Exhibit 10 (B)
COLLECTIVE BANCORP, INC. STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
THE TRANSFER OF THE OPTION GRANTED BY THIS AGREEMENT IS SUBJECT TO RESALE
RESTRICTIONS ARISING UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED.
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT, dated as of the 28th day of February, 1997
(this "Agreement"), between Summit Bancorp., a New Jersey corporation
("Grantee"), and Collective Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Issuer").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, Grantee and Issuer have on a date prior to the date hereof,
entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of the 27th day of
February, 1997 (the "Merger Agreement"). (Capitalized terms used in this
Agreement and not defined herein but defined in the Merger Agreement shall have
the meanings assigned thereto in the Merger Agreement); and
WHEREAS, as a condition and inducement to Grantee's entering into the
Merger Agreement and in consideration therefor, Grantee has required that Issuer
agree, and Issuer has agreed, to grant Grantee the Option (as defined below);
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual
covenants and agreements set forth herein and in the Merger Agreement, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
SECTION 1. Grant of Option. Issuer hereby grants to Grantee an
unconditional, irrevocable option (the "Option") to purchase, subject to the
terms hereof, up to 4,067,424 fully paid and nonassessable shares of the common
stock, par value $.01 per share, of Issuer ("Common Stock") at a price equal to
$38.125 (such price, as adjusted as hereinafter provided, the "Option Price").
The number of shares of Common Stock that may be received upon the exercise of
the Option and the Option Price are subject to adjustment as herein set forth.
In no event shall the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Option is
exercisable exceed 19.9% of the number of shares of Common Stock then issued and
outstanding (without consideration of any shares of Common Stock subject to or
issued pursuant to the Option).
SECTION 2. Exercise of Option. (a) Grantee may exercise the Option, in
whole or part, at any time and from time to time following the occurrence of a
Purchase Event (as defined below); provided that the Option shall terminate and
be of no further force and effect upon the earliest to occur of (i) the time
immediately prior to the Effective Time, (ii) the termination of the Merger
Agreement in accordance with the terms thereof prior to the occurrence of an
Extension Event, other than a termination of the Merger Agreement by the Grantee
pursuant to Section 9.02(a)(ii) thereof, or (iii) 15 months after the
termination of the Merger Agreement following the occurrence of an Extension
Event (as defined below), or the termination of the Merger Agreement by Grantee
pursuant to Section 9.02(a)(ii) thereof, and provided further, that any purchase
of Common Stock upon
exercise of the Option shall be subject to applicable law, and provided further,
that the Option may not be exercised, nor may Grantee require Issuer to
repurchase the Option (as set forth in Section 7 hereof), if, at the time of
exercise or repurchase, Grantee is in material breach of any material covenant
or obligation contained in the Merger Agreement and, if the Merger Agreement has
not terminated prior thereto, such breach would entitle Issuer to terminate the
Merger Agreement. The events described in clauses (i) - (iii) in the preceding
sentence are hereinafter collectively referred to as Exercise Termination
Events. As provided in Section 8, the rights set forth therein shall terminate
upon an Exercise Termination Event and, as provided in Sections 6 and 7 hereof,
the rights to deliver requests pursuant to Sections 6 or 7 shall terminate 12
months after an Exercise Termination Event, subject, in such case, to the
provisions of Section 9.
