MERGER AGREEMENT DATED AS OF APRIL 29, 2009 BY AND AMONG FOUR OAKS FINCORP, INC., FOUR OAKS BANK & TRUST COMPANY AND NUESTRO BANCO
Exhibit
2.1
DATED
AS OF APRIL 29, 2009
BY
AND AMONG
FOUR
OAKS FINCORP, INC.,
FOUR
OAKS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
AND
NUESTRO
BANCO
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
PAGE
ARTICLE I -- DEFINED TERMS |
1
|
|
1.1
|
DEFINITIONS
|
1
|
ARTICLE II -- THE MERGER; CONVERSION AND EXCHANGE OF COMPANY SHARES |
9
|
|
2.1
|
THE
MERGER
|
9
|
2.2
|
COMPANY
SHARES
|
9
|
2.3
|
MERGER
CONSIDERATION
|
10
|
2.4
|
EXCHANGE
PROCEDURES
|
10
|
2.5
|
COMPANY
STOCK OPTIONS
|
11
|
2.6
|
WARRANTS
|
12
|
2.7
|
DISSENTING
SHARES
|
12
|
ARTICLE III -- THE CLOSING |
13
|
|
3.1
|
CLOSING
|
13
|
3.2
|
DELIVERIES
BY THE COMPANY
|
13
|
3.3
|
DELIVERIES
BY THE PARENT AND THE BUYER
|
13
|
ARTICLE IV -- REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY |
14
|
|
4.1
|
ORGANIZATION,
STANDING AND POWER
|
14
|
4.2
|
AUTHORITY;
NO CONFLICTS
|
14
|
4.3
|
CAPITAL
STOCK; SUBSIDIARIES
|
15
|
4.4
|
COMPANY
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
|
15
|
4.5
|
ABSENCE
OF UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES
|
16
|
4.6
|
ABSENCE
OF CERTAIN CHANGES OR EVENTS
|
16
|
4.7
|
TAX
MATTERS
|
17
|
4.8
|
ASSETS
|
18
|
4.9
|
SECURITIES
PORTFOLIO AND INVESTMENTS
|
19
|
4.10
|
ENVIRONMENTAL
MATTERS
|
19
|
4.11
|
COMPLIANCE
WITH LAWS
|
19
|
4.12
|
LABOR
RELATIONS
|
20
|
4.13
|
EMPLOYEE
BENEFIT PLANS
|
20
|
4.14
|
MATERIAL
CONTRACTS
|
22
|
4.15
|
LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS
|
22
|
4.16
|
REGULATORY
REPORTS
|
23
|
4.17
|
ACCOUNTING,
TAX, AND REGULATORY MATTERS
|
23
|
4.18
|
CHARTER
PROVISIONS
|
23
|
4.19
|
BOOKS
AND RECORDS
|
23
|
4.20
|
DERIVATIVES
|
23
|
4.21
|
INVESTMENT
COMPANY
|
24
|
4.22
|
LOANS;
ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES
|
24
|
4.23
|
REPURCHASE
AGREEMENTS
|
24
|
4.24
|
DEPOSIT
ACCOUNTS
|
24
|
4.25
|
RELATED
PARTY TRANSACTIONS
|
25
|
4.26
|
FINANCIAL
ADVISORY FEES
|
25
|
4.27
|
VOTING
AGREEMENTS
|
25
|
4.28
|
INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY
|
25
|
4.29
|
PRIVACY
OF CUSTOMER INFORMATION
|
26
|
4.30
|
TECHNOLOGY
SYSTEMS
|
26
|
4.31
|
BANK
SECRECY ACT COMPLIANCE; USA PATRIOT ACT; OFAC
|
26
|
4.32
|
NONCOMPETES
|
27
|
i
4.33
|
DISCLOSURE
|
27
|
ARTICLE V -- REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PARENT AND THE BUYER |
27
|
|
5.1
|
ORGANIZATION,
STANDING AND POWER
|
27
|
5.2
|
AUTHORITY;
NO CONFLICTS
|
28
|
5.3
|
PARENT’S
STOCK
|
28
|
5.4
|
SEC
FILINGS; PARENT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
|
29
|
5.5
|
ENVIRONMENTAL
MATTERS
|
30
|
5.6
|
COMPLIANCE
WITH LAWS
|
30
|
5.7
|
BOOKS
AND RECORDS
|
31
|
5.8
|
FINANCIAL
ADVISORY FEES
|
31
|
5.9
|
LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS
|
31
|
5.10
|
INVESTMENT
COMPANY
|
31
|
|
||
ARTICLE VI -- COVENANTS |
32
|
|
6.1
|
COVENANTS
OF THE COMPANY
|
32
|
6.2
|
COVENANTS
OF THE PARENT AND THE BUYER
|
37
|
6.3
|
COVENANTS
OF ALL PARTIES TO THE AGREEMENT
|
39
|
ARTICLE VII -- DISCLOSURE OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
41
|
|
7.1
|
ACCESS
TO INFORMATION
|
41
|
7.2
|
ACCESS
TO PREMISES
|
41
|
7.3
|
ENVIRONMENTAL
SURVEY
|
41
|
7.4
|
CONFIDENTIALITY
|
41
|
ARTICLE VIII -- CONDITIONS TO CLOSING |
43
|
|
8.1
|
MUTUAL
CONDITIONS
|
43
|
8.2
|
CONDITIONS
TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY
|
44
|
8.3
|
CONDITIONS
TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARENT AND THE BUYER
|
47
|
ARTICLE IX -- TERMINATION |
49
|
|
9.1
|
TERMINATION
|
49
|
9.2
|
PROCEDURE
AND EFFECT OF TERMINATION
|
49
|
9.3
|
TERMINATION
EXPENSES AND FEES
|
50
|
ARTICLE X -- MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS |
50
|
|
10.1
|
EXPENSES
|
50
|
10.2
|
SURVIVAL
OF REPRESENTATIONS
|
50
|
10.3
|
AMENDMENT
AND MODIFICATION
|
51
|
10.4
|
WAIVER
OF COMPLIANCE; CONSENTS
|
51
|
10.5
|
NOTICES
|
51
|
10.6
|
ASSIGNMENT
|
52
|
10.7
|
SEPARABLE
PROVISIONS
|
52
|
10.8
|
GOVERNING
LAW
|
52
|
10.9
|
COUNTERPARTS
|
52
|
10.10
|
INTERPRETATION
|
52
|
10.11
|
ENTIRE
AGREEMENT
|
53
|
EXHIBIT
A
|
FORM
OF PLAN OF MERGER
|
EXHIBIT
B
|
FORM
OF VOTING AGREEMENT
|
EXHIBIT
C
|
FORM
OF SEPARATION AGREEMENT
|
EXHIBIT
D
|
FORM
OF CONSULTING AGREEMENT
|
ii
THIS MERGER AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of the 29th day of
April, 2009, is by and among:
FOUR OAKS FINCORP, INC., a North
Carolina corporation and a financial holding company registered with the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System under the Bank Holding Company Act of
1956, as amended, and a North Carolina bank holding company (the “Parent”);
FOUR OAKS
BANK & TRUST COMPANY, a North Carolina banking corporation and a state
chartered member of the Federal Reserve System (the “Buyer”); and
NUESTRO BANCO, a North Carolina banking
corporation (the “Company”).
BACKGROUND
STATEMENT
The Parent, the Buyer and the Company
desire to effect a merger pursuant to which the Company will merge into the
Buyer, with the Buyer being the surviving corporation (the “Merger”). In
consideration of the Merger, the shareholders of the Company will receive shares
of common stock of the Parent. It is intended that the Merger qualify
as a tax-free reorganization under Section 368 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended.
STATEMENT
OF AGREEMENT
In consideration of the premises and
the mutual representations, warranties, covenants, agreements and conditions
contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
DEFINED
TERMS
1.1. DEFINITIONS. As
used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following
meanings:
“Accounting
Records” means, with respect to a Person, the general ledger with respect
to its business and the subsidiary ledgers and supporting schedules that support
the general ledger balances.
“Acquisition
Proposal” has
the meaning given to it in Section
6.1(c).
“Advisory
Board” has the
meaning given to it in Section
6.2(b).
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any
Person, each of the Persons that directly or indirectly, through one or more
intermediaries, owns or Controls, or is Controlled by or under common Control
with, such Person. For the purpose of this Agreement, “Control” means the possession,
directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of
management and policies, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by
contract or otherwise. Without limiting the foregoing, as used with respect to
the Company, the term “Affiliates” includes
the Company’s Subsidiaries, if any.
“Agreement” has the meaning given to it
in the introductory paragraph hereof.
“Assets” means all of the assets,
properties, businesses and rights of a Person of every kind, nature, character
and description, whether real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible,
accrued or contingent, whether or not carried on any books and records of such
Person, whether or not owned in such Person’s name and wherever
located.
“Benefit
Plans” means all
pension, retirement, profit-sharing, deferred compensation, stock option,
employee stock ownership, restricted stock, severance pay, vacation, bonus, or
other incentive plan, all other written employee programs or agreements, all
medical, vision, dental, or other health plans, welfare plans, all life
insurance plans, and all other employee benefit plans, arrangements, fringe
benefit plans or perquisites, whether written or unwritten, including without
limitation “employee benefit plans” as that term is defined in Section 3(3) of
ERISA maintained, sponsored in whole or in part, or contributed to, by a Person
or any of its subsidiaries for the benefit of employees, retirees, dependents,
spouses, directors, independent contractors, or any other beneficiaries and
under which employees, retirees, dependents, spouses, directors, independent
contractors, or any other beneficiaries are eligible to
participate.
“Business
Day” means any
day excluding (i) Saturday, (ii) Sunday and (iii) any day that is a legal
holiday in the State of North Carolina.
“Buyer” has the meaning given to it
in the introductory paragraph hereof.
“Cause” means: (i) any act of an
employee in connection with his or her employment and relating to the Buyer’s
business including, but not limited to, negligence, which is materially
detrimental to the Buyer’s interests; (ii) any act of misconduct,
unlawfulness or dishonesty by an employee in connection with his or her
employment which is detrimental to the Buyer’s interests; (iii) an
employee’s unsatisfactory job performance or failure to comply with the Buyer’s
board of directors’ reasonable directions; or (iv) an employee’s material
breach of any agreement between such employee and the Buyer.
“Closing” means
the closing of the Merger, as identified more specifically in
ARTICLE III.
“Closing
Date” has
the meaning given to it in Section
3.1.
“Code” means
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor statute of
similar import, together with the regulations thereunder, in each case as in
effect from time to time. References to sections of the Code shall be
construed also to refer to any successor sections.
“Company” has the meaning given to it
in the introductory paragraph hereof.
“Company Benefit
Plans” has the meaning given to it in Section
4.13(a).
2
“Company
Contracts” has
the meaning given to it in Section
4.14.
“Company Financial
Statements” means,
with respect to the Company, the audited statements of income and shareholder’s
equity and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2008 (if applicable) and
2007 and audited balance sheets as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, as well as the
interim unaudited statements of income and shareholders’ equity and cash flows
for each of the completed fiscal quarters since December 31, 2007, and the
interim balance sheet as of each such quarter.
“Company
Option” means
an option or other right to purchase Company Shares.
“Company
Shares” has
the meaning given to it in Section
2.2(a).
“Company
Warrant” means
a warrant to purchase Company Shares.
“Company
Warrantholder” has the meaning given to it in Section
2.6.
“Company’s
Disclosure Schedule” has
the meaning given to it in the preamble to ARTICLE IV.
“Confidential
Information” has
the meaning given to it in Section
7.4(b).
“Confidentiality
Agreement” has
the meaning given to it in Section
6.1(c).
“Consent” means
any consent, approval, authorization, clearance, exemption, waiver or similar
affirmation by any Person given or granted with respect to any Contract, Law,
Order or Permit.
“Contract” means
any agreement, warranty, indenture, mortgage, guaranty, lease, license or other
contract, agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding, written or oral,
to which a Person is a party.
“Default” means (i) any breach or
violation of or default under any Contract, Order or Permit (including any
noncompliance with restrictions on assignment, where assignment is defined to
include a change of control of the parties to this Agreement or any of their
Affiliates or the merger or consolidation of any of them with another Person),
(ii) any occurrence of any event that, with the passage of time or the giving of
notice or both, would constitute such a breach or violation of or default under
any Contract, Order or Permit, or (iii) any occurrence of any event that, with
or without the passage of time or the giving of notice, would give rise to a
right to terminate or revoke, change the current terms of, or renegotiate, or to
accelerate, increase, or impose any Liability under, any Contract, Order or
Permit.
“Dissenting
Shares” has
the meaning given to it in Section
2.7.
“Effective
Time” has the
meaning given to it in Section
2.1(e).
3
“Environmental
Laws” means any
federal, state or local law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, permit,
directive, license, approval, guidance, interpretation, order or other legal
requirement relating to the protection of human health or the environment,
including but not limited to any requirement pertaining to the manufacture,
processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transportation,
handling, reporting, licensing, permitting, investigation or remediation of
materials that are or may constitute a threat to human health or the
environment. Without limiting the foregoing, each of the following is an
Environmental Law: the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 9601 et seq.), the Hazardous Material
Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. §§ 1801 et seq.), the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 6901 et seq.), the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act (33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.), the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C.
§§ 7401 et seq.), the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 2601
et seq.), the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 300 et seq.) and the
Occupational Safety and Health Act (29 U.S.C. §§ 651 et seq.), as such laws
and regulations have been or are in the future amended or supplemented, and each
similar federal, state or local statute, and each rule and regulation
promulgated under such federal, state and local laws.
“Environmental
Survey” has the
meaning given to it in Section
7.3.
“ERISA” means
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and any
successor statute of similar import, together with the regulations thereunder,
in each case as in effect from time to time. References to sections
of ERISA shall be construed also to refer to any successor
sections.
“ERISA
Plan” means
any Benefit Plan that is an “employee welfare benefit plan,” as that term is
defined in Section 3(l) of ERISA, or an “employee pension benefit plan,” as that
term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA.
“Exchange
Act” means the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Exchange
Agent” has the
meaning given to it in Section
2.4(a).
“Exchange
Ratio” means
0.2697.
“FDIC” means the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation.
“GAAP” means generally accepted
accounting principles as recognized by the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants, as in effect from time to time, consistently applied and
maintained on a consistent basis for a Person throughout the period indicated
and consistent with such Person’s prior financial practice.
“Governmental
Authority” means
any nation, province or state, or any political subdivision thereof, and any
agency, department, natural person or other entity exercising executive,
legislative, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to
government, including Regulatory Authorities.
“Hazardous
Material” means
any substance or material that either is or contains a substance designated as a
hazardous waste, hazardous substance, hazardous material, pollutant, contaminant
or toxic substance under any Environmental Law or is otherwise regulated under
any Environmental Law, or the presence of which in some quantity requires
investigation, notification or remediation under any Environmental
Law.
4
“IIPI” has
the meaning given to it in Section
4.29(a).
“Informing
Party” has
the meaning given to it in Section
7.4(b).
“Intellectual
Property” means
all copyrights, patents, trademarks, service marks, service names, trade names,
applications therefor, technology rights and licenses, computer software
(including any source or object codes and documentation relating thereto), trade
secrets, franchises, know-how, inventions, and other intellectual property
rights.
“XXX” means an “individual
retirement account” or similar deposit account established in accordance with
the provisions of Section 408 of the Code for which the Company acts as
custodian or trustee, but as to which (i) the Company may not exercise
investment discretion and (ii) the Company’s customer for whom the XXX is
established may not direct securities investment while the Company acts as
custodian or trustee.
“Knowledge of the
Company” means
the knowledge of any of the directors and executive officers of the Company,
including facts of which the directors and executive officers, in the reasonably
prudent exercise of their duties, should be aware.
“Knowledge of the
Parent and the Buyer” means
the knowledge of any of the directors and officers of the Parent or the Buyer or
any of their respective Subsidiaries, including facts of which the directors and
officers, in the reasonably prudent exercise of their duties, should be
aware.
“Law” means
any code, law, ordinance, rule, regulation, reporting or licensing requirement,
or statute applicable to a Person or its Assets, Liabilities, business or
operations promulgated, interpreted or enforced by any Governmental
Authority.
“Liability” means
any direct or indirect, primary or secondary, liability, indebtedness,
obligation, penalty, cost or expense (including costs of investigation,
collection and defense), claim, deficiency, guaranty or endorsement of or by any
Person (other than endorsements of notes, bills, checks, and drafts presented
for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business) of any type,
whether accrued, absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, matured or
unmatured or otherwise.
“Lien” means,
whether contractual or statutory, any conditional sale agreement, participation
or repurchase agreement, assignment, default of title, easement, encroachment,
encumbrance, hypothecation, infringement, lien, mortgage, pledge, reservation,
restriction, security interest, title retention or other security arrangement,
or any adverse right or interest, charge or claim of any nature whatsoever of,
on, or with respect to any property or property interest, other than (i) Liens
for current property Taxes not yet due and payable, (ii) easements, restrictions
of record and title exceptions that could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) pledges to secure deposits and other Liens
incurred in the ordinary course of the banking business.
5
“Litigation” means
any action, arbitration, cause of action, complaint, criminal prosecution,
governmental investigation, hearing, or administrative or other proceeding, but
shall not include regular, periodic examinations of depository institutions and
their Affiliates by Regulatory Authorities.
“Loan
Collateral” means
all of the assets, properties, businesses and rights of every kind, nature,
character and description, whether real, personal, or mixed, tangible or
intangible, accrued or contingent, owned by whomever and wherever located, in
which any Person has taken a security interest with respect to, on which any
Person has placed a Lien with respect to, or which is otherwise used to secure,
any loan made by any Person or any note, account, or other receivable payable to
any Person.
“Material” means having meaningful
consequences and, for purposes of this Agreement, shall be determined reasonably
in light of the facts and circumstances of the matter in question; provided that any specific
monetary amount stated in this Agreement shall determine materiality in that
instance.
“Material Adverse
Effect” on a
Person shall mean an event, change, or occurrence that, individually or together
with any other event, change, or occurrence, has a Material adverse impact on
(i) the financial condition, results of operations, or business of such Person
and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (ii) the ability of such Person to
perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the Merger or the
other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, provided that “Material Adverse
Effect” shall
not be deemed to include the impact of (a) changes in banking and similar Laws
of general applicability or interpretations thereof by courts or Governmental
Authorities, (b) changes in market interest rates, real estate markets,
securities markets or other market conditions applicable to banks or thrift
institutions generally, (c) changes in GAAP or regulatory accounting principles
generally applicable to banks and their holding companies, (d) actions and
omissions of a party hereto (or any of its Affiliates) taken with the prior
informed consent of the other parties hereto in contemplation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, and (e) the Merger (and the reasonable
expenses incurred in connection therewith) and compliance with the provisions of
this Agreement on the operating performance of the parties hereto.
“Merger” has
the meaning given to it in the Background Statement hereof.
“Merger
Consideration” has
the meaning given to it in Section
2.3(a).
“New Parent
Warrants” has the meaning given to it in Section
2.6.
“North Carolina
Securities Permit” has the meaning given to it
in Section
6.3(f)(i).
“OFAC” means
the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the
Treasury.
“Order” means
any administrative decision or award, decree, injunction, judgment, order,
quasi-judicial decision or award, ruling, or writ of any federal, state, local,
foreign or other court, arbitrator, mediator, tribunal, administrative agency or
Governmental Authority.
6
“Parent” has
the meaning given to it in the introductory paragraph hereof.
“Parent Financial
Statements”
means, with respect to the Parent and its Subsidiaries, the consolidated audited
statements of income and shareholder’s equity and cash flows for the years ended
December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 and consolidated audited balance sheets as of
December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, as well as the interim unaudited consolidated
statements of income and shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the
completed fiscal quarters since December 31, 2008, and the consolidated interim
balance sheet as of each such quarter.
“Parent SEC
Reports” has the
meaning given to it in Section
5.4(a).
“Parent’s
Stock” means
the common stock of the Parent, par value $1.00 per share, as traded on the OTC
Bulletin Board.
“Pension
Plan” means
any ERISA Plan that also is a “defined benefit plan” (as defined in Section
414(j) of the Code or Section 3(35) of ERISA).
“Permit” means
any approval, authorization, certificate, easement, filing, franchise, license,
notice, permit, or right given by a Governmental Authority to which any Person
is a party or that is or may be binding upon or inure to the benefit of any
Person or its securities, Assets or business.
“Person” means
a corporation, a company, an association, a joint venture, a partnership, an
organization, a business, an individual, a trust, a Governmental Authority or
any other legal entity.
“Real
Property” means
all of the land, buildings, premises, or other real property in which a Person
has ownership or possessory rights, whether by title, lease or otherwise
(including banking facilities and any foreclosed properties). Notwithstanding
the foregoing, “Real
Property”, as
used with respect to any Person, does not include any Loan Collateral not yet
foreclosed and conveyed to the Person as of the date with respect to which the
term “Real
Property” is
being used.
