (but are not limited to) (a) the appointment of two
independent directors to PSFC's board of directors, (b) the creation of PSFC as
a special purpose subsidiary of People's Bank pursuant to a certificate of
incorporation containing certain limitations (including restrictions on the
nature of PSFC's business and restrictions on PSFC's ability to commence a
voluntary case or proceeding under the United States Bankruptcy Code or similar
state laws without the prior unanimous affirmative vote of all of its directors,
including the prior unanimous affirmative vote of both of its independent
directors), and (c) the maintenance by PSFC of separate bank accounts, corporate
records and books of account. The Exchangeable Transferor Certificate,
representing the Transferor Interest in the Trust, was transferred to PSFC
pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption Agreement, dated as of December 15,
1995, by and between People's Bank and PSFC.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CERTIFICATES
The Offered Certificates will be issued pursuant to the Agreement,
including the Series 1997-2 Supplement, entered into between People's Bank, as
Transferor of the Certificates and as Servicer of the Accounts and the
Receivables, and Bankers Trust Company, as Trustee for the Certificate holders
and the holders of other undivided interests in the Trust, substantially in the
form filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus is
a part. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Transferor has executed six Supplements,
five of which are currently outstanding in connection with the issuance of other
Series of certificates and may execute further Supplements thereto between the
Transferor and the Trustee in order to issue additional Series. See
"--Exchanges". The Trustee will provide a copy of the Agreement (without
exhibits or schedules), including each Supplement, to Certificate holders
without charge upon written request. The following summary describes certain
terms of the Agreement (including the Series 1997-2 Supplement) and is qualified
in its entirety by reference to the Agreement (including the Series 1997-2
Supplement).
General
The Certificates will represent a fractional undivided interest in
certain assets of the Trust, including the right to receive the Collections
received with respect to the Receivables in the Trust allocable to the
Certificates and, with respect to the Offered Certificates, the benefit of the
Interest Rate Caps. The property of the Trust consists of the Receivables, all
monies due or to become due thereunder, all proceeds of the Receivables,
Interchange, Recoveries, all monies on deposit in the Collection Account and the
Excess Funding Account, funds on deposit in accounts established pursuant to the
Series 1997-2 Supplement, funds on deposit in any Series accounts established
for the benefit of Certificate holders other than the Certificate holders
pursuant to the related Supplement, funds on deposit and securities held in the
Reserve Account for the benefit of the Class A Certificate holders, the benefit
of the Interest Rate Caps, the Collateral Interest and any other Enhancement
issued with respect to any additional Series (the drawing on, withdrawal from or
payment on such Enhancement, and the funds on deposit in any Series account with
respect to any additional Series, will not be available to Certificate holders).
The Trust will include the Receivables from Additional Accounts and Automatic
Additional Accounts which may be added from time to time pursuant to the terms
of the Agreement and will not include the Receivables from any Removed Accounts
which may be removed from the Trust from time to time pursuant to the terms of
the Agreement.
Payments of interest and principal will be made on each related
Distribution Date to Offered Certificate holders in whose names the Offered
Certificates were registered as of (i) the business day preceding the
Distribution Date with respect to book-entry Offered Certificates and (ii) the
last day of the calendar month preceding such Distribution Date with respect to
Definitive Certificates (each, a "Record Date"), and to the Collateral Interest
Holder. Class A Monthly Interest and Class B Monthly Interest will accrue from
and including the Distribution Date occurring in the preceding month (in the
case of the first Distribution Date, from and including the Closing Date) to and
including the day preceding the current Distribution Date. Interest payments on
the Offered Certificates will
-38-
<PAGE>
be derived from Finance Charge Collections, amounts paid under the Interest Rate
Caps, Principal Collections otherwise allocable to the Collateral Interest and,
for the Class A Certificate holders, withdrawals from the Reserve Account,
Principal Funding Investment Proceeds and Principal Collections otherwise
allocable to the Class B Certificates. Allocations of Finance Charge Collections
with respect to any Distribution Date will not exceed the product of the
Investor Percentage with respect to Finance Charge Receivables and such
Collections.
Each of the Class A Certificates and the Class B Certificates will
initially be represented by Offered Certificates registered in the name of the
nominee of DTC (together with any successor depository selected by the
Transferor, the "Depository") except as set forth below. The Offered
Certificates will be available for purchase in minimum denominations of $1,000
and integral multiples thereof in book-entry form. The Transferor has been
informed by DTC that DTC's nominee will be Cede. Accordingly, Cede is expected
to be the holder of record of the Offered Certificates. No Offered Certificate
Owner acquiring an interest in the Offered Certificates will be entitled to
receive a certificate representing such person's interest in the Offered
Certificates. Unless and until Definitive Certificates are issued under the
limited circumstances described herein, all references herein to actions by
Offered Certificate holders shall refer to actions taken by DTC upon
instructions from its Participants (as defined below), and all references herein
to distributions, notices, reports and statements to Offered Certificate holders
shall refer to distributions, notices, reports and statements to DTC or Cede, as
the registered holder of the Offered Certificates, as the case may be, for
distribution to Offered Certificate Owners in accordance with DTC procedures.
See "--Book-Entry Registration" and "--Definitive Certificates".
Application will be made to list the Class A Certificates on the
Luxembourg Stock Exchange.
In the event that Definitive Certificates are issued, a Certificate
that is mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen may be exchanged or replaced, as
the case may be, at the offices of the Transfer Agent and Registrar or, in the
case of the Class A Certificates, the co-transfer agent and co-registrar in
Luxembourg upon presentation of the Certificate or satisfactory evidence of the
destruction, loss or theft thereof the Transfer Agent and Registrar or to the
co- transfer agent and co-registrar, as applicable. An indemnity satisfactory to
the Transfer Agent and Registrar or the co-transfer agent and co-registrar, as
the case may be, and the Trustee may be required at the expense of the Offered
Certificateholder before a replacement Offered Certificate will be issued. The
Certificateholder will be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge
imposed in connection with such exchange or replacement and any other expenses
(including the fees and expenses of the Trustee and either the Transfer Agent
and Registrar or the co-transfer agent and co-registrar, as applicable)
connected therewith.
Determination of LIBOR
The Trustee will determine LIBOR for each Interest Period (as defined
below) following the Initial Interest Period. For purposes of calculating LIBOR,
"London Banking Day" is any day on which commercial banks are open for business
(including dealings in foreign exchange and deposits in U.S. dollars) in London.
"LIBOR" means, for a specific Interest Period (other than the Initial
Interest Period), the rate for deposits in U.S. dollars for a period equal to
one month (commencing on the first day of an Interest Period) which appears on
Telerate Page 3750 (as defined below) as of 11:00 a.m., London time, on the
LIBOR Determination Date (as defined below) for such Interest Period. If such
rate does not appear on Telerate Page 3750, the rate for such Interest Period
will be determined on the basis of the rates at which deposits in U.S. dollars
are offered by the Reference Banks (as defined below) at approximately 11:00
a.m., London time, on such LIBOR Determination Date to prime banks in the London
interbank market for a period equal to one month (commencing on the first day of
such Interest Period). The Trustee will request the principal London office of
each of the Reference Banks to provide a quotation of its rate. If at least two
such quotations are provided, the rate for such Interest Period will be the
arithmetic mean of the quotations. If fewer than two quotations are provided as
requested, the rate for such Interest Period will be the arithmetic mean of the
rates quoted by major banks in New York City, selected by the Trustee, at
approximately 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the first day of such Interest
Period for loans in
-39-
<PAGE>
U.S. dollars to leading European banks for a period equal to one month
(commencing on the first day of such Interest Period).
"Interest Period" means, with respect to any Distribution Date, a
period from and including the preceding Distribution Date to and including the
day immediately preceding such Distribution Date; provided, however, that the
Initial Interest Period will commence on the Closing Date.
"LIBOR Determination Date" means with respect to any Interest Period,
the second London Banking Day preceding the first day of each Interest Period.
"Reference Banks" means four major banks in the London interbank market
selected by the Trustee.
"Telerate Page 3750" means the display page currently so designated on
the Dow Jones Telerate Service (or such other page as may replace that page on
that service for the purpose of displaying comparable rates or prices).
The Interest Rate Caps
On the Closing Date, the Trustee will enter into the Interest Rate Caps
with the Interest Rate Cap Provider. The Class A Interest Rate Cap and the Class
B Interest Rate Cap will be for the exclusive benefit of the Class A Certificate
holders and the Class B Certificate holders, respectively.
The notional amount of the Class A Interest Rate Cap (the "Class A
Notional Amount") will at all times be equal to or greater than the amount of
the Expected Class A Principal. Pursuant to the Class A Interest Rate Cap, on
each Transfer Date on which the Class A Certificate Rate for the related
Interest Period exceeds _____% (the "Class A Cap Rate"), the Interest Rate Cap
Provider will make a payment to the Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, in an
amount equal to the product of (i) such excess, (ii) the Class A Notional Amount
as of such Transfer Date and (iii) the actual number of days in the related
Monthly Period divided by 360. The Class A Interest Rate Cap will terminate on
the day following the Class A Scheduled Payment Date; provided, however, that
the Class A Interest Rate Cap may be terminated at an earlier date if the
Trustee has obtained a substitute interest rate cap or entered into an
alternative arrangement satisfactory to the Rating Agency, which in each case
will not result in the reduction or withdrawal of the rating of the Offered
Certificates (such substitute interest rate cap, a "Replacement Interest Rate
Cap"; such alternative arrangement, a "Qualified Substitute Arrangement").
The notional amount of the Class B Interest Rate Cap (the "Class B
Notional Amount") will at all times be equal to the amount of the Expected Class
B Principal. Pursuant to the Class B Interest Rate Cap, on each Transfer Date on
which the Class B Certificate Rate for the related Interest Period exceeds
_____% (the "Class B Cap Rate"), the Interest Rate Cap Provider will make a
payment to the Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, in an amount equal to the
product of (i) such excess, (ii) the Class B Notional Amount as of such Transfer
Date and (iii) the actual number of days in the related Monthly Period divided
by 360. The Class B Interest Rate Cap will terminate on the day following the
Class B Scheduled Payment Date; provided, however, that the Class B Interest
Rate Cap may be terminated at an earlier date if the Trustee has obtained a
Replacement Interest Rate Cap or entered into a Qualified Substitute
Arrangement.
In the event that the rating of the Interest Rate Cap Provider is
reduced or withdrawn, as specified in the Interest Rate Caps, the Trustee, at
the direction of the Servicer, shall use its best efforts either to obtain for
each such Interest Rate Cap a Replacement Interest Rate Cap, at the expense of
the Interest Rate Cap Provider, or to enter into a Qualified Substitute
Arrangement.
The Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, may sell all or a portion of an
Interest Rate Cap in an amount equal to the excess on such date of the Class A
Notional Amount or the Class B Notional Amount, as applicable, over the Class A
Adjusted Investor Interest or the Class B Investor Interest, respectively,
subject to (among other things)
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Rating Agency confirmation of the rating of the related class of Offered
Certificates. Funds from any such sale will be applied as Finance Charge
Collections allocable to the related class of Offered Certificates in accordance
with the allocations described below in "--Allocation of Funds."
The Interest Rate Cap Provider
The following information has been obtained from the Interest Rate Cap
Provider and has not been verified by People's Bank or the Underwriters. No
representation or warranty is made by People's Bank or the Underwriters with
respect thereto.
[To follow]
Book-Entry Registration
Offered Certificate holders may hold their Offered Certificates through
DTC (in the United States) or Cedel or Euroclear (in Europe), which in turn hold
through DTC, if they are participants of such systems, or indirectly through
organizations that are participants in such systems.
Cede, as nominee for DTC, will hold the physical Offered Certificate or
Offered Certificates. Cedel and Euroclear will hold omnibus positions on behalf
of the Cedel Participants and the Euroclear Participants, respectively, through
customers' securities accounts in Cedel's and Euroclear's names on the books of
their respective depositaries (collectively, the "Depositaries") which in turn
will hold such positions in customers' securities accounts in the Depositaries'
names on the books of DTC.
DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the laws of the
State of New York, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a "clearing
corporation" within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a
"clearing agency" registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the
Exchange Act. DTC was created to hold securities for its participating
organizations ("Participants" or "DTC Participants") and facilitate the
clearance and settlement of securities transactions between Participants through
electronic book-entry changes in accounts of its Participants, thereby
eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates. Participants include
securities brokers and dealers (who may include the underwriters of any Series),
banks, trust companies and clearing corporations and may include certain other
organizations. Indirect access to the DTC system also is available to others
such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or
maintain a custodial relationship with a Participant, either directly or
indirectly (the "Indirect Participants").
Transfers between DTC Participants will occur in accordance with DTC
rules. Transfers between Cedel Participants and Euroclear Participants will
occur in the ordinary way in accordance with their applicable rules and
operating procedures.
Cross-market transfers between persons holding directly or indirectly
through DTC in the United States, on the one hand, and directly or indirectly
through Cedel Participants or Euroclear Participants, on the other, will be
effected in DTC in accordance with DTC rules on behalf of the relevant European
international clearing system by its Depositary; however, such cross-market
transactions will require delivery of instructions to the relevant European
international clearing system by the counterparty in such system in accordance
with its rules and procedures and within its established deadlines (European
time). The relevant European international clearing system will, if the
transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its
Depositary to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering
or receiving securities in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance
with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Cedel
Participants and Euroclear Participants may not deliver instructions directly to
the Depositaries.
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Because of time-zone differences, credits of securities in Cedel or
Euroclear as a result of a transaction with a DTC Participant will be made
during the subsequent securities settlement processing, dated the business day
following the DTC settlement date, and such credits or any transactions in such
securities settled during such processing will be reported to the relevant Cedel
Participant or Euroclear Participant on such business day. Cash received in
Cedel or Euroclear as a result of sales of securities by or through a Cedel
Participant or a Euroclear Participant to a DTC Participant will be received
with value on the DTC settlement date but will be available in the relevant
Cedel or Euroclear cash account only as of the business day following settlement
in DTC. See Annex II.
Offered Certificate Owners that are not Participants or Indirect
Participants but desire to purchase, sell or otherwise transfer ownership of, or
other interest in, Offered Certificates may do so only through Participants and
Indirect Participants. In addition, Offered Certificate Owners will receive all
distributions of principal and interest on the Offered Certificates from the
Trustee through the Participants who in turn will receive them from DTC. Under a
book-entry format, Offered Certificate Owners may experience some delay in their
receipt of payments, since such payments will be forwarded by the Trustee to
Cede, as nominee for DTC. DTC will forward such payments to its Participants
which thereafter will forward them to Indirect Participants or Offered
Certificate Owners. It is anticipated that the only "Offered Certificateholder"
(as such term is used in the Agreement) of Offered Certificates in book-entry
form will be Cede, as nominee of DTC. Offered Certificate Owners will not be
recognized by the Trustee as Offered Certificate holders, as such term is used
in the Agreement, and Offered Certificate Owners will only be permitted to
exercise the rights of Offered Certificate holders indirectly through the
Participants who in turn will exercise the rights of Offered Certificate holders
through DTC.
Under the rules, regulations and procedures creating and affecting DTC
and its operations, DTC is required to make book-entry transfers among
Participants on whose behalf it acts with respect to the Offered Certificates
and is required to receive and transmit distributions of principal and interest
on the Offered Certificates. Participants and Indirect Participants with which
Offered Certificate Owners have accounts with respect to the Offered
Certificates similarly are required to make book-entry transfers and receive and
transmit such payments on behalf of their respective Offered Certificate Owners.
Accordingly, although Offered Certificate Owners will not possess Offered
Certificates, Offered Certificate Owners will receive payments and will be able
to transfer their interests.
Because DTC can only act on behalf of Participants, who in turn act on
behalf of Indirect Participants and certain banks, the ability of an Offered
Certificate Owner to pledge Offered Certificates to persons or entities that do
not participate in the DTC system, or otherwise take actions in respect of such
Offered Certificates, may be limited due to the lack of a physical certificate
for such Offered Certificates.
DTC has advised the Transferor that it will take any action permitted
to be taken by an Offered Certificateholder under the Agreement only at the
direction of one or more Participants to whose account with DTC the Offered
Certificates are credited. Additionally, DTC has advised the Transferor that it
will take such actions with respect to specified percentages of the Investor
Interest only at the direction of and on behalf of Participants whose holdings
include undivided interests that satisfy such specified percentages. DTC may
take conflicting actions with respect to other undivided interests to the extent
that such actions are taken on behalf of Participants whose holdings include
such undivided interests.
Cedel Bank, societe anonyme ("Cedel") is incorporated under the laws of
Luxembourg as a professional depository. Cedel holds securities for its
participating organizations ("Cedel Participants") and facilitates the clearance
and settlement of securities transactions between Cedel Participants through
electronic book-entry changes in accounts of Cedel Participants, thereby
eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates. Transactions may be
settled by Cedel in any of 36 currencies, including United States dollars. Cedel
provides to its Cedel Participants, among other things, services for
safekeeping, administration, clearance and settlement of internationally traded
securities and securities lending and borrowing. Cedel interfaces with domestic
markets in several countries. As a professional depository, Cedel is subject to
regulations by the Luxembourg Monetary Institute. Cedel Participants are
recognized financial institutions around the world, including underwriters,
securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations
and certain other organizations and may include the underwriters of any Series
of certificates. Indirect access to Cedel is also available to others, such as
banks, brokers,
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dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial
relationship with a Cedel Participant, either directly or indirectly.
The Euroclear System (the "Euroclear System") was created in 1968 to
hold securities for participants of the Euroclear System ("Euroclear
Participants") and to clear and settle transactions between Euroclear
Participants through simultaneous electronic book-entry delivery against
payment, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates and
any risk from lack of simultaneous transfers of securities and cash.
Transactions may now be settled in any of 34 currencies, including United States
dollars. The Euroclear System includes various other services, including
securities lending and borrowing and interfaces with domestic markets in several
countries generally similar to the arrangements for cross-market transfers with
DTC described above. The Euroclear System is operated by Morgan Guaranty Trust
Company of New York, Brussels, Belgium office (the "Euroclear Operator" or
"Euroclear"), under contract with Euroclear Clearance System, S.C., a Belgian
cooperative corporation (the "Cooperative"). All operations are conducted by the
Euroclear Operator, and all Euroclear securities clearance accounts and
Euroclear cash accounts are accounts with the Euroclear Operator, not the
Cooperative. The Cooperative establishes policy for the Euroclear System on
behalf of Euroclear Participants. Euroclear Participants include banks
(including central banks), securities brokers and dealers and other professional
financial intermediaries and may include the underwriters of any Series of
certificates. Indirect access to the Euroclear System is also available to other
firms that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Euroclear
Participant, either directly or indirectly.
The Euroclear Operator is the Belgian branch of a New York banking
corporation which is a member bank of the Federal Reserve System. As such, it is
regulated and examined by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
and the New York State Banking Department, as well as the Belgian Banking
Commission.
Securities clearance accounts and cash accounts with the Euroclear
Operator are governed by the Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear and
the related Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System and applicable Belgian
law (collectively, the "Terms and Conditions"). The Terms and Conditions govern
transfers of securities and cash within the Euroclear System, withdrawal of
securities and cash from the Euroclear System, and receipts of payments with
respect to securities in the Euroclear System. All securities in the Euroclear
System are held on a fungible basis without attribution of specific certificates
to specific securities clearance accounts. The Euroclear Operator acts under the
Terms and Conditions only on behalf of Euroclear Participants and has no record
of or relationship with persons holding through Euroclear Participants.
Distributions with respect to Offered Certificates held through Cedel
or Euroclear will be credited to the cash accounts of Cedel Participants or
Euroclear Participants in accordance with the relevant system's rules and
procedures, to the extent received by its Depositary. Such distributions will be
subject to tax reporting in accordance with relevant United States tax laws and
regulations. See Annex II. Cedel or the Euroclear Operator, as the case may be,
will take any other action permitted to be taken by an Offered Certificateholder
under the Agreement on behalf of a Cedel Participant or a Euroclear Participant
only in accordance with its relevant rules and procedures and subject to its
Depositary's ability to effect such actions on its behalf through DTC.
Although DTC, Cedel and Euroclear have agreed to the foregoing
procedures in order to facilitate transfers of Offered Certificates among
participants of DTC, Cedel and Euroclear, they are under no obligation to
perform or continue to perform such procedures and such procedures may be
discontinued at any time.
Definitive Certificates
The Offered Certificates will be issued in fully registered,
certificated form to Offered Certificate Owners or their nominees ("Definitive
Certificates"), rather than to DTC or its nominee, only if (i) the Transferor
advises the Trustee in writing that DTC is no longer willing or able to properly
discharge its responsibilities as Depository with respect to the Offered
Certificates, and the Trustee or the Transferor is unable to locate a qualified
successor, (ii) the Transferor, at its option, elects to terminate the
book-entry system through DTC or (iii) after the occurrence
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of a Servicer Default, Offered Certificate Owners representing not less than 50%
of each of the Class A Investor Interest and the Class B Investor Interest
advise the Trustee and DTC through Participants in writing that the continuation
of a book-entry system through DTC (or a successor thereto) is no longer in the
best interests of the Offered Certificate Owners.
Upon the occurrence of any of the events described in the immediately
preceding paragraph, DTC is required to notify all the Offered Certificate
Owners through Participants of the availability through DTC of Definitive
Certificates. Upon surrender by DTC of the definitive certificate representing
the Offered Certificates and instructions for re-registration, the Trustee will
issue the Offered Certificates as Definitive Certificates, and thereafter the
Trustee will recognize the holders of such Definitive Certificates as holders of
the Offered Certificates under the Agreement ("Holders").
Distribution of principal and interest on the Offered Certificates will
be made by the "Paying Agent" (as defined in the Agreement) directly to Holders
of Definitive Certificates in accordance with the procedures set forth herein
and in the Agreement. During the Revolving Period, interest payments, and during
either the Controlled Accumulation Period or the Rapid Amortization Period,
interest and principal payments in respect of the Offered Certificates, will be
made to Offered Certificate holders as provided herein on each Distribution Date
to the holders in whose names the Definitive Certificates were registered at the
close of business on the related Record Date. Distributions will be made by
check mailed to the address of such Holder as it appears on the certificate
register. The final payment on any Offered Certificate (whether Definitive
Certificates or the Offered Certificates registered in the name of Cede
representing the Offered Certificates), however, will be made only upon
presentation and surrender of such Offered Certificate at the office or agency
specified in the notice of final distribution to Offered Certificate holders.
The Trustee will provide such notice to registered Offered Certificate holders
not later than the fifth day of the month of such final distributions.
Definitive Certificates will be transferable and exchangeable at the
offices of the "Transfer Agent and Registrar" (as defined in the Agreement),
which shall initially be Bankers Trust Company. No service charge will be
imposed for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Transfer Agent and
Registrar may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other
governmental charge imposed in connection therewith. The Transfer Agent and
Registrar, as the case may be, shall not be required to register the transfer or
exchange of Definitive Certificates for a period of 15 days preceding the due
date for any payment with respect to such Definitive Certificates.
Interest Payments
Interest will accrue on the Class A Investor Interest at the Class A
Certificate Rate and on the Class B Investor Interest at the Class B Certificate
Rate during each Interest Period following the Initial Interest Period and will
accrue on the Class A Investor Interest at a rate of _____% per annum and on the
Class B Investor Interest at a rate of _____% per annum during the Initial
Interest Period. Interest will be distributed on [October 15], 1997, and on each
Distribution Date thereafter to Certificate holders. Interest on the Class A
Certificates will be distributed in the amount of the sum of (v) the product of
(a) the Class A Certificate Rate, (b) the lesser of the Class A Adjusted
Investor Interest as of the preceding Distribution Date (or, in the case of the
first Distribution Date, the Class A Initial Investor Interest) after giving
effect to all payments, deposits and withdrawals on such Distribution Date and
the Expected Class A Principal as of the preceding Distribution Date, and (c)
the actual number of days in the related Interest Period divided by 360, plus
(w) the Class A Covered Amount for the related Interest Period, plus (x) an
amount equal to the product of (a) the Class A Excess Principal, (b) the lesser
of the Class A Certificate Rate and _____% per annum, and (c) the actual number
of days in the related Interest Period divided by 360 (clauses (v), (w) and (x)
collectively, the "Class A Monthly Interest"), plus (y) to the extent permitted
by applicable law, any interest accrued on such Certificates (including interest
on any overdue Class A Monthly Interest calculated at a default rate of
interest) during any prior accrual period which has not been distributed to the
Certificate holders, plus (z) to the extent that there is available Excess
Spread, an amount equal to the product of (a) the amount by
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which the Class A Certificate Rate exceeds _____% per annum, (b) the Class A
Excess Principal, if any, and (c) the actual number of days in the related
Interest Period divided by 360 (the "Class A Excess Interest").
In the case of the Class B Certificates, interest will be distributed
in the amount of the sum of (w) the product of (a) the Class B Certificate Rate,
(b) the lesser of the Class B Investor Interest as of the preceding Distribution
Date (or, in the case of the first Distribution Date, the Class B Initial
Investor Interest) after giving effect to all payments, deposits and withdrawals
on such Distribution Date and the Expected Class B Principal as of the preceding
Distribution Date, and (c) the actual number of days in the related Interest
Period divided by 360, plus (x) an amount equal to the product of (a) the Class
B Excess Principal, (b) the lesser of the Class B Certificate Rate and _____%
per annum, and (c) the actual number of days in the related Interest Period
divided by 360 (collectively, the "Class B Monthly Interest"), plus (y) to the
extent permitted by applicable law, any interest accrued on such Certificates
(including interest on any overdue Class B Monthly Interest calculated at a
default rate of interest) during any prior accrual period not distributed to the
Certificate holders, plus (z) to the extent that there is available Excess
Spread, an amount equal to the product of (a) the amount by which the Class B
Certificate Rate exceeds _____% per annum, (b) the Class B Excess Principal, if
any, and (c) the actual number of days in the related Interest Period divided by
360 (the "Class B Excess Interest").
Any amounts in respect of distributable interest specified in clause
(z) above in each of the two preceding paragraphs with respect to the Class A
Certificates and the Class B Certificates that are unpaid on the Distribution
Date following the Interest Period in which they accrued will not be carried
over to future Distribution Dates.
"Expected Class A Principal" means (a) on each date to and excluding
the first Distribution Date occurring after the Monthly Period in which the
Controlled Accumulation Period commences (the "Initial Class A Accumulation
Date"), the Class A Initial Investor Interest, and (b) on each date thereafter
through but not including the Class A Scheduled Payment Date, the Class A
Initial Investor Interest less the product of (i) the Controlled Accumulation
Amount and the number of Distribution Dates which have occurred from and
including the Initial Class A Accumulation Date, and (c) on each date
thereafter, zero. "Expected Class B Principal" means the amount of the Class B
Investor Interest that is equal to (a) the Class B Initial Investor Interest on
each date to but excluding the Class B Scheduled Payment Date, and (b) on each
date thereafter, zero. "Class A Excess Principal" and "Class B Excess Principal"
(collectively, the "Excess Principal") mean on any date of determination the
amount by which the Class A Adjusted Investor Interest or the Class B Investor
Interest exceeds the Expected Class A Principal or the Expected Class B
Principal, respectively, after giving effect to all payments, deposits and
withdrawals on such date.
Interest payments up to the Class A Monthly Cap Rate Interest and Class
B Monthly Cap Rate Interest on any Distribution Date will be funded from Finance
Charge Collections allocated to the Class A Certificates and the Class B
Certificates, respectively, with respect to the preceding Monthly Period, and
interest payments up to the Class A Covered Amount will be funded from Principal
Funding Investment Proceeds and amounts withdrawn from the Reserve Account.
