AGREEMENT
Exhibit
2.1
Execution
version
THIS
AGREEMENT, dated as of September 6, 2005 ("Agreement"), is made by and between
NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC., a Pennsylvania corporation ("NPB"), and NITTANY
FINANCIAL CORP., a Pennsylvania corporation ("NFC").
BACKGROUND
1. NPB owns
directly all of the outstanding capital stock of National Penn Bank, a national
banking association ("NPBank").
2. NFC owns
directly all of the outstanding capital stock of Nittany Bank, a Federal stock
savings bank (“Nittany Bank”).
3. NPB and
NFC desire for NFC to merge with and into NPB (the “Merger”), with NPB surviving
such Merger, in accordance with this Agreement and the applicable laws of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
4. As a
condition and inducement to NPB to enter into this Agreement, the directors and
certain officers of NFC are each concurrently executing a Letter Agreement in
the form attached hereto as Exhibit 1 (the "Letter Agreement").
5. As a
condition and inducement to each of NPB and NFC to enter into this Agreement,
NPB has caused NPBank to enter into agreements (the "Key Nittany Management
Agreements") with Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx X. XxXxxx, and Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, regarding the terms of their
employment following consummation of the Merger.
6. Each of
the parties, by signing this Agreement, adopts it as a plan of reorganization as
defined in IRC Section 368(a), and intends the Merger to be a reorganization as
defined in IRC Section 368(a).
7. NPB and
NFC desire to set forth in this Agreement the terms and conditions governing the
Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby.
NOW
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual covenants,
agreements, representations and warranties herein contained, the parties hereto,
intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
GENERAL
1.01
Definitions. As used
in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the indicated meanings (such
meanings to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the
terms defined):
Adjusted
NFC Option has the
meaning given to that term in Section 2.08 of this Agreement.
Affiliate means,
with respect to any corporation, any person that directly, or indirectly through
one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common
control with, such corporation and, without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, includes any executive officer, director or 10% equity owner of such
corporation.
Aggregate
Cash Consideration has the
meaning given to that term in Section 2.02(a) of this Agreement.
Aggregate
Common Stock Consideration has the
meaning given to that term in Section 2.02(a) of this Agreement.
Agreement means
this Agreement, including any amendment or supplement hereto.
Application means an
application for regulatory approval which is required for the consummation of
the Contemplated Transactions.
Articles
of Merger means
the articles of merger to be executed by NPB and NFC and to be filed in the PDS,
in accordance with the applicable laws of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
Bank
Merger means
the merger of Nittany Bank with and into NPBank, with NPBank surviving such
merger, or the alternative “purchase and assumption” transaction, described in
Section 1.03 of this Agreement.
BCL means
the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988, as amended.
Cash
Consideration has the
meaning given to such term in Section 2.02(a)(ii) of this
Agreement.
Cash
Election Shares has the
meaning given to such term in Section 2.02(b)(ii) of this
Agreement.
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Closing has the
meaning given to such term in Section 1.02 of this Agreement.
Closing
Date means
the date on which the last condition precedent provided in this Agreement (other
than those conditions which are to be fulfilled at the Closing) has been
fulfilled or waived, or such other date as soon as practicable thereafter as the
parties hereto may agree shall be the Closing Date.
Common
Stock Consideration has the
meaning given to such term in Section 2.02(a)(i) of this Agreement.
Common
Stock Election Shares has the
meaning given to such term in Section 2.02(b)(i) of this Agreement.
Confidentiality
Agreement means
the confidentiality agreement dated July 12, 2005 between NPB and
NFC.
Contemplated
Transactions means
(a) the Merger of NFC with and into NPB, with NPB surviving such Merger, and (b)
the performance by NPB and NFC of their respective covenants and obligations
under this Agreement.
CRA means
the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated from time to time thereunder.
Determination
Date means
the trading day one (1) day prior to the NFC Shareholders Meeting.
Determination
Period has the
meaning given to such term in Section 2.05 of this Agreement.
Dissenting
NFC Shares has the
meaning given to that term in Section 2.07 of this Agreement.
Effective
Date means
the date on which the Merger is effective, which is the date that the Articles
of Merger are filed in the PDS, and shall be the same as the Closing Date or as
soon thereafter as is practicable.
Election means
(i) a Common Stock Election (that is, the election by an NFC shareholder to
receive Common Stock Consideration in the Merger pursuant to Section
2.02(b)(i)), (ii) a Cash Election (that is, the election by an NFC shareholder
to receive Cash Consideration in the Merger pursuant to Section 2.02(b)(ii)) or
(iii) a Mixed Election (that is, the election by an NFC shareholder to receive a
mixture of Common Stock Consideration and Cash Consideration in the Merger
pursuant to Section 2.02(c)).
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Election
Deadline means
5:00 p.m., eastern prevailing time, on the day of the NFC Shareholders
Meeting.
Election
Form means a
form, in such form as NPB and NFC shall mutually agree, on which holders of NFC
Common Stock shall make an Election.
Environmental
Law means
any federal, state or local law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, code,
license, permit, authorization, approval, consent, order, judgment, decree,
injunction or agreement with any Regulatory Authority (any such agreements only
as applicable to NPB or NFC, as the case may be) relating to (i) the protection,
preservation or restoration of the environment, including, without limitation,
air, water vapor, surface water, groundwater, drinking water supply, surface
soil, subsurface soil, plant and animal life or any other natural resource,
and/or (ii) the use, storage, recycling, treatment, generation, transportation,
processing, handling, labeling, production, release or disposal of any substance
presently listed, defined, designated or classified as hazardous, toxic,
radioactive or dangerous, or otherwise regulated, whether by type or by
quantity, including any material containing any such substance as a
component.
ERISA means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
Exchange
Act means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated from time to time thereunder.
Exchange
Agent means
Mellon Investor Services (or such other agent designated by NPB and reasonably
acceptable to NFC) that will act as the exchange agent for purposes of
conducting the election procedures described in Section 2.02(b) and the exchange
procedure described in Section 2.09.
Exchange
Ratio means
the exchange ratio set forth in Section 2.02(a)(i), as the same may be adjusted
pursuant to Section 2.06, and as the same may be further adjusted pursuant to
Section 2.10.
FDIC means
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
FRB means
the Federal Reserve Board.
GAAP means
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.
IRC means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations promulgated
thereunder.
IRS means
the Internal Revenue Service.
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Key
Nittany Management Agreements has the
meaning given to such term in the Background Section of this
Agreement.
Key
Nittany Managers means
each of Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx and Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx.
Knowledge
of NFC means
the knowledge of NFC's executive officers and directors.
Knowledge
of NPB means
the knowledge of NPB's executive officers and directors.
Letter
Agreement has the
meaning given to such term in the Background Section of this
Agreement.
Material
Adverse Effect means a
change, circumstance, event or effect that has been or would be materially
adverse to (a) the
business, financial condition or results of operations of NFC
on a
consolidated basis (when such term is used in Article III
hereof)
or NPB
on a
consolidated basis (when such term is used in Article IV
hereof)
other than, in each case, any change, circumstance, event or effect relating to
(i)
any
change occurring after the date hereof in any federal or state law, rule or
regulation or in GAAP, which
change affects banking institutions generally, including any change affecting
the Bank Insurance Fund or the Savings Association Insurance Fund, and not
disparately impacting NFC
or
NPB,
(ii)
changes
in general economic, legal, regulatory or political conditions affecting banking
institutions generally, including, but not limited to, changes in interest rates
and not disparately impacting NFC
or
NPB,
(iii)
expenses
incurred in connection with this Agreement
and the
transactions contemplated hereby, (iv)
actions
or omissions of a party (or any of its Subsidiaries) taken
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement
in
contemplation of the transactions contemplated hereby, and (v)
any
effect with respect to a party hereto caused, in whole or in substantial part,
by the other party, or (b)
the
ability of such party to consummate the Contemplated
Transactions.
Merger means
the merger of NFC with and into NPB, contemplated by this
Agreement.
Merger
Consideration has the
meaning given to such term in Section 2.02(a)(ii) of this
Agreement.
Mixed
Election has the
meaning given that term in Section 2.02(c) of this Agreement.
NASD means
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
Nasdaq means
the National Market tier of The Nasdaq Stock Market operated by the
NASD.
NFC means
Nittany Financial Corp., a Pennsylvania corporation.
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NFC
NPBank Nominee has the
meaning given to that term in Section 5.07(c)(iii) of this
Agreement.
NFC
Benefit Plan has the
meaning given to that term in Section 3.12(a) of this Agreement.
NFC
Certificate has the
meaning given to that term in Section 2.09(a) of this Agreement.
NFC
Common Stock has the
meaning given to that term in Section 3.02(a) of this Agreement.
NFC
Disclosure Schedule means,
collectively, the disclosure schedules delivered by NFC to NPB at or prior to
the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
NFC
ERISA Affiliate has the
meaning given to such term in Section 3.12(a) of this Agreement.
NFC
Financials means
(a) the audited consolidated financial statements of NFC as of December 31, 2004
and 2003 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2004,
and (b) the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of NFC for each
calendar quarter after December 31, 2004.
NFC
ISO has the
meaning given to that term in Section 2.08(b) of this Agreement
NFC
NQS Option has the
meaning given to that term in Section 2.08(a) of this Agreement.
NFC
Option has the
meaning given to that term in Section 2.08(b) of this Agreement.
NFC
Option Plan means
the stock option plan maintained by NFC immediately prior to the Effective
Date.
NFC
Shareholders Meeting means
the meeting of the holders of NFC Common Stock to approve this Agreement and the
Merger.
Nittany
Bank means
Nittany Bank, a Federal stock savings bank, all the outstanding capital stock of
which is owned, as of the date of this Agreement, by NFC.
Nittany
Bank Board has the
meaning given to that term in Section 5.07(c)(iv)(D) of this
Agreement.
Nittany
Bank Board Member means a
director of NFC immediately prior to the Closing Date who becomes, and on the
date of determination is, a member of the Nittany Bank Board.
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Nittany
Bank Division has the
meaning given to that term in Section 5.07(c)(iv)(A) of this
Agreement.
No-Election
Shares has the
meaning given to such term in Section 2.02(b).
NPB means
National Penn Bancshares, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation.
NPBank means
National Penn Bank, a national banking association, all the outstanding capital
stock of which is owned by NPB.
NPB/NPBank
Bylaws Restrictions means
the provisions of the NPB and NPBank bylaws that require the retirement of a
director as of the annual meeting next following that director's reaching age
72.
NPB
Common Stock means
the shares of common stock, without par value, of NPB.
NPB
Disclosure Schedule means,
collectively, the disclosure schedules delivered by NPB to NFC at or prior to
the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
NPB
ERISA Affiliate has the
meaning given to such term in Section 4.13(a) of this Agreement.
NPB
Financials means
(a) the audited consolidated financial statements of NPB as of December 31, 2004
and 2003 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2004,
and (b) the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of NPB for each
calendar quarter after December 31, 2004.
NPB
Market Value has the
meaning given to such term in Section 2.05 of this Agreement.
NPB
Stock Split means
the 5 for 4 stock split of NPB Common Stock, in the form of a 25% stock
dividend, declared by NPB on August 24, 2005, effective September 9, 2005, and
to be distributed on September 30, 2005.
OCC means
the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
OTS means
the Office of Thrift Supervision.
PDB means
the Department of Banking of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
PDS means
the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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Prospectus/Proxy
Statement means
the prospectus/proxy statement, together with any supplements thereto, to be
sent to holders of NFC Common Stock in connection with the NFC Shareholders
Meeting.
Reallocated
Cash Shares has the
meaning given to that term in Section 2.02(e)(i)(C).
Reallocated
Common Stock Shares has the
meaning given to that term in Section 2.02(e)(ii)(B).
Registration
Statement means
the registration statement on Form S-4, which includes the Prospectus/Proxy
Statement as a part thereof, and including any pre-effective or post-effective
amendments or supplements thereto, as filed with the SEC under the Securities
Act with respect to the NPB Common Stock to be issued in connection with the
Contemplated Transactions.
Regulatory
Agreement has the
meaning given to that term in Sections 3.11 and 4.12 of this
Agreement.
Regulatory
Authority means
any agency or department of any federal, state or local government or of any
self-regulatory organization, including without limitation the SEC, the PDB, the
OCC, the OTS, the FDIC, the NASD, the FRB and the respective staffs
thereof.
Rights means
warrants, options, rights, convertible securities and other capital stock
equivalents which obligate an entity to issue its securities.
Rights
Agreement means
the Rights Agreement dated August 23, 1989, as amended August 21, 1999, between
NPB and NPBank, as Rights Agent.
SEC means
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Securities
Act means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations
promulgated from time to time thereunder.
Securities
Documents means
all registration statements, schedules, statements, forms, reports, proxy
material, and other documents required to be filed under the Securities
Laws.
Securities
Laws means
the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated from time to time thereunder.
SLHC Act
means the Savings and Loan Holding Company Act, as amended.
Subsidiary means
any corporation, 50% or more of the capital stock of which is owned, either
directly or indirectly, by another entity, except any corporation the stock of
which is held in the ordinary course of the lending activities of a
bank.
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1.02
The
Merger.
(a) Closing. The
closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the "Closing") will
take place on the Closing Date at a time and place to be agreed upon by the
parties hereto; provided, in any case, that all conditions to closing set forth
in Article VI of this Agreement (other than the delivery of certificates,
opinions, and other instruments and documents to be delivered at the Closing)
have been satisfied or waived at or prior to the Closing Date.
(b) The
Merger. Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and in accordance with the BCL, on
the Effective Date:
(i) NFC shall
merge with and into NPB;
(ii) the
separate existence of NFC shall cease;
(iii) NPB shall
be the surviving corporation in the Merger; and
(iv) all of
the property (real, personal and mixed), rights, powers, duties, obligations and
liabilities of NFC shall be taken and deemed to be transferred to and vested in
NPB, as the surviving corporation in the Merger, without further act or
deed;
all in
accordance with the applicable laws of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
(c) NPB's
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. On and
after the Effective Date, the articles of incorporation and bylaws of NPB, as in
effect immediately prior to the Effective Date, shall automatically be and
remain the articles of incorporation and bylaws of NPB, as the surviving
corporation in the Merger, until thereafter altered, amended or
repealed.
(d) NPB's
Board of Directors and Officers.
(i) On and
after the Effective Date, the directors of NPB duly elected and holding office
immediately prior to the Effective Date shall be the directors of NPB, as the
surviving corporation in the Merger, each to hold office until his successor is
elected and qualified or otherwise in accordance with applicable law, the
articles of incorporation and bylaws of NPB.
(ii) On and
after the Effective Date, the officers of NPB duly elected and holding office
immediately prior to the Effective Date shall be the officers of NPB, as the
surviving corporation in the Merger, each to hold office until his or her
successor is elected and qualified or otherwise in accordance with applicable
law, the articles of incorporation and bylaws of XXX.
0
1.03
Bank
Merger. After
the Effective Date, NPB may, in its sole discretion, cause Nittany Bank to merge
with and into NPBank, with NPBank surviving such merger, or alternatively, at
the election of NPB, to cause Nittany Bank to transfer all its assets and
liabilities to NPBank in a “purchase and assumption” transaction (in either
case, the "Bank Merger") at such time as NPB shall determine after the Effective
Date.
ARTICLE
II
CONSIDERATION;
ELECTION AND EXCHANGE PROCEDURES
2.01
NPB
Common Stock.
(a)
Outstanding
Shares. Each
share of NPB Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Date shall, on and after the Effective Date, continue to be issued and
outstanding as an identical share of NPB Common Stock.
(b)
Treasury
Stock. Each
share of NPB Common Stock issued and held in the treasury of NPB immediately
prior to the Effective Date, if any, shall, on and after the Effective Date,
continue to be issued and held in the treasury of NPB.
2.02
NFC
Common Stock.
(a)
Conversion
Alternatives. Subject
to Sections 2.03, 2.04 and 2.07 below with respect to treasury stock, fractional
shares and Dissenting NFC Shares, each share of NFC Common Stock issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Date, shall, on the Effective
Date, by reason of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder
thereof, cease to be outstanding and be converted into the right to receive, at
the election of the holder thereof:
(i) 1.58
shares of NPB Common Stock (the "Exchange Ratio"), including the associated
rights to purchase securities pursuant to the Rights Agreement (the number 1.58
shall be adjusted to 1.975 upon completion of the NPB Stock Split), subject to
adjustment as provided in Section 2.06 and Section 2.10 below (the "Common Stock
Consideration"); or
(ii)
$42.43 in cash (the "Cash Consideration," and collectively with the Common Stock
Consideration, the "Merger Consideration").
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, (i) the number of shares of NFC Common Stock to be converted into
the right to receive the Cash Consideration on the Effective Date shall be equal
to thirty percent (30%) of the total number of shares of NFC Common Stock issued
and outstanding on the
10
Effective
Date, (the "Aggregate Cash Consideration"), and (ii) the number of shares of NFC
Common Stock to be converted into the right to receive the Common Stock
Consideration on the Effective Date (the "Aggregate Common Stock Consideration")
shall be equal to seventy percent (70%) of the total number of shares of NFC
Common Stock issued and outstanding on the Effective Date.
(b)
Election
Procedures. NPB and
NFC shall cause the Exchange Agent to mail an Election Form together with the
Prospectus/Proxy Statement to holders of NFC Common Stock as of the record date
for the NFC Shareholders Meeting. Each Election Form shall permit the holder (or
in the case of nominee record holders, the beneficial owner through proper
instructions and documentation):
(i) to
elect to receive the Common Stock Consideration with respect to any or all of
their shares of NFC Common Stock (the "Common Stock Election Shares");
or
(ii) to
elect to receive the Cash Consideration with respect to any or all of their
shares of NFC Common Stock (the "Cash Election Shares").
If a
holder of NFC Common Stock either: (i) does not submit a properly completed
Election Form before the Election Deadline, (ii) revokes an Election Form prior
to the Election Deadline and does not resubmit a properly completed Election
Form prior to the Election Deadline, or (iii) fails to perfect his, her or its
dissenters' rights pursuant to subsection 2.07 of this Agreement, the shares of
NFC Common Stock held by such holder shall be designated "No-Election Shares".
Nominee record holders who hold NFC Common Stock on behalf of multiple
beneficial owners shall indicate how many of the shares held by them are Common
Stock Election Shares, Cash Election Shares and No-Election Shares.
For
purposes of this Section 2.02, any Dissenting NFC Shares shall be deemed to be
Cash Election Shares and, with respect to such shares, the holders thereof shall
in no event be classified as holders of Reallocated Common Stock
Shares.
(c)
Mixed
Election.