(b) The term "Extension Event" shall mean any of the following events
or transactions occurring without the Grantee's prior written consent after the
date hereof:
(i) Issuer or any of its subsidiaries (each an "Issuer
Subsidiary"), shall have entered into an agreement to engage in an Acquisition
Transaction (as defined below) with any person (the term "person" for purposes
of this Agreement having the meaning assigned thereto in Sections 3(a)(9) and
13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Securities
Exchange Act"), and the rules and regulations thereunder) other than Grantee or
any of its subsidiaries (each a "Grantee Subsidiary") or the Board of Directors
of Issuer shall have recommended that the shareholders of Issuer approve or
accept any Acquisition Transaction with any person other than Grantee or any
Grantee Subsidiary. For purposes of this Agreement, "Acquisition Transaction"
shall mean (w) a merger or consolidation, or any similar transaction, involving
Issuer or any of Issuer's banking subsidiaries ("Bank Subsidiaries"), (x) a
purchase, lease or other acquisition of 10% or more of the aggregate value of
the assets or deposits of Issuer or any Bank Subsidiary, (y) a purchase or other
acquisition (including by way of merger, consolidation, share exchange or
otherwise) of securities representing 10% or more of the voting power of Issuer
or a Bank Subsidiary, or (z) any substantially similar transaction, provided,
however, that in no event shall (i) any merger, consolidation or similar
transaction involving Issuer or any Bank Subsidiary in which the voting
securities of Issuer outstanding immediately prior thereto continue to represent
(either by remaining outstanding or being converted into voting securities of
the surviving entity of any such transaction) at least 75% of the combined
voting power of the voting securities of the Issuer or the surviving entity
outstanding after the consummation of such merger, consolidation, or similar
transaction, or (ii) any internal merger or consolidation involving only Issuer
and/or Issuer Subsidiaries, be deemed to be an Acquisition Transaction, provided
that any such transaction is not entered into in violation of the terms of the
Merger Agreement;
(ii) Any person (other than Grantee or any Grantee Subsidiary)
shall have acquired beneficial ownership or the right to acquire beneficial
ownership of securities representing 10% or more of the aggregate voting power
of Issuer or any Bank Subsidiary (the term "beneficial ownership" for purposes
of this Agreement having the meaning assigned thereto in Section 13(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder);
(iii) Any person other than Grantee or any Grantee Subsidiary
shall have made a bona fide proposal to Issuer or its shareholders, by public
announcement or written communication
that is or becomes the subject of public disclosure, to engage in an Acquisition
Transaction (including, without limitation, any situation in which any person
other than Grantee or any Grantee Subsidiary shall have commenced (as such term
is defined in Rule 14d-2 under the Exchange Act), or shall have filed a
registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"), with respect to, a tender offer or exchange offer to purchase
any shares of Common Stock such that, upon consummation of such offer, such
person would own or control securities representing 10% or more of the aggregate
voting power of Issuer or any Bank Subsidiary);
(iv) After any person other than Grantee or any Grantee
Subsidiary has made or disclosed an intention to make a proposal to Issuer or
its shareholders to engage in an Acquisition Transaction, Issuer shall have
breached any covenant or obligation contained in the Merger Agreement and such
breach (x) would entitle Grantee to terminate the Merger Agreement and (y) shall
not have been cured prior to the Notice Date (as defined below);
(v) Any person other than Grantee or any Grantee Subsidiary
shall have filed an application with, or given a notice to, whether in draft or
final form, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the "Federal
Reserve Board") or other governmental authority or regulatory or administrative
agency or commission, domestic or foreign (each, a "Governmental Authority"),
for approval to engage in an Acquisition Transaction; or
(vi) the holders of Common Stock shall not have approved the
Merger Agreement at the meeting of such shareholders held for the purpose of
voting on the Merger Agreement, such meeting shall not have been called by the
Board of Directors of Issuer in accordance with Section 4.03 of the Merger
Agreement or held or shall have been canceled prior to termination of the Merger
Agreement or Issuer's Board of Directors shall have withdrawn or modified in a
manner adverse to the consummation of the Merger the recommendation of Issuer's
Board of Directors with respect to the Merger Agreement, in each case after an
Extension Event;
(vii) any Purchase Event (as defined below).
(c) The term "Purchase Event" shall mean either of the following events
or transactions occurring after the date hereof:
(i) The acquisition by any person other than Grantee or any
Grantee Subsidiary of beneficial ownership of securities representing 25% or
more of the aggregate voting power of Issuer or any Bank Subsidiary; or
(ii) The occurrence of an Extension Event described in Section
2(b)(i) except that the percentage referred to in clauses (x) and (y) shall be
25%.