Payments of any Class A Monthly Cap Rate Interest, Class B Monthly Cap Rate
Interest and the Class A Covered Amount remaining unpaid after application of
such available funds will be paid from Excess Spread and Shared Finance Charge
Collections allocated to the Certificates. The Class A Monthly Interest in
excess of the sum of the Class A Monthly Cap Rate Interest and the Class A
Covered Amount and Class B Monthly Interest in excess of the Class B Monthly Cap
Rate Interest will be funded from payments made pursuant to, respectively, the
Class A Interest Rate Cap and the Class B Interest Rate Cap and, if necessary,
Excess Spread and Shared Finance Charge Collections. To the extent the sum of
(w) the applicable Floating Investor Percentage of Finance Charge Collections
during the preceding Monthly Period, (x) with respect to the Class A Covered
Amount, Principal Funding Investment Proceeds and amounts withdrawn from the
Reserve Account, and (y) Shared Finance Charge Collections allocated and
available to the Certificates is insufficient to pay such Class A Monthly Cap
Rate Interest and Class B Monthly Cap Rate Interest and such Class A Covered
Amount, then (i) Reallocated Principal Collections (to the extent available)
will be used to make such payments to the Class A Certificates, and (ii)
Reallocated Collateral Principal Collections (to the extent available) remaining
after such payments to the Class A Certificates will be used to make such
payments to the Class B Certificates.
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Principal Payments
During the Revolving Period (which begins on the Closing Date and ends
on the day before the Controlled Accumulation Period or the Rapid Amortization
Period begins), unless a reduction in the Required Collateral Interest has
occurred, no principal payments will be made to Certificate holders and
Principal Collections allocable to the Investor Interest will, subject to
certain limitations, including the allocation of any Reallocated Principal
Collections to pay the Class A Required Amount and the Class B Required Amount,
be treated as Shared Principal Collections. On each Transfer Date relating to
the Controlled Accumulation Period, the Trustee at the direction of the Servicer
will deposit in the Principal Funding Account an amount equal to the least of
(a) the Available Investor Principal Collections with respect to the preceding
Monthly Period, (b) the applicable Controlled Deposit Amount and (c) the Class A
Adjusted Investor Interest prior to any deposits on such date. Amounts in the
Principal Funding Account will be deposited in the Distribution Account for
payment to the Class A Certificate holders on the Class A Scheduled Payment
Date. If the Class A Investor Interest has been paid in full on the Class A
Scheduled Payment Date, on the Transfer Date immediately following the Class A
Scheduled Payment Date, amounts equal to the lesser of (a) the Available
Investor Principal Collections with respect to the preceding Monthly Period and
(b) the Class B Investor Interest will be deposited in the Distribution Account
for distribution to the Class B Certificate holders. Such amounts in the
Distribution Account will be paid to the Class B Certificate holders on the
Class B Scheduled Payment Date. On each Transfer Date, if a reduction in the
Required Collateral Interest has occurred, any Available Investor Principal
Collections remaining after application to the Offered Certificates as described
herein will be applied in accordance with the Loan Agreement to reduce the
Collateral Interest to the Required Collateral Interest. During the Controlled
Accumulation Period until the final principal payment is made to the Collateral
Interest Holder, the portion of Available Investor Principal Collections not
applied to Class A Monthly Principal, Class B Monthly Principal or Collateral
Monthly Principal on a Transfer Date will generally be treated as Shared
Principal Collections.
"Available Investor Principal Collections" means, with respect to any
Monthly Period, an amount equal to the sum of (a)(i) Principal Collections
received during such Monthly Period and certain other amounts allocable to the
Investor Interest, minus (ii) the amount of Reallocated Principal Collections
with respect to such Monthly Period used to fund the Required Amounts, plus (b)
any Shared Principal Collections from other Series that are allocated to Series
1997-2 with respect to such Monthly Period.
During the Controlled Accumulation Period, the Trustee at the direction
of the Servicer will transfer Principal Collections (other than Reallocated
Principal Collections) and Shared Principal Collections from other Series, if
any, allocated to the Certificates from the Principal Account to the Principal
Funding Account as described under "--Application of Collections."
On each Distribution Date with respect to the Rapid Amortization
Period, the Class A Certificate holders will be entitled to receive the sum of
the Available Investor Principal Collections for the related Monthly Period
plus, if the Rapid Amortization Period commences after the commencement of the
Accumulation Period, the Principal Funding Account Balance, in an amount up to
the Class A Investor Interest until the earliest of the date the Class A
Certificates are paid in full, the Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination Date and
the termination of the Trust. After payment in full of the Class A Investor
Interest, the Class B Certificate holders will be entitled to receive on each
Distribution Date with respect to the Rapid Amortization Period the Available
Investor Principal Collections until the earliest of the date the Class B
Certificates are paid in full, the Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination Date and
the termination of the Trust. After payment in full of the Class B Investor
Interest, the Collateral Interest Holder will be entitled to receive on each
Transfer Date (other than the Transfer Date prior to the Scheduled Series 1997-2
Termination Date) and on the Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination Date, the
Available Investor Principal Collections until the earliest of the date the
Collateral Interest is paid in full, the Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination
Date and the termination of the Trust. See "--Pay Out Events" below for a
discussion of events which might lead to the commencement of the Rapid
Amortization Period. See "--Application of Collections" and "--Allocation of
Funds" below for a discussion of the method by which Principal Collections and
Shared Principal Collections available to the Certificates are allocated during
either the Controlled Accumulation Period or the Rapid Amortization Period.
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Postponement of Controlled Accumulation Period
Upon written notice to the Trustee, the Servicer may elect to postpone
the commencement of the Controlled Accumulation Period, and extend the length of
the Revolving Period, subject to certain conditions including those set forth
below. The Servicer may make such election only if the Accumulation Period
Length (determined as described below) is less than fourteen months. On each
Determination Date until the Controlled Accumulation Period begins, the Servicer
will determine the "Accumulation Period Length", which is the number of whole
months expected to be required to fully fund the Principal Funding Account no
later than the Transfer Date preceding the Class A Scheduled Payment Date, based
on (a) the monthly Principal Collections expected to be distributable to
Certificate holders of all Series, assuming a principal payment rate no greater
than the lowest monthly principal payment rate on the Receivables for the
preceding twelve months and (b) the amount of principal expected to be
distributable to Certificate holders of all Series (excluding certain other
Series) which are not expected to be in their revolving periods during the
Controlled Accumulation Period. If the Accumulation Period Length is less than
fourteen months, the Servicer may, at its option, postpone the commencement of
the Controlled Accumulation Period such that the number of months included in
the Controlled Accumulation Period will be equal to or exceed the Accumulation
Period Length. The effect of the foregoing calculation is to permit the
reduction of the length of the Controlled Accumulation Period based on the
investor interest of certain other Series which are scheduled to be in their
revolving periods during the Controlled Accumulation Period and on increases in
the principal payment rate occurring after the Closing Date. The Accumulation
Period Length will not be determined to be less than four months.
Subordination
The Class B Investor Interest and the Collateral Interest will be
subordinated to the extent necessary to fund certain payments with respect to
the Class A Certificates. In addition, the Collateral Interest will be
subordinated to the extent necessary to fund certain payments with respect to
the Class B Certificates. No payment of principal will be made to the Class B
Certificate holders until the Class A Investor Interest is paid in full. No
payment of principal will be made to the Collateral Interest Holder on any date
until all payments of principal to the Class A Certificate holders and the Class
B Certificate holders to be made on such date have been paid or provided for in
full; provided, however, that on each Transfer Date, if a reduction of the
Required Collateral Interest has occurred, payments of principal may be made to
the Collateral Interest Holder prior to or concurrently with payments of
principal to Class A Certificate holders and Class B Certificate holders. In
addition, payment of the Required Amounts, which includes payments to cover
shortfalls in respect of (among other things) interest and Monthly Servicing
Fees, will be made on each Distribution Date first to the Class A Certificate
holders and then to the Class B Certificate holders. No payment of interest will
be made to the Collateral Interest Holder on any date until the Class A Required
Amount and the Class B Required Amount, if any, on such date have been paid in
full. Certain principal payments otherwise allocable to the Collateral Interest
Holder and, if the foregoing are insufficient, allocable to the Class B
Certificate holders may be reallocated to the Class A Certificate holders, and
certain principal payments otherwise allocable to the Collateral Interest Holder
may be reallocated to the Class B Certificate holders; and, as a result of such
reallocations, the Collateral Interest and, if the Collateral Interest has been
reduced to zero, the Class B Investor Interest may thereby decrease. To the
extent one or both of the Collateral Interest and the Class B Investor Interest
are so reduced, the percentage of Finance Charge Collections allocated to the
Collateral Interest Holder and, as applicable, the Class B Certificate holders
in subsequent Monthly Periods will be reduced. Moreover, to the extent the
amount of such decrease in the Collateral Interest Holder and/or the Class B
Investor Interest is not reimbursed, the amount of principal distributable to
the Collateral Interest and/or the Class B Certificate holders will be reduced.
See "--Allocation of Funds", "--Reallocation of Cash Flows".
Conveyance of Receivables
On July 9, 1993 the Transferor transferred and assigned to the Trust
all of its right, title and interest in and to the Receivables in the Accounts
then outstanding and all Receivables thereafter created in the Accounts and
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all monies due or to become due with respect thereto (including Principal
Receivables, Finance Charge Receivables and all proceeds of such Receivables).
On October 4, 1994, on July 14, 1995, on May 1, 1996, on October 1, 1996, on May
1, 1997, and on August 1, 1997, the Transferor transferred and assigned to the
Trust Receivables arising from certain Additional Accounts designated pursuant
to the Agreement. On each day that an Eligible Automatic Additional Account has
been originated or shall be originated or designated as an Automatic Additional
Account by the Transferor (and on any day such Account exists but has not been
previously added to the Trust as a result of the limitations expressed in
"Addition of Accounts"), the Transferor has added or will add the Receivables in
each such account to the Trust and such accounts are treated as Automatic
Additional Accounts in an amount not in excess of the Maximum Addition Amount.
In connection with the transfer of the Receivables to the Trust, the
Transferor indicated in its computer files the conveyance of the Receivables to
the Trust. In addition, the Transferor provided the Trustee a computer file or a
microfiche list containing a true and complete list showing each Account,
identified by account number and indicating the total outstanding Receivable
balance transferred. The Transferor has provided the Trustee an updated list of
each Account, identified by account number and indicating the total outstanding
Receivable balance as of December 31, 1996, which list has been and will be
further updated periodically to reflect new Automatic Additional Accounts and
Additional Accounts and the removal of Removed Accounts. The Transferor will not
deliver to the Trustee any other records or agreements relating to the Accounts
or Receivables. Except as stated above, the records and agreements relating to
the Accounts and the Receivables maintained by the Transferor or the Servicer
will not be segregated by the Transferor or the Servicer from other documents
and agreements relating to other credit card accounts and receivables and will
not be stamped or marked to reflect the transfer of the Receivables to the
Trust, but the computer records of the Transferor are required to be marked to
evidence such transfer. The Transferor has filed UCC financing statements with
respect to the Receivables meeting the requirements of Connecticut state law.
See "Risk Factors--Certain Legal Aspects" and "Certain Legal Aspects of the
Receivables".
Exchanges
The Agreement provides for the Trustee to issue two types of
certificates: (i) one or more Series of certificates transferable and having the
characteristics described below and (ii) the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate, a certificate evidencing the Transferor Interest, currently held by
PSFC and transferable only as provided in the Agreement. The Agreement also
provides that, pursuant to any one or more Supplements, the Holder of the
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate may tender such certificate, or the Holder
of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate may tender the Exchangeable
Transferor Certificate and the Transferor may tender the certificates evidencing
all or a portion of any Series of certificates, to the Trustee in exchange for
one or more new Series and a reissued Exchangeable Transferor Certificate. Under
the Agreement, the Transferor and the Trustee will execute a Supplement in
conjunction with such an Exchange that will specify, with respect to any newly
issued Series, certain terms which may include: (i) its name or designation;
(ii) its initial principal amount (or method for calculating such amount); (iii)
its coupon rate (or formula for the determination thereof); (iv) the closing
date; (v) the rating agency or agencies, if any, rating the Series; (vi) the
interest payment date or dates and the date or dates from which interest shall
accrue including the interest accrual period with respect to such Series; (vii)
the name of the clearing agency, if any; (viii) the method for allocating
Collections to Certificate holders of such Series; (ix) the names of any
accounts to be used by such Series and the terms governing the operations of any
such accounts; (x) the percentage used to calculate monthly servicing fees; (xi)
the Minimum Transferor Interest; (xii) the minimum amount of Aggregate Principal
Receivables required to be maintained by the Transferor through the designation
of Additional Accounts; (xiii) the enhancer and terms of the Enhancement with
respect thereto; (xiv) the base rate applicable to such Series; (xv) the terms
on which the certificates of such Series may be repurchased by the Transferor or
remarketed to other investors; (xvi) the series termination date; (xvii) any
deposit into any account maintained for the benefit of Certificate holders of
such Series; (xviii) the number of classes of such Series, and if more than one
class, the rights and priorities of each such class; (xix) the extent to which
the certificates of such Series will be issuable in temporary or permanent
global form (and, in such case, the depositary for such global certificate or
certificates, the terms and conditions, if any, upon which such global
certificate may be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive certificates,
and the manner in which any interest payable on a temporary or
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permanent global certificate will be paid); (xx) whether the certificates of
such Series may be issued in bearer form and any limitations imposed thereon;
(xxi) whether Interchange or other fees will be included in funds available to
Certificate holders of such Series; (xxii) the priority of any Series with
respect to any other Series; (xxiii) the rights of the Holder of the
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate that have been transferred to the holders of
such Series; and (xxiv) any other relevant terms (all such terms, the "Principal
Terms" of such Series). None of the Transferor, the Servicer, the Holder of the
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate, the Trustee or the Trust is required or
intends to obtain the consent of any Certificateholder to issue any additional
Series. As a condition of an Exchange, however, the Trustee must receive written
confirmation that the Exchange will not result in the Rating Agency reducing or
withdrawing its rating of any outstanding Series, including the Certificates.
The Transferor and the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate may
offer any Series to the public under a Disclosure Document in transactions
either registered under the Securities Act or exempt from registration
thereunder directly, through the Underwriters or one or more other underwriters
or placement agents, in fixed-price offerings or in negotiated transactions or
otherwise. Any such Series may be issued in fully registered or book-entry form
in minimum denominations determined by the Transferor. The Transferor and the
Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate may offer, from time to time,
additional Series.
The Agreement provides that the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate may perform Exchanges and the related Supplements may define
Principal Terms such that each Series has a period during which amortization or
accumulation of the principal amount thereof is intended to occur which may have
a different length and begin on a different date than such period for any other
Series. Further, one or more Series may be in their amortization periods or
accumulation periods, as the case may be, while other Series are not. Thus,
certain Series may not be amortizing or accumulating, as the case may be, while
other Series are amortizing or accumulating. Moreover, each Series may have the
benefits of the Enhancement available only to such Series. Under the Agreement,
the Trustee shall hold any such form of Enhancement only on behalf of the Series
to which the Enhancement relates. Likewise, with respect to each such form of
Enhancement, a different form of Enhancement agreement may be delivered to the
Trustee. The Agreement also provides that the related Supplements may specify
different coupon rates and monthly servicing fees with respect to each Series
(or a particular class within such Series) and may vary between Series the terms
upon which a Series (or a particular class within such Series) may be
repurchased by the Transferor or remarketed to other investors. In addition, a
Series Supplement may permit (as does the Series 1997-2 Supplement) an Investor
Exchange by which the Certificate holders of such Series may elect to exchange
their certificates for one or more newly issued Series of certificates upon the
satisfaction of certain conditions specified in the Agreement and the related
Supplement. Additionally, certain Series may be subordinated to other Series, or
classes within a Series may have different priorities. The Series 1997-2
Supplement will not permit the subordination of such Series to any other Series
issued or which may hereafter be issued by the Trust. There is no limit to the
number of Exchanges that may be performed under the Agreement. The Trust will
terminate only as provided in the Agreement.
Under the Agreement and pursuant to a Supplement, an Exchange may only
occur upon the satisfaction of certain conditions provided in the Agreement.
Under the Agreement, the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate may
perform an Exchange by notifying the Trustee at least three days in advance of
the date upon which the Exchange is to occur. Under the Agreement, the notice
will state the designation of any Series to be issued on the date of the
Exchange and, with respect to each such Series: (i) its initial principal amount
(or method for calculating such amount) which amount may not be greater than the
current principal amount of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate plus, in the
case of an Investor Exchange, the current principal amount of the investor
certificates to be exchanged, (ii) its certificate rate (or method for
calculating such rate) and (iii) the provider of the Enhancement, if any, which
is expected to provide credit support with respect to it. On the date of the
Exchange, the Agreement provides that the Trustee will authenticate any such
Series only upon delivery to it of the following, among others: (i) a Supplement
in form satisfactory to the Trustee signed by the Transferor and specifying the
Principal Terms of such Series, (ii) an opinion of counsel to the effect that
the certificates of such Series, unless otherwise stated, will be characterized
as indebtedness of the Transferor under existing law for Federal, Connecticut
and New York state income tax purposes, (iii) an opinion of counsel to the
effect that the issuance of such Series will not materially adversely impact the
Federal, Connecticut or New York state income tax characterization of any
outstanding Series or result in the Trust being subject to Federal, New York or
Connecticut tax at the entity level,
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(iv) the Enhancement, if any, and an appropriate form of Enhancement agreement
or instrument with respect thereto executed by the Transferor and the issuer of
the Enhancement, (v) written confirmation from the Rating Agency that the
Exchange will not result in such Rating Agency reducing or withdrawing its
rating on any outstanding Series, (vi) the existing Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate and, if applicable, certificates of the Series to be exchanged, and
(vii) a certificate of an officer of the Transferor that on the date such
Exchange occurs, after giving effect to such Exchange, the Transferor Interest
will be at least equal to the Minimum Transferor Interest. Upon satisfaction of
such conditions, the Trustee will cancel the existing Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate and the certificates of the exchanged Series, if applicable, and
authenticate the new Series and a new Exchangeable Transferor Certificate.
Representations and Warranties
The Transferor has made and will make upon execution of each Supplement
certain representations and warranties to the Trust to the effect that, among
other things, (a) as of the Closing Date and the closing date of the issuance by
the Trust of the initial Series of certificates, the Transferor was duly
incorporated and in good standing and that it has the authority to consummate
the transactions contemplated by the Agreement and (b) as of the Series Cut-Off
Date, or, with respect to any Additional Account or Automatic Additional
Account, the date on which such Additional Account or Automatic Additional
Account was transferred to the Trust, each Account was an Eligible Account (as
defined below). If (i) any of these representations and warranties proves to
have been incorrect in any material respect when made, and continues to be
incorrect for 60 days after notice to the Transferor by the Trustee or to the
Transferor and the Trustee by Certificate holders holding not less than 50% of
each of the Class A Investor Interest, the Class B Investor Interest and the
Collateral Interest and (ii) as a result the interests of the Certificate
holders are materially adversely affected, and continue to be materially
adversely affected during such period, then the Trustee or Certificate holders
holding not less than 50% of each of the Class A Investor Interest, the Class B
Investor Interest and the Collateral Interest may give notice to the Transferor
(and to the Trustee in the latter instance) declaring that a Pay Out Event has
occurred, thereby commencing the Rapid Amortization Period. See "--Pay Out
Events".
The Transferor has made and will make upon the execution of each
Supplement representations and warranties to the Trust relating to the
Receivables to the effect, among other things, that (a) as of the closing date
of the issuance by the Trust of the related Series of certificates, each of the
Receivables then existing is an Eligible Receivable (as defined below) and (b)
as of the date of creation of any new Receivable, such Receivable is an Eligible
Receivable and the representation and warranty set forth in clause (b) in the
immediately following paragraph is true and correct with respect to such
Receivable. In the event (i) of a breach of any representation and warranty set
forth in this paragraph, within 60 days, or such longer period as may be agreed
to by the Trustee (but no longer than 120 days), of the earlier to occur of the
discovery of such breach by the Transferor or Servicer or receipt by the
Transferor of written notice of such breach given by the Trustee or any
"Enhancement Provider" (as defined in the Agreement), or, with respect to
certain breaches relating to prior liens, immediately upon the earlier to occur
of such discovery or notice and (ii) that, except with respect to certain
breaches relating to prior liens, as a result of such breach, the Receivables in
the related Accounts are charged off as uncollectible, the Trust's rights in, to
or under such Receivables or their proceeds are impaired or the proceeds of such
Receivables are not available for any reason to the Trust free and clear of any
lien, the Transferor shall accept reassignment of each Principal Receivable as
to which such breach relates (an "Ineligible Receivable") on the terms and
conditions set forth below; provided, however, that no such reassignment shall
be required to be made with respect to such Ineligible Receivable if, on any day
within the applicable period (or such longer period as may be agreed to by the
Trustee), the representations and warranties with respect to such Ineligible
Receivable shall then be true and correct in all material respects. The
Transferor shall accept reassignment of each such Ineligible Receivable by (i)
depositing into the Collection Account an amount equal to the Finance Charge
Receivables collected with respect to such Ineligible Receivable and (ii)
directing the Servicer to deduct the amount of each such Ineligible Receivable
from the aggregate amount of Principal Receivables used to calculate the
Transferor Interest; provided, however, that if the exclusion of an Ineligible
Receivable from the calculation of the Transferor Interest would cause the
Transferor Interest to be less than the Minimum Transferor Interest or would
otherwise not be permitted by law, then such Ineligible
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Receivable shall be removed upon the Transferor depositing in the Excess Funding
Account (for allocation as a Principal Receivable) in immediately available
funds an amount equal to the amount by which the Transferor Interest would be
reduced below the Minimum Transferor Interest. Any such deduction or deposit
shall be considered a repayment in full of the Ineligible Receivable. The
obligation of the Transferor to accept reassignment of any Ineligible Receivable
is the sole remedy respecting any breach of the representations and warranties
set forth in this paragraph with respect to such Receivable available to
Certificate holders or the Trustee on behalf of Certificate holders.
The Transferor has made and will make upon the execution of each
Supplement representations and warranties to the Trust to the effect, among
other things, that as of the Closing Date and the closing date of the issuance
by the Trust of the related Series of certificates (a) the Agreement, including
the Supplement, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the
Transferor and (b) the transfer of Receivables by it to the Trust under the
Agreement constitutes either a valid transfer and assignment to the Trust of all
right, title and interest of the Transferor in and to the Receivables (other
than Receivables in Additional Accounts), whether then existing or thereafter
created and the proceeds thereof (including amounts in any of the accounts
established for the benefit of the Certificate holders), Recoveries allocable to
the Trust and Interchange with respect to the Trust or the grant of a first
priority security interest in such Receivables (except for certain tax liens)
and the proceeds thereof (including amounts in any of the accounts established
for the benefit of the Certificate holders), which is effective as to each such
Receivable upon the creation thereof and which has been perfected. The
Transferor has made, and will make (or has been or will be deemed to make),
similar representations and warranties to the Trust in connection with each
assignment of Receivables in Additional Accounts or Automatic Additional
Accounts. In the event of a breach of any of the representations and warranties
described in the first sentence of this paragraph, either the Trustee or the
holders of certificates evidencing undivided interests in the Trust aggregating
more than 50% of the sum of the investor interests of all Series issued and
outstanding, by written notice to the Transferor (and to the Trustee and the
Servicer if given by the Certificate holders), may direct the Transferor to
accept reassignment of the Trust Portfolio within 60 days of such notice, or
within such longer period specified in such notice (but no longer than 120
days). The Transferor will be obligated to accept reassignment of such
Receivables on a Distribution Date occurring within such applicable period. Such
reassignment will not be required to be made, however, if at any time during
such applicable period, or such longer period, the representations and
warranties shall then be true and correct in all material respects. The deposit
amount for such reassignment with respect to each Series of certificates
required to be repurchased following such notice, including the Certificates,
will generally be equal to the investor interest of each such Series on the last
day of the Monthly Period preceding the Distribution Date on which the
reassignment is scheduled to be made plus an amount equal to all interest
accrued but unpaid on such certificates at the applicable certificate rate (less
the amounts previously allocated for payment of interest and principal with
respect to each such Series of certificates) through the end of the interest
accrual periods of each such Series. The reassignment deposit amount shall equal
the sum of the reassignment deposits with respect to each Series then issued and
outstanding which is required to be repurchased following such notice. The
payment of such reassignment deposit amount into the Collection Account will be
considered a prepayment in full of all Receivables and will be paid in full to
the Certificate holders of such Series upon presentation and surrender of their
certificates. In the Series 1997-2 Supplement, the Transferor represents and
warrants that, as of the Closing Date, the Agreement, as supplemented by such
Supplement, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Transferor.
Upon a breach of this representation, either the Trustee or the holders of
Certificates evidencing aggregate undivided interests in the Trust aggregating
more than 50% of each of the Class A Investor Interest, the Class B Investor
Interest and the Collateral Interest by written notice to the Transferor (and to
the Trustee and the Servicer if given by the Certificate holders) may direct the
Transferor to purchase the Certificates (but not the certificates of any other
Series) on terms and conditions substantially similar to those set forth above.
If the Trustee or the Certificate holders (including the Certificate holders)
give a notice as provided above, the obligation of the Transferor to make any
such deposit or repurchase will constitute the sole remedy respecting a breach
of the representations and warranties (set forth in this paragraph) available to
the Trustee or the Certificate holders.
An "Eligible Account" is defined to mean a VISA or MasterCard credit
card account owned by the Transferor which, as of the Series Cut-Off Date, (a)
is payable in United States dollars, (b) has not been identified on the computer
files of the Transferor as relating to a cardholder who has died or commenced
action relating to
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bankruptcy or who is the subject of an involuntary bankruptcy, insolvency or
similar action, (c) has not been classified by the Transferor as counterfeit,
fraudulent, stolen or lost, or as a corporate business card, (d) has not been
charged off by the Transferor in its customary and usual manner for charging off
such Account as of the Series Cut-Off Date, (e) has not been (and no Receivables
in such Account have been) sold or pledged to any other person, (f) is not an
account on which People's Bank or an affiliate of People's Bank is the obligor
and (g) as of the date of origination of such account, the obligor of which had
a billing address in the United States, its territories or possessions.
An "Eligible Receivable" is defined to mean each Receivable (a) arising
under an Eligible Account, an Eligible Additional Account (in the case of
Additional Accounts) or an Eligible Automatic Additional Account (in the case of
Automatic Additional Accounts), as the case may be, (b) created in compliance,
in all material respects, with all requirements of law applicable to the
Transferor, and pursuant to a credit card agreement complying in all material
respects with all requirements of law applicable to the Transferor, (c) with
respect to which all consents or authorizations of, or registrations with, any
governmental authority required to be obtained or given by the Transferor in
connection with the creation of such Receivable or the execution, delivery,
creation and performance by the Transferor of the related credit card agreement
have been duly obtained or given and are in full force and effect as of the date
of the creation of such Receivable, (d) as to which, at the time of its creation
and at all times thereafter, the Transferor or the Trust had good and marketable
title free and clear of all liens and security interests (other than certain tax
liens for taxes not then due or which the Transferor is contesting), (e) which
is the legal, valid and binding payment obligation of the cardholder thereof,
legally enforceable against such cardholder in accordance with its terms (with
certain bankruptcy-related exceptions), (f) which constitutes an "account" or
"general intangible" under and as defined in Article 9 of the UCC as then in
effect in the State of New York, (g) as to which as of the time of its transfer
to the Trust, the Transferor has satisfied all material obligations on its part
with respect to such Receivable required to be satisfied, (h) which is not, at
the time of its transfer to the Trust, subject to any right of rescission,
setoff, counterclaim or defense (including the defense of usury), other than
certain bankruptcy related defenses and (i) as to which the Transferor has done
nothing to impair, or omitted to take any action the omission of which would
impair, the rights of the Trust or the Certificate holders.
The Trustee has not made, and it is not required or anticipated that
the Trustee will make, any general examination of the Receivables or any records
relating to the Receivables for the purpose of establishing the presence or
absence of defects, compliance with the Transferor's representations and
warranties or for any other purpose. The Servicer, however, has delivered and
will deliver to the Trustee on or before March 31 of each year, beginning in
1994, an opinion of counsel with respect to the validity of the security
interest of the Trust in and to the Receivables and certain other components of
the Trust. The Transferor has undertaken to file any such opinion of counsel
delivered to the Trustee with the Commission as an exhibit to a report on Form
8-K filed under the provisions of the Exchange Act.
