Investar Holding Corporation 1,411,765 Shares of Common Stock $1.00 par value per share Underwriting Agreement

Exhibit 1.1

Investar Holding Corporation

1,411,765 Shares of

Common Stock

$1.00 par value per share

Underwriting Agreement

March 16, 2017

Sandler X’Xxxxx + Partners, L.P.

1251 Avenue of the Xxxxxxxx, 0^xx Xxxxx

Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Investar Holding Company, a Louisiana corporation (the “Company”) and the holding company for Investar Bank (the “Bank”), confirms its agreement with Sandler X’Xxxxx + Partners, L.P. (the “Representative”), on behalf of the several underwriters listed on Annex A (together, the “Underwriters”), subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, with respect to (i) the issuance and sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of 1,411,765 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “Initial Shares”); and (ii) the grant by the Company to the Underwriters of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 211,765 additional shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Option Shares” and, together with the Initial Shares, the “Shares”).

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Shares as soon as the Representative deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-215238), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of various securities, including the Shares, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Such registration statement is effective under the 1933 Act and the Company has filed such post-effective amendments thereto as may be required prior to the execution of this Agreement and each such post-effective amendment is effective under the 1933 Act. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus supplement with respect to the Shares in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430B (“Rule 430B”) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”) and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 (“Rule 424(b)”) of the 1933 Act Regulations. Any information included in each such prospectus supplement that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430B is referred to as “Rule 430B Information.” Each base prospectus and prospectus supplement used in connection with the offering of the Securities that omitted Rule 430B

Information is referred to herein collectively as a “preliminary prospectus.” Such registration statement, at any given time, including any amendments thereto, including post-effective amendments, the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated by reference therein and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by the 1933 Act, is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement;” provided, however, that the term “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Shares, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of such registration statement with respect to the Underwriters and the Shares (within the meaning of Rule 430B(f)(2)). The final base prospectus and the prospectus supplement, dated the date hereof, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, are referred to herein collectively as the “Prospectus.”

For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any term sheet or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“XXXXX”).

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package (as defined herein) (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package, as the case may be, prior to the execution of this Agreement; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Package shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or the General Disclosure Packages the case may be after execution of this Agreement.

For the purpose of this Agreement, the term “subsidiary” or “subsidiaries” shall include each direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company listed on Schedule III hereto.

1. (a) The Company and the Bank, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time referred to in Section 1(a)(i) hereof, as of the Closing Time and each Additional Closing Time referred to in Section 4 hereof, and agrees with the Representative and the other Underwriters, as follows:

(i) The Company is eligible to use Form S-3 for the offering of the Shares and, at the time the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b)was filed and at the Applicable Time, the Closing Time and each Additional Closing Time, the Company satisfied, and will satisfy, the eligibility requirements for the use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. Each of the Registration Statement, and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted by or are pending before or, to the actual knowledge of the Company, are threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission to the Company for additional information has been complied with.

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Each of the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto at the time it became effective, at the Closing Time and each Additional Closing Time, complied and will comply with in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was delivered and at the Closing Time and each Additional Closing Time, included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by any Underwriter expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by an Underwriter consists of the information described in Section 8(b) hereof.

The Issuer-Represented General Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below) and the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below) all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”) as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Time and each Additional Closing Time will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

As used in this subsection and elsewhere in this Agreement:

“Applicable Time” means 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on March 16, 2017.

“Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), relating to the Shares that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company or (ii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Shares or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

“Issuer-Represented General Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule I hereto.

“Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the prospectus relating to the Shares that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof. For purposes of this definition, information contained in a form of prospectus that is deemed retroactively to be a part of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430B shall be considered to be included in the Statutory Prospectus as of the actual time that form of prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b).

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Each Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Shares or until any earlier date that the issuer notified or notifies the Underwriters, did not contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein, and any preliminary prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus that has not been superseded or modified; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by the Underwriters consists of the information described as such in Section 8(b) hereof. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information then contained in the Registration Statement or as a result of which such Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus, if republished immediately following such event or development, would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (i) the Company has notified or will promptly notify the Underwriters and (ii) the Company has amended or will promptly amend or supplement such Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

(ii) The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply, in each case, in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”) and, when read together with the other information in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, at the time the Registration Statement became effective, or any amendment thereto became effective, at the time the Prospectus was issued and at the Closing Time and each Additional Closing Time, did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(iii) Any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and each Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus when filed, if filed by electronic transmission, pursuant to XXXXX (except as may be permitted by Regulation S-T under the 1933 Act), was identical to the copy thereof delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares.

(iv) The consolidated financial statements of the Company, including the related schedules and notes, filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included in any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus (the “Financial Statements”)

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present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash flows for the periods specified. Such Financial Statements, unless otherwise noted therein have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in effect in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. To the knowledge of the Company, the consolidated financial statements and the related schedules and notes thereto included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the financial position of Citizens Bancshares, Inc. at the dates indicated and the results of operations, changes in equity and cash flows for the periods specified, and said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with United States GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the period involved. The selected financial data and the summary financial information included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information therein and have been prepared on a basis consistent with that of the audited consolidated financial statements contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus. The statement of income data, balance sheet data and earnings per share data set forth in the Prospectus under the caption “Selected Financial Information” fairly present the information therein on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements contained in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus. To the extent applicable, all disclosures contained in the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission comply with Regulation G of the 1934 Act, the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act (the “1934 Act Regulations”) and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K. The pro forma financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus presents fairly in all material respects the information included therein and has been prepared in all material respects in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(v) Xxxxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxxxx, APAC, the independent registered public accounting firm that audited the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, that are included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, and, to the actual knowledge of the Company, such accountants are not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) and the related rules and regulations of the Commission.