Subject
to the immediately following sentence, each record holder of shares of
NFC
Common Stock immediately
prior to the Effective
Date shall be
entitled to elect to receive shares of NPB
Common Stock for a
portion of such holder's shares of NFC
Common Stock and cash
for the remaining portion of such holder's shares of NFC
Common Stock (the
"Mixed
Election"). With
respect to each holder of NFC
Common Stock who makes
a Mixed
Election, the
shares of NFC
Common Stock that such
holder elects to be converted into the right to receive the Common
Stock Consideration shall be
treated as Common
Stock Election Shares and the
shares such holder elects to be converted into the right to receive the
Cash
Consideration shall be
treated as Cash
Election Shares.
(d)
Effective
Election. Any
Election shall be properly made only if the Exchange Agent shall have actually
received a properly completed Election Form by the Election Deadline. Any
Election Form may be revoked or changed by the person submitting such Election
Form to the Exchange Agent by written notice to the Exchange Agent only if such
written notice is actually received by the Exchange Agent at or prior to the
Election Deadline. The Exchange Agent shall have reasonable discretion to (i)
determine whether any election, modification or revocation is received, (ii)
determine whether any election, modification or revocation has been properly
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made, and
(iii) disregard immaterial defects in any Election Form. Good faith
determinations made by the Exchange Agent regarding such matters shall be
binding and conclusive. Neither NPB, NFC nor the Exchange Agent shall be under
any obligation to notify any person of any defect in an Election
Form.
(e)
Allocation. The
Exchange Agent shall effect the allocation among the holders of NFC Common Stock
of rights to receive NPB Common Stock or cash in accordance with the Election
Forms as follows:
(i)
Aggregate
Cash Consideration Under Subscribed. If the
amount of cash represented by the aggregate Cash Election Shares is less than
the Aggregate Cash Consideration, then:
(A) all
Cash Election Shares (subject to Section 2.07 with respect to Dissenting NFC
Shares) shall be converted into the right to receive the Cash
Consideration;
(B)
No-Election Shares shall be deemed to be Cash Election Shares to the extent
necessary to have the amount of cash represented by the aggregate Cash Election
Shares equal the Aggregate Cash Consideration. If less than all of the
No-Election Shares need to be treated as Cash Election Shares, then the Exchange
Agent shall select which No-Election Shares shall be treated as Cash Election
Shares in such manner as the Exchange Agent, in its sole discretion, shall
determine. All remaining No-Election Shares shall thereafter be treated as
Common Stock Election Shares;
(C) If
all of the No-Election Shares are treated as Cash Election Shares under the
preceding subsection and the amount of cash represented by the aggregate Cash
Election Shares remains less than the Aggregate Cash Consideration, then the
Exchange Agent shall convert, on a pro rata basis described in subsection
2.02(e)(iv) below, a sufficient number of Common Stock Election Shares into Cash
Election Shares ("Reallocated Cash Shares") such that the amount of cash
represented by the aggregate Cash Election Shares, including the Reallocated
Cash Shares, equals the Aggregate Cash Consideration, and thereafter all
Reallocated Cash Shares will be converted into the right to receive the Cash
Consideration; and
(D) the
Common Stock Election Shares which are not Reallocated Cash Shares shall be
converted into the right to receive the Common Stock Consideration.
(ii)
Aggregate
Cash Consideration Oversubscribed. If the
amount of cash represented by the aggregate Cash Election Shares is more than
the Aggregate Cash Consideration, then:
(A) all
Common Stock Election Shares and No-Election Shares shall be converted into the
right to receive the Common Stock Consideration;
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(B) the
Exchange Agent shall convert, on a pro rata basis described in subsection
2.02(e)(iv) below, a sufficient number of Cash Election Shares (excluding
Dissenting NFC Shares) into Common Stock Election Shares ("Reallocated Common
Stock Shares") such that the amount of cash represented by the remaining
aggregate Cash Election Shares equals the Aggregate Cash Consideration, and
thereafter all Reallocated Common Stock Shares will be converted into the right
to receive the Common Stock Consideration; and
(C) the
Cash Election Shares (subject to Section 2.07 with respect to Dissenting NFC
Shares) which are not Reallocated Common Stock Shares shall be converted into
the right to receive the Cash Consideration.
(iii)
Aggregate
Cash Consideration and Aggregate Common Stock Consideration
Satisfied. If the
amount of cash represented by the aggregate Cash Election Shares is equal to the
Aggregate Cash Consideration, then subsections (e)(i) and (ii) shall not apply,
and all Cash Election shares (subject to Section 2.07 with respect to Dissenting
NFC Shares) shall be converted into the right to receive the Cash Consideration
and all Common Stock Election Shares and all No-Election Shares shall be
converted into the right to receive the Common Stock Consideration.
(iv)
Pro
Rata Reallocations. If the
Exchange Agent is required pursuant to subsection 2.02(e)(i)(C) to convert some
Common Stock Election Shares into Reallocated Cash Shares, each holder of Common
Stock Election Shares shall be allocated a pro rata portion of the total
Reallocated Cash Shares. If the Exchange Agent is required pursuant to
subsection 2.02(e)(ii)(B) to convert some Cash Election Shares into Reallocated
Common Stock Shares, each holder of Cash Election Shares shall be allocated a
pro rata portion of the total Reallocated Common Stock Shares.
2.03
Treasury
Stock and Stock Owned by NFC.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each share of NFC
Common Stock which is either issued and held in the treasury of NFC or issued
and held by NFC or its Subsidiaries (other than shares held in an agency or
fiduciary capacity or as a result of debts previously contracted ) as of the
Effective Date, if any, shall be cancelled, and no cash, stock or other property
shall be delivered in exchange therefor.
2.04
Fractional
Shares.
Fractional shares of NPB Common Stock may be issued in connection with the
Merger pursuant to the Exchange Agent’s direct registration system (or other
comparable system that provides for payment of the Common Stock Consideration in
the form of book-entry shares).
2.05
Market
Value of NPB Common Stock. For
purposes of this Agreement, the market value of a share of NPB Common Stock
("NPB Market Value") shall be deemed to be the average of the closing sale price
of a share of NPB Common Stock, as reported on Nasdaq, as published in the
Wall
Street Journal, for the
ten (10) trading days (the "Determination Period") ending on the Determination
Date.
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2.06 Exchange
Ratio Adjustment.
(a) If the
NPB Market Value is in the range of $23.73 to $25.31, then the Exchange Ratio
shall be adjusted to that number which, when multiplied by the NPB Market Value,
equals $40.00 (the dollar amounts $23.73 and $25.31 shall be adjusted to $18.98
and $20.25, respectively, upon completion of the NPB Stock Split).
(b) If the
NPB Market Value is in the range of $22.00 to $23.72, then the Exchange Ratio
shall be adjusted to that number which, when multiplied by the NPB Market Value,
equals $38.00 (the dollar amounts $22.00 and $23.72 shall be adjusted to $17.60
and $18.97, respectively, upon completion of the NPB Stock Split).
(c) If the
NPB Market Value is less than $22.00, then the Exchange Ratio shall be adjusted
to that number which, when multiplied by $22.00 equals $38.00 (the dollar amount
$22.00 shall be adjusted to $17.60, upon completion of the NPB Stock
Split).
(d) If the
NPB Market Value is more than $27.85, then the Exchange Ratio shall be adjusted
to that number which, when multiplied by the NPB Market Value, equals $44.00
(the dollar amount $27.85 shall be adjusted to $22.28, upon completion of the
NPB Stock Split).
2.07
Dissenting
NFC Shareholders.
(a) The
outstanding shares of NFC Common Stock, the holders of which have timely filed
written notices of an intention to demand appraisal for their shares
("Dissenting NFC Shares") pursuant to Subchapter D of the BCL and have not
effectively withdrawn or lost their dissenters' rights under the BCL, shall not
be converted into or represent a right to receive shares of NPB Common Stock or
cash under this Agreement, and the holders thereof shall be entitled only to
such rights as are granted by Subchapter D of the BCL.
(b) If
any such holder of NFC Common Stock shall have failed to perfect or effectively
shall have withdrawn or lost such right, and if such holder shall have delivered
a properly completed Election Form to the Exchange Agent by the Election
Deadline, the Dissenting NFC Shares held by such holder shall be converted into
a right to receive NPB Common Stock or cash in accordance with the applicable
provisions of this Agreement. If any such holder of NFC Common Stock shall have
failed to perfect or effectively shall have withdrawn or lost such right, and if
such holder shall not have delivered a properly completed Election Form to the
Exchange Agent by the Election Deadline, the Dissenting NFC Shares held by such
holder shall be designated No-Election Shares and shall be converted on a share
by share basis into either the right to receive NPB Common Stock and/or cash in
accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement.
(c) All
payments in respect of Dissenting NFC Shares, if any, will be made by
NPB.
14
2.08
Stock
Options.
(a)
Non-Qualified
Stock Options. On and
after the Effective Date, each non-qualified stock option (each, a "NFC NQS
Option") to purchase shares of NFC Common Stock issued by NFC and outstanding on
the Effective Date shall remain outstanding, subject to the following
adjustments:
(i) each
NFC NQS Option will constitute a right to purchase a number of shares of NPB
Common Stock determined in accordance with Section 2.08(a)(ii), below, at a
price equal to the amount determined in accordance with Section 2.08(a)(iii),
below;
(ii) the
number of shares of NPB Common Stock subject to each NFC NQS Option immediately
following the Effective Date will be equal to the quotient of: (1) the product
of the number of shares of NFC Common Stock originally subject to that option
times the original exercise price of that option, divided by (2) the adjusted
exercise price of that option immediately following the Effective Date, as
determined in accordance with Section 2.08(a)(iii), below; and
(iii) the
exercise price of each NFC NQS Option immediately after the Effective Date will
be equal to the quotient of: (x) the product of the closing price of NPB Common
Stock on the Effective Date times the original exercise price of that option,
divided by (y) $42.43 (the Cash Consideration).
(b)
Incentive
Stock Options. On and
after the Effective Date, each incentive stock option (each, a “NFC ISO”, and
together with the NFC NQS Options, the “NFC Options”) to purchase shares of NFC
Common Stock issued by NFC and outstanding on the Effective Date shall remain
outstanding, subject to the following adjustments made in a manner consistent
with IRC Section 424(a) and Treas. Reg. 1.425-1(a)(4)(i):
(i) each
NFC ISO will constitute a right to purchase a number of shares of NPB Common
Stock determined in accordance with Section 2.08(b)(ii), below, at a price
equal to the amount determined in accordance with
Section 2.08(b)(iii), below;
(ii) the
number of shares of NPB Common Stock subject to each NFC ISO immediately
following the Effective Date will be equal to the quotient of: (1) the
product of the number of shares of NFC Common Stock originally subject to that
option times the original exercise price of the option, divided by (2) the
adjusted exercise price of that option immediately following the Effective Date,
as determined in accordance with Section 2.08(b)(iii), below;
and
(iii) the
exercise price of each NFC ISO immediately after the Effective Date will be
equal to the quotient of: (x) the product of the closing price of NPB Common
Stock on the Effective Date times the original exercise price of that option,
divided by (y) $42.43 (the Cash Consideration).
15
(c)
Except as otherwise provided in this section, the terms and conditions of all
NFC Options will not be changed and such options will remain outstanding and
will be exercisable in accordance with the terms of the applicable NFC Option
Plan and stock option agreement. As adjusted pursuant to this section, each NFC
Option will be referred to herein as an "Adjusted NFC Option".
(d) As
soon as practicable after the Effective Date, but in no event later than ten
(10) business days after the Effective Date, NPB shall deliver to the holders of
Adjusted NFC Options appropriate notices setting forth the effect of the
adjustments described in Section 2.08(a) and Section 2.08(b), above. NPB shall
comply with the terms of the NFC Option Plan.
(e) NPB
shall take all corporate action necessary to reserve for issuance a sufficient
number of shares of NPB Common Stock for delivery upon exercise of Adjusted NFC
Options in accordance with this Agreement. Within ten (10) business days after
the Effective Date, NPB shall file a registration statement on Form S-8 (or any
successor other appropriate forms), with respect to the shares of NPB Common
Stock issuable upon exercise of the Adjusted NFC Options and shall use its
reasonable best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of such registration
statement or registration statements (and maintain the current status of the
prospectus or prospectuses contained thereon) for so long as such options remain
outstanding.
(f) With
respect to those individuals who, subsequent to the Merger, will be subject to
the reporting requirements under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, where
applicable, NPB shall administer the NFC Option Plan in a manner consistent with
the exemptions provided by Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange
Act.
2.09
Surrender
and Exchange of NFC Stock Certificates.
(a) On or
prior to the Effective Date, NPB shall deposit with the Exchange Agent, in trust
for the benefit of holders of shares of NFC Common Stock electing to receive
Cash Consideration pursuant to Section 2.02(b) or Section 2.02(c), sufficient
cash to make all payments to such shareholders of NFC pursuant to, and in
accordance with, this Article II. On or prior to the Effective Date, NPB shall
provide the Exchange Agent with a letter of instruction, in such form as the
Exchange Agent may reasonably require, directing the Exchange Agent to pay the
Common Stock Consideration in the form of book-entry shares to holders of shares
of NFC Common Stock electing to receive Common Stock Consideration pursuant to
Section 2.02(b) or Section 2.02(c) and in accordance with, this Article II. As
soon as reasonably practicable after the Effective Date, but in any event not
later than ten (10) business days after delivery by NFC to NPB of the correct
mailing address for each NFC shareholder, NPB shall cause the Exchange Agent to
mail to each holder of one or more certificates representing NFC Common Stock
(each, a "NFC Certificate"):
(i) a
letter of transmittal which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and
risk of loss and title to the NFC Certificates shall pass, only upon delivery of
the NFC
16
Certificates
to the Exchange Agent, and which letter shall be in customary form and have such
other provisions as NPB reasonably may specify; and
(ii)
instructions for effecting the surrender of such NFC Certificates in exchange
for the Merger Consideration payable for the shares represented
thereby.
After
completion of the allocation referred to in subsection 2.02(d), and upon
surrender of a NFC Certificate to the Exchange Agent together with such letter
of transmittal, duly executed and completed in accordance with the instructions
thereto, and such other documents as reasonably may be required by the Exchange
Agent, the holder of such NFC Certificate shall be entitled to receive in
exchange therefor:
(A) a
statement evidencing book-entry shares representing, in the aggregate the number
of shares (including any fraction thereof) that such holder has the right to
receive pursuant to Section 2.02 (after taking into account all shares of NFC
Common Stock then held by such holder); and/or
(B) a
check in the amount of the cash that such holder has the right to receive
pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.02 and, with respect to dividends and
other distributions, pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.09(b).
(b) Any
statement evidencing book-entry shares issued in exchange for NFC Certificates
pursuant to Section 2.09(a) above shall be dated the Effective Date and any
holder shall be entitled to dividends and all other rights and privileges
pertaining to such shares of stock from the Effective Date. Until surrendered,
each NFC Certificate (other than NFC Certificates representing Dissenting NFC
Shares) shall, from and after the Effective Date, evidence solely the right to
receive the Merger Consideration.
(c) If an
NFC Certificate is exchanged on a date following one or more record dates after
the Effective Date for the payment of dividends or any other distribution on
shares of NPB Common Stock, NPB shall pay to such shareholder cash in an amount
equal to dividends payable on such shares of NPB Common Stock received in
exchange for NFC Certificates and pay or deliver any other distribution to which
such shareholder is entitled. No interest shall accrue or be payable in respect
of dividends or any other distribution otherwise payable under this Section
2.02(c) upon surrender of NFC Certificates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no
party hereto shall be liable to any holder of NFC Common Stock for any amount
paid in good faith to a public official or agency pursuant to any applicable
abandoned property, escheat or similar law. Until such time as NFC Certificates
are surrendered to NPB for exchange, NPB shall have the right to withhold
dividends or any other distributions on the shares of NPB Common Stock issuable
to such shareholder.
(d) Each
NFC Certificate delivered for exchange under this Section 2.09 must be endorsed
in blank by the registered holder thereof or accompanied by a power of attorney
to transfer such shares endorsed in blank by such holder.
17
(e) Upon
the Effective Date, the stock transfer books for NFC Common Stock will be closed
and no further transfers of NFC Common Stock will thereafter be made or
recognized. All NFC Certificates surrendered pursuant to this Section 2.09 will
be cancelled.
(f) If
there is a transfer of ownership of NFC Common Stock which is not registered in
the transfer records of NFC, a statement of book-entry shares evidencing, in the
aggregate, the proper number of shares of NPB Common Stock and any dividends or
other distributions to which such holder is entitled pursuant to Section
2.09(c), as applicable and appropriate, may be issued with respect to such NFC
Common Stock to such a transferee if the NFC Certificate representing such
shares of NFC Common Stock is presented to the Exchange Agent, accompanied by
all documents required to evidence and effect such transfer and to evidence that
any applicable stock transfer taxes have been paid.
(g) If
any NFC Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, the Exchange
Agent shall deliver in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed NFC
Certificate, upon the making of a sworn affidavit of that fact by the holder
thereof in form satisfactory to the Exchange Agent, the Merger Consideration as
may be required pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that the Exchange
Agent may, in its sole discretion and as a condition precedent to the delivery
of the Merger Consideration to which the holder of such NFC Certificate is
entitled as a result of the Merger, require the owner of such lost, stolen or
destroyed NFC Certificate to deliver a bond in such amount as it may direct as
indemnity against any claim that may be made against NFC, NPB or the Exchange
Agent or any other party with respect to the NFC Certificate alleged to have
been lost, stolen or destroyed.
2.10
Anti-Dilution
Provisions. If, in
addition to the NPB Stock Split, NPB shall, at any time before the Effective
Date:
(a)
declare a dividend in shares of NPB Common Stock with a record date prior to the
Effective Date;
(b)
resolve to combine the outstanding shares of NPB Common Stock into a smaller
number of shares;
(c)
resolve to effect a split or subdivide the outstanding shares of NPB Common
Stock with a record date prior to the Effective Date; or
(d)
reclassify the shares of NPB Common Stock;
then, in
any such event, the number of shares of NPB Common Stock to be delivered to NFC
shareholders who are entitled to receive shares of NPB Common Stock in exchange
for shares of NFC Common Stock shall be adjusted so that each NFC shareholder
shall be entitled to receive such number of shares of NPB Common Stock as such
shareholder would have been entitled to receive if the Effective Date had
occurred prior to the happening of such event. (By way of
18
illustration,
if NPB shall declare a stock dividend of 3% payable with respect to a record
date on or prior to the Effective Date, the Exchange Ratio shall be adjusted
upward by 3%.). In
addition, in the event that, prior to the Effective
Date,
NPB
enters
into an agreement pursuant to which shares of NPB
Common Stock would be
converted into shares or other securities or obligations of another corporation,
proper provision shall be made in such agreement so that each NFC
shareholder
entitled to receive shares of NPB
Common Stock in the
Merger
shall be
entitled to receive such number of shares or other securities or amount or
obligations of such other corporation as such shareholder would be entitled to
receive if the Effective
Date had
occurred immediately prior to the happening of such event. Furthermore, in any
such event, the dollar amounts referenced in Sections 2.06
and
7.01(c) shall be proportionally adjusted.