(d) Issuer shall notify Grantee promptly in writing of the occurrence
of any Extension Event or Purchase Event; provided however, that the giving of
such notice by Issuer shall not be a condition to the right of Grantee to
exercise the Option.
(e) In the event that Grantee is entitled to and wishes to exercise the
Option, it shall send
to Issuer a written notice (the date of which being herein referred to as the
"Notice Date") specifying (i) the total number of shares of Common Stock it will
purchase pursuant to such exercise, (ii) a place and date not earlier than three
business days nor later than 90 business days from the Notice Date for the
closing of such purchase (the "Closing Date") and (iii) that the proposed
exercise of the Option shall be revocable by Grantee in the event that the
transaction constituting a Purchase Event that gives rise to such written notice
shall not have been consummated prior to exercise of the Option; provided that
if prior notification to or approval of the Federal Reserve Board or any other
Governmental Authority is required in connection with such purchase, Grantee
shall promptly file the required notice or application for approval and shall
expeditiously process the same and the period of time that otherwise would run
pursuant to this sentence shall run from the later of (x) the date on which any
required notification periods have expired or been terminated and (y) the date
on which such approvals have been obtained and any requisite waiting period or
periods shall have expired. For purposes of Section 2(a), any exercise of the
Option shall be deemed to occur on the Notice Date relating thereto. Grantee
shall have the right to revoke its proposed exercise of the Option in the event
that the transaction constituting a Purchase Event that gives rise to such right
to exercise shall not have been consummated prior to exercise of the Option,
pursuant to the statement of such right in the written notice exercising the
Option as provided in clause 2(e)(iii) above.
(f) At the closing referred to in Section 2(e), Grantee shall surrender
this Agreement (and the Option granted hereby) to Issuer and pay to Issuer the
Option Price for the shares of Common Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise
of the Option in immediately available funds by wire transfer to a bank account
designated by Issuer; provided, however, that failure or refusal of Issuer to
designate such a bank account shall not preclude Grantee from exercising the
Option.
(g) At such closing, simultaneously with the delivery of the Option
Price in immediately available funds as provided in Section 2(f), Issuer shall
deliver to Grantee a certificate or certificates representing the number of
shares of Common Stock purchased by Grantee and, if the Option should be
exercised in part only, a new Option Agreement granting a new Option evidencing
the rights of Grantee thereof to purchase the balance of the shares of Common
Stock purchasable hereunder.
(h) Certificates for Common Stock delivered at a closing hereunder
shall be endorsed with a restrictive legend substantially as follows:
"The transfer of the shares represented by this certificate is subject
to resale restrictions arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and to certain provisions of an agreement between Summit
Bancorp. and Collective Bancorp, Inc. ("Issuer") dated as of the 27thJ
day of February, 1997. A copy of such agreement is on file at the
principal office of Issuer and will be provided to the holder hereof
without charge upon receipt by Issuer of a written request therefor."
It is understood and agreed that: (i) the reference to the resale restrictions
of the Securities Act in the above legend shall be removed by delivery of
substitute certificate(s) without such reference if Grantee shall have delivered
to Issuer a copy of a letter from the staff of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC"), or an opinion of counsel, in form and substance
satisfactory to Issuer, to the effect that such legend is not required for
purposes of the Securities Act; (ii) the reference to the
provisions of this Agreement in the above legend shall be removed by delivery of
substitute certificate(s) without such reference if the shares have been sold or
transferred in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement and under
circumstances that do not require the retention of such reference; and (iii) the
legend shall be removed in its entirety if the conditions in the preceding
clauses (i) and (ii) are both satisfied. In addition, such certificates shall
bear any other legend as may be required by law.