Sale of Accounts
The Transferor has the right to sell, transfer or pledge the Accounts;
provided, however, that (i) the Rating Agency has advised the Transferor and the
Trustee that such sale, transfer or pledge will not result in the reduction or
withdrawal of the then-existing rating of the certificates, (ii) the Transferor
and the Servicer determine such sale, transfer or pledge will not be materially
adverse to the interests of the Certificate holders, (iii) such purchaser,
transferee or pledgee shall expressly assume in a supplemental agreement the
applicable obligations and covenants of the Transferor and (iv) certain other
conditions specified in the Agreement are satisfied.
Addition of Accounts
On each day an Eligible Automatic Additional Account is originated (and
on any day such Account exists but has not been previously added to the Trust as
a result of the limitations expressed in the next succeeding sentence), the
Transferor will add the Receivables in each such account to the Trust and such
accounts shall be
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treated as Automatic Additional Accounts in an amount not in excess of the
Maximum Addition Amount. An "Eligible Automatic Additional Account" is, as of
the relevant date of addition, an Automatic Additional Account that is (i) a
VISA Account or MasterCard credit card account, satisfying the criteria set
forth in the definition of Eligible Account, or (ii) any other consumer
revolving credit account (x) satisfying the criteria set forth in the definition
of Eligible Account without regard to the requirement that such account be a
VISA or MasterCard credit card account, (y) which would not cause the Rating
Agency to indicate in writing that such addition would result in the reduction
or withdrawal of its then-existing rating of any Series of certificates and (z)
to which, to the extent provided in any Supplement, the provider of any
Enhancement for the related Series of certificates consents, which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld. The Agreement provides that Automatic Additional
Accounts will be transferred to the Trust only if the following conditions are
met: the number of Automatic Additional Accounts the Receivables of which are
designated to be added to the Trust since (i) the first day of the eleventh
preceding Monthly Period minus the number of Automatic Additional Accounts whose
inclusion has been approved by the Rating Agencies, that satisfy certain other
conditions and that were added on the initial day of the addition of such type
of Account since the first day of such eleventh preceding Monthly Period plus
the number of Additional Accounts, if any, the Receivables of which were
required to be and have been designated to be added to the Trust since the first
day of such eleventh preceding Monthly Period pursuant to the next paragraph
minus any Removed Accounts removed since the first day of such eleventh
preceding Monthly Period shall not exceed 15% of the number of Accounts on the
first day of such eleventh preceding Monthly Period, and (ii) the first day of
the second preceding Monthly Period minus the number of Automatic Additional
Accounts whose inclusion has been approved by the Rating Agencies, that satisfy
certain other conditions and that were added on the initial day of the addition
of such type of Account since the first day of such second preceding Monthly
Period plus the number of Additional Accounts, if any, the Receivables of which
were required to be and have been designated to be added to the Trust since the
first day of such second preceding Monthly Period pursuant to the next paragraph
minus any Removed Accounts removed since the first day of such second preceding
Monthly Period shall not exceed 10% of the number of Accounts on the first day
of such second preceding Monthly Period (the lesser of the amounts described in
clauses (i) and (ii) of this sentence, the "Maximum Addition Amount"). The
Transferor, at its option, may terminate or suspend the inclusion of Automatic
Additional Accounts at any time.
As described above in "The Receivables", the Transferor has the right
and, in some circumstances, is obligated to designate from time to time
Additional Accounts to be included as Accounts. The Transferor will be required
to add Additional Accounts (i) if on any Record Date the Transferor Interest for
the related Monthly Period is less than the Minimum Transferor Interest of the
Aggregate Principal Receivables (or such higher amount established pursuant to a
Supplement) or (ii) if, on any date of determination, the Aggregate Principal
Receivables is less than the Minimum Aggregate Principal Receivables. Each such
Additional Account must be an "Eligible Additional Account". An "Eligible
Additional Account" is, as of the date such account is added to the Trust,
either (i) a VISA or MasterCard credit card account satisfying the criteria set
forth in the definition of Eligible Account or (ii) any other consumer revolving
credit account, (a) satisfying the criteria set forth in the definition of
Eligible Account (without regard to the requirement that such account be a VISA
or MasterCard credit card account), (b) the addition of the receivables of which
would not cause the Rating Agency to indicate in writing that such addition
would result in the reduction or withdrawal of its then existing rating of any
Series of certificates and (c) to which, to the extent provided in any
Supplement, the provider of any Enhancement for the related Series of
certificates consents, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The
Transferor will convey to the Trust its interest in all Receivables of such
Additional Accounts, whether such Receivables are then-existing or thereafter
created subject to the following conditions, among others: (i) the Transferor
shall have given prior written notice of such additions to the Rating Agency,
(ii) the Transferor shall have received notice from the Rating Agency that the
inclusion of such accounts as Additional Accounts will not result in the
reduction or withdrawal of its then existing rating of any Series of
certificates, (iii) no selection procedure believed by the Transferor to be
materially adverse to the interests of the holders of any Series of
certificates, including the Certificate holders, was used in selecting the
Additional Accounts and (iv) each Account was an Eligible Additional Account.
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Removal of Accounts
Subject to the conditions set forth in the next succeeding sentence, on
each Determination Date on which the Transferor Interest for the related Monthly
Period exceeds 10% of Aggregate Principal Receivables on such Determination
Date, the Transferor may, but shall not be obligated to, designate Receivables
from Accounts for deletion and removal from the Trust without notice to the
Certificate holders (the "Removed Accounts"). The Transferor is permitted to
designate and require reassignment of Receivables from Removed Accounts only
upon satisfaction of the following conditions, among others: (i) the Transferor
shall have delivered to the Trustee for execution a written reassignment and a
computer file or microfiche list containing a true and complete list of all
Removed Accounts, the Accounts to be identified by, among other things, account
number and their aggregate amount of Principal Receivables as of the "Removal
Date" (as defined in the Agreement); (ii) the Transferor shall represent and
warrant that no selection procedure used by the Transferor which is materially
adverse to the interests of the Certificate holders was utilized in selecting
the Removed Accounts; (iii) the removal of any Receivables of any Removed
Accounts shall not, in the reasonable belief of the Transferor, (a) cause a Pay
Out Event to occur or (b) cause the Transferor Interest as a percentage of
Aggregate Principal Receivables to be less than 10% on such Removal Date; (iv)
the Transferor shall have delivered prior written notice of the removal to the
Rating Agency and prior to the date on which such Receivables are to be removed,
the Transferor shall have received notice from the Rating Agency that such
removal will not result in the reduction or withdrawal of the then-existing
rating of any Series of certificates; (v) the Transferor shall have delivered to
the Trustee an officer's certificate confirming the items set forth in clauses
(i) through (iv) above; and (vi) the Transferor, the Trustee and the Rating
Agency will have received an opinion of counsel that the proposed removal will
not adversely affect the federal income tax characterization of the Trust.
Collection and Other Servicing Procedures
Pursuant to the Agreement, the Servicer will be responsible for
servicing and administering the Receivables in accordance with the Servicer's
policies and procedures for servicing credit card receivables comparable to the
Receivables. The Servicer maintains a blanket bond coverage insuring against
losses through wrongdoing of its officers and employees who are involved in the
servicing of credit card receivables covering such actions and in such amounts
as the Servicer believes to be reasonable from time to time.
Discount Option
The Transferor may at its option at any time designate a specified
fixed or variable percentage (the "Discount Percentage") of the amount of
Receivables arising in designated Accounts on and after the date such option
(the "Discount Option") is exercised that otherwise would have been treated as
Principal Receivables to be treated as Finance Charge Receivables. Such
designation of the Discount Percentage will become effective only upon
satisfaction of the requirements set forth in the Agreement, including
confirmation by each Rating Agency that such designation will not result in a
withdrawal or reduction of its rating of any outstanding Series of certificates.
On the date of processing of any Collections, the product of the Discount
Percentage and Collections of Receivables that arise in the designated Accounts
on such day on or after the date such option is exercised that otherwise would
be Principal Receivables will be deemed Finance Charge Collections and will be
applied accordingly. The Transferor may at its option, at any time, temporarily
or permanently suspend the Discount Option. Each Certificateholder by its
acceptance of a beneficial interest in a Certificate shall be deemed to have
consented to the exercise by the Transferor of the Discount Option at such time
as the Transferor determines to exercise such option.
The Collection Account
The Servicer has established and will maintain, or cause to be
maintained, in the name of the Trust, for the benefit of Certificate holders, a
"Collection Account", which is a non-interest bearing segregated trust account
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established with a "Qualified Institution", defined either as the corporate
trust department of a Qualified Trust Institution or as a depository institution
(which may include the Servicer, the Trustee or an affiliate of the Servicer),
organized under the laws of the United States or any one of the states thereof,
which at all times has a certificate of deposit rating of P-1 by Moody's
Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") and of A-1+ by Standard & Poor's Ratings
Services, a division of The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. ("Standard & Poor's"),
or a long term rating of at least Aa3 by Moody's and AAA by Standard & Poor's
and deposit insurance as required by law and by the FDIC. In addition, the
Supplement with respect to any Series may require the Trustee to establish and
maintain a subaccount of the Collection Account for such Series (such
subaccount, a "Collection Subaccount"). Funds in the Collection Account or, as
provided in the related Supplement, any Collection Subaccount, may be invested
to the extent provided in such Supplement, at the direction of the Servicer, in
specified investments including (i) obligations of or fully guaranteed by the
United States of America, (ii) demand deposits, time deposits or certificates of
deposit of depository institutions or trust companies, the certificates of
deposit of which have a rating from Standard & Poor's of A-1+ and either the
certificates of deposit of which have a rating from Moody's of P-1 or the
long-term unsecured debt obligations of which have a rating from Moody's of Aa3,
and which demand deposits, time deposits and certificates of deposit are fully
insured to the limits as required by law and by the FDIC, (iii) commercial paper
having, at the time of the Trust's investment, a rating of P-1 and A-1+,
respectively, from Moody's and Standard & Poor's, (iv) bankers acceptances
issued by any depository institution or trust company described in clause (ii)
above, (v) money market funds rated AAA-m or AAAm-G by Standard & Poor's or P-1
by Moody's or which have otherwise been approved in writing by the Rating Agency
and (vi) certain open-end diversified investment companies which have been
approved in writing by the Rating Agency ("Permitted Investments"). Any earnings
(net of losses and investment expenses) on funds in the Collection Account or
any Collection Subaccount will be paid monthly to the Transferor or as otherwise
specified in the related Supplement. The Servicer has the revocable power to
withdraw funds from the Collection Account or any Collection Subaccount for the
sole purpose of carrying out the Servicer's duties under the Agreement. The
Servicer will initially make daily deposits of Collections allocable to the
Investor Interest into the Collection Account and will not be entitled to use
any such deposited funds for its own purposes. The Paying Agent shall have the
revocable power to withdraw funds from the Collection Account or any Collection
Subaccount for the purpose of making distributions to the Certificate holders in
the manner provided in the related Supplement. The Paying Agent shall initially
be the Trustee. The Series 1997-2 Supplement provides for the establishment of a
Series 1997-2 Collection Subaccount and the investment of certain funds therein
in Permitted Investments. In addition, the Servicer has established and will
maintain or cause to be maintained with a Qualified Institution (other than the
Transferor) in the name of the Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, a segregated
trust account, the "Excess Funding Account" for the benefit of the Certificate
holders of each Series and the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate. Amounts on deposit in such Excess Funding Account will be invested
in the manner directed by the Transferor in Permitted Investments.
Series 1997-2 Accounts
The Servicer will establish and maintain with a Qualified Trust
Institution in the name of the Trustee for the benefit of the Certificate
holders, two separate accounts in a segregated trust account maintained in the
corporate trust department of such Qualified Trust Institution (which accounts
need not be deposit accounts), and which will be designated the "Finance Charge
Account" and the "Principal Account". The Servicer will also establish a
"Distribution Account" (a non-interest bearing segregated demand deposit account
established with a Qualified Trust Institution). In addition, the Trustee will
establish the Principal Funding Account and the Reserve Account. See
"--Principal Funding Account" and "--Reserve Account" for discussions of the
Principal Funding Account and the Reserve Account, respectively.
A "Qualified Trust Institution" is a depository institution (which may
include the Trustee) having corporate trust powers, organized under the laws of
the United States or any one of the states thereof, which at all times has a
long term rating of at least Baa3 by Moody's and of at least BBB- by Standard &
Poor's and deposit insurance as required by law and by the FDIC. Funds in the
Principal Account and the Finance Charge Account will be invested, at the
direction of the Servicer, in Permitted Investments. Any earnings (net of losses
and investment expenses) on funds in the Finance Charge Account or the Principal
Account will be paid to the Transferor. The
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Servicer will have the revocable power to withdraw funds from the Collection
Account, the Finance Charge Account, the Principal Account and the Excess
Funding Account for the purpose of carrying out the Servicer's duties under the
Agreement. The Paying Agent shall have the revocable power to withdraw funds
from the Distribution Account for the purpose of making distributions to the
Certificate holders. The Distribution Account shall not contain any funds of the
Transferor or amounts allocable to the Transferor Interest, and no amounts on
deposit therein shall be made available to the Transferor.
The Finance Charge Account, the Principal Account, the Principal
Funding Account and the Distribution Account are collectively referred to as the
"Series 1997-2 Accounts".
Allocation Percentages
Pursuant to the Agreement, the Servicer will allocate between the
Investor Interest, the investor interest of all other Series of certificates
issued and outstanding and the Transferor Interest all amounts collected on
Finance Charge Receivables, all amounts collected on Principal Receivables and
all Receivables in Defaulted Accounts. The Servicer will make each allocation by
reference to the applicable Investor Percentage (or the applicable percentage
for each other Series) and the Transferor Percentage in each case. "Collections"
(as defined in the Agreement) will be applied first, as Collections in respect
of Finance Charge Receivables ("Finance Charge Collections") and, second, as
Collections in respect of Principal Receivables ("Principal Collections").
The Investor Percentage will be calculated as follows:
Finance Charge Collections and Receivables in Defaulted Accounts;
Principal Collections during Revolving Period. When used with respect to Finance
Charge Collections, or with respect to Receivables in Accounts written off as
uncollectible ("Defaulted Accounts") at any time, or when used with respect to
Principal Collections during the Revolving Period, "Investor Percentage" means
for any Monthly Period, the "Floating Investor Percentage", which shall be, on
any date of determination (except with respect to the first Monthly Period), the
percentage equivalent of a fraction, the numerator of which is the Adjusted
Investor Interest, determined as of the last day of the Monthly Period
immediately preceding such date of determination, and the denominator of which
is the greater of (i) the Aggregate Principal Receivables, determined as of the
last day of the Monthly Period immediately preceding such date of determination,
and (ii) the sum of the numerators used to calculate the applicable investor
percentages for all outstanding Series on such date of determination. With
respect to the first Monthly Period, allocations of Finance Charge Receivables
and Defaulted Accounts described in the preceding sentence will be calculated as
the product of (i) such allocation for the full calendar month of September 1997
and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the actual number of days from
and including the Closing Date through and including September 31, 1997, and the
denominator of which is 31. Such amounts so allocated will be further allocated
between the Class A Certificate holders, the Class B Certificate holders and the
Collateral Interest Holder based on the Class A Floating Allocation, the Class B
Floating Allocation and the Collateral Floating Allocation, respectively. The
"Class A Floating Allocation" means, with respect to any Monthly Period, the
percentage equivalent (which percentage may never exceed 100%) of a fraction,
the numerator of which is equal to the Class A Adjusted Investor Interest as of
the close of business on the last day of the preceding Monthly Period (or with
respect to the first Monthly Period, as of the Closing Date) and the denominator
of which is equal to the Adjusted Investor Interest as of the close of business
on such day. The "Class B Floating Allocation" means, with respect to any
Monthly Period, the percentage equivalent (which percentage may never exceed
100%) of a fraction, the numerator of which is equal to the Class B Investor
Interest as of the close of business on the last day of the preceding Monthly
Period (or with respect to the first Monthly Period, as of the Closing Date) and
the denominator of which is equal to the Adjusted Investor Interest as of the
close of business on such day. The "Collateral Floating Allocation" means, with
respect to any Monthly Period, the percentage equivalent (which percentage may
never exceed 100%) of a fraction, the numerator of which is equal to the
Collateral Interest as of the close of business on the last day of the preceding
Monthly Period (or with respect to the first Monthly Period, as of the Closing
Date) and the denominator of which is equal to the Adjusted Investor Interest as
of the close of business on such day.
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Principal Collections during the Controlled Accumulation Period or the
Rapid Amortization Period. When used with respect to Principal Collections for
any Monthly Period during the Controlled Accumulation Period or the Rapid
Amortization Period, "Investor Percentage" means the "Fixed Investor
Percentage", which shall be, on any date of determination, the percentage
equivalent of a fraction, the numerator of which is the Investor Interest as of
the close of business on the last day of the Revolving Period (or, if there has
been an Investor Exchange with respect to the Certificates after the end of the
Revolving Period, the Investor Interest as of the end of the Revolving Period
will be reduced ratably to reflect the amount of Certificates tendered and
cancelled pursuant to any Investor Exchange), and the denominator of which is
the greater of (a) the Aggregate Principal Receivables determined as of the last
day of the Monthly Period immediately preceding such date of determination and
(b) the sum of the numerators used to calculate the applicable investor
percentages for all outstanding Series on such date of determination with
respect to Principal Receivables. Such amounts so allocated will be further
allocated between the Class A Certificate holders, the Class B Certificate
holders and the Collateral Interest Holder based on the Class A Fixed
Allocation, the Class B Fixed Allocation and the Collateral Fixed Allocation,
respectively. The "Class A Fixed Allocation" means, with respect to any Monthly
Period, the percentage equivalent (which percentage may never exceed 100%) of a
fraction, the numerator of which is equal to the Class A Investor Interest as of
the close of business on the last day of the Revolving Period and the
denominator of which is equal to the Investor Interest as of the close of
business on such day. The "Class B Fixed Allocation" means, with respect to any
Monthly Period, the percentage equivalent (which percentage may never exceed
100%) of a fraction, the numerator of which is equal to the Class B Investor
Interest as of the close of business on the last day of the Revolving Period and
the denominator of which is equal to the Investor Interest as of the close of
business on such day. The "Collateral Fixed Allocation" means, with respect to
any Monthly Period, the percentage equivalent (which percentage may never exceed
100%) of a fraction, the numerator of which is equal to the Collateral Interest
as of the close of business on the last day of the Revolving Period and the
denominator of which is equal to the Investor Interest as of the close of
business on such day.
The "Transferor Percentage" will, in all cases, be equal to 100% minus
the sum of the applicable Investor Percentage and the applicable investor
percentages with respect to all Series of investor certificates issued and
outstanding.
"Class A Investor Interest" for any date means an amount equal to (a)
the Class A Initial Investor Interest, minus (b) the aggregate amount of
principal payments made to the Class A Certificate holders prior to such date,
minus (c) the excess, if any, of the aggregate amount of Class A Investor
Charge-Offs for all Transfer Dates prior to such date over the aggregate amount
of any reimbursements of Class A Investor Charge-Offs for all Transfer Dates
prior to such date; provided, however, that the Class A Investor Interest may
not be reduced below zero.
"Class B Investor Interest" for any date means an amount equal to (a)
the Class B Initial Investor Interest, minus (b) the aggregate amount of
principal payments made to the Class B Certificate holders prior to such date,
minus (c) the aggregate amount, if any, of Class B Investor Charge-Offs for all
Transfer Dates prior to such date, minus (d) the aggregate amount, if any, of
Reallocated Class B Principal Collections for all prior Transfer Dates with
respect to which the Collateral Interest has not been reduced, minus (e) the
aggregate amount, if any, by which the Class B Investor Interest has been
reduced to fund the Class A Investor Default Amount on all prior Transfer Dates,
plus (f) the aggregate amount of Excess Spread and Shared Finance Charge
Collections allocated and available on all prior Transfer Dates for the purpose
of reimbursing amounts deducted pursuant to the foregoing clauses (c), (d) and
(e); provided, however, that the Class B Investor Interest may not be reduced
below zero.
"Collateral Interest" for any date means an amount equal to (a) the
Initial Collateral Interest, minus (b) the aggregate amount of principal
payments made to the Collateral Interest Holder prior to such date, minus (c)
the aggregate amount, if any, of Collateral Interest Charge-Offs for all
Transfer Dates prior to such date, minus (d) the aggregate amount, if any, of
Reallocated Principal Collections for all prior Transfer Dates, minus (e) the
aggregate amount, if any, by which the Collateral Interest has been reduced to
fund the Class A Investor Default Amount and the Class B Investor Default Amount
on all prior Transfer Dates, plus (f) the aggregate amount of Excess Spread and
Shared Finance Charge Collections allocated and available on all prior Transfer
Dates for the
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purpose of reimbursing amounts deducted pursuant to the foregoing clauses (c),
(d) and (e); provided, however, that the Collateral Interest may not be reduced
below zero.
"Class A Adjusted Investor Interest", for any date of determination,
means an amount equal to the then current Class A Investor Interest minus the
Principal Funding Account Balance, if any, on such date.
"Adjusted Investor Interest", for any date of determination, means an
amount equal to the sum of the Class A Adjusted Investor Interest, the Class B
Investor Interest and the Collateral Interest, in each case as of such date.
As a result of the calculations described above, Finance Charge
Collections received during any Monthly Period will generally be allocated to
the Certificate holders based on the relationship of the amount of the Investor
Interest to the Aggregate Principal Receivables in the Trust (which may
fluctuate from month to month). As described above, during the Revolving Period
the Investor Percentage applied when allocating Principal Collections is
expected to vary from month to month because the Investor Interest as a
percentage of the Aggregate Principal Receivables in the Trust will fluctuate
from day to day. During the Controlled Accumulation Period and the Rapid
Amortization Period, however, the amount of Principal Collections allocated to
the Investor Interest each day will generally be equal to the Investor
Percentage with respect to Aggregate Principal Receivables on the last day of
the Revolving Period or as of the effective date of the most recent tender and
cancellation of Certificates pursuant to an Investor Exchange, if any, after the
commencement of the Controlled Accumulation Period or the Rapid Amortization
Period.
Excess Funding Account
At any time during which no Series is in an accumulation period or
amortization period (including any early amortization period), or for a Series
in an accumulation period or an amortization period, during which the principal
funding account, if any, is fully funded or amounts have otherwise been
deposited in an account established for the benefit of such Series sufficient to
pay the principal amount of such Series in full, and the Transferor Interest
does not exceed the Minimum Transferor Interest, funds (to the extent available
therefor as described herein) otherwise payable to the Holder of the
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate will be deposited in the Excess Funding
Account on any business day in an amount equal to the difference on such
business day between the Transferor Interest and the Minimum Transferor
Interest; provided, however, that to the extent the Transferor Interest has been
reduced below the Minimum Transferor Interest as a result of Receivables in
Defaulted Accounts (which are not Ineligible Receivables) allocated to the
Transferor Interest, no funds will be deposited in the Excess Funding Account in
respect of such reduction attributable to such Receivables in Defaulted
Accounts, as determined below. Funds on deposit in the Excess Funding Account
will be withdrawn and either (i) paid to the Holder of the Exchangeable
Transferor Certificate to the extent that on any day the Transferor Interest
exceeds the Minimum Transferor Interest as a result of the addition of new
Receivables to the Trust or (ii) allocated to one or more Series when they are
in accumulation or amortization periods (including any early amortization
period). Such deposits in and withdrawals from the Excess Funding Account may be
made on a daily basis. With respect to any date, to the extent that the Minimum
Transferor Interest exceeds the Transferor Interest due to the allocation of
Principal Receivables in any Defaulted Accounts to the Transferor Interest on
such date, the Transferor will not be required to make a deposit to the Excess
Funding Account with respect to the portion of such excess equal to the lesser
of (i) the product of the Principal Receivables in such Defaulted Accounts and
the Transferor Percentage on such date and (ii) the product of (a) the amount by
which the Minimum Transferor Interest exceeds the Transferor Interest and (b) a
percentage, the numerator of which is the Transferor Percentage of the Principal
Receivables in such Defaulted Accounts on such day and the denominator of which
is the Aggregate Principal Receivables at the end of the preceding date of
processing minus the Aggregate Principal Receivables on the current date prior
to the deposit of any amount in the Excess Funding Account.
Any funds on deposit in the Excess Funding Account at the beginning of
the Rapid Amortization Period for the Series will be paid to the Certificate
holders as a payment in respect of principal, and during the Controlled
Accumulation Period will be deposited in the Principal Funding Account to the
extent that the Available Investor
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Principal Collections allocable to the Investor Interest are insufficient to
deposit in to the Principal Funding Account the applicable Controlled Deposit
Amount.
Funds on deposit in the Excess Funding Account will be invested by the
Trustee at the direction of the Transferor in Permitted Investments. On each
Distribution Date, all net investment income earned on amounts in the Excess
Funding Account since the preceding Distribution Date will be withdrawn from the
Excess Funding Account and applied as Collections in respect of Finance Charge
Receivables as described herein.
Application of Collections
The Servicer will deposit into the Collection Account, no later than
the second business day following the date of processing, any payment collected
by the Servicer on the Receivables. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for as long
as (a) (i) the Servicer provides to the Trustee a letter of credit or other
arrangement covering risk of collection of the Servicer acceptable to the Rating
Agency and (ii) the Transferor and the Trustee shall have received a notice from
the Rating Agency that such letter of credit or other arrangement would not
result in the lowering or withdrawal of such Rating Agency's then-existing
rating of any Series of certificates or (b) People's Bank remains the Servicer
under the Agreement, if People's Bank or any of its affiliates in which the
Collection Account is maintained has and maintains a certificate of deposit
rating of P-1 by Moody's and of A-1 by Standard & Poor's and deposit insurance
as required by law and the FDIC, then the Servicer need not deposit collections
on the day indicated in the preceding sentence but may use for its own benefit
all such collections until the related Transfer Date at which time the Servicer
will make such deposits in an amount equal to the net amount of such deposits
and payments which would have been made had the conditions of this proviso not
applied.
Throughout the existence of the Trust, on each business day the
Servicer shall allocate and pay to the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate, an amount equal to the Transferor Percentage of the aggregate
amount of Principal Collections and Finance Charge Collections in respect of
such business day.
On each business day, the Servicer will withdraw the following amounts
from the Collection Account for application as indicated:
(a) an amount equal to the applicable Floating Investor
Percentage of the aggregate amount of such deposits in respect of
Finance Charge Collections will be deposited into the Finance Charge
Account;
(b) during the Revolving Period, an amount equal to the
applicable Floating Investor Percentage of the aggregate amount of such
deposits in respect of Principal Collections, up to an amount by which
the Collateral Interest exceeds the Required Collateral Interest as of
such day (such excess, the "Collateral Interest Surplus"), will be
deposited in the Principal Account. On any business day when the amount
on deposit in the Principal Account exceeds the applicable Collateral
Interest Surplus, such excess will be treated as Shared Principal
Collections and applied as such;
(c) during the Controlled Accumulation Period, an amount equal
to the sum of (i) the applicable Fixed Investor Percentage of the
aggregate amount of such deposits in respect of Principal Collections,
together with certain amounts treated as Principal Collections,
including amounts applied with respect to Investor Default Amounts and
Investor Charge-Offs (collectively, the "Principal Allocation"), (ii)
any amount of Shared Principal Collections and (iii) amounts withdrawn
from the Excess Funding Account allocated to the Certificates will be
deposited in the Principal Account, up to, during any Monthly Period,
an amount equal to the sum of the applicable Controlled Deposit Amount
and the applicable Collateral Interest Surplus. On any business day
when the amount on deposit in the Principal Account exceeds the sum of
the applicable Controlled Deposit Amount for the Certificates and the
applicable Collateral Interest Surplus, such excess will be treated as
Shared Principal Collections and applied as such; and
(d) during the Rapid Amortization Period, if any, an amount
equal to the applicable Fixed Investor Percentage of the aggregate
amount of such deposits in respect of Principal Collections, any amount
of
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Shared Principal Collections and any amounts withdrawn from the Excess
Funding Account allocated to the Certificates, up to the amount of the
Investor Interest, will be deposited into the Principal Account.
During any Monthly Period, Shared Principal Collections will be
allocated to each outstanding Series pro rata based on the amount of the
shortfall in deposits in respect of Principal Collections to cover amounts
payable to the Certificate holders of any Series and, as applicable, to holders
of other related undivided interests in the Trust out of Collections in respect
of Principal Receivables. The Servicer will pay any remaining Shared Principal
Collections on such business day to the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate (so long as the Transferor Interest exceeds the Minimum Transferor
Interest).