“Receiving
Party” has
the meaning given to it in Section
7.4(b).
“Regulatory
Authorities” means,
collectively, the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Reserve Board
and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, OFAC, the FDIC, the North Carolina
Banking Commission, the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks, the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority, the SEC, and any other regulatory agencies having
primary regulatory authority over the parties hereto, their respective
Affiliates, and the Merger and other transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
“Rights” shall
mean all arrangements, calls, commitments, Contracts, options, rights to
subscribe to, scrip, understandings, warrants, or other binding obligations of
any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into
or exchangeable for, shares of the capital stock of a Person or by which a
Person is or may be bound to issue additional shares of its capital stock or
other Rights.
7
“Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx” means the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act of 2002, as amended.
“SEC” means
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Securities
Act” means
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Securities
Laws” means the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Investment Company Act of 1940, the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, each as
amended, and the rules and regulations of any Governmental Authority promulgated
under each.
“Separation
Agreement” has
the meaning given to it in Section
6.2(c)(v).
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any
Person, each of the Persons that directly or indirectly, through one or more
intermediaries, is controlled by such Person.
“Superior
Proposal” means
a bona fide, written and unsolicited proposal or offer (including a new or
solicited proposal received by the Company after execution of this Agreement
from a person whose initial contact with the Company may have been solicited by
the Company or its representatives prior to the execution of this Agreement)
made by any person or group (other than the Parent or any of its Subsidiaries)
with respect to an Acquisition Proposal on terms which the Board of Directors of
the Company determines in good faith, and in the exercise of reasonable judgment
(based on the advice of independent financial advisors and outside legal
counsel), to be reasonably capable of being consummated and to be superior from
a financial point of view to the holders of Company Shares than the transactions
contemplated hereby, taking into consideration all elements of the transactions
contemplated hereby including, without limitation, the non-taxable element of
such transactions (based on the written opinion, with only customary
qualifications, of the Company’s financial advisor).
“Surviving
Bank” has the
meaning given to it in Section
2.1(a).
“Tax” or “Taxes” means any and all taxes,
charges, fees, levies or other assessments (whether federal, state, local or
foreign), including without limitation income, gross receipts, excise, property,
estate, sales, use, value added, transfer, license, payroll, franchise, ad
valorem, withholding, Social Security and unemployment taxes, as well as any
interest, penalties and other additions to such taxes, charges, fees, levies or
other assessments.
“Tax
Return” means
any report, return or other information required to be supplied to a taxing
authority in connection with Taxes.
“Taxable
Period” shall
mean any period prescribed by any Governmental Authority, including the United
States or any state, local, or foreign government or subdivision or agency
thereof for which a Tax Return is required to be filed or Tax is required to be
paid.
“Technology
Systems” has the
meaning given to it in Section
4.30(a).
“Voting
Agreement” has
the meaning given to it in Section
4.27.
8
ARTICLE
II
THE
MERGER; CONVERSION AND EXCHANGE OF COMPANY SHARES
2.1. THE
MERGER.
(a) The
Merger. On the terms and subject to the conditions of this
Agreement, the Plan of Merger in respect of the Merger, which shall be
substantially in the form attached hereto as EXHIBIT A, and North Carolina Law,
the Company shall merge into the Buyer, the separate existence of the Company
shall cease, and the Buyer shall be the surviving corporation (the “Surviving
Bank”) and shall
continue its corporate existence under the laws of the State of North
Carolina.
(b) Governing
Documents. The articles of incorporation of the Buyer in
effect at the Effective Time of the Merger shall be the articles of
incorporation of the Surviving Bank until further amended in accordance with
applicable Law. The bylaws of the Buyer in effect at such Effective
Time shall be the bylaws of the Surviving Bank until further amended in
accordance with applicable Law.
(c) Directors and
Officers. From and after the Effective Time of the Merger,
until successors or additional directors are duly elected or appointed in
accordance with applicable law, (i) the directors of the Buyer at the Effective
Time shall be the directors of the Surviving Bank and (ii) the officers of the
Buyer at the Effective Time shall be the officers of the Surviving
Bank.
(d) Approval. The
parties hereto shall take and cause to be taken all action necessary to approve
and authorize (i) this Agreement and the other documents contemplated hereby
(including without limitation the above-referenced Plan of Merger) and (ii) the
Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby.
(e) Effective
Time. The Merger shall become effective on the date and at the
time of filing of the related Articles of Merger, in the form required by and
executed in accordance with North Carolina Law, or at such other time as is
specified therein. The date and time when the Merger shall become
effective is herein referred to as the “Effective
Time.”
(f) Filing of Articles of
Merger. At the Closing, the Buyer and the Company shall cause
the Articles of Merger (containing the above-referenced Plan of Merger) in
respect of the Merger to be executed and filed with the Secretary of State of
North Carolina as required by North Carolina Law and shall take any and all
other actions and do any and all other things to cause the Merger to become
effective as contemplated hereby.
2.2 COMPANY
SHARES.
(a) Each
share of the Company’s capital stock (the “Company
Shares” and each
a “Company
Share”),
$4.80 par
value per share, issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time
(other than Company Shares to be canceled pursuant to this Section 2.2 and
Dissenting Shares) shall, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the
part of the holders thereof, be canceled in exchange, at the Effective Time, for
the right to receive the Merger Consideration in accordance with this ARTICLE
II.
9
(b) Each
Company Share, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the
holder thereof, shall at the Effective Time no longer be outstanding, shall be
canceled and retired and shall cease to exist, and each holder of certificates
representing any such Company Shares shall thereafter cease to have any rights
with respect to such shares, except for the right to receive the Merger
Consideration.
(c) Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Section 2.2 to the
contrary, any Company Shares held in the treasury of the Company immediately
prior to the Effective Time shall be canceled without any conversion thereof,
and no payment shall be made with respect thereto.
(d) From
and after the Effective Time of the Merger, there shall be no transfers on the
stock transfer books of the Surviving Bank of Company Shares that were
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time. If, after the
Effective Time, certificates representing Company Shares are presented to the
Surviving Bank, they shall be canceled and exchanged for the Merger
Consideration as provided for herein.
2.3 MERGER
CONSIDERATION.
(a) Subject
to Sections
2.2, 2.4
and 2.7, at the
Effective Time, the holders of Company Shares outstanding at the Effective Time,
other than the Parent and its Affiliates, shall be entitled to receive, and the
Buyer shall issue and deliver, for each Company Share held by such Person: 1.0
share of the Parent’s Stock multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The
foregoing consideration, collectively and in the aggregate, shall be referred to
herein as the “Merger
Consideration.”
(b) No
fractional shares of the Parent’s Stock shall be issued or delivered in
connection with the Merger. Instead, the number of shares of the
Parent’s Stock which a holder of the Company Shares is entitled to receive
pursuant to this ARTICLE II shall be rounded to the nearest whole share (with
0.5 share rounded up to the nearest whole share).
2.4 EXCHANGE
PROCEDURES.
(a) After
the Effective Time, the Parent or the Buyer shall cause an exchange agent
selected by the Parent (the “Exchange
Agent”) to mail
to the shareholders of the Company of record at the Effective Time appropriate
transmittal materials (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected, and
risk of loss and title to the certificates representing Company Shares prior to
such Effective Time shall pass, only upon proper delivery of such certificates
to the Exchange Agent). After the Effective Time, each holder of
Company Shares issued and outstanding at the Effective Time (other than any of
such shares held by the Parent or any Affiliate thereof or canceled pursuant to
Section 2.2(c)
or (d)) shall
surrender the certificate or certificates representing such shares to the
Exchange Agent and upon surrender thereof and completion of all requirements
contained in this ARTICLE II and the letter of transmittal sent by the Exchange
Agent receive in exchange therefor the number of shares of the Parent’s Stock
(if any) to which such holder is entitled hereunder. None of the
Parent, the Buyer or the Exchange Agent shall be obligated to deliver any of
such consideration until such holder surrenders the certificate(s) representing
such holder’s Company Shares. The certificate(s) so surrendered shall
be duly endorsed as the Exchange Agent may require. Any other
provision of this Agreement notwithstanding, none of the Parent, the Buyer or
the Exchange Agent shall be liable to any holder of Company Shares for any
amounts paid or properly delivered in good faith to a public official pursuant
to any applicable abandoned property Law.
10
(b) To
the extent permissible under applicable law, former shareholders of record of
the Company shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Parent’s
shareholders until such holders have exchanged their certificates representing
such Company Shares for certificates representing the Parent’s Stock in
accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. To the extent
permissible under applicable law, whenever a dividend or other distribution is
declared by the Parent on the Parent’s Stock, the record date for which is at or
after the Effective Time, the declaration shall only include dividends or other
distributions on shares of the Parent’s Stock actually issued at such time, and
no dividend or other distribution payable to the holders of record of the
Parent’s Stock as of any time subsequent to the Effective Time shall be
delivered to the holder of any certificate representing any of the Company
Shares who has not, as of the record date for such dividend or distribution,
exchanged the certificates representing such Company Shares for certificates
representing the Parent’s Stock.
2.5 COMPANY
STOCK OPTIONS.
(a) At
the Effective Time, Parent shall cause each Company Option that is outstanding
and unexercised immediately prior to the Effective Time, whether or not vested,
to become an option to purchase the Parent’s Stock by assuming such Company
Option in accordance with, and to the extent permitted by, the terms (as in
effect as of the date of this Agreement) of the stock incentive plans under
which such Company Option was issued and the terms of the stock option agreement
by which such Company Option is evidenced. From and after the
Effective Time, (i) each Company Option assumed by the Parent may be exercised
solely for shares of the Parent’s Stock, (ii) the number of shares of the
Parent’s Stock subject to each Company Option assumed by the Parent shall be
equal to the number of Company Shares subject to such Company Option immediately
prior to the Effective Time multiplied by the Exchange Ratio, rounding down to
the nearest whole share, (iii) the per share exercise price under each Company
Option assumed by the Parent shall be adjusted by dividing the per share
exercise price under such Company Option by the Exchange Ratio and rounding up
to the nearest whole cent, and (iv) any restriction on the exercise of any
Company Option assumed by the Parent shall continue in full force and effect and
the term, exercisability and other provisions of such Company Option shall
otherwise remain unchanged; provided, however, that
consistent with the express terms (as in effect on the date of this Agreement)
of the stock incentive plans under which such Company Option was issued, because
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will occur within three (3)
years of the date of such plan, no change in the Company Option will be
triggered by such transactions; further provided, that each
Company Option assumed by the Parent in accordance with this Section 2.5(a) shall,
in accordance with its terms, be subject to further adjustment as appropriate to
reflect any stock split, division or subdivision of shares, stock dividend,
reverse stock split, consolidation of shares, reclassification, recapitalization
or other similar transaction subsequent to the Effective Time. The
Parent shall file with the SEC, as soon as reasonably practicable and no later
than ninety (90) days after the Effective Time, a registration statement on Form
S-8 relating to the shares of the Parent’s Stock issuable with respect to the
Company Options assumed by the Parent in accordance with this Section
2.5(a). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in
this Section
2.5, in lieu of assuming an outstanding Company Option in accordance with
this Section
2.5(a), the Parent may, at its election, cause such Company Option to be
replaced by issuing a reasonably equivalent replacement stock option in
substitution therefor.
11
(b) Prior
to the Effective Time, the Company shall take all action that may be necessary
(under each plan pursuant to which any Company Option is outstanding and
otherwise) to effectuate the provisions of this Section 2.5 and to
ensure that, from and after the Effective Time, any holder of a Company Option
has no rights with respect thereto other than those specifically provided in
this Section
2.5. Each Company Option, by virtue of the Merger and without
any action on the part of the holder thereof, shall at the Effective Time no
longer be outstanding, shall be canceled and retired and shall cease to
exist.
2.6 WARRANTS . Subject
to Section 6.1(j), at the Effective Time, each Company Warrant issued and
outstanding at the Effective Time shall be canceled in exchange for the right to
receive a warrant to purchase the Parent’s Stock (each, a “New Parent
Warrant”). The number of shares of the Parent’s Stock subject
to each New Parent Warrant shall be equal to the number of Company Shares
subject to the applicable replaced Company Warrant immediately prior to the
Effective Time multiplied by the Exchange Ratio, rounding down to the nearest
whole share. The per share exercise price under each New Parent
Warrant issued by the Parent shall be equal to the per share exercise price
under the applicable replaced Company Warrant divided by the Exchange Ratio,
rounding up to the nearest whole cent. Notwithstanding anything in
this Agreement to the contrary, (a) the Parent shall have no obligation to
issue a New Parent Warrant to any former holder of a Company Warrant (each, a
“Company
Warrantholder”) who does not execute a written termination referenced in
Section 6.1(j), (b) the Parent shall have no obligation to file any
registration statement relating to the shares of the Parent’s Stock issuable
with respect to the New Parent Warrants, and (c) the issuance of the
Parent’s Stock upon exercise of the New Parent Warrants shall be conditional
upon the availability of an exemption from the registration requirements of the
Securities Act.
2.7 DISSENTING
SHARES. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement
to the contrary, Company Shares that are outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time and that are held by shareholders who shall have not voted in
favor of the Merger or consented thereto in writing and who properly shall have
exercised dissenter’s rights with respect to such shares in accordance with
Article 13 of the North Carolina Business Corporation Act (collectively, the
“Dissenting
Shares”) shall
not be converted into or represent the right to receive the Merger
Consideration. Such shareholders instead shall be entitled to receive
payment of the appraised value of such shares held by them in accordance with
the provisions of the North Carolina Business Corporation Act, except that all
Dissenting Shares held by shareholders who shall have failed to perfect or who
effectively shall have withdrawn or otherwise lost their dissenter’s rights
under Article 13 of the North Carolina Business Corporation Act shall cease to
be Dissenting Shares and shall be deemed to have been converted into and to have
become exchangeable, as of the Effective Time, for the right to receive, without
any interest thereon, the Merger Consideration upon delivery of the documents
specified in Section
2.4(a) with respect to such Company Shares. Prior to the
Effective Time, the Company shall give the Parent (a) prompt notice of any
written dissenter’s notices it receives relating to any Company Shares or
purported withdrawals of such notices, or any other documents it receives
relating to the exercise of dissenters’ rights as to Company Shares, and (b) the
opportunity to participate in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to
demands under the North Carolina Business Corporation Act consistent with the
obligations of the Company thereunder. The Company shall not, except
with the prior written consent of the Parent, (x) make any payment with respect
to such demand, (y) offer to settle or settle any demand for appraisal or (z)
waive any failure to timely deliver a written demand for appraisal or timely
take any other action to perfect appraisal rights in accordance with North
Carolina Law.
12
ARTICLE
III
THE
CLOSING
3.1 CLOSING. The
Closing of the Merger shall take place at the offices of Smith, Anderson,
Blount, Dorsett, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, L.L.P. in Raleigh, North Carolina as
soon as reasonably practical after all conditions to Closing have been met, or
on such other date or at such other location as the Parent, the Buyer and the
Company may mutually agree (such date, the “Closing
Date”). At the
Closing, the parties will execute, deliver and file all documents necessary to
effect the transactions contemplated with respect to the Merger, including the
Articles of Merger in respect of the Merger.
3.2 DELIVERIES BY THE
COMPANY. At or by the Closing, the Company shall have caused
the following documents to be executed and delivered:
(a) the
agreements, opinions, certificates, instruments and other documents contemplated
in Section 8.3;
and
(b) all
other documents, certificates and instruments required hereunder to be delivered
to the Parent or the Buyer or as may reasonably be requested by the Parent or
the Buyer at or prior to the Closing.
3.3 DELIVERIES BY THE PARENT AND THE
BUYER. At or by the Closing, the Parent and the Buyer shall
have caused the following documents to be executed and delivered:
(a) the
agreements, opinions, certificates, instruments and other documents contemplated
in Section 8.2;
and
(b) all
other documents, certificates and instruments required hereunder to be delivered
to the Company, or as may reasonably be requested by the Company at or prior to
the Closing.
13
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except as set forth on the Company’s
Disclosure Schedule (the “Company’s
Disclosure Schedule”), the Company represents
and warrants to the Parent and the Buyer that the statements contained in this
ARTICLE IV are correct and complete as of the date of this Agreement and will be
correct and complete as of the Closing Date.
4.1 ORGANIZATION, STANDING AND
POWER. The Company is a banking corporation, duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under North Carolina Law. The
Company is an “insured depository institution” as defined in the Federal Deposit
Insurance Act and, subject to dollar limits under such Act, all deposits with
the Company are fully insured by the FDIC to the extent permitted by
Law. The Company has the corporate power and authority to carry on,
in all Material respects, its businesses as now conducted and to own, lease and
operate its Assets. The Company is duly qualified or licensed to
transact business as a foreign corporation in good standing in the States of the
United States and foreign jurisdictions where the character of its Assets or the
nature or conduct of its business requires it to be so qualified or licensed,
except where the failure to be so qualified or licensed could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
4.2 AUTHORITY; NO
CONFLICTS.
(a) Subject
to required regulatory and shareholder approvals, the Company has the corporate
power and authority necessary to execute, deliver and perform its obligations
under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby. Subject to required shareholder approval, the execution,
delivery and performance of the Company’s obligations under this Agreement and
the other documents contemplated hereby and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated herein, including the Merger, have been duly and validly authorized
by all necessary corporate action in respect thereof on the part of the
Company. This Agreement represents a legal, valid and binding
obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
its terms (except in all cases as such enforceability may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar Laws
affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except that the
availability of specific performance, injunctive relief and other equitable
remedies is subject to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding
may be brought). To the Knowledge of the Company, there is no fact or
condition relating to the Company that would prevent all regulatory approvals
required for the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby from being
obtained.
(b) Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, nor the
consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, nor
compliance by the Company with any of the provisions hereof, will (i) conflict
with or result in a breach of any provision of the Company’s articles of
incorporation, charter, bylaws or any other similar governing document, (ii)
constitute or result in a Default under, or require any Consent pursuant to, or
result in the creation of any Lien on any Asset of the Company under, any
Contract or Permit of the Company, except as could not reasonably be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, or (iii) subject to obtaining the
requisite Consents referred to in Section 8.1, violate
any Law or Order applicable to the Company or any of its respective
Assets.
14
(c) Other
than in connection or compliance with the provisions of the Securities Laws and
banking Regulatory Authorities, no notice to, filing with, or Consent of, any
Governmental Authority is necessary for the consummation by the Company of the
Merger and the other transactions contemplated in this Agreement.
4.3 CAPITAL STOCK;
SUBSIDIARIES.
(a) The
authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 10,000,000 shares
of common stock, $4.80 par value per share, of which 1,324,061 shares are issued
and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement, and 1,000,000 shares
of preferred stock, no par value per share, of which no shares are issued and
outstanding as of the date of this Agreement. Except for the
1,324,061 shares of common stock referenced in the preceding sentence, there are
no shares of capital stock or other equity securities of the Company
outstanding. There are options to purchase 80,447 shares of common
stock of the Company outstanding as of the date of this
Agreement. There are warrants to purchase 172,453 shares of common
stock of the Company outstanding as of the date of this
Agreement. Except for such options covering 80,447 shares
of common stock of the Company and such warrants covering 172,453 shares of
common stock of the Company, there are no options, Company Options, warrants,
Rights or Contracts requiring the Company to issue additional shares of its
capital stock. There are 80,447 shares of capital stock reserved with
respect to such options, and there are 172,453 shares of capital stock reserved
with respect to such warrants. The Company has no direct or indirect
Subsidiaries.
(b) All
of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are duly
and validly issued and outstanding and are fully paid and nonassessable, except
to the extent set forth in Section 53-42 of the North Carolina General
Statutes. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Company has been issued in violation of any preemptive rights of the current or
past shareholders of the Company. Except as set forth in Section 4.3(a)
above, there are no Contracts by which the Company is bound to issue
(other than to the Company) additional shares of its capital stock or Rights or
by which the Company is or may be bound to transfer any shares of the capital
stock of the Company (other than to the Company). There are no equity
securities reserved for any of the foregoing purposes (except as set forth in
Section 4.3(a)
above), and there are no Contracts relating to the Rights of the
Company.
4.4 COMPANY FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS.
(a) The
Company Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP applied
on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as may be
indicated in the notes to such financial statements, or, in the case of
unaudited statements, as permitted by applicable Law), and fairly presented the
financial position of the Company as of the respective dates and the results of
its operations and cash flows for the periods indicated, except that the
unaudited interim financial statements were or are subject to normal and
recurring year-end adjustments that were not or are not expected to be Material
in amount or effect (except as may be indicated in such financial statements or
notes thereto). No financial statements of any Person other than the
Company are required by GAAP to be included in the financial statements of the
Company. The Company has provided true, correct and complete copies
of the Company Financial Statements to the Buyer.
15
(b) The
Company maintains adequate internal accounting controls which provide assurance
that (i) transactions are executed with management’s authorization, (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the financial
statements of the Company in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability
for the Company’s assets, (iii) access to the Company’s assets is permitted only
in accordance with management’s authorization, (iv) the reporting of the
Company’s assets is compared with existing assets at regular intervals, and (v)
accounts, notes and other receivables and inventory are recorded accurately and
proper and adequate procedures are implemented to effect the collection thereof
on a current and timely basis.