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Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm that audited the financial statements of Citizens Bancshares, Inc., that are included in the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

(vi) The statistical and market related data contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources which the Company believes are reliable and accurate.

(vii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and, when duly executed by the Representative, will constitute the valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general equitable principles and except as any indemnification or contribution provisions thereof may be limited under applicable securities laws and banking laws.

(viii) Since the date of the most recently dated audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, have not sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and there has not been any material change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development known to the Company that is reasonably expected to cause a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, earnings, business, properties, assets, consolidated financial position, business prospects, consolidated shareholders’ equity or consolidated results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”) other than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or its subsidiaries which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (C) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(ix) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, security interests, claims, restrictions, liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described generally in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or such as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be

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made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries, and neither the Company nor its subsidiaries has any written or oral notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or its subsidiaries under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiaries to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease.

(x) The Company is a registered bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Louisiana, with the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xi) Each of the Company’s subsidiaries has been duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing as a corporation or trust in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, has corporate or trust company power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign entity to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except in each case where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. The activities of the Company’s subsidiaries are permitted of subsidiaries of a bank holding company under applicable law and the rules and regulations of the Federal Reserve Board (the “FRB”) set forth in Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or equity interests of each such subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable (to the extent applicable) and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock or equity interests of any subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such subsidiary. There are no outstanding rights, warrants or options to acquire or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for any capital stock or equity securities of any of the subsidiaries. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distributions on such subsidiary’s capital stock or common securities, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company. The only subsidiaries of the Company are the subsidiaries listed on Schedule III hereto.

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(xii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization,” and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and have been issued in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws. None of the outstanding shares of capital stock were issued in violation of any preemptive rights, rights of first refusal or other similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities of the Company. The description of the Company’s stock option, warrant, stock bonus, restricted stock unit and other stock plans or compensation arrangements and the options, warrants, restricted stock units or other rights granted thereunder, set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, accurately and fairly presents, in all material respects, the information required to be described therein with respect to such plans, arrangements, options, warrants and rights.

(xiii) The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company to the Underwriters hereunder have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the description of the capital stock contained in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The issuance of the Shares is not subject to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

(xiv) Except as disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) there are no outstanding rights (contractual or otherwise), warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, or agreements or understandings with respect to the sale or issuance of, any shares of capital stock of or other equity interest in the Company and (B) there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the 1933 Act or otherwise register any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such person.

(xv) The issue and sale of the Shares by the Company and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein contemplated have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, (A) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default or result in a Repayment Event (as defined below) under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (B) result in any violation of the provisions of the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or (C) result in any violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any federal, state, local or foreign court, arbitrator, regulatory authority or governmental agency (each a “Governmental Entity”) or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, except for in the case of clauses (A) and (C) those conflicts, breaches, violations, defaults or Repayment Events that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or Governmental Entity is required for the

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issue and sale of the Shares, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the registration under the 1933 Act of the Shares and except as may be required under the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Stock Market (“NASDAQ”) or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition, the occurrence or existence of which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, prior to its scheduled maturity.

(xvi) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its articles of incorporation or its bylaws or (B) in breach, violation or default (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject except for such breaches, violations or defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xvii) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its subsidiaries are conducting their respective businesses in compliance in all material respects with all federal, state, local and foreign statutes, laws, rules, regulations, decisions, directives and orders applicable to them, (including, without limitation, all regulations and orders of, or agreements with, the FRB), the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions (the “OFI”), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”), the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Community Reinvestment Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, all other applicable fair lending laws or other laws relating to discrimination and the Bank Secrecy Act and Title III of the USA Patriot Act), and since January 1, 2016, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written or oral communication from any Governmental Entity asserting that the Company or any of its subsidiaries is not in material compliance with any statute, law, rule, regulation, decision, directive or order.

(xviii) There are no legal or governmental actions or suits, investigations, inquiries or proceedings before or by any court or Government Entity, now pending or, to the actual knowledge of the Company, threatened or contemplated, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject (A) that is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations and not disclosed therein or (B) which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would be reasonably expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect; all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of their property is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to their respective businesses, are not reasonably expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect and there are no contracts or documents of the

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Company or any of its subsidiaries which would be required to be described in the Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits thereto by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations which have not been so described or filed.

(ix) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries possesses all permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations of (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”), and have made all filings, applications and registrations with, all Governmental Entities necessary under applicable law to permit the Company or such subsidiaries to conduct the business now operated by the Company or its subsidiaries, except for any of the foregoing that would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure to so possess, file, apply, register or comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. All of the Governmental Licenses currently held by the Company or its subsidiaries are valid and in full force and effect, except where the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor its subsidiaries have received any written notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses. Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries have failed to file with applicable regulatory authorities any statement, report, information or form required by any applicable law, regulation or order, except where the failure to so file in compliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all such filings were in compliance in all material respects with applicable laws when filed and no material deficiencies have been asserted in writing by any regulatory commission, agency or authority with respect to any such filings or submissions.