Any Shared Principal Collections and other amounts not paid to the
Transferor because the Transferor Interest on any date, after giving effect to
the inclusion in the Trust of all Receivables on or prior to such date and the
application of all prior payments to the Transferor, does not exceed the Minimum
Transferor Interest, together with any adjustment payments (as described in the
third paragraph of "--Defaulted Receivables; Adjustments and Fraudulent Charges"
below), will be deposited into and held in the Excess Funding Account, and on
the commencement of the Amortization Period with respect to any Series, such
amounts will be deposited in the Principal Account of such Series to the extent
specified in the related Supplement until the holders of certificates of such
Series have been paid in full. "Amortization Period", with respect to any
Series, refers to the period following the related revolving period, which will
be the early amortization period, the rapid amortization period, the controlled
accumulation period, the controlled amortization period, or such other
amortization or accumulation period, in each case as defined, as applicable,
with respect to such Series in the related Series Supplement. Any proceeds from
any repurchase of the certificates occurring in connection with a Service
Transfer and the proceeds of any sale, disposition or liquidation of Receivables
following the occurrence of a Pay Out Event caused by the appointment of a
receiver or conservator for the Transferor or in connection with the termination
of the Trust will be deposited into the Collection Account immediately upon
receipt and will be allocated as Principal Collections or Finance Charge
Collections, as applicable.
Allocation of Funds
Payment of Fees, Interest and Other Items. On each Transfer Date
(except as noted below), the Servicer or the Trustee, acting pursuant to the
Servicer's instructions, will withdraw all amounts on deposit in the Finance
Charge Account in respect of allocations of Finance Charge Receivables during
the immediately preceding Monthly Period and make the following payments and
deposits in the following order:
(i) An amount equal to the Class A Available Funds
with respect to such Transfer Date will be distributed in the
following priority:
(a) the sum of (x) the product of (i) the lesser of
the Class A Certificate Rate and the Class A Cap Rate (or
_____% for the Initial Interest Period), (ii) the Class A
Adjusted Investor Interest determined as of the preceding
Distribution Date or, for the Initial Interest Period, the
Closing Date (after giving effect to all payments, deposits
and withdrawals made on such Distribution Date or Closing
Date) and (iii) the actual number of days in the related
Interest Period or the Initial Interest Period divided by 360
(the "Class A Monthly Cap Rate Interest") and (y) the Class A
Covered Amount for the related Interest Period plus any
overdue Class A Monthly Cap Rate Interest and Class A Covered
Amount in respect of which a distribution to Class A
Certificate holders has not been made, will be deposited in
the Distribution Account for distribution to Class A
Certificate holders on the next succeeding Distribution Date;
(b) an amount equal to the Class A Monthly Servicing
Fee for the preceding Monthly Period and any accrued and
unpaid Class A Monthly Servicing Fees will be paid to the
Servicer;
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(c) an amount equal to the Class A Investor Default
Amount for the preceding Monthly Period will be treated as
Principal Collections and will be applied on such Transfer
Date in accordance with "--Payments of Principal" below;
(d) an amount equal to the unreimbursed Class A
Investor Charge-Offs will be treated as Principal Collections
and will be applied on such Transfer Date in accordance with
"--Payments of Principal" below; and
(e) the balance, if any, will constitute a portion of
Excess Spread and will be allocated and distributed as
described below.
The excess of the Class A Monthly Interest over the sum of the Class A
Monthly Cap Rate Interest and the Class A Covered Amount will be funded from and
to the extent of payments made pursuant to the Class A Interest Rate Cap and
from Excess Spread.
(ii) An amount equal to the Class B Available Funds with
respect to such Transfer Date will be distributed in the following
priority:
(a) an amount equal to the product of (i) the lesser of the
Class B Certificate Rate and the Class B Cap Rate (or _____% for the
Initial Interest Period) (ii) the Class B Investor Interest determined
as of the preceding Distribution Date or, for the Initial Interest
Period, the Closing Date (after giving effect to all payments, deposits
and withdrawals made on such Distribution Date or Closing Date) and
(iii) the actual number of days in the related Interest Period or the
Initial Interest Period divided by 360 ("Class B Monthly Cap Rate
Interest"), plus any overdue Class B Monthly Cap Rate Interest in
respect of which a distribution to Class B Certificate holders has not
been made, will be deposited in the Distribution Account for
distribution to Class B Certificate holders on the next succeeding
Distribution Date;
(b) an amount equal to the Class B Monthly Servicing Fee for
the preceding Monthly Period and any accrued and unpaid Class B Monthly
Servicing Fees will be paid to the Servicer;
(c) an amount equal to the Class B Investor Default Amount for
the preceding Monthly Period will be treated as Principal Collections
and will be applied on such Transfer Date in accordance with
"--Payments of Principal" below;
(d) an amount equal to the unreimbursed Class B Investor
Charge-Offs will be treated as Principal Collections and (other than
those amounts treated as Reallocated Principal Collections) will be
applied on such Transfer Date in accordance with "--Payments of
Principal" below; and
(e) the balance, if any, will constitute a portion of Excess
Spread and will be allocated and distributed as described below.
The excess of the Class B Monthly Interest over the Class B Monthly Cap
Rate Interest will be funded from and to the extent of payments made pursuant to
the Class B Interest Rate Cap and from and to the extent of Excess Spread.
(iii) An amount equal to the Collateral Available Funds with
respect to such Transfer Date will be distributed in the following
priority:
(a) an amount equal to the Collateral Interest Monthly
Servicing Fee for the preceding Monthly Period and any accrued and
unpaid Collateral Interest Servicing Fees will be paid to the Servicer;
and
(b) the balance, if any, will constitute a portion of Excess
Spread and will be allocated and distributed as described below.
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"Class A Available Funds" means, with respect to any Monthly Period, an
amount equal to the sum of (a) the Class A Floating Allocation of Finance Charge
Collections allocated to the Investor Interest and deposited in the Finance
Charge Account with respect to such Monthly Period, (b) Principal Funding
Investment Proceeds, if any, with respect to the related Transfer Date and (c)
amounts, if any, to be withdrawn from the Reserve Account which are required to
be included in Class A Available Funds pursuant to the Series 1997-2 Supplement
with respect to such Transfer Date. "Class B Available Funds" means, with
respect to any Monthly Period, an amount equal to the Class B Floating
Allocation of Finance Charge Collections allocated to the Investor Interest and
deposited in the Finance Charge Account with respect to such Monthly Period.
"Collateral Available Funds" means, with respect to any Monthly Period, an
amount equal to the Collateral Floating Allocation of Finance Charge Collections
allocated to the Investor Interest with respect to such Monthly Period.
"Excess Spread" on each Transfer Date will equal the sum of (a) the
excess of the Class A Available Funds over the Class A Payment Amount, (b) the
excess of the Class B Available Funds over the Class B Payment Amount and (c)
the excess of the Collateral Available Funds over the Collateral Interest
Monthly Servicing Fee payable on such Transfer Date.
Excess Spread. On each Transfer Date, the Servicer or the Trustee,
acting pursuant to the Servicer's instructions, will apply Excess Spread with
respect to the preceding Monthly Period and make the following payments and
deposits in the following priority:
(a) an amount equal to the Class A Required Amount will be
used to pay such Class A Required Amount and will be applied and
distributed in accordance with the priorities described in clauses
(i)(a) through (i)(d) above under "--Payment of Interest, Fees and
Other Items";
(b) an amount equal to the Class B Required Amount will be
used to pay such Class B Required Amount and will be applied and
distributed in accordance with the priorities described in clauses
(ii)(a) through (ii)(d) above under "--Payment of Interest, Fees and
Other Items";
(c) an amount equal to the amount of any accrued and unpaid
interest on any overdue Class A Monthly Interest, calculated on the
basis of (x) a default rate of interest equal to the Class A
Certificate Rate plus ___% and (y) the actual number of days such Class
A Monthly Interest is or was at any time overdue, divided by 360, will
be deposited in the Distribution Account for distribution to Class A
Certificate holders on the next succeeding Distribution Date;
(d) an amount equal to the amount of any accrued and unpaid
interest on any overdue Class B Monthly Interest, calculated on the
basis of (x) a default rate of interest equal to the Class B
Certificate Rate plus ___% and (y) the actual number of days such Class
B Monthly Interest is or was at any time overdue, divided by 360, will
be deposited in the Distribution Account for distribution to Class B
Certificate holders on the next succeeding Distribution Date;
(e) an amount equal to any unreimbursed reductions in the
Class B Investor Interest in connection with the payment of the Class A
Required Amount will be applied to reinstate the Class B Investor
Interest and will be treated as Principal Collections and applied on
such Transfer Date in accordance with "--Payments of Principal" below;
(f) an amount equal to the product of (i) an amount equal to
LIBOR plus ___% per annum, or such lesser amount as may be designated
in the Loan Agreement (the "Collateral Rate"), (ii) the Collateral
Interest as of the preceding Distribution Date or, for the Initial
Interest Period, the Closing Date (after giving effect to all payments,
deposits and withdrawals made on such date), and (iii) the actual
number of days in the related Interest Period or the Initial Interest
Period divided by 360 (the "Collateral Monthly Interest"), plus any
overdue Collateral Monthly Interest in respect of which a distribution
to the Collateral Interest Holder has not been made, will be
distributed to the Collateral Interest Holder in accordance with the
Loan Agreement;
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(g) an amount equal to the amount by which the Class A Monthly
Interest for the preceding Interest Period exceeds the Class A Monthly
Cap Rate Interest (other than Class A Excess Interest), to the extent
such amount is not paid by the Interest Rate Cap Provider pursuant to
the Class A Interest Rate Cap, and any such accrued and unpaid amounts
for prior Interest Periods, will be deposited in the Distribution
Account for distribution to Class A Certificate holders on the next
succeeding Distribution Date;
(h) an amount equal to the amount by which the Class B Monthly
Interest for the preceding Interest Period exceeds the Class B Monthly
Cap Rate Interest (other than Class B Excess Interest), to the extent
such amount is not paid by the Interest Rate Cap Provider pursuant to
the Class B Interest Rate Cap, and any such accrued and unpaid amounts
for prior Interest Periods, will be deposited in the Distribution
Account for distribution to Class B Certificate holders on the next
succeeding Distribution Date;
(i) an amount equal to the aggregate Collateral Default Amount
for the preceding Monthly Period will be treated as Principal
Collections and will be applied on such Transfer Date in accordance
with "--Payments of Principal" below;
(j) an amount equal to any unreimbursed reductions in the
Collateral Interest for reasons other than payment of principal to the
Collateral Interest Holder will be applied to reinstate the Collateral
Interest and will be treated as Principal Collections and applied on
such Transfer Date in accordance with "--Payments of Principal" below;
(k) on each Transfer Date from and after the Reserve Account
Funding Date, but prior to the date on which the Reserve Account
terminates as described under "--Reserve Account," an amount up to the
excess, if any, of the Required Reserve Account Amount over the
Available Reserve Account Amount will be deposited into the Reserve
Account;
(l) any other amounts due and payable under the Loan Agreement
will be applied and distributed in accordance with and to the extent
specified in the Loan Agreement;
(m) an amount equal to the amount of any Class A Excess
Interest accruing during the related Interest Period;
(n) an amount equal to the amount of any Class B Excess
Interest accruing during the related Interest Period;
(o) the balance, if any, will constitute Shared Finance Charge
Collections, to be applied and distributed as described below in
"--Shared Finance Charge Collections";
(p) any amounts remaining after application as Shared Finance
Charge Collections will be applied to the payment of other accrued and
unpaid expenses of the Trust, if any; and
(q) any amounts remaining after application as Shared Finance
Charge Collections and to expenses of the Trust, if any, will be paid
to the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate.
Shared Finance Charge Collections. Shared Finance Charge Collections
will be applied to cover any shortfalls with respect to amounts payable from
Finance Charge Collections allocable to any other Series then outstanding. Any
such Shared Finance Charge Collections remaining after covering shortfalls with
respect to all outstanding Series will be distributed to the Holder of the
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate. Any amounts designated as Shared Finance
Charge Collections pursuant to Supplements for any other Series and allocable to
the Certificates will be applied first, to the extent of any shortfalls in the
amount available from the Finance Charge Account, to make the payments and
deposits described in clauses (i)(a) through (i)(d) above under "--Payments of
Fees, Interest and Other Items", second, to make the payments and deposits
described in clauses (ii)(a) through (ii)(d) above under "--Payments of Fees,
Interest and Other Items", third, to make the payment described in clause
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(iii)(a) above under "--Payments of Fees, Interest and Other Items", fourth, to
reimburse any reductions in the Class B Investor Interest arising in connection
with the payment of the Class A Required Amount, fifth, to pay the Collateral
Monthly Interest and sixth, to make the payments described above in clauses (g),
(h), (i), (j), (k) and (l) of "--Excess Spread" and thereafter paid to the
Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate. If the amount on deposit in
the Finance Charge Account with respect to the allocations of Finance Charge
Receivables during the preceding Monthly Period and any amounts designated as
Shared Finance Charge Collections pursuant to the Supplements for any other
Series and allocable to the Certificates are insufficient to make any of the
payments or deposits specified in clauses (i)(a) through (i)(d) and (ii)(a)
through (ii)(d) above under "--Payments of Fees, Interest and Other Items", the
Trustee, acting pursuant to the Servicer's instructions, will apply Principal
Collections allocated to the Collateral Interest as Reallocated Collateral
Principal Collections on the Transfer Date, first to cover any remaining Class A
Required Amount and second to cover any Class B Required Amount, and if the
Reallocated Collateral Principal Collections on such Transfer Date are less than
the remaining Class A Required Amount, to apply Principal Collections allocated
to the Class B Certificates as Reallocated Class B Principal Collections on the
Transfer Date to cover any remaining Class A Required Amount. See
"--Reallocation of Cash Flows".
Payments of Principal. On each Transfer Date, the Servicer or the
Trustee, acting pursuant to the Servicer's instructions, will distribute
Available Investor Principal Collections on deposit in the Principal Account in
the following priority:
(i) On each Transfer Date with respect to the Revolving
Period:
(a) an amount equal to the Collateral Monthly Principal will
be paid to the Collateral Interest Holder in accordance with the Loan
Agreement; and
(b) the balance, if any, will constitute Shared Principal
Collections and will be allocated and distributed as described below
under "--Shared Principal Collections";
(ii) On each Transfer Date with respect to the Controlled
Accumulation Period (beginning on the first Transfer Date following the
Monthly Period in which the Controlled Accumulation Period commences):
(a) prior to the Class A Scheduled Payment Date, an amount
equal to the Class A Monthly Principal will be deposited in the
Principal Funding Account, and on the Transfer Date immediately
preceding the Class A Scheduled Payment Date the aggregate amount on
deposit in the Principal Funding Account will be deposited in the
Distribution Account for distribution to the Class A Certificate
holders on the Class A Scheduled Payment Date;
(b) for each Transfer Date after the Class A Investor Interest
has been paid in full, an amount equal to the Class B Monthly Principal
for such Transfer Date will be distributed to the Class B Certificate
holders;
(c) on each Transfer Date with respect to the Controlled
Accumulation Period in which a reduction in the Required Collateral
Interest has occurred, an amount equal to the Collateral Monthly
Principal will be paid to the Collateral Interest Holder in accordance
with the Loan Agreement; and
(d) the balance, if any, will constitute Shared Principal
Collections and will be allocated and distributed as described below
under "--Shared Principal Collections";
(iii) On each Transfer Date with respect to the Rapid
Amortization Period (beginning on the first Transfer Date following the
Monthly Period in which the Rapid Amortization Period commences):
(a) an amount equal to the Class A Monthly Principal will be
deposited in the Distribution Account for distribution to the Class A
Certificate holders on the next succeeding Distribution Date;
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(b) after the Class A Investor Interest has been paid in full,
an amount equal to the Class B Monthly Principal will be deposited in the
Distribution Account for distribution to the Class B Certificate
holders on the next succeeding Distribution Date;
(c) after the Class B Investor Interest has been paid in full,
an amount equal to the Collateral Monthly Principal will be paid to the
Collateral Interest Holder in accordance with the Loan Agreement; and
(d) the balance, if any, will constitute Shared Principal
Collections and will be allocated and distributed as described below
under "--Shared Principal Collections".
"Class A Monthly Principal" with respect to any Transfer Date relating
to the Controlled Accumulation Period or the Rapid Amortization Period, prior to
the payment in full of the Class A Investor Interest, will equal the least of
(i) Available Investor Principal Collections on deposit in the Principal Account
with respect to such Transfer Date, (ii) for each Transfer Date with respect to
the Controlled Accumulation Period, prior to the Class A Scheduled Payment Date,
the applicable Controlled Deposit Amount for such Transfer Date and (iii) the
Class A Adjusted Investor Interest prior to any deposits on such Transfer Date.
"Class B Monthly Principal" with respect to the Transfer Date relating
to the Controlled Accumulation Period immediately following the Class A
Scheduled Payment Date, or with respect to any Transfer Date relating to the
Rapid Amortization Period, beginning with the Transfer Date on which the Class A
Investor Interest has been paid in full (after taking into account payments to
be made on the related Distribution Date), will equal the lesser of (i)
Available Investor Principal Collections on deposit in the Principal Account
(minus the portion of such Available Investor Principal Collections applied to
Class A Monthly Principal on such Transfer Date) and (ii) the Class B Investor
Interest for such Transfer Date.
"Collateral Monthly Principal" means (a) with respect to any Transfer
Date relating to the Revolving Period following any reduction of the Required
Collateral Interest effected as described in clause (3) of the proviso in the
definition of "Required Collateral Interest", an amount equal to the lesser of
(i) the excess, if any, of the Collateral Interest (after giving effect to
reductions for any Collateral Interest Charge-Offs and Reallocated Principal
Collections on such Transfer Date and after giving effect to any further
adjustments thereto for the benefit of the Class A Certificate holders and the
Class B Certificate holders on such Transfer Date) over the Required Collateral
Interest on such Transfer Date, and (ii) the Available Investor Principal
Collections on such Transfer Date or (b) with respect to any Transfer Date
relating to the Controlled Accumulation Period prior to repayment in full of the
Class A Investor Interest an amount equal to the lesser of (i) the excess, if
any, of the Collateral Interest (after giving effect to reductions for any
Collateral Interest Charge-Offs and Reallocated Principal Collections on such
Transfer Date and after giving effect to any further adjustments thereto for the
benefit of the Class A Certificate holders and the Class B Certificate holders
on such Transfer Date) over the Required Collateral Interest on such Transfer
Date, and (ii) the Available Investor Principal Collections remaining after
allocations to the Offered Certificates on such Transfer Date or (c) with
respect to any Transfer Date relating to the Controlled Accumulation Period or
the Rapid Amortization Period, beginning with the Transfer Date on which the
Class B Investor Interest has been paid in full (after taking into account
payments to be made on the related Distribution Date), an amount equal the least
of (i) Available Investor Principal Collections on deposit in the Principal
Account (minus the portion of such Available Investor Principal Collections
applied to Class A Monthly Principal and Class B Monthly Principal on such
Transfer Date) and (ii) the Collateral Interest for such Transfer Date.
Shared Principal Collections. Principal Collections for any Monthly
Period allocated to the Investor Interest will first be used to cover, with
respect to any Monthly Period during the Controlled Accumulation Period,
deposits of the Controlled Deposit Amount to the Principal Funding Account with
respect to the Class A Certificates or of the Class B Investor Interest to the
Distribution Account with respect to the Class B Certificates, and during the
Rapid Amortization Period, the deposit of the Class A Investor Interest and the
Class B Investor Interest to the Distribution Account, and then under certain
circumstances payments to the Collateral Interest Holder, in each case as
described above. The Servicer will determine the amount of Principal Collections
for any Monthly Period
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allocated to the Investor Interest remaining after covering required payments to
the Certificate holders and any similar amount remaining for any other Series.
The Servicer will allocate Shared Principal Collections derived from Principal
Collections allocated to the Investor Interest to cover any scheduled or
permitted principal distributions to Certificate holders of other Series and to
holders of other undivided interests in the Trust, and deposits to principal
funding accounts, if any, for any other Series entitled thereto which have not
been covered out of the Principal Collections allocable to such Series and out
of certain other amounts for such Series ("Principal Shortfalls"). If Principal
Shortfalls exceed Shared Principal Collections for any Monthly Period, Shared
Principal Collections will be allocated pro rata among the applicable Series
based on the relative amounts of Principal Shortfalls. To the extent that Shared
Principal Collections exceed Principal Shortfalls, the balance will be paid to
the holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate or, under certain
circumstances, deposited into the Excess Funding Account. Any amounts designated
as Shared Principal Collections pursuant to Supplements for any other Series and
allocable to the Certificates will be applied as described in "--Payments of
Principal" above.
Reallocation of Cash Flows
On each Distribution Date during the Revolving Period, the Controlled
Accumulation Period and the Rapid Amortization Period, if any, the Servicer will
determine the Class A Required Amount and the Class B Required Amount. If either
or both of the Required Amounts are greater than zero after application of
available Finance Charge Collections, Excess Spread, and Shared Finance Charge
Collections, then Principal Collections allocable to the Collateral Interest
will be reallocated and applied first to fund the remaining Class A Required
Amount, if any, and second to fund to the remaining Class B Required Amount, if
any, and to the extent that Reallocated Collateral Principal Collections are
less than such remaining Class A Required Amount, Principal Collections
allocable to the Class B Certificates will then be reallocated and applied to
fund the remaining Class A Required Amount. The Collateral Interest will be
reduced by the amount of Reallocated Collateral Principal Collections and
Reallocated Class B Principal Collections applied to fund the Required Amounts.
The Class B Investor Interest will be reduced by the amount of Reallocated Class
B Principal Collections in excess of the Collateral Interest (after giving
effect to reductions for any Collateral Interest Charge-Offs and any Reallocated
Collateral Principal Collections as of the related Distribution Date) applied to
fund the Class A Required Amount.
"Class A Required Amount" for any date means the amount, if any, by
which the Class A Available Funds with respect to the related Monthly Period are
insufficient to pay the Class A Payment Amount for the related date.
"Class A Payment Amount" for any date means the aggregate of (i) the
Class A Monthly Cap Rate Interest with respect to the related Distribution Date
and any Class A Monthly Cap Rate Interest accrued during any prior period and
not distributed to the Class A Certificate holders, (ii) the Class A Covered
Amount and any Class A Covered Amount accrued during any prior period and not
distributed to the Class A Certificate holders, (iii) the Class A Monthly
Servicing Fee with respect to the related Distribution Date and any accrued and
unpaid Class A Monthly Servicing Fees from prior Monthly Periods, (iv) the Class
A Investor Default Amount for the related Monthly Period, and (v) unreimbursed
Class A Investor Charge-Offs.
"Class B Required Amount" for any date means the amount, if any, by
which the Class B Available Funds for any Monthly Period are insufficient to pay
the Class B Payment Amount.
"Class B Payment Amount" for any date means the aggregate of (i) the
Class B Monthly Cap Rate Interest with respect to the related Distribution Date
and any Class B Monthly Cap Rate Interest accrued during any prior period and
not distributed to the Class B Certificate holders, (ii) the Class B Monthly
Servicing Fee with respect to the related Distribution Date and any accrued and
unpaid Class B Monthly Servicing Fees from prior Monthly Periods, (iii) the
Class B Investor Default Amount for the related Monthly Period, and (iv)
unreimbursed Class B Investor Charge-Offs.
"Required Amounts" for any date means the Class A Required Amount and
the Class B Required Amount, collectively.
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Principal Collections allocable to the Collateral Interest and the
Class B Certificates for the purpose of determining Collections available to be
applied as Reallocated Principal Collections will be determined (i) for any
Monthly Period during the Revolving Period by multiplying the Collateral
Floating Allocation or the Class B Floating Allocation, as the case may be, by
the applicable Floating Investor Percentage of Principal Collections for such
Monthly Period, and (ii) for any Monthly Period during the Controlled
Accumulation Period or the Rapid Amortization Period, if any, by multiplying the
Collateral Fixed Allocation or the Class B Fixed Allocation, as the case may be,
by the applicable Fixed Investor Percentage of Principal Collections for such
Monthly Period, and in each case adding certain other amounts treated as
Principal Collections (including amounts applied with respect to Investor
Default Amounts and Investor Charge-Offs).
Any reductions of the Class B Investor Interest or of the Collateral
Interest, if reduced to an amount less than the Required Collateral Interest,
due to payment of the Class A Required Amount or, with respect to the Collateral
Interest, payment of the Class B Required Amount, will thereafter be reimbursed
and the Class B Investor Interest and the Collateral Interest, as the case may
be, increased on each Distribution Date by the amount, if any, of Excess Spread
and any Shared Finance Charge Collections from other Series available for that
purpose (in the case of the Collateral Interest, up to the Required Collateral
Interest).
"Reallocated Class B Principal Collections" for any Monthly Period
means Principal Collections allocable to the Class B Investor Interest for the
related Monthly Period in an amount not to exceed the amount applied to fund the
Class A Required Amount, if any; provided, however, that such amount will not
exceed the Class B Investor Interest after giving effect to any Class B Investor
Charge-Offs for the related Transfer Date.
"Reallocated Collateral Principal Collections" for any Monthly Period
means Principal Collections allocable to the Collateral Interest for the related
Monthly Period in an amount not to exceed the amount applied to fund the Class A
Required Amount and the Class B Required Amount, if any; provided, however, that
such amount will not exceed the Collateral Interest after giving effect to any
Collateral Investor Charge-Offs for the related Transfer Date.
"Reallocated Principal Collections" for any date means Reallocated
Class B Principal Collections and Reallocated Collateral Principal Collections,
for such date, collectively.
Defaulted Receivables; Adjustments and Fraudulent Charges
On the eighth business day of each month but not later than the tenth
calendar day (and if such day is not a business day, the preceding business day)
(such date, a "Determination Date"), the Servicer will calculate the Class A
Investor Default Amount, the Class B Investor Default Amount and the Collateral
Default Amount for the preceding Monthly Period. The terms "Class A Investor
Default Amount", "Class B Investor Default Amount" and "Collateral Default
Amount" mean, respectively, for any Monthly Period, the product of (a) the Class
A Floating Allocation, the Class B Floating Allocation or the Collateral
Floating Allocation, as the case may be, determined as of the end of the Monthly
Period, (b) the Floating Investor Percentage for Receivables in Defaulted
Accounts and (c) the amount of Defaulted Receivables for such Monthly Period
(the sum of the Class A Investor Default Amount, the Class B Investor Default
Amount and the Collateral Default Amount being sometimes referred to as the
"Investor Default Amount"). The term "Defaulted Receivables" means, for any
Monthly Period, Receivables which in such Monthly Period were written off as
uncollectible in accordance with the Servicer's policies and procedures for
servicing credit card receivables comparable to the Receivables.
On each Determination Date, if the Class A Investor Default Amount
exceeds the amount of Excess Spread, Shared Finance Charge Collections and
Reallocated Principal Collections which are allocated and available to fund such
amount with respect to the Monthly Period immediately preceding such
Determination Date, the Collateral Interest (after giving effect to reductions
for any Collateral Interest Charge-Offs and any Reallocated Principal
Collections as of the related Distribution Date) will be reduced by the amount
of such excess (but not by more than the Class A Investor Default Amount for
such Monthly Period). In the event that such reduction would cause the
Collateral Interest to be a negative number, the Collateral Interest will be
reduced to zero, and the Class B Investor
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Interest (after giving effect to reductions for any Class B Investor Charge-Offs
and any Reallocated Class B Principal Collections in excess of the Collateral
Interest as of such Distribution Date) will be reduced by the amount by which
the Collateral Interest would have been reduced below zero. In the event that
such reduction would cause the Class B Investor Interest to be a negative
number, the Class B Investor Interest will be reduced to zero, and the Class A
Investor Interest will be reduced by the amount by which the Class B Investor
Interest would have been reduced below zero (a "Class A Investor Charge-Off"),
which will have the effect of slowing or reducing the return of principal and
interest to the Class A Certificate holders. If the Class A Investor Interest
has been reduced by the amount of any Class A Investor Charge-Offs, it will be
reimbursed on any Transfer Date (but not by an amount in excess of the aggregate
Class A Investor Charge-Offs) by the amount of collections of Finance Charge
Receivables, Excess Spread and Shared Finance Charge Collections allocated and
available for such purpose as described under "--Allocation of Funds."