(i) Upon the giving by Grantee to Issuer of the written notice of
exercise of the Option provided for in Section 2(e) and the tender of the Option
Price on the Closing Date in immediately available funds, Grantee shall be
deemed to be the holder of record of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon
such exercise, notwithstanding that the stock transfer books of Issuer shall
then be closed or that certificates representing such shares of Common Stock
shall not then actually be delivered to Grantee. Issuer shall pay all expenses
and any and all United States federal, state and local taxes and other charges
that may be payable in connection with the preparation, issue and delivery of
stock certificates under this Section 2 in the name of Grantee or its nominee.
SECTION 3. Reservation of Shares. Issuer agrees: (i) that it shall at
all times until the termination of this Agreement have reserved for issuance
upon the exercise of the Option that number of authorized shares of Common Stock
equal to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock at any time and from time
to time issuable hereunder, all of which shares will, upon issuance pursuant
hereto, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, nonassessable, and
delivered free and clear of all claims, liens, encumbrances and security
interests and not subject to any preemptive rights; (ii) that it will not, by
amendment of its certificate of incorporation or through reorganization,
consolidation, merger, dissolution or sale of assets, or by any other voluntary
act, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the
covenants, stipulations or conditions to be observed or performed hereunder by
Issuer; (iii) promptly to take all action as may from time to time be required
(including (x) complying with all premerger notification, reporting and waiting
period requirements specified in 15 U.S.C. ss. 18a and regulations promulgated
thereunder and (y) in the event, under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as
amended (the "BHC Act"), or the Change in Bank Control Act of 1978, as amended,
or any state banking law, prior approval of or notice to the Federal Reserve
Board or to any other Governmental Authority is necessary before the Option may
be exercised, cooperating with Grantee in preparing such applications or notices
and providing such information to the Federal Reserve Board and each other
Governmental Authority as they may require) in order to permit Grantee to
exercise the Option and Issuer duly and effectively to issue shares of Common
Stock pursuant hereto; and (iv) to take all action provided herein to protect
the rights of Grantee against dilution.
SECTION 4. Division of Option. This Agreement (and the Option granted
hereby) are exchangeable, without expense, at the option of Grantee, upon
presentation and surrender of this Agreement at the principal office of Issuer,
for other agreements providing for Options of different denominations entitling
the holder thereof to purchase, on the same terms and subject to the same
conditions as are set forth herein, in the aggregate the same number of shares
of Common Stock purchasable hereunder. The terms "Agreement" and "Option" as
used herein include any agreements and related options for which this Agreement
(and the Option granted hereby) may be exchanged. Upon receipt by Issuer of
evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or
mutilation of this Agreement, and (in the case of loss, theft or destruction) of
reasonably satisfactory indemnification, and upon surrender and cancellation of
this Agreement, if mutilated, Issuer will execute and deliver a new Agreement of
like tenor and date. Any such new Agreement executed and delivered shall
constitute an additional contractual obligation on the part of Issuer, whether
or not the Agreement so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated shall at any time
be enforceable by anyone.
SECTION 5. Adjustment upon Change of Capitalization. The number of
shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of the Option shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as follows:
(a) Subject to the last sentence of Section 1, in the event of any
change in the Common Stock by reason of stock dividends, split-ups, mergers,
recapitalizations, combinations, subdivisions, conversions, exchanges of shares
or the like, the type and number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon
exercise hereof shall be appropriately adjusted and proper provision shall be
made so that, in the event that any additional shares of Common Stock are to be
issued or otherwise to become outstanding as a result of any such change (other
than pursuant to an exercise of the Option), the number of shares of Common
Stock that remain subject to the Option shall be increased so that, after such
issuance and together with shares of Common Stock previously issued pursuant to
the exercise of the Option (as adjusted on account of any of the foregoing
changes in the Common Stock), it equals 19.9% of the number of shares of Common
Stock then issued and outstanding (without consideration of any shares of Common
Stock subject to or issued pursuant to the Option).