4.5 ABSENCE OF UNDISCLOSED
LIABILITIES. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company has
no Liabilities, except (a) Liabilities that are accrued or reserved against in
the balance sheet of the Company as of March 31, 2009, included in the
Company Financial Statements or reflected in the notes thereto, (b) increases in
deposit accounts in the ordinary course of business since March 31, 2009,
(c) unfunded commitments to make, issue or extend loans, lines of credit or
other extensions of credit which do not exceed $100,000 in the case of any one
commitment, or (d) Federal Home Loan Bank advances. The Company has
not incurred or paid any Liability since March 31, 2009, except for (i)
Liabilities incurred or paid in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past business practice and (ii) Liabilities that could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. To the
Knowledge of the Company, no facts or circumstances exist that could reasonably
be expected to serve as the basis for any other Liabilities of the Company,
except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
the Company. No securitization transactions or “off-balance sheet
arrangements” (as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K of the
Exchange Act) have been effected by the Company other than letters of credit and
unfunded loan commitments or credit lines.
4.6 ABSENCE OF CERTAIN CHANGES OR
EVENTS. Since March 31, 2009, (a) there have been no
events, changes, or occurrences that have had, or could reasonably be expected
to have, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (b) the Company has conducted
in all Material respects its business in the ordinary and usual course
(excluding the incurrence of expenses in connection with this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby), (c) the Company has not declared, set aside
for payment or paid any dividend to holders of, or declared or made any
distribution on, any Company Shares, and (d) the Company has not taken any
action, or failed to take any action, prior to the date of this Agreement, which
action or failure, if taken after the date of this Agreement, would represent or
result in a material breach or violation of any of the covenants and agreements
of the Company provided in ARTICLE VI. Except as may result from the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Company has not, since
March 31, 2009:
(i) borrowed any
money other than deposits or overnight federal funds or entered into any capital
lease; or, except in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past
practices: (x) lent any money or pledged any of its credit in connection
with any aspect of its business, whether as a guarantor, surety, issuer of a
letter of credit or otherwise, in excess of $100,000, (y) mortgaged or otherwise
subjected to any Lien any of its Assets, sold, assigned or transferred any of
its Assets in excess of $25,000 in the aggregate, or (z) incurred any other
Liability or loss representing, individually or in the aggregate, over
$25,000;
16
(ii) suffered
over $25,000 in damage, destruction or loss to immovable or movable property,
whether or not covered by insurance;
(iii) experienced
any material adverse change in Asset concentrations as to customers or
industries or in the nature and source of its Liabilities or in the mix of
interest-bearing versus non-interest-bearing deposits;
(iv) had
any customer with a loan or deposit balance of more than $75,000 terminate, or,
to the Knowledge of the Company, received notice of such customer’s intent to
terminate its relationship with the Company;
(v) failed
to operate its business in the ordinary course consistent with past practices,
or failed to use reasonable efforts to preserve its business or to preserve the
goodwill of its customers and others with whom it has business
relations;
(vi) forgiven
any debt owed to it in excess of $25,000, or canceled any of its claims or paid
any of its noncurrent obligations or Liabilities;
(vii) made
any capital expenditure or capital addition or betterment in excess of
$25,000;
(viii) except
as required in accordance with GAAP, changed any accounting practice followed or
employed in preparing the Company Financial Statements;
(ix) authorized
or issued any additional Company Shares, preferred stock, or other equity
rights; or
(x) entered
into any agreement, contract or commitment to do any of the
foregoing.
4.7 TAX
MATTERS.
(a) All
Tax Returns required to be filed by or on behalf of the Company have been timely
filed, or requests for extensions have been timely filed, granted, and have not
expired for periods ended on or before December 31, 2007, and all Tax Returns
filed are complete and accurate in all Material respects. All Tax
Returns for periods ending on or before the date of the most recent fiscal year
end immediately preceding the Effective Time will be timely filed or requests
for extensions will be timely filed. All Taxes shown on filed Tax
Returns have been paid. There is no pending or, to the Knowledge of
the Company, threatened audit examination, deficiency, or refund Litigation with
respect to any Taxes that could have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company,
except to the extent reserved against in the Company Financial Statements dated
prior to the date of this Agreement. All Taxes and other Liabilities
due with respect to completed and settled examinations or concluded Litigation
have been paid.
17
(b) None of the Company
or its Affiliates has executed an extension or waiver of any statute of
limitations on the assessment or collection of any Tax due (excluding such
statutes that relate to years currently under examination by the Internal
Revenue Service or other applicable taxing authorities) that is currently in
effect.
(c) Adequate provision
for any Material Taxes due or to become due for the Company for the period or
periods through and including the date of the respective Company Financial
Statements has been made and is reflected on such Company Financial
Statements.
(d) The Company is in
compliance with, and its records contain all information and documents
(including properly completed IRS Forms W-9) necessary to comply with, all
applicable information reporting and Tax withholding requirements under federal,
state, and local Tax Laws, and such records identify with specificity all
accounts subject to backup withholding under Section 3406 of the
Code.
(e) The Company has not
made any payments, is not obligated to make any payments, and is not a party to
any Contract, agreement, or other arrangement that could obligate it to make any
payments that would be disallowed as a deduction under Section 280G or Section
162(m) of the Code.
(f) There are no Material
Liens with respect to Taxes upon any of the Assets of the Company.
(g) There has not been an
ownership change, as defined in Code Section 382(g), of the Company and any
Subsidiary that occurred during any Taxable Period in which the Company has
incurred a net operating loss that carries over to another Taxable Period ending
after December 31, 2008.
(h) The Company has not filed
any consent under Section 341(f) of the Code concerning collapsible
corporations.
(i) The Company does not
have and has not had a permanent establishment in any foreign country, as
defined in any applicable tax treaty or convention between the United States and
such foreign country.
4.8 ASSETS. The Company
has good and marketable title, free and clear of all Liens, to all of its
Assets. All tangible properties used in the business of the Company
are in good condition, reasonable wear and tear excepted, and are usable in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice. All
Material Assets held under leases or subleases by the Company are held under
valid Contracts enforceable in accordance with their respective terms (except as
such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or similar Laws affecting the enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally and except that the availability of specific
performance, injunctive relief and other equitable remedies is subject to the
discretion of the court before which any proceeding may be brought), and each
such Contract is in full force and effect. The Company currently
maintains insurance in amounts, scope, and coverage necessary for its
operations. The Company has not received notice from any insurance
carrier that (a) such insurance will be canceled or that coverage thereunder
will be reduced or eliminated, or (b) premium costs with respect to such
policies of insurance will be increased. The Assets of the Company
include all Assets required to operate its business taken as a whole as
presently conducted.
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4.9 SECURITIES PORTFOLIO AND
INVESTMENTS. All securities owned by the Company (whether
owned of record or beneficially) are held free and clear of all Liens that would
impair the ability of the Company to dispose freely of any such security and/or
otherwise to realize the benefits of ownership thereof at any
time. There are no voting trusts or other agreements or undertakings
to which the Company is a party with respect to the voting of any such
securities. Except for fluctuations in the market values of United
States Treasury and agency or municipal securities, since March 31, 2009,
there has been no significant deterioration or adverse change in the quality, or
any decrease in the value, of the securities portfolio of the
Company.
4.10 ENVIRONMENTAL
MATTERS.
(a) Each of the
Company and its Real Property is in compliance with all Environmental Laws,
except where noncompliance could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company.
(b)
There is no Litigation pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened
before any Governmental Authority in which the Company is or, with respect to
threatened Litigation, may be expected to be, named as a respondent (i) for
alleged noncompliance (including by any predecessor) with any Environmental Law
or (ii) relating to the release into the environment of any Hazardous Material,
whether or not occurring at, on, under, or involving the Company’s Real Property
or a site owned, leased, or operated by the Company.
(c) To
the Knowledge of the Company, during and prior to the period of the Company’s
rental or operation of the Real Property, there have been no releases of
Hazardous Material in, on, under, or affecting (or potentially affecting) such
Real Property.
(d) To
the Knowledge of the Company, there is no asbestos or asbestos-containing
material at its Real Property that is friable, readily crumbled, capable of
becoming airborne, or in any state or condition which would render the site or
building in noncompliance with applicable Laws.
(e) To
the Knowledge of the Company, there are no aboveground or underground storage
tanks or related equipment (including without limitation pipes and lines) at, on
or under any of its Real Property.
4.11 COMPLIANCE WITH
LAWS.
(a) The Company
has in effect all Permits necessary for it to own, lease, or operate its
Material Assets and to carry on its business as now conducted, except for those
Permits the absence of which could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Company, and there has occurred no Default under any such
Permit, other than Defaults that could not reasonably be expected to have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Company. The Company: (i) is not in
violation of any Laws, Orders, or Permits applicable to its business or
employees conducting its business (including without limitation the USA PATRIOT
Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit
Reporting Act, and any other federal or state lending, consumer credit or
consumer privacy law), except for violations that could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company (provided that this clause (i)
shall not apply to Environmental Laws, which are covered in Section 4.10 above);
or (ii) has not received any notification or communication from any agency or
department of federal, state, or local Governmental Authority or any Regulatory
Authority or the staff thereof (A) asserting that the Company is not in
compliance with any of the Laws or Orders that such Governmental Authority or
Regulatory Authority enforces, except where such noncompliance could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (B)
threatening to revoke any Permits, except where the revocation of which could
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, or
(C) requiring the Company (1) to enter into or consent to the issuance of a
cease and desist order, formal agreement, directive, commitment, or memorandum
of understanding, or (2) to adopt any board or directors resolution or similar
undertaking that restricts the conduct of its business, or in any manner relates
to its capital adequacy, its credit or reserve policies, its management, or the
payment of dividends.
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(b) There are no
pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened actions against any
director or officer of the Company pursuant to Section 8A or 20(b) of the
Securities Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 77h-1 or 77t(b), or Section 21(d) or 21C of the
Exchange Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 78u(d) or 78u-3. The Company has not
received any communication from counsel relating to any Material failure to
comply with Securities Laws.
4.12 LABOR
RELATIONS. The Company is not the subject of any Litigation
asserting that it has committed an unfair labor practice (within the meaning of
the National Labor Relations Act or comparable state Law) or seeking to compel
it to bargain with any labor organization as to wages or conditions of
employment, nor is the Company a party to or bound by any collective bargaining
agreement, Contract, or other agreement or understanding with a labor union or
labor organization, nor is there any strike or other labor dispute involving the
Company, pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened. To
the Knowledge of the Company, there is not currently any activity involving any
of the Company’s employees seeking to certify a collective bargaining unit or
engaging in any other organization activity.
4.13 EMPLOYEE
BENEFIT PLANS.
(a) Section 4.13 of the
Company’s Disclosure Schedule sets forth all Benefit Plans in which Company
employees (including leased employees) participate (the “Company Benefit
Plans”). The Company has made available to the Parent and the
Buyer prior to the execution of this Agreement (i) correct and complete copies
in each case of all Company Benefits Plans, (ii) all trust agreements or other
funding arrangements for such Company Benefit Plans (including insurance
contracts), and all amendments thereto; (iii) with respect to any such Company
Benefit Plans or amendments, all determination letters, rulings, opinion
letters, information letters, or advisory opinions issued by the Internal
Revenue Service, the United States Department of Labor, or the Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation after December 31, 1994; (iv) annual reports or returns,
audited or unaudited financial statements, actuarial valuations and reports, and
summary annual reports prepared for any Company Benefit Plan with respect to the
three (3) most recent plan years; and (v) the most recent summary plan
descriptions and any modifications thereto.
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(b) Neither the Company
nor any of its Affiliates maintains or has ever maintained or otherwise had any
obligation to contribute to a Pension Plan or other plan subject to Title IV of
ERISA, a “Multiemployer Plan” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA, or a
multiple employer welfare arrangement (MEWA) as defined in Section 3(40) of
ERISA.
(c) All Company Benefit
Plans are in compliance with the applicable terms of ERISA, the Code, and any
other applicable Laws.
(d) There is no
Litigation pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened relating to
any Company Benefit Plan.
(e) Each Company ERISA
Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has
received a favorable determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service,
and, to the Knowledge of the Company, there is no circumstance that will or
could reasonably be expected to result in revocation of any such favorable
determination letter or in such Plan’s failure to be so
qualified. Each trust created under any Company ERISA Plan has been
determined to be exempt from Tax under Section 501(a) of the Code, and the
Company is not aware of any circumstance that will or could be expected to
result in revocation of such exemption. With respect to each such
Company Benefit Plan, to the Knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred
that will or could be expected to give rise to a loss of any intended Tax
consequences under the Code or to any Tax under Section 511 of the
Code.
(f) Neither the Company
nor any of its Affiliates has engaged in a transaction with respect to any
Company Benefit Plan that, assuming the Taxable Period of such transaction
expired as of the date of this Agreement, would subject the Company or any of
its Affiliates to a Material tax or penalty imposed by either Section 4975 of
the Code or Section 502(i) of ERISA. Neither the Company nor any of
its Affiliates nor any administrator or fiduciary of any Company Benefit Plan
(or any agent of any of the foregoing) has engaged in any transaction, or acted
or failed to act in any manner, that could subject the Company or any of its
Affiliates to any direct or indirect Liability (by indemnity or otherwise) for
breach of any fiduciary, co-fiduciary, or other duty under ERISA. No
oral or written representation or communication with respect to any aspect of
the Company Benefit Plans has been made to employees of the Company or any of
its Affiliates that is not in accordance with the written or otherwise
preexisting terms and provisions of such plans.
(g) Neither the Company
nor any of its Affiliates has any obligation for retiree health and retiree life
benefits under any of the Company Benefit Plans other than with respect to
benefit coverage mandated by applicable Law.
(h) Neither the execution and
delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby will, by themselves, (i) result in any payment (including without
limitation severance, unemployment compensation, golden parachute, or otherwise)
becoming due to any director or any employee of the Company or its Affiliates
from the Company or any of its Affiliates under any Company Benefit Plan or
otherwise, (ii) increase any benefit otherwise payable under any Company Benefit
Plan, or (iii) result in any acceleration of the time of any payment or vesting
of any benefit.
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(i) Each Company
Benefit Plan that is a nonqualified deferred compensation plan subject to Code §
409A has been operated and administered in compliance with Code
§ 409A. No compensation paid or required to be paid under any Company
Benefit Plan is or will be subject to additional tax under Code §
409A(a)(1)(B).
(k) All Company Options
have been granted in compliance in all material respects with applicable Law and
the terms of the Company stock incentive plan and have (or, with respect to
Company Options which have been exercised as of the date of this Agreement, had)
a per share exercise price that is (or, with respect to Company Options which
have been exercised as of the date of this Agreement, was) at least equal to the
fair market value of a share of the underlying stock as of the date the Company
Option was granted (determined in accordance with applicable Law, including, to
the extent applicable, Code Section § 409A).
4.14 MATERIAL
CONTRACTS. The Company is not a party to, and is not bound or
affected by, or entitled to benefits under, (a) any employment, severance,
termination, consulting, change of control or retirement Contract, (b) any
Contract relating to the borrowing of money by the Company or the guarantee by
the Company of any such obligation (other than Contracts made in the ordinary
course of business relating to deposit liabilities, purchases of federal funds,
fully-secured repurchase agreements, Federal Reserve or Federal Home Loan Bank
advances, trade payables, and borrowings and guarantees), (c) any Contract
requiring the payment of a termination fee in excess of $10,000 upon a
termination of such Contract, (d) any Contract that cannot be terminated without
cause at the option of the Company by notice of thirty (30) days or less, or (e)
any other Contract or amendment thereto that would be required to be filed as an
exhibit to an Annual Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-K
in the event that the Company’s common stock was registered under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as of the date of this Agreement, has not been identified
to the Parent (together with all Contracts referred to in Sections 4.8 and 4.13(a) of this
Agreement, the “Company
Contracts”). With respect
to each Company Contract: (i) the Contract is in full force and effect; (ii) the
Company is not in Default thereunder; (iii) the Company has not repudiated or
waived any Material provision of any such Contract; and (iv) no other party to
any such Contract is, to the Knowledge of the Company, in Default in any
respect, or has repudiated or waived any provision thereunder. All of
the indebtedness of the Company for money borrowed (not including deposit
Liabilities and Federal Home Loan Bank advances) is prepayable at any time
without penalty or premium.
4.15 LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS. There is no Litigation instituted or pending, or,
to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or against any
Asset, employee benefit plan, interest, or right of the Company, except as could
not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, nor
are there any Orders of any Regulatory Authorities, other Governmental
Authorities, or arbitrators outstanding against the Company, except as could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Company. There is no Litigation to which the Company is a party that
names the Company as a defendant, counterclaim defendant, or cross-claim
defendant and where the maximum exposure is estimated to be $25,000 or
more.
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4.16 REGULATORY
REPORTS. Since the date of organization, the Company has
timely filed and made available to the Buyer all reports and statements,
together with any amendments required to be made with respect thereto, that it
was required to file with any Regulatory Authorities. As of their
respective dates, each of such reports and documents, including the financial
statements, exhibits, and schedules thereto, complied with all applicable
Laws.
4.17 ACCOUNTING, TAX, AND REGULATORY
MATTERS. To the Knowledge of the Company, the Company has
neither taken nor agreed to take any action that could (a) prevent the
transactions contemplated hereby, including the Merger, from qualifying as a
reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, or (b) impede
or delay receipt of any Consents of Regulatory Authorities referred to in Section 8.1 of this
Agreement.
4.18 CHARTER
PROVISIONS. Complete and accurate copies of the articles of
incorporation and bylaws of the Company have been made available to the
Parent. Entering into this Agreement and consummating the Merger and
the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement do not and will not grant
any Rights to any Person under the Company’s articles of incorporation, bylaws
or Contracts.
4.19 BOOKS AND
RECORDS. The books and records of the Company, including the
Accounting Records, are complete and correct in all respects and have been
maintained in accordance in all respects with good business
practices. The stock books of the Company contain complete and
accurate records of the record share ownership of the issued and outstanding
shares of stock thereof. The minute books of the Company contain
accurate and complete records of all meetings held of, and corporate action
taken by, the shareholders, the board of directors and committees of the board
of directors of the Company, and no meeting of any such shareholders, board of
directors or committees has been held for which minutes have not been prepared
and are not contained in such minute books. The Accounting Records
have been prepared in accordance with all applicable Laws and GAAP consistently
applied throughout the periods involved. The Accounting Records
fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as
of the date thereof, and the results of operations of the Company’s business for
the periods referred to therein. At the Closing, all of those books
and records will be in the possession of the Company.
4.20 DERIVATIVES. The
Company is not a party to and has not agreed to enter into an exchange-traded or
over-the-counter swap, forward, future, option, cap, floor, or collar financial
Contract, or any other interest rate or foreign currency protection contract not
included on its balance sheets in the Company Financial Statements, which is a
financial derivative contract (including various combinations thereof), except
for options and forwards entered into in the ordinary course of its mortgage
lending business consistent with past practice and current
policy. All interest rate swaps, caps, floors, option agreements,
futures and forward contracts, and other similar risk management arrangements,
whether entered into for the account of the Company or its Affiliates or their
customers were entered into (a) in accordance with prudent business practices
and all applicable Laws, and (b) with counterparties believed to be financially
responsible. The Company has not pledged collateral having a value at
the time of entering into such pledge that exceeds the amount required under any
interest rate swap or other similar agreement currently
outstanding.
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4.21 INVESTMENT
COMPANY. The Company is not an “investment company” as defined
in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
4.22 LOANS; ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN
LOSSES.
(a) All
of the loans, leases, installment sales contracts and other credit transactions
on the books of the Company are valid and properly documented and were made in
the ordinary course of business, and the security therefor, if any, is valid and
properly perfected. Neither the terms of such loans, leases,
installment sales contracts and other credit transactions, nor any of the
documentation evidencing such transactions, nor the manner in which such loans,
leases, installment sales contracts and other credit transactions have been
solicited, administered or serviced, nor the Company’s procedures and practices
of approving or rejecting applications for such transactions, violates any
federal, state or local law, rule, regulation or ordinance applicable thereto,
including without limitation the Truth in Lending Act, Regulations O and Z of
the Federal Reserve Board, the Community Reinvestment Act, the Equal Credit
Opportunity Act, as amended, and state laws, rules and regulations relating to
consumer protection, installment sales and usury.
(b) Each
note evidencing a loan referenced in Section 4.22(a) and
any related security instrument (including, without limitation, any guaranty or
similar instrument) constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the
obligor or guarantor thereunder, enforceable in accordance with its terms,
subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfers, reorganization,
moratorium, and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting
creditors’ rights, and to general equity principles. No claims,
counterclaims, set-off rights, or other rights exist, nor do the grounds for any
such claim, counterclaim, set-off rights, or other rights exist, with respect to
such loan which could impair the collectibility thereof.