On each Determination Date, if the Class B Investor Default Amount
exceeds the amount of Excess Spread, Shared Finance Charge Collections and
Reallocated Collateral Principal Collections which are allocated and available
to fund such amount with respect to the Monthly Period preceding such
Determination Date, the Collateral Interest (after giving effect to reductions
for any Collateral Interest Charge-Offs and any Reallocated Principal
Collections as of the related Distribution Date and after giving effect to any
adjustments with respect thereto as described in the preceding paragraph) will
be reduced by the amount of such excess (but not by more than the Class B
Investor Default Amount for such Monthly Period). In the event that such
reduction would cause the Collateral Interest to be a negative number, the
Collateral Interest will be reduced to zero and the Class B Investor Interest
will be reduced by the amount by which the Collateral Interest would have been
reduced below zero (a "Class B Investor Charge-Off"). The Class B Investor
Interest will also be reduced by the amount of Reallocated Class B Principal
Collections in excess of the Collateral Interest (after giving effect to
reductions for any Collateral Interest Charge- Offs and any Reallocated
Collateral Principal Collections as of the related Distribution Date) and the
amount of any portion of the Class B Investor Interest allocated to the Class A
Certificates to avoid a reduction in the Class A Investor Interest. The Class B
Investor Interest will thereafter be reimbursed (but not in excess of the unpaid
principal balance of the Class B Certificates) on any Transfer Date by the
amount of Excess Spread and Shared Finance Charge Collections allocated and
available for that purpose as described under "--Allocation of Funds".
On each Determination Date, if the Collateral Default Amount exceeds
the amount of Excess Spread and Shared Finance Charge Collections which are
allocated and available to fund such amount with respect to the Monthly Period
preceding such Determination Date, the Collateral Interest will be reduced by
the amount of such excess but not more than the lesser of the Collateral Default
Amount and the Collateral Interest for such Transfer Date (a "Collateral
Interest Charge-Off"). The Collateral Interest will also be reduced by the
amount of Reallocated Collateral Principal Collections and the amount of any
portion of the Collateral Interest allocated to the Class A Certificates to
avoid a reduction in the Class A Investor Interest or to the Class B
Certificates to avoid a reduction in the Class B Investor Interest. The
Collateral Interest will thereafter be reimbursed on any Transfer Date by the
amount of Excess Spread allocated and available for that purpose as described
under "--Allocation of Funds". An "Investor Charge-Off" means a Class A Investor
Charge-Off, a Class B Investor Charge-Off or a Collateral Interest Charge-Off,
as the context requires.
The Servicer shall be obligated to reduce on a net basis at the end of
each Monthly Period the aggregate amount of Principal Receivables (i) created in
respect of merchandise refused or returned by the obligor thereunder or as to
which the obligor thereunder has asserted a counterclaim or defense, (ii)
reduced by the Servicer by any charge-back or other principal adjustment, (iii)
created as a result of a fraudulent or counterfeit charge, (iv) resulting from
adjustments relating to returned or dishonored checks, or (v) resulting from
Servicer error. The Interest will be reduced by the amount of any such
adjustment; provided, however, that if the Transferor Interest would be reduced
below the Minimum Transferor Interest by virtue of any such adjustment, the
holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate will be required to make an
adjustment payment to be deposited to the Excess Funding Account in an amount
equal to the amount by which the Transferor Interest would have been reduced
below the Minimum Transferor Interest.
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Required Collateral Interest
The "Required Collateral Interest" with respect to any Transfer Date
means (i) initially, the Initial Collateral Interest and (ii) thereafter on each
Transfer Date an amount equal to ____% of the sum of the Class A Adjusted
Investor Interest, the Class B Investor Interest and the Collateral Interest on
such Transfer Date, after taking into account all deposits into the Principal
Funding Account on such Transfer Date and all payments to be made on the related
Distribution Date after all adjustments made on such Transfer Date, but not less
than $__________; provided, however, that (1) if certain reductions in the
Collateral Interest are made or if a Pay Out Event occurs, the Required
Collateral Interest for such Transfer Date shall equal the Required Collateral
Interest for the Transfer Date immediately preceding the occurrence of such
reduction or Pay Out Event, (2) in no event shall the Required Collateral
Interest exceed the unpaid principal amount of the Offered Certificates as of
the last day of the Monthly Period preceding such Transfer Date, less cash held
in the Principal Funding Account as of such Transfer Date, after taking into
account deposits and payments to be made on the related Distribution Date and
(3) the Required Collateral Interest may be reduced to a lesser amount at any
time upon written confirmation from the Rating Agency that such reduction will
not result in the Rating Agency reducing or withdrawing its rating on the Class
A Certificates or the Class B Certificates.
Principal Funding Account
Pursuant to the Series 1997-2 Supplement, the Trustee will establish
and maintain with a Qualified Institution a segregated trust account held for
the benefit of the Class A Certificate holders (the "Principal Funding
Account"). During the Controlled Accumulation Period, the Trustee at the
direction of the Servicer will transfer Principal Collections (other than
Reallocated Principal Collections) and Shared Principal Collections from other
Series, if any, allocated to the Certificates from the Principal Account to the
Principal Funding Account as described under "--Application of Collections."
Funds on deposit in the Principal Funding Account will be invested to
the following Transfer Date by the Trustee at the direction of the Servicer in
Permitted Investments. Investment earnings (net of investment losses and
expenses) on funds on deposit in the Principal Funding Account (the "Principal
Funding Investment Proceeds") will be used to pay interest on the Class A
Certificates up to an amount (the "Class A Covered Amount") equal to, for each
Transfer Date, the product of (a) a fraction, the numerator of which is the
actual number of days in the related Interest Period and the denominator of
which is 360, (b) the Class A Certificate Rate in effect with respect to the
related Interest Period and (c) the Principal Funding Account Balance as of the
preceding Distribution Date after giving effect to all payments, deposits and
withdrawals on such Distribution Date. If, for any Transfer Date, the Principal
Funding Investment Proceeds are less than the Class A Covered Amount, the amount
of such deficiency (the "Class A Principal Funding Investment Shortfall") will
be withdrawn, to the extent available, from the Reserve Account and deposited in
the Finance Charge Account and included as Class A Available Funds for such
Transfer Date.
Reserve Account
Pursuant to the Series 1997-2 Supplement, the Trustee will establish
and maintain with a Qualified Institution a segregated trust account held for
the benefit of the Class A Certificate holders (the "Reserve Account"). The
Reserve Account is established to assist with the subsequent distribution of
interest on the Class A Certificates during the Controlled Accumulation Period.
On each Transfer Date from and after the Reserve Account Funding Date, but prior
to the termination of the Reserve Account, the Trustee, acting pursuant to the
Servicer's instructions, will apply Excess Spread allocated to the Offered
Certificates (to the extent described below under "--Allocation of Funds--Excess
Spread") to increase the amount on deposit in the Reserve Account (to the extent
such amount is less than the Required Reserve Account Amount). The "Reserve
Account Funding Date" will be the Transfer Date with respect to the Monthly
Period which commences no later than three months prior to the commencement of
the Controlled Accumulation Period, or such earlier date as the Servicer may
determine. The "Required Reserve
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Account Amount" for any Transfer Date on or after the Reserve Account Funding
Date will be equal to (a) .50% of the Class A Investor Interest or (b) any other
amount designated by the Transferor; provided that if such designation is of a
lesser amount, the Transferor shall have provided the Servicer, the Collateral
Interest Holder and the Trustee with written confirmation from the Rating Agency
that such designation will not result in a reduction or withdrawal of the Rating
Agency's rating on the Class A Certificates or the Class B Certificates and the
Transferor shall have delivered to the Trustee a certificate of an authorized
officer to the effect that, based on the facts known to such officer at such
time, in the reasonable belief of the Transferor, such designation will not
cause a Pay Out Event to occur and will not cause an event that, after the
giving of notice or the lapse of time, would cause a Pay Out Event to occur with
respect to Series 1997-2. On each Transfer Date, after giving effect to any
deposit to be made to, and any withdrawal to be made from, the Reserve Account
on such Transfer Date, the Trustee will withdraw from the Reserve Account an
amount equal to the excess, if any, of the amount on deposit in the Reserve
Account over the Required Reserve Account Amount and distribute such excess to
the Collateral Interest Holder for application in accordance with the terms of
the Loan Agreement.
Provided that the Reserve Account has not terminated as described
below, all amounts on deposit in the Reserve Account on any Transfer Date (after
giving effect to any deposits to, or withdrawals from, the Reserve Account to be
made on such Transfer Date) will be invested to the following Transfer Date by
the Trustee at the direction of the Servicer in Permitted Investments. The
interest and other investment income (net of investment expenses and losses)
earned on such investments will be retained in the Reserve Account (to the
extent the amount on deposit is less than the Required Reserve Account Amount)
or deposited in the Finance Charge Account and treated as Class A Available
Funds.
On or before each Transfer Date with respect to the Controlled
Accumulation Period and on the first Transfer Date with respect to the Rapid
Amortization Period, a withdrawal will be made from the Reserve Account, and the
amount of such withdrawal will be deposited in the Finance Charge Account and
treated as Class A Available Funds for such Transfer Date in an amount equal to
the lesser of (a) the Available Reserve Account Amount with respect to such
Transfer Date and (b) the Class A Principal Funding Investment Shortfall with
respect to such Transfer Date; provided that the amount of such withdrawal will
be reduced to the extent that interest and other investment income on Reserve
Account funds are deposited in the Finance Charge Account and treated as Finance
Charge Collections as described in the last sentence of the immediately
preceding paragraph. On each Transfer Date, the amount available to be withdrawn
from the Reserve Account (the "Available Reserve Account Amount") will be equal
to the lesser of the amount on deposit in the Reserve Account (before giving
effect to any deposit to be made to the Reserve Account on such Transfer Date)
and the Required Reserve Account Amount for such Transfer Date.
The Reserve Account will be terminated upon the earlier to occur of (a)
the termination of the Trust pursuant to the Agreement and (b) if the Controlled
Accumulation Period has not commenced, the first Transfer Date with respect to
the Rapid Amortization Period or, if the Controlled Accumulation Period has
commenced, the earlier to occur of (i) the first Transfer Date with respect to
the Rapid Amortization Period and (ii) the Transfer Date immediately preceding
the Class A Scheduled Payment Date. Upon the termination of the Reserve Account,
all amounts on deposit therein (after giving effect to any withdrawal from the
Reserve Account on such date as described above) will be distributed to the
Collateral Interest Holder for application in accordance with the terms of the
Loan Agreement.
Final Payment of Principal; Termination of Trust
The Investor Interest will be subject to optional purchase by the
Transferor on any Distribution Date on or after which the Investor Interest is
reduced to an amount less than or equal to 5% of the Initial Investor Interest
if certain conditions set forth in the Agreement are met. The Investor Interest
will be subject to mandatory purchase by the Transferor on the Distribution Date
immediately preceding the Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination Date if the
Investor Interest is reduced to an amount less than or equal to 5% of the
Initial Investor Interest, if certain conditions set forth in the Agreement are
met. The mandatory purchase requirement is in addition to any other
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provisions and remedies provided by the Agreement and will not serve to relieve
any party of obligations it may otherwise have or waive any remedy that is
otherwise provided. The purchase price will be equal to the Investor Interest,
plus accrued and unpaid interest (other than Class A Excess Interest or Class B
Excess Interest, as the case may be) on the Certificates at the applicable
Offered Certificate Rate or Collateral Rate, as applicable, and any other
amounts owing under the Loan Agreement through the date preceding the date on
which the purchase occurs, less the amounts, if any, previously accumulated for
the payment of principal and interest. The net proceeds of such purchase and any
Collections on the Receivables will be distributed pro rata to Certificate
holders and holders of other undivided interests in the Trust, including the
Certificate holders, on the Distribution Date following the Monthly Period in
which such purchase occurs as final payment of the Certificates. Subject to
prior termination as provided above, the Agreement provides that the final
distribution of principal and interest on the Offered Certificates will be made
no later than the [April 2005] Distribution Date (the "Scheduled Series 1997-2
Termination Date").
Unless the Servicer and the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor
Certificate instruct the Trustee otherwise, the Trust will terminate on the
earlier of: (a) the day after the Distribution Date with respect to any Series
following the day on which funds shall have been deposited in the Collection
Account or the applicable Series account sufficient to pay in full (i) the
aggregate investor interest of all Series outstanding plus accrued interest
thereon (other than Class A Excess Interest or Class B Excess Interest, as the
case may be) at the applicable certificate rates through the applicable interest
accrual period prior to the Distribution Date with respect to each such Series
and (ii) all amounts owed to each Enhancement Provider and (b) if a trust
extension has occurred, the extended trust termination date, which shall be no
later than the expiration of 21 years from the death of the last survivor of the
descendants of Joseph P. Kennedy, the father of the late President of the United
States, living on the date of the Agreement. Upon the termination of the Trust
and the surrender of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate, the Trustee shall
convey to the Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate all right, title
and interest of the Trust in and to the Receivables and other funds of the Trust
(other than funds on deposit in the Collection Account and other similar bank
accounts of the Trust with respect to other Series).
In the event that the Investor Interest is greater than zero on the
Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination Date, the Trustee will sell or cause to be
sold interests in the Receivables or certain Receivables as specified in the
Agreement, in an amount up to 110% of the Investor Interest of the Certificates
at the close of business on such date (but not more than the total amount of
Receivables allocable to the Certificates). The net proceeds of such sale and
any Collections on the Receivables will be distributed on the Scheduled Series
1997-2 Termination Date, as the final payment of the Certificates, first, pro
rata to the Class A Certificate holders in an amount sufficient to pay the Class
A Investor Interest in full, second, pro rata to the Class B Certificate holders
in an amount sufficient to pay to Class B Investor Interest in full, and the
balance to the Collateral Interest Holder.
Pay Out Events
The Revolving Period will continue through the end of the November 2000
Monthly Period and the Controlled Accumulation Period will begin at such time,
unless such date is postponed as described under "--Postponement of Controlled
Accumulation Period" or a Pay Out Event occurs prior to such date. The Rapid
Amortization Period will commence when a Pay Out Event occurs or is deemed to
occur. A Pay Out Event with respect to the Certificates refers to any of the
following events:
(i) failure on the part of the Transferor or the Holder of the
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate (a) to make any payment or deposit
on the date required under the Agreement (or within the applicable
grace period which will not exceed five business days), unless such
failure is due to certain force majeure events, or (b) duly to observe
or perform in any material respect any covenants or agreements of the
Transferor, which in the case of subclause (b) hereof has a material
adverse effect on the Certificate holders (which determination shall be
made without regard to whether amounts are available under the Interest
Rate Caps), continues unremedied for a period of 60 days after written
notice and continues to affect materially and adversely the interests
of the Certificate holders for such period;
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(ii) any representation or warranty made by the Transferor in
the Agreement, including the Series 1997-2 Supplement, or any
information required to be given by the Transferor to the Trustee to
identify the Accounts proves to have been incorrect in any material
respect when made and continues to be incorrect in any material respect
for a period of 60 days after written notice and as a result of which
the interests of the Certificate holders are materially and adversely
affected (which determination shall be made without regard to whether
amounts are available under the Interest Rate Caps); provided, however,
that a Pay Out Event described in this clause (ii) shall not be deemed
to occur if the Transferor has accepted the transfer of the related
Receivable or all such Receivables, if applicable, during such period
(or such longer period as the Trustee may specify) in accordance with
the provisions thereof;
(iii) certain events of insolvency, conservatorship or
receivership relating to the Transferor;
(iv) with respect to any Determination Date, the average of
the Portfolio Yields for the three consecutive Monthly Periods
preceding such Determination Date is a rate which is less than the
average of the Base Rates for such Monthly Periods;
(v) the Trust becomes subject to regulation as an "investment
company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended;
(vi) after any applicable grace period, a failure by the
Transferor to convey Receivables in Additional Accounts to the Trust
when required by the Agreement;
(vii) any Servicer Default occurs which would have a material
adverse effect on the Certificate holders (which determination shall be
made without regard to whether amounts are available under the Interest
Rate Caps);
(viii) failure to have paid the Class A Investor Interest in
full on the Class A Scheduled Payment Date or to have paid the Class B
Investor Interest in full on the Class B Scheduled Payment Date; or
(ix) failure of the Interest Rate Cap Provider to make any
payment under the Class A Interest Rate Cap or the Class B Interest
Rate Cap within five days of the date such payment was due.
In the case of any event described in clause (i), (ii) or (vii), a Pay
Out Event will be deemed to have occurred with respect to the Certificates only
if, after any applicable grace period described in such clauses, either the
Trustee or Certificate holders evidencing undivided interests aggregating more
than 50% of each of the Class A Investor Interest, the Class B Investor Interest
and the Collateral Interest, by written notice to the Transferor and the
Servicer (and to the Trustee, if given by the Certificate holders) declare that,
as of the date of such notice, a Pay Out Event has occurred. In the case of
either event described in clause (iii) or (v), a Pay Out Event with respect to
all Series, and in the case of any event described in clause (iv), (vi), (viii),
or (ix), a Pay Out Event with respect to only the Certificates, will be deemed
to have occurred, without any notice or other action on the part of the Trustee,
the Certificate holders or all Certificate holders, as appropriate, immediately
upon the occurrence of such event. The Rapid Amortization Period will commence
on the date a Pay Out Event occurs or is deemed to have occurred. Monthly
distributions of principal to the Certificate holders will begin (if they have
not already) on the first Distribution Date in the Monthly Period following the
Monthly Period in which such Pay Out Event occurs. Thus, Certificate holders may
begin receiving distributions of principal earlier than they otherwise would
have, which may shorten the final maturity of the Certificates.
In addition to the consequences of a Pay Out Event discussed above, if
pursuant to certain provisions of federal or state law, the Transferor
voluntarily enters liquidation or a receiver is appointed for the Transferor (an
"Insolvency Event"), on the day of such event the Transferor will immediately
cease to transfer Principal Receivables to the Trust and promptly give notice to
the Trustee of such event. Under the terms of the Agreement, within 15 days, the
Trustee will publish a notice of the occurrence of the Insolvency Event stating
that the Trustee intends to sell, dispose of, or otherwise liquidate the
Receivables in a commercially reasonable manner, unless
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otherwise instructed within a specified period by the Certificate holders and
other holders of undivided interests in the Trust representing undivided
interests aggregating more than 50% of the investor interest of each Series (or,
with respect to any Series with two or more classes, 50% of each class) to the
effect that such Certificate holders and interest holders disapprove of the
liquidation of Receivables and wish to continue having Principal Receivables
transferred to the Trust as before such Insolvency Event, and if not so
instructed the Trustee will sell, dispose of, or otherwise liquidate the portion
of the Receivables allocable to each Series that did not vote to disapprove of
the liquidation of the Receivables in accordance with the Agreement in a
commercially reasonable manner and on commercially reasonable terms. The
proceeds from the sale, disposition or liquidation of the Receivables will be
treated as Collections of the Receivables and applied as provided above in
"--Application of Collections".
If the only Pay Out Event to occur is either the insolvency of a
Transferor or the appointment of a conservator or receiver for a Transferor, the
conservator or receiver may have the power to prevent the early sale,
liquidation or disposition of the Receivables and the commencement of the Rapid
Amortization Period. In addition, a conservator or receiver may have the power
to cause the early sale of the Receivables and the early retirement of the
Certificates.
Collection and Other Servicing Procedures
Pursuant to the Agreement, the Servicer is responsible for servicing,
collecting, enforcing and administering the Receivables in accordance with the
policies and procedures for servicing credit card receivables and exercising a
degree of skill and care consistent with those of a reasonable and prudent
servicer of credit card receivables, but in any event at least comparable with
the policies and procedures and the degree of skill and care applied or
exercised with respect to its own credit card receivables. The Servicer
maintains blanket bond coverage insuring against losses through wrongdoing of
its officers and employees who are involved in the servicing of credit card
receivables covering such actions and in such amounts as the Servicer believes
to be reasonable from time to time.
Servicing activities performed by the Servicer include collecting and
recording payments, communicating with cardholders, investigating payment
delinquencies, evaluations in relation to increasing credit limits and in
issuing credit cards, providing billing records to cardholders and maintaining
internal records with respect to each Account. Managerial and custodial services
performed by the Servicer on behalf of the Trust include providing assistance in
any inspections of the documents and records relating to the Accounts and
Receivables by the Trustee pursuant to the Agreement, maintaining the
agreements, documents and files relating to the Accounts and Receivables as
custodian for the Trust and providing related data processing and reporting
services for Certificate holders and on behalf of the Trustee.
Servicer Covenants
In the Agreement, the Servicer covenants with the Certificate holders
(including the Certificate holders) and the Trustee, as to each Receivable and
related Account, that: (a) it will duly fulfill all obligations on its part to
be fulfilled under or in connection with the Receivables and the related
Accounts, and will maintain in effect all qualifications required in order to
service the Receivables and the related Accounts, the failure to comply with
which would have a material adverse effect on the Certificate holders (including
the Certificate holders); (b) it will not permit any rescission or cancellation
of the Receivables, except in accordance with the credit and collection policies
of the Transferor or as ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction or other
governmental authority; (c) it will do nothing to impair the rights of the
Certificate holders (including the Certificate holders) in the Receivables or
the related Accounts; and (d) it will not reschedule, revise or defer payments
due on the Receivables except in accordance with the credit and collection
policies of the Transferor for servicing receivables.
Under the terms of the Agreement, all Receivables in an Account will be
assigned and transferred or reassigned and transferred to the Servicer and such
account shall no longer be included as an Account if the Servicer discovers, or
receives written notice from the Trustee, that any covenant of the Servicer set
forth above has not been
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complied with and such noncompliance has not been cured within 60 days
thereafter and has a material adverse effect on the Certificate holders'
interest in such Receivable. If the Transferor is the Servicer, such
reassignment and retransfer shall be made on or before the end of the Monthly
Period in which such reassignment obligation arises, by the Servicer deducting
the portion of any such Receivable which is a Principal Receivable from the
aggregate amount of Principal Receivables used to calculate the Transferor
Interest. In addition, if the Transferor Interest would be reduced below the
Minimum Transferor Interest, People's Bank as Servicer will deposit into the
Collection Account an amount equal to the amount by which the Transferor
Interest will be reduced below the Minimum Transferor Interest (such
reassignment and retransfer to the Servicer to be effected only upon such
deposit by the Servicer in the Excess Funding Account). If the Transferor is not
the Servicer, such assignment and transfer will be made when the Servicer
deposits an amount equal to the amount of such Receivable in the Collection
Account no later than the Transfer Date following the Monthly Period during
which such obligation arises. The amount of such deposit shall be allocated as
Collections pursuant to the Agreement. In either case, this retransfer and
reassignment or transfer and assignment to the Servicer constitutes the sole
remedy available to the Certificate holders if such covenant or warranty of the
Servicer is not satisfied. In either case, the Trust's interest in any such
assigned Receivables shall be automatically assigned to the Servicer.
Servicing Compensation and Payment of Expenses
The Servicer's compensation for its servicing activities and
reimbursement for its expenses is a monthly servicing fee (the "Servicing Fee").
The Servicing Fee will be allocated among the Transferor Interest (the
"Transferor Servicing Fee"), the Certificate holders, Certificate holders of all
of the other Series and other holders of undivided interests in the Trust. The
portion of the Servicing Fee allocable to each Series of certificates, including
the Certificates, on any Distribution Date will generally be equal to
one-twelfth of the product of (a) the applicable servicing fee percentage with
respect to such Series and (b) the investor interest of such Series with respect
to the last day of the related Monthly Period. The portion of the Servicing Fee
allocable to each of the Class A Certificate holders, the Class B Certificate
holders and the Collateral Interest Holder on each Distribution Date
(respectively, the "Class A Monthly Servicing Fee", the "Class B Monthly
Servicing Fee" and the "Collateral Interest Monthly Servicing Fee"; together,
the "Monthly Servicing Fees") will be equal to one-twelfth of the product of __%
per annum (the "Servicing Fee Rate") and the Class A Adjusted Investor Interest,
the Class B Investor Interest or the Collateral Interest, as the case may be, as
of the last day of the related Monthly Period. The Monthly Servicing Fees will
be paid each month from the Finance Charge Account; however, payment thereof
will be made after payment to Certificate holders of certain distributions of
interest therefrom. On any Distribution Date with respect to any Monthly Period,
the Transferor Servicing Fee will equal one-twelfth of the product of (a) the
Transferor Interest and (b) the weighted average servicing fee percentage with
respect to all Series of certificates.
The Servicer will pay from its servicing compensation certain expenses
incurred in connection with servicing the Receivables including, without
limitation, payment of the fees and disbursements of the Trustee, Paying Agent,
Transfer Agent and Registrar and independent accountants and other fees which
are not expressly stated in the Agreement to be payable by the Trust or the
Certificate holders other than federal, state and local income and franchise
taxes, if any, of the Trust.
Certain Matters Regarding the Transferor and the Servicer
The Servicer may not resign from its obligations and duties under the
Agreement, except upon determination that performance of its duties is no longer
permissible under applicable law and except as described below. No such
resignation will become effective until the Trustee or a successor to the
Servicer has assumed the Servicer's responsibilities and obligations under the
Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, People's Bank may transfer its
servicing obligations to any of its affiliates (which meets certain eligibility
standards set forth in the Agreement) or, subject to certain conditions set
forth in the Agreement, to any other entity which the Rating Agency has advised
in writing will not result in the reduction or withdrawal of its then-existing
rating of the Certificates and be relieved of its obligations and duties under
the Agreement.
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The Agreement provides that the Servicer will indemnify the Trust, for
the benefit of the Certificate holders (including the Certificate holders), and
the Trustee from and against any reasonable loss, liability, expense, damage or
injury suffered or sustained by reason of any acts or omissions or alleged acts
or omissions of the Servicer with respect to the activities of the Trust or the
Trustee pursuant to the Agreement; provided, however, that the Servicer shall
not indemnify (a) the Trustee for liabilities imposed by reason of or resulting
from fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty or willful misconduct by the
Trustee in the performance of its duties under the Agreement, (b) the Trust, the
Certificate holders or the Offered Certificate Owners for liabilities arising
from actions taken by the Trustee at the request of Certificate holders, (c) the
Trust, the Certificate holders or the Offered Certificate Owners for any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities incurred by any Certificateholder in its capacity
as an investor, including without limitation, losses incurred as a result of
defaulted Receivables or Receivables which are written off as uncollectible or
(d) the Trust, the Certificate holders or the Offered Certificate Owners for any
liabilities, costs or expenses of the Trust, the Certificate holders or the
Offered Certificate Owners arising under any tax law, including without
limitation any federal, state or local income or franchise tax or any other tax
imposed on or measured by income (or any interest or penalties with respect
thereto or arising from a failure to comply therewith) required to be paid by
the Trust, the Certificate holders or the Offered Certificate Owners in
connection therewith to any taxing authority.
The Agreement provides that neither the Transferor nor the Servicer nor
any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents will be under
any other liability to the Trust, the Certificate holders or any other person
for any action taken, or for refraining from taking any action, in good faith
pursuant to the Agreement. Neither the Transferor, the Servicer nor any of their
respective directors, officers, employees or agents will be protected against
any liability which would otherwise be imposed by reason of willful misfeasance,
bad faith or gross negligence of the Transferor, the Servicer or any such person
in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of
obligations and duties thereunder. In addition, the Agreement provides that the
Servicer is not under any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any legal
action which is not incidental to its servicing responsibilities under the
Agreement and which in its opinion may expose it to any expense or liability.
The Agreement provides that, in addition to Exchanges, the Holder of
the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate may transfer all or a portion of the
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate to any other party upon written consent of
the Transferor; provided, however, that, in each case, prior to any such
transfer (i) (a) the Trustee receives written notification from the Rating
Agency then rating each Series that such transfer will not result in a lowering
of its then-existing rating of the certificates rated by it and (b) the Trustee
receives (among other things) a written opinion of counsel confirming that such
transfer would not adversely affect the treatment of the Certificates of each
series as debt for Federal, New York or Connecticut state income tax purposes or
result in the trust being treated as a taxable entity and will not be treated as
a taxable exchange to Certificate holders or (ii) such transfer complies with
the provisions of the next succeeding paragraph. The Transferor, in its capacity
as the original holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate, transferred
its interest in the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate to PSFC in accordance
with the requirements described in clause (i) of the preceding sentence,
pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption Agreement dated as of December 15, 1995
by and between the Transferor and PSFC.