(b) Whenever the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon
exercise hereof is adjusted as provided in this Section 5, the Option Price
shall be adjusted by multiplying the Option Price by a fraction, the numerator
of which shall be equal to the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable
prior to the adjustment and the denominator of which shall be equal to the
number of shares of Common Stock purchasable after the adjustment. In no event
shall the Option Price be adjusted to less than the par value of the Common
Stock to be issued at such Option Price.
(c) It is intended by the parties hereto that the adjustments provided
by this Section 5 shall fully preserve the economic benefits of this Agreement
for Grantee.
SECTION 6. Registration Rights.
(a) Demand Registration Rights. After the occurrence of a Purchase
Event that occurs prior to an Exercise Termination Event, Issuer shall, at the
request of Grantee (whether on its own behalf or on behalf of any subsequent
holder of the Option (or part thereof) delivered prior to an Exercise
Termination Event or at the request of a holder of any of the shares of Common
Stock issued pursuant hereto) delivered no later than 12 months after an
Exercise Termination Event, promptly prepare, file and keep current a shelf
registration statement under the Securities Act covering this Option and any
shares issued and issuable pursuant to the Option (the "Option Shares") and
shall use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to become
effective and remain current and to qualify this Option or any such Option
Shares or other securities for sale under any applicable state securities laws
in order to permit the sale or other disposition of this Option or any Option
Shares in accordance with any plan of disposition requested by Grantee;
provided, however,
that Issuer may postpone filing a registration statement relating to a
registration request by Grantee under this Section 6 for a period of time (not
in excess of 90 days) if in its judgment such filing would require the
disclosure of material information that Issuer has a bona fide business purpose
for preserving as confidential. Issuer will use its best efforts to cause such
registration statement first to become effective as soon as practicable after
the filing thereof and then to remain effective for such period not in excess of
180 days from the day such registration statement first becomes effective, or
such shorter time as may be necessary to effect such sales or other
dispositions. Grantee shall have the right to demand two such registrations.
Grantee shall provide all information reasonably requested by Issuer for
inclusion in any registration statement to be filed hereunder. In connection
with any such registration, Issuer and Grantee shall provide each other with
representations, warranties, and other agreements customarily given in
connection with such registrations. If requested by any Grantee in connection
with such registration, Issuer and Grantee shall become a party to any
underwriting agreement relating to the sale of Option Shares, but only to the
extent of obligating themselves in respect of representations, warranties,
indemnities and other agreements customarily included in such underwriting
agreements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Grantee revokes any exercise
notice or fails to exercise any Option with respect to any exercise notice
pursuant to Section 2(e), Issuer shall not be obligated to continue any
registration process with respect to the sale of Option Shares.
(b) Additional Persons With Registration Rights. Upon receiving any
request under this Section 6 from any Grantee, Issuer agrees to send a copy
thereof to any other person known to Issuer to be entitled to registration
rights under this Section 6, in each case by promptly mailing the same, postage
prepaid, to the address of record of the persons entitled to receive such
copies. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in no event
shall Issuer be obligated to effect more than two registrations pursuant to this
Section 6 by reason of the fact that there shall be more than one Grantee as a
result of any assignment or division of this Agreement.
(c) Expenses. Except where applicable state law prohibits such
payments, Issuer will pay all expenses (including without limitation
registration fees, qualification fees, blue sky fees and expenses (including the
fees and expenses of counsel), legal expenses, including the reasonable fees and
expenses of one counsel to the holders whose Option Shares are being registered,
printing expenses and the costs of special audits or "cold comfort" letters,
expenses of underwriters, excluding discounts and commissions but including
liability insurance if Issuer so desires or the underwriters so require, and the
reasonable fees and expenses of any necessary special experts) in connection
with each registration pursuant to this Section 6 (including the related
offerings and sales by holders of Option Shares) and all other qualifications,
notification or exemptions pursuant to Section 6.