(xx) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state or local statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any applicable judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) each of the Company and its subsidiaries has all permits, authorizations and approvals required to be held by it under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with the requirements of each such permit, authorization and approval held by it, (C) there are no pending or, to the actual knowledge of the Company, threatened, administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or its subsidiaries, and (D) to the knowledge of the Company, there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or Governmental Entity, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

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(xxi) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use or can acquire on reasonable terms ownership or rights to use all patents, patent applications, patent rights, licenses, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service xxxx registrations, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures and excluding generally commercially available “off the shelf” software programs licensed pursuant to shrink wrap or “click and accept” licenses) and licenses (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses, except where the failure to own or possess such rights would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, and have not received any written notice of any claim of infringement or conflict with, any such rights of others or any facts or circumstances that would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, except where such infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, individually or in the aggregate, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxii) No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries on the one hand, and the directors, officers, shareholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries on the other hand, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations which has not been so disclosed.

(xxiii) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is or, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares, and after receipt of payment for the Shares and the application of the net proceeds as described in each of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will be an “investment company”, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

(xxiv) The Company is in compliance with the provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder applicable to the Company and the Company is in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of the NASDAQ, except where the failure to so comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the listing of the Company’s common stock on the NASDAQ nor has the Company received notification that the NASDAQ is contemplating terminating such listing.

(xxv) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any affiliates of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, has taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

(xxvi) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor any director, officer, employee or agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (A) used any corporate funds of the Company or any of its subsidiaries for any

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unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity, (B) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (C) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and the Company has instituted and maintains policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance therewith, (D) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment, (E) materially violated applicable privacy of customer information requirements contained in any federal or state privacy act laws and regulations; or (F) made any payment of funds to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or received or retained funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation, which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, that is not described in each of the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as required.

(xxvii) The Company and its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets, (C) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and Rule 15d-15(f) under the 1934 Act), that complies with the requirements of the 1934 Act, as applicable to them; the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective; and since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (X) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (Y) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected adversely, or is reasonably likely to materially affect adversely, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(xxviii) The Company maintains “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(f) under the 0000 Xxx) that comply with the requirements of the 1934 Act that are applicable to an issuer that has a class of securities registered under Section 12 of the 1934 Act.

(xxix) Neither the Company nor the Bank is in violation of any order or directive from the FRB, the OFI, the FDIC, the Commission or any regulatory authority to make any material change in the method of conducting its respective businesses; the Company and the Bank have conducted and are conducting their business so as to comply in all material respects with all applicable statutes, regulations and administrative and court decrees (including, without limitation, all regulations, decisions, directives and orders of the FRB, the OFI, the FDIC and the Commission). Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is subject or is party to, or has received any notice or advice that any of them may become subject or party to any investigation with respect to, any corrective, suspension or cease-and-desist order, agreement, consent agreement, memorandum of understanding or other regulatory enforcement action, proceeding or

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order with or by, or is a party to any commitment letter, or is subject to any directive by, or has been a recipient of any supervisory letter from any Regulatory Agency (as defined below) that currently relates to or restricts in any respect the conduct of their business or that in any manner relates to capital adequacy, credit policies or management nor at the request or direction of any Regulatory Agency has the Company or any of its subsidiaries adopted any board resolution that is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect (each, a “Regulatory Agreement”), nor has the Company or any of its subsidiaries been advised by any Regulatory Agency that it is considering issuing or requesting any such Regulatory Agreement or any such Regulatory Agreement is pending or, to the actual knowledge of the Company, threatened. Except as required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and each of its subsidiaries are each in compliance with all Regulatory Agreements, if any, and there is no unresolved violation, criticism or exception by any Regulatory Agency with respect to any report or statement relating to any examinations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, currently results in or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, the term “Regulatory Agency” means any Governmental Entity having supervisory or regulatory authority with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, including, but not limited to, any federal or state agency charged with the supervision or regulation of depositary institutions or holding companies of depositary institutions, or engaged in the insurance of depositary institution deposits.

(xxx) Each “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or their “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) is in compliance with ERISA, except where the failure to be in compliance with ERISA would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company or a subsidiary, any member of any group of organizations described in Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company or such subsidiary is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). None of the Company, its subsidiaries nor any of their ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under (A) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (B) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination or approval letter from the Internal Revenue Service regarding its qualification under such section, or is maintained in the form of a pre-approved document, the sponsor of which has obtained a favorable determination with respect to such pre-approved document, and nothing has occurred whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.

(xxxi) The Company and any of its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts that the Company reasonably believes are prudent and customary in the business in which

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the Company and any of its subsidiaries are engaged. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage from insurers similar to its current insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been denied any insurance coverage which it has sought or for which it has applied.

(xxxii) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company, or the Underwriters, for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the sale of the Shares.

(xxxiii) The Company and its consolidated subsidiaries have (i) filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and franchise tax returns or have properly requested extensions thereof and all such tax returns are true, complete and correct in all material respects and (ii) have paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them except for any such tax, assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate actions and except for such taxes, assessments, fines or penalties the nonpayment of which would not, individually or in the aggregate, be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the extent required by GAAP, the Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in the applicable Financial Statements referred to in Section 1(a)(iv) above in respect of all federal, state and foreign income and franchise taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or its consolidated subsidiaries has not been finally determined.

(xxxiv) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or its subsidiaries exist or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, which, in any case, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xxxv) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, money laundering statutes applicable to the Company and its subsidiaries, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the actual knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(xxxvi) The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of (i) the Closing Time and each Additional Closing Time and (ii) completion of the distribution of the Shares, will not distribute any prospectus (as such term is defined in the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations) in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or such other materials, if any, permitted by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations and approved by the Underwriters.

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(xxxvii) No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the 1933 Act and Section 21E of the 0000 Xxx) contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

(xxxviii) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has participated in any reportable transaction, as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-(4)(b)(1).

