PROSPECTUS AND PROXY STATEMENTS 3.1 TRUST shall prepare and be responsible for filing with the SEC and any state regulators requiring such filing all shareholder reports, notices, proxy materials (or similar materials such as voting instruction solicitation materials), prospectuses and statements of additional information of TRUST. TRUST shall bear the costs of registration and qualification of shares of the Portfolios, preparation and filing of the documents listed in this Section 3.1 and all taxes and filing fees to which an issuer is subject on the issuance and transfer of its shares.
3.2 TRUST or its designee shall provide LIFE COMPANY, free of charge, with as many copies of the current prospectus (or prospectuses), statements of additional information, annual and semi-annual reports and proxy statements for the shares of the Portfolios as LIFE COMPANY may reasonably request for distribution to existing Variable Contract owners whose Variable Contracts are funded by such shares. TRUST or its designee shall provide LIFE COMPANY, at LIFE COMPANY's expense, with as many copies of the current prospectus (or prospectuses) for the shares as LIFE COMPANY may reasonably request for distribution to prospective purchasers of Variable Contracts. If requested by LIFE COMPANY, TRUST or its designee shall provide such documentation (including a "camera ready" copy of the current prospectus (or prospectuses) as set in type or, at the request of LIFE COMPANY, as a diskette in the form sent to the financial printer) and other assistance as is reasonably necessary in order for the parties hereto once a year (or more frequently if the prospectus (or prospectuses) for the shares is supplemented or amended) to have the prospectus for the Variable Contracts and the prospectus (or prospectuses) for the TRUST shares printed together in one document. The expenses of such printing will be apportioned between LIFE COMPANY and TRUST in proportion to the number of pages of the Variable Contract and TRUST prospectus, taking account of other relevant factors affecting the expense of printing, such as covers, columns, graphs and charts; TRUST shall bear the cost of printing the TRUST prospectus portion of such document for distribution only to owners of existing Variable Contracts funded by the TRUST shares and LIFE COMPANY shall bear the expense of printing the portion of such documents relating to the Separate Account; provided, however, LIFE COMPANY shall bear all printing expenses of such combined documents where used for distribution to prospective purchasers or to owners of existing Variable Contracts not funded by the shares. In the event that LIFE COMPANY requests that TRUST or its designee provide TRUST's prospectus in a "camera ready" or diskette format, TRUST shall be responsible for providing the prospectus (or prospectuses) in the format in which it is accustomed to formatting prospectuses and shall bear the expense of providing the prospectus (or prospectuses) in such format (e.g. typesetting expenses), and LIFE COMPANY shall bear the expense of adjusting or changing the format to conform with any of its prospectuses.
3.3 TRUST will provide LIFE COMPANY with at least one complete copy of all prospectuses, statements of additional information, annual and semi-annual reports, proxy statements, exemptive applications and all amendments or supplements to any of the above that relate to the Portfolios promptly after the filing of each such document with the SEC or other regulatory authority. LIFE COMPANY will provide TRUST with at least one complete copy of all prospectuses, statements of additional information, annual and semi-annual reports, proxy statements, exemptive applications and all amendments or supplements to any of the above that relate to a Separate Account promptly after the filing of each such document with the SEC or other regulatory authority.