(c) The
allowances for losses respecting loans, leases, installment sales contracts and
other credit transactions reflected on the balance sheets included in the
Company Financial Statements are adequate as of their respective dates under the
requirements of GAAP and applicable regulatory requirements and
guidelines. The methodology employed to calculate such allowances was
in accordance with GAAP as of the respective dates of calculation.
4.23 REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. With respect to all
agreements currently outstanding pursuant to which the Company has purchased
securities subject to an agreement to resell, the Company has a valid, perfected
first Lien or security interest in the securities or other collateral securing
such agreement, and the value of such collateral equals or exceeds the amount of
the debt secured thereby. With respect to all agreements currently
outstanding pursuant to which the Company has sold securities subject to an
agreement to repurchase, the Company has not pledged collateral having a value
at the time of entering into such pledge that exceeds the amount of the debt
secured thereby.
4.24 DEPOSIT
ACCOUNTS. The Company is an “insured institution” as defined
in the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and applicable regulations
thereunder. The deposits of each depositor of the Company are insured
by the FDIC to the maximum amount provided by law, all deposit insurance
premiums due from the Company to the FDIC have been paid in full in a timely
fashion, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no proceedings have been
commenced or are contemplated by the FDIC or otherwise to terminate such
insurance. Such deposits (a) are genuine and enforceable obligations
of the Company and have been acquired and maintained in compliance with all
applicable laws, including, without limitation, the Truth in Savings Act and
regulations promulgated thereunder; (b) were acquired in the ordinary course of
the Company’s business; and (c) are not subject to any Liens that are superior
to the rights of persons shown on the records delivered to the Buyer indicating
the owners of the deposits, other than claims against such deposit owners, such
as state and federal tax liens, garnishments, and other judgment claims, which
have matured or may mature into claims against the respective
deposits. The Company has provided the Buyer with a list setting
forth the name, address, telephone number (if available), account number, and
account balance of each deposit account holder as of the date
hereof. Other than with respect to IRAs, the Company has no trust or
fiduciary relationship or obligations in respect of any of the deposits or in
respect of any other Assets or Liabilities.
24
4.25 RELATED PARTY
TRANSACTIONS. The Company has disclosed all existing
transactions, investments and loans, including loan guarantees existing as of
the date hereof, to which the Company is a party with any director, executive
officer or five percent (5%) shareholder of the Company, any present or former
spouse or family member of any of the foregoing, or any person, corporation, or
enterprise controlling, controlled by or under common control with any of the
foregoing. All such transactions, investments and loans were
negotiated at arm’s length and are on terms and conditions that are
substantially the same as those prevailing for comparable transactions with
other persons and do not involve more than the normal risk of repayment or
present other unfavorable features.
4.26 FINANCIAL ADVISORY
FEES. Except for its arrangements with Sandler X’Xxxxx +
Partners, LP, no broker, finder or other Person is entitled to any brokerage
fees, financial advisory fees, commissions or finder’s fees in connection with
the transactions contemplated hereby by reason of any action taken by the
Company or any of the Company’s shareholders.
4.27 VOTING
AGREEMENTS. Concurrently with the execution and delivery of
this Agreement, each Company shareholder listed on Schedule 4.27 of the
Company’s Disclosure Schedules, each Company officer and each Company director
has executed and delivered to the Parent a Voting Agreement substantially in the
form of EXHIBIT B (each, a “Voting
Agreement”).
4.28 INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY. The Company owns or has a license to use all
Intellectual Property used by Company in its business. The Company owns or
has a license to any Intellectual Property sold or licensed to a third party by
the Company in connection with the Company’s business operations, and the
Company has the right to convey by sale or license any Intellectual Property so
conveyed. The Company has not received notice of breach or default under
any of its Intellectual Property licenses. No proceedings have been
instituted, or are pending or overtly threatened, that challenge the rights of
the Company with respect to Intellectual Property used, sold or licensed by the
Company in its business, nor has any Person claimed or alleged any rights to
such Intellectual Property. The conduct of the Company’s business does not
infringe any Intellectual Property of any other Person. The Company is not
obligated to pay any recurring royalties to any Person with respect to any such
Intellectual Property.
25
4.29 PRIVACY OF CUSTOMER
INFORMATION.
(a) The
Company is the sole owner or, in the case of participated loans, a co-owner with
the other participant(s), of all individually identifiable personal information
(“IIPI”)
relating to customers, former customers and prospective customers that will be
transferred to the Parent and the Buyer pursuant to this Agreement and the other
transactions contemplated hereby. “IIPI” shall include any information
relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.
(b) The
collection and use of IIPI by the Company, the transfer of IIPI to the Parent
and the Buyer, and the use of IIPI by the Parent and the Buyer as contemplated
by this Agreement complies in all material respects with all applicable privacy
policies, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Xxxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Act and all
other applicable state, federal and foreign privacy law, and any contract or
industry standard relating to privacy.
4.30 TECHNOLOGY
SYSTEMS.
(a) No action
will be necessary as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
to enable use of the electronic data processing, information, record keeping,
communications, telecommunications, hardware, third party software, networks,
peripherals, portfolio trading and computer systems, including any outsourced
systems and processes, and Intellectual Property that are used by the Company
(collectively, the “Technology
Systems”) to continue by the Parent and the Buyer to the same extent and
in the same manner that it has been used by the Company.
(b) Since
January 1, 2007, the Technology Systems have not suffered unplanned
disruption causing a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company.
Except for ongoing payments due under relevant third party agreements, the
Company’s use of the Technology Systems is free from any Liens and
encumbrances. Access to business critical parts of the Technology Systems
is not shared with any third party.
(c) Details of
the Company’s disaster recovery and business continuity arrangements (if any)
have been provided to the Parent and the Buyer.
(d) To the
Knowledge of the Company, there are no circumstances, including without
limitation the execution of this Agreement, that would enable any third party to
terminate any of the Company’s agreements or arrangements relating to the
Technology Systems (including maintenance and support).
4.31 BANK SECRECY ACT COMPLIANCE; USA
PATRIOT ACT; OFAC. The Company is in compliance in all
Material respects with the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act and the Bank
Secrecy Act of 1970, and all regulations promulgated thereunder, including those
provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act that address suspicious activity reports and
compliance programs. The Company has implemented a Bank Secrecy Act
compliance program that adequately covers all of the required program elements
as required by 12 C.F.R. § 21.21. The Company is not, nor would it
reasonably be expected to become, a person or entity with whom a United States
person or entity is restricted from doing business under regulation of OFAC
(including those named on OFAC’s Specially Designated and Blocked Persons List)
or under any statute, executive order (including, without limitation, the
September 24, 2001, Executive Order Blocking Property and Prohibiting
Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism),
or other governmental action, and to the Knowledge of the Company it is not
engaging and has not engaged in any dealings or transactions with, and it is not
and has not been otherwise associated with, such persons or
entities.
26
4.32 NONCOMPETES. No
officer, director or employee of the Company is a party to any Contract that
restricts or prohibits such officer, director or employee from engaging in
activities competitive with any Person, including the Company.
4.33 DISCLOSURE.
(a) No
representation or warranty or other statement made by the Company in connection
with the transactions contemplated hereby contains any untrue statement or omits
to state a material fact necessary to make any of them, in light of the
circumstances in which it was made, not misleading.
(b) The Company
does not have Knowledge of any fact that has specific application to the Company
(other than general economic or industry conditions) and that may cause a
Material Adverse Effect on the business of the Company that has not been set
forth in this Agreement or any schedule hereto.
ARTICLE
V
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE PARENT AND THE BUYER
Each of the Parent and the Buyer
represents and warrants to the Company that the statements contained in this
ARTICLE V are correct and complete as of the date of this Agreement and will be
correct and complete as of the Closing Date.
5.1 ORGANIZATION, STANDING AND
POWER.
(a) The Parent is a North
Carolina corporation and a financial holding company registered with the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System under the Bank Holding Company Act of
1956, as amended, and a North Carolina bank holding company. The
Buyer is a North Carolina banking corporation and an “insured depository
institution” as defined in the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and applicable
regulations thereunder, and, subject to dollar limits under such Act, all
deposits with the Buyer are fully insured by the FDIC to the extent permitted by
Law.
(b) Each of the Parent
and the Buyer is either a business corporation or a banking corporation duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under North Carolina Law and
has the corporate power and authority to carry on, in all Material respects, its
businesses as now conducted and to own, lease and operate its
Assets. Each of the Parent and the Buyer is duly qualified or
licensed to transact business as a foreign corporation in good standing in the
States of the United States and foreign jurisdictions where the character of its
Assets or the nature or conduct of its business requires it to be so qualified
or licensed except for such jurisdiction, in which the failure to be so
qualified or licensed could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Parent.
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5.2 AUTHORITY;
NO CONFLICTS.
(a) Subject to required
regulatory and shareholder approvals, each of the Parent and the Buyer has the
corporate power and authority necessary to execute, deliver and perform its
obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby. Subject to required Buyer shareholder approval, the execution
and delivery of and performance of its obligations under this Agreement and the
other documents contemplated hereby, and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated herein, including the Merger, have been duly and validly authorized
by all necessary corporate action in respect thereof on the part of each of the
Parent and the Buyer. This Agreement represents a legal, valid, and
binding obligation of each of the Parent and the Buyer, enforceable against it
in accordance with its terms (except in all cases as such enforceability may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
similar Laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except
that the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief and other
equitable remedies is subject to the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding may be brought). To the Knowledge of the Parent and the
Buyer, there is no fact or condition relating to the Parent or any of its
Subsidiaries that would prevent all regulatory approvals required for the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby from being
obtained.
(b) Neither the execution
and delivery of this Agreement by the Parent or the Buyer, nor the consummation
by the Parent or the Buyer of the transactions contemplated hereby, nor
compliance by the Parent or the Buyer with any of the provisions hereof will (i)
conflict with or result in a breach of any provision of such Person’s articles
of incorporation or bylaws, (ii) constitute or result in a Default under, or
require any Consent pursuant to, or result in the creation of any Lien on any
Asset of such Person under, any Contract or Permit of such Person, except as
could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on such
Person, or (iii) subject to obtaining the requisite Consents referred
to in Section
8.1, violate any Law or Order applicable to such Person or any of its
Assets.
(c) Other
than in connection or compliance with the provisions of the Securities Laws and
banking Regulatory Authorities, no notice to, filing with, or Consent of, any
Governmental Authority is necessary for the consummation by the Parent or the
Buyer of the Merger and the other transactions contemplated in this
Agreement.
5.3 PARENT’S
STOCK.
(a) The
authorized capital stock of the Parent consists of 20,000,000 shares
of common stock, $1.00 par value per share, of which 6,988,961 shares
are issued and outstanding as of the date of this Agreement, and 50,000 shares
of preferred stock, of which 0 shares are issued and outstanding as of the date
of this Agreement, and except for such shares, there are no shares of capital
stock of the Parent outstanding. There are outstanding options to
purchase 311,403 shares of the Parent’s Stock outstanding as of the date of this
Agreement, and, except for such options, there are no options, Rights or
Contracts requiring the Parent to issue additional shares of the Parent’s
Stock. There are 1,342,773 shares of the Parent’s Stock reserved with
respect to such options under the Parent’s Nonqualified Stock Option Plan,
268,555 shares reserved for issuance under the Parent’s Employee Stock Purchase
and Bonus Plan, and 604,244 shares reserved for issuance under the Parent’s
Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan. All of the issued and
outstanding shares of the Buyer’s capital stock are owned by the
Parent.
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(b) All of the issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Parent and the Buyer are duly and
validly issued and outstanding and are fully paid and nonassessable, except to
the extent otherwise required by the North Carolina General Statutes 53-42 or
other applicable banking Law, and none are subject to preemptive
rights. Shares of the Parent’s Stock to be issued in connection with
the Merger have been duly authorized and, when so issued, will be fully paid and
nonassessable, and will not be subject to preemptive rights.
5.4 SEC FILINGS;
PARENT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
(a) The Parent has filed
all forms, reports, and documents required to be filed by the Parent with the
SEC since January 1, 2008 (collectively, the “Parent SEC
Reports”). The Parent SEC
Reports (i) at the time filed with the SEC, complied in all Material respects
with the applicable requirements of the Securities Laws, as the case may be, and
(ii) did not at the time filed with the SEC (or if amended or superseded by a
filing prior to the date of this Agreement, then on the date of such filing)
contain any untrue statement of a Material fact or omit to state a Material fact
required to be stated in such Parent SEC Reports or necessary in order to make
the statements in such Parent SEC Reports, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. None of the Parent’s
Subsidiaries is required to file any forms, reports, or other documents with the
SEC.
(b) Each of the Parent
Financial Statements (including, in each case, any related notes) contained in
the Parent SEC Reports, including any Parent SEC Reports filed after the date of
this Agreement until the Effective Time, complied or will comply as to form in
all Material respects with the applicable published rules and regulations of the
SEC with respect thereto, was prepared or will be prepared in accordance with
GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as
may be indicated in the notes to such financial statements, or, in the case of
unaudited statements, as permitted by the rules and regulations governing
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q), and fairly presented or will fairly present the
consolidated financial position of the Parent and its Subsidiaries as at the
respective dates and the consolidated results of its operations and cash flows
for the periods indicated, except that the unaudited interim financial
statements were or are subject to normal and recurring year-end adjustments that
were not or are not expected to be Material in amount or effect (except as may
be indicated in such financial statements or notes thereto).
(c) The Chief Executive
Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Parent have signed, and the
Parent has furnished to the SEC, all certifications required by Section 906 of
Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx; such certifications contain no qualifications or exceptions to
the matters certified therein and have not been modified or withdrawn; and
neither the Parent nor any of its officers has received notice from any
Governmental Authority questioning or challenging the accuracy, completeness,
form or manner of filing or submission of such certifications.
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5.5 ENVIRONMENTAL
MATTERS.
(a) Each of the
Parent and the Buyer and their respective Real Property is in compliance with
all Environmental Laws, except where noncompliance could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Parent or the
Buyer.
(b) There
is no Litigation pending or, to the Knowledge of the Parent and the Buyer,
threatened before any Governmental Authority in which the Parent or the Buyer is
or, with respect to threatened Litigation, may be expected to be, named as a
respondent (i) for alleged noncompliance (including by any predecessor) with any
Environmental Law or (ii) relating to the release into the environment of any
Hazardous Material, whether or not occurring at, on, under, or involving any
Real Property of the Parent or the Buyer or a site owned, leased, or operated by
the Parent or the Buyer.
(c) To
the Knowledge of the Parent and the Buyer, during and prior to the period of
their respective rental or operation of their Real Property, there have been no
releases of Hazardous Material in, on, under, or affecting (or potentially
affecting) such Real Property.
(d) To
the Knowledge of the Parent and the Buyer, there is no asbestos or
asbestos-containing material on their Real Property that is friable, readily
crumbled, capable of becoming airborne, or in any state or condition which would
render the site or building in noncompliance with applicable Laws.
(e) To
the Knowledge of the Parent and the Buyer, there are no aboveground or
underground storage tanks or related equipment (including without limitation
pipes and lines) at, on or under any of their respective Real
Property.
5.6 COMPLIANCE WITH
LAWS.
(a) The Parent
and the Buyer each has in effect all Permits necessary for it to own, lease, or
operate its Material Assets and to carry on its business as now conducted,
except for those Permits the absence of which could not reasonably be expected
to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Parent or the Buyer as applicable, and
there has occurred no Default under any such Permit, other than Defaults that
could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Parent
or the Buyer. Neither the Parent nor the Buyer: (i) is in violation
of any Laws, Orders, or Permits applicable to its business or employees
conducting its business (including without limitation the USA PATRIOT Act, the
Truth in Lending Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit
Reporting Act, and any other federal or state lending, consumer credit or
consumer privacy law), except for violations that could not reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Parent or the Buyer as
applicable (provided
that this clause (i) shall not apply to Environmental Laws, which are covered in
Section 5.5
above); or (ii) has received any notification or communication from any
agency or department of federal, state, or local Governmental Authority or any
Regulatory Authority or the staff thereof (A) asserting that the Parent or the
Buyer is not in compliance with any of the Laws or Orders that such Governmental
Authority or Regulatory Authority enforces, except where such noncompliance
could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Parent
or the Buyer as applicable, (B) threatening to revoke any Permits, except where
the revocation of which could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Parent or the Buyer, or (C) requiring the Parent or the
Buyer (1) to enter into or consent to the issuance of a cease and desist order,
formal agreement, directive, commitment, or memorandum of understanding, or (2)
to adopt any board or directors resolution or similar undertaking that restricts
the conduct of its business, or in any manner relates to its capital adequacy,
its credit or reserve policies, its management, or the payment of
dividends.
30
(b) There are no
pending or, to the Knowledge of the Parent and the Buyer, threatened actions
against any director or officer of the Parent or the Buyer pursuant to Section
8A or 20(b) of the Securities Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 77h-1 or 77t(b), or Section
21(d) or 21C of the Exchange Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 78u(d) or
78u-3. Neither the Parent nor the Buyer has received any
communication from counsel relating to any Material failure to comply with
Securities Laws
5.7 BOOKS AND
RECORDS. The books and records of each of the Parent and the
Buyer, including the Accounting Records, are complete and correct in all
respects and have been maintained in accordance in all respects with good
business practices. The stock books of each of the Parent and the
Buyer contain complete and accurate records of the record share ownership of the
issued and outstanding shares of stock thereof. The minute books of
each of the Parent and the Buyer contain accurate and complete records of all
meetings held of, and corporate action taken by, the shareholders, the board of
directors and committees of the board of directors of each of the Parent and the
Buyer, and no meeting of any such shareholders, board of directors or committees
has been held for which minutes have not been prepared and are not contained in
such minute books. The Accounting Records of each of the Parent and
the Buyer have been prepared in accordance with all applicable Laws and GAAP
consistently applied throughout the periods involved. The Accounting
Records of each of the Parent and the Buyer fairly present in all material
respects the financial position of the Parent and the Buyer, as applicable, as
of the date thereof, and the results of operations of their respective business
for the periods referred to therein. At the Closing, all of those
books and records will be in the possession of the Parent or the Buyer, as
applicable.
5.8 FINANCIAL ADVISORY
FEES. Except for its arrangements with Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
& Xxxxxx, Inc., no broker, finder or other Person is entitled to any
brokerage fees, financial advisory fees, commissions or finder’s fees in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby by reason of any action
taken by the Parent, any of its Subsidiaries or any of the Parent’s
shareholders.
5.9 LEGAL
PROCEEDINGS. There is no Litigation instituted or pending, or,
to the Knowledge of the Parent and the Buyer, threatened against the Parent or
the Buyer, except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect on the Parent, nor are there any Orders of any Regulatory Authorities,
other Governmental Authorities, or arbitrators outstanding against the Parent or
the Buyer, except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect on the Parent.
5.10 INVESTMENT
COMPANY. Neither the Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries is an
“investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
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ARTICLE
VI
COVENANTS
6.1 COVENANTS OF THE
COMPANY.