(xxxix) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all securities held by it (except securities sold under repurchase agreements, pledged to secure deposits or derivative contracts or held in any fiduciary or agency capacity) free and clear of any lien, claim, charge, option, encumbrance, mortgage, pledge or security interest or other restriction of any kind, except to the extent such securities are pledged in the ordinary course of business to secure obligations of the Company or its subsidiaries and except for such defects in title or liens, claims, charges, options, encumbrances, mortgages, pledges or security interests or other restrictions of any kind that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect. Such securities are valued on the books of the Company and its subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.

(xl) Any and all material swaps, caps, floors, futures, forward contracts, option agreements (other than employee stock options and restricted stock units) and other derivative financial instruments, contracts or arrangements, whether entered into for the account of the Company or its subsidiaries or for the account of a customer of the Company or its subsidiaries, were entered into in the ordinary course of business and in accordance with applicable laws, rules, regulations and policies of all applicable regulatory agencies and with counterparties reasonably believed to be financially responsible at the time of execution of such instruments, contracts or arrangements. The Company and its subsidiaries have duly performed all of their respective obligations thereunder to the extent that such obligations to perform have accrued, and there are no breaches, violations or defaults or allegations or assertions of such by any party thereunder, except for such breaches, violations, defaults, allegations or assertions that, individually or in the aggregate, would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(xli) Neither the Company nor, to the actual knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee or affiliate of the Company is (a) currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”) or (b) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of such sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering contemplated hereby, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to its subsidiaries, joint venture partner of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person, or engage in dealings or transactions with any person, or in any country, or territory, subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

(xlii) Except as described in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, there are no material off-balance sheet transactions,

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arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), or any other relationships with unconsolidated entities or other persons to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party, that would reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

(xliii) To the actual knowledge of the Company, after inquiry of its officers and directors, there are no affiliations with any FINRA member firm among the Company’s officers or directors or principal shareholders, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or as otherwise disclosed in writing to the Representative.

(xliv) The Company has no debt securities to which a rating is accorded by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the 0000 Xxx.

(xlv) The Agreement and Plan of Reorganization, dated as of March 8, 2017, by and between the Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and Citizens Bancshares, Inc., has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general equitable principles.

(b) The Bank represents and warrants to the Representative and each Underwriter as of the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time referred to in Section 1(a)(i) hereof and as of the Closing Time and each Additional Closing Time referred to in Section 4 hereof, and agrees with the Representative and other Underwriters, as follows:

(i) The Bank has been duly chartered and is validly existing as a Louisiana-chartered bank in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with the corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. The Bank is the only depository institution subsidiary of the Company and the Bank is a member in good standing of the Federal Home Loan Bank System. The Bank is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The activities of the Bank are permitted under the laws and regulations of the State of Louisiana and the deposit accounts in the Bank are insured up to the applicable limits by the FDIC and no proceeding for the termination or revocation of such insurance is pending or, to the knowledge of the Bank, threatened against the Bank.

(ii) The Bank is not in violation of its articles of incorporation or bylaws or in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Bank is subject except for such defaults that would not be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

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(iii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Bank and, when duly executed by the Representative, will constitute the valid and binding agreement of the Bank enforceable against the Bank in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general equitable principles and except as any indemnification or contribution provisions thereof may be limited under applicable securities laws and banking laws.

(iv) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Bank and the compliance and performance by the Bank with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Bank and do not and will not whether with or without the giving of notice or passage or time or both conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default or result in a Repayment Event under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Bank is a party or by which the Bank is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Bank is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the Bank or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any Governmental Entity having jurisdiction over the Bank or any of its properties, except for those conflicts, breaches, violations, defaults or Repayment Events that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(c) Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company or the Bank and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of Shares shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company and/or the Bank, as applicable, to the Underwriters as to the matters set forth therein.

2. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (i) the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a price equal to $20.1875 per share the Initial Shares as listed on Annex A.

(b) In addition, subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters to purchase the Option Shares at a price equal to $20.1875 per share, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Shares but not payable on the Option Shares. The option hereby granted may be exercised for 30 days after the date hereof and may be exercised in whole or in part at any time from time to time upon notice by the Representative to the Company setting forth the number of Option Shares as to which the Underwriters are then exercising their option and the time and date of payment and delivery for such Option Shares. Any such time and date of delivery (an “Additional Closing Time”) shall be determined by the Representative, but shall not be later than seven full business days after the exercise of said option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Time.

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3. Upon the authorization by the Underwriters of the release of the Shares, the Underwriters propose to offer the Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

4. (a) The Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as such Underwriter may request upon at least forty-eight hours prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to such Underwriter, through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same day) funds to the account specified by the Company, to the Underwriters at least forty-eight hours in advance. The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Initial Shares, 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on March 22, 2017 (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

In addition, in the event that any or all of the Option Shares are purchased by the Underwriters, payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of certificates for, such Option Shares shall be made at the above-mentioned offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriters and the Company on each Additional Closing Time as specified in the notice from Underwriters to the Company.

(b) The documents to be delivered at Closing Time by or on behalf of the parties hereto, including the cross receipt for the Initial Shares, will be delivered at the offices of Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, 000 00^xx Xxxxxx, X.X., Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxxxx, X.X. 00000, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on March 22, 2017, or such other time and date as the Representative and the Company may agree upon in writing.

In addition, the documents to be delivered at each Additional Closing Time by or on behalf of the parties hereto, including the cross receipt for any or all of the Option Shares purchased by the Underwriters, will be delivered at the above-referenced offices, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company at each Additional Closing Time as specified in the notice from the Representative to the Company.