PROSPECTUS AND PROXY STATEMENTS; VOTING 3.1. At least annually, the Trust or its designee shall provide the Company, free of charge, with as many copies of the current prospectus (describing only the Portfolios listed in Schedule A hereto) for the Shares as the Company may reasonably request for distribution to existing Policy owners whose Policies are funded by such Shares. The Trust or its designee shall provide the Company, at the Company's expense, with as many copies of the current prospectus for the Shares as the Company may reasonably request for distribution to prospective purchasers of Policies. If requested by the Company in lieu thereof, the Trust or its designee shall provide such documentation (including a "camera ready" copy of the new prospectus as set in type or, at the request of the Company, as a diskette in the form sent to the financial printer) and other assistance as is reasonably necessary in order for the parties hereto once each year (or more frequently if the prospectus for the Shares is supplemented or amended) to have the prospectus for the Policies and the prospectus for the Shares printed together in one document; the expenses of such printing to be apportioned between (a) the Company and (b) the Trust or its designee in proportion to the number of pages of the Policy and Shares' prospectuses, taking account of other relevant factors affecting the expense of printing, such as covers, columns, graphs and charts; the Trust or its designee to bear the cost of printing the Shares' prospectus portion of such document for distribution to owners of existing Policies funded by the Shares and the Company to bear the expenses of printing the portion of such document relating to the Accounts; provided, however, that the Company shall bear all printing expenses of such combined documents where used for distribution to prospective purchasers or to owners of existing Policies not funded by the Shares. In the event that the Company requests that the Trust or its designee provides the Trust's prospectus in a "camera ready" or diskette format, the Trust shall be responsible for providing the prospectus in the format in which it or MFS is accustomed to formatting prospectuses and shall bear the expense of providing the prospectus in such format (e.g., typesetting expenses), and the Company shall bear the expense of adjusting or changing the format to conform with any of its prospectuses.
3.2. The prospectus for the Shares shall state that the statement of additional information for the Shares is available from the Trust or its designee. The Trust or its designee, at its expense, shall print and provide such statement of additional information to the Company (or a master of such statement suitable for duplication by the Company) for distribution to any owner of a Policy funded by the Shares. The Trust or its designee, at the Company's expense, shall print and provide such statement to the Company (or a master of such statement suitable for duplication by the Company) for distribution to a prospective purchaser who requests such statement or to an owner of a Policy not funded by the Shares.
3.3. The Trust or its designee shall provide the Company free of charge copies, if and to the extent applicable to the Shares, of the Trust's proxy materials, reports to Shareholders and other communications to Shareholders in such quantity as the Company shall reasonably require for distribution to Policy owners.
3.4. Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 above, or of Article V below, the Company shall pay the expense of printing or providing documents to the extent such cost is considered a distribution expense. Distribution expenses would include by way of illustration, but are not limited to, the printing of the Shares' prospectus or prospectuses for distribution to prospective purchasers or to owners of existing Policies not funded by such Shares.
3.5. The Trust hereby notifies the Company that it may be appropriate to include in the prospectus pursuant to which a Policy is offered disclosure regarding the potential risks of mixed and shared funding.
3.6. If and to the extent required by law, the Company shall:
(a) solicit voting instructions from Policy owners;
(b) vote the Shares in accordance with instructions received from Policy owners; and
(c) vote the Shares for which no instructions have been received in the same proportion as the Shares of such Portfolio for which instructions have been received from Policy owners; so long as and to the extent that the SEC continues to interpret the 1940 Act to require pass through voting privileges for variable contract owners. The Company will in no way recommend action in connection with or oppose or interfere with the solicitation of proxies for the Shares held for such Policy owners. The Company reserves the right to vote shares held in any segregated asset account in its own right, to the extent permitted by law. Participating Insurance Companies shall be responsible for assuring that each of their separate accounts holding Shares calculates voting privileges in the manner required by the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order. The Trust and MFS will notify the Company of any changes of interpretations or amendments to the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order.
Proxy Statement/Prospectus 8.2.1. For the purposes (a) of registering SR Bancorp Common Stock to be offered to holders of Regal Bancorp Common Stock in connection with the Merger with the SEC under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, and (b) of holding the Regal Bancorp Stockholders Meeting, SR Bancorp shall draft and prepare, and Regal Bancorp shall cooperate in the preparation of, the Merger Registration Statement, including a combined proxy statement and prospectus or statements, satisfying all applicable requirements of state securities and banking laws, and of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder (such proxy statement/prospectus in the form mailed by Regal Bancorp to the Regal Bancorp stockholders, together with any and all amendments or supplements thereto, being herein referred to as the “Proxy Statement-Prospectus”). SR Bancorp shall file the Merger Registration Statement, including the Proxy Statement-Prospectus, with the SEC. Each of SR Bancorp and Regal Bancorp shall use their best efforts to have the Merger Registration Statement declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as practicable after such filing, and Regal Bancorp shall thereafter promptly mail the Proxy Statement-Prospectus to its stockholders; provided, such mailing shall not occur until the Conversion Registration Statement has been declared effective by the SEC. SR Bancorp shall also use its best efforts to obtain all necessary state securities law or “Blue Sky” permits and approvals required to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and Regal Bancorp shall furnish all information concerning Regal Bancorp and the holders of Regal Bancorp Common Stock as may be reasonably requested in connection with any such action. SR Bancorp shall use reasonable best efforts to keep the Merger Registration Statement effective as long as is necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.