ARTICLE
III
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF NFC
NFC
hereby represents and warrants to NPB as follows:
3.01
Organization.
(a) NFC
is a corporation duly incorporated and validly subsisting under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. NFC is a savings and loan holding company duly
registered under the SLHC Act. NFC has the corporate power and authority to
carry on its businesses and operations as now being conducted and to own and
operate the properties and assets now owned and being operated by it. NFC is
duly licensed, registered or qualified to do business in each jurisdiction in
which the nature of the business conducted by it or the character or location of
the properties and assets owned or leased by it makes such licensing,
registration or qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so
licensed, registered or qualified would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and
all such licenses, registrations and qualifications are in full force and effect
in all material respects.
(b)
Nittany Bank is a stock savings bank duly organized and validly existing under
the laws of the United States of America. Nittany Bank has the corporate power
and authority to carry on its business and operations as now being conducted and
to own and operate the properties and assets now owned and being operated by it.
Nittany Bank is duly licensed, registered or qualified to do business in each
jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it or the
character or location of the properties and assets owned or leased by it makes
such licensing, registration or qualification necessary, except where the
failure to be so licensed, registered or qualified would not have a Material
Adverse Effect, and all such licenses, registrations and qualifications are in
full force and effect in all material respects.
(c) The
deposits of Nittany Bank are insured by the Savings Association Insurance Fund
of the FDIC to the extent provided in the Federal Deposit Insurance
Act.
19
(d) NFC
has no Subsidiaries other than Nittany Bank and those identified in NFC
Disclosure Schedule 3.01(d).
(e) The
respective minute books of NFC and each NFC Subsidiary accurately record, in all
material respects, all material corporate actions of their respective
shareholders and boards of directors, including committees, in each case in
accordance with normal business practice of NFC and the NFC
Subsidiary.
(f) NFC
has delivered to NPB true and correct copies of the articles of incorporation
and bylaws of NFC and Nittany Bank, and the articles of incorporation and bylaws
of each other NFC Subsidiary, each as in effect on the date hereof.
3.02
Capitalization.
(a) The
authorized capital stock of NFC consists of (i) 10,000,000 shares of common
stock, par value $.10 per share ("NFC Common Stock"), of which at the date
hereof 2,270,442 shares are validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and
nonassessable, and free of preemptive rights, and none are held as treasury
shares and (ii) 5,000,000 shares of serial preferred stock, no par value per
share, of which at the date hereof, no shares are issued and outstanding. NFC
has not issued nor is NFC bound by any subscription, option, warrant, call,
commitment, agreement or other Right of any character relating to the purchase,
sale, or issuance of, or right to receive dividends or other distributions on,
any shares of NFC Common Stock or any other security of NFC or any securities
representing the right to vote, purchase or otherwise receive any shares of NFC
Common Stock or any other security of NFC, except (i) for NFC Options for 90,909
shares of NFC Common Stock issued and outstanding under the NFC Stock Option
Plan and (ii) this Agreement.
(b) NFC owns,
directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock of Nittany Bank and the other
NFC Subsidiaries, free and clear of any liens, security interests, pledges,
charges, encumbrances, agreements and restrictions of any kind or nature. There
are no subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, commitments, agreements or other
Rights outstanding with respect to the capital stock of Nittany Bank or any
other NFC Subsidiary. Except for the NFC Subsidiaries, NFC does not possess,
directly or indirectly, any material equity interest in any corporation, except
for (i) equity interests in Nittany Bank's investment portfolio, (ii) equity
interests held in connection with Nittany Bank's commercial loan activities and
(iii) as set forth on NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.02(b).
(c) To the
Knowledge of NFC, except as set forth on NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.02(c) or as
disclosed in NFC’s proxy materials for its 2005 annual meeting of shareholders,
no person or group is the beneficial owner of 5% or more of the outstanding
shares of NFC Common Stock (the terms "person", "group" and "beneficial owner"
are as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, and the rules and
regulations thereunder).
3.03
Authority;
No Violation.
20
(a) NFC has
full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and,
except for the receipt of the approval of this Agreement by the shareholders of
NFC and receipt of all required approvals from Regulatory Authorities, to
consummate the Contemplated Transactions. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement by NFC and the consummation by NFC of the Contemplated Transactions
have been duly and validly approved by the unanimous vote of the Board of
Directors of NFC and, except for approval by the shareholders of NFC as required
by the BCL, no other corporate proceedings on the part of NFC are necessary to
consummate the Merger under the BCL. The affirmative vote of a majority of the
votes cast at the NFC Shareholders Meeting is sufficient to approve this
Agreement and the Merger. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and
delivered by NFC and constitutes the valid and binding obligation of NFC,
enforceable against NFC in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally
and subject, as to enforceability, to general principles of equity.
(b) The
execution and delivery of this Agreement by NFC, (i) subject to receipt of
approvals from the NFC shareholders and the Regulatory Authorities referred to
in Section 4.04 hereof and NFC's and NPB's compliance with any conditions
contained therein, the consummation of the Merger, and (ii) compliance by NFC or
any NFC Subsidiary with any of the terms or provisions hereof, does not and will
not:
(A)
conflict with or result in a breach of any provision of the respective articles
of incorporation or bylaws of NFC or any NFC Subsidiary;
(B)
violate any statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ, decree or
injunction applicable to NFC or any NFC Subsidiary or any of their respective
properties or assets; or
(C)
except as described in NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.03, violate, conflict with,
result in a breach of any provisions of, constitute a default (or an event
which, with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under,
result in the termination of, or acceleration of, the performance required by,
or result in a right of termination or acceleration or the creation of any lien,
security interest, charge or other encumbrance upon any of the properties or
assets of NFC or any NFC Subsidiary under any of the terms or conditions of any
note, bond, mortgage, indenture, license, lease, agreement, commitment or other
instrument or obligation to which NFC or any NFC Subsidiary is a party, or by
which they or any of their respective properties or assets may be bound or
affected,
excluding
from clauses (B) and (C) hereof, any items which, in the aggregate, would not
have a Material Adverse Effect.
3.04
Consents. No
consents or approvals of, or filings or registrations with, any public body or
authority are necessary, and except as described in NFC Disclosure Schedule
3.04, no consents or approvals of any third parties are necessary, in connection
with the execution and
21
delivery
of this Agreement by NFC or, subject to the consents, approvals, filings and
registrations from or with the Regulatory Authorities referred to in Section
4.04 hereof and compliance with any conditions contained therein and subject to
the approval of this Agreement by the shareholders of NFC as required under the
BCL, the consummation by NFC of the Contemplated Transactions.
3.05
Financial
Statements.
(a) NFC has
delivered to NPB the NFC Financials, except those pertaining to quarterly
periods commencing after June 30, 2005, which it will deliver to NPB within 45
days after the end of the respective quarter. The delivered NFC Financials
fairly present, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position,
results of operations and cash flows of NFC as of and for the periods ended on
the dates thereof, in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, and, in the
case of interim period financial statements, which are subject to normal
year-end adjustments and footnotes thereto.
(b) To the
Knowledge of NFC, NFC did not, as of the date of the balance sheets referred to
above, have any liabilities or obligations of any nature, whether absolute,
accrued, contingent or otherwise, which are not fully reflected or reserved
against in the balance sheets included in the NFC Financials at the date of such
balance sheets which would have been required to be reflected therein in
accordance with GAAP consistently applied or disclosed in a footnote thereto,
except for liabilities and obligations which were incurred in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice, and except for liabilities and
obligations which are within the subject matter of a specific representation and
warranty herein or which otherwise have not had a Material Adverse Effect.
3.06
No
Material Adverse Change. Neither
NFC nor any NFC Subsidiary has suffered any adverse change in their respective
assets, business, financial condition or results of operations since June 30,
2005 which change has had a Material Adverse Effect, it being understood that
the expenses incurred by NFC in connection with this Agreement and the Merger,
including, without limitation, the engagement of legal and financial advisors,
shall not constitute a Material Adverse Effect.
3.07
Taxes.
(a) NFC and
the NFC Subsidiaries are members of the same affiliated group within the meaning
of IRC Section 1504(a) of which NFC is a common parent. NFC has filed, and will
file, all material federal, state and local tax returns required to be filed by,
or with respect to, NFC and the NFC Subsidiaries on or prior to the Closing
Date, except to the extent that any failure to file or any inaccuracies would
not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and has
paid or will pay, or made or will make, provisions for the payment of all
federal, state and local taxes which are shown on such returns to be due for the
periods covered thereby from NFC or any NFC Subsidiary to any applicable taxing
authority, on or prior to the Closing Date, other than taxes which (i) are not
delinquent or are being contested in good faith, (ii) have not been finally
22
determined,
or (iii) the failure to pay would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a
Material Adverse Effect. Such
returns or reports are true, complete and correct in all material respects. NFC
and the NFC Subsidiaries have paid all taxes and other governmental charges
including all applicable interest and penalties set forth in such returns or
reports.
(b) There are
no liens on the assets of NFC and the NFC Subsidiaries relating to or
attributable to any taxes (other than taxes not yet due and payable). All
federal, state and local taxes and other governmental charges payable by NFC and
the NFC Subsidiaries have been paid or have been adequately accrued or reserved
for on such entity’s books in accordance with GAAP and banking regulations
applied on a consistent basis, except where failure to pay or accrue would not
have a Material Adverse Effect. Until the Effective Date, NFC and the NFC
Subsidiaries shall continue to reserve sufficient funds for the payment of
expected tax liabilities in accordance with GAAP and banking regulations applied
on a consistent basis.
(c) No
consent pursuant to IRC Section 341(f) has been filed, or will be filed prior to
the Closing Date, by or with respect to NFC or any NFC Subsidiary.
(d) To the
Knowledge of NFC, there are no material disputes pending, or claims asserted in
writing, for taxes or assessments upon NFC or any NFC Subsidiary, nor has NFC or
any NFC Subsidiary been requested in writing to give any currently effective
waivers extending the statutory period of limitation applicable to any federal,
state, county or local income tax return for any period.
(e) NFC and
the NFC Subsidiaries have withheld and paid all taxes required to have been
withheld and paid in connection with any amounts paid or owing to any employee,
except where failure to withhold or to pay such withholding would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(f) Neither
NFC nor the NFC Subsidiaries have constituted a “distributing corporation” or a
“controlled corporation” in a distribution of stock qualifying for tax-free
treatment under Section 355 of the Code (i) in the two years prior to the date
of this Agreement or (ii) in a distribution which could otherwise constitute
part of a “plan” or “series of related transactions” (within the meaning of
Section 355(e) of the Code) that includes the Merger.
3.08
Contracts.
(a) Except as
described in NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.08(a) or NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.12,
neither NFC nor any NFC Subsidiary is a party to or subject to:
(i) any
employment, consulting, severance, "change-in-control" or termination contract
or arrangement with any officer, director, employee, independent contractor,
agent or other person, except for "at will" arrangements;
(ii) any
plan, arrangement or contract providing for bonuses, pensions, options, deferred
compensation, retirement payments, profit sharing or similar arrangements for or
with any officer, director, employee, independent contractor, agent or other
person;
23
(iii) any
collective bargaining agreement with any labor union relating to
employees;
(iv) any
agreement which by its terms limits the payment of dividends by NFC or any NFC
Subsidiary other than generally applicable regulatory restrictions;
(v)
except in the ordinary course of business, any material instrument evidencing or
related to indebtedness for borrowed money, whether directly or indirectly, by
way of purchase money obligation, conditional sale, lease purchase, guaranty or
otherwise, in respect of which NFC or any NFC Subsidiary is an obligor to any
person, other than deposits, repurchase agreements, bankers acceptances and
"treasury tax and loan" accounts established in the ordinary course of business,
instruments relating to transactions entered into in the customary course of the
banking business of Nittany Bank, and transactions in "federal funds", or which
contains financial covenants or other restrictions, other than those relating to
the payment of principal and interest when due, which would be applicable on or
after the Closing Date;
(vi) any
contract, other than this Agreement, which restricts or prohibits it from
engaging in any type of business permissible under applicable law;
(vii) any
contract, plan or arrangement which provides for payments or benefits in certain
circumstances which, together with other payments or benefits payable to any
participant therein or party thereto, might render any portion of any such
payments or benefits subject to disallowance of deduction therefor as a result
of the application of Section 280G of the IRC;
(viii)
except in the ordinary course of business, any lease for real
property;
(ix) any
contract or arrangement with any broker-dealer or investment
adviser;
(x) any
investment advisory contract with any investment company registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940; or
(xi) any
contract or arrangement with, or membership in, any local clearing house or
self-regulatory organization.
(b) All
the contracts, plans, arrangements and instruments listed in NFC Disclosure
Schedule 3.08(a) or NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.12 are in full force and effect on
the date hereof, and neither NFC, any NFC Subsidiary nor, to the Knowledge of
NFC, any other party to any such contract, plan, arrangement or instrument, has
breached any provision of, or is in default under any term of, any such
contract, plan, arrangement or instrument the breach of which or default under
which will have a Material Adverse Effect, and, except as described in NFC
Disclosure Schedule 3.08(b) no party to any such contract, plan, arrangement or
instrument will have the right to terminate any or all of the provisions thereof
as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the termination
of which will have a Material Adverse Effect.
24
(c)
Except as otherwise described in NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.08(a) or NFC
Disclosure Schedule 3.12, no plan, employment agreement, termination agreement
or similar agreement or arrangement to which NFC or any NFC Subsidiary is a
party or by which NFC or any NFC Subsidiary may be bound:
(i) contains
provisions which permit an employee or an independent contractor to terminate it
without cause and continue to accrue future benefits thereunder;
(ii) provides
for acceleration in the vesting of benefits thereunder upon the occurrence of a
change in ownership or control or merger or other acquisition of NFC or any NFC
Subsidiary; or
(iii) requires
NFC or any NFC Subsidiary to provide a benefit in the form of NFC Common Stock
or determined by reference to the value of NFC Common Stock.
3.09
Ownership
of Property; Insurance Coverage.
(a) NFC and
each NFC Subsidiary has, and will have as to property acquired after the date
hereof, good, and as to real property, marketable, title to all material assets
and properties owned by NFC or such NFC Subsidiary, whether real or personal,
tangible or intangible, including securities, assets and properties reflected in
the balance sheets contained in the NFC Financials or acquired subsequent
thereto (except to the extent that such securities are held in any fiduciary or
agency capacity and except to the extent that such assets and properties have
been disposed of for fair value, in the ordinary course of business, or have
been disposed of as obsolete since the date of such balance sheets), subject to
no encumbrances, liens, mortgages, security interests or pledges,
except:
(i) those
items that secure liabilities for borrowed money and that are described in NFC
Disclosure Schedule 3.09(a) or permitted under Article V hereof;
(ii)
statutory liens for amounts not yet delinquent or which are being contested in
good faith;
(iii)
liens for current taxes not yet due and payable;
(iv)
pledges to secure deposits and other liens incurred in the ordinary course of
banking business;
(v) such
imperfections of title, easements and encumbrances, if any, as are not material
in character, amount or extent; and
(vi)
dispositions and encumbrances for adequate consideration in the ordinary course
of business.
25
NFC and
each NFC Subsidiary have the right under leases of material properties used by
NFC or such NFC Subsidiary in the conduct of their respective businesses to
occupy and use all such properties in all material respects as presently
occupied and used by them.
(b) With
respect to all agreements pursuant to which NFC or any NFC Subsidiary has
purchased securities subject to an agreement to resell, if any, NFC or such NFC
Subsidiary has a valid, perfected first lien or security interest in the
securities or other collateral securing the repurchase agreement, and the value
of such collateral equals or exceeds the amount of the debt secured thereby,
except to the extent that any failure to obtain such a lien or maintain such
collateral would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(c) NFC and
each NFC Subsidiary maintain insurance in amounts considered by NFC to be
reasonable for their respective operations, and such insurance is similar in
scope and coverage in all material respects to that maintained by other
businesses similarly situated. Neither NFC nor any NFC Subsidiary has received
notice from any insurance carrier that:
(i) such
insurance will be cancelled or that coverage thereunder will be reduced or
eliminated; or
(ii)
premium costs with respect to such insurance will be substantially
increased;
except to
the extent such cancellation, reduction, elimination or increase would not have
a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) NFC and
each NFC Subsidiary maintain such fidelity bonds and errors and omissions
insurance as may be customary or required under applicable laws or
regulations.
3.10
Legal
Proceedings. Except
as set forth on NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.10, neither NFC nor any NFC Subsidiary
is a party to any, and there are no pending or, to the Knowledge of NFC,
threatened, legal, administrative, arbitration or other proceedings, claims,
actions, customer complaints, or governmental investigations or regulatory
inquiries of any nature:
(a) against
NFC or any NFC Subsidiary;
(b) to which
the assets of NFC or any NFC Subsidiary are subject;
(c) challenging
the validity or propriety of any of the Contemplated Transactions;
or
(d) which
could materially adversely affect the ability of NFC, Nittany Bank or any other
NFC Subsidiary to perform their respective obligations under this Agreement or
to consummate the Bank Merger;
26
except
for any proceedings, claims, actions, customer complaints, investigations, or
inquiries referred to in clauses (a) or (b) which, individually or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
3.11
Compliance
with Applicable Law.
(a) NFC and
each NFC Subsidiary hold all licenses, franchises, permits and authorizations
necessary for the lawful conduct of their respective businesses under, and have
complied in all material respects with, applicable laws, statutes, orders, rules
or regulations of any Regulatory Authority relating to them, other than where
such failure to hold or such noncompliance will neither result in a limitation
in any material respect on the conduct of its businesses nor otherwise have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(b) NFC and
each NFC Subsidiary have filed all reports, registrations and statements,
together with any amendments required to be made with respect thereto, that they
were required to file with any Regulatory Authority, and have filed all other
reports and statements required to be filed by them, including without
limitation any report or statement required to be filed pursuant to the laws,
rules or regulations of the United States, any state or any Regulatory
Authority, and have paid all fees and assessments due and payable in connection
therewith, except where the failure to file such report, registration or
statement or to pay such fees and assessments, either individually or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) No
Regulatory Authority has initiated any proceeding or, to the Knowledge of NFC,
investigation into the business or operations of NFC or any NFC Subsidiary,
except where any such proceedings or investigations will not, individually or in
the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, or such proceedings or
investigations have been terminated or otherwise resolved.
(d) Neither
NFC nor any NFC Subsidiary has received any notification or communication from
any Regulatory Authority:
(i)
asserting that NFC or any NFC Subsidiary is not in substantial compliance with
any of the statutes, regulations or ordinances which such Regulatory Authority
enforces, unless such assertion has been waived, withdrawn or otherwise
resolved;
(ii)
threatening to revoke any license, franchise, permit or governmental
authorization which is material to NFC or any NFC Subsidiary;
(iii)
requiring or threatening to require NFC or any NFC Subsidiary, or indicating
that NFC or any NFC Subsidiary may be required, to enter into a cease and desist
order, agreement or memorandum of understanding or any other agreement
restricting or limiting, or purporting to restrict or limit, in any manner the
operations of NFC or any NFC Subsidiary, including without limitation any
restriction on the payment of dividends; or
27
(iv)
directing, restricting or limiting, or purporting to direct, restrict or limit,
in any manner the operations of NFC or any NFC Subsidiary (any such notice,
communication, memorandum, agreement or order described in this sentence herein
referred to as a "Regulatory Agreement");
in each
case except as heretofore disclosed to NPB.