Any person into which, in accordance with the Agreement, the Transferor
or the Servicer may be merged or consolidated or any person resulting from any
merger or consolidation to which the Transferor or the Servicer is a party, or
any person succeeding to the business of the Transferor or the Servicer, upon
execution of a supplemental agreement for the assumption of the Transferor's or
Servicer's obligations and delivery of an officer's certificate with respect to
the compliance of the transaction with the applicable provisions of the
Agreement and an opinion of counsel to the effect that such supplemental
agreement is legal, valid and binding, will be the successor to the Transferor
or the Servicer, as the case may be, under the Agreement. The Transferor may
effect any sale, transfer or pledge of the Accounts or any of its obligations
under the Agreement or effect any merger, consolidation or assumption which is
not in accordance with the provisions of the preceding sentence so long as,
among other conditions set forth in the Agreement: (a) the Transferor and
Servicer determine that such event will not be adverse to the interests of the
Certificate holders of any Series; (b) the Rating Agency indicates that such
event will not adversely affect the then-existing rating of certificates of any
Series outstanding, including the Certificates; and (c)
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the purchaser, transferee, pledgee or successor entity executes a supplemental
agreement whereby such entity agrees to assume the obligations of the
Transferor.
Servicer Default
In the event of any Servicer Default (as defined below), either the
Trustee or Certificate holders and other interest holders representing undivided
interests aggregating more than 50% of the sum of the investor interests of all
certificates and other undivided interests in the Trust outstanding, by written
notice to the Servicer (and to the Trustee if given by the Certificate holders
and interest holders), may terminate all of the rights and obligations of the
Servicer as servicer under the Agreement and in and to the Receivables and the
proceeds thereof and the Trustee may appoint a new Servicer (a "Service
Transfer"). The rights and interest of the Transferor and the Holder of the
Exchangeable Transferor Agreement under the Agreement and, as applicable, in the
Transferor Interest will not be affected by such termination. The Trustee shall
as promptly as possible appoint a successor Servicer, which successor Servicer
must satisfy certain eligibility criteria contained in the Agreement. If no such
Servicer has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by the time the
Servicer ceases to act as Servicer, all authority, power and obligations of the
Servicer under the Agreement shall pass to and be vested in the Trustee. If the
Trustee is unable to obtain any bids from eligible servicers and the Servicer
delivers an officer's certificate to the effect that it cannot in good faith
cure the Servicer Default which gave rise to a transfer of servicing, and if the
Trustee is legally unable to act as successor Servicer, then the Trustee shall
give the Transferor the right to accept reassignment of the Receivables at a
price generally equal to the higher of the outstanding principal balance of the
certificates plus accrued interest through the date of reassignment and the
average bid quoted by two recognized dealers for a similar security rated in the
highest rating category by the Rating Agency and having a remaining maturity
approximately equal to the remaining maturity of such Series.
A "Servicer Default" refers to any of the following events:
(a) failure by the Servicer to make any payment, transfer or deposit or
to give instructions to the Trustee to make any withdrawal, on the date the
Servicer is required to do so under the Agreement (or within the applicable
grace period, which shall not exceed five business days);
(b) failure on the part of the Servicer duly to observe or perform in
any respect any other covenants or agreements of the Servicer which has a
material adverse effect on the holders of outstanding Series, including the
Certificate holders (which determination shall be made without regard to whether
funds are available in any Enhancement) and which continues unremedied for a
period of 60 days after written notice and continues to have a material adverse
effect on the Certificate holders for such period; or the delegation by the
Servicer of its duties under the Agreement, except as specifically permitted
thereunder;
(c) any representation, warranty or certification made by the Servicer
in the Agreement or any Supplement, or in any certificate delivered pursuant to
the Agreement or any Supplement, proves to have been incorrect when made which
has a material adverse effect on the rights of Certificate holders (which
determination shall be made without regard to whether funds are available in any
Enhancement) and which continues to be incorrect in any material respect for a
period of 60 days after written notice; or
(d) the occurrence of certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or
receivership of the Servicer.
In the event of a Servicer Default, if a conservator or receiver is
appointed for the Servicer and no Servicer Default other than such
conservatorship or receivership or the insolvency of the Servicer exists, the
conservator or receiver may have the power to prevent either the Trustee or the
majority of the Certificate holders from effecting a Service Transfer.
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Reports to Certificate holders
On each Distribution Date, the Paying Agent will forward to each
Certificateholder of record a statement (the "Monthly Servicer Report") prepared
by the Servicer setting forth among other things: (a) the total amount
distributed to Class A Certificate holders, the Class B Certificate holders and
the Collateral Interest Holder, respectively, (b) the amount of the distribution
made on such Distribution Date allocable to Class A Monthly Principal, Class B
Monthly Principal and Collateral Monthly Principal, respectively, (c) the amount
of the distribution made on such Distribution Date allocable to Class A Monthly
Interest, Class B Monthly Interest and Collateral Monthly Interest,
respectively, (d) the amount of Principal Collections processed during the
preceding Monthly Period and allocated in respect of the Class A Certificates,
the Class B Certificates and the Collateral Interest, respectively, (e) the
aggregate amount of Principal Receivables, the Investor Interest, the Adjusted
Investor Interest, the Class A Investor Interest, the Class A Adjusted Investor
Interest, the Class B Investor Interest and the Collateral Interest, and the
Floating Investor Percentage, Class A Floating Allocation, the Class B Floating
Allocation and the Collateral Floating Allocation, the Fixed Investor
Percentage, the Class A Fixed Allocation, the Class B Fixed Allocation and the
Collateral Fixed Allocation, in each case as of the end of the last day of the
preceding Monthly Period, (f) the aggregate outstanding balance of Accounts
which are up to 30 days delinquent, 31 to 60 days delinquent, and 61 or more
days delinquent in accordance with the Servicer's then existing credit card
guidelines by class of delinquency as of the end of the preceding Monthly
Period, (g) the Class A Investor Default Amount, the Class B Investor Default
Amount and the Collateral Default Amount for the preceding Monthly Period, (h)
the aggregate amount of Class A Investor Charge-Offs, Class B Investor
Charge-Offs and Collateral Interest Charge-Offs for the preceding Monthly Period
and the aggregate amount of Investor Charge-Offs reimbursed to each class on the
Transfer Date immediately preceding such Distribution Date, (i) the amount of
the Class A Monthly Servicing Fee, the Class B Monthly Servicing Fee and the
Collateral Interest Monthly Servicing Fee for the preceding Monthly Period, (j)
the "Pool Factor" as of the end of the last day of the preceding Monthly Period
(consisting of a seven-digit decimal expressing the ratio of Investor Interest
to Initial Investor Interest), (k) the Principal Funding Account Balance as of
the related Transfer Date, (l) the Accumulation Shortfall for the preceding
Monthly Period, (m) the Principal Funding Investment Proceeds transferred to the
Finance Charge Account on the related Transfer Date, (n) the Class A Principal
Funding Investment Shortfall on the related Transfer Date, (o) the amount of
Class A Available Funds and Class B Available Funds on deposit in the Finance
Charge Account on the related Transfer Date, (p) the aggregate amount of Finance
Charge Collections allocable to the Investor Interest for the preceding Monthly
Period, (q) the Required Amounts, if any, and, if the amount payable under the
Interest Rate Caps and Shared Finance Charge Collections available to the
Certificates are insufficient to satisfy the Required Amounts, the amount of
Reallocated Collateral Principal Allocations and Reallocated Class B Principal
Allocations to be applied thereto, and any reductions in the Collateral Interest
and the Class B Investor Interest to satisfy the Class A Required Amount and the
Class B Required Amount, as the case may be, (r) the Available Reserve Account
Amount and the Reserve Account Draw, and (s) the ratio of the Collateral
Interest to the Investor Interest of the Certificates as of the last day of the
preceding Monthly Period.
On or before January 31 of each calendar year, beginning with 1998, the
Paying Agent will furnish to each person who at any time during the preceding
calendar year was an Offered Certificateholder of record a statement prepared by
the Servicer containing the information required to be contained in the Monthly
Servicer Report, as set forth in clauses (a), (b) and (c) above aggregated for
such calendar year or the applicable portion thereof during which such person
was an Offered Certificateholder, together with such other customary information
(consistent with the treatment of the Offered Certificates as debt) as the
Trustee or the Servicer deems necessary or desirable to enable the Offered
Certificate holders to prepare their tax returns.
The Trustee will publish or will cause to be published following each
Distribution Date (including the Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination Date) in a
daily newspaper in Luxembourg (expected to be the Luxemburger Wort ) a notice to
the effect that the information described in "Description of the
Certificates--Reports to Certificate holders" in the prospectus will be
available for review at the main office of the listing agent of the Trust in
Luxembourg.
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Notices to Certificate holders will be given by publication in a daily
newspaper in Luxembourg, which is expected to be the Luxemburger Wort. In the
event that Definitive Certificates are issued, notices to Certificate holders
will also be given by mail to the addresses of such holders as they appear in
the certificate register.
Evidence as to Compliance
The Agreement provides that on or before March 31 of each calendar
year, beginning in 1994, the Servicer will cause a firm of independent
accountants to furnish a report to the effect that such firm has made a study
and evaluation of the Servicer's internal accounting controls relative to the
servicing of Accounts under the Agreement, and that, on the basis of such study
and evaluation, such firm is of the opinion that the system of internal
accounting controls in effect on the date set forth in such report relating to
certain servicing procedures performed by the Servicer under the Agreement,
taken as a whole, was sufficient for the prevention and detection of errors and
irregularities in amounts that would be material to the financial statements of
the Servicer and that such servicing was conducted in compliance with the
applicable sections of the Agreement, except for such exceptions, errors or
irregularities as such firm shall believe to be immaterial to the financial
statements of the Servicer and such other exceptions, errors or irregularities
as shall be set forth in such report. In addition, on or before March 31 of each
calendar year, beginning in 1994, such firm has compared or will compare the
amounts contained in the Servicer's statements and certificates delivered during
such year with the computer reports of the Servicer and statements of any agents
engaged by the Servicer to perform servicing activities which were the source of
such amounts and deliver a report confirming that such amounts are in agreement
except for such exceptions as it believes to be immaterial to the financial
statements of the Servicer and such other exceptions as shall be set forth in
such report.
The Agreement provides for delivery to the Trustee on or before March
31 of each calendar year, beginning in 1994, of an annual statement signed by an
officer of the Servicer to the effect that the Servicer has fully performed, or
has caused to be performed, its obligations in all material respects under the
Agreement throughout the preceding year, or, if there has been a default in the
performance of any such obligation in any material respect, specifying the
nature and status of the default.
Amendments
The Agreement and any Supplement may be amended by the Transferor, the
Servicer and the Trustee, without certificateholder consent, to cure any
ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision therein which may be
inconsistent with any other provision therein, and to add any other provisions
with respect to matters or questions arising under the Agreement and any
Supplement which are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Agreement and
any Supplement. See "The Receivables". The Agreement may be amended from time to
time without the consent of the Certificate holders by the Trustee, and by the
Transferor or the Servicer with the consent of the Trustee, to (a) provide for
the transfer by the Transferor of its interest in and to all or part of the
Accounts in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement and (b) provide for
the purchase of Principal Receivables by the Trust at a price which is less than
100% of the outstanding balance thereof, and to provide for the treatment of
Principal Collections, in an amount up to the aggregate amount by which the
purchase price of Principal Receivables as sold thereafter is less than 100%, as
Finance Charge Collections; provided, however, that any such action shall not
adversely affect in any material respect the interests of the Certificate
holders (each Certificateholder will be deemed to have agreed that the exercise
of such option by the Transferor, at such time the Transferor determines to
exercise such options, will not adversely affect in any material respects the
interests of Certificate holders); provided, further, however, that the Servicer
and the Trustee shall have received notice from the Rating Agency that any such
amendment will not result in the reduction or withdrawal of its then-existing
rating of the certificates of any Series. Moreover, any Supplement and any
amendments regarding the addition or removal of Receivables to or from the Trust
will not be considered amendments requiring certificateholder consent under the
provisions of the Agreement or any Supplement.
The Agreement may be amended by the Transferor, the Servicer and the
Trustee with the consent of the holders of certificates evidencing undivided
interests aggregating not less than 662/3% of the principal amount of
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all Series adversely affected, for the purpose of adding any provisions to,
changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of the Agreement or
any Supplement or of modifying in any manner the rights of Certificate holders
of any Series. No such amendment, however, may (a) reduce in any manner the
amount of, or delay the timing of, distributions required to be made on such
Series, (b) change the definition of or the manner of calculating the interest
of any certificateholder of such Series or (c) reduce the aforesaid percentage
of undivided interests, the holders of which are required to consent to any such
amendment, in each case without the consent of all Certificate holders of all
Series adversely affected. Promptly following the execution of any amendment to
the Agreement or any Supplement, the Trustee will furnish written notice of the
substance of such amendment to each certificateholder of all Series (or with
respect to an amendment of a Supplement, to the applicable Series).
List of Certificate holders
Upon written request of Certificate holders of record representing
undivided interests in the Trust aggregating not less than 10% of the Investor
Interest, the Trustee after having been adequately indemnified by such
Certificate holders for its costs and expenses, and having given the Servicer
notice that such request has been made, will afford such Certificate holders
access during business hours to the current list of Certificate holders of the
Trust for purposes of communicating with other Certificate holders with respect
to their rights under the Agreement. The Agreement generally does not provide
for any annual or other meetings of Certificate holders. See "--Book-Entry
Registration" and "--Definitive Certificates" above.
CERTAIN LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE RECEIVABLES
Transfer of Receivables
The Transferor independently represents and warrants in the Agreement
that the transfer of Receivables, Interchange and Recoveries constitutes either
a valid transfer and assignment to the Trust of all right, title and interest of
the Transferor in and to the Receivables, Interchange and Recoveries, except for
the interest of the Transferor as the then current holder of the Exchangeable
Transferor Certificate, or the grant to the Trust of a security interest in such
property. The Transferor also independently represents and warrants in the
Agreement that, in the event the transfer of Receivables, Interchange and
Recoveries by the Transferor to the Trust is deemed to create a security
interest under the Uniform Commercial Code (the "UCC"), as in effect in the
State of New York, there will exist a valid, subsisting and enforceable first
priority perfected security interest in such property in existence at the time
of the formation of the Trust in favor of the Trust and a valid, subsisting and
enforceable first priority perfected security interest in such property created
thereafter in favor of the Trust on and after their creation, except for certain
tax and other customary liens. For a discussion of the Trust's rights arising
from a breach of these warranties, see "Description of the
Certificates--Representations and Warranties".
The Transferor independently represents that the Receivables are
"accounts" or "general intangibles" for purposes of the UCC as in effect in the
States of New York and Connecticut. The transfer and assignment of accounts and
the transfer of accounts and general intangibles as security for an obligation
are covered by Article 9 of the UCC, with the transfer and assignments of
accounts treated in the same fashion as the creation and perfection of a
security interest therein. The filing of an appropriate financing statement is
required to perfect the interest of the Trust therein. Financing statements
covering the Receivables have been filed with the appropriate governmental
authority to protect the interests of the Trust in the Receivables.
There are certain limited circumstances under the UCC in which a prior
or subsequent transferee of Receivables coming into existence after the closing
date of the issuance by the Trust of the initial Series of certificates could
have an interest in such Receivables with priority over the Trust's interest.
Under the Agreement, however, the Transferor represents and warrants that it has
transferred the Receivables to the Trust free and clear of the lien of any third
party. In addition, the Transferor covenants that it will not sell, pledge,
assign, transfer or grant any lien on any Receivable (or any interest therein)
other than to the Trust. A tax or other government lien
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on property of the Transferor arising prior to the time a Receivable comes into
existence may also have priority over the interest of the Trust in such
Receivable. In addition, if the FDIC were appointed as receiver of the
Transferor, certain administrative expenses of the receiver or the State of
Connecticut Department of Banking may have priority over the interest of the
Trust in such Receivable.
Certain Matters Relating to Conservatorship and Receivership
The Transferor is chartered as a Connecticut stock savings bank and is
subject to regulation and supervision by the State of Connecticut Department of
Banking. If the Transferor becomes insolvent or is in an unsound condition or if
certain other circumstances occur, the State of Connecticut Department of
Banking may request the Attorney General of Connecticut to apply to the
Connecticut Court for an order appointing a conservator or receiver for the
Transferor. Since the Transferor is a FDIC-insured bank, Connecticut law
requires the conservator or receiver to be the Connecticut Banking Commissioner
and permits the Commissioner to request that the FDIC be appointed conservator
or receiver. In addition, the FDIC may appoint itself as conservator or receiver
for the Transferor if the FDIC determines that one or more of certain conditions
exist (such as, but not limited to, the Transferor's assets being insufficient
for obligations, substantial dissipation of assets or earnings, the existence of
unsafe or unsound conditions, the willful violation of a cease-and-desist order,
concealment of records or assets, inability to meet obligations, the incurrence
(or likelihood) of losses resulting in depletion of substantially all of its
capital, violations of law likely to cause financial deterioration, cessation of
insured status or undercapitalization of the Transferor).
The FDIA sets forth certain powers that the FDIC in its capacity as
conservator or receiver for the Transferor could exercise. To the extent that
the Transferor has granted a security interest in the Receivables to the Trust,
and that interest was validly perfected before the appointment of the FDIC as
conservator or receiver and before the Transferor's insolvency, was not taken in
contemplation of the insolvency of the Transferor, and was not taken with the
intent to hinder, delay or defraud the Transferor or the creditors of the
Transferor, such security interest should not be subject to avoidance if the
Pooling and Servicing Agreement and Supplements thereto and related documents
are approved by the Transferor and are continuously maintained as records of the
Transferor (as required by the FDIA) and the transactions represent bona fide
and arm's length transactions undertaken for adequate consideration in the
ordinary course of business and the secured party is neither an insider nor an
affiliate of the Transferor. As a result, payments to the Trust with respect to
the Receivables (up to the amount of actual, direct compensatory damages, as
described below) should not be subject to recovery by the FDIC as conservator or
receiver of the Transferor. The foregoing conclusions regarding avoidance or
recovery are based on FDIC general counsel opinions and policy statements
regarding the application of certain provisions of the FDIA. If, however, the
FDIC, as conservator or receiver for the Transferor were to assert a contrary
position, or were to require the Trustee to establish its right to those
payments by submitting to and completing the administrative claims procedure
established under the FDIA, or the conservator or receiver were to request a
stay of proceedings with respect to the Transferor as provided under the FDIA,
delays in payments on the Certificates and possible reductions in the amount of
those payments could occur. The FDIA provides that the FDIC may repudiate
contracts determined by it to be burdensome and that claims for repudiated
obligations are limited to actual, direct compensatory damages determined as of
the date of the appointment of the conservator or receiver. The FDIA does not
define the term "actual direct compensatory damages". On April 10, 1990, the
RTC, formerly a sister agency of the FDIC, adopted a statement of policy (the
"RTC Policy Statement") with respect to the payment of interest on direct
collateralized borrowings of savings associations. The RTC Policy Statement
states that interest on such borrowings will be payable at the contract rate up
to the date of the redemption or payment by the conservator, receiver, or the
trustee of an amount equal to the principal owed plus the contract rate of
interest up to the date of such payment or redemption, plus any expenses of
liquidation if provided for in the contract to the extent secured by the
collateral. However, in a case involving zero-coupon bonds issued by a savings
association which were repudiated by the RTC, a federal district court in the
Southern District of New York held, in 1993, that the RTC was obligated to pay
holders the fair market value of repudiated bonds as of the date of repudiation.
The FDIC itself has not adopted a policy statement on payment of interest on
collateralized borrowings of banks. The FDIC, as conservator or receiver, would
also have the rights and powers conferred under Connecticut law.
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The Agreement provides that, upon the appointment of a conservator or
receiver or upon a voluntary liquidation with respect to the Transferor, the
Transferor will promptly give notice thereof to the Trustee and a Pay Out Event
will occur with respect to all Series then outstanding. Pursuant to the
Agreement, newly created Principal Receivables will not be transferred to the
Trust on and after any such appointment or voluntary liquidation (although
Finance Charge Receivables on existing balances will continue to be
transferred), and unless otherwise instructed within a specified period by
holders of more than 50% of the investor interest of each Series outstanding
(or, with respect to any Series with two or more classes, 50% of each class) to
the effect that such Certificate holders disapprove of the liquidation of the
Receivables and wish to continue having Principal Receivables transferred to the
Trust as before such appointment or voluntary liquidation, the Trustee will
proceed to sell, dispose of or otherwise liquidate the portion of the
Receivables allocable to each Series that did not vote to disapprove of the
liquidation of the Receivables in accordance with the Agreement in a
commercially reasonable manner and on commercially reasonable terms. There can
be no assurance, however, that a receiver or conservator will allow and not seek
avoidance of continued transfer of Receivables to the Trust after receivership
or conservatorship of the Transferor. Under the Agreement, the proceeds from the
sale of the Receivables would be treated as Collections of the Receivables and
the Investor Percentage of such proceeds would be distributed to the Certificate
holders. This procedure could be delayed, as described above. If the only Pay
Out Event to occur is either the insolvency of the Transferor or the appointment
of a conservator or receiver for the Transferor, the conservator or receiver may
have the power to prevent the early sale, liquidation or disposition of the
Receivables, the commencement of the Rapid Amortization Period and the transfer
of servicing obligations from the Transferor. A conservator or receiver would
have the power to cause the early sale of the Receivables and the early
retirement of the Certificates, to prohibit the continued transfer of Principal
Receivables to the Trust, and to repudiate the servicing obligations of the
Transferor. See "Description of the Certificates--Pay Out Events". In addition,
the appointment of a receiver or conservator could adversely affect the
Transferor's ability to repurchase ineligible Receivables from the Trust or make
cash deposits in respect of credits, adjustments or fraudulent charges and could
result in administrative expenses of the receiver or conservator having priority
over the interest of the Trust in the Receivables.
Consumer Protection Laws
The relationship of the cardholder and credit card issuer is
extensively regulated by federal and state consumer protection laws. With
respect to credit cards issued by the Transferor, the most significant laws
include the federal Truth-in-Lending, Equal Credit Opportunity, Fair Credit
Reporting, Fair Debt Collection Practice and Electronic Funds Transfer Acts and
applicable state law. These statutes impose disclosure requirements when a
credit card account is advertised, when it is opened, at the end of monthly
Billing Cycles, and at year end. In addition, these statutes limit cardholder
liability for unauthorized use, prohibit certain discriminatory practices in
extending credit, and impose certain limitations on the type of account-related
charges that may be assessed. Cardholders are entitled under these laws to have
payments and credits applied to the credit card accounts promptly, to receive
prescribed notices and to require billing errors to be resolved promptly. The
Trust may be liable for certain violations of consumer protection laws that
apply to the Receivables, either as assignee from the Transferor with respect to
obligations arising before transfer of the Receivables to the Trust or as a
party directly responsible for obligations arising after the transfer. In
addition, a cardholder may be entitled to assert such violations by way of
set-off against his obligation to pay the amount of Receivables owing. The
Transferor warrants to the Trust in the Agreement that all Receivables have been
and will be created in compliance with the requirements of such laws. The
Servicer has also agreed in the Agreement to indemnify the Trust, among other
things, for any liability arising from such violations caused by the Servicer.
For a discussion of the Trust's rights arising from the breach of these
warranties, see "Description of the Certificates--Representations and
Warranties".
Certain jurisdictions may attempt to require out-of-state credit card
issuers to comply with such jurisdiction's consumer protection laws (including
laws limiting the charges imposed by such credit card issuers) in connection
with their operations in such jurisdictions. A successful challenge by such a
jurisdiction could have an adverse impact on the Transferor's credit card
operations or the yield on the Receivables in the Trust.
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CERTAIN FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
General
The following discussion represents the opinion of Mayer, Brown &
Platt, special tax counsel to the Transferor ("Tax Counsel"), subject to the
exceptions and qualifications described herein, as to the material Federal
income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the
Offered Certificates. This discussion, however, does not address every aspect of
the Federal income tax laws that may be relevant to holders of Offered
Certificates in light of their personal investment circumstances or to certain
types of Offered Certificate holders subject to special treatment under the
Federal income tax laws (for example, banks and life insurance companies).
Accordingly, investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding Federal,
state, local, foreign and any other tax consequences to them of the purchase,
ownership and disposition of the Offered Certificates in their own particular
circumstances. The discussion is generally limited to those persons who are the
initial holders of the Offered Certificates and to investors who will hold
Offered Certificates as capital assets. This discussion is based upon the
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), its
legislative history, the Treasury regulations thereunder, and published rulings
and court decisions in effect (or, in the case of certain Treasury regulations,
that are proposed) as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change,
possibly retroactively. No ruling on any of the issues discussed below has been
or will be sought from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") and no assurance
can be given that the IRS will not take contrary positions. It is anticipated
that the Trust will not be indemnified for any Federal income tax that may be
imposed upon it, and the imposition of any such taxes on the Trust could result
in a reduction in the amounts available for distribution to the Offered
Certificate holders.
Treatment of the Offered Certificates as Indebtedness
Tax Counsel is of the opinion that, although no transaction closely
comparable to that contemplated herein has been the subject of any Treasury
regulation, revenue ruling or judicial decision, based upon its analysis of the
factors discussed below, the Offered Certificates, when issued, will be
characterized for Federal income tax purposes as indebtedness that is secured by
the Receivables.
The Transferor and Offered Certificate holders will express in the
Agreement the intent that, for Federal, state and local income and franchise tax
purposes, and for the purposes of any other tax imposed on or measured by
income, the Offered Certificates will be indebtedness secured by the
Receivables. The Transferor, by entering into the Agreement, PSFC, by its
beneficial ownership of the Transferor Interest, and each Offered
Certificateholder, by virtue of accepting a beneficial interest in an Offered
Certificate, will agree to treat the Offered Certificates (or the beneficial
interests therein) as indebtedness secured by the Receivables for Federal, state
and local income and franchise tax purposes and for the purposes of any other
tax imposed on or measured by income. Because, however, different criteria are
used in determining the nontax accounting treatment of a transaction, the
Transferor and PSFC will treat the Agreement for financial accounting purposes
as a transfer of an ownership interest in the Receivables and not as creating a
debt obligation.
The economic substance of a transaction generally determines its
Federal income tax consequences and the form of a transaction, while a relevant
factor, is generally not conclusive evidence of its economic substance. In
appropriate circumstances the courts have allowed taxpayers, as well as the IRS,
to treat a transaction in accordance with its economic substance,
notwithstanding that participants characterized the transaction differently for
nontax purposes. In some instances, however, courts have held that a taxpayer is
bound by the particular form it has chosen for a transaction, even if the
substance of the transaction does not accord with its form. Tax Counsel believes
that the rationale of those cases will not apply to this transaction.
The determination of whether the economic substance of a transfer of an
interest in property is a sale or a loan secured by the transferred property
depends on numerous factors that indicate whether the transferor has
relinquished (and the transferee has obtained) substantial incidents of
ownership in the property. Among the primary
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factors considered are whether the transferee has obtained the opportunity for
gain if the property increases in value, has assumed the risk of loss if the
property decreases in value and whether the transferee, at the time of transfer,
has a fixed interest in the proceeds of the receivable when collected. Based
upon its analysis of such factors, Tax Counsel is of the opinion that the
Offered Certificates will be characterized for Federal income tax purposes as
indebtedness secured by the Receivables. Contrary characterizations that could
be asserted by the IRS are described under "--Possible Characterization of
Offered Certificates as Interests in an Association Taxable as a Corporation or
a Partnership" below. Except as otherwise expressly indicated, the following
discussion assumes that the Offered Certificates will be treated as debt
obligations for Federal income tax purposes.