8.2.2. Regal Bancorp shall provide SR Bancorp with any information concerning itself that Somerset Bank may reasonably request in connection with the drafting and preparation of the Proxy Statement-Prospectus, and Somerset Bank shall notify Regal Bancorp promptly of the receipt of any comments of the SEC with respect to the Proxy Statement-Prospectus and of any requests by the SEC for any amendment or supplement thereto or for additional information and shall provide to Regal Bancorp promptly copies of all correspondence between SR Bancorp, Somerset Bank or any of their representatives and the SEC. The information to be provided by Regal Bancorp, Regal Bank, SR Bancorp and Somerset Bank for inclusion in the Proxy-Statement Prospectus and the Conversion Prospectus will, at the time such documents are filed, be accurate in all material aspects and shall not contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. SR Bancorp and Somerset Bank shall give Regal Bancorp and its counsel the opportunity to review, comment on and approve the Proxy Statement-Prospectus prior to its being filed with the SEC and shall give Regal Bancorp and its counsel the opportunity to review, comment on and approve all amendments and supplements to the Proxy Statement-Prospectus and all responses to requests for additional information and replies to comments prior to their being filed with, or sent to, the SEC, provided that the requirement to provide the opportunity to review, comment on and approve pursuant to this Section 8.2.2 shall be, subject to Section 12.13, limited to information with respect to Regal Bancorp, Regal Bank, the Merger and this Merger Agreement. Each of Somerset Bank, SR Bancorp and Regal Bancorp agrees to use all reasonable efforts, after consultation with the other Party hereto, to respond promptly to all such comments of and requests by the SEC.
8.2.3. Each Party hereto shall promptly notify the other Party if at any time it becomes aware that the Proxy Statement-Prospectus or the Merger Registration Statement contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. In such event, the Parties shall cooperate in the preparation of a supplement or amendment to such Proxy Statement-Prospectus that corrects such misstatement or omission, and SR Bancorp shall file an amended Merger Registration Statement with the SEC, and Regal Bancorp shall mail an amended Proxy Statement-Prospectus to Regal Bancorp’s stockholders.
Registration Statement and Proxy Statement (a) None of the information supplied or to be supplied by or on behalf of WPL for inclusion or incorporation by reference in:
(i) the registration statement on Form S-4 to be filed with the SEC by WPL in connection with the issuance of shares of WPL Common Stock in the Merger (the "Registration Statement") will, at the time the Registration Statement is filed with the SEC and at the time it becomes effective under the Securities Act, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and
(ii) the joint proxy statement, in definitive form, relating to the meetings of WPL, IES and Interstate shareholders to be held in connection with the Merger (the "Proxy Statement") will, at the date(s) mailed to shareholders and at the times of the meetings of shareholders to be held in connection with the Merger, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
(b) The Registration Statement and the Proxy Statement will comply as to form in all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, respectively, and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder.
Registration Statement; Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus (a) Each Party agrees to, and agrees to cause Newco to, cooperate with the other Party and Newco, and their Representatives, in the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement and the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus. Neither the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus nor the Registration Statement shall be filed, and, prior to the termination of this Agreement, no amendment or supplement to the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus or the Registration Statement shall be filed, by Newco, BNY or Mellon without the approval of the other Party (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed) and its counsel. The Parties shall each cause Newco to use all reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective under the 1933 Act as promptly as practicable after filing thereof and to keep the Registration Statement effective as long as necessary to consummate the Merger and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Parties agree to, and to cause Newco to, use all reasonable efforts to obtain all Permits required by the Securities Laws to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and each Party agrees to, and agrees to cause Newco to, furnish all information concerning them and the holders of their capital stock as may be reasonably requested in connection with any such action. Newco will advise the Parties, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when the Registration Statement has become effective, the issuance of any stop order, the suspension of the qualification of the Newco Common Stock issuable in connection with the Merger for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or any request by the SEC for amendment of the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus or the Registration Statement.