(e) Neither
NFC nor any NFC Subsidiary has received, consented to, or entered into any
Regulatory Agreement, except as heretofore disclosed to NPB.
(f) To the
Knowledge of NFC, except as heretofore disclosed to NPB, there is no unresolved
violation, criticism, or exception by any Regulatory Authority with respect to
any Regulatory Agreement which if resolved in a manner adverse to NFC or any NFC
Subsidiary would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(g) There is
no injunction, order, judgment or decree imposed upon NFC or any NFC Subsidiary
or the assets of NFC or any NFC Subsidiary which has had, or, to the Knowledge
of NFC, would have, a Material Adverse Effect.
3.12
ERISA.
(a) NFC has
delivered to NPB true and complete copies of any employee pension benefit plans
within the meaning of ERISA Section 3(2), profit sharing plans, stock purchase
plans, deferred compensation and supplemental income plans, supplemental
executive retirement plans, annual incentive plans, group insurance plans, and
all other employee welfare benefit plans within the meaning of ERISA Section
3(1) (including vacation pay, sick leave, short-term disability, long-term
disability, and medical plans) and all other material employee benefit plans,
policies, agreements and arrangements, all of which are set forth in NFC
Disclosure Schedule 3.12, currently maintained or contributed to for the benefit
of the employees or former employees (including retired employees) and any
beneficiaries thereof or directors or former directors of NFC or any other
entity (a "NFC ERISA Affiliate") that, together with NFC, is treated as a single
employer under IRC Sections 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) (collectively, the "NFC
Benefit Plans"), together with:
(i) the
most recent actuarial (if any) and financial reports relating to those NFC
Benefit Plans which constitute "qualified plans" under IRC Section
401(a);
(ii) the
most recent Form 5500 (if any) relating to such NFC Benefit Plans filed with the
IRS; and
(iii) the
most recent IRS determination letters which pertain to any such NFC Benefit
Plans.
(b) Neither
NFC nor any NFC ERISA Affiliate, and no pension plan (within the meaning of
ERISA Section 3(2)) maintained or contributed to by NFC or any NFC ERISA
28
Affiliate,
has incurred any liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or to the
IRS with respect to any pension plan qualified under IRC Section 401(a), except
liabilities to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation pursuant to ERISA
Section 4007, all of which have been fully paid, nor has any reportable event
under ERISA Section 4043(b) (with respect to which the 30 day notice requirement
has not been waived) occurred with respect to any such pension
plan.
(c) Neither
NFC nor any NFC ERISA Affiliate has ever contributed to or otherwise incurred
any liability with respect to a multi-employer plan (within the meaning of ERISA
Section 3(37)).
(d) Each NFC
Benefit Plan has been maintained, operated and administered in compliance in all
respects with its terms and related documents or agreements and the applicable
provisions of all laws, including ERISA and the IRC, except where any such
non-compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(e) There is
no existing, or, to the Knowledge of NFC, contemplated, audit of any NFC Benefit
Plan by the IRS, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation or any other governmental authority. In addition, there are no
pending or threatened claims by, on behalf of or with respect to any NFC Benefit
Plan, or by or on behalf of any individual participant or beneficiary of any NFC
Benefit Plan, alleging any violation of ERISA or any other applicable laws, or
claiming benefits (other than claims for benefits not in dispute and expected to
be granted promptly in the ordinary course of business), nor to the Knowledge of
NFC, is there any basis for such claim.
(f) With
respect to any services which NFC or any NFC Subsidiary may provide as a
record-keeper, administrator, custodian, fiduciary, trustee or otherwise for any
plan, program, or arrangement subject to ERISA (other than any NFC Benefit
Plan), NFC and each NFC Subsidiary:
(i) have
correctly computed all contributions, payments or other amounts for which it is
responsible;
(ii) have
not engaged in any prohibited transactions (as defined in ERISA Section 406 for
which an exemption does not exist);
(iii)
have not breached any duty imposed by ERISA: and
(iv) have
not otherwise incurred any liability to the IRS, the Department of Labor, the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or to any beneficiary, fiduciary or
sponsor of any ERISA plan in the performance (or non-performance) of
services;
except
where any such action or inaction would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(g) NFC
Disclosure Schedule 3.12(g) sets forth a schedule of all payments and benefits
(including the acceleration of any rights or the continuation of any benefits)
which will or may be
29
made by
NFC, Nittany Bank or NPB with respect to any employee that will be characterized
as an “excess parachute payment,” within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(1) of
the IRC.
3.13.
State
Takeover Statutes. No
“business combination,” “fair price,” “control transaction,” “control share
acquisition,” or other similar antitakeover statute or regulation under state or
federal law or provision contained in the NFC’s articles of incorporation or
bylaws is applicable to the Contemplated Transactions.
3.14
Brokers
and Finders. Neither
NFC, any NFC Subsidiary, nor any of their respective officers, directors,
employees, independent contractors or agents, has employed any broker, finder,
investment banker or financial advisor, or incurred any liability for any fees
or commissions to any such person, in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, except for Xxxx Xxxx & Co. ("Xxxx Xxxx"),
whose engagement letter with NFC is included in NFC Disclosure Schedule
3.14.
3.15
Environmental
Matters.
(a) Except as
set forth on NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.15, to the Knowledge of NFC, neither NFC
nor any NFC Subsidiary, nor any property owned or operated by NFC or any NFC
Subsidiary, has been or is in violation of or liable under any Environmental
Law, except for such violations or liabilities that, individually or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth on NFC
Disclosure Schedule 3.15, there are no actions, suits or proceedings, or
demands, claims or notices, including without limitation notices, demand letters
or requests for information from any Regulatory Authority, instituted or
pending, or to the Knowledge of NFC, threatened, or any investigation pending,
relating to the liability of NFC or any NFC Subsidiary with respect to any
property owned or operated by NFC or any NFC Subsidiary under any Environmental
Law, except as to any such actions or other matters which would not result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except as
set forth on NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.15, to the Knowledge of NFC, no property,
now or formerly owned or operated by NFC or any NFC Subsidiary or on which NFC
or any NFC Subsidiary holds or held a mortgage or other security interest or has
foreclosed or taken a deed in lieu of foreclosure, has been listed or proposed
for listing on the National Priority List (“NPL”) under the Comprehensive
Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended
("CERCLA"), is listed on the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation
and Liabilities Information System (“CERCLIS”), or is listed or proposed to be
listed on any state list similar to the NPL or the CERCLIS, or is the subject of
federal, state or local enforcement actions or other investigations which may
lead to claims against NFC or any NFC Subsidiary for response costs, remedial
work, investigation, damage to natural resources or for personal injury or
property damage, including, but not limited to, claims under CERCLA, which would
have a Material Adverse Effect.
3.16
Business
of NFC. Except
as described in NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.16, since June 30, 2005, neither NFC
nor any NFC Subsidiary has, in any material respect:
30
(a) increased
the wages, salaries, compensation, pension or other employee benefits payable to
any executive officer, employee or director, except as is permitted in Section
5.01(d) of this Agreement;
(b) eliminated
employee benefits;
(c) deferred
routine maintenance of real property or leased premises;
(d) eliminated
a reserve where the liability related to such reserve has remained;
(e) failed to
depreciate capital assets in accordance with past practice or to eliminate
capital assets which are no longer used in its business; or
(f) had an
extraordinary reduction or deferral of ordinary or necessary
expenses.
3.17
CRA
Compliance. NFC and
Nittany Bank are in material compliance with the applicable provisions of the
CRA, and, as of the date hereof, Nittany Bank has received a CRA rating of
"satisfactory" or better from the OTS. To the Knowledge of NFC, there is no fact
or circumstance or set of facts or circumstances which would cause NFC or
Nittany Bank to fail to comply with such provisions in a manner which would have
a Material Adverse Effect.
3.18
Information
to be Supplied.
(a) The
information supplied by NFC for inclusion in the Registration Statement
(including the Prospectus/Proxy Statement) will not, at the time the
Registration Statement is declared effective pursuant to the Securities Act, and
as of the date the Prospectus/Proxy Statement is mailed to shareholders of NFC,
and up to and including the date of the NFC Shareholders Meeting, contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances
in which they were made, not misleading.
(b) The
information supplied by NFC for inclusion in the Applications will, at the time
each such document is filed with any Regulatory Authority and up to and
including the dates of any required regulatory approvals or consents, as such
Applications may be amended by subsequent filings, be accurate in all material
respects.
3.19
Related
Party Transactions.
(a) Except as
set forth on NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.19, or as is disclosed in the footnotes
to the NFC Financials, as of the date hereof, neither NFC nor any NFC Subsidiary
is a party to any transaction (including any loan or other credit accommodation
but excluding deposits in the ordinary course of business) with any Affiliate of
NFC or any NFC Subsidiary, and all such transactions were made on substantially
the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as
31
those
prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with other "persons" (as
defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations
thereunder), except with respect to variations in such terms as would not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except as
set forth in NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.19, as of the date hereof, no loan or
credit accommodation to any NFC Affiliate is presently in default or, during the
three-year period prior to the date of this Agreement, has been in material
default or has been restructured, modified or extended in any manner which would
have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Knowledge of NFC, as of the date hereof,
principal and interest with respect to any such loan or other credit
accommodation will be paid when due and the loan grade classification accorded
such loan or credit accommodation is appropriate.
3.20
Loans. All
loans reflected as assets in the NFC Financials are evidenced by notes,
agreements or other evidences of indebtedness which are true, genuine and
correct, and to the extent secured, are secured by valid liens and security
interests which have been perfected, excluding loans as to which the failure to
satisfy the foregoing standards would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
3.21
Allowance
for Loan Losses. The
allowance for loan losses shown, and to be shown, on the balance sheets
contained in the NFC Financials have been, and will be, established in
accordance with GAAP and all applicable regulatory criteria.
3.22
Reorganization. As of
the date hereof, NFC does not have any reason to believe that the Merger will
fail to qualify as a reorganization under Section 368(a) of the
IRC.
3.23
Fairness
Opinion. NFC has
received an opinion from Xxxx Xxxx to the effect that, as of the date hereof,
the consideration to be received by shareholders of NFC pursuant to this
Agreement is fair, from a financial point of view, to such
shareholders.
3.24
Securities
Documents. NFC has
delivered to NPB copies of:
(a) NFC's
annual reports on SEC Form 10-KSB for the years ended December 31, 2004 and
2003;
(b) NFC's
quarterly reports on SEC Form 10-QSB for the quarters ended March 31, 2005, and
June 30, 2005;
(c) all other
reports, registration statements and filings of NFC filed with the SEC since
January 1, 2005; and
(d) NFC's
proxy materials used in connection with its meetings of shareholders held in
2005 and 2004.
32
Such
reports and proxy materials complied, in all material respects, and all future
SEC reports, filings, and proxy materials will comply, in all material respects,
with the rules and regulations of the SEC to the extent applicable thereto, and
all such SEC reports, filings and proxy materials did not and will not, at the
time of their filing, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made,
not misleading.
3.25
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act Compliance.
(a) Each of
the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of NFC has
made all certifications required under Sections 302 and 906 of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the related rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder and under the Exchange Act (collectively, the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”)
with respect to NFC’s SEC reports, and NFC has made available to NPB a summary
of any disclosure made by NFC’s management to the NFC’s auditors and audit
committee referred to in such certifications. For purposes of the preceding
sentence, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall
have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.
(b) NFC has
(i) designed disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e)
and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) to ensure that material information
relating to NFC, including its consolidated Subsidiaries, is made known to its
principal executive officer and principal financial officer; (ii) designed
internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and
15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) to provide reasonable assurance regarding the
reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements
for external purposes in accordance with GAAP; (iii) evaluated the effectiveness
of NFC’s disclosure controls and procedures and, to the extent required by
applicable law, presented in any applicable NFC SEC reports that is a report on
Form 10-KSB or Form 10-QSB or any amendment thereto its conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the
period covered by such report or amendment based on such evaluation; and (iv) to
the extent required by applicable law, disclosed in such report or amendment any
change in NFC’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
the period covered by such report or amendment that has materially affected, or
is reasonably likely to materially affect, NFC’s internal control over financial
reporting.
(c) To NFC’s
Knowledge, NFC does not have any (i) significant deficiencies or material
weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial
reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect NFC’s ability to
record, process, summarize and report financial information, and (ii) no fraud,
whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a
significant role in NFC’s internal control over financial reporting, has
occurred since January 1, 2002.
(d) Since
July 30, 2002, NFC has been in compliance in all material respects with the
applicable requirements of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act in effect from time to time.
NFC Disclosure Schedule 3.25 sets forth, as of the date hereof, a schedule of
all officers and directors of NFC
33
who may
have outstanding loans from NFC, and there has been no default on, or
forgiveness or waiver of, in whole or in part, any such loan during the two
years immediately preceding the date hereof.
3.26
Quality
of Representations.
No
representation or warranty of NFC in this Agreement and no statement in the NFC
Disclosure Schedule omits to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements herein or therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were
made, not misleading. No notice given pursuant to Section 5.06 will contain
any untrue statement or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein or in this Agreement, in light of the circumstances in which
they were made, not misleading.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF NPB
NPB
hereby represents and warrants to NFC as follows:
4.01
Organization.
(a) NPB
is a corporation duly incorporated and validly subsisting under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. NPB is a bank holding company duly registered
under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. NPB has the corporate
power to carry on its businesses and operations as now being conducted and to
own and operate the properties and assets now owned and being operated by it.
NPB is duly licensed, registered or qualified to do business in each
jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it or the
character or location of the properties and assets owned or leased by it makes
such licensing, registration or qualification necessary, except where the
failure to be so licensed, registered or qualified will not have a Material
Adverse Effect, and all such licenses, registrations and qualifications are in
full force and effect in all material respects.
(b)
NPBank is a national banking association duly organized and validly existing
under the laws of the United States. NPBank has the corporate power to carry on
its business and operations as now being conducted and to own and operate the
properties and assets now owned and being operated by it. NPBank is duly
licensed, registered or qualified to do business in each jurisdiction in which
the nature of the business conducted by it or the character or location of the
properties and assets owned or leased by it makes such licensing, registration
or qualification necessary, except where the failure to be so licensed,
registered or qualified will not have a Material Adverse Effect, and all such
licenses, registrations and qualifications are in full force and effect in all
material respects.
(c) The
deposits of NPBank are insured by the Bank Insurance Fund of the FDIC to the
extent provided in the Federal Deposit Insurance Act.
34
(d) NPB
has no Subsidiaries other than those identified in NPB Disclosure Schedule
4.01(d).
(e) The
respective minute books of NPB and each NPB Subsidiary accurately record, in all
material respects, all material corporate actions of their respective
shareholders and boards of directors, including committees, in each case in
accordance with the normal business practice of NPB and the NPB
Subsidiary.
(f) NPB
has delivered to NFC true and correct copies of the respective articles of
incorporation, articles of association and bylaws of NPB and NPBank, as in
effect on the date hereof.
4.02
Capitalization.
(a) The
authorized capital stock of NPB consists of (a) 62,500,000 shares of common
stock, without par value ("NPB Common Stock"), of which, as of August 25, 2005
and without giving effect to the NPB Stock Split, 10,284 shares are validly
issued and held by NPB as treasury stock and 34,778,493 shares are validly
issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable and free of preemptive
rights, and (b) 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, without par value, of which
none are issued. NPB has not issued nor is NPB bound by any subscription,
option, warrant, call, commitment, agreement or other Right of any character
relating to the purchase, sale, or issuance of, or right to receive dividends or
other distributions on, any shares of NPB Common Stock or any other security of
NPB or any securities representing the right to vote, purchase or otherwise
receive any shares of NPB Common Stock or any other security of NPB, except (i)
for options to acquire shares of NPB Common Stock issued under NPB's various
stock option plans, (ii) pursuant to NPB's employee stock purchase plan,
dividend reinvestment plan and directors' fee plan, (iii) pursuant to the Rights
Agreement, (iv) pursuant to this Agreement, and (v) pursuant to the NPB Stock
Split.
(b) NPB owns,
directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock of NPBank and the other NPB
Subsidiaries, free and clear of any liens, security interests, pledges, charges,
encumbrances, agreements and restrictions of any kind or nature. There are no
subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, commitments, agreements or other Rights
outstanding with respect to the capital stock of NPBank or any other NPB
Subsidiary. Except for the NPB Subsidiaries, NPB does not possess, directly or
indirectly, any material equity interest in any corporation, except for equity
interests in the investment portfolios of NPB's Subsidiaries, equity interests
held by NPB's Subsidiaries in a fiduciary capacity, and equity interests held in
connection with the commercial loan activities of NPB's
Subsidiaries.
(c) To the
Knowledge of NPB, except as set forth on NPB Disclosure Schedule 4.02(c) or as
disclosed in NPB’s proxy materials for its 2005 annual meeting of shareholders,
no person or group is the beneficial owner of 5% or more of the outstanding
shares of NPB Common Stock (the terms "person", "group" and "beneficial owner"
are as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, and the rules and
regulations thereunder).
35
4.03
Authority;
No Violation.
(a) NPB has
full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to
consummate the Contemplated Transactions. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement by NPB and the consummation by NPB of the Contemplated Transactions
(including, without limitation, the issuance of the Adjusted NFC Options) have
been duly and validly approved by the Board of Directors of NPB by unanimous
vote and no other corporate proceedings on the part of NPB are necessary to
consummate the Merger. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and
delivered by NPB and constitutes the valid and binding obligation of NPB,
enforceable against NPB in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally
and subject, as to enforceability, to general principles of equity.
(b) The
execution and delivery of this Agreement by NPB, (i) subject to receipt of
approvals from the Regulatory Authorities referred to in Section 4.04 hereof and
NPB's and NFC's compliance with any conditions contained therein, (ii) the
consummation of the Contemplated Transactions, and (iii) compliance by NPB with
any of the terms or provisions hereof, do not and will not:
(A)
conflict with or result in a breach of any provision of the respective articles
of incorporation, articles of association or bylaws of NPB or any NPB
Subsidiary;
(B)
violate any statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ, decree or
injunction applicable to NPB or any NPB Subsidiary or any of their respective
properties or assets; or
(C)
violate, conflict with, result in a breach of any provisions of, constitute a
default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time, or both, would
constitute a default) under, result in the termination of, or acceleration of
the performance required by, or result in a right of termination or acceleration
or the creation of any lien, security interest, charge or other encumbrance upon
any of the properties or assets of NPB or any NPB Subsidiary under, any of the
terms or conditions of any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, license, lease,
agreement, commitment or other instrument or obligation to which NPB or any NPB
Subsidiary is a party, or by which they or any of their respective properties or
assets may be bound or affected,
excluding
from clauses (B) and (C) any such items which, in the aggregate, would not have
a Material Adverse Effect.