Interest Income to Offered Certificate holders
It is anticipated that the Offered Certificates will be issued at par
value (or at an insubstantial discount from par value). To the extent that
stated interest on the Offered Certificates constitutes "qualified stated
interest", it will be taxable as ordinary income for Federal income tax purposes
when received or accrued by Offered Certificate holders in accordance with their
respective methods of tax accounting. The Treasury regulations provide that
qualified stated interest generally includes stated interest that is
"unconditionally payable" at least annually at a single fixed rate or at a
qualified floating or objective variable rate that appropriately takes into
account the length of the interval between payments. Interest is considered
"unconditionally payable" if reasonable legal remedies exist to compel timely
payment or terms and conditions of the debt instrument make the likelihood of
late payment (other than a late payment that occurs within a reasonable grace
period) or nonpayment (ignoring the possibility of nonpayment due to default,
insolvency or similar circumstances) a remote contingency. The Transferor and
PSFC intend to take the position that late payment or nonpayment of stated
interest on the Offered Certificates is a remote contingency, and therefore that
such stated interest constitutes qualified stated interest and (assuming the
Offered Certificates are not issued with a greater than de minimis discount from
par value) the Offered Certificates are not treated as being issued with OID. It
is possible, however, that the Internal Revenue Service would take the position
that none of the stated interest payable on the Offered Certificates is
"unconditionally payable" and hence that all of such interest should be included
in the Offered Certificates' stated redemption price at maturity. Consequently,
the Offered Certificates would be treated as being issued with original issue
discount ("OID") (generally, the excess of the "stated redemption price at
maturity" of an Offered Certificate, or all payments on the Offered Certificate
other than payments of qualified stated interest, over the issue price of the
Offered Certificate). To the extent the Offered Certificates were treated as
being issued with OID, an Offered Certificateholder would be required, subject
to a de minimis exception, to include OID in income as interest over the term of
the Offered Certificate under a constant yield method, and, in general, OID must
be included in income in advance of the receipt of cash representing that
income. Because of the uncertainty of treatment, holders are urged to consult
their own tax advisors regarding the treatment of stated interest on the Offered
Certificates.
An Offered Certificateholder who purchases an Offered Certificate at a
market discount may be subject to the "market discount" rules of the Code. These
rules provide, in part, for the treatment of gain attributable to accrued market
discount as ordinary income upon the receipt of partial principal payments or on
the sale or other disposition of the Offered Certificate, and for the deferral
of interest deductions with respect to debt incurred to acquire or carry the
market discount Offered Certificate.
If an Offered Certificate is purchased by an Offered Certificateholder
at a premium, such premium will be amortized as an offset to interest income
(with a corresponding reduction in the Offered Certificateholder's basis) under
a constant yield method over the term of the Offered Certificate if an election
under Section 171 of the Code is made or is previously in effect.
Disposition of Offered Certificates
If an Offered Certificate is sold, exchanged or otherwise disposed of,
an Offered Certificateholder generally will recognize gain or loss in an amount
equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale, exchange
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or disposition and the Offered Certificateholder's adjusted basis in the Offered
Certificate. The adjusted basis of an Offered Certificate generally will equal
the cost of the Offered Certificate to the Offered Certificateholder, increased
by any OID or market discount previously includible in the Offered
Certificateholder's gross income, and reduced by the portion of the basis of the
Offered Certificate allocable to payments on the Offered Certificate previously
received by the Offered Certificateholder and any amortized premium. Subject to
the market discount rules, gain or loss on the sale or other disposition of an
Offered Certificate will be capital gain or loss if the Offered Certificate is
held by the Offered Certificateholder as a capital asset, except to the extent a
holder realizes ordinary income attributable to accrued interest. Capital gain
or loss will be long-term if the Offered Certificate is held by the Offered
Certificateholder for more than one year and otherwise will be short-term.
Possible Characterization of Offered Certificates as Interests in an Association
Taxable as a Corporation or a Partnership
Although, as described above, it is the opinion of Tax Counsel that the
Offered Certificates are properly characterized as debt for Federal income tax
purposes, such opinion is not binding on the IRS or the courts and no assurance
can be given that this characterization would prevail. If the IRS were to
contend successfully that the Offered Certificates were not debt obligations for
Federal income tax purposes, Offered Certificates might be classified for
Federal income tax purposes as interests in an association taxable as a
corporation that owns the Receivables or as a partnership, including a "publicly
traded partnership".
If the arrangement created by the Agreement were treated as either an
association taxable as a corporation or a "publicly traded partnership" taxable
as a corporation, the resulting entity may be subject to Federal income taxes at
corporate tax rates on its taxable income from the Receivables. Such a tax might
result in reduced distributions to Offered Certificate holders and Offered
Certificate holders might be liable for a share of such a tax. Moreover, it is
unlikely that distributions by the entity would be deductible in computing the
entity's taxable income (assuming that the Offered Certificates were treated as
ownership interests rather than as debt) with the result that the entity would
have significant taxable income and tax liability. In addition, all or part of
the distributions to Offered Certificate holders would generally be treated as
dividend income to the Offered Certificate holders.
If, alternatively, the Offered Certificates were treated as interests
in a partnership, the income reportable by the Offered Certificate holders as
partners could differ from the income reportable by the Offered Certificate
holders as holders of debt obligations. For example, a cash basis Offered
Certificateholder might be required to report income when it accrued to the
partnership rather than when it is received by the Offered Certificateholder.
Moreover, an individual's share of expenses of the partnership would be
miscellaneous itemized deductions that, in the aggregate, are allowed as
deductions only to the extent they exceed two percent of the individual's
adjusted gross income, and would be subject to reduction under Section 68 of the
Code if the individual's adjusted gross income exceeded certain limits. As a
result, the individual might be taxed on a greater amount of income than the
stated rate on the Offered Certificates. Finally, if a class of Offered
Certificates were treated as interests in a partnership and another class of
Offered Certificates were treated as debt, a portion of the taxable income
allocated to an Offered Certificateholder of the class of Offered Certificates
treated as interests in a partnership that is a pension, profit sharing or
employee benefit plan or other tax-exempt entity (including an individual
retirement account) would constitute "unrelated business taxable income"
generally taxable to the holder under the Code.
Since the Transferor and PSFC will treat the Offered Certificates as
indebtedness for Federal income tax purposes, neither the Transferor nor PSFC
will comply with the tax reporting requirements that would apply under these
alternative characterizations of the Offered Certificates.
Foreign Investors
Assuming the Offered Certificates represent debt obligations for
Federal income tax purposes, if interest (including OID) on the Offered
Certificates paid to a nonresident alien individual, foreign corporation,
foreign
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partnership or foreign estate or trust is not effectively connected with the
conduct of a United States trade or business of the recipient, it will be
considered "portfolio interest" and will (subject to the discussion of backup
withholding below) be generally exempt from United States withholding tax;
provided, however, that the Offered Certificateholder complies with applicable
certification requirements (and does not actually or constructively own ten
percent or more of the voting stock of the Transferor or PSFC and is not a
controlled foreign corporation related to the Transferor or its affiliates).
If the Offered Certificates were recharacterized as interests in an
association taxable as a corporation or a "publicly traded partnership" taxable
as a corporation, to the extent distributions under the Agreement were treated
as dividends, a nonresident alien individual or foreign corporation would
generally be subject to withholding tax on the gross amount of such dividends at
the rate of 30% (or lower rate as provided by an applicable treaty). If the IRS
were to contend successfully that the Offered Certificates represent interests
in a partnership (not taxable as a corporation), an Offered Certificateholder
that is a nonresident alien, foreign corporation or foreign estate or trust
might be required to file a United States individual or corporate income tax
return and pay tax on its share of partnership income at regular U.S. rates,
including the branch profits tax in the case of an Offered Certificateholder
that is a corporation, and would be subject to withholding tax on its share of
partnership income.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
The Servicer will be required to report annually to the IRS, and to
each Offered Certificateholder of record, the amount of interest paid (and OID
accrued, if any) on the Offered Certificates (and the amount of interest
withheld for Federal income taxes, if any) for each calendar year, except as to
exempt holders (generally, holders that are corporations, certain tax-exempt
organizations or nonresident aliens who provide certification as to their status
as nonresidents). Each non-exempt Offered Certificateholder will be required to
provide, under penalty of perjury, a certificate on IRS Form W-9 containing his
or her name, address, correct Federal taxpayer identification number and a
statement that he or she is not subject to backup withholding. Should a
nonexempt Offered Certificateholder fail to provide the required certification,
the Offered Certificateholder will be subject to backup withholding of U.S.
Federal income tax at a rate of 31% of the amounts otherwise payable to the
holder. Such amount would be remitted to the IRS as a credit against the
holder's Federal income tax liability.
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STATE AND LOCAL TAX CONSEQUENCES
General
State tax consequences to each Offered Certificateholder will depend
upon the provisions of the state tax laws to which the Offered Certificateholder
is subject. Most states modify or adjust the taxpayer's Federal taxable income
to arrive at the amount of income potentially subject to state tax. Resident
individuals generally pay state tax on 100% of such state-modified income, while
corporations and other taxpayers generally pay state tax only on that portion of
state-modified income assigned to the taxing state under the state's own
apportionment and allocation rules. Because each state's tax law varies, it is
impossible to predict the tax consequences to the Offered Certificate holders in
all of the state taxing jurisdictions in which they are already subject to tax.
Connecticut
The activities to be undertaken by the Servicer in servicing and
collecting the Receivables will take place in Connecticut. Connecticut imposes
an income tax on corporations doing business in Connecticut measured by their
net income apportioned to Connecticut. This discussion is based upon present
provisions of Connecticut law and regulations, and applicable judicial or ruling
authority, all of which are subject to change, which change may be retroactive.
No ruling on any of the issues discussed below will be sought from the
Connecticut Department of Revenue.
Assuming the Offered Certificates are treated as indebtedness for
Federal income tax purposes, Pullman & Comley, LLC, special Connecticut counsel
to the Transferor, is of the opinion that this treatment will also apply for
Connecticut tax purposes. Pursuant to this treatment, Offered Certificate
holders not otherwise subject to Connecticut tax would not become subject to
such tax solely because of their ownership of the Offered Certificates. Offered
Certificate holders already subject to taxation in Connecticut as corporations,
however, could be required to pay tax on the income generated from ownership of
these Offered Certificates.
In the alternative, if the Offered Certificates are treated as
interests in a partnership (not taxable as a corporation) for Federal income tax
purposes, the same treatment should also apply for Connecticut tax purposes. In
such case, Connecticut could view the partnership as doing business in
Connecticut. Connecticut would not impose any tax on the Trust, but an Offered
Certificateholder not otherwise subject to taxation in Connecticut could become
subject to Connecticut income taxes as a result of its mere ownership of Offered
Certificates.
If the Offered Certificates are instead treated as ownership interests
in an association taxable as a corporation or a "publicly traded partnership"
taxable as a corporation, then the entity could be subject to Connecticut income
tax. Such taxes could result in reduced distributions to Offered Certificate
holders. An Offered Certificateholder not otherwise subject to tax in
Connecticut would not become subject to Connecticut taxes as a result of its
mere ownership of such an interest.
Because each state's income tax laws vary, it is impossible to predict
the income tax consequences to the Offered Certificate holders in all of the
state taxing jurisdictions in which they are already subject to tax. There can
be no assurance that other states will not claim that the Servicer has
undertaken activities in such states. If such a claim were made, no assurances
can be given as to whether the Offered Certificates would be treated as
indebtedness by any particular state. Offered Certificate holders are urged to
consult their own tax advisors with respect to state taxes.
ALL INVESTORS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE
FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL OR FOREIGN INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE PURCHASE,
OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF THE OFFERED CERTIFICATES.
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CERTAIN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN CONSIDERATIONS
Section 406 of ERISA and section 4975 of the Code prohibit certain
pension, profit sharing or other employee benefit plans, Keogh plans, individual
retirement accounts or annuities and employee annuity plans (collectively,
including entities whose underlying assets are deemed to include the assets of
one or more employee benefit plans (including without limitation insurance
company general accounts), "Benefit Plans") from engaging in certain
transactions involving "plan assets" with persons that are "parties in interest"
under ERISA or "disqualified persons" under the Code with respect to the Benefit
Plan. A violation of these "prohibited transaction" rules may generate excise
tax and other liabilities under ERISA and the Code for such persons.
A possible violation of the prohibited transaction rules could occur if
the Offered Certificates were to be purchased with assets of any Benefit Plan if
the Transferor, the Servicer, the Trustee or the Underwriters were a "party in
interest" or a "disqualified person", with respect to such Benefit Plan. The
Transferor, the Servicer, the Trustee and the Underwriters are "parties in
interest" or "disqualified persons" with respect to many Benefit Plans. Prior to
the purchase of an Offered Certificate, the fiduciary of any Benefit Plan should
consider whether a prohibited transaction might arise by virtue of the
relationship between the Benefit Plan and the Transferor, the Servicer, the
Trustee, the Underwriters or any affiliate of any thereof and, if so, should
consult counsel regarding the purchase. The Department of Labor (the "DOL") has
issued five class exemptions that may apply to otherwise prohibited transactions
arising from the purchase or holding of the Offered Certificates: DOL Prohibited
Transaction Exemption 84-14 (Class Exemption for Plan Asset Transactions
Determined by Independent Qualified Professional Asset Managers), 90-1 (Class
Exemption for Certain Transactions Involving Insurance Company Pooled Separate
Accounts), 91-38 (Class Exemption for Certain Transactions Involving Bank
Collective Investment Funds), 95-60 (Class Exemption for Certain Transactions
Involving Insurance Company General Accounts) and 96-23 (Class Exemption for
Plan Asset Transactions Determined by In-House Asset Managers).
Other prohibited transactions may arise through the operation of a
regulation (the "Plan Asset Regulation") issued by the DOL. Under certain
circumstances, the Plan Asset Regulation treats the assets of an entity in which
a Benefit Plan has an equity interest as assets of such Benefit Plan. Although
the Transferor and the Offered Certificate Owners have agreed to treat the
Offered Certificates as debt instruments for tax purposes, the Offered
Certificates may be considered equity interests in the Trust for purposes of the
Plan Asset Regulation. In such a case, if investment in the Offered Certificates
by Benefit Plans is substantial, the Plan Asset Regulation may apply to treat
assets of the Trust as assets of an investing Benefit Plan unless the exception
described below applies.
The assets of the Trust would not be treated as plan assets if the
Offered Certificates constitute "publicly offered securities". A
publicly-offered security is a security that is (a) freely transferable, (b)
part of a class of securities that is owned by 100 or more investors independent
of the issuer and of one another and (c) either is (i) part of a class of
securities registered under section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act or (ii)
sold to the plan as part of an offering of securities to the public pursuant to
an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and the class of
securities of which such security is a part is registered under the Exchange Act
within 120 days (or such later time as may be allowed by the Commission) after
the end of the fiscal year of the issuer during which the offering of such
securities to the public occurred. A class of securities will not fail to be
widely held solely because subsequent to the initial offering the number of
independent investors falls below 100 as a result of events beyond control of
the issuer. For the purpose of this exception, the Class A Certificates should
be deemed a "class" of securities that would be tested separately from any other
securities that may be issued by the Trust. It is anticipated that the Class A
Certificates will meet the criteria of publicly-offered securities as set forth
above. The Class A Underwriters will not sell the Class A Certificates to
Benefit Plans unless they believe that the Class A Certificates will be held by
at least 100 persons independent of the Transferor and each other at the
conclusion of the offering. In addition, there are no restrictions imposed on
the transfer of the Class A Certificates; and the Class A Certificates will be
sold as part of an offering pursuant to an effective registration statement
under the Securities Act and then will be timely registered under the Exchange
Act. It is not expected that the Class B Certificates will meet the criteria of
publicly-offered securities, and accordingly the Class B Certificates may not be
acquired with the assets of any Benefit Plan (including without limitation any
insurance company general account deemed to include the assets of any Benefit
Plan).
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If the Plan Asset Regulation were to apply so that the Trust is
considered to hold "plan assets", transactions involving the Trust and "parties
in interest" or "disqualified persons" with respect to a Benefit Plan that is an
Offered Certificate Owner might be prohibited under Section 406 of ERISA and
section 4975 of the Code unless an exemption is applicable. The five DOL class
exemptions mentioned above may not provide relief for all transactions involving
the Trust's assets even if they would otherwise be applicable to the purchase of
an Offered Certificate by a Benefit Plan.
In light of the foregoing, fiduciaries of a Benefit Plan considering
the purchase of Offered Certificates should consult their own counsel regarding
whether the assets of the Trust would be considered plan assets, the
consequences that would apply if the Trust's assets were considered plan assets
and the possibility of exemptive relief from the prohibited transaction rules.
Finally, fiduciaries of a Benefit Plan should consider the fiduciary
standards under ERISA or other applicable law in the context of the Benefit
Plan's particular circumstances before authorizing an investment of a portion of
a Benefit Plan's assets in the Offered Certificates. Accordingly, among other
factors, such fiduciaries should consider whether the investment (i) satisfies
the diversification requirement of ERISA or other applicable law, (ii) is in
accordance with the Benefit Plan's governing instruments and (iii) is prudent
considering the "Risk Factors" and other factors discussed in this Prospectus.
UNDERWRITING
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the underwriting
agreement with respect to the Offered Certificates (the "Underwriting
Agreement"), PSFC and the Transferor have agreed with respect to the Class A
Certificates to sell to each of the Underwriters named below (the "Class A
Underwriters"), and each of the Class A Underwriters, for whom_____________ are
acting as representatives, has severally agreed to purchase, the principal
amount of Class A Certificates set forth opposite its name below:
Principal Amount of
Underwriters Class A Certificates
--------------------------------- --------------------
________________ $ _______________
________________ _______________
________________ _______________
________________ $ _______________
$
==============
Under the terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement, the
several Class A Underwriters are committed to take and pay for all of the Class
A Certificates, if any are taken.
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Underwriting
Agreement, PSFC and the Transferor have agreed with respect to the Class B
Certificates to sell to ___________ (the "Class B Underwriters" and together
with the Class A Underwriters, the "Underwriters"), and the Class B Underwriters
have agreed to purchase, the Class B Certificates.
Under the terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement, the Class
B Underwriters are committed to take and pay for all of the Class B
Certificates, if any are taken.
PSFC and the Transferor have been advised by the Class A Underwriters
that they propose initially to offer the Class A Certificates to the public at
the price set forth on the cover page hereof and to certain dealers at such
price less concessions not in excess of _____% of the principal amount of the
Class A Certificates. The Class A Underwriters may allow, and such dealers may
reallow, concessions not in excess of _____% of the principal
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amount of the Class A Certificates to certain brokers and dealers. After the
Class A Certificates are released for sale to the public, the public offering
price and other selling terms may from time to time be varied by the Class A
Underwriters.
PSFC and the Transferor have been advised by the Class B Underwriters
that they propose initially to offer the Class B Certificates to the public at
the price set forth on the cover page hereof and to certain dealers at such
price less concessions not in excess of _____% of the principal amount of the
Class B Certificates. The Class B Underwriters may allow, and such dealers may
reallow, concessions not in excess of _____% of the principal amount of the
Class B Certificates to certain brokers and dealers. After the Class B
Certificates are released for sale to the public, the public offering price and
other selling terms may from time to time be varied by the Class B Underwriters.
Application will be made to list the Class A Certificates on the
Luxembourg Stock Exchange.
During and after the offering, the Underwriters may purchase and sell
the Offered Certificates in the open market in transactions in the United
States. These transactions may include overallotment and stabilizing
transactions and purchases to cover short positions created in connection with
the offering. The Underwriters also may impose a penalty bid, whereby selling
concessions allowed to broker-dealers in respect of the Offered Certificates
sold in the offering for their account may be reclaimed by the Underwriters if
such Offered Certificates are repurchased by the Underwriters in stabilizing or
covering transactions. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise
affect the market price of the Offered Certificates, which may be higher than
the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market. These transactions
may be effected in the over-the-counter market or otherwise, and these
activities, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
Each Underwriter has represented and agreed that (a) it has not offered
or sold and will not offer or sell any Offered Certificates to persons in the
United Kingdom prior to the expiration of the period of six months from the
issue date of the Offered Certificates except to persons whose ordinary
activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of
investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of their businesses or
otherwise in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in an
offer to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Public
Offers of Securities Regulations 1995: (b) it has complied and will comply with
all applicable provisions of the Financial Services Act 1986 with respect to
anything done by it in relation to the Offered Certificates in, from or
otherwise involving the United Kingdom; and (c) it has only issued or passed on
and will only issue or pass on in the United Kingdom any document received by it
in connection with the issuance of the Offered Certificates to a person who is
of a kind described in article 11(3) of the Financial Services Act 1986
(Investment Advertisements) (Exemptions) Order 1996 or is a person to whom such
document may otherwise lawfully be issued or passed on.
PSFC and the Transferor will indemnify the Underwriters against certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribute to
payments the Underwriters may be required to make in respect thereof.
LEGAL MATTERS
Certain legal matters relating to the issuance of the Offered
Certificates will be passed upon for the Transferor by William T. Kosturko,
General Counsel to People's Bank. Certain legal matters relating to the Offered
Certificates will be passed upon for the Transferor by Mayer, Brown & Platt, New
York, New York. Certain legal matters relating to the federal tax consequences
of the issuance of the Offered Certificates and certain other matters relating
thereto will be passed upon for the Transferor by Mayer, Brown & Platt, New
York, New York and certain legal matters relating to Connecticut state income
tax consequences will be passed upon for the Transferor by Pullman & Comley,
LLC, Bridgeport, Connecticut, special Connecticut counsel to People's Bank.
Certain legal matters relating to the issuance of the Offered Certificates will
be passed upon for the Underwriters by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP,
New York, New York.
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INDEX OF KEY TERMS
Accounts ...............................................11, 80
Accumulation Period Length...........................................48
Accumulation Shortfall............................................8, 36
Additional Accounts..................................................12
Adjusted Investor Interest........................................5, 59
Affinity Program Accounts............................................27
Agent Bank Accounts..................................................27
Aggregate Principal Receivables......................................31
Agreement ....................................................3
Amortization Period..................................................61
Automatic Additional Accounts........................................12
Available Investor Principal Collections.........................36, 47
Available Reserve Account Amount.....................................71
Bank Portfolio ...................................................26
Base Rate ...................................................22
Benefit Plans ...................................................88
Billing Cycle ...................................................28
Cedel Participants...................................................43
Cedel ...................................................43
Cede ....................................................2
Certificate holders...................................................3
Certificates .................................................1, 3
Class A Adjusted Investor Interest................................5, 59
Class A Available Funds..............................................63
Class A Cap Rate ...................................................41
Class A Certificate holders...........................................3
Class A Certificate Rate..............................................6
Class A Certificates...............................................1, 3
Class A Covered Amount............................................8, 70
Class A Excess Interest...........................................7, 46
Class A Excess Principal.............................................46
Class A Fixed Allocation.............................................58
Class A Floating Allocation..........................................57
Class A Initial Investor Interest.....................................5
Class A Interest Rate Cap.............................................3
Class A Investor Charge-Off......................................15, 69
Class A Investor Default Amount......................................68
Class A Investor Interest.........................................5, 58
Class A Monthly Cap Rate Interest....................................61
Class A Monthly Interest..........................................6, 45
Class A Monthly Principal............................................66
Class A Monthly Servicing Fee........................................75
Class A Notional Amount..............................................41
Class A Payment Amount...........................................14, 67
Class A Principal Funding Investment Shortfall....................9, 70
Class A Required Amount..........................................14, 67
Class A Scheduled Payment Date....................................2, 10
Class A Underwriters.................................................89
Class B Available Funds..............................................63
Class B Cap Rate ...................................................41
Class B Certificate holders...........................................3
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Class B Certificate Rate...............................................7
Class B Certificates................................................1, 3
Class B Excess Interest............................................7, 46
Class B Excess Principal..............................................46
Class B Fixed Allocation..............................................58
Class B Floating Allocation...........................................57
Class B Initial Investor Interest......................................5
Class B Interest Rate Cap..............................................4
Class B Investor Charge-Off.......................................15, 69
Class B Investor Default Amount.......................................68
Class B Investor Interest..........................................5, 58
Class B Monthly Cap Rate Interest.....................................62
Class B Monthly Interest...........................................7, 46
Class B Monthly Principal.............................................66
Class B Monthly Servicing Fee.........................................75
Class B Notional Amount...............................................41
Class B Payment Amount............................................15, 67
Class B Required Amount...........................................15, 67
Class B Scheduled Payment Date.....................................2, 10
Class B Underwriters..................................................89
Closing Date .....................................................4
Code ....................................................83
Collateral Available Funds............................................63
Collateral Default Amount.............................................68
Collateral Fixed Allocation...........................................58
Collateral Floating Allocation........................................57
Collateral Interest Charge-Off........................................69
Collateral Interest Holder.............................................4
Collateral Interest Monthly Servicing Fee.............................75
Collateral Interest Surplus........................................8, 60
Collateral Interest................................................5, 58
Collateral Monthly Interest...........................................63
Collateral Monthly Principal..........................................66
Collateral Rate ....................................................63
Collection Account................................................13, 55
Collection Subaccount.................................................56
Collections ....................................................57
Commission .....................................................2
Congress ....................................................20
Controlled Accumulation Amount........................................36
Controlled Accumulation Date...........................................8
Controlled Accumulation Period.........................................8
Controlled Deposit Amount..........................................8, 35
Cooperative ....................................................44
Defaulted Accounts....................................................57
Defaulted Receivables.................................................68
Definitive Certificates...............................................44
Depositaries ....................................................42
Depository ....................................................40
Determination Date....................................................68
Disclosure Document...................................................10
Discount Option ....................................................55
Discount Percentage...................................................55
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Distribution Account...................................................56
Distribution Date ...................................................2, 6
DOL .....................................................88
DTC Participants .....................................................42
DTC ...............................................2, AII-2
Eligible Account .....................................................52
Eligible Additional Account............................................54
Eligible Automatic Additional Account..................................54
Eligible Receivable....................................................53
Enhancement Provider...................................................51
Enhancement ......................................................4
ERISA .....................................................18
Euroclear Operator.....................................................44
Euroclear Participants.................................................44
Euroclear System .....................................................44
Euroclear .....................................................44
Excess Funding Account.................................................56
Excess Principal .....................................................46
Excess Spread .....................................................63
Exchange Act ......................................................2
Exchangeable Transferor Certificate.....................................4
Exchange .....................................................10
Expected Class A Principal.............................................46
Expected Class B Principal.............................................46
FDIA .....................................................19
FDIC ...................................................1, 5
Finance Charge Account.................................................56
Finance Charge Collections.............................................57
Finance Charge Receivables.............................................11
Fixed Investor Percentage..............................................58
Floating Investor Percentage...........................................57
Global Securities ..................................................AII-2
Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate.......................5
Holders .....................................................45
Indirect Participants..................................................42
Ineligible Receivable..................................................51
Initial Class A Accumulation Date......................................46
Initial Collateral Interest.............................................5
Initial Interest Period.................................................7
Initial Investor Interest...............................................5
Insolvency Event .....................................................73
Interchange .....................................................31
Interest Period .....................................................41
Interest Rate Cap Provider..............................................4
Interest Rate Caps......................................................4
Investor Charge-Off....................................................69
Investor Default Amount................................................68
Investor Exchange .....................................................10
Investor Interest ......................................................5
Investor Percentage.............................................6, 57, 58
IRS .....................................................83
LIBOR Determination Date...............................................41
LIBOR ..................................................6, 40
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Loan Agreement ......................................................17
London Banking Day......................................................40
MasterCard ......................................................25
Maximum Addition Amount.................................................54
Minimum Aggregate Principal Receivables.................................31
Minimum Transferor Interest.............................................31
Monthly Period .......................................................6
Monthly Servicer Report.................................................78
Monthly Servicing Fees..................................................75
Moody's ......................................................56
Offered Certificate holders..............................................3
Offered Certificate Owners...............................................2
Offered Certificate Rates................................................7
Offered Certificate Rate.................................................7
Offered Certificates..................................................1, 3
OID ......................................................84
Participants ......................................................42
Pay Out Event ......................................................35
Paying Agent ......................................................45
Permitted Investments...................................................56
Plan Asset Regulation...................................................88
Pool Factor ......................................................78
Portfolio Yield ......................................................22
Principal Account ......................................................56
Principal Allocation....................................................60
Principal Collections...................................................57
Principal Funding Account Balance....................................8, 35
Principal Funding Account............................................8, 70
Principal Funding Investment Proceeds................................8, 70
Principal Receivables...................................................11
Principal Shortfalls....................................................67
Principal Terms ......................................................50
PSFC ................................................1, 4, 39
Qualified Institution...................................................56
Qualified Substitute Arrangement........................................41
Qualified Trust Institution.............................................56
Rapid Amortization Period................................................9
Rating Agency ......................................................24
Reallocated Class B Principal Collections...............................68
Reallocated Collateral Principal Collections............................68
Reallocated Principal Collections.......................................68
Receivables ....................................................1, 3
Record Date ......................................................39
Recoveries ......................................................11
Reference Banks ......................................................41
Removal Date ......................................................55
Removed Accounts ..................................................12, 55
Replacement Interest Rate Cap...........................................41
Representative Portfolio................................................29
Required Amounts ......................................................67
Required Collateral Interest....................................16, 66, 70
Required Reserve Account Amount.........................................71
Reserve Account Funding Date............................................70
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Reserve Account ......................................................70
Revolving Period .......................................................7
RTC Policy Statement....................................................81
RTC ......................................................19
Scheduled Payment Date..................................................10
Scheduled Series 1997-2 Termination Date............................10, 72
Securities Act .......................................................2
Series 1997-2 Accounts..................................................57
Series 1997-2 Supplement.................................................3
Series Cut-Off Date.....................................................11
Series .......................................................3
Service Transfer ......................................................77
Servicer Default ......................................................77
Servicer ......................................................13
Servicing Fee Rate......................................................75
Servicing Fee ......................................................75
Shared Finance Charge Collections.......................................17
Shared Principal Collections............................................17
Standard & Poor's ......................................................56
Supplement ......................................................10
Tax Counsel ......................................................83
Terms and Conditions....................................................44
Total System ......................................................26
Transfer Agent and Registrar............................................45
Transfer Date .......................................................8
Transferor Exchange.....................................................10
Transferor Interest......................................................5
Transferor Percentage...................................................58
Transferor Servicing Fee................................................75
Transferor .......................................................1
Trust Portfolio ...................................................4, 31
Trustee .......................................................3
Trust ....................................................1, 3
U.S. Person ...................................................AII-5
UCC ......................................................80
Underwriters ......................................................89
Underwriting Agreement..................................................89
VISA ......................................................25
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ANNEX I
PRIOR SERIES ISSUED AND OUTSTANDING
The Trust has previously issued six Series of certificates, one of
which has been repaid in full. The table below sets forth the principal
characteristics of the five Series previously issued by the Trust that are
currently outstanding: the Series 1994-1 Certificates, the Series 1994-2
Certificates, the Series 1995-1 Certificates, the Series 1996-1 Certificates and
the Series 1997-1 Certificates. For more specific information with respect to a
Series, any prospective investor should contact People's Bank at (203) 338-7171.