(a) Ordinary Conduct of
Business. Except as otherwise expressly permitted by this
Agreement, the Company will, from the date of this Agreement to the Closing,
conduct its business in the ordinary course in substantially the same manner as
presently conducted and make reasonable commercial efforts consistent with past
practices to preserve its relationships with other
Persons. Additionally, except as otherwise contemplated by this
Agreement or as set forth on Section 6.1(a) of the
Company’s Disclosure Schedule, the Company will not do any of the following
without the prior written consent of the Parent:
(i) amend its
articles of incorporation or bylaws;
(ii) authorize
for issuance, issue, sell, deliver or agree or commit to issue, sell or deliver
any stock or stock options or other equity equivalents of any class or any other
of its securities (other than the issuance of any Company Shares pursuant to the
exercise of Company Options described in Section 4.3 or
Company Warrants described in Section 4.3), or
amend any of the terms of any securities outstanding as of the date
hereof;
(iii) (A)
split, combine or reclassify any shares of its capital stock, (B) declare, set
aside or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, stock or
property or any combination thereof) in respect of its capital stock, or (C)
redeem or otherwise acquire any of its securities;
(iv) (A)
incur or assume any long-term debt or issue any debt securities or, except under
existing lines of credit and in amounts not Material to it, incur or assume any
short-term debt other than in the ordinary course of business, (B) other than in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice assume, guarantee,
endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible (whether directly,
contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of any other Person, (C) make any
loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other
Person, other than in the ordinary course and consistent with past practice, (D)
make any loan in excess of $50,000, (E) make any loan to finance the purchase of
an automobile or other vehicle, (F) pledge or otherwise encumber shares of its
capital stock, or (G) mortgage or pledge any of its assets, tangible or
intangible, or create or suffer to exist any Lien thereupon, other than Liens
permitted by the proviso clause in the definition of Liens and Liens created or
existing in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(v) except as
required by Law or as contemplated herein, adopt or amend any Benefit
Plan;
(vi) grant
to any director, officer or employee (A) any options to purchase shares of
capital stock of the Company or (B) an increase in his or her compensation
(except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), or
pay or agree to pay to any such person other than in the ordinary course of
business any bonus, severance or termination payment, specifically including any
such payment that becomes payable upon the termination of such person by it or
the Parent after the Closing;
32
(vii) enter
into or amend any employment Contract (including any termination agreement),
except that any automatic renewals contained in currently existing contracts and
agreements shall be allowed and compensation payable under employment Contracts
may be increased in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(viii) acquire,
sell, lease or dispose of any assets outside the ordinary course of business, or
any other assets that in the aggregate are Material to it, or acquire any Person
(or division thereof), any equity interest therein or the assets thereof outside
the ordinary course of business;
(ix) change
or modify any of the accounting principles or practices used by it or revalue in
any Material respect any of its assets, including without limitation writing
down the value of inventory or writing off notes or accounts receivable other
than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices or as
required by GAAP or any Regulatory Authority;
(x)
(A) enter into, cancel or modify any Contract (other than loans, advances,
capital contributions or investments permitted by subclause (iv)(C) of this
Section 6.1(a))
other than (in the case of cancellation) any Contract which may be cancelled
without penalty and (in all cases) in the ordinary course of business consistent
with past practices; (B) authorize or make any capital expenditure or
expenditures that, individually or in the aggregate, are in excess of $10,000;
or (C) enter into or amend any Contract with respect to any of the
foregoing;
(xi) pay,
discharge or satisfy, cancel, waive or modify any claims, liabilities or
obligations (absolute, accrued, asserted or unasserted, contingent or
otherwise), other than the payment, discharge or satisfaction in the ordinary
course of business of liabilities reflected or reserved against in or
contemplated by the Company Financial Statements, or incurred in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practices;
(xii) settle
or compromise any pending or threatened suit, action or claim relating to the
transactions contemplated hereby;
(xiii) merge,
combine or consolidate with another Person;
(xiv) create
or acquire any Subsidiary;
(xv) take,
or agree in writing or otherwise to take, any action that would make any of the
representations or warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement untrue
or incorrect or result in any of the conditions set forth in this Agreement not
being satisfied; or
(xvi) agree,
whether in writing or otherwise, to do any of the foregoing.
33
(b) Consents. The Company
will exercise its best efforts to obtain such Consents as may be necessary or
desirable for the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby from the
appropriate parties to those Contracts listed on Section 4.2 of the
Company’s Disclosure Schedule such that such Contracts shall survive the Merger
and not be breached thereby.
(c) No
Solicitation.
(i) The
Company shall not, and shall not permit any of its officers, directors,
employees, Affiliates, agents, investment bankers, attorneys, other advisors or
other representatives to, directly or indirectly, (A) take any action to
solicit, initiate or encourage (including by way of furnishing or disclosing
non-public information) any inquiries or the making of any offer or proposal by
any Person or group concerning any tender or exchange offer, proposal for a
merger, share exchange, recapitalization, consolidation or other business
combination involving the Company, or any proposal or offer to acquire in any
manner, directly or indirectly, an equity interest in, or a portion of the
assets of, the Company, other than pursuant to the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement (each such offer or proposal, an “Acquisition
Proposal”), or
(B) participate in any discussions or negotiations with or encourage any effort
or attempt by any Person (other than the Parent, the Buyer and their respective
representatives) or take any other action to facilitate an Acquisition Proposal,
or (C) enter into any Contract or understanding with respect to any Acquisition
Proposal or which would require it to abandon, terminate or fail to consummate
the Merger or any other transaction contemplated hereby by the shareholders of
the Company; provided,
however, that, prior to
receipt of the approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby by the shareholders of the Company, the Company may, to the extent
required by the fiduciary obligations of the Company's Board of Directors, as
determined in good faith by it based on the advice of outside counsel, in
response to any such Acquisition Proposal that was not solicited by the Company
and that did not otherwise result from a breach or a deemed breach of this Section 6.1(c), and
subject to compliance with Section 6.1(c)(iii),
(x) furnish information with respect to the Company to the Person making such
proposal pursuant to a confidentiality agreement not less restrictive of the
other party than the confidentiality agreement among the Parent, the Buyer and
the Company dated March 2009, as the same may be amended from time to time (the
“Confidentiality
Agreement”), and
(y) participate in negotiations regarding such proposal. Without
limiting the foregoing, it is agreed that any violation of the restrictions set
forth in the preceding sentence by any executive officer of the Company or any
of its Affiliates, director or investment banker, attorney or other advisor or
representative of the Company, whether or not such person is purporting to act
on behalf of the Company or otherwise, shall be deemed to be a breach of this
Section 6.1(c)
by the Company.
(ii) Neither
the Company’s Board of Directors nor any committee thereof shall (A) withdraw or
modify, in a manner adverse to the Parent or the Buyer, the approval or
recommendation by the Company's Board of Directors or any such committee of this
Agreement or the Merger, (B) approve any letter of intent, agreement in
principle, acquisition agreement or similar agreement relating to any
Acquisition Proposal or (C) approve or recommend any Acquisition Proposal; provided, however, that the
Company’s Board of Directors may, after paying the termination fee set forth in
Section 9.3,
take any action specified in (A), (B) or (C) in the event that, prior to the
approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby by the
shareholders of the Company, (x) the Company’s Board of Directors determines in
good faith, after it has received a Superior Proposal and after it has received
advice from outside counsel that the failure to do so would result in a
reasonable possibility that the Company’s Board of Directors would breach its
fiduciary duty under applicable law, (y) the Company has notified the Parent and
the Buyer in writing of the determination set forth in clause (x) above, and (z)
at least five (5) Business Days following receipt by the Parent and the Buyer of
any notice referred to in clause (y) such Superior Proposal remains a Superior
Proposal and the Company’s Board of Directors has again made the determination
in clause (x) above.
34
(iii) The
Company agrees that, as of the date hereof, it, its Affiliates, and their
respective directors, officers, employees, agents and representatives of the
foregoing, shall immediately cease and cause to be terminated any existing
activities, discussions and negotiations with any Person (other than the Parent,
the Buyer and their respective representatives) conducted heretofore with
respect to any Acquisition Proposal. The Company agrees to advise the
Parent, promptly orally and in writing of any inquiries or proposals received
by, any such information requested from, and any requests for negotiations or
discussions sought to be initiated or continued with, the Company, its
Affiliates, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents or
representatives of the foregoing, in each case from a Person (other than the
Parent, the Buyer and their respective representatives) with respect to an
Acquisition Proposal or that reasonably could be expected to lead to any
Acquisition Proposal, and the identity of the Person making such Acquisition
Proposal or inquiry. The Company shall keep the Parent reasonably
informed of the status including any change to the material terms of any such
Acquisition Proposal or inquiry.
(iv) During
the period from the date of this Agreement through the Effective Time, the
Company shall not terminate, amend, modify or waive any provision of any
confidentiality or standstill agreement to which it is a party.
(d) Shareholder
Approval.
(i) The
Company shall cause a shareholder meeting to
be duly called and held as soon as practicable after the date of this Agreement
for the purpose of voting by holders of Company Shares on the approval of the
Merger. In connection with the call and conduct of, and all other
matters relating to, such shareholder meeting (including the solicitation of
appointments of proxies), the Company will comply in all Material respects with
all provisions of applicable Law and with its articles of incorporation and
bylaws.
(ii) The
Company will solicit appointments of proxies from its shareholders for use at
such shareholder meeting and, in connection with that solicitation, it will
distribute a proxy statement and other proxy solicitation
materials. The Company will mail the proxy statement and other proxy
solicitation materials to holders of Company Shares as of a date mutually agreed
upon by the Company, the Parent and the Buyer.
35
(iii) Except
in the circumstances described in Section 6.1(c), and provided
that the Parent and the Buyer are then in compliance with their obligations
under this Agreement, the Company covenants that its directors, individually and
collectively as the Company’s Board of Directors, will recommend to holders of
Company Shares that they vote their Company Shares at such shareholder meeting
in favor of ratification and approval of this Agreement and the Merger, and any
proxy solicitation sent by the Company will so indicate and state that the
Company’s Board of Directors considers the Merger to be advisable and in the
best interests of the Company and holders of Company Shares.
(e) Benefit
Plans. If so requested by the Parent and the Buyer, the
Company shall take all steps necessary to ensure that the Company’s 401(k) plan
is terminated prior to the Effective Time.
(f) Expenses Prior to Effective
Time. The Company shall establish accruals or make payments
for fees, costs and other expenses incurred in connection with the Merger and
other expenses and fees incurred by the Company prior to the Effective Time of
the Merger.
(g) Accruals for Loan Loss
Reserve, Expenses and Other Accounting Matters. The Company
will make such appropriate accounting entries in its books and records and take
such other actions as the Parent and the Buyer deem to be required by GAAP or
otherwise necessary, appropriate or desirable in anticipation of the Merger,
including without limitation additional provisions to the Company’s loan loss
reserves or accruals or the creation of reserves for employee benefit and
Merger-related expenses; provided, however, that,
notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary and except as
otherwise agreed to by the Company, the Parent and the Buyer, the Company shall
not be required to make any such accounting entries until immediately prior to
the Closing; and provided,
further, that any such entry made as a result of such a request shall not
itself constitute a breach by the Company of any representation, warranty or
covenant made by or required of it in this Agreement.
(h) Loan
Charge-Offs. The Company will make
such appropriate accounting entries in its books and records and take such other
actions as the Parent and the Buyer deem to be necessary, appropriate or
desirable to charge off any loans on its books, or any portions thereof, that
the Parent and the Buyer consider to be losses or otherwise believe, in good
faith, are required to be charged off pursuant to applicable banking
regulations, GAAP or otherwise, or that otherwise would be charged off by the
Buyer after the Effective Time in accordance with its loan administration and
charge-off policies and procedures; provided, however, that,
notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary and except as
otherwise agreed to by the Company, the Parent and the Buyer, the Company shall
not be required to make any such accounting entries or take any such actions
until immediately prior to the Closing; and provided, further, that any
such entry made as a result of such a request shall not itself constitute a
breach by the Company of any representation, warranty or covenant made by or
required of it in this Agreement.
(i) Tax
Elections. After the date of this Agreement, the Company shall
not make any Material election with respect to Taxes without the prior written
consent of the Parent (not to be unreasonably withheld).
36
(j) Company
Warrants. The Company shall obtain from each Company
Warrantholder a written termination of the Company Warrants held by such Company
Warrantholder, which termination shall be effective as of the Effective
Time. The Company shall comply with all applicable notice provisions
set forth in any Company Warrant.
6.2 COVENANTS
OF THE PARENT AND THE BUYER.
(a) Reservation of Shares of the
Parent’s Stock. The Parent shall reserve for issuance a
sufficient number of shares of the Parent’s Stock to cover the issuances of such
stock required hereby.
(b) Advisory
Board. The Parent maintains an advisory board for the Xxxxxx
market (the “Advisory
Board”) and will consider in good faith whether to add any Company
directors to the Advisory Board.
(c) Employees and
Benefits.
(i) Any
and all of the Company’s employees will be employed on an “at-will” basis, and
nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to constitute an employment agreement
with any such person to obligate the Parent, the Buyer or any Affiliate thereof
to employ any such person for any specific period of time after the Effective
Time or in any specific position, or to restrict the Buyer’s right to terminate
the employment of any such person at any time and for any reason satisfactory to
the Buyer. Any Company employees not retained by the Buyer shall,
however, be entitled to apply for any open position with the Buyer.
(ii) The
Buyer may amend or otherwise modify its Benefit Plans in accordance with terms
thereof at any time before or after the Effective Time with a view to adopting
any aspect of the Company’s Benefit Plans deemed to be in the Buyer’s best
interest. Any Company employees who continue employment with the
Buyer will, to the extent eligible therefore, be entitled to benefits consistent
with those of existing employees of the Buyer, with credit for past service with
the Company for purposes of participation, eligibility and vesting (including
with respect to accrual of vacation and sick leave, but not including the
calculation of any other benefit accrual); provided, however, that any such
continuing employee will not be subject to any exclusion or penalty for
pre-existing conditions that were covered under the Company’s medical plans as
of the Effective Time or any waiting period relating to coverage under the
Buyer’s medical plans. Any such Company employees shall be subject to
the applicable terms of such Benefit Plans, including payment of deductibles,
provided that there
shall be no waiting periods applicable to any such Company employees to
participate in such benefits (including applicable insurance
benefits).
(iii) Each
employee of the Company retained by the Buyer shall receive from the Buyer, as
of the Effective Time, credit for vacation and sick leave, each in the amount
that an employee of the Buyer (having the same length of service with the Buyer
as the retained employee has with the Company) would have accrued in the current
benefit year through the Effective Time, less the amount of vacation and sick
leave, respectively, used by the retained employee in such
period. Each employee of the Company who is not retained for
employment by the Buyer shall be paid for all accrued but unused vacation as of
the date of termination of employment.
37
(iv) Each
employee of the Company at the Effective Time who does not become an employee of
the Buyer, or who becomes an employee of the Buyer and is terminated within six
(6) months after the Effective Time, for any reason other than Cause, death or
disability, shall receive severance pay equal to two (2) weeks’ pay for every
full year of service to the Company at his or her current salary.
(v) The
Buyer will provide Xxxxxx Xxxxxx the opportunity to enter into a Separation
Agreement and General Release with the Company and the Buyer in substantially
the form attached hereto as EXHIBIT C (the “Separation
Agreement”).
(vi) The
Buyer will provide Xx. Xxxxxx the opportunity to enter into an Employment
Agreement for a term of one (1) year in substantially the form attached hereto
as EXHIBIT D.
(vii) Notwithstanding
anything in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) no provision of this Agreement
(A) shall constitute or be interpreted to constitute a Benefit Plan or other
arrangement, or a provision of, amendment of, or commit to amend any Benefit
Plan or other arrangement, or (B) shall otherwise provide any employee or other
service provider any rights or entitlements under this Agreement, including,
without limitation, in respect of any Benefit Plan, and (ii) no employee,
service provider or other third party shall be entitled to claim any right,
entitlement or other benefit under or in relation to this
Agreement.
(d) Directors’ and Officers’
Insurance and Indemnification. If available, the Parent shall
obtain and maintain, or cause the Buyer to obtain and maintain, in effect for
six (6) years from the Closing Date, the current directors’ and officers’
liability insurance policies maintained by the Company or substitute policies
with respect to matters occurring prior to the Effective Time. Such
insurance shall cover all persons and entities who are covered by the director’s
and officers’ liability policy maintained by the Company and in existence on the
date hereof (including all existing directors and officers of the
Company).
(e) Consents. The
Parent and the Buyer will exercise their best efforts to obtain such Consents as
may be necessary or desirable for the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby from the appropriate parties to their respective Contracts
such that such Contracts shall survive the Merger and not be breached
thereby.
(f) Shareholder Approval. Subject
to the satisfaction of all other conditions to consummation of the Merger, the
Parent, as sole shareholder of the Buyer, will take all necessary action to
approve the Merger.
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6.3 COVENANTS
OF ALL PARTIES TO THE AGREEMENT.
(a) Reorganization for Tax
Purposes. Each of the parties hereto undertakes and agrees to
use its reasonable efforts to cause the Merger to qualify as a “reorganization”
within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code and that it will not
intentionally take any action that would cause the Merger to fail to so
qualify.
(b) Notification. Each
of the parties hereto agrees to notify promptly the other parties hereto of any
event, fact, or other circumstance arising after the date hereof that would have
caused any representation or warranty herein, including, in the case of the
Company, any information on any schedule hereto, to be untrue or misleading had
such event, fact, or circumstance arisen prior to the execution of this
Agreement. The parties hereto will exercise their reasonable best
efforts to ensure that no such events, facts, or other circumstances occur, come
to pass, or become true.
(c) Consummation of
Agreement. Subject to Section 6.1(c), the
parties hereto each agree to use their reasonable efforts to perform or fulfill
all conditions and obligations to be performed or fulfilled by them under this
Agreement so that the transactions contemplated hereby shall be
consummated. Except for events that are the subject of specific
provisions of this Agreement, if any event should occur, either within or
outside the control of the Company, the Parent or the Buyer, that would
Materially delay or prevent fulfillment of the conditions upon the obligations
of any party hereto to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, each party will notify the others of any such event and, subject to
Section 6.1(c),
the parties will use their reasonable, diligent and good faith efforts to cure
or minimize the same as expeditiously as possible. Subject to Section 6.1(c), each
party hereto shall use its reasonable efforts to obtain all Consents necessary
or desirable for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and to assist in the procuring or providing of all documents that must
be procured or provided pursuant to the provisions
hereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this
Agreement, but subject to Section 6.1(c), none
of the parties hereto will take any action that would (i) Materially affect or
delay receipt of the approvals contemplated in Section 8.1 from the
Regulatory Authorities, or (ii) Materially adversely affect or delay its ability
to perform its covenants and agreements made pursuant to this
Agreement.
(d) Maintenance of Corporate
Existence. Each of the parties hereto shall maintain in full
force and effect their respective corporate or legal existences.
(e) Applications and
Reports. The Parent and the Buyer shall prepare and file as
soon as reasonably practical after the date of this Agreement, and the Company
shall cooperate reasonably in the preparation and, where appropriate, filing, of
all applications, reports and statements with all Regulatory Authorities having
jurisdiction over the transactions contemplated by this Agreement seeking the
requisite Consents necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
(f) Fairness
Hearing.
39
(i) Each of the
parties to this Agreement shall, and shall cause its Affiliates to, use all
commercially reasonable efforts to cause the issuance of the Parent’s Stock
issuable pursuant to Section 2.3 and the
New Parent Warrants hereof to be exempt from registration under applicable
federal and state securities Laws by filing as soon as practicable after the
execution of this Agreement an application with the Secretary of State of the
State of North Carolina pursuant to Section 78A-30 of the General Statutes of
North Carolina requesting a hearing upon the terms and conditions of the Merger
to be held as soon as practicable after the filing of such application and
taking all actions necessary or appropriate to comply with the requirements set
forth therein. The Company shall furnish to the Parent the
information to be included in such application. The Company and the
Parent will respond to any comments from the Secretary of State of North
Carolina and use their commercially reasonable efforts to obtain an order of
approval from the Secretary of State of North Carolina (the “North Carolina
Securities Permit”) and have it granted as soon as practicable after such
filing. None of the parties to this Agreement shall make at such
hearing, or include in any information supplied with such application or
distributed at such hearing, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
(ii) In the event the
Secretary of State of the State of North Carolina shall not have granted a North
Carolina Securities Permit in a timely manner, the Parent will issue the Merger
Consideration and the New Parent Warrants as restricted securities in a private
placement in accordance with applicable federal and state securities Laws,
conditioned upon the determination of the availability of an exemption and the
Company’s cooperation with the Parent and use of commercially reasonable best
efforts to obtain from the holders of the Company Shares the various
representations and undertakings necessary in order to enable the Parent to
utilize a private placement exemption under Regulation D promulgated under the
Securities Act, whereafter the Parent shall, if, and only if, the Parent meets
the eligibility requirements for Form S-3 and subject to other applicable legal
requirements and to customary blackouts, use commercially reasonable efforts to
file after the Closing Date a registration statement on Form S-3 (or any
successor form) under the Securities Act covering the Merger Consideration,
provided that the Parent shall not be required to (A) file any such Form
S-3 prior to the date six (6) months from the Closing Date, or (B) maintain
the effectiveness of such registration statement on Form S-3 for more than six
(6) months following declaration of effectiveness thereof by the
SEC.
(g) Closing. Subject
to the terms and conditions hereof (including Section 6.1(c)), the
parties hereto shall use their reasonable best efforts to consummate the Closing
within thirty (30) days after all conditions to the Closing have been
satisfied.
40
ARTICLE
VII
DISCLOSURE
OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
7.1 ACCESS TO
INFORMATION. Prior to the Closing Date, the Parent, the Buyer
and the Company shall, and shall cause each of their Affiliates to:
(a) give the others and
their authorized representatives reasonable access, during normal business hours
and upon reasonable notice, to its books, records, offices and other facilities
and properties; and
(b) furnish the others
with such financial and operating data and other information with respect to its
business, condition (financial or otherwise) and properties, as they may
reasonably request.
7.2 ACCESS TO
PREMISES. Prior to Closing, the Company shall give the Parent,
the Buyer and their authorized representatives reasonable access to all of the
Company’s Real Property for the purpose of inspecting such
property.
7.3 ENVIRONMENTAL
SURVEY. At its option, the Parent may cause to be conducted
Phase I environmental assessments of the Real Property of the Company and its
Affiliates, whether owned or leased, or any portion thereof, together with such
other studies, testing and intrusive sampling and analyses as the Parent shall
deem necessary or desirable (collectively, the “Environmental
Survey”). The Parent
shall complete all such Phase I environmental assessments within sixty (60) days
following the date of this Agreement and thereafter conduct and complete any
such additional studies, testing, sampling and analyses within sixty (60) days
following completion of all Phase I environmental
assessments. Subject to the breach of any representation or warranty
contained herein, the costs of the Environmental Survey shall be paid by the
Parent.