4.04
Consents. Except
for consents and approvals of, or filings with, the SEC, the FRB, the PDB, the
NASD and state securities or "blue sky" authorities, no consents or approvals
of, or filings or registrations with, any public body or authority are necessary
in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by NPB or the
consummation of the Contemplated Transactions.
36
4.05
Financial
Statements.
(a) NPB
has delivered to NFC the NPB Financials, except those pertaining to quarterly
periods commencing after June 30, 2005, which it will deliver to NFC within 45
days after the end of the respective quarter. The delivered NPB Financials
fairly present, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position,
results of operations and cash flows of NPB as of and for the periods ended on
the dates thereof, in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, and, in the
case of interim period financial statements, which are subject to normal
year-end adjustments and footnotes thereto.
(b) To
the Knowledge of NPB, NPB did not have any liabilities or obligations of any
nature, whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise, which are not fully
reflected or reserved against in the balance sheets included in the NPB
Financials at the date of such balance sheets which would have been required to
be reflected therein in accordance with GAAP consistently applied or disclosed
in a footnote thereto, except for liabilities and obligations which were
incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, and
except for liabilities and obligations which are within the subject matter of a
specific representation and warranty herein or which otherwise have not had a
Material Adverse Effect.
4.06
No
Material Adverse Change. Neither
NPB nor any NPB Subsidiary has suffered any adverse change in their respective
assets, business, financial condition or results of operations since June 30,
2005 which change has had a Material Adverse Effect.
4.07
Taxes.
(a) NPB and
the NPB Subsidiaries are members of the same affiliated group within the meaning
of IRC Section 1504(a) of which NPB is the common parent. NPB has filed, and
will file, all material federal, state and local tax returns required to be
filed by, or with respect to, NPB and the NPB Subsidiaries on or prior to the
Closing Date, except to the extent that any failure to file or any inaccuracies
would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and
has paid or will pay, or made or will make, provisions for the payment of all
federal, state and local taxes which are shown on such returns to be due for the
periods covered thereby from NPB or any NPB Subsidiary to any applicable taxing
authority, on or prior to the Closing Date, other than taxes which (i) are not
delinquent or are being contested in good faith, (ii) have not been finally
determined, or (iii) the failure to pay would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Such
returns or reports are true, complete and correct in all material respects. NFC
and the NFC Subsidiaries have paid all taxes and other governmental charges
including all applicable interest and penalties set forth in such returns or
reports.
(b) There are
no liens on the assets of NPB and the NPB Subsidiaries relating to or
attributable to any taxes (other than taxes not yet due and payable). All
federal, state and local taxes and other governmental charges payable by NPB and
the NPB Subsidiaries have been paid or have been adequately accrued or reserved
for on such entity’s books in accordance with GAAP and banking regulations
applied on a consistent basis, except where failure to pay or
37
accrue
would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Until the Effective Date, NPB and the
NPB Subsidiaries shall continue to reserve sufficient funds for the payment of
expected tax liabilities in accordance with GAAP and banking regulations applied
on a consistent basis.
(c) To the
Knowledge of NPB, there are no material disputes pending, or claims asserted in
writing, for taxes or assessments upon NPB or any NPB Subsidiary, nor has NPB or
any NPB Subsidiary been requested in writing to give any currently effective
waivers extending the statutory period of limitation applicable to any federal,
state, county or local income tax return for any period.
(d) NPB and
the NPB Subsidiaries have withheld and paid all taxes required to have been
withheld and paid in connection with any amounts paid or owing to any employee,
except where failure to withhold or to pay such withholding would not have a
Material Adverse Effect.
4.08
Contracts. Except
as described on NPB Disclosure Schedule 4.08, neither NPB nor any NPB Subsidiary
is a party to or subject to: (i) any agreement which by its terms limits the
payment of dividends by NPB or any NPB Subsidiary, or (ii) any contract, other
than this Agreement, which restricts or prohibits it from engaging in any type
of business permissible under applicable law.
4.09
Ownership
of Property; Insurance Coverage.
(a) NPB and
each NPB Subsidiary has, and will have as to property acquired after the date
hereof, good, and as to real property, marketable, title to all material assets
and properties owned by NPB or such NPB Subsidiary, whether real or personal,
tangible or intangible, including securities, assets and properties reflected in
the balance sheets contained in the NPB Financials or acquired subsequent
thereto (except to the extent that such securities are held in any fiduciary or
agency capacity and except to the extent that such assets and properties have
been disposed of for fair value, in the ordinary course of business, or have
been disposed of as obsolete since the date of such balance sheets), subject to
no encumbrances, liens, mortgages, security interests or pledges,
except:
(i) those
items that secure liabilities for borrowed money and that are described in NPB
Disclosure Schedule 4.08 or permitted under Article V hereof;
(ii)
statutory liens for amounts not yet delinquent or which are being contested in
good faith;
(iii)
liens for current taxes not yet due and payable;
(iv)
pledges to secure deposits and other liens incurred in the ordinary course of
banking business;
(v) such
imperfections of title, easements and encumbrances, if any, as are not material
in character, amount or extent; and
38
(vi)
dispositions and encumbrances for adequate consideration in the ordinary course
of business.
NPB and
each NPB Subsidiary have the right under leases of material properties used by
NPB or such NPB Subsidiary in the conduct of their respective businesses to
occupy and use all such properties in all material respects as presently
occupied and used by them.
(b) With
respect to all agreements pursuant to which NPB or any NPB Subsidiary has
purchased securities subject to an agreement to resell, if any, NPB or such NPB
Subsidiary has a valid, perfected first lien or security interest in the
securities or other collateral securing the repurchase agreement, and the value
of such collateral equals or exceeds the amount of the debt secured thereby,
except to the extent that any failure to obtain such a lien or maintain such
collateral would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse
Effect.
(c) NPB and
each NPB Subsidiary maintain insurance in amounts considered by NPB to be
reasonable for their respective operations, and such insurance is similar in
scope and coverage in all material respects to that maintained by other
businesses similarly situated. Neither NPB nor any NPB Subsidiary has received
notice from any insurance carrier that:
(i) such
insurance will be cancelled or that coverage thereunder will be reduced or
eliminated; or
(ii)
premium costs with respect to such insurance will be substantially
increased;
except to
the extent such cancellation, reduction, elimination or increase would not have
a Material Adverse Effect.
(d) NPB and
each NPB Subsidiary maintain such fidelity bonds and errors and omissions
insurance as may be customary or required under applicable laws or
regulations.
4.10
Financing. At the
Effective Date, NPB will have available cash sufficient to pay the amounts
required to be paid and will have duly reserved sufficient shares of NPB Common
Stock to be issued to NFC shareholders pursuant to this Agreement, upon
consummation of the Merger.
4.11
Legal
Proceedings.
Except as
described in NPB Disclosure Schedule 4.11, neither
NPB nor any NPB Subsidiary is a party to any, and there are no pending or, to
the Knowledge of NPB, threatened, legal, administrative, arbitration or other
proceedings, claims, actions, customer complaints, or governmental
investigations or regulatory inquiries of any nature:
(a) against
NPB or any NPB Subsidiary;
(b) to which
the assets of NPB or any NPB Subsidiary are subject;
39
(c) challenging
the validity or propriety of any of the Contemplated Transactions;
or
(d) which
could materially adversely affect the ability of NPB or any other NPB Subsidiary
to perform their respective obligations under this Agreement;
except
for any proceedings, claims, actions, customer complaints, investigations, or
inquiries referred to in clauses (a) or (b) which, individually or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
4.12
Compliance
with Applicable Law.
(a) NPB and
each NPB Subsidiary hold all licenses, franchises, permits and authorizations
necessary for the lawful conduct of their respective businesses under, and have
complied in all material respects with, applicable laws, statutes, orders, rules
or regulations of any Regulatory Authority relating to them, other than where
such failure to hold or such noncompliance will neither result in a limitation
in any material respect on the conduct of their respective businesses nor
otherwise have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) NPB and
each NPB Subsidiary have filed all reports, registrations and statements,
together with any amendments required to be made with respect thereto, that they
were required to file with any Regulatory Authority, and have filed all other
reports and statements required to be filed by them, including without
limitation any report or statement required to be filed pursuant to the laws,
rules or regulations of the United States, any state or any Regulatory
Authority, and have paid all fees and assessments due and payable in connection
therewith, except where the failure to file such report, registration or
statement or to pay such fees and assessments, either individually or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) No
Regulatory Authority has initiated any proceeding or, to the Knowledge of NPB,
investigation into the businesses or operations of NPB or any of its
Subsidiaries, except where any such proceedings or investigations will not,
individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, or such
proceedings or investigations have been terminated or otherwise
resolved.
(d) Neither
NPB nor any NPB Subsidiary has received any notification or communication from
any Regulatory Authority:
(i)
asserting that NPB or any NPB Subsidiary is not in substantial compliance with
any of the statutes, regulations or ordinances which such Regulatory Authority
enforces, unless such assertion has been waived, withdrawn or otherwise
resolved;
(ii)
threatening to revoke any license, franchise, permit or governmental
authorization which is material to NPB or any NPB Subsidiary;
(iii)
requiring or threatening to require NPB or any NPB Subsidiary, or indicating
that NPB or any NPB Subsidiary may be required, to enter into a cease and desist
order, agreement
40
or
memorandum of understanding or any other agreement restricting or limiting, or
purporting to restrict or limit, in any manner the operations of NPB or any NPB
Subsidiary, including without limitation any restriction on the payment of
dividends; or
(iv)
directing, restricting or limiting, or purporting to direct, restrict or limit,
in any manner the operations of NPB or any NPB Subsidiary (any such notice,
communication, memorandum, agreement or order described in this sentence herein
referred to as a "Regulatory Agreement");
in each
case except as heretofore disclosed to NFC.
(e) Neither
NPB nor any NPB Subsidiary has received, consented to, or entered into any
Regulatory Agreement except as heretofore disclosed to NFC.
(f) To the
Knowledge of NPB, there is no unresolved violation, criticism, or exception by
any Regulatory Authority with respect to any Regulatory Agreement which if
resolved in a manner adverse to NPB or any NPB Subsidiary would have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(g) There is
no injunction, order, judgment or decree imposed upon NPB or any NPB Subsidiary
or the assets of NPB or any NPB Subsidiary which has had, or, to the Knowledge
of NPB, would have, a Material Adverse Effect.
4.13
ERISA.
(a) NPB has
delivered to NFC true and complete copies of any employee pension benefit plans
within the meaning of ERISA Section 3(2), profit sharing plans, stock purchase
plans, deferred compensation and supplemental income plans, supplemental
executive retirement plans, annual incentive plans, group insurance plans, and
all other employee welfare benefit plans within the meaning of ERISA Section
3(1) (including vacation pay, sick leave, short-term disability, long-term
disability, and medical plans) and all other material employee benefit plans,
policies, agreements and arrangements, all of which are set forth in NPB
Disclosure Schedule 4.13, currently maintained or contributed to for the benefit
of the employees or former employees (including retired employees) and any
beneficiaries thereof or directors or former directors of NPB or any other
entity (an "NPB ERISA Affiliate") that, together with NPB, is treated as a
single employer under IRC Sections 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) (collectively, the "NPB
Benefit Plans"), together with:
(i) the most
recent actuarial (if any) and financial reports relating to those NPB Benefit
Plans which constitute "qualified plans" under IRC Section 401(a);
(ii) the most
recent Form 5500 (if any) relating to such NPB Benefit Plans filed by them,
respectively, with the IRS; and
(iii) the
most recent IRS determination letters which pertain to any such NPB Benefit
Plans.
41
(b) Neither
NPB nor any NPB ERISA Affiliate, and no pension plan (within the meaning of
ERISA Section 3(2)) maintained or contributed to by NPB or any NPB ERISA
Affiliate, has incurred any liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation or to the IRS with respect to any pension plan qualified under IRC
Section 401(a), except liabilities to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
pursuant to ERISA Section 4007, all of which have been fully paid, nor has any
reportable event under ERISA Section 4043(b) (with respect to which the 30 day
notice requirement has not been waived) occurred with respect to any such
pension plan.
(c) Neither
NPB nor any NPB ERISA Affiliate has ever contributed to or otherwise incurred
any liability with respect to a multi-employer plan (within the meaning of ERISA
Section 3(37)).
(d) Each NPB
Benefit Plan has been maintained, operated and administered in compliance in all
respects with its terms and related documents or agreements and the applicable
provisions of all laws, including ERISA and the IRC, except where any such
non-compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(e) There is
no existing, or, to the Knowledge of NPB, contemplated, audit of any NPB Benefit
Plan by the IRS, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation or any other governmental authority. In addition, there are no
pending or threatened claims by, on behalf of or with respect to any NPB Benefit
Plan, or by or on behalf of any individual participant or beneficiary of any NPB
Benefit Plan, alleging any violation of ERISA or any other applicable laws, or
claiming benefits (other than claims for benefits not in dispute and expected to
be granted promptly in the ordinary course of business), nor to the Knowledge of
NPB, is there any basis for such claim.
(f) With
respect to any services which NPB or any NPB Subsidiary may provide as a
record-keeper, administrator, custodian, fiduciary, trustee or otherwise for any
plan, program, or arrangement subject to ERISA (other than any NPB Benefit
Plan), NPB and each NPB Subsidiary:
(i) have
correctly computed all contributions, payments or other amounts for which it is
responsible;
(ii) have
not engaged in any prohibited transactions (as defined in ERISA Section 406 for
which an exemption does not exist);
(iii)
have not breached any duty imposed by ERISA: and
(iv) have
not otherwise incurred any liability to the IRS, the Department of Labor, the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or to any beneficiary, fiduciary or
sponsor of any ERISA plan in the performance (or non-performance) of
services;
except
where any such action or inaction would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
42
4.14
Brokers
and Finders. Neither
NPB, any NPB Subsidiary, nor any of their respective officers, directors,
employees, independent contractors or agents, has employed any broker, finder,
investment banker or financial advisor, or incurred any liability for any fees
or commissions to any such person, in connection with the Contemplated
Transactions, except for Sandler X’Xxxxx & Partners, LP ("Sandler") whose
engagement letter with NPB is included in NPB Disclosure Schedule
4.14.
4.15
Environmental
Matters.
(a) Except as
set forth on NPB Disclosure Schedule 4.15, to the Knowledge of NPB, neither NPB,
any NPB Subsidiary, nor any property owned or operated by NPB or any NPB
Subsidiary, has been or is in violation of or liable under any Environmental
Law, except for such violations or liabilities that, individually or in the
aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth on NPB
Disclosure Schedule 4.15, there are no actions, suits or proceedings, or
demands, claims or notices, including without limitation notices, demand letters
or requests for information from any Regulatory Authority, instituted or
pending, or to the Knowledge of NPB, threatened, or any investigation pending,
relating to the liability of NPB or any NPB Subsidiary with respect to any
property owned or operated by NPB or any NPB Subsidiary under any Environmental
Law, except as to any such actions or other matters which would not result in a
Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except as
set forth on NPB Disclosure Schedule 4.15, to the Knowledge of NPB no property,
now or formerly owned or operated by NPB or any NPB Subsidiary or on which NPB
or any NPB Subsidiary holds or held a mortgage or other security interest or has
foreclosed or taken a deed in lieu of foreclosure, has been listed or proposed
for listing on the NPL under CERCLA, is listed on the CERCLIS, or is listed or
proposed to be listed on any state list similar to the NPL or the CERCLIS, or is
the subject of federal, state or local enforcement actions or other
investigations which may lead to claims against NPB or any NPB Subsidiary for
response costs, remedial work, investigation, damage to natural resources or for
personal injury or property damage, including, but not limited to, claims under
CERCLA, which would have a Material Adverse Effect.
4.16
Business
of NPB. Since
June 30, 2005, neither NPB nor any NPB Subsidiary has, in any material
respect:
(a) increased
the wages, salaries, compensation, pension or other employee benefits payable to
any executive officer, employee or director;
(b) eliminated
employee benefits;
(c) deferred
routine maintenance of real property or leased premises;
(d) eliminated
a reserve where the liability related to such reserve has remained;
43
(e) failed to
depreciate capital assets in accordance with past practice or to eliminate
capital assets which are no longer used in its business; or
(f) had an
extraordinary reduction or deferral of ordinary or necessary
expenses.
4.17
CRA
Compliance. NPB and
NPBank are in material compliance with the applicable provisions of the CRA,
and, as of the date hereof, NPBank has received a CRA rating of "satisfactory"
or better from the OCC. To the Knowledge of NPB, there is no fact or
circumstance or set of facts or circumstances which would cause NPBank to fail
to comply with such provisions in a manner which would have a Material Adverse
Effect.
4.18
Allowance
for Loan Losses. The
allowance for loan losses shown, and to be shown, on the balance sheets
contained in the NPB Financials have been, and will be, established in
accordance with GAAP and all applicable regulatory criteria.
4.19
Information
to be Supplied.
(a) The
information supplied by NPB for inclusion in the Registration Statement
(including the Prospectus/Proxy Statement) will not, as of the date the
Registration Statement is declared effective pursuant to the Securities Act, and
as of the date the Prospectus/Proxy Statement is mailed to shareholders of NFC,
and up to and including the date of the NFC Shareholders Meeting, contain any
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances
in which they were made, not misleading.
(b) The
information supplied by NPB for inclusion in the Applications will, at the time
each such document is filed with any Regulatory Authority and up to and
including the dates of any required regulatory approvals or consents, as such
Applications may be amended by subsequent filings, be accurate in all material
respects.
4.20
Related
Party Transactions.
(a) Except as
set forth on NPB Disclosure Schedule 4.20 or in the footnotes to the NPB
Financials, as of the date hereof, neither NPB nor any NPB Subsidiary is a party
to any transaction (including any loan or other credit accommodation but
excluding deposits in the ordinary course of business) with any Affiliate of NPB
or any NPB Subsidiary, and all such transactions were made on substantially the
same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the
time for comparable transactions with other "persons" (as defined in Section
13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder), except with
respect to variations in such terms as would not, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Except as
set forth in NPB Disclosure Schedule 4.20, as of the date hereof, no loan or
credit accommodation to any Affiliate of NPB or any NPB Subsidiary is presently
in default or, during the three-year period prior to the date of this Agreement,
has been in material default or has
44
been
restructured, modified or extended in any manner which would have a Material
Adverse Effect. To the Knowledge of NPB, as of the date hereof, principal and
interest with respect to any such loan or other credit accommodation will be
paid when due and the loan grade classification accorded such loan or credit
accommodation is appropriate.