(d) Indemnification. In connection with any registration under this
Section 6, Issuer hereby indemnifies the Grantee, and each officer, director and
controlling person of Grantee, and each underwriter thereof, including each
person, if any who controls such holder or underwriter within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act, against all expenses, losses, claims, damages
and liabilities caused by any untrue, or alleged untrue, statement contained in
any registration statement or prospectus or notification or offering circular
(including any amendments or supplements thereto) or any preliminary prospectus,
or caused by any omission, or alleged omission, to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading,
except insofar as such expenses, losses, claims, damages or liabilities of such
indemnified party are caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
that was included by Issuer in any such registration statement or prospectus or
notification or offering circular (including any amendments or supplements
thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with, information furnished in
writing to Issuer by such indemnified party expressly for use therein, and
Issuer and each officer, director and controlling person of Issuer shall be
indemnified by such Grantee, or by such underwriter, as the case may be, for all
such expenses, losses, claims, damages and liabilities caused by any untrue, or
alleged untrue, statement, that was included by Issuer in any such registration
statement or prospectus or notification or offering circular (including any
amendments or supplements thereto) in reliance upon, and in conformity with,
information furnished in writing to Issuer by such holder or such underwriter,
as the case may be, expressly for such use.
Promptly upon receipt by a party indemnified under this Section 6(d) of
notice of the commencement of any action against such indemnified party in
respect of which indemnity or reimbursement may be sought against any
indemnifying party under this Section 6(d), such indemnified party shall notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement of such action, but the
failure so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it of any
liability which it may otherwise have to any indemnified party under this
Section 6(d). In case notice of commencement of any such action shall be given
to the indemnifying party as above provided, the indemnifying party shall be
entitled to participate in and, to the extent it may wish, jointly with any
other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of such
action at its own expense, with counsel chosen by it and reasonably satisfactory
to such indemnified party. The indemnified party shall have the right to employ
separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but
the fees and expenses of such counsel (other than reasonable costs of
investigation) shall be paid by the indemnified party unless (i) the
indemnifying party either agrees to pay the same, (ii) the indemnifying party
fails to assume the defense of such action with counsel satisfactory to the
indemnified party, or (iii) the indemnified party has been advised by counsel
that one or more legal defenses may be available to the indemnifying party that
may be contrary to the interests of the indemnified party. No indemnifying party
shall be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel for
all indemnified parties or for any settlement entered into without its consent,
which consent may not be unreasonably withheld.
If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6(d) is unavailable
to a party otherwise entitled to be indemnified in respect of any expenses,
losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to herein, then the indemnifying
party, in lieu of indemnifying such party otherwise entitled to be indemnified,
shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such party to be indemnified
as a result of such expenses, losses, claims, damages or liabilities in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of Issuer, the
Grantee and the underwriters in connection with the statements or omissions
which resulted in such expenses, losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations. The amount paid or payable by a
party as a result of the expenses, losses, claims, damages and liabilities
referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses
reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending
any action or claim; provided, however, that in no case shall any Grantee be
responsible, in the aggregate, for any amount in excess of the net offering
proceeds attributable to its Option Shares included in the offering. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. Any obligation by any Grantee
to indemnify shall be several and not joint with other Grantees.
(e) Miscellaneous Reporting. Issuer shall comply with all reporting
requirements and will do all such other things as may be necessary to permit the
expeditious sale at any time of any Option Shares by the Grantee thereof in
accordance with and to the extent permitted by any rule or regulation
promulgated by the SEC from time to time, including, without limitation, Rule
144A. Issuer shall at its expense provide the Grantee with any information
necessary in connection with the completion and filing of any reports or forms
required to be filed by Grantee under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, or
required pursuant to any state securities laws or the rules of any stock
exchange.