5. The Company further covenants and agrees with each of the Underwriters as follows:

(a) The Company will prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Underwriters and will file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act not later than the Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430B under the 1933 Act and will make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that shall be disapproved by the Underwriters promptly after reasonable notice thereof. The Company will advise the Underwriters, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed with the Commission and furnish the Underwriters with copies thereof and will advise the

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Underwriters, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order with respect to the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus, or the Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus, or the Prospectus or for additional information, and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus, or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification, promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order.

(b) The Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)), or any amendment, supplement or revision to either any preliminary prospectus (including the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective) or to the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

(c) The Company has furnished or will deliver, upon request, to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver, upon request, to the Representative, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits). The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Representative will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

(d) Promptly from time to time, the Company will take such action as the Underwriters may reasonably request to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Underwriters may reasonably request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Shares, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction. In each state or other jurisdiction in which the Shares have been so qualified, the Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such state or other jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect until the completion of the distribution of the Shares. The Company will also supply the Underwriters with such information as is necessary for the determination of the legality of the Shares for investment under the laws of such jurisdiction as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

(e) On the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, the Company will furnish the Underwriters with copies of the Prospectus in New York

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City in such quantities as the Underwriters may from time to time reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Shares and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such period to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the 1933 Act, notify the Underwriters and upon the Underwriters’ request prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many copies as the Underwriters may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, and in case an Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of any of the Shares at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon such Underwriter’s request but at the expense of such Underwriter, prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many copies as it may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act.

(f) The Company will comply with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Representative or for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 5(b) hereof, such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Representative such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Representative may reasonably request.

(g) The Company will make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158).

(h) During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, the Company will furnish to the holders of the Shares as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including balance sheets and statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the

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Registration Statement), to make available to such holders consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail; provided that if the Company files an annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q by means of XXXXX, the Company shall be deemed to have furnished such report to such holders in compliance with the requirements of this section.

(i) During a period of three years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, the Company will furnish to the Underwriters copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and to deliver to the Underwriters as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed; provided that if the Company files any such reports or other communications of the type contemplated hereby with the Commission and such report or materials are or will become available on XXXXX, the Company shall be deemed to have furnished such report or other communications to the Underwriters in compliance with the requirements of this section.

(j) The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds.”

(k) If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time on the date of this Agreement, or such other time as may be reasonably agreed between the Company and the Underwriter, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the 1933 Act.

(l) Until completion of the distribution of the Shares, the Company will file (i) all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations and (ii) such information on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q as may be required by Rule 463 under the 1933 Act.

(m) During the period of 180 days from the date of the Prospectus, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Representative, the Company will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus, including where and when required timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.

(n) During the period beginning on the date hereof and continuing to and including the Closing Time and any Additional Closing Time and the latest additional time of purchase, if any, of the Shares, the Company will not, and will not permit any subsidiary to, without the prior written consent of the Representative, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer or contract to sell, grant any option for the sale of, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, any debt securities or nonconvertible preferred stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

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(o) The Company shall comply, and to use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Company’s directors and officers, in their capacities as such, to comply, in all material respects, with all effective applicable provisions of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

(p) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that might be reasonably expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any securities of the Company, whether to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares or otherwise, and the Company will, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause each of its affiliates to, comply with all applicable provisions of Regulation M with respect to any securities of the Company. If the limitations of Rule 102 of Regulation M (“Rule 102”) do not apply with respect to the Shares or any other reference security pursuant to any exception set forth in Section (d) of Rule 102, then promptly upon notice from the Representative (or, if later, at the time stated in the notice), the Company will, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause each of its affiliates to, comply with Rule 102 as though such exception were not available, but the other provisions of Rule 102 (as interpreted by the Commission) did apply.

(q) The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Representative, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405, required to be filed with the Commission. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representative and the Company is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and has complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company consents to the use by an Underwriter of a free writing prospectus that contains only (a)(i) information describing the preliminary terms of the Shares or their offering or (ii) information meeting the requirements of Rule 134 of the 1933 Act Regulations or (b) other customary information that is neither “issuer information,” as defined in Rule 433, nor otherwise an Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus.

(r) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to permit the Shares to be eligible for clearance, settlement and trading in book-entry-only form through the facilities of DTC.

6. The Company covenants and agrees with the Representative and the other Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following, whether or not the transactions contemplated herein are completed: (i) the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with their engagement, including without limitation, outside legal fees and expenses, marketing, syndication and travel expenses (coach class for domestic travel); (ii) the cost of obtaining all securities and bank regulatory approvals, including any required FINRA fees, including the filing fees incident thereto; (iii) all fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Shares under the 1933 Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the

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Underwriters; (iv) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offering and sale under state securities as provided in Section 5(d) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey; (v) the cost of printing and reproducing this Agreement, the Blue Sky survey, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Shares; (vi) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations or any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Shares, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the Underwriters and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show with the consent of the Company; (viii) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with having the Shares eligible for clearance, settlement and trading through the facilities of DTC; and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 6; provided, however, that the aggregate amount of all payments and reimbursements by the Company of costs and expenses of the Underwriters pursuant to this Section 6 and pursuant to Section 6 of that certain Underwriting Agreement between the Company and the Underwriters relating to the concurrent offering of subordinated notes, shall not exceed $200,000.

7. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder to purchase and pay for the Shares as provided herein on the Closing Time and each Additional Closing Time shall be subject, in the Representative’s discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company herein are, at and as of such Closing Time and each Additional Closing Time, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the 1933 Act Regulations and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof (or a post-effective amendment shall have been filed and declared effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B), if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the date of this Agreement, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission, and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the Representative’s reasonable satisfaction, any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the 1933 Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed in such filings by Rule 433, and FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

(b) At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Xxxxxxxx, Xxx, Xxxxxxxx & Ford, LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Representative. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

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(c) At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters. The opinion shall address the matters as the Representative may reasonably request. In giving such opinion such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York and the federal law of the United States, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representative. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

(d) (i) On the date of this Agreement and at the Closing Time, Xxxxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxxxx, APAC shall have furnished to the Representative a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements of the Company and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided that the letter delivered as of the Closing Time shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

(ii) On the date of this Agreement and at the Closing Time, Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, LLP shall have furnished to the Representative a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements of Citizens Bancshares, Inc. and certain financial information contained in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided that the letter delivered as of the Closing Time shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the Closing Time.

(e) No event or condition of a type described in Section 1(a)(viii) shall have occurred or shall exist, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the effect of which is in the judgment of the Representative so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at the Closing Time on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

(f) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or on NASDAQ; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on NASDAQ; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal, New York or Louisiana authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war; or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, including without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities occurring after the date hereof, if the effect of

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any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v), in the reasonable judgment of the Representative makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at the Closing Time on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

(g) The Representative shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) no Material Adverse Effect has occurred, (ii) the representations and warranties in Section 1 hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as though made at and as of Closing Time, and (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or are to their knowledge contemplated by the Commission.

(h) The Representative shall have received a certificate from the President or a Vice President of the Bank and of the chief financial or chief accounting officer of the Bank, dated as of the Closing Time each Additional Closing Time to the effect that the representations and warranties in Section 1(b) are true and correct with the same force and effect as though made at and as of Closing Time and each Additional Closing Time.

(i) Since the execution of this Agreement, there shall not have been any decrease in or withdrawal of the rating of any securities of the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Section 3(a)(62) of the 0000 Xxx) of which the Company has notice or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in or withdrawal of any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

(j) Prior to the Closing Time, the Shares shall be eligible for clearance, settlement and trading through the facilities of DTC.

(k) At the Closing Time, the Shares shall have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ subject only to official notice of issuance.

(l) On the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received an agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto signed by the persons listed on Schedule II hereto.

(m) In the event that the Underwriters exercise their option provided for in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option Shares, the representations and warranties of the Company and the Bank contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the Company or the Bank hereunder shall be true and correct as of each Additional Closing Time and, at the relevant Additional Closing Time, the Underwriters shall have received:

(i) A certificate, dated as of such Additional Closing Time, of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company confirming that the certificate delivered at the Closing Time pursuant to Section 7(g) hereof remains true and correct as of such Additional Closing Time.

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(ii) The favorable opinion of Xxxxxxxx, Xxx, Xxxxxxxx & Ford, LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Additional Closing Time, relating to the Option Shares to be purchased on such Additional Closing Time and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 7(b) hereof.

(iii) The favorable opinion of Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Additional Closing Time, relating to the Option Shares to be purchased on such Additional Closing Time and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion required by Section 7(c) hereof.

(iv) A letter from Xxxxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxxxx, APAC, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative and dated such Additional Closing Time, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representative pursuant to Section 7(d) (i) hereof, except that the specified date in a letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Additional Closing Time.

(v) A letter from Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, LLP in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative and dated such Additional Closing Time, substantially in the same form and substance as the letter furnished to the Representative pursuant to Section 7(d)(ii) hereof, except that the specified date in a letter furnished pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more than three business days prior to such Additional Closing Time.

(n) At the Closing Time and at each Additional Closing Time, if any, counsel for the Underwriter shall be furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Shares as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Underwriter and counsel for the Underwriter.

(o) If any condition specified in this Section 7 shall not have been satisfied when and as required to be satisfied or shall not have been waived by such time, this Agreement, or in the case of any conditions to the purchase of the Option Shares at any Additional Closing Time, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the relevant Option Shares, may be terminated by the Underwriters by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to the Closing Time or any such Additional Closing Time, as the case may be. If the sale of any of the Shares provided for herein is not consummated because any condition set forth in this Section 7 is not satisfied or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through the Representative upon demand for all documented out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the proposed offering of those Shares as to which such sale is not consummated; provided that any such out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be expenses incurred by the Underwriters under clause (i) of Section 6 hereof for purposes of the proviso to such clause (i). In addition, such termination shall be subject to Section 6 hereof, and Sections 1, 8, 9 and 10 hereof shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

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8. (a) The Company and the Bank, jointly and severally, will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, and their respective partners, directors, officers, employees and agents and each affiliate of an Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which an Underwriter may become subject, under the 1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any breach or violation by the Company of Section 5(o) hereof or (ii) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse the Underwriters for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company and the Bank shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter expressly for use therein. The Company, the Bank and the Underwriters hereby acknowledge and agree that the only information that any Underwriter has furnished to the Company consists solely of the information described as such in subsection (b) below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnification provided for by the Bank in this paragraph shall be limited with respect to the Bank to the extent necessary if (a) a Governmental Entity having jurisdiction over the Bank by written communication addressed to the Bank or its board of directors, including in connection with any examination of the Bank, informs the Bank or its board of directors that such Governmental Entity has determined that such indemnification violates Sections 23A or 23B of the Federal Reserve Act, as amended, or another law, rule, regulation or policy applicable to the Bank or the Company, (b) a Governmental Entity notifies the Bank that this indemnification would result in an adverse impact on the Bank’s examination ratings, (c) such indemnification would give rise to civil money penalties or other sanctions or (d) the Bank determines, upon the written advice of counsel, that payment of any indemnification hereunder by the Bank would violate any law, rule, regulation or policy applicable to the Bank or the Company. The Company and the Bank agree to notify the Representative immediately upon receipt of such written advisement or notice. The Underwriters agree to cooperate with the Company in implementing any modification required by the foregoing.