4.21
Loans. All
loans reflected as assets in the NPB Financials are evidenced by notes,
agreements or other evidences of indebtedness which are true, genuine and
correct, and to the extent secured, are secured by valid liens and security
interests which have been perfected, excluding loans as to which the failure to
satisfy the foregoing standards would not have a Material Adverse
Effect.
4.22
Reorganization. As of
the date hereof, NPB does not have any reason to believe that the Merger will
fail to qualify as a reorganization under Section 368(a) of the IRC. NPB shall
not take any action which would preclude the Merger from qualifying as a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368 of the IRC.
4.23
Fairness
Opinion. NPB has
received an opinion from Sandler to the effect that, as of the date hereof, the
consideration to be paid by NPB pursuant to this Agreement is fair, from a
financial point of view, to NPB and the NPB Shareholders.
4.24
NPB
Common Stock. NPB has
(and will have as of the Effective Date) sufficient authorized but unissued
shares of NPB Common Stock to satisfy its obligations to issue shares of NPB
Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement including upon the exercise of Adjusted
NFC Options. The shares of NPB Common Stock to be issued and delivered to NFC
shareholders in accordance with this Agreement, and the shares of NPB Common
Stock issuable pursuant to the Adjusted NFC Options, when so issued and
delivered, will be duly authorized and validly issued and fully paid and
non-assessable, and no shareholder of NPB shall have any pre-emptive right with
respect thereto.
4.25
Securities
Documents. NPB has
delivered to NFC copies of:
(a) NPB's
annual reports on SEC Form 10-K for the years ended December 31, 2004 and
2003;
(b) NPB’s
quarterly reports on SEC Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2005 and
June 30, 2005;
(c) all
other reports, registration statements and filings of NPB filed with the SEC
since January 1, 2005; and
(d) NPB's
proxy materials used in connection with its meetings of shareholders held in
2005 and 2004.
Such
reports and proxy materials complied, in all material respects, and any future
SEC reports, filings, and proxy materials will comply, in all material respects,
with the rules and regulations of
45
the SEC
to the extent applicable thereto. All such SEC reports, filings and proxy
materials did not and will not, at the time of their filing, contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.
4.26
Rights
Agreement. No
event or circumstance has occurred resulting in, and the execution of this
Agreement by NPB and consummation of the Contemplated Transactions will not
result in the grant, issuance or triggering of any right or entitlement or the
obligation to grant or issue any interest in NPB Common Stock or enable or allow
any right or other interest associated with the Rights Agreement to be
exercised, distributed or triggered.
4.27
"Well
Capitalized". NPB and
NPBank are "well capitalized" within the meaning of the FRB's and OCC's
regulations, respectively. NPB and NPBank will be "well capitalized" on the
Closing Date.
4.28
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act Compliance.
(a) Each of
the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer of NPB has
made all certifications required under Sections 302 and 906 of the
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 and the related rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder and under the Exchange Act (collectively, the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”)
with respect to NPB’s SEC reports, and NPB has made available to NPB a summary
of any disclosure made by NPB’s management to the NPB’s auditors and audit
committee referred to in such certifications. For purposes of the preceding
sentence, “principal executive officer” and “principal financial officer” shall
have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.
(b) NPB has
(i) designed disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e)
and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) to ensure that material information
relating to NPB, including its consolidated Subsidiaries, is made known to its
principal executive officer and principal financial officer; (ii) designed
internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and
15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) to provide reasonable assurance regarding the
reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements
for external purposes in accordance with GAAP; (iii) evaluated the effectiveness
of NPB’s disclosure controls and procedures and, to the extent required by
applicable law, presented in any applicable NPB SEC reports that is a report on
Form 10-K or Form 10-Q or any amendment thereto its conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the
period covered by such report or amendment based on such evaluation; and (iv) to
the extent required by applicable law, disclosed in such report or amendment any
change in NPB’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during
the period covered by such report or amendment that has materially affected, or
is reasonably likely to materially affect, NPB’s internal control over financial
reporting.
(c) To NPB’s
Knowledge, except as disclosed in NPB Disclosure Schedule 4.28(c) or in NPB’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 or subsequently
filed Form 10-Qs: (i) NPB does not have any significant deficiencies or material
weaknesses in
46
the
design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
reasonably likely to adversely affect NPB’s ability to record, process,
summarize and report financial information, and (ii) no fraud, whether or not
material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant
role in NPB’s internal control over financial reporting, has occurred since
January 1, 2002.
(d) Since
July 30, 2002, NPB has been in compliance in all material respects with the
applicable requirements of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act in effect from time to time.
NPB Disclosure Schedule 4.28(d) sets forth, as of the date hereof, a schedule of
all officers and directors of NPB who may have outstanding loans from NPB, and
there has been no default on, or forgiveness or waiver of, in whole or in part,
any such loan during the two years immediately preceding the date
hereof.
4.29
Quality
of Representations.
No
representation or warranty of NPB in this Agreement and no statement in the NPB
Disclosure Schedule omits to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements herein or therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were
made, not misleading. No notice given pursuant to Section 5.06 will contain
any untrue statement or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein or in this Agreement, in light of the circumstances in which
they were made, not misleading.
ARTICLE
V
COVENANTS
OF THE PARTIES
5.01
Conduct
of NFC's Business. Through
the Closing Date, NFC shall, and shall cause each NFC Subsidiary to, in all
material respects, conduct its businesses and engage in transactions only in the
ordinary course and consistent with past practice, except as otherwise required
or contemplated by this Agreement or with the written consent of NPB. NFC shall,
and shall cause each NFC Subsidiary to, use its reasonable good faith efforts to
preserve its business organization intact, maintain good relationships with
employees, and preserve the good will of customers of NFC or the NFC
Subsidiaries and others with whom business relationships exist, provided that
non-customer contact job vacancies that occur prior to the Effective Date
through attrition shall not be filled or any new employees hired, in each case
without the prior written consent of NPB, such consent not to be unreasonably
withheld. NFC shall have the right to replace customer contact employees in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice. Through the Closing
Date, except as otherwise consented to in writing by NPB (such consent shall not
be unreasonably withheld) or as permitted by this Agreement, NFC shall not, and
shall not permit any NFC Subsidiary to:
(a)
change any provision of its articles of incorporation or of its
bylaws;
(b)
change the number of authorized or issued shares of its capital stock;
repurchase any shares of capital stock; or issue or grant any option, warrant,
call, commitment, subscription, Right
47
or
agreement of any character relating to its authorized or issued capital stock or
any securities convertible into shares of capital stock; declare, set aside or
pay any dividend or other distribution in respect of capital stock; or redeem or
otherwise acquire any shares of NFC capital stock; except that:
(i) NFC
may issue shares of NFC Common Stock upon the valid exercise of any NFC Options
issued and outstanding on the date hereof, but excluding any options where the
exercise thereof would breach a signed Letter Agreement.
(ii) NFC
may declare and pay a semi-annual cash dividend at a rate of $0.25 per share in
December 2005. If Closing does not occur by Xxxxx 00, 0000, XXX may pay an
additional cash dividend of $0.125 per share and if Closing does not then occur
by June 30, 2006, NFC may pay another additional cash dividend of $0.125 per
share prior to Closing.
(iii) any
Subsidiary of NFC may pay dividends to NFC to the extent permitted by applicable
regulatory restrictions.
(c) grant
any severance or termination pay, other than pursuant to policies or agreements
of NFC or any NFC Subsidiary in effect on the date hereof, to, or enter into or
amend any employment, consulting, severance, "change-in-control" or termination
contract or arrangement with, any officer, director, employee, independent
contractor, agent or other person associated with NFC or any NFC
Subsidiary;
(d) grant
job promotions or increase the rate of compensation of, or pay any bonus to, any
director, officer, employee, independent contractor, agent or other person
associated with NFC or any NFC Subsidiary, except for:
(i)
routine periodic pay increases, selective merit pay increases and pay-raises in
connection with promotions, all in accordance with past practice; provided,
however, that such pay increases and raises shall not exceed five percent (5.0%)
in the aggregate; and
(ii)
annual bonuses that have been accrued on the most recent balance sheet included
in the NFC Financial Statements prior to the date of such payment and payable in
the ordinary course, consistent with past practice, to persons designated by NFC
and approved by NPB (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld) in the
amounts, at the times and as otherwise set forth in NFC Disclosure Schedule
5.01(d)(ii); and
(iii)
retention bonuses on account of the Contemplated Transactions granted in good
faith reasonable amounts not to exceed $175,000 in the aggregate and to be
payable to persons not parties to employment or change-in-control agreements and
designated by NFC (and approved by NPB, such approval not to be unreasonably
withheld) on the earlier of (i) the 30th day
following the conversion of NFC's computer system to NPB’s computer system or
(ii) the 120th day
following the Effective Date;
48
(e) merge
or consolidate with any other corporation; sell or lease all or any substantial
portion of its assets or businesses; make any acquisition of all or any
substantial portion of the business or assets of any other person, firm,
association, corporation or business organization; enter into a purchase and
assumption transaction with respect to deposits, loans or liabilities; relocate
or surrender its certificate of authority to maintain, or file an application
for the relocation of, any existing office; file an application for a
certificate of authority to establish a new office; change the status of any
office as to its supervisory jurisdiction; or fail to maintain and enforce in
any material respect its code of ethics and applicable compliance
procedures;
(f) sell
or otherwise dispose of any material asset, other than in the ordinary course of
business, consistent with past practice; subject any asset to a lien, pledge,
security interest or other encumbrance, other than in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice; modify in any material manner the manner
in which it has heretofore conducted its business or enter into any new line of
business; incur any indebtedness for borrowed money, except in the ordinary
course of business, consistent with past practice;
(g) take
any action which would result in any of the conditions set forth in Article VI
hereof not being satisfied;
(h)
change any method, practice or principle of accounting, except as required by
changes in GAAP concurred in by its independent certified public accountants; or
change any assumption underlying, or any method of calculation of, depreciation
of any type of asset or establishment of any reserve;
(i)
waive, release, grant or transfer any rights of material value or modify or
change in any material respect any existing material agreement to which it is a
party, other than in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past
practice;
(j)
except as disclosed in NFC Disclosure Schedule 5.01(j), implement any pension,
retirement, profit-sharing, bonus, welfare benefit or similar plan or
arrangement that was not in effect on the date of this Agreement, or amend any
existing plan or arrangement except as required by law;
(k) amend
or otherwise modify its underwriting and other lending guidelines and policies
in effect as of the date hereof or otherwise fail to conduct its lending
activities in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice,
other than as required by law, regulation or Regulatory
Authorities;
(l) enter
into, renew, extend or modify any other transaction with any Affiliate, other
than deposit and loan transactions in the ordinary course of business and which
are in compliance with the requirements of applicable laws and
regulations;
(m) enter
into any interest rate swap, floor or cap or similar commitment, agreement or
arrangement;
49
(n) take
any action that would give rise to a right of payment to any individual under
any employment agreement, except (i) in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice, and (ii) for the execution of this
Agreement;
(o)
purchase any security for its investment portfolio (i) rated less than "AAA" by
either Standard & Poor's Corporation or Xxxxx'x Investor Services, Inc., or
(ii) with a remaining maturity more than five (5) years;
(p)
except as set forth on NFC Disclosure Schedule 5.01(p), make any capital
expenditure of $100,000 or more; or undertake or enter into any lease, contract
or other commitment for its account, other than in the ordinary course of
business, involving an unbudgeted capital expenditure by NFC of more than
$100,000, or extending beyond twelve (12) months from the date
hereof;
(q) take
any action that would preclude the Merger from qualifying as a reorganization
within the meaning of Section 368 of the IRC; or
(r) agree
to do any of the foregoing;
provided,
that notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions, NFC will (i) permit the
exchange of NFC NQS Options in the manner set forth on NFC Disclosure Schedule
5.01(r) and (ii) purchase the life insurance described in Section 5.07(a)(iv).
5.02
Access;
Confidentiality.
(a)
Through the Closing Date, each party hereto shall afford to the other, including
its authorized agents and representatives, reasonable access to its and its
Subsidiaries' businesses, properties, assets, books and records and personnel,
at reasonable hours and after reasonable notice; and the officers of each party
shall furnish the other party making such investigation, including its
authorized agents and representatives, with such financial and operating data
and other information with respect to such businesses, properties, assets, books
and records and personnel as the party making such investigation, or its
authorized agents and representatives, shall from time to time reasonably
request.
(b) Each
party hereto agrees that it, and its authorized agents and representatives, will
conduct such investigation and discussions hereunder in a confidential manner
and otherwise in a manner so as not to interfere unreasonably with the other
party's normal operations and customer and employee relationships. Neither NFC,
NPB, nor any of their respective subsidiaries, shall be required to provide
access to or disclose information where such access or disclosure would violate
or prejudice the rights of customers, jeopardize attorney-client privilege or
similar privilege with respect to such information or contravene any law, rule,
regulation, decree, order, fiduciary duty or agreement entered into prior to the
date hereof.
50
(c) All
information furnished to NPB or NFC by the other in connection with the
Contemplated Transactions, whether prior to the date of this Agreement or
subsequent hereto, shall be held in confidence to the extent required by, and in
accordance with, the Confidentiality Agreement.
5.03
Regulatory
Matters. Through
the Closing Date:
(a) NPB
and NFC shall cooperate with one another in the preparation of the Registration
Statement (including the Prospectus/Proxy Statement) and all Applications and
the making of all filings for, and shall use their reasonable best efforts to
obtain, as promptly as practicable, all necessary permits, consents, approvals,
waivers and authorizations of all Regulatory Authorities necessary or advisable
to consummate the Contemplated Transactions. NPB and NFC shall each give the
other reasonable time to review any Application to be filed by it prior to the
filing of such Application with the relevant Regulatory Authority, and each
shall consult the other with respect to the substance and status of such
filings.
(b) NFC
and NPB shall each promptly furnish the other with copies of written
communications to, or received by them from, any Regulatory Authority in respect
of the Contemplate Transactions.
(c) NFC
and NPB shall cooperate with each other in the foregoing matters and shall
furnish the other with all information concerning itself as may be necessary or
advisable in connection with any Application or filing, including any report
filed with the SEC, made by or on behalf of such party to or with any Regulatory
Authority in connection with the Contemplated Transactions, and in each such
case, such information shall be accurate and complete in all material respects.
In connection therewith, NFC and NPB shall use their reasonable good faith
efforts to provide each other certificates, certifications from accountants and
other documents reasonably requested by the other, provided that the cost
associated with obtaining any accountant’s certification shall be borne by
NPB.
5.04
Taking
of Necessary Actions. Through
the Closing Date, in addition to the specific agreements contained herein, each
party hereto shall use reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken by
each of its Subsidiaries, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done by each of
its Subsidiaries, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable
laws and regulations to consummate and make effective the Contemplated
Transactions including, if necessary, appealing any adverse ruling in respect of
any Application.
5.05
No
Solicitation. NFC
shall not, nor shall it authorize or permit any of its officers, directors or
employees or any investment banker, financial advisor, attorney, accountant or
other representative retained by it to:
(a) initiate,
solicit, encourage (including by way of furnishing information), or take any
other action to facilitate, any inquiries or the making of any proposal which
constitutes any Acquisition Proposal (as defined herein);
51
(b) enter
into or maintain or continue discussions or negotiate with any person in
furtherance of an Acquisition Proposal; or
(c) agree to
or endorse any Acquisition Proposal;
NFC shall
(unless it believes, after consultation with its counsel, that such notification
would violate the NFC Board of Directors’ fiduciary duties) notify NPB as
promptly as practicable, in reasonable detail, as to any inquiries and proposals
which it or any of its representatives or agents may receive; provided, however,
that notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this
Agreement:
(i) NFC may
furnish or cause to be furnished confidential and non-public information
concerning NFC and its businesses, properties or assets to a third
party
(ii) NFC may
engage in discussions or negotiations with a third party;
(iii) following
receipt of an Acquisition Proposal, NFC may take and disclose to its
shareholders a position with respect to such Acquisition Proposal;
and/or
(iv) following
receipt of an Acquisition Proposal, the NFC Board of Directors may withdraw or
modify its recommendation of the Merger; but in respect of the foregoing clauses
(i) through (iv) only if the NFC Board of Directors shall conclude in good faith
after consultation with its legal and financial advisors, that failure to do so
would result in a breach by such directors of their fiduciary duties to NFC’s
shareholders.
As used
herein, the term "Acquisition Proposal" means a bona fide proposal (including a
written communication that is or becomes the subject of public disclosure) for:
(A) any merger, consolidation or acquisition of all or substantially all the
assets or liabilities of NFC, any NFC Subsidiary, or any other business
combination involving NFC or any NFC Subsidiary; or (B) a transaction involving
the transfer of beneficial ownership of securities representing, or the right to
acquire beneficial ownership or to vote securities representing, 10% or more of
the then outstanding shares of NFC Common Stock or the then outstanding shares
of common stock of any NFC Subsidiary.
5.06
Update
of Disclosure Schedules. Through
the Closing Date, NFC shall update the NFC Disclosure Schedule, and NPB shall
update the NPB Disclosure Schedule, as promptly as practicable after the
occurrence of any event which, if such event had occurred prior to the date
hereof, would have been disclosed on such schedule.
5.07
Other
Undertakings by NPB and NFC.
(a)
Undertakings
of NFC.
52
(i)
Shareholder
Approval.
NFC shall
call a special meeting of the NFC shareholders (the “NFC Shareholders Meeting”)
to be held as soon as practicable after the Registration Statement is declared
effective by the SEC, for purposes of voting upon the adoption of this Agreement
and the approval of the transactions contemplated hereby. NFC shall use
commercially reasonable efforts to solicit and obtain the votes of the NFC
shareholders in favor of the adoption of this Agreement and the approval of the
transactions contemplated hereby. Subject to compliance with its fiduciary
duties, the Board of Directors of NFC shall recommend approval of such
transactions by such shareholders. In connection with the NFC Shareholders
Meeting, NPB and NFC shall cooperate in the preparation of the Prospectus/Proxy
Statement and, with the approval of each of NPB and NFC (which approvals will
not be unreasonably withheld), the Prospectus/Proxy Statement will be mailed to
the NFC shareholders within
twenty (20) days of receipt of the “deemed completed letter” from the
FRB.
(ii)
Updated
Fairness Opinion. NFC
shall obtain an updated written opinion from Xxxx Xxxx to the effect that the
consideration to be received by shareholders of NFC pursuant to this Agreement
is fair, from a financial point of view, to such shareholders, dated not more
than ten (10) days prior to the date of mailing of the Prospectus/Proxy
Statement to the shareholders of NFC, for inclusion in such Prospectus/Proxy
Statement.
(iii)
Phase
I Environmental Audit. NFC
shall permit NPB, if NPB elects to do so, at its own cost and expense, to cause
a "phase I environmental audit" to be performed at any physical location owned
or occupied by NFC or any NFC Subsidiary. NPB must commence a "phase I
environmental audit" within thirty (30) days of the date of this Agreement or
NPB's right to perform such an audit shall be waived.