7.4 CONFIDENTIALITY.
(a) The Company,
the Parent and the Buyer each agree that no Persons other than the parties to
this Agreement are authorized to make any public announcements or statements
about this Agreement or any of the transactions described herein, and that,
without the prior review and consent of the other parties (which consent shall
not unreasonably be withheld or delayed), it will not make any public
announcement, statement or disclosure as to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement or the transactions described herein, except for such disclosures as
may be required incidental to obtaining the required approval of any Regulatory
Authority to the consummation of the transactions described herein.
(b) For purposes
of this Section
7.4,
“Confidential
Information”
refers to any information (including business and financial information) that a
party to whom the information pertains (an “Informing
Party”) provides
or makes available, in connection with this Agreement, to a party for whose
benefit the information is provided, or to that party’s Affiliates, directors,
officers, employees, attorneys, advisors, consultants, representatives and
agents (a “Receiving
Party”), or
which a Receiving Party otherwise obtains from any examination of an Informing
Party’s documents, books, records, files or other written materials or from any
discussions with any of the Informing Party’s directors, officers, employees,
attorneys, advisors, consultants, representatives and agents, and shall be
deemed to include, without limitation, (i) all such documents, books, records,
files or other written materials themselves and all information contained
therein (whether maintained in writing, electronically, on microfiche or
otherwise), (ii) all corporate minutes, acquisition or other expansion analyses
or plans, pro forma financial data, capital spending budgets and plans, market
studies and business plans, (iii) all information relative to financial results
and condition, operations, policies and procedures, computer systems and
software, shareholders, employees, officers, and directors, and (iv) all
information relative to customers and former or prospective
customers.
41
(c) Prior to the
Effective Time, all Confidential Information of an Informing Party is
proprietary to the Informing Party and constitutes either trade secrets or
confidential information of the Informing Party. Without the
Informing Party’s express written consent, the Receiving Party shall not remove
any Confidential Information of the Informing Party in written or other recorded
form from the Informing Party’s premises.
(d) Prior to the
Effective Time, all Confidential Information of an Informing Party is to be held
in strict confidence by a Receiving Party and, except as otherwise provided
herein, may not be disclosed by a Receiving Party to any person or entity not a
party to this Confidentiality Agreement, unless the Receiving
Party:
(i) can
demonstrate that the same information as the Confidential Information to be
disclosed already was in its possession prior to such Confidential Information
being obtained;
(ii) can demonstrate
that the same information as the Confidential Information to be disclosed is
already publicly available or, at that time, has become publicly available
through no fault of, or violation of this Section 7.4 by, the Receiving
Party or any other person that the Receiving Party knows, or has reason to know,
is obligated to protect such Confidential Information; or
(iii) demonstrates
that the same information as the Confidential Information to be disclosed was
developed independently by or for the Receiving Party, without the use of the
Confidential Information disclosed to or obtained by the Receiving
Party.
(e) Prior
to the Effective Time, the Receiving Party (i) may disclose Confidential
Information of the Informing Party to the Receiving Party’s Affiliates,
directors, officers, employees, agents, attorneys, advisors and consultants who
are directly involved in discussions of a potential transaction, only on a
need-to-know basis and only if such persons or entities agree for the benefit of
the other party to be bound by the restrictions and obligations of this Section 7.4; and (ii) will
enforce its obligations under this Section 7.4 against all
persons to whom it discloses Confidential Information and shall be responsible
and liable to the Informing Party for any disclosure of Confidential Information
by such persons or entities in violation of such restrictions and
obligations.
(f) Upon
termination of this Agreement, the Receiving Party will deliver or cause to be
delivered to the Informing Party all written Confidential Information of the
Informing Party in the possession of the Receiving Party or provide an officer’s
affidavit as to the destruction of all copies of such Confidential
Information.
42
(g) Prior
to the Effective Time, the Receiving Party shall not use any Confidential
Information of the Informing Party in an unlawful manner, to interfere with or
attempt to terminate or otherwise adversely affect any actual or proposed
contractual or business relationship of the Informing Party, or for any other
purposes other than in conjunction with the transactions described
herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in no event
shall the Receiving Party use any Confidential Information of the Informing
Party, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of competing against the
Informing Party.
(h) Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Section 7.4 to the contrary,
neither the Company nor the Parent and the Buyer shall be required to obtain the
prior consent of the other party for any such disclosure which it, in good faith
and upon the advice of its legal counsel, believes is required by law; provided, however, that
before any such disclosure may be made by a Receiving Party upon the advice of
its legal counsel, it shall, except where such notice is prohibited by law, give
the Informing Party reasonable notice of its intent to make such disclosure, the
form of content of that disclosure, and the basis upon which its legal counsel
has advised it that such disclosure is required by law, so that the Informing
Party may seek a protective order or other similar or appropriate relief, and
the Receiving Party also shall undertake in good faith to have the Confidential
Information to be disclosed treated confidentially by the party to whom the
disclosure is made.
(i) As
of the date of this Agreement, the Confidentiality Agreement is amended by being
superseded in its entirety and replaced by the provisions of this Section 7.4.
ARTICLE
VIII
CONDITIONS
TO CLOSING
8.1 MUTUAL
CONDITIONS. The respective obligations of each party hereto to
perform this Agreement and consummate the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated hereby are subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions,
unless waived by all parties hereto pursuant to Section 10.4 of this
Agreement:
(a) Adverse
Proceedings. None of the Company, the Parent, the Buyer, or
any shareholder of any of the foregoing shall be subject to any Order of a court
of competent jurisdiction that enjoins or prohibits the consummation of this
Agreement or the Merger, and no Governmental Authority shall have instituted a
suit or proceeding that is then pending and seeks to enjoin or prohibit the
transactions contemplated hereby. Any party who is subject to any
such Order or the subject of any such suit or proceeding shall take any
reasonable steps within that party’s control to cause any such Order to be
modified so as to permit the Closing and to cause any such suit or proceeding to
be dismissed.
(b) Regulatory
Approvals. All Consents of, filings and registrations with,
and notifications to, all Regulatory Authorities required for consummation of
the Merger shall have been obtained or made and shall be in full force and
effect and all waiting periods required by Law shall have
expired. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Consent of each of (i) the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
pursuant to the Bank Merger Act of 1966, 12. U.S.C. § 1828(c)(2)(B), and (ii)
the North Carolina Banking Commission shall have been obtained and shall be in
full force and effect. No such Consent obtained from any Regulatory
Authority shall be conditioned or restricted in a manner (including requirements
relating to the raising of additional capital or the disposition of Assets) not
reasonably anticipated as of the date of this Agreement that in the reasonable
judgment of the Board of Directors of the Parent or the Company hereto would so
Materially adversely impact the economic or business assumptions of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement that, had such condition or
requirement been known, such party would not, in its reasonable judgment, have
entered into this Agreement.
43
(c) Consents and
Approvals. Each party hereto shall have obtained any and all
Consents required for consummation of the Merger or for the preventing of any
Default under any Contract or Permit of such Person, including those Consents
listed on Section
4.2 of the Company’s Disclosure Schedule, except to the extent that the
failure to obtain any such Consents would not, individually or in the aggregate,
result in a Material Adverse Effect on such Person.
(d) North Carolina Securities
Permit. The Secretary of State of the State of North Carolina
shall have approved the terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, and the fairness of such terms and conditions following a
hearing for such purpose, and shall have issued a North Carolina Securities
Permit, or in the event a North Carolina Securities Permit shall not have been
issued in a timely manner, the Parent shall have requested and received from the
holders of the Company Shares and Company Warrants all representations and
undertakings necessary to enable the issuance of the Merger Consideration in an
exempt transaction under Regulation D of the Securities Act and otherwise in
accordance with applicable federal and state securities Laws.
(e) Approval. The
Company’s shareholders and the Parent (as the Buyer’s shareholder) shall have
approved this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including
without limitation, the Merger) in accordance with applicable Law.
(f) Separation
Agreement. The Parent and the Company shall have received a
Separation Agreement executed by Xx. Xxxxxx.
(g) Employment
Agreement. The Parent shall have received from Xx. Xxxxxx the
Employment Agreement referenced in Section
6.2(c)(vi).
8.2 CONDITIONS TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE
COMPANY. The obligation of the Company to effect the
transactions contemplated hereby shall be further subject to the fulfillment of
the following conditions, unless waived by the parties pursuant to Section 10.4 of this
Agreement:
(a) All
representations and warranties of the Parent and the Buyer contained in this
Agreement that are qualified as to Materiality or Material Adverse Effect shall
be true and correct in all respects, and all other representations and
warranties of the Parent and the Buyer set forth in this Agreement shall be true
and correct in all Material respects, in each case as of the Closing Date as
though made as of such date (except for representations and warranties that are
made as of a specific date). Each of the Parent and
the Buyer shall have performed and complied in all Material respects
with all covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement required to be
performed and complied with by it at or prior to the Closing.
44
(b) All
documents required to have been executed and delivered by the Parent and the
Buyer to the Company at or prior to the Closing shall have been so executed and
delivered, whether or not such documents have been or will be executed and
delivered by the other parties contemplated thereby.
(c) The
Company shall have received from Sandler X’Xxxxx + Partners, LP an opinion to
the effect that, as of a date within three (3) Business Days prior to the
execution of this Agreement, the Merger Consideration is fair, from a financial
point of view, to the holders of Company Shares.
(d) The
Company shall have received an opinion of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett,
Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, L.L.P., counsel to the Parent and the Buyer, dated as
of the Closing Date, reasonably satisfactory to the Company in form and
substance, concerning matters relating to the Parent and the Buyer.
(e) The
Company shall have received an opinion of Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett,
Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, L.L.P., counsel to the Company, dated as of the Closing
Date, to the effect that the Merger will qualify as a reorganization within the
meaning of Section 368 of the Code. The issuance of such opinion
shall be conditioned on the receipt by such counsel of representation letters
from the Company, the Parent and the Buyer, in each case, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Xxxxxxxx &
Xxxxxxxx, L.L.P. The specific provisions of each such representation
letter shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such counsel,
and each such representation letter shall be dated on or before the date of such
opinion and shall not have been withdrawn or modified in any material
respect.
(f) As
of the Closing Date, the Company shall have received the following documents
with respect to the Buyer:
(i) a
true and complete copy of its articles of incorporation and all amendments
thereto, certified by the North Carolina Secretary of State as of a recent
date;
(ii) a
true and complete copy of its bylaws, certified by its Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary;
(iii) a
certificate from its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary certifying that (A) its
articles of incorporation or charter have not been amended since the date of the
certificate described in subsection (ii) above, and that nothing has occurred
since the date of issuance of the certificate of existence specified in
subsection (i) above that would adversely affect its existence, and (B) it has
complied with the conditions set forth in this Section 8.2 as may be
reasonably required by the Company, including without limitation a certificate
as to the matters set forth in Section
8.2(a);
45
(iv) a
certificate of its corporate existence issued by the North Carolina Secretary of
State as of a recent date;
(v) a
true and complete copy of the resolutions of its board of directors and
shareholder authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement, and all instruments and documents to be delivered in connection
herewith, and the transactions contemplated hereby, certified by its Secretary
or an Assistant Secretary; and
(vi) a
certificate from its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary certifying the
incumbency and signatures of its officers who will execute documents at the
Closing or who have executed this Agreement.
(g) As
of the Closing Date, the Company shall have received the following documents
with respect to the Parent:
(i) a
true and complete copy of its articles of incorporation and all amendments
thereto, certified by the North Carolina Secretary of State as of a recent
date;
(ii) a
true and complete copy of its bylaws, certified by its Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary;
(iii) a
certificate from its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary certifying that (A) its
articles of incorporation or charter have not been amended since the date of the
certificate described in subsection (ii) above, and that nothing has occurred
since the date of issuance of the certificate of existence specified in
subsection (i) above that would adversely affect its existence, and (B) it has
complied with the conditions set forth in this Section 8.2 as may be
reasonably required by the Company, including without limitation a certificate
as to the matters set forth in Section
8.2(a);
(iv) a
certificate of its corporate existence issued by the North Carolina Secretary of
State as of a recent date;
(v) a
certificate from its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary certifying the
incumbency and signatures of its officers who will execute documents at the
Closing or who have executed this Agreement;
(vi) a
true and complete copy of the resolutions of its board of directors authorizing
the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and all instruments
and documents to be delivered in connection herewith, and the transactions
contemplated hereby, certified by its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary;
and
(vii) a
certificate of the Federal Reserve Bank.
(h) There
shall have been (i) no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Parent or the
Buyer and (ii) no event, occurrence or circumstance that, individually or taken
together with any other events, occurrences, or circumstances, has had a
Material adverse impact on the ability of the Parent or the Buyer to perform its
obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the Merger or the other
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
46
(i) The
Exchange Agent shall have delivered to the Company a certificate, dated as of
the Closing Date, to the effect that the Exchange Agent has received from the
Parent appropriate instructions and authorization for the Exchange Agent to
issue the Merger Consideration, to the extent required by this
Agreement.
(j) The
Parent shall have arranged for the issuance on the Effective Date of the New
Parent Warrants. to each Company Warrantholder that terminates such Company
Warrantholder’s Company Warrants in accordance with Section
6.1(j).
8.3 CONDITIONS TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE
PARENT AND THE BUYER. The obligations of each of the Parent
and the Buyer to effect the transactions contemplated hereby shall be further
subject to the fulfillment of the following conditions, unless waived by the
Parent pursuant to Section 10.4 of this
Agreement:
(a) All
representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement that
are qualified as to Materiality or Material Adverse Effect shall be true and
correct in all respects, and all other representations and warranties of the
Company set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all Material
respects, in each case as of the Closing Date as though made as of such date
(except for representations and warranties that are made as of a specific
date). The Company shall have performed and complied in all Material
respects with all covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement required
to be performed and complied with by them at or prior to the
Closing.
(b) Holders
of Company Shares representing no more than ten percent (10%) of the issued and
outstanding Company Shares immediately prior to the Effective Time shall have
exercised dissenters’ or similar rights with respect to the Merger.
(c) All
documents required to have been executed and delivered by the Company or any
third party to the Parent or the Buyer at or prior to the Closing shall have
been so executed and delivered, whether or not such documents have been or will
be executed and delivered by the other parties contemplated
thereby.
(d) The
Parent and the Buyer shall have received an opinion of Xxxxx & Eveson, P.A.,
counsel to the Company, dated as of the Closing Date and addressed to the Parent
and the Buyer, reasonably satisfactory to the Parent in form and substance,
concerning matters relating to the Company.
(e) The
Parent shall have received a legal opinion from Smith, Anderson, Blount,
Dorsett, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, L.L.P., counsel to the Parent, dated as of the
Closing Date and addressed to the Parent and the Buyer, to the effect that the
Merger will qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368 of the
Code. The issuance of such opinion shall be conditioned on the
receipt by such counsel of representation letters from the Company, the Parent
and the Buyer, in each case, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, L.L.P. The
specific provisions of each such representation letter shall be in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to such counsel, and each such representation
letter shall be dated on or before the date of such opinion and shall not have
been withdrawn or modified in any material respect.
47
(f) The
Parent shall have received from Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx, Inc. an opinion
to the effect that, as of a date within three (3) Business Days prior to the
execution of this Agreement, the aggregate Merger Consideration to be paid by
the Parent and the Buyer pursuant to this Agreement is fair from a financial
point of view to the Parent and the Buyer.
(g) As
of the Closing Date, the Parent and the Buyer shall have received the following
documents with respect to the Company:
(i) a certificate
of its corporate existence issued by the North Carolina Secretary of State as of
a recent date;
(ii) a
true and complete copy of its articles of incorporation and all amendments
thereto, certified by the North Carolina Secretary of State as of a recent
date;
(iii) a
true and complete copy of its bylaws, certified by its Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary;
(iv) a
certificate from its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary certifying that (A) its
articles of incorporation have not been amended since the date of the
certificate described in subsection (ii) above, and that nothing has occurred
since the date of issuance of the certificate of existence specified in
subsection (i) above that would adversely affect its existence, and (B) the
Company has complied with the conditions set forth in this Section 8.3 as may be
reasonably required by the Parent and the Buyer, including without limitation a
certificate as to the matters set forth in Section
8.3(a);
(v) with
respect to the Company, a true and complete copy of the resolutions of its board
of directors and shareholders authorizing the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement, and all instruments and documents to be delivered
in connection herewith, and the transactions contemplated hereby, certified by
its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary; and
(vi) with
respect to the Company, a certificate from its Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary certifying the incumbency and signatures of its officers who will
execute documents at the Closing or who have executed this
Agreement.
(h) Each
of the Voting Agreements described in Section 4.27 shall
have been executed and delivered to the Parent and the Buyer.
(i) The
Parent shall have received from each Company Warrantholder a termination of the
Company Warrants held by such Company Warrantholder.
(j) There
shall have been (i) no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company and
(ii) no event, occurrence or circumstance that, individually or taken together
with any other events, occurrences, or circumstances, has had a Material adverse
impact on the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this
Agreement or to consummate the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by
this Agreement.
48
ARTICLE
IX
TERMINATION
9.1 TERMINATION. The
obligations of the parties hereunder may be terminated and the transactions
contemplated hereby abandoned at any time prior to the Closing
Date:
(a) By
mutual written consent of the Company, the Parent and the Buyer;
(b) By
either the Parent and the Buyer, on the one hand, or the Company, on the other
hand, if there shall be any Law or regulation that makes consummation of this
Agreement illegal or otherwise prohibited or if any Order enjoining the Company
or its shareholders, on the one hand, or the Buyer, the Parent or its
shareholders, on the other hand, from consummating this Agreement is entered and
such judgment, injunction, order or decree shall become final and
nonappealable;
(c) By
the Parent and the Buyer, on the one hand, or the Company, on the other hand, if
the conditions to the obligation to effect the transactions contemplated hereby
of the party or parties seeking termination shall not have been fulfilled or
waived by October 31, 2009, and if the party or parties seeking termination
is or are in Material compliance with all obligations under this
Agreement;
(d) By
any party hereto, if a condition to the obligation to effect the transactions
contemplated hereby of the party seeking termination shall have become incapable
of fulfillment (notwithstanding the efforts of the party seeking to terminate as
set forth in Section
6.3(c)), and has not been waived;
(e) At
any time on or prior to the Closing Date, by the Parent and the Buyer in
writing, if the Company has, or by the Company, if the Parent or the Buyer has
(i) in any Material respect, breached any covenant or agreement contained herein
if such breach has not been cured by the earlier of thirty (30) days after the
date on which written notice of such breach is given to the party committing
such breach or the Closing Date, or (ii) (A) breached any representation or
warranty contained herein that is qualified by Materiality or Material Adverse
Effect or (B) Materially breached any other representation or warranty contained
hereof, and in any case if such breach has not been cured by the earlier of
thirty (30) days after the date on which written notice of such breach is given
to the party committing such breach or the Closing Date; or
(f) By the Company, if
(i) the Board of Directors of the Company complies with the provisions of Section 6.1(c), and
(ii) the Company pays the fee due under Section 9.3 as a
condition precedent to such termination.
9.2 PROCEDURE AND EFFECT OF
TERMINATION. In the event of a termination contemplated hereby
by any party pursuant to Section 9.1, the
party seeking to terminate this Agreement shall give prompt written notice
thereof to the other party, and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be
abandoned, without further action by any party hereto. In such
event:
49
(a) The
parties hereto shall continue to be bound by (i) their obligations of
confidentiality set forth herein, and all copies of the information provided by
the Company hereunder will be returned to the Company or destroyed immediately
upon its request therefor, (ii) the provisions set forth in Section 7.4 relating
to publicity and (iii) the provisions set forth in Section 10.1 relating
to expenses.
(b) All
filings, applications and other submissions relating to the transactions
contemplated hereby shall, to the extent practicable, be withdrawn from the
Person to whom made.
(c) In addition to any
remedies provided in this Agreement, the terminating party shall be entitled to
seek any remedy to which such party may be entitled at law or in equity for the
violation or breach of any agreement, covenant, representation or warranty
contained in this Agreement.
9.3 TERMINATION EXPENSES AND FEES.
(a) If the
Company elects to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.1(f), the
Company shall be obligated to pay the Buyer a termination fee in the amount of
$175,000 prior to such termination as a condition precedent
thereto.
(b) If
transactions substantially similar to the transactions contemplated in an
Acquisition Proposal are consummated within twelve (12) months after such
termination, the Company shall be obligated to pay the Buyer, immediately prior
to consummation of such transactions, an additional termination fee in the
amount of $125,000.
(c) All
such payments shall be made immediately when due by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to an account designated by the Buyer.