SECTION 7. Repurchase at the Option of Grantee or Owner. (a) Upon the
occurrence of a Repurchase Event (as defined below), (i) at the request (the
date of such request being the "Request Date") of Grantee, delivered prior to an
Exercise Termination Event, Issuer (or any successor thereto) shall repurchase
the Option from Grantee at a price (the "Option Repurchase Price") equal to the
amount by which (A) the market/offer price (as defined below) exceeds (B) the
Option Price, multiplied by the number of shares for which this Option may then
be exercised and (ii) at the request (the date of such request being the
"Request Date") of the owner of Option Shares from time to time (the "Owner"),
delivered within 12 months of the occurrence of a Repurchase Event (or such
later period as provided in Section 9), Issuer shall repurchase such number of
the Option Shares from the Owner as the Owner shall designate at a price (the
"Option Share Repurchase Price") equal to the market/offer price multiplied by
the number of Option Shares so designated. The term "market/offer price" shall
mean the highest of (i) the price per share of Common Stock at which a tender
offer or exchange offer therefor has been made after the date hereof and on or
prior to the Request Date, (ii) the price per share of Common Stock paid or to
be paid by any third party pursuant to an agreement with Issuer (whether by way
of a merger, consolidation or otherwise), (iii) the highest last sale price for
shares of Common Stock within the 90-day period ending on the Request Date
quoted on the Nasdaq National Market (as reported by The Wall Street Journal,
or, if not reported thereby, another authoritative source), (iv) in the event of
a sale of all or substantially all of Issuer's assets, the sum of the price paid
in such sale for such assets and the current market value of the remaining
assets of Issuer as determined by a nationally-recognized independent investment
banking firm selected by Grantee or the Owner, as the case may be, divided by
the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at the time of such sale. In
determining the market/offer price, the value of consideration other than cash
shall be determined by a nationally-recognized independent investment banking
firm selected by Grantee or the Owner, as the case may be, whose determination
shall be conclusive and binding on all parties.
(b) Grantee or the Owner, as the case may be, may exercise its right to
require Issuer to repurchase the Option and/or any Option Shares pursuant to
this Section 7 by surrendering for such purpose to Issuer, at its principal
office, a copy of this Agreement or certificates for Option Shares, as
applicable, accompanied by a written notice or notices stating that Grantee or
the Owner, as the case may be, elects to require Issuer to repurchase the Option
and/or the Option Shares in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7. As
promptly as practicable, and in any event within the later to
occur of (x) five business days after the surrender of the Option and/or
certificates representing Option Shares and the receipt of such notice or
notices relating thereto and (y) the time that is immediately prior to the
occurrence of a Repurchase Event, Issuer shall deliver or cause to be delivered
to Grantee the Option Repurchase Price or to the Owner the Option Share
Repurchase Price therefor or the portion thereof that Issuer is not then
prohibited from so delivering under applicable law and regulation or as a
consequence of administrative policy.
(c) Issuer hereby undertakes to use its reasonable efforts to obtain
all required regulatory and legal approvals and to file any required notices as
promptly as practicable in order to accomplish any repurchase contemplated by
this Section 7. Nonetheless, to the extent that Issuer is prohibited under
applicable law or regulation, from repurchasing the Option and/or the Option
Shares in full, Issuer shall promptly so notify Grantee and/or the Owner and
thereafter deliver or cause to be delivered, from time to time, to Grantee
and/or the Owner, as appropriate, the portion of the Option Repurchase Price and
the Option Share Repurchase Price, respectively, that it is no longer prohibited
from delivering, within five business days after the date on which Issuer is no
longer so prohibited; provided, however, that if Issuer at any time after
delivery of a notice of repurchase pursuant to Section 7(b) is prohibited under
applicable law or regulation, from delivering to Grantee and/or the Owner, as
appropriate, the Option Repurchase Price or the Option Share Repurchase Price,
respectively, in full or in any substantial part, Grantee or the Owner, as
appropriate, may revoke its notice of repurchase of the Option or the Option
Shares either in whole or in part whereupon, in the case of a revocation in
part, Issuer shall promptly (i) deliver to Grantee and/or the Owner, as
appropriate, that portion of the Option Purchase Price or the Option Share
Repurchase Price that Issuer is not prohibited from delivering after taking into
account any such revocation and (ii) deliver, as appropriate, either (A) to
Grantee, a new Agreement evidencing the right of Grantee to purchase that number
of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of shares of Common Stock
purchasable immediately prior to the delivery of the notice of repurchase less
the number of shares of Common Stock covered by the portion of the Option
repurchased or (B) to the Owner, a certificate for the number of Option Shares
covered by the revocation.