(iv) NFC
will acquire, as soon as possible and not later than forty-five (45) days
following the date hereof, two “key man” life insurance policies naming itself
as the beneficiary, the first insuring the life of Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx for a
period of two (2) years in an amount of Three Million Five Hundred Thousand
Dollars ($3,500,000) and the second insuring the life of Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx for a
period of ten (10) years in an amount of One Million Five Hundred Thousand
Dollars ($1,500,000).
(b)
Undertakings
of NPB and NFC.
(i)
Filings
and Approvals. NPB and
NFC shall cooperate with each other in the preparation and filing, as soon as
practicable, of:
(A) the
Applications;
(B) the
Registration Statement (including the Prospectus/Proxy Statement) and related
filings, if any, under state securities laws relating to the Merger;
and
(C) all
other documents necessary to obtain any other approvals and consents required to
effect consummation of the Contemplated Transactions.
53
(ii)
Public
Announcements. NPB and
NFC shall agree upon the form and substance of any press release related to this
Agreement and the Contemplated Transactions, but nothing contained herein shall
prohibit either party, following notification to the other party, from making
any disclosure which its counsel deems necessary under applicable
law.
(iii)
Maintenance
of Insurance. NPB and
each NPB Subsidiary, and NFC and each NFC Subsidiary, shall maintain insurance
in such amounts as NPB and NFC, respectively, believe are reasonable to cover
such risks as are customary in relation to the character and location of its and
their respective Subsidiaries' properties and the nature of its and their
respective Subsidiaries' businesses.
(iv)
Maintenance
of Books and Records. NPB and
each NPB Subsidiary, and NFC and each NFC Subsidiary, shall maintain books of
account and records on a basis consistent with past practice.
(v)
Taxes. NPB and
each NPB Subsidiary, and NFC and each NFC Subsidiary, shall file all federal,
state, and local tax returns required to be filed by it on or before the date
such returns are due, including any extensions, and pay all taxes shown to be
due on such returns on or before the dates such payments are due, except those
being contested in good faith.
(vi)
Integration
Team. NPB and
NFC shall cooperate with each other in the selection of an integration team,
which team shall plan and implement an orderly, cost-effective consolidation of
NFC’s back room operations presently located in State College, Pennsylvania and
elsewhere, into NPB's operations in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. Consistent with NFC
maintaining its independent status prior to the Effective Date, NPB will provide
sufficient resources and personnel to effectively guide the integration
team.
(vii)
Outside
Service Bureau Contracts. NPB and
NFC shall cooperate with each other, and if mutually agreed in the interest of
an orderly, cost-effective consolidation of operations, terminate any contract
or arrangement NFC or any NFC Subsidiary may have with an outside service bureau
(including, but not limited to, any entity that provides data processing
services for NFC or Nittany Bank), provided that no such termination shall be
effective until after the Effective Date and any fees or penalties associated
with any such termination shall not constitute a Material Adverse Effect with
respect to NFC.
(viii)
In-House
Operations. NPB and
NFC shall, subject to applicable legal requirements, (i) cooperate with each
other, and (ii) if mutually agreed in the interest of an orderly, cost-effective
consolidation of operations and competitive market issues, terminate any
in-house back office, support, processing or other operational activities or
services of NFC or any NFC Subsidiary, including without limitation accounting,
loan processing and deposit services, and substitute a contract or arrangement
between NPB or any NPB Subsidiary (as NPB shall select) and NFC for the
provision of similar services to NFC or any NFC Subsidiary on terms and
conditions mutually acceptable to NFC and XXX.
00
(ix)
Accruals
and Reserves. At the
request of NPB, subject to any limitations imposed by law, GAAP and the
fiduciary duties of the Board of Directors of NFC, NFC shall establish such
additional accruals and reserves as may be reasonably necessary to conform NFC’s
accounting and credit loss reserve practices and methods to those of NPB;
provided, however, that NFC shall not be required to take such action prior to
the satisfaction (or waiver in writing) of the conditions to Closing set forth
in Section 6.01; provided further, however, that no such additional accruals and
reserves will be required to be made more than five (5) business days prior to
the Closing Date. No such additional accruals or reserves made by NFC pursuant
to this subsection shall constitute or be deemed to be a breach, violation of or
failure to satisfy any representation, warranty, covenant, agreement, condition
or other provision of this Agreement or otherwise be considered in determining
whether any such breach, violation or failure to satisfy shall have occurred.
The recording of any such adjustments shall not be deemed to imply any
misstatement of previously furnished financial statements or information and
shall not be construed as concurrence of NFC or its management with any such
adjustments.
(x)
Delivery
of Financial Statements. NPB and
NFC shall each deliver to the other, as soon as practicable after the end of
each month and after the end of each calendar quarter prior to the Effective
Date, commencing with the month ended August 31, 2005, an unaudited consolidated
balance sheet as of such date and related unaudited consolidated statements of
income and cash flows for the periods then ended, which financial statements
shall fairly present, in all material respects, its consolidated financial
condition, results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended in
accordance with GAAP, subject to year-end audit adjustments and
footnotes.
(xi)
Delivery
of SEC Documents. NPB and
NFC shall each deliver to the other copies of all reports filed with the SEC
under the Exchange Act promptly upon the filing thereof.
(c)
Undertakings
of NPB.
(i)
Employees,
Severance Policy.
(A) Subject
to NPB's usual personnel and qualification policies, NPB will endeavor to
continue the employment of all current non-management employees of NFC in
positions that will contribute to the successful performance of the combined
organization. More specifically, NPB will, after consultation with Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxxxx, President and Chief Executive Officer of NFC, prior to or soon after
the Closing Date, inform each NFC employee of the likelihood of such employee
having continued employment with Nittany Bank, NPB, NPBank or any other NPB
Subsidiary following the Closing, it being NPB’s intent to retain all customer
contact personnel, and NPB will permit any NFC employee to apply for any
employment position posted as available with Nittany Bank, NPB, NPBank or any
other NPB Subsidiary. NPB will give any NFC applicant priority consideration.
Where there is a coincidence of responsibilities, NPB will try to reassign the
affected individual to a needed position that utilizes the skills and abilities
of the individual. If that is impracticable or if NPB elects to eliminate a
position or does not offer the employee comparable employment (i.e., a position
of substantially similar job description or
55
responsibilities
at substantially the same salary level in a work location within twenty-five
(25) miles of the employee’s then current work location with NFC), NPB will make
severance payments to the displaced employee as set forth in this Section
5.07(c)(i).
(B)
Subject to the following minimum and maximum benefits, NPB will grant an
eligible employee two weeks of severance pay (at his then current pay rate) for
each year of an employee's service with NFC or any NFC Subsidiary prior to the
employment termination date. The minimum benefit shall be eight weeks' salary
for full-time employees, which will be pro-rated for part-time employees. The
maximum severance benefit will be 16 weeks' salary.
(C) All
employees of NFC or of any NFC Subsidiary on the date hereof will be eligible
for severance benefits set forth in this Section 5.07(c)(i), except
that:
(1) No
employee of NFC or of any NFC Subsidiary who shall receive any payment or
benefit pursuant to any "change in control" agreement or similar plan or right
shall be eligible for any severance benefits; and
(2) No
employee of NFC or of any NFC Subsidiary with an operating systems conversion
support role of any kind shall be eligible for any severance benefits unless
such employee continues in employment for 30 days following the actual
consolidation and conversion of NFC’s operating systems with and into NPB's
operating systems, which, as of the date hereof, is scheduled to be completed
not later than sixty days after the Effective Date.
(D) Each
person eligible for severance benefits will remain eligible for such benefits if
his or her employment is terminated, other than for "cause", within twelve
months after the Effective Date. Any person whose employment with NPB or any NPB
Subsidiary is terminated without "cause" after twelve months from the Effective
Date shall receive such severance benefit from NPB or such NPB Subsidiary as is
provided for in NPB's general severance policy for such terminations (with full
credit being given for each year of service with NFC or any NFC Subsidiary in
addition to the years of service with NPB or any NPB Subsidiary).
(E) For
purposes of this Section 5.07(c)(i), "cause" means the employer's good faith
reasonable belief that the employee (1) committed fraud, theft or embezzlement;
(2) falsified corporate records; (3) disseminated confidential information
concerning customers, NPB, any NPB Subsidiary or any of its or their employees
in violation of any applicable confidentiality agreement or policy; (4) had
documented unsatisfactory job performance under NPB's dismissal policy; or (5)
violated NPB's Code of Conduct. The foregoing definition of "cause" is the
definition of "cause" used by NPB and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of
its business.
(ii)
Employee
Benefits.
(A) As of
the Effective Date, each employee of NFC or of any NFC Subsidiary who becomes an
employee of NPB or of any NPB Subsidiary shall be entitled to full credit for
each year of service with NFC of the NFC Subsidiary for purposes of determining
56
eligibility
for participation and vesting, but not benefit accrual for periods of prior
service, in NPB's, or as appropriate, in the NPB Subsidiary's, employee benefit
plans, programs and policies. NPB shall use the original date of hire by NFC or
a NFC Subsidiary in making these determinations.
(B) The
employee benefits provided to former employees of NFC or a NFC Subsidiary after
the Effective Date shall be reasonably equivalent in the aggregate to the
employee benefits provided by NPB or its Subsidiaries to their similarly
situated employees. The medical, dental and life insurance plans, programs or
policies, if any, that become applicable to former employees of NFC or any NFC
Subsidiary shall not contain any exclusion or limitation with respect to any
pre-existing condition of any such employees or their dependents.
(C)
Subject to the other provisions of this Section 5.07(c)(ii) and Section 2.07,
after the Effective Date, NPB may discontinue, amend, convert to, or merge with,
an NPB or NPB Subsidiary plan any NFC Benefit Plan, subject to such plan's
provisions and applicable law.
(D) The
supplemental executive retirement plans currently maintained by NFC or Nittany
Bank are in the process of being terminated, to be effective on or prior to
December 31, 2005, and all accrued amounts under such plans shall be paid to the
beneficiaries of such plans upon the plans’ termination, all in accordance with
the plan documents and any applicable law, rule or regulation. On or prior to
December 31, 2005, Nittany Bank shall implement a new supplemental executive
retirement plan, that will be partially funded by Bank-Owned Life Insurance,
such plan and such insurance to be subject to NPB’s prior written approval, not
to be unreasonably withheld and subject to the parameters described in NFC
Disclosure Schedule 5.01(j).
(iii)
Election
of NPBank Directors.
(A) Upon
consummation of the Merger and subject to compliance with all applicable legal
requirements, NPB shall cause NPBank to elect two (2) persons selected by NFC's
Board of Directors and approved by NPB (which approval will not be unreasonably
withheld) (each, an "NFC NPBank Nominee") as directors of NPBank, effective the
Effective Date, each to hold office until his successor is elected and qualified
or otherwise in accordance with applicable law, the articles of association and
bylaws of NPBank; and NPB and NPBank shall take all steps necessary to insure
that the NFC NPBank Nominees are re-elected to NPBank's Board of Directors, in
one case, for each of the five years, and in the other case, for each of the
three years, following the Effective Date if such person is in office as
director of NPBank on the annual election dates.
(B) If either
NFC NPBank Nominee, or any successor, resigns, dies or is otherwise removed from
NPBank's Board of Directors prior to the end of the fifth or third, as the case
may be, one-year term, the former NFC directors who are then serving on the
Nittany Bank Board, by a plurality vote, shall have the right to select the
successor to such NFC NPBank Nominee, or any successor, subject to (A)
compliance with the NPB/NPBank Bylaws Restrictions, (B) such person being
“independent” as defined by the SEC and Nasdaq, and (C) approval of such
57
person by
NPB (which approval will not be unreasonably withheld). NPB shall take all
reasonable steps to elect such successor to the NPBank Board of
Directors.
(C) The
covenants in this Section 5.07(c)(iii) shall expire if and when NPB shall be
acquired, merged or otherwise sold.
(iv)
Nittany
Division, Nittany Board.
(A) Upon
consummation of the Merger and until consummation of the Bank Merger, NPB shall
operate Nittany Bank as a Federal stock savings bank consisting of all Nittany
Bank’s present community offices. The Board of Directors of Nittany Bank shall,
during this time period, consist of all the members of NFC’s Board of Directors
at the Effective Date and one or two NPB or NPBank representatives selected by
NPB; NFC’s current non-employee directors serving as directors of Nittany Bank
during this time period shall receive the same compensation received by them as
NFC directors at the date hereof.
(B) Upon
consummation of the Bank Merger, NPB shall cause NPBank to establish and operate
a separate banking division called "Nittany Bank, a Division of National Penn
Bank" (the "Nittany Bank Division"). The Nittany Bank Division will consist of
all Nittany Bank's present community offices.
(C) For
at least five years after the Closing Date, all offices and operations of the
Nittany Bank Division will be branded, subject to NPB’s reasonable discretion,
using the name "Nittany Bank, a Division of National Penn Bank", including
without limitation all branch signage, statements, communications, business
cards, stationary, brochures, web site, marketing materials, promotional items,
billing and all other aspects of the Nittany Bank Division.
(D) Upon
consummation of the Bank Merger, NPB shall cause NPBank to establish the
"Nittany Bank Division Board of Directors" (the "Nittany Bank Board"). The
Nittany Bank Board shall initially consist of the members of NFC's Board of
Directors at the Effective Date and one or two NPB or NPBank representatives
selected by NPB. In accordance with NPB corporate governance procedures and
guidelines, the Nittany Bank Board will have authority to recommend additional
members from time to time. NPB anticipates that the emphasis of the Nittany Bank
Board will be on business development, marketing and expansion of the Nittany
Bank Division.
(E) NFC's
current non-employee directors who become Nittany Bank Board Members shall
receive compensation comparable to the compensation received by them as NFC
directors at the date hereof. Other persons who may be selected for service on
the Nittany Bank Board shall be compensated in accordance with NPB's standard
compensation arrangements for divisional board members, which is partially fixed
and partially incentive-based compensation. NFC's current non-employee directors
who become Nittany Bank Board Members shall have the option of electing to
receive such NPB standard compensation. The Nittany Bank Board shall
have
58
indemnification
and insurance coverage no less favorable than members of the Board of Directors
of NPBank.
(F) NPB
shall operate Nittany Bank or the Nittany Bank Division, and maintain the
Nittany Bank Board at the foregoing compensation level, for a period of at least
five years after the Effective Date. This covenant shall expire if (i) NPB shall
be acquired, merged or otherwise sold and the Nittany Bank Division is not
continued, or (ii) if agreed to by a majority vote of both the Nittany Bank
Board and the NPBank Board of Directors, each an “Acceleration Event”. If an
Acceleration Event occurs, within thirty (30) days of the occurrence of such
Acceleration Event, any unpaid amount of the five-year commitment to directors’
fees shall be paid out in a lump sum. On or before the Closing, NPB will place
the full amount of the five-year commitment to directors’ fees in escrow
accounts on which interest will be paid at the “National Penn Investors Trust
Company” money market account rate.
(G) NPB
shall permit the Nittany Bank Division to maintain its Bellefonte and State
College advisory boards in existence as of the date hereof at the same rate of
compensation as currently provided with membership to be determined in the
reasonable discretion of the Nittany Bank Division Board, subject to the final
approval of the NPB Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee.
(v)
Division
Financial Performance Incentive Plan. Upon
consummation of the Merger, NPB shall adopt a Financial Performance Incentive
Plan covering Nittany Bank and the Nittany Bank Division for the five calendar
years commencing with calendar year 2006. This plan will include (i) the
determination of the parties as to the allocation of expenses relating to or
resulting from the Contemplated Transactions in calendar year 2006 (ii) factors
such as earnings, asset and deposit growth, maintenance of asset quality,
retention of key personnel and net interest margin improvements, and (iii) will
provide for aggregate performance-based incentive compensation not to exceed
$400,000 in 2006, assuming the factors set forth in the Financial Performance
Incentive Plan have been satisfied. It is NPB’s intent to continue this plan at
not less than the $400,000 level provided that appropriate goals and targets are
set and met for each of the remaining years.
(vi)
Indemnification,
Insurance.
(A) NPB
shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the directors, officers, employees
and agents of NFC and the NFC Subsidiaries (each, an "Indemnified Party")
against all losses, expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees), claims,
damages or liabilities and amounts paid in settlement arising out of actions or
omissions or alleged acts or omissions (collectively, "Prior Acts") occurring at
or prior to the Effective Date (including the Contemplated Transactions) to the
fullest extent permitted by Pennsylvania law, including provisions relating to
advances of expenses incurred in the defense of any proceeding to the full
extent permitted by Pennsylvania law upon receipt of any undertaking required by
Pennsylvania law. Without limiting the foregoing, in a case (if any) in which a
determination by NPB is required to effectuate any indemnification, NPB
59
shall
direct, at the election of the Indemnified Party, that the determination shall
be made by independent counsel mutually agreed upon between NPB and the
Indemnified Party.
(B) NPB
shall use its reasonable best efforts to, and it shall cause NPBank to, keep in
effect provisions in its articles of incorporation or association and bylaws
providing for exculpation of director and officer liability and its
indemnification of the Indemnified Parties to the fullest extent permitted by
Pennsylvania law, which provisions shall not be amended except as required by
applicable law or except to make changes permitted by law that would enlarge the
Indemnified Parties' right to indemnification.
(C) NPB
shall use its reasonable best efforts (and NFC shall cooperate and assist prior
to the Effective Date in these efforts), at no expense to the beneficiaries,
to:
(1)
maintain directors' and officers' liability insurance ("D&O Insurance") for
the Indemnified Parties with respect to matters occurring at or prior to the
Effective Date, issued by a carrier assigned a claims-paying ability rating by
A.M. Best & Co. of "A (Excellent)" or higher; or
(2)
obtain coverage for Prior Acts for the Indemnified Parties under the directors'
and officers' liability insurance policies currently maintained by
NPB;
in either
case, providing at least the same coverage as the D&O Insurance currently
maintained by NFC and containing terms and conditions which are no less
favorable to the beneficiaries, for a period of at least six (6) years, but not
less than three (3) years, from the Effective Date; provided, that NPB shall not
be obligated to make annual premium payments for such six-year period in respect
of the D&O Insurance which exceed, for the portion related to NFC's
directors and officers, $23,826.00 (150% of the annual premium payment, as of
June 30, 2005, under NFC's current policy in effect on the date of this
Agreement) (the "Maximum Amount"). If the amount of the premiums necessary to
maintain or procure such insurance coverage exceeds the Maximum Amount, NPB
shall use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the most advantageous policies
of directors' and officers' liability insurance obtainable for a premium equal
to the Maximum Amount.
(D) If
any claim is made against present or former directors, officers or employees of
NFC or any NFC Subsidiary who are covered or potentially covered by insurance,
neither NPBank nor NPB shall do anything that would forfeit, jeopardize,
restrict or limit the insurance coverage available for that claim until the
final disposition thereof.