ARTICLE
X
MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
10.1 EXPENSES. Whether
or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, each party hereto
shall pay all costs and expenses incurred by it in connection with this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
10.2 SURVIVAL OF
REPRESENTATIONS. The representations and warranties made by
the parties hereto will not survive the Closing, and no party shall make or be
entitled to make any claim based upon such representations and warranties after
the Closing Date. No warranty or representation shall be deemed to be
waived or otherwise diminished as a result of any due diligence investigation by
the party to whom the warranty or representation was made or as a result of any
actual or constructive knowledge by such party with respect to any facts,
circumstances or claims or by the actual or constructive knowledge of such
person that any warranty or representation is false at the time of signing or
Closing.
50
10.3 AMENDMENT AND
MODIFICATION. This Agreement may be amended, modified or
supplemented only by written agreement of all parties hereto.
10.4 WAIVER OF COMPLIANCE;
CONSENTS. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, any
failure of the Parent or the Buyer, on one hand, and the Company, on the other,
to comply with any obligation, representation, warranty, covenant, agreement or
condition herein may be waived by the other party or parties only by a written
instrument signed by the party or parties granting such waiver, but such waiver
or failure to insist upon strict compliance with such obligation,
representation, warranty, covenant, agreement or condition shall not operate as
a waiver of, or estoppel with respect to, any subsequent or other
failure. Whenever this Agreement requires or permits consent by or on
behalf of any party hereto, such consent shall be given in writing in a manner
consistent with the requirements for a waiver of compliance as set forth in this
Section
10.4.
10.5 NOTICES. All
notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed given when delivered by hand or by facsimile transmission, one (1)
Business Day after sending by a reputable national overnight courier service or
three (3) Business Days after mailing when mailed by registered or certified
mail (return receipt requested), postage prepaid, to the other party in the
manner provided below:
(a) Any notice to the
Company shall be delivered to the following addresses:
Nuestro
Banco
0000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxx
Xxxxxxx
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
with a
copy to:
Xxxxx
& Eveson, P.A.
0000 Xxxxx
xx Xxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx
Xxxxxx
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
(b) Any
notice to the Parent or the Buyer shall be delivered to the following
address:
51
Four Oaks
Fincorp, Inc.
0000 X.X.
000 Xxxxx
Post
Xxxxxx Xxx 000
Xxxx Xxxx,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx
X. Xxxx
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
with a copy to:
Smith,
Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, L.L.P.
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
000
Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention:
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Telephone:
(000) 000-0000
Facsimile:
(000) 000-0000
Any party
may change the address to which notice is to be given by notice given in the
manner set forth above.
10.6 ASSIGNMENT. This
Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to
the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, legal
representatives, successors and permitted assigns. Neither this
Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be
assigned by any party hereto without the prior written consent of the other
parties.
10.7 SEPARABLE
PROVISIONS. Any term or provision of this Agreement which is
invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be
ineffective to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability without
rendering invalid or unenforceable the remaining terms and provisions of this
Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of any of the terms or
provisions of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction. If any
provision of this Agreement is so broad as to be unenforceable, such provision
shall be interpreted to be only so broad as is enforceable.
10.8 GOVERNING LAW. The
execution, interpretation and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by
the internal laws and judicial decisions of the State of North Carolina, without
regard to principles of conflicts of laws.
10.9 COUNTERPARTS. This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
10.10 INTERPRETATION. The
article and section headings contained in this Agreement are solely for the
purpose of reference, are not part of the agreement of the parties and shall not
in any way affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
52
10.11 ENTIRE
AGREEMENT. This Agreement, including the agreements and
documents that are Schedules and Exhibits hereto, embodies the entire agreement
and understanding of the parties with respect of the subject matter of this
Agreement. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings between the parties with respect to the transactions contemplated
hereby and subject matter hereof.
[signature
page follows]
53
[Signature
Page to Merger Agreement]
IN WITNESS
WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first above
written.
PARENT:
FOUR OAKS
FINCORP, INC.
By: /s/ Ayden X. Xxx,
Xx.
Name: Ayden
X. Xxx, Xx.
Title: Chairman,
President and CEO
BUYER:
FOUR OAKS
BANK & TRUST COMPANY
By: /s/ Ayden X. Xxx,
Xx.
Name: Ayden
X. Xxx, Xx.
Title: Chairman,
President and CEO
COMPANY:
NUESTRO
BANCO
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx
Name: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
Title: President
EXHIBIT
A
FORM
OF PLAN OF MERGER
PLAN OF
MERGER
OF NUESTRO
BANCO
INTO FOUR OAKS BANK &
TRUST COMPANY
A. Corporations Participating
in Merger.
Nuestro Banco, a North Carolina banking
corporation (the “Company”),
will merge (the “Merger”)
with and into Four Oaks Bank & Trust Company, a North Carolina banking
corporation (the “Buyer”),
pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, dated as of April 29, 2009,
among Four Oaks Fincorp, Inc., a North Carolina corporation (the “Parent”),
the Buyer, and the Company (the “Agreement”). The
Buyer will be the surviving corporation (the “Surviving
Corporation”) of the Merger.
B. Name of Surviving
Corporation.
After the Merger, the Surviving
Corporation shall have the name “Four Oaks Bank & Trust
Company.”
C. Merger.
The Merger shall be effected pursuant
to the terms and conditions of this Plan of Merger (the “Plan”). The
Merger shall become effective on the date and at the time of filing of the
Articles of Merger containing this Plan with the North Carolina Secretary of
State or at such other time as may be specified in such Articles of
Merger. The time when the Merger becomes effective is hereinafter
referred to as the “Effective
Time.” Upon the Merger becoming effective, the corporate
existence of the Company will cease, and the corporate existence of the Buyer
will continue. The Merger shall have the effects set forth in Section
55-11-06 of the North Carolina Business Corporation Act.
D. Articles
of Incorporation and Bylaws.
The
Articles of Incorporation of the Buyer in effect at the Effective Time of the
Merger shall be the Articles of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until
further amended in accordance with applicable law. The Bylaws of the
Buyer in effect at such Effective Time shall be the Bylaws of the Surviving
Corporation until further amended in accordance with applicable
law.
E. Conversion and Exchange of
Shares.
At the Effective Time, the outstanding
shares of the common stock of the corporations participating in the Merger will
be converted and exchanged as follows:
1. The
Company.
(a) Each
outstanding Company Share (as defined in the Agreement) shall at the Effective
Time no longer be outstanding and shall be canceled and retired and shall cease
to exist, and the holder of such Company Share shall thereafter cease to have
any rights with respect to such Company Share except for the right to receive,
in consideration therefor, the issuance and delivery of 0.2697 shares of the
Parent’s common stock, par value One Dollar ($1.00) per share, as traded on the
OTC Bulletin Board (the “Parent’s
Stock”).
(b) At
the Effective Time, the Parent shall cause each Company Option (as defined in
the Agreement) that is outstanding and unexercised immediately prior to the
Effective Time, whether or not vested, to become an option to purchase the
Parent’s Stock by assuming such Company Option in accordance with, and to the
extent permitted by, the terms of the stock option agreement by which such
Company Option is evidenced. From and after the Effective Time, (i)
each Company Option assumed by the Parent may be exercised solely for shares of
Parent’s Stock, (ii) each Company Option assumed by the Parent shall be equal to
the number of Company Shares subject to such Company Option immediately prior to
the Effective Time multiplied by 0.2697, rounding down to the nearest whole
share, and (iii) the per share exercise price under each Company Option assumed
by the Parent shall be adjusted by dividing the per share exercise price under
such Company Option by 0.2697 and rounding up to the nearest whole
cent.
(c) At
the Effective Time, each Company Warrant issued and outstanding at the Effective
Time shall be canceled in exchange for the right to receive a New Parent Warrant
(as defined in the Agreement). The number of shares of the Parent’s
Stock subject to each New Parent Warrant shall be equal to the number of Company
Shares subject to the applicable replaced Company Warrant immediately prior to
the Effective Time multiplied by 0.2697, rounding down to the nearest whole
share. The per share exercise price under each New Parent Warrant
issued by the Parent shall be equal to the per share exercise price under the
applicable replaced Company Warrant divided by 0.2697, rounding up to the
nearest whole cent.
2. Surviving Corporation and
Parent.
(a) Each
outstanding share of the Buyer’s common stock and of the Parent’s Stock shall
remain outstanding after the Effective Time and shall not be affected by the
Merger.
(b) In
the event the Company or the Parent changes the number of shares of its common
stock issued and outstanding prior to the Effective Time as a result of a stock
split, stock dividend or similar reorganization with respect to such stock and
the record date thereof (in the case of a stock dividend) or the effective date
thereof (in the case of a stock split or similar recapitalization for which a
record date is not established) shall be prior to such Effective Time, the
Merger consideration to be exchanged for the Company Shares shall be equitably
adjusted to reflect such change.
3. Fractional
Shares. No fractional
shares of the Parent’s Stock shall be delivered as consideration for the
Merger. Instead, the number of shares of the Parent’s Stock which a
holder of Company Shares is entitled to receive shall be rounded to the nearest
whole share.
A-2
4. Surrender
of Share Certificates. Each holder of
Company Shares shall either surrender for cancellation, or deliver an executed
and notarized affidavit of lost certificate(s) with respect to, the
certificate(s) representing such Company Shares, and after the Effective Time
and after such surrender or delivery shall be entitled to receive in exchange
therefor the Merger consideration to which such holder is entitled under this
Plan.
5. No
Further Transfers. From and after
the Effective Time, there shall be no further transfers on the stock transfer
books of the Company of the Company Shares that were outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Time. If, after such Effective Time,
certificates representing Company Shares are presented to the Surviving
Corporation, they shall be canceled, and exchanged and converted into the Merger
consideration as provided for herein.
A-3
EXHIBIT
B
FORM
OF VOTING AGREEMENT
STOCK VOTING
AGREEMENT
STOCK VOTING AGREEMENT, dated
as of April 29, 2009 (the “Agreement”),
by and among certain holders of capital stock of NUESTRO BANCO, a North Carolina
banking corporation (the “Company”),
listed on Schedule
A attached hereto (each, a “Shareholder,”
and collectively, the “Shareholders”);
FOUR OAKS FINCORP, INC., a North Carolina corporation and a financial holding
company registered with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and a North Carolina
bank holding company (the “Parent”);
and FOUR OAKS BANK & TRUST COMPANY, a North Carolina bank and a state
chartered member of the Federal Reserve System (the “Buyer”).
WHEREAS, concurrently
herewith, the Parent, the Buyer, and the Company are entering into a Merger
Agreement of even date herewith (as amended from time to time, the “Merger
Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company will merge into the Buyer,
with the Buyer being the surviving corporation (the “Merger”);
and
WHEREAS, each Shareholder owns
as of the date hereof the number of shares of capital stock of the Company, Four
Dollars and Eighty Cents ($4.80) par value per share (the “Company
Shares”), listed next to such Shareholder’s name on Schedule A attached
hereto (all such shares of Company Shares, together with any Company Shares
acquired after the date hereof and prior to the termination hereof, but
excluding any Company Shares sold by such Shareholder after the date hereof,
constituting such Shareholder’s “Shares”);
and
WHEREAS, the Buyer and the
Parent have entered into the Merger Agreement in reliance on and in
consideration of, among other things, each Shareholder’s representations,
warranties, covenants and agreements hereunder.
NOW THEREFORE, in
consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained and other
good and valuable consideration, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the
parties agree as follows:
1. VOTING. Each Shareholder
hereby revokes any and all previous proxies with respect to such Shareholder’s
Shares and irrevocably agrees to vote and otherwise act (including pursuant to
written consent), with respect to all of such Shareholder’s Shares, for the
approval and the adoption of the Merger Agreement and all transactions
contemplated thereby, including without limitation all agreements related to the
Merger and any actions related thereto, and against any proposal or transaction
which could prevent or delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement or the Merger Agreement, at any meeting or meetings of the
Shareholders of the Company, and any adjournment, postponement or continuation
thereof, at which the Merger Agreement and other related agreements (or any
amended version or versions thereof) or such other actions are submitted for the
consideration and vote of the Shareholders of the Company. The
foregoing shall remain in effect with respect to such Shareholder’s Shares until
the termination of this Agreement. Each Shareholder agrees to execute
such additional documents as the Buyer and/or the Parent may reasonably request
to effectuate the foregoing.
2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE
SHAREHOLDERS. Each Shareholder
severally represents and warrants to the Buyer and the Parent as
follows:
(a) Ownership of
Shares. On the date hereof, such Shareholder’s Shares
specified on Schedule
A are the only shares of Company Shares owned by such
Shareholder. Except as set forth on Schedule A, such
Shareholder does not have any rights to acquire any additional shares of Company
Shares. Except as set forth on Schedule A, such
Shareholder currently has, and as of the Effective Time will have, good, valid
and marketable title to such Shareholder’s Shares, free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances, restrictions, options, warrants, rights to purchase and claims of
every kind (other than the encumbrances created by this Agreement and other than
restrictions on transfer under applicable federal and state securities
laws).
(b) Authority; Binding
Agreement. Such Shareholder has the full legal right, power
and authority to enter into and perform all of such Shareholder’s obligations
under this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by
such Shareholder will not violate any other agreement to which such Shareholder
is a party, including, without limitation, any voting agreement, shareholders’
agreement or voting trust. This Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by such Shareholder and constitutes a legal, valid and binding
agreement of such Shareholder, enforceable against such Shareholder in
accordance with its terms (except as such enforceability may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws
now or hereafter in effect affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights
generally and except that the availability of specific performance, injunctive
relief and other equitable remedies is subject to the discretion of the court
before which any proceeding may be brought). Neither the execution
and delivery of this Agreement by such Shareholder nor the consummation by such
Shareholder of the transactions contemplated hereby nor the compliance by such
Shareholder with any of the provisions hereof will (i) violate, or require
any consent, approval or notice under any provision of any judgment, order,
decree, statute, law, rule or regulation applicable to such Shareholder or such
Shareholder’s Shares or (ii) constitute a violation of, conflict with or
constitute a default under, any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding,
arrangement or other restriction of any kind to which such Shareholder is a
party or by which such Shareholder is bound.
(c) Reliance on
Agreement. Such Shareholder understands and acknowledges that
the Buyer and the Parent are entering into the Merger Agreement in reliance upon
such Shareholder’s execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement. Such Shareholder acknowledges that the agreement set forth
in Section 1 is granted in consideration for the execution and delivery of the
Merger Agreement by the Buyer and the Parent.
B-2
(d) Tax-Free
Reorganization. Such Shareholder is aware that the Company,
the Parent and the Buyer intend to treat the Merger as a tax-free reorganization
under Section 368 of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended (the “Code”),
for federal income tax purposes. Such Shareholder agrees to treat the
transaction in the same manner as the Company, the Parent and the Buyer for
federal income tax purposes. Such Shareholder acknowledges that
Section 1.368-1(b) of the U.S. federal income tax regulations requires
“continuity of interest” in order for the Merger to be treated as a tax-free
reorganization under Section 368 of the Code. Continuity of interest
may not be preserved if stock of an acquired company is disposed of before an
acquisition to the acquired or acquiring company or to persons related to either
the acquired or acquiring companies for consideration other than stock of the
acquiring company, if a shareholder of the acquired company received certain
distributions from the acquired company with respect to such shareholder’s stock
in connection with the acquisition, or if stock of the acquiring company issued
in the merger is disposed of in connection with the merger to the acquiring
company or to persons related to the acquiring company. Accordingly,
such Shareholder declares that in connection with the Merger (i) such
Shareholder has not and will not dispose of any of the stock of either the
Company, the Parent or the Buyer to either the Company, the Parent or the Buyer
(other than in exchange for the Merger Consideration), to a person related to
the Company (within the meaning of Section 1.368-1(e)(1)(i) (sixth sentence) of
the U.S. federal income tax regulations) or to a person related to the Buyer
(within the meaning of Section 1.368-1(e)(3) of such regulations),
(ii) such Shareholder has not and will not receive any dividend or other
distribution with respect to the stock of the Company attributable directly or
indirectly to funds provided by the Parent or the Buyer, and (iii) such
Shareholder will not dispose of any stock of the Parent or the Buyer received in
the Merger to the Parent or the Buyer or to a person related to the Parent or
the Buyer within the meaning of Section 1.368-1(e)(3) of the U.S. federal income
tax regulations.
3. TERMINATION. This
Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (a) the Effective Time or
(b) immediately upon the termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance
with its terms.
4. ACTION IN SHAREHOLDER CAPACITY
ONLY. No Shareholder makes any agreement or understanding
herein as a director or officer of the Company; rather, each Shareholder signs
solely in such Shareholder’s capacity as a record holder and beneficial owner of
such Shareholder’s Shares, and nothing herein shall limit or affect any actions
taken in such Shareholder’s capacity as an officer or director of the Company,
including without limitation any action taken in such Shareholder’s capacity as
a director or executive officer of the Company consistent with the provisions in
Section 6.1(c) of the Merger Agreement.
5. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Notices. All
notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed given when delivered by hand or by facsimile transmission, one (1)
Business Day after sending by a reputable national overnight courier service or
three (3) Business Days after mailing when mailed by registered or certified
mail (return receipt requested), postage prepaid, to the other party in the
manner provided below:
B-3
If
to the Buyer or the Parent:
Four Oaks
Bank & Trust Company
0000 X.X.
000 Xxxxx
Post
Xxxxxx Xxx 000
Xxxx Xxxx,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Ayden
X. Xxx, Xx.
Telephone: (000)
000-0000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
with
a copy to:
Smith,
Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, L.L.P.
0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
000
Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx
Telephone: (000)
000-0000
Facsimile: (000)
000-0000
If
to a Shareholder:
to the
address provided for such Shareholder on Schedule
A
(b) Entire
Agreement. This Agreement, including the agreements and
documents that are Schedules and Exhibits hereto, embodies the entire agreement
and understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter of this
Agreement. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings between the parties with respect to the transactions contemplated
hereby and the subject matter hereof.
(c) Amendments. This
Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented only by written agreement of
all parties hereto.
(d) Assignment. This
Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and inure to
the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, legal
representatives, successors and permitted assigns. Neither this
Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be
assigned by any party hereto without the prior written consent of the other
parties.
(e) Governing
Law. The execution, interpretation and performance of this
Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws and judicial decisions of the
State of North Carolina, without regard to principles of conflicts of
laws.
(f) Injunctive Relief;
Jurisdiction. Each Shareholder agrees that irreparable damage
would occur and that the Buyer would not have any adequate remedy at law in the
event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in
accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It
is accordingly agreed that the Buyer and/or the Parent shall be entitled to an
injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches by any Shareholder of this
Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Agreement
in any court of the United States located in the State of North Carolina or in
any North Carolina state court (collectively, the “Courts”),
this being in addition to any other remedy to which the Buyer and/or the Parent
may be entitled at law or in equity. In addition, each of the parties
hereto (i) irrevocably consents to the submission of such party to the
personal jurisdiction of the Courts in the event that any dispute arises out of
this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) agrees
that such party will not attempt to deny or defeat such personal jurisdiction by
motion or other request for leave from any of the Courts and (iii) agrees
that such party will not bring any action relating to this Agreement or any of
the transactions contemplated hereby in any court other than the
Courts.
B-4
(g) Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in one (1) or more counterparts, each of which shall
be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the
same instrument.
(h) Severability. Any
term or provision of this Agreement which is invalid or unenforceable in any
jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of
such invalidity or unenforceability without rendering invalid or unenforceable
the remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity
or enforceability of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement in any
other jurisdiction. If any provision of this Agreement is so broad as
to be unenforceable, such provision shall be interpreted to be only as broad as
is enforceable.
[signature
page to Stock Voting Agreement]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the day and
year first above written.
PARENT:
FOUR OAKS
FINCORP, INC.
By:________________________________
Name:
Title:
BUYER:
FOUR OAKS
BANK & TRUST COMPANY
By:________________________________
Name:
Title:
SHAREHOLDERS:
[Print
Name]
[Print
Name]
[Print
Name]
[Print
Name]
SCHEDULE
A TO STOCK VOTING AGREEMENT
List of
Shareholders
[Shareholders]
EXHIBIT
C
FORM
OF SEPARATION AGREEMENT
SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND
GENERAL RELEASE
This
SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE (this “Agreement”)
is made and entered into by and among Nuestro Banco (the “Company”),
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx (“Employee”),
and Four Oaks Bank & Trust Company (the “Bank”). Throughout
the remainder of the Agreement, the Company, Employee, and the Bank may be
collectively referred to as “the
parties.”
WHEREAS, Employee is currently
employed by the Company as Chief Financial Officer;
WHEREAS, the Company, the
Bank, and Four Oaks Fincorp, Inc. are parties to a Merger Agreement dated
April 29, 2009 (the “Merger
Agreement”), pursuant to which, as a condition of Closing, as defined in
the Merger Agreement, Employee shall execute and deliver this Agreement at
Closing;
WHEREAS, Employee and the
Company desire to terminate their employment relationship effective as of the
Closing Date, as defined in the Merger Agreement, on mutually agreeable terms
and avoid all litigation relating to the employment relationship and its
termination;
WHEREAS, Employee desires
severance benefits for which she would not otherwise be eligible, and the Bank
is willing to provide certain severance benefits in exchange for her entering
into this Agreement;
WHEREAS, Employee and the Bank
have separately agreed that Employee will become employed by the Bank pursuant
to an Executive Employment Agreement of even date herewith and that execution of
the Executive Employment Agreement is a condition to the effectiveness of this
Agreement; and
WHEREAS, Employee represents
that she has carefully read this entire Agreement, understands its consequences,
and voluntarily enters into it.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the above and the mutual promises set forth below, Employee,
the Company, and the Bank agree as follows:
1. SEPARATION. Employee’s
employment with the Company shall terminate effective [_______,
2009] [the Closing
Date] (the “Separation
Date”).