(b) Each Underwriter shall, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers, directors and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the 1933 Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state

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therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any Issuer-Represented Free Writing Prospectus, preliminary prospectus, the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter expressly for use therein and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred. The Company and the Underwriters hereby acknowledge and agree that the only such information that any Underwriter has furnished to the Company consists solely of the following: (i) the concession and reallowance figures appearing in the Prospectus in the section entitled “Underwriting” (ii) the first paragraph under the section entitled “Underwriting—Stabilization Transactions” relating to stabilization transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate covering transactions and, if applicable, penalty bids in which the Underwriters may engage, and (iii) the first sentence of the second paragraph under the section entitled “Underwriting—Stabilization Transactions” relating to the effect of stabilization transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof, but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection, unless the indemnifying party has been prejudiced thereby. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, be counsel to the indemnifying party), provided, however, if the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that a conflict may arise between the positions of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party in conducting the defense of any such action or that there may be legal defenses available to its and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to assume such legal defenses of such indemnified party or parties (but not to control the defense of such action as to the indemnifying party) and to otherwise participate in the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties, and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), approved by the indemnifying party) or (ii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed

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counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of commencement of the action, in each of which cases the fees and expenses of one counsel for the indemnified party or parties (in addition to local counsel) shall be at the expense of the indemnifying party. The indemnifying party under this Section 8 shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceedings effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this Section 8(c), the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into in good faith by the indemnifying party more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request (other than those fees and expenses that are being contested in good faith) prior to the date of such settlement. The indemnifying party under this Section 8 shall not be liable for any settlement or compromise of or agreed judgment in any proceedings effected or agreed to without its prior express written consent, but if any such proceeding is settled or compromised, or an agreed judgment is entered into, with such consent or if there be a final judgment (other than an agreed judgment) rendered in favor of for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of such settlement, compromise, agreed judgment or other judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be

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in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company, the Bank and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each officer and employee of an Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company with the meaning of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the contribution obligation of the Bank in this paragraph shall be limited with respect to the Bank to the extent necessary if (a) a Governmental Entity having jurisdiction over the Bank by written communication addressed to the Bank or its board of directors, including in connection with any examination of the Bank, informs the Bank or its board of directors that such Governmental Entity has determined that such contribution violates Sections 23A or 23B of the Federal Reserve Act, as amended, or another law, rule, regulation or policy applicable to the Bank or the Company, (b) a Governmental Entity notifies the Bank that any contribution would result in an adverse impact on the Bank’s examination ratings, (c) such contribution would give rise to civil money penalties or other sanctions or (d) the Bank determines, upon the written advice of counsel, that any contribution made by the Bank hereunder would violate any law, rule, regulation or policy applicable to the Bank or the Company.

(e) The obligations of the Company and the Bank under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company and the Bank may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of the 0000 Xxx) any Underwriter, or any of the respective partners, directors, officers and employees of the Underwriter or any such controlling person. The obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of the 0000 Xxx) the Company or any of the directors and officers of the Company or any such controlling person.

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(f) The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to an indemnified party at law or in equity.

9. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of an Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Shares.

10. (a) The Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time on or prior to the Closing Time if, since the time of execution of this Agreement or, in the case of (i) below, since the date of the most recent balance sheets included in the Financial Statements, there has occurred, (i) any Material Adverse Effect, (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on NASDAQ, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal, New York or Louisiana authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, including without limitation, as a result of terrorist activities occurring after the date hereof, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v), in the reasonable judgment of the Representative is so material and adverse so as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Shares being delivered at the Closing Time and each Additional Closing Time on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

(b) If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section 10, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 6 hereof and provided further that Sections 1, 8, 9 and 10 hereof shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

11. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Representative shall be delivered or sent by mail or overnight delivery service or facsimile transmission to the Representative at Sandler X’Xxxxx + Partners, L.P., 1251 Avenue of the Xxxxxxxx, 0^xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: General Counsel, with a copy to Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP, 000 00^xx Xxxxxx, XX, Xxxxx 000, X.X., Xxxxxxxxxx, X.X. 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail or facsimile to Investar Holding Corporation, 0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, with copies to Xxxxxxxx, Xxx, Xxxxxxxx & Ford, LLP, 000 Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, Attention: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxx, Esq. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

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12. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 8 and 9 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

13. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term “business day” shall mean any day when the Commission’s office in Washington, D.C. is open for business.

14. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Shares and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, its subsidiaries or the Company’s shareholders, creditors, employees or any other third party, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed nor will it assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or any of its subsidiaries on any other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) each Underwriter and its respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company or any of its subsidiaries and no Underwriter has any obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship, (v) the Company and any of its subsidiaries waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims the Company may have against any Underwriter for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agree that no Underwriter shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company or its subsidiaries in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim or to any person asserting a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including shareholders, employees or creditors of the Company, and (vi) no Underwriter has provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company and the Bank consulted their own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent they deemed appropriate.

15. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLES OF SAID STATE OTHER THAN SECTION 5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.