(b) Each Party agrees, as to itself, its Subsidiaries and Newco, that none of the information supplied or to be supplied by it for inclusion or incorporation by reference in (i) the Registration Statement will, at the time the Registration Statement and each amendment and supplement thereto, if any, become effective under the 1933 Act, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the date of mailing to shareholders and at the times of the meetings of BNY shareholders and Mellon shareholders, will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or necessary to correct any statement in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto. Each Party further agrees that if it shall become aware prior to the Effective Time of any information furnished by it that would cause any of the statements in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus or the Registration Statement to be false or misleading with respect to any material fact, or to omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not false or misleading, to promptly inform the other Party thereof and to take the necessary steps to correct the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus or the Registration Statement.
Registration Statement; Proxy Statement/Prospectus The information to be supplied by Seller for inclusion in the registration statement on Form S-4 pursuant to which shares of Buyer Common Stock issued in the Merger will be registered under the Securities Act (the "Registration Statement"), shall not at the time the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated in the Registration Statement or necessary in order to make the statements in the Registration Statement, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The information to be supplied by Seller for inclusion in the joint proxy statement/prospectus to be sent to the stockholders of Buyer and Seller in connection with the meeting of Seller's stockholders to consider this Agreement and the Merger (the "Seller Meeting") and in connection with the meeting of Buyer's stockholders (the "Buyer Meeting") to consider the issuance of shares of Buyer Common Stock pursuant to the Merger (the "Joint Proxy Statement") shall not, on the date the Joint Proxy Statement is first mailed to stockholders of Seller or Buyer, at the time of the Seller Stockholders' Meeting and the Buyer Stockholders' Meeting and at the Effective Time, contain any statement which, at such time and in light of the circumstances under which it shall be made, is false or misleading with respect to any material fact, or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made in the Joint Proxy Statement not false or misleading; or omit to state any material fact necessary to correct any statement in any earlier communication with respect to the solicitation of proxies for the Seller Meeting or the Buyer Meeting which has become false or misleading. If at any time prior to the Effective Time any event relating to Seller or any of its Affiliates, officers or directors should be discovered by Seller which should be set forth in an amendment to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the Joint Proxy Statement, Seller shall promptly inform Buyer.
Registration Statement and Prospectus The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the Offering has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 7(b) hereof.
Copies of Registration Statement and Prospectus After the date of this Agreement through the last time that a prospectus is required by the Securities Act (including, without limitation, pursuant to Rule 173(d)) to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, the Company agrees to furnish the Agent with copies (which may be electronic copies) of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, and with copies of the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto in the form in which it is filed with the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act or Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, both in such quantities as the Agent may reasonably request from time to time; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required under the Securities Act or under the blue sky or securities laws of any jurisdiction at any time on or prior to the applicable Settlement Date for any period set forth in an Issuance Notice in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event has occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it is necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, to notify the Agent and to request that the Agent suspend offers to sell Shares (and, if so notified, the Agent shall cease such offers as soon as practicable); and if the Company decides to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented, to advise the Agent promptly by telephone (with confirmation in writing) and to prepare and cause to be filed promptly with the Commission an amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; provided, however, that if during such same period the Agent is required to deliver a prospectus in respect of transactions in the Shares, the Company shall promptly prepare and file with the Commission such an amendment or supplement.
Prospectuses and Proxy Statements; Voting 3.1. The Underwriter shall provide the Company with as many copies of the Fund's current prospectus (describing only the Designated Portfolios listed on Schedule B) as the Company may reasonably request. If requested by the Company in lieu thereof, the Fund shall provide such documentation (including a final copy of the new prospectus on computer diskette or other electronic means at the Fund's expense) and other assistance as is reasonably necessary in order for the Company once each year (or more frequently if the prospectus for a Designated Portfolio is amended) to have the prospectus for the Contracts and the prospectus for the Designated Portfolios printed together in one document. Expenses with respect to the foregoing shall be borne as provided under Article V.