People's Bank will provide, without charge, to any prospective purchaser of the
Offered Certificates, a copy of the Disclosure Documents for any previously
publicly-issued and outstanding Series.
Series 1994-1
Initial Investor Interest $200,000,000
Certificate Rate 5.10% per annum
Current Investor Interest $200,000,000
Controlled Amortization Amount $16,666,666.67
Controlled Amortization Date August 1, 1996
Monthly Servicing Fee 2% per annum
Initial Cash Collateral Amount $6,000,000
Surety Bond Initial Amount $19,000,000
Issuer of the Surety Bond Financial Guaranty
Expected Series Final Distribution Date August 1997
Scheduled Series Termination Date August 2000
Series Issuance Date February 16, 1994
Series 1994-2
Initial Investor Interest $400,000,000
Class A Certificate Rate
through November 14, 1994 5.0875% per annum
after November 14, 1994 LIBOR plus 0.15%
Class B Certificate Rate LIBOR plus 0.40%
Current Investor Interest $400,000,000
Class A Controlled Amortization Amount $27,142,857.14
Class B Controlled Amortization Amount $20,000,000
Controlled Amortization Date March 1, 1997
Monthly Servicing Fee 2.00% per annum
Initial Cash Collateral Amount $36,000,000
Class A Expected Final Distribution Date May 1998
Class B Expected Final Distribution Date June 1998
Scheduled Series 1994-2 Termination Date March 2001
Series Issuance Date October 27, 1994
Series 1995-1
Initial Investor Interest $400,000,000
Class A Certificate Rate LIBOR plus 0.20%
Class B Certificate Rate LIBOR plus 0.35%
Current Investor Interest $400,000,000
Class A Controlled Amortization Amount $27,142,857.14
Class B Controlled Amortization Amount $20,000,000
Controlled Amortization Date August 1, 1999
Monthly Servicing Fee 2.00% per annum
Initial Cash Collateral Amount $36,000,000
AI - 1
<PAGE>
Class A Expected Final Distribution Date October 2000
Class B Expected Final Distribution Date November 2000
Scheduled Series 1995-1 Termination Date August 2003
Series Issuance Date March 28 1995
Series 1996-1
Initial Investor Interest $400,000,000
Class A Certificate Rate LIBOR plus 0.15%
Class B Certificate Rate LIBOR plus 0.30%
Current Investor Interest $400,000,000
Class A Controlled Amortization Amount $27,071,428.57
Class B Controlled Amortization Amount $21,000,000
Controlled Amortization Date November 1, 2000
Monthly Servicing Fee 2.0% per annum
Initial Cash Collateral Amount $36,000,000
Class A Expected Final Distribution Date January 2002
Class B Expected Final Distribution Date February 2002
Scheduled Series 1996-1 Termination Date November 2004
Series Issuance Date July 2, 1996
Series 1997-1
Investor Initial Interest $500,000,000
Class A Initial Investor Interest $425,000,000
Class B Initial Investor Interest $ 33,750,000
Initial Collateral Interest $ 41,250,000
Class A Certificate Rate LIBOR plus 0.12%
Class B Certificate Rate LIBOR plus 0.32%
Controlled Accumulation Amount $30,357,142.86
Controlled Acumulation Date December 1, 2000
Servicing Fee Rate 2.0% per annum
Initial Collateral Interest $41,250,000
Class A Scheduled Payment Date February 2002
Distribution Date
Class B Scheduled Payment Date March 2002
Distribution Date
Scheduled Series 1997-1 Termination Date October 2004
Distribution Date
Series Issuance Date March 27, 1997
AI - 2
<PAGE>
ANNEX II
GLOBAL CLEARANCE, SETTLEMENT AND TAX DOCUMENTATION PROCEDURES
Except in certain limited circumstances, the globally offered People's
Bank Credit Card Master Trust Floating Rate Class A Asset Backed Certificates,
Series 1997-2 and Floating Rate Class B Asset Backed Certificates, Series 1997-2
(collectively, the "Global Securities") will be available only in book-entry
form. Investors in the Global Securities may hold such Global Securities through
The Depository Trust Company ("DTC"), Cedel or Euroclear. The Global Securities
will be tradeable as home market instruments in both the European and U.S.
domestic markets. Initial settlement and all secondary trades will settle in
same-day funds.
Secondary market trading between investors holding Global Securities
through Cedel and Euroclear will be conducted in the ordinary way in accordance
with their normal rules and operating procedures and in accordance with
conventional eurobond practice (i.e., seven calendar day settlement).
Secondary market trading between investors holding Global Securities
through DTC will be conducted according to the rules and procedures applicable
to U.S. corporate debt obligations and prior People's Bank Credit Card Master
Trust issues.
Secondary cross-market trading between Cedel or Euroclear and DTC
Participants holding Offered Certificates will be effected on a
delivery-against-payment basis through the respective Depositaries of Cedel and
Euroclear (in such capacity) and as DTC Participants.
Non-U.S. holders (as described below) of Global Securities will be
subject to U.S. withholding taxes unless such holders meet certain requirements
and deliver appropriate U.S. tax documents to the securities clearing
organizations or their participants.
Initial Settlement
All Global Securities will be held in book-entry form by DTC in the
name of Cede & Co. as nominee of DTC. Investors' interests in the Global
Securities will be represented through financial institutions acting on their
behalf as Participants and Indirect Participants in DTC. As a result, Cedel and
Euroclear will hold positions on behalf of their participants through their
respective Depositaries, which in turn will hold such positions in accounts as
DTC Participants.
Investors electing to hold their Global Securities through DTC will
follow the settlement practices applicable to prior People's Bank Credit Master
Trust issues. Investor securities custody accounts will be credited with their
holdings against payment in same-day funds on the settlement date.
Investors electing to hold their Global Securities through Cedel or
Euroclear accounts will follow the settlement procedures applicable to
conventional eurobonds, except that there will be no temporary global security
and no "lock-up" or restricted period. Global Securities will be credited to the
securities custody accounts on the settlement date against payment in the
same-day funds.
Secondary Market Trading
Since the purchaser determines the place of delivery, it is important
to establish at the time of the trade where both the purchaser's and seller's
accounts are located to ensure that settlement can be made on the desired value
date.
AII-1
<PAGE>
Trading between DTC Participants. Secondary market trading between DTC
Participants will be settled using the procedures applicable to prior People's
Bank Credit Card Master Trust issues in same-day funds.
Trading between Cedel and/or Euroclear Participants. Secondary market
trading between Cedel Participants or Euroclear Participants will be settled
using the procedures applicable to conventional eurobonds in same-day funds.
Trading between DTC seller and Cedel or Euroclear purchaser. When
Global Securities are to be transferred from the account of a DTC Participant to
the accounts of a Cedel Participant or a Euroclear Participant, the purchaser
will send instructions to Cedel or Euroclear through a Cedel Participant or
Euroclear Participant at least one business day prior to settlement. Cedel or
Euroclear will instruct the respective Depositary, as the case may be, to
receive the Global Securities against payment. Payment will include interest
accrued to the Global Securities from and including the last coupon payment date
to and excluding the settlement date, on the basis of actual days elapsed and a
360 day year. Payment will then be made by the respective Depositary to the DTC
Participant's account against delivery of the Global Securities. After
settlement has been completed, the Global Securities will be credited to the
respective clearing system and by the clearing system, in accordance with its
usual procedures, to the Cedel Participant's or Euroclear Participant's account.
The Global Securities credit will appear the next day (European time) and the
cash debit will be back-valued to, and the interest on the Global Securities
will accrue from, the value date (which would be the preceding day when
settlement occurred in New York). If settlement is not completed on the intended
value date (i.e., the trade fails), the Cedel or Euroclear cash debit will be
valued instead as of the actual settlement date.
Cedel Participants and Euroclear Participants will need to make
available to the respective clearing systems the funds necessary to process
same-day funds settlement. The most direct means of doing so is to pre-position
funds for settlement, either from cash on hand or existing lines of credit, as
they would for any settlement occurring within Cedel or Euroclear. Under this
approach, they may take on credit exposure to Cedel or Euroclear until the
Global Securities are credited to their accounts one day later.
As an alternative, if Cedel or Euroclear has extended a line of credit
to them, Cedel Participants or Euroclear Participants can elect not to
pre-position funds and allow that credit line to be drawn upon the settlement.
Under this procedure, Cedel Participants or Euroclear Participants purchasing
Global Securities would incur overdraft charges for one day, assuming they
cleared the overdraft when the Global Securities were credited to their
accounts. However, interest on the Global Securities would accrue from the value
date. Therefore, in many cases the investment income on the Global Securities
earned during that one-day period may substantially reduce or offset the amount
of such overdraft charges, although this result will depend on each Cedel
Participant's or Euroclear Participant's particular cost of funds.
Since the settlement is taking place during New York business hours,
DTC Participants can employ their usual procedures for sending Global Securities
to the respective Depositary for the benefit of Cedel Participants or Euroclear
Participants. The sale proceeds will be available to the DTC seller on the
settlement date. Thus, to the DTC Participants a cross-market transaction will
settle no differently than a trade between two DTC Participants.
Trading between Cedel or Euroclear seller and DTC purchaser. Due to
time zone differences in their favor, Cedel Participants and Euroclear
Participants may employ their customary procedures for transactions in which
Global Securities are to be transferred by the respective clearing system,
through the respective Depositary, to a DTC Participant. The seller will send
instructions to Cedel or Euroclear through a Cedel Participant or Euroclear
Participant at least one business day prior to settlement. In these cases, Cedel
or Euroclear will instruct the respective Depositary, as appropriate, to deliver
the bonds to the DTC Participant's account against payment. Payment will include
interest accrued on the Global Securities from and including the last coupon
payment date to and excluding the settlement date on the basis of actual days
elapsed and a 360 day year. The payment will then be reflected in the account of
the Cedel Participant or Euroclear Participant the following day, and receipt of
the cash proceeds in the Cedel Participant's or Euroclear Participant's account
would be back-valued to the value date (which would be the preceding day, when
settlement occurred in New York). Should the Cedel Participant or
AII-2
<PAGE>
Euroclear Participant have a line of credit with its respective clearing system
and elect to be in a debit position in anticipation of receipt of the sale
proceeds in its account, the back-valuation will extinguish any overdraft
charges incurred over that one-day period. If settlement is not completed on the
intended value date (i.e., the trade fails), receipt of the cash proceeds in the
Cedel Participant's or Euroclear Participant's account would instead be valued
as of the actual settlement date.
Finally, day traders that use Cedel or Euroclear and that purchase
Global Securities from DTC Participants for delivery to Cedel Participants or
Euroclear Participants should note that these trades would automatically fail on
the sale side unless affirmative action were taken. At least three techniques
should be readily available to eliminate this potential problem:
(a) borrowing through Cedel or Euroclear for one day (until the
purchase side of the day trade is reflected in their Cedel or Euroclear
accounts) in accordance with the clearing system's customary procedures;
(b) borrowing the Global Securities in the U.S. from a DTC Participant
no later than one day prior to settlement, which would give the Global
Securities sufficient time to be reflected in their Cedel or Euroclear account
in order to settle the sale side of the trade; or
(c) staggering the value dates for the buy and sell sides of the trade
so that the value date for the purchase from the DTC Participant is at least one
day prior to the value date for the sale to the Cedel Participant or Euroclear
Participant.
Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Documentation Requirements
A beneficial owner of Global Securities holding securities through
Cedel or Euroclear (or through DTC if the holder has an address outside the
U.S.) will be subject to the 30% U.S. withholding tax that generally applies to
payments of interest (including original issue discount) on registered debt
issued by U.S. Persons, unless (i) each clearing system, bank or other financial
institution that holds customers' securities in the ordinary course of its trade
or business in the chain of intermediaries between such beneficial owner and the
U.S. entity required to withhold tax complies with applicable certification
requirements and (ii) such beneficial owner takes one of the following steps to
obtain an exemption or reduced tax rate:
Exemption for non-U.S. Persons (Form W-8). Beneficial owners of Offered
Certificates that are non-U.S. Persons can obtain a complete exemption from the
withholding tax by filing a signed Form W-8 (Certificate of Foreign Status). If
the information shown on Form W-8 changes, a new Form W-8 must be filed within
30 days of such change.
Exemption for non-U.S. Persons with effectively connected income (Form
4224). A non-U.S. Person, including a non-U.S. corporation or bank with a U.S.
branch, for which the interest income is effectively connected with its conduct
of a trade or business in the United States, can obtain an exemption from the
withholding tax by filing Form 4224 (Exemption from Withholding of Tax on Income
Effectively Connected with the Conduct of a Trade or Business in the United
States).
Exemption or reduced rate for non-U.S. persons resident in treaty
countries (Form 1001). Non-U.S. Persons that are Offered Certificate Owners
residing in a country that has a tax treaty with the United States can obtain an
exemption or reduced tax rate (depending on the treaty terms) by filing Form
1001 (Ownership, Exemption or Reduced Rate Certificate). If the treaty provides
only for a reduced rate, withholding tax will be imposed at that rate unless the
filer alternatively files Form W-8. Form 1001 may be filed by the Offered
Certificate Owner or its agent.
Exemption for U.S. Persons (Form W-9). U.S. Persons can obtain a
complete exemption from the withholding tax by filing Form W-9 (Payer's Request
for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification).
AII-3
<PAGE>
U.S. Federal Income Tax Reporting Procedure. The Offered Certificate
Owner of a Global Security or, in the case of a Form 1001 or a Form 4224 filer,
its agent, files by submitting the appropriate form to the person through whom
it holds (the clearing agency, in the case of persons holding directly on the
books of the clearing agency). Form W-8 and Form 1001 are effective for three
calendar years and Form 4224 is effective for one calendar year.
The term "U.S. Person" means (i) a citizen or resident of the United
States, (ii) a corporation or partnership organized in or under the laws of the
United States or any political subdivision thereof or (iii) an estate the income
of which is includible in gross income for United States tax purposes,
regardless of its source or, for trusts whose taxable years begin after December
31, 1996, a trust whose administration is subject to the primary supervision of
a United States court and which has one or more United States fiduciaries who
have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust. This
summary does not deal with all aspects of U.S. Federal income tax withholding
that may be relevant to foreign holders of the Global Securities. Investors are
advised to consult their own tax advisors for specific tax advice concerning
their holding and disposing of the Global Securities.
AII-4
<PAGE>
================================================================================
No dealer, salesperson or other person has been authorized to give any
information or to make any representation not contained in this Prospectus and,
if given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as
having been authorized by People's Bank or the Underwriters. Neither the
delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall, under any
circumstances, create any implication that the information contained herein or
therein is correct as of any time subsequent to the date of such information.
This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an
offer to buy any of the securities offered hereby in any jurisdiction to any
person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer in such jurisdiction.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Reports to Certificate Holders............................................2
Available Information.....................................................2
Prospectus Summary........................................................3
Risk Factors.............................................................19
The Trust................................................................25
The Credit Card Business of People's Bank................................25
The Receivables..........................................................31
Maturity Considerations..................................................35
Receivable Yield Considerations..........................................37
Use of Proceeds..........................................................38
People's Bank............................................................38
Description of The Certificates..........................................39
Certain Legal Aspects of The Receivables.................................80
Certain Federal Income Tax Consequences..................................83
State And Local Tax Consequences.........................................87
Certain Employee Benefit Plan Considerations.............................88
Underwriting.............................................................89
Legal Matters............................................................91
Index of Key Terms.......................................................92
Annex I Prior Series Issued And Outstanding............................AI-1
Annex II Global Clearance, Settlement And
Tax Documentation Procedures........................................AII-1
Until December __, 1997 (90 days after the date of this Prospectus),
all dealers effecting transactions in the Offered Certificates, whether or not
participating in this distribution, may be required to deliver a Prospectus.
This is in addition to the obligation of dealers to deliver a Prospectus when
acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or
subscriptions.
================================================================================
================================================================================
$1,000,000
People's Bank Credit Card
Master Trust
$500,000 Floating Rate
Class A Asset Backed
Certificates, Series 1997-2
$500,000 Floating Rate
Class B Asset Backed Certificates,
Series 1997-2
LOGO
Transferor and Servicer
PROSPECTUS
Underwriters of the Class A Certificates
-------------------
Underwriters of the Class B Certificates
-------------------
================================================================================
<PAGE>
PART II
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
Registration Fee................................................. $303.04
Printing and Engraving........................................... *
Legal Fees and Expenses.......................................... *
Blue Sky Fees and Expenses....................................... *
Accountants' Fees and Expenses................................... *
Rating Agency Fees............................................... *
Miscellaneous Fees............................................... *
-------
Total............................................................ $303.04
=======
- ---------------------
* To be provided by amendment
Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
Article X of the Articles of Incorporation of People's Bank provides
that the Bank shall indemnify its directors, officers, employees, agents, and
all other persons eligible for indemnification by People's Bank, to the fullest
extent permitted or required by Section 33-320a of the Connecticut General
Statutes and as provided by the Bylaws of the Bank. Furthermore, no director of
People's Bank shall be personally liable to People's Bank or its stockholders
for monetary damages for breach of duty as a director in any amount in excess of
the compensation received by the director for serving People's Bank in that
capacity during the year such violation occurred, unless such breach (1)
involves a knowing and culpable violation of law by the director, (2) enables
the director or an associate of such director (as defined in subdivision (3) of
Section 33-374d of the Connecticut General Statutes), to receive an improper
personal economic gain, (3) shows a lack of good faith and a conscious disregard
for the duty of the director to People's Bank under circumstances in which the
director was aware that his conduct or omission created an unjustifiable risk of
serious injury to People's Bank, (4) constitutes a sustained and unexcused
pattern of inattention that amounted to an abdication of the director's duty to
People's Bank, or (5) creates liability under Section 36-9 of the Connecticut
General Statutes.Furthermore, Article X of the Articles of Incorporation
provides that any repeal or modification of Article X by the stockholders of
People's Bank shall be prospective only and shall not adversely affect any
limitation on the personal liability of a director of People's Bank existing at
the time of such repeal or modification.
Article VI of the By-laws of People's Bank provides that the Bank shall
indemnify (a) its currently acting and its former directors, officers, employees
or agents to the fullest extent that indemnification of directors is permitted
by the Connecticut Stock Corporation Act and (b) its officers to the same extent
as its directors (and to such further extent as is consistent with law). In
addition, Article VI of such ByLaws provides that People's Bank shall indemnify
its directors and officers who, while serving as directors or officers of
People's Bank, also serve at the request of People's Bank as a director,
officer, partner, trustee, employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, other enterprise or employee benefit plan to
the fullest extent permitted by the Connecticut Stock Corporation Act.
Article VI of People's Bank's By-laws also provides that any director
or officer seeking indemnification within the foregoing rights of
indemnification shall be entitled to advances from People's Bank for payment of
the reasonable expenses incurred by him in connection with the matter as to
which he is seeking indemnification as authorized by the Board of Directors in
accordance with the provisions of and in the manner and to the fullest extent
permissible under the Connecticut Stock Corporation Act. Further, such Section
provides that the foregoing rights of indemnification shall not be deemed
exclusive of any other right, with respect to indemnification or otherwise, to
which those seeking indemnification
II-1
<PAGE>
may be entitled and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and
administrators of such director or officer. Furthermore, any such right of
indemnification shall be consistent with the laws of the State of Connecticut.
The Connecticut Stock Corporation Act provides that a corporation may
indemnify any person made a party to any proceeding, other than an action by or
in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that he, or the person
whose legal representative he is, is or was a shareholder, director, officer,
employee or agent of the corporation, or an eligible outside party, against
judgments, fines, penalties, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses
actually incurred by him, and the person whose legal representative he is, in
connection with such proceeding such person shall not be entitled to
indemnification if (1) it is established that such person, and the person whose
legal representative he is, was successful on the merits in the defense of any
proceeding referred to in this subsection, or (2) it shall be concluded that
such person, and the person whose legal representative he is, acted in good
faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the
corporation or, in the case of a person serving as a fiduciary of an employee
benefit plan or trust, either in the best interests of the corporation or in the
best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of such employee benefit
plan or trust and consistent with the provisions of such employee benefit plan
or trust and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, that he had no
reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful, or (3) the court shall
have determined that in view of all the circumstances such person is fairly and
reasonably entitled to be indemnified, and then for such amount as the court
shall determine; except that, in connection with an alleged claim based upon his
purchase or sale of securities of the corporation or of another enterprise,
which he serves or served at the request of the corporation, the corporation
shall only indemnify such person after the court shall have determined that in
view of all the circumstances such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to
be indemnified, and then for such amount as the court shall determine.
Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
The Trust has not previously issued any unregistered securities.
Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statements
(a) Exhibits
1.1 -- Form of Underwriting Agreement.*
3.1 -- Articles of Incorporation as amended. (Incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit 3.1 of Registration Statement No. 33-63146 of People's Bank)
3.2 -- By-laws, as amended. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2
of Registration Statement No. 33-90012 of People's Bank)
4.1 -- Pooling and Servicing Agreement, and certain other related agreements
as Exhibits thereto.*
4.2 -- Form of Series 1997-2 Supplement, including form of Series 1997-2
Certificate, and certain other related agreements as Exhibits thereto.*
[4.3 -- Form of Interest Rate Caps*]
5.1 -- Opinion of Mayer, Brown & Platt with respect to legality.*
8.1 -- Opinion of Mayer, Brown & Platt with respect to tax matters.*
8.2 -- Opinion of Pullman & Comley with respect to tax matters.*
23.1 -- Consent of Mayer, Brown & Platt (included in its opinions filed as
Exhibit 5.1 and Exhibit 8.1).
II-2
<PAGE>
23.2 -- Consent of Pullman & Comley (included in its opinion filed as an
Exhibit to Exhibit 8.2.)
24.1 -- Powers of Attorney.
* To be filed by amendment.
(b) Financial Statements
All financial statements, schedules and historical financial
information have been omitted as they are not applicable.
Item 17. Undertakings
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes as follows:
(a) To provide to the Underwriters at the closing specified in the
Underwriting Agreement Certificates in such denominations and registered in such
names as required by the Underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each
purchaser.
(b) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") may be permitted to
directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the
provisions described under Item 14 above, or otherwise, the registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in such Act and is,
therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against
such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred
or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the questions whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in such Act and will be governed by the final adjudication
of such issue.
(c) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act,
the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this
Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of
prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) under the
Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this Registration Statement as of
the time it was declared effective.
(d) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.
II-3
<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Bridgeport,
State of Connecticut, on August 8, 1997.
PEOPLE'S BANK,
as originator of the Trust (Registrant)
By /s/ William T. Kosturko
----------------------------
William T. Kosturko
Executive Vice President
and General Counsel
II-4
<PAGE>
EXHIBIT INDEX
1.1 -- Form of Underwriting Agreement.*
3.1 -- Articles of Incorporation, as amended. (Incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Registration Statement No. 33-63146 of
People's Bank)
3.2 -- By-laws, as amended. (Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2
of Registration Statement No. 33-90012 of People's Bank)
4.1 -- Pooling and Servicing Agreement, and certain other related agreements
as Exhibits thereto.*
4.2 -- Form of Series 1997-2 Supplement, including form of Series 1997-2
Certificate, and certain other related agreements as Exhibits thereto.*
4.3 -- Form of Interest Rate Caps*
5.1 -- Opinion of Mayer, Brown & Platt with respect to legality.*
8.1 -- Opinion of Mayer, Brown & Platt with respect to tax matters.*
8.2 -- Opinion of Pullman & Comley with respect to tax matters.*
23.1 -- Consent of Mayer, Brown & Platt (included in its opinions filed as
Exhibit 5.1 and Exhibit 8.1).
23.2 -- Consent of Pullman & Comley (included in its opinion filed as an
Exhibit to Exhibit 8.2).
24.1 -- Powers of Attorney.
- --------------
* To be filed by amendment.
Power of Attorney
Each director and officer of the registrant whose signature appears below hereby
appoints David E.A. Carson, George W. Morriss and William T. Kosturko, and each
of them severally, as his or her attorney-in-fact to sign in his or her name and
beha f, in any and all capacities stated below and to file with the Commission
any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments to this registration
statement, and the registrant hereby also appoints each such person as its
attorney-in-fact with the authority to sign and file any such amendments in its
name and behalf. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, this Registration Statement has been signed on August 8, 1997 by the
following persons in the capacities indicated.
Signatures
Title
/s/ David E.A. Carson
- ------------------------------
David E.A. Carson
President and Chief Executive Officer, Director
/s/ James P. Biggs
- ------------------------------
James P. Biggs
Executive Vice President, Director
/s/ George W. Morriss
- ------------------------------
George W. Morriss
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
/s/ Vincent J. Calabrese
- ------------------------------
Vincent J. Calabrese
Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer
/s/ George P. Carter
- ------------------------------
George P. Carter
Director
/s/ Joseph E. Clancy
- ------------------------------
Joseph E. Clancy
Director
<PAGE>
/s/ George R. Dunbar
- ------------------------------
George R. Dunbar
Director
- ------------------------------
Jerry Franklin
Director
/s/ Samuel W. Hawley
- ------------------------------
Samuel W. Hawley
Director
- ------------------------------
Betty Ruth Hollander
Director
- ------------------------------
Jean M. LaVecchia
Director
- ------------------------------
Eunice S. Groark
Director
- ------------------------------
Saul Kwartin
Director
/s/ Jack E. McGregor
- ------------------------------
Jack E. McGregor
Director
<PAGE>
- ------------------------------
James A. Thomas
Director
/s/ Wilmot F. Wheeler, Jr.
- ------------------------------
Wilmot F. Wheeler, Jr.
Director