2. SEVERANCE
BENEFITS. The Bank shall
pay Employee an amount equal to one (1) year of her current annual salary (less
any applicable taxes and withholdings), payable in a lump sum within
five (5) business days after the expiration of the revocation period set forth
in Section 8 of this Agreement. Other than as provided in this
Section 2, as of and after the Separation Date, Employee shall not be entitled
to any employee benefits and shall not be a participant in any of the Company’s
benefit plans or programs of any type; provided, however, nothing in this
Agreement shall be deemed to limit Employee’s continuation coverage rights under
the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) or Employee’s
vested rights, if any, in any of the Company’s benefit plans, and the terms of
those plans shall govern. All payments remaining due under this
Section 2 in the event of Employee’s death shall be payable to Employee’s
estate.
3. ADEQUACY
OF CONSIDERATION. Employee
acknowledges that the benefits available to her under this Agreement are
significant, are of greater value than the benefits to which she would be
entitled to receive if she did not sign this Agreement, and constitute adequate
consideration for the release of claims hereunder.
4. COMPANY
INFORMATION AND PROPERTY. Employee shall
not at any time after termination of her employment disclose, use, or aid third
parties in obtaining or using any confidential or proprietary information of the
Company or the Bank except in any capacity on behalf of and for the benefit of
the Company or the Bank. Confidential or proprietary information is
information relating to the Company or the Bank, or any aspect of their
businesses, which is not generally available to the public, the Company’s or the
Bank’s competitors, or other third parties, or ascertainable through common
sense or general business or technical knowledge. Nothing in this
Agreement shall relieve her from any obligations under any previously executed
confidentiality, proprietary information or secrecy agreements.
Employee
shall: (i) deliver to the Company or the Bank all records,
memoranda, data, documents and other property of any description which refer or
relate in any way to confidential or proprietary information, including all
copies thereof, which are in her possession, custody or control;
(ii) deliver to the Company all Company property (including, but not
limited to, keys, credit cards, client files, contracts, proposals, work in
process, manuals, forms, computer stored work in process and other computer
data, research materials, other items of business information concerning any
Company customer, or Company business or business methods, including all copies
thereof) which is in her possession, custody or control; (iii) if requested
by the Company, bring all such records, files and other materials up to date
before returning them; and (iv) fully cooperate with the Company in winding
up her work and transferring that work to other individuals designated by the
Bank.
5. RELEASE. In consideration
of the benefits conferred by this Agreement, EMPLOYEE (ON BEHALF OF HERSELF, HER
HEIRS, ASSIGNS, EXECUTORS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVES) RELEASES THE COMPANY AND
THE BANK AND ITS AND/OR THEIR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES,
AFFILIATES, AND ITS AND/OR THEIR PREDECESSORS, SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS, AND ITS
AND/OR THEIR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, OWNERS,
INVESTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (TOGETHER WITH ALL PLAN
ADMINISTRATORS, TRUSTEES, FIDUCIARIES AND INSURERS) AND AGENTS (“RELEASEES”)
FROM ALL CLAIMS
AND WAIVES ALL
RIGHTS, KNOWN OR UNKNOWN, SHE MAY HAVE OR CLAIM TO HAVE RELATING TO HER HIRING,
EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COMPANY, OR HER SEPARATION THEREFROM arising before the
execution of this Agreement, including but not limited to
claims for: (i) discrimination, harassment or retaliation
arising under any federal, state or local laws prohibiting age (including but
not limited to claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
(ADEA), as amended, and the Older Worker Benefit Protection Act of 1990
(OWBPA)), sex, national origin, race, religion, disability, veteran status or
other protected class discrimination, or the Family and Medical Leave Act, as
amended (FMLA), or harassment or retaliation for protected activity;
(ii) for compensation and/or benefits, including but not limited to claims
under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA), as amended, the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA), FMLA, and similar
federal, state, and local laws; (iii) under federal, state or local law of
any nature whatsoever, including but not limited to constitutional, statutory
(including but not limited to any North Carolina statutes, tort, express or
implied contract, wrongful discharge, or other common law); (iv) attorneys’
fees; and (v) of any kind whatsoever (with the exception of those listed in
Sections 6 and 7 below) whether or not Employee knew about them at the time she
signed this Agreement; provided, however, that this release
does not apply to claims for workers’ compensation benefits or unemployment
benefits filed with the applicable state agencies or to any claim for a breach
of this Agreement.
C-2
6. COVENANT
NOT TO XXX. In consideration
of the benefits offered to Employee, Employee will not xxx Releasees on any of
the released claims or on any matters relating to her employment arising before
the execution of this Agreement, including but not limited to claims under the
ADEA, or join as a party with others who may xxx Releasees on any such claims;
provided, however, this paragraph will not bar a challenge under the OWBPA to
the enforceability of the waiver and release of ADEA claims set forth in this
Agreement, claims for workers’ compensation or unemployment benefits referenced
in Section 5 above, or where otherwise prohibited by law. If
Employee does not abide by this paragraph, (i) she will return all monies
received under this Agreement and indemnify Releasees for all expenses incurred
in defending the action, and (ii) Releasees will be relieved of their
obligations hereunder.
7. AGENCY
CHARGES/INVESTIGATIONS. Nothing in this
Agreement shall prohibit Employee from filing a charge or participating in an
investigation or proceeding conducted by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission or other governmental agency with jurisdiction concerning the terms,
conditions and privileges of her employment; provided, however, that by signing
this Agreement, Employee waives her right to, and shall not seek or accept, any
monetary or other relief of any nature whatsoever in connection with any such
charges, investigations or proceedings.
8. RIGHT TO
REVIEW AND REVOKE. The Company
delivered this Agreement to Employee on April 29, 2009 (the “Notification
Date”) and informs her hereby that it desires that she have adequate time
and opportunity to review and understand the consequences of entering into this
Agreement. Accordingly, the Company advises that:
·
|
Employee
should consult with her attorney prior to executing the Agreement;
and
|
·
|
Employee
has twenty-one (21) days from the Notification Date within which to
consider this Agreement.
|
C-3
Further,
Employee may not execute this Agreement prior to the Separation
Date. In the event that Employee does not return an executed copy of
this Agreement to the Bank within twenty-two (22) days of the Notification Date,
or on the Separation Date, whichever is later, this Agreement and the
obligations of the Company and the Bank herein shall become null and
void. Employee may revoke this Agreement during the seven (7) day
period immediately following her execution. This Agreement will not
become effective or enforceable until the revocation period has
expired. To revoke this Agreement, a written notice of revocation
must be delivered to: Ayden X. Xxx, Xx., Four Oaks Bank &
Trust Company, 6114 US 300 Xxxxx, Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000.
9. CONFIDENTIALITY
OF AGREEMENT AND NONDISPARAGEMENT. The terms and
provisions of this Agreement are confidential, and Employee represents and
warrants that, since receiving this Agreement, she has not disclosed the terms
and conditions of this Agreement to third parties, other than her attorneys whom
she has consulted for legal advice. Employee agrees that going
forward she will not disclose the terms and conditions of this Agreement to
third parties, except as required by law. Notwithstanding the above,
Employee may reveal the terms and provisions of this Agreement to members of her
immediate family or to an attorney, tax or financial advisors whom she may
consult for legal, tax or financial advice, provided that such persons agree to
maintain the confidentiality of this Agreement.
Employee
represents and warrants that, since receiving this Agreement,
she: (i) has not made, and going forward will not make,
disparaging, defaming or derogatory remarks about the Company or the Bank or its
or their services, business practices, directors, officers, managers, or
employees to anyone; and (ii) has not taken, and going forward will not take,
any action that may impair the relations between the Company or the Bank and/or
their customers, employees, or agents or that may be detrimental to or interfere
with the Company or the Bank or its and/or their businesses.
10. SEPARATE
EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT. This Agreement
shall only be effective if the separate Executive Employment Agreement between
Employee and Bank shall have been executed prior to or contemporaneously with
the execution of this Agreement. This Agreement shall in no way
effect or impact the separate Executive Employment Agreement entered into
between Employee and the Bank dated on or about the Separation
Date.
11. DISCLAIMER
OF LIABILITY. Nothing in this
Agreement is to be construed as either an admission of liability or admission of
wrongdoing on the part of either party, each of which denies any liabilities or
wrongdoing on its part.
12. GOVERNING
LAW. This Agreement
shall be governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina and the applicable
provisions of federal law.
13. ENTIRE
AGREEMENT. Except as
expressly provided herein, this Agreement: (i) supersedes and
cancels all other understandings and agreements, oral or written, with respect
to Employee’s employment with the Company; (ii) supersedes all other
understandings and agreements, oral or written, between the parties with respect
to the subject matter of this Agreement; and (iii) constitutes the sole
agreement between the parties with respect to this subject
matter. Each party acknowledges that: (i) no
representations, inducements, promises or agreements, oral or written, have been
made by any party or by anyone acting on behalf of any party, which are not
embodied in this Agreement; and (ii) no agreement, statement or promise not
contained in this Agreement shall be valid. No change or modification
of this Agreement shall be valid or binding upon the parties unless such change
or modification is in writing and is signed by the parties.
14. SECTION 409A OF THE INTERNAL
REVENUE CODE.
14.1 Parties’
Intent. The parties
intend that the provisions of this Agreement comply with the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”),
and the regulations thereunder (collectively, “Section
409A”), and all provisions of this Agreement shall be construed in a
manner consistent with the requirements for avoiding taxes or penalties under
Section 409A. If any provision of this Agreement
(or of any award of compensation, including equity compensation or benefits)
would cause Employee to incur any additional tax or interest under
Section 409A, the Company and the Bank shall, upon
the specific request of Employee, use its or their reasonable business efforts
in good faith to reform such provision to comply with Code Section 409A; provided, that to the maximum
extent practicable, the original intent and economic benefit to Employee and the
Company and the Bank of the applicable provision shall be maintained, and
neither the Company nor the Bank shall have any obligation to make any changes
that could create any additional economic cost or loss of benefit to the Company
or to the Bank. The Company and the Bank shall timely use their
reasonable business efforts to amend any plan or program in which Employee
participates to bring it in compliance with Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the
Company nor the Bank shall have any liability with regard to any failure to
comply with Section 409A so long as it or they have
acted in good faith with regard to compliance therewith.
14.2 Separation
from Service. A termination of
employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of
this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits upon or
following a termination of employment unless such termination also constitutes a
“Separation from Service” within the meaning of Section 409A, and, for purposes
of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination,”
“termination of employment,” “separation from service” or like terms shall mean
Separation from Service.
14.3 Separate
Payments. Each installment
payment required under this Agreement shall be considered a separate payment for
purposes of Section 409A.
[signature
page follows]
C-5
[signature
page of Separation Agreement and General Release]
IN WITNESS
WHEREOF, the parties have entered into this Agreement as of the day and year
written below.
EMPLOYEE
__________________________________________
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Date:
_____________________________________
NUESTRO
BANCO
__________________________________________
By: ________________________
Date:
_____________________________________
FOUR OAKS
BANK & TRUST COMPANY
__________________________________________
By: ________________________
Date:
_____________________________________
C-6
EXHIBIT
D
FORM
OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
THIS EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of this [____] day of [_____], 2009 by and between
FOUR OAKS BANK & TRUST
COMPANY, a North Carolina corporation (the “Bank”), and XXXXXX XXXXXX
(“Employee”).
W
I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, the Bank, Four Oaks
Fincorp, Inc. and Nuestro Banco are parties to a Merger Agreement dated April
29, 2009 (the “Merger Agreement”);
WHEREAS, Employee has been an
employee of Nuestro Banco;
WHEREAS, the termination of
Employee’s employment with Nuestro Banco and Employee’s and the Bank’s entry
into this Agreement and a separate Separation Agreement are conditions of the
Merger Agreement; and
WHEREAS, Employee desires to
become an employee of the Bank and the Bank desires to employ Employee on the
terms and conditions set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the promises and of the mutual covenants contained in this
Agreement, the Bank and Employee agree as follows:
1. Employment. Employee shall
serve the Bank as Financial Specialist with such duties, responsibilities and
authorities of such office as may be assigned to her and as are customarily
associated with such office. Employee, at the Bank’s discretion, may
be reassigned or required to perform other duties which may or may not have the
title, responsibilities and authority comparable to those of the position set
forth above.
(a) Employee
shall perform all duties and exercise all authority in accordance with, and
otherwise comply with, all Bank policies, procedures, practices, and
directions.
(b) Employee
shall devote all working time and best efforts to successfully perform her
duties and advance the Bank’s interests. During her employment,
Employee shall not render services of any nature whatsoever (including board
memberships) for which she receives compensation without the Bank’s prior
consent; provided, however, this provision does not prohibit her from personally
owning and trading in stocks, bonds, securities, real estate, commodities or
other investment properties for her own benefit which do not create actual or
potential conflicts of interest with the Bank.
2. Term. The term of this
Agreement shall be for the twelve (12) month period commencing on the date of
Closing, as defined in the Merger Agreement, and terminating twelve (12) months
thereafter, unless earlier terminated as set forth in this
Agreement.
3. Compensation
and Benefits. In consideration
of her services during the term of this Agreement, Employee shall be paid
compensation by and receive benefits from the Bank as follows:
(a) Base
Salary. Employee will
receive an annual base salary of One Hundred Thousand and 00/100 Dollars
($100,000.00) payable in monthly installments.
(b) Benefits. Employee shall be
entitled to receive and to participate, subject to any eligibility requirements,
in all benefits generally made available to the Bank’s employees at Employee’s
level including, but not limited to, any bonus plans, stock options, insurance
benefits, vacation, sick leave, and reimbursement of expenses incurred on behalf
of the Bank in the course of performing duties under this
Agreement. Employee’s participation in any such benefit plans or
programs is subject to the applicable terms, conditions and eligibility
requirements of those plans and programs, some of which are in the plan
administrator’s discretion, as they may exist from time to
time. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing,
Employee shall be entitled to a minimum of three (3) weeks (fifteen (15)
business days) of vacation each calendar year.
4. Termination. This Agreement and Employee’s employment
under this Agreement shall terminate:
(a) upon
written notice from the Bank to Employee in the event of Employee’s physical or
mental inability to perform the essential functions of her duties for a
protracted or indefinite period, as determined by the Bank in its sole
discretion and in accordance with application law (“Disability”);
(b) immediately
upon written notice from the Bank for any of the following reasons which shall
constitute “Cause:”
(i)
the
willful and continued failure by Employee to perform her duties with the
Bank;
(ii)
the
willful engaging by Employee in gross misconduct materially and demonstratively
injurious to the Bank;
(iii)
the
conviction of Employee of any crime involving fraud or dishonesty;
(c) upon
thirty (30) days written notice from the Bank to Employee, for any reason other
than death, Disability, or Cause (a “without Cause” termination);
or
D-2
(d) immediately
upon Employee’s death.
5. Compensation Upon
Termination.
If
Employee’s employment is terminated pursuant to Section 4(a) (Disability), then
Employee shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to her then current
monthly salary (less any applicable taxes and withholdings) for the lesser of
six (6) months or the number of months then remaining in the term of this
Agreement, payable in a lump sum within thirty (30) days of the date of
termination of employment.
If
Employee’s employment is terminated pursuant to Section 4(c) (without Cause),
then Employee shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to her then current
monthly salary (less any applicable taxes and withholdings) for the number of
months then remaining in the term of this Agreement, payable in a lump sum
within thirty (30) days of the date of termination of employment.
6. Section
409A of the Internal Revenue Code.
(a) Parties’
Intent. The parties
intend that the provisions of this Agreement comply with the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the regulations thereunder
(collectively, “Section 409A”), and all provisions of this Agreement shall be
construed in a manner consistent with the requirements for avoiding taxes or
penalties under Section 409A. If any provision of this Agreement (or
of any award of compensation, including equity compensation or benefits) would
cause Employee to incur any additional tax or interest under Section 409A,
the Bank shall, upon the specific request of Employee, use its reasonable
business efforts to in good faith reform such provision to comply with Code
Section 409A; provided, that, to the maximum extent practicable, the
original intent and economic benefit to Employee and the Bank of the applicable
provision shall be maintained, and the Bank shall have no obligation to make any
changes that could create any additional economic cost or loss of benefit to the
Bank. The Bank shall timely use its reasonable business efforts to
amend any plan or program in which Employee participates to bring it in
compliance with Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Bank
shall have no liability with regard to any failure to comply with Section 409A
so long as it has acted in good faith with regard to compliance
therewith.
(b) Separation
from Service. A termination of
employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of
this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits upon or
following a termination of employment unless such termination also
constitutes a “Separation from Service” within the meaning of Section 409A and,
for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a
“termination,” “termination of employment,” “separation from service” or like
terms shall mean Separation from Service.
(c) Separate
Payments. Each installment
payment required under this Agreement shall be considered a separate payment for
purposes of Sexxxxx 000X.
X-0
(x) Delayed
Distribution to Key Employees. If the Bank
reasonably determines, in accordance with Sections 409A and 416(i) of the Code
and the regulations promulgated thereunder that Employee is a Key Employee of
the Bank on the date her employment with the Bank terminates and that a delay in
severance pay and benefits provided under this Agreement is necessary for
compliance with Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), then any severance payments and any
continuation of benefits or reimbursement of benefit costs provided under this
Agreement and not otherwise exempt from Section 409A shall be delayed for a
period of six (6) months (the “409A Delay Period”). In such event,
any such severance payments and the cost of any such continuation of benefits
provided under this Agreement that would otherwise be due and payable to
Employee during the 409A Delay Period shall be paid to Employee in a lump sum
cash amount in the month following the end of the 409A Delay
Period. For purposes of this Agreement, “Key Employee” shall mean an
employee who, on an Identification Date (“Identification Date” shall mean each
December 31) is a key employee as defined in Section 416(i) of the Code without
regard to paragraph (5) of that section. If Employee is identified as
a Key Employee on an Identification Date, then Employee shall be considered a
Key Employee for purposes of this Agreement during the period beginning on the
first April 1 following the Identification Date and ending on the following
March 31.
8. Non-Assignability. This Agreement
shall not be assignable by Employee. This Agreement shall not be
assignable by the Bank without the prior written consent of Employee except to a
corporation which is the surviving entity in any merger involving the Bank or to
a corporation which acquires all or substantially all of the stock or assets of
the Bank.
9. Entire
Agreement. Except as
expressly provided herein, this Agreement (a) supersedes all other
understandings and agreements, oral or written, between the parties with respect
to the subject matter of this Agreement; and (b) constitutes the sole
agreement between the parties with respect to this subject
matter. Each party acknowledges that: (i) no
representations, inducements, promises or agreements, oral or written, have been
made by any party or by anyone acting on behalf of any party, which are not
embodied in this Agreement; and (ii) no agreement, statement or promise not
contained in this Agreement shall be valid. No change or modification
of this Agreement shall be valid or binding upon the parties unless such change
or modification is in writing and is signed by the parties.
10.
Waiver of
Breach. The Bank’s or
Employee’s waiver of any breach of a provision of this Agreement shall not waive
any subsequent breach by the other party.
11.
Counterparts;
Construction. This Agreement
may be executed in several identical counterparts, each of which when so
executed shall be deemed an original, but all such counterparts shall constitute
one and the same instrument. This Agreement shall be governed by, and
construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of North
Carolina.
12.
Severability. If a court of
competent jurisdiction holds that any provision or sub-part thereof contained in
this Agreement is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that invalidity, illegality
or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision in this
Agreement. Additionally, if any of the provisions, clauses or phrases
in the Trade Secrets, Confidential Information, Bank Property, and Competitive
Business Activities provisions set forth in this Agreement are held
unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the parties desire that
such provisions, clauses, or phrases be “blue-penciled” or rewritten by the
court to the extent necessary to render them enforceable.
D-4
13.
Notice. All necessary
notices, demands, and requests required or permitted under this Agreement shall
be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if delivered in person
or mailed by certified mail, postage prepaid, address as follows:
If to
Employee: Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
_____________________________
_____________________________
If to
Bank: Four
Oaks Bank & Trust Company
0000 X.X.
000 Xxxxx
Post
Xxxxxx Xxx 000
Xxxx Xxxx,
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: President
or to such
other address as shall be furnished by either party.
[signature
page follows]
D-5
[Signature
Page to Executive Employment Agreement]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above
written.
FOUR
OAKS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
By: _________________________________
Authorized Officer
_____________________________________
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
X-0