3.2. The Fund's prospectus shall state that the current Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") for the Fund is available from the Fund and the Fund shall provide a copy of such SAI to any owner of a Contract who requests such SAI and to the Company in such quantities as the Company may reasonably request. Expenses with respect to the foregoing shall be borne as provided under Article V.
3.3. The Fund shall provide the Company with copies of its proxy material, reports to shareholders, and other communications to shareholders of the Designated Portfolios in such quantity as the Company shall reasonably require for distributing to Contract owners. Expenses with respect to the foregoing shall be borne as provided under Article V.
3.4. The Company shall:
(i) solicit voting instructions from Contract owners;
(ii) vote the shares of each Designated Portfolio in accordance with instructions received from Contract owners; and
(iii) vote shares of each Designated Portfolio for which no instructions have been received in the same proportion as fund shares of such Designated Portfolio for which instructions have been received, so long as and to the extent that the SEC continues to interpret the 1940 Act to require pass-through voting privileges for variable contract owners or to the extent otherwise required by law. The Company reserves the right to vote shares of each Designated Portfolio held in any segregated asset account in its own right, to the extent permitted by law.
3.5. The Fund reserves the right, upon prior written notice to the Company (given at the earliest practicable time), to take all actions, including but not limited to, the dissolution, termination, merger and sale of all assets of the Fund or any Designated Portfolio upon the sole authorization of the Board, to the extent permitted by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the 1940 Act.
3.6. Participating Insurance Companies shall be responsible for assuring that each of their separate accounts participating in a Designated Portfolio calculates voting privileges as required by the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order and consistent with any reasonable standards that the Fund may adopt and provide in writing.
3.7. It is understood and agreed that, except with respect to information regarding the Fund, the Underwriter, the Adviser or Designated Portfolios provided in writing by the Fund, the Underwriter or the Adviser, none of the Fund, the Underwriter or the Adviser is responsible for the content of the prospectus or statement of additional information for the Contracts.
Proxy Statement/Prospectus; Registration Statement (a) As promptly as practicable after the execution of this Agreement, the Buyer and the Company shall prepare and the Company shall file with the SEC the Proxy Statement, and the Buyer shall prepare and file with the SEC the Registration Statement, in which the Proxy Statement will be included as a prospectus, provided that the Buyer may delay the filing of the Registration Statement until approval of the Proxy Statement by the SEC. The Buyer and the Company shall use reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement to become effective as soon after such filing as practicable. Each of the Buyer and the Company will respond to any comments of the SEC and will use its respective reasonable efforts to have the Proxy Statement cleared by the SEC and the Registration Statement declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as practicable after such filings and the Company will cause the Proxy Statement and the prospectus contained within the Registration Statement to be mailed to its stockholders at the earliest practicable time after both the Proxy Statement is cleared by the SEC and the Registration Statement is declared effective under the Securities Act. Each of the Buyer and the Company will notify the other promptly upon the receipt of any comments from the SEC or its staff or any other government officials and of any request by the SEC or its staff or any other government officials for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Proxy Statement or any filing pursuant to Section 6.2(b) or for additional information and will supply the other with copies of all correspondence between such party or any of its representatives, on the one hand, and the SEC, or its staff or any other government officials, on the other hand, with respect to the Registration Statement, the Proxy Statement, the Merger or any filing pursuant to Section 6.2(b). Each of the Buyer and the Company will cause all documents that it is responsible for filing with the SEC or other regulatory authorities under this Section 6.2 to comply in all material respects with all applicable requirements of law and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Whenever any event occurs which is required to be set forth in an amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement, the Registration Statement or any filing pursuant to Section 6.2(b), the Buyer or the Company, as the case may be, will promptly inform the other of such occurrence and cooperate in filing with the SEC or its staff or any other government officials, and/or mailing to stockholders of the Company, such amendment or supplement.
(b) The Buyer and the Company shall make all necessary filings with respect to the Merger under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, applicable state blue sky laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