(E) If
NPB or any of its successors or assigns shall consolidate with or merge into any
other person and shall not be the continuing or surviving person of such
consolidation or merger or shall transfer all or substantially all of its assets
to any person, then and in each case, proper provision shall be made so that the
successors and assigns of NPB shall assume the obligations set forth in this
Section 5.07(c)(vi).
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(F) The
provisions of this Section 5.07(c)(vi) are intended to be for the benefit of and
shall be enforceable by, each Indemnified Party, his or her heirs and
representatives.
(G) NPB
shall pay all expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, that may be
incurred by any Indemnified Party in enforcing the indemnity and other
obligations provided for in this Section 5.07(c)(vi).
(vii)
Reorganization. Through
the Closing Date, NPB shall not take any action that would preclude the Merger
from qualifying as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368 of the
IRC.
(viii)
Conduct
of NPB's Business. Through
the Closing Date, NPB shall use its reasonable good faith efforts to preserve
its business organization intact, maintain good relationships with employees,
and preserve the good will of customers of NPB and others with whom business
relationships exist.
ARTICLE
VI
CONDITIONS
6.01
Conditions
to NFC's Obligations under this Agreement. The
obligations of NFC hereunder shall be subject to satisfaction at or prior to the
Closing Date of each of the following conditions, unless waived by NFC pursuant
to Section 8.03 hereof:
(a)
Corporate
Proceedings. All
action required to be taken by, or on the part of, NPB to authorize the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the consummation of
the Contemplated Transactions, shall have been duly and validly taken by NPB,
and NFC shall have received certified copies of the resolutions evidencing such
authorizations.
(b)
Covenants;
Representations. The
obligations of NPB required by this Agreement to be performed by NPB at or prior
to the Closing Date shall have been duly performed and complied with in all
material respects; and the representations and warranties of NPB set forth in
this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects, as of the
date of this Agreement, and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of
the Closing Date, except as to any representation or warranty which specifically
relates to an earlier date and except that any representation or warranty that
is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect shall be true in all
respects as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing
Date.
(c)
Approvals
of Regulatory Authorities.
Procurement by NFC and NPB of all requisite approvals and consents of Regulatory
Authorities and the expiration of the statutory waiting period or periods
relating thereto for the Contemplated Transactions; and no such approval or
consent shall have imposed any condition or requirement (other than conditions
or requirements previously disclosed) which would so materially and adversely
impact the economic or business benefits to
61
NFC or
NPB of the Contemplated Transactions that, had such condition or requirement
been known, such party would not, in its reasonable judgment, have entered into
this Agreement.
(d)
No
Injunction. There
shall not be in effect any order, decree or injunction of a court or agency of
competent jurisdiction which enjoins or prohibits consummation of the
Contemplated Transactions.
(e)
Officer's
Certificate. NPB
shall have delivered to NFC a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed,
without personal liability, by its Chairman or President, to the effect that the
conditions set forth in subsections (a), (b), (c) (only as such subsection
relates to NPB) and (d) of this Section 6.01 have been satisfied.
(f)
Registration
Statement. The
Registration Statement shall be effective under the Securities Act, and no
proceedings shall be pending or threatened by the SEC to suspend the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement; and all approvals deemed necessary
by NPB's counsel from state securities or "blue sky" authorities with respect to
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have been
obtained.
(g)
Tax
Opinion. NFC
shall have received an opinion of Xxxx Xxxxx LLP, counsel to NPB, dated the
Closing Date, to the effect that (a) the Merger constitutes a reorganization
under Section 368(a) of the IRC, and (b) any gain realized in the Merger will be
recognized only to the extent of cash or other property (other than NPB Common
Stock) received in the Merger, in rendering their opinion, such counsel may
require and rely upon representations and reasonable assumptions, including
those contained in certificates of officers of NFC, NPB and others.
(h)
Approval
by NFC's Shareholders. This
Agreement shall have been approved by the shareholders of NFC by such vote as is
required by the BCL and the articles of incorporation and bylaws of
NFC.
(i)
Other
Documents. NFC
shall have received such other certificates, documents or instruments from NPB
or its officers or others as NFC shall have reasonably requested in connection
with accounting or income tax treatment of the Contemplated Transactions, or
related securities law compliance.
(j)
Nasdaq
Listing. The NPB
Common Stock, including the NPB Common Stock to be issued in the Merger and
pursuant to the Adjusted NFC Options, shall continue to be authorized for
quotation on Nasdaq.
(k)
Rights
Agreement. No
event shall have occurred which shall result in the grant, issuance or
triggering of any right or entitlement or the obligation to grant or issue any
interest in NPB Common Stock or enable or allow any right or other interest
associated with the Rights Agreement to be exercised, distributed or triggered,
and no other event shall have occurred under the Rights Agreement which would
materially adversely affect any current or future right or interest of any
holders of NFC Common Stock.
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(l)
Key
Nittany Management Agreements. Neither
NPB nor NPBank shall have violated, or taken any action to renounce or
repudiate, the Key Nittany Management Agreements.
(m)
Exchange
Agent Certificate. NFC
shall have received a certificate from the Exchange Agent certifying its receipt
of sufficient cash and irrevocable authorization to issue shares of NPB Common
Stock to satisfy NPB’s obligations to pay the aggregate Merger
Consideration.
6.02
Conditions
to NPB's Obligations under this Agreement. The
obligations of NPB hereunder shall be subject to satisfaction at or prior to the
Closing Date of each of the following conditions, unless waived by NPB pursuant
to Section 8.03 hereof:
(a)
Corporate
Proceedings. All
action required to be taken by, or on the part of, NFC to authorize the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the consummation of
the Contemplated Transactions, shall have been duly and validly taken by NFC,
and NPB shall have received certified copies of the resolutions evidencing such
authorizations.
(b)
Covenants;
Representations. The
obligations of NFC required by this Agreement to be performed by NFC at or prior
to the Closing Date shall have been duly performed and complied with in all
material respects; and the representations and warranties of NFC set forth in
this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects, as of the
date of this Agreement, and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of
the Closing Date, except as to any representation or warranty which specifically
relates to an earlier date and except as to any representation or warranty to
the extent the breach of such representation or warranty does not have a
Material Adverse Effect.
(c)
Approvals
of Regulatory Authorities.
Procurement by NPB and NFC of all requisite approvals and consents of Regulatory
Authorities and the expiration of the statutory waiting period or periods
relating thereto for the Contemplated Transactions; and no such approval or
consent shall have imposed any condition or requirement (other than conditions
or requirements previously disclosed) which would so materially and adversely
impact the economic or business benefits to NPB or NFC of the Contemplated
Transactions that, had such condition or requirement been known, such party
would not, in its reasonable judgment, have entered into this
Agreement.
(d)
No
Injunction. There
shall not be in effect any order, decree or injunction of a court or agency of
competent jurisdiction which enjoins or prohibits consummation of the
Contemplated Transactions.
(e)
Officer's
Certificate. NFC
shall have delivered to NPB a certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed,
without personal liability, by its Chairman or President, to the effect that the
conditions set forth in subsections (a), (b), (c) (only as such subsection
relates to NFC) and (d) of this Section 6.02 have been satisfied.
63
(f)
Registration
Statement. The
Registration Statement shall be effective under the Securities Act, and no
proceedings shall be pending or threatened by the SEC to suspend the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement; and all approvals deemed necessary
by NPB's counsel from state securities or "blue sky" authorities with respect to
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have been
obtained.
(g)
Tax
Opinion. NPB
shall have received an opinion of Xxxx Xxxxx LLP, special counsel to NPB, dated
the Closing Date, to the effect that (a) the Merger constitutes a reorganization
under Section 368(a) of the IRC, and (b) any gain realized in the Merger will be
recognized only to the extent of cash or other property (other than NPB Common
Stock) received in the Merger, in rendering their opinion, such counsel or firm
may require and rely upon representations and reasonable assumptions, including
those contained in certificates of officers of NFC, NPB and others.
(h)
Approval
by NFC's Shareholders. This
Agreement shall have been approved by the shareholders of NFC by such vote as is
required by the BCL and the articles of incorporation and bylaws of
NFC.
(i)
Other
Documents. NPB
shall have received such other certificates, documents or instruments from NFC
or its officers or others as NPB shall have reasonably requested in connection
with accounting or income tax treatment of the Contemplated Transactions, or
related securities law compliance.
(j)
Phase
I Environmental Audit Results. The
results of any Phase I environmental audit conducted pursuant to Section
5.07(a)(iii) hereof shall not result in a Material Adverse Effect on NFC;
provided, however that (i) any such environmental audit must be initiated within
thirty (30) days of the date of this Agreement and (ii) NPB must terminate or
irrevocably waive its right to terminate the Agreement for failure of the
condition set forth in this Section 6.03(j) within fifteen (15) days of
receiving the results of any such environmental audit but in no event later than
seventy (70) days from the date of this Agreement..
(k)
Key
Nittany Management. Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx and at least two (2) other Key Nittany Managers shall remain
employed by NFC or a Nittany Subsidiary through the Effective Date.
(l)
Dissenters
Rights. The
aggregate number of shares of NFC Common Stock that are Dissenting NFC Shares
shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total number of issued and outstanding
shares of NFC Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote as of the record
date for the NFC Shareholders Meeting.
ARTICLE
VII
TERMINATION
64
7.01
Termination. This
Agreement may be terminated on or at any time prior to the Closing
Date:
(a) By
the mutual written consent of the parties hereto.
(b) By
NPB or NFC:
(i) If
there shall have been any breach of any representation, warranty or obligation
of the other party hereto (subject to the same standards as set forth in
Sections 6.01(b) or 6.02(b), as the case may be) and such breach cannot be, or
shall not have been, remedied within thirty (30) days after receipt by such
party of written notice specifying the nature of such breach and requesting that
it be remedied; provided, that, if such breach cannot reasonably be cured within
such 30-day period but may reasonably be cured within sixty (60) days, and such
cure is being diligently pursued, no such termination shall occur prior to the
expiration of such sixty (60)-day period;
(ii) If
the Closing Date shall not have occurred prior to June 30, 2006 (except that if
the Closing Date shall not have occurred by such date because of a breach of
this Agreement by a party hereto, such breaching party shall not be entitled to
terminate this Agreement in accordance with this provision);
(iii) If
any Regulatory Authority whose approval or consent is required for consummation
of the Contemplated Transactions shall issue a definitive written denial of such
approval or consent and the time period for appeals and requests for
reconsideration has run; or
(iv) If
the NFC Shareholders vote but fail to approve the Merger at the NFC Shareholders
Meeting.
(c) By
NFC or NPB, at any time during the three business day period following the
Determination Date, if on the Determination Date the NPB Market Value shall be
less than $22.00 per share (the dollar amount $22.00 shall be adjusted to $17.60
upon completion of the NPB Stock Split).
(d) By
the Board of Directors of NFC in the event that such Board shall conclude, in
good faith after consultation with its legal and financial advisors, that it
must agree to or endorse an Acquisition Proposal and terminate this Agreement in
order to comply with its fiduciary duties.
7.02
Effect
of Termination. If this
Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7.01 hereof or otherwise, this
Agreement shall forthwith become void, other than Sections 5.02(c) and 8.01
hereof which shall remain in full force and effect, and there shall be no
further liability on the part of NPB or NFC to the other, except for any
liability of NPB or NFC under such sections of this Agreement and except for any
liability arising out of a willful breach of this Agreement giving rise to such
termination.
65
ARTICLE
VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
8.01
Expenses
and Other Fees.
(a)
Except as set forth in Section 8.01(b), each party hereto shall bear and pay all
costs and expenses incurred by it in connection with the Contemplated
Transactions, including fees and expenses of its own financial consultants,
accountants and counsel.
(b) If
NFC fails to complete the Merger after the occurrence of one of the following
events, and NPB shall not be in material breach of this Agreement, NFC shall
immediately pay NPB a fee of Four Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Dollars ($4,750,000):
(i) NFC
terminates this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.01(d) hereof; or
(ii) a
person or group (as those terms are defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act
and the rules and regulations thereunder), other than NPB or an Affiliate of
NPB:
(A)
acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the
Exchange Act) of 15% or more of the then outstanding shares of NFC Common Stock;
or
(B)
enters into an agreement, letter of intent or memorandum of understanding with
NFC pursuant to which such person or group or any affiliate of such person or
group would:
(1) merge
or consolidate, or enter into any similar transaction, with NFC;
(2)
acquire all or substantially all of the assets or liabilities of NFC;
or
(3)
acquire beneficial ownership of securities representing, or the right to acquire
beneficial ownership or to vote securities representing, 15% or more of the then
outstanding shares of NFC Common Stock; or
(iii) NFC
authorizes, recommends or publicly proposes, or publicly announces an intention
to authorize, recommend or propose, an agreement, letter of intent or memorandum
of understanding described in clause (b)(ii)(B) above; or
(iv) the
NFC shareholders vote but fail to approve the Merger at the NFC Shareholders
Meeting, or the NFC Shareholders Meeting is cancelled, if prior to the
shareholder vote or cancellation:
66
(A) the
NFC Board of Directors shall have withdrawn or modified its recommendation that
NFC shareholders approve this Agreement;
(B) there
has been an announcement by a person or group (as those terms are defined in
Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder),
other than NPB or an Affiliate of NPB, of an offer or proposal to acquire 10% or
more of the NFC Common Stock then outstanding, or to acquire, merge, or
consolidate with NFC, or to purchase all or substantially all of NFC's assets;
or
(C) any
one or more directors or officers of NFC or other persons who have signed a
Letter Agreement, acting jointly or severally, and who, individually or in the
aggregate, beneficially own one percent (1%) or more of the NFC Common Stock
shall have failed to maintain continued ownership of the shares of NFC Common
Stock over which he, she or they exercise sole or shared voting power (as
identified on his, her or their signed Letter Agreements provided that in no
event shall options be deemed shares over which a party has voting power), as
required by such signed Letter Agreements; or
(D) any
director or officer of NFC or other person who has signed a Letter Agreement
shall have failed to vote at the NFC Shareholders Meeting, the shares of NFC
Common Stock over which he or she exercises sole or shared voting power (as
identified in his or her signed Letter Agreement provided that in no event shall
options be deemed shares over which a party has voting power), as required by
such signed Letter Agreement.
8.02
Non-Survival
of Representations and Warranties; Disclosure Schedules. All
representations, warranties and, except to the extent specifically provided
otherwise herein, agreements and covenants shall terminate on the Closing Date.
Without limiting the foregoing, Sections 1.02(d), 2.07, 2.08, and 5.07(c)(i),
(ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) shall survive the Closing.
8.03
Amendment,
Extension and Waiver. Subject
to applicable law, at any time prior to the Closing Date (including after the
approval of this Agreement and the Merger by NFC shareholders if and to the
extent permitted by applicable law), the parties may:
(a) amend
this Agreement;
(b)
extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of
either party hereto;
(c) waive
any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties contained herein or in
any document delivered pursuant hereto; or
(d) to
the extent permitted by law, waive compliance with any of the agreements or
conditions contained in Articles V and VI hereof or otherwise.
67
This
Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed, by
authorized officers, on behalf of the parties hereto. Any agreement on the part
of a party hereto to any extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in
an instrument in writing signed by a duly authorized officer on behalf of such
party, but such waiver or failure to insist on strict compliance with such
obligation, covenant, agreement or condition shall not operate as a waiver of,
or estoppel with respect to, any subsequent or other failure.
8.04
Entire
Agreement.
(a) This
Agreement, including the documents referred to herein or delivered pursuant
hereto, contains the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with
respect to its subject matter. This Agreement supersedes all prior arrangements
and understandings between the parties, both written and oral, with respect to
its subject matter other than the Confidentiality Agreement.
(b) This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto
and its successors; provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement, expressed
or implied, is intended to confer upon any party, other than the parties hereto
and their respective successors, any rights, remedies, obligations or
liabilities, and provided, further, that (x) the Nittany Bank Board Members may
enforce the provisions of Sections 2.07, 2.08, 5.07(c)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv),
(v) and (vi); (y) former employees whose positions are eliminated, or who are
not offered comparable employment (as such term is defined in Section
5.07(c)(i)(A)), by NPB may enforce Section 5.07(c)(i); and (z) and any
Indemnified Party may enforce Section 5.07(c)(vi).
8.05
No
Assignment. Neither
party hereto may assign any of its rights or obligations hereunder to any other
person, without the prior written consent of the other party
hereto.
8.06
Notices. All
notices or other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed given upon delivery if delivered personally, two business days after
mailing if mailed by prepaid registered or certified mail, return receipt
requested, or upon confirmation of good transmission if sent by telecopy,
addressed as follows:
(a) If to
NPB or NPBank, to:
National
Penn Bancshares, Inc.
National
Penn Bank
Philadelphia
and Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
X.X. Xxx
000
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx, Chairman and CEO
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxx, President
Telecopy
No.: 000-000-0000
68
with a
copy to:
Xxxx X.
Xxxxxx
Xxxx
Xxxxx LLP
2500 One
Liberty Place
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Telecopy
No.: 000-000-0000
(b) If to
NFC, to:
Nittany
Financial Corp.
000 Xxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx, Chairman
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx, President and CEO
Telecopy
No.: 000-000-0000
with a
copy to:
Xxxx X.
Spidi
Xxxxxxx,
Spidi & Xxxxx, PC
0000 Xxx
Xxxx Xxxxxx, XX
Xxxxx 000
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Telecopy
No.: 000-000-0000
8.07
Disclosure
Schedules.
Information contained on either the NFC Disclosure Schedule or the NPB
Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to cover the express disclosure requirement
contained in a representation or warranty of this Agreement and any other
representation or warranty of this Agreement of such party where it is readily
apparent it applies to such provision. The mere inclusion of an item in a
Disclosure Schedule as an exception to a representation or warranty shall not be
deemed an admission by a party that such item represents a material exception or
fact, event or circumstance or that such item is or could result in a Material
Adverse Effect.
8.08
Captions. The
captions contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and are not
part of this Agreement.
8.09
Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, and each such
counterpart shall be deemed to be an original instrument, but all such
counterparts together shall constitute but one agreement.
69
8.10
Severability. If any
provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any person or
circumstance shall be invalid or unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of
this Agreement and the application of such provisions to other persons or
circumstances shall not be affected thereby and shall be enforced to the
greatest extent permitted by law.
8.11
Governing
Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the domestic
internal law of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, except to the extent that
federal law is applicable by its terms.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their
duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above
written.
NATIONAL
PENN BANCSHARES, INC. | |
(Corporate
Seal) |
By:
/s/
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx |
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx | |
Chairman
and CEO | |
| |
|
Attest:
/s/
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx |
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxx | |
Secretary | |
| |
NITTANY
FINANCIAL CORP. | |
(Corporate
Seal) |
|
By:
/s/
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx | |
President
and CEO | |
| |
Attest:
/s/
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxxx | |
Assistant
Secretary |
70