THE COMPANY, ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, HEREBY IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE FEDERAL AND NEW YORK STATE COURTS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK IN CONNECTION WITH ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY

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OF THE MATTERS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY DEFENSE OF LACK OF PERSONAL JURISDICTION AND IRREVOCABLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN ANY SUCH COURT. THE COMPANY, ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT IT MAY EFFECTIVELY DO SO UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT AND ANY CLAIM THAT ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN AN INCONVENIENT FORUM.

16. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. Any facsimile or electronically transmitted copies hereof or signatures hereon shall, for all purposes, be deemed originals.

17. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

18. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

19. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company, the Bank and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

[Signatures on Next Page]

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us four counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among the Underwriters, the Bank and the Company.


Very truly yours,

INVESTAR HOLDING CORPORATION

By:		/s/ Xxxx X. X’Xxxxxx
		Xxxx X. X’Xxxxxx, President and Chief
		Executive Officer

INVESTAR BANK

By:		/s/ Xxxx X. X’Xxxxxx
		Xxxx X. X’Xxxxxx, President and Chief
		Executive Officer


Accepted as of the date hereof:

SANDLER X’XXXXX + PARTNERS, L.P.
For Itself and as Representative of the other Underwriters named in Annex A hereto.

By:	Sandler X’Xxxxx & Partners Corp.,
	the sole general partner

By:	/s/ Xxxxxxx XxXxxxx
	Name:	Xxxxxxx XxXxxxx
	Title:	Managing Director

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

Annex A


Underwriter	Total Number of Initial Shares to be Purchased		Number of Option Shares to be Purchased if Option Exercised in Full
Sandler X’Xxxxx + Partners, L.P.		847,059		127,059
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc.		247,059		37,059
Xxxxx Group, LLC		176,471		26,471
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co.		141,176		21,176
Total		1,411,765		211,765

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Schedule I

Issuer-Represented General Free Writing Prospectus

Investor Presentation filed with the Commission on March 16, 2017 pursuant to Rule 433 (Registration Statement No. 333-215238)

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Schedule II

List of Executive Officers and Directors Subject to the Lock-up Agreement

Xxxxx X. Xxxxx

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Xx.

Xxxxx X. Xxxxx, III

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx.

Xxxx X. X’Xxxxxx

Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Xx.

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, III

Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, M.D.

Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Xx.

Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx

Xxxx X. Xxxxxx

Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx

Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx

Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx

Xxxx X. Xxxxx

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Schedule III

List of Subsidiaries


Bank Subsidiary		Jurisdiction of Incorporation
Investar Bank		Louisiana

Other Subsidiaries		Jurisdiction of Incorporation
First Community (LA) Statutory Trust		Delaware
Investar Acquisition Company		Louisiana

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EXHIBIT A

, 2017

Sandler X’Xxxxx + Partners, L.P.

0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx, 0^xx Xxxxx

Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned, an executive officer or director of Investar Holding Corporation, a Louisiana corporation, or its significant subsidiary (the “Company”), understands that Sandler X’Xxxxx & Partners, L.P., as representative of one or more underwriters, (the “Representative”), proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with the Company providing for the public offering (“Offering”) by the Underwriters of the Company’s common stock, $1.00 par value per share (the “Common Stock”) pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In consideration of the agreement by the Underwriters to participate in the Offering, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with the Representative that, during a period of 90 days beginning from the date of the prospectus relating to the Offering and continuing to and including the date 90 days after such date (the “Lock-up Period”), the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of, hedge directly or indirectly or transfer any shares of the Company’s Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of the Common Stock, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise or with respect to which the undersigned has or may be deemed to have beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (collectively, the “Undersigned’s Shares”) or publicly announce an intention to do any of the foregoing.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the Undersigned’s Shares (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, provided that the donee or donees agree to be bound in writing by the restrictions set forth herein, (ii) pursuant to the exercise by the undersigned of stock options or warrants that have been granted by the Company prior to, and are outstanding as of, the date of the Underwriting Agreement, or issued after the date of this letter where the Common Stock received upon any such exercise is held by the undersigned, individually or as fiduciary, in accordance with the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement (the “Agreement”), (iii) to any trust, family limited

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partnership or similar entity for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, provided that the trustee of the trust, general partner of the family limited partnership or similar person, as the case may be, agrees to be bound by the restrictions set forth herein or (iv) with the prior written consent of the Representative, on behalf of the Underwriters. For purposes of this Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin. The undersigned now owns and, except as contemplated by clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above, for the duration of this Agreement will own the Undersigned’s Shares of Common Stock, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and contractual obligations existing as of the date hereof which could foreseeably result in a disposition of the Undersigned’s Shares of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period, except for those (if any) disclosed in an appendix to this letter. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company and its transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Undersigned’s Shares, except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company is hereby authorized to decline to make or authorize any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Agreement.

The undersigned understands that the Company and the Underwriters are relying upon this Agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Offering. The undersigned represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement. The undersigned further understands that this Agreement is irrevocable and agrees that the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding also upon the successors, assigns, heirs and personal representatives of the undersigned.

The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement is not executed and delivered by the parties thereto, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder (other than any shares of Common Stock subject to the Underwriters’ over-allotment option), the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Agreement without any further action on the part of the undersigned. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Lock-Up Agreement shall automatically terminate and be of no further effect as of 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 30, 2017 if a closing for the offering has not yet occurred as of that time.

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This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

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Very truly yours,

Signature:


Print Name:


Address:

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Investar Holding Corporation 1,411,765 Shares of Common Stock $1.00 par value per share Underwriting Agreement

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