(d) For purposes of this Section 7, a Repurchase Event shall be deemed
to have occurred (i) upon the consummation of any merger, consolidation or
similar transaction involving Issuer or any Bank Subsidiary any purchase, lease
or other acquisition of all or a substantial portion of the assets of Issuer or
any Bank Subsidiary, other than any such transaction which would not constitute
an Acquisition Transaction pursuant to the proviso to Section 2(b)(i) hereof or
(ii) upon the acquisition by any person of beneficial ownership of securities
representing 25% or more of the aggregate voting power of Issuer or any Bank
Subsidiary, provided that no such event shall constitute a Repurchase Event
unless an Extension Event shall have occurred prior to an Exercise Termination
Event. The parties hereto agree that Issuer's obligations to repurchase the
Option or Option Shares under this Section 7 shall not terminate upon the
occurrence of an Exercise Termination Event if an Extension Event shall have
occurred prior to the occurrence of an Exercise Termination Event.
(e) Issuer shall not enter into any agreement with any party (other
than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary) for an Acquisition Transaction unless the
other party thereto assumes all the obligations of Issuer pursuant to this
Section 7 in the event that Grantee or the Owner elects, in its sole discretion,
to require such other party to perform such obligations.
SECTION 8. Substitute Option in the Event of Corporate Change. (a) In
the event that prior to an Exercise Termination Event, Issuer shall enter into
an agreement (i) to consolidate or merge with any person, other than Grantee or
a Grantee Subsidiary, and shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation
of such consolidation or merger, (ii) to permit any person, other than Grantee
or a Grantee Subsidiary, to merge into Issuer and Issuer shall be the continuing
or surviving corporation, but, in connection with such merger, the then
outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock
or other securities of any other person or cash or any other property or the
then outstanding shares of Common Stock shall after such merger represent less
than 50% of the aggregate voting power of the merged company, or (iii) to sell
or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of its assets to any person,
other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary, then, and in each such case, the
agreement governing such transaction shall make proper provision so that the
Option shall, upon the consummation of such transaction and upon the terms and
conditions set forth herein, be converted into, or exchanged for, an option (the
"Substitute Option"), at the election of Grantee, of either (x) the Acquiring
Corporation (as defined below) or (y) any person that controls the Acquiring
Corporation (the Acquiring Corporation and any such controlling person being
hereinafter referred to as the Substitute Option Issuer)
(b) The Substitute Option shall be exercisable for such number of
shares of the Substitute Common Stock (as is hereinafter defined) as is equal to
the market/offer price (as defined in Section 7) multiplied by the number of
shares of the Common Stock for which the Option was theretofore exercisable,
divided by the Average Price (as is hereinafter defined) The exercise price of
the Substitute Option per share of the Substitute Common Stock (the "Substitute
Purchase Price") shall then be equal to the Option Price multiplied by a
fraction in which the numerator is the number of shares of the Common Stock for
which the Option was theretofore exercisable and the denominator is the number
of shares of Substitute Common Stock for which the Substitute Option is
exercisable.
(c) The Substitute Option shall otherwise have the same terms as the
Option, provided that if the terms of the Substitute Option cannot, for legal
reasons, be the same as the Option, such terms shall be as similar as possible
and in no event less advantageous to Grantee, provided further that the terms of
the Substitute Option shall include (by way of example and not limitation)
provisions for the repurchase of the Substitute Option and Substitute Common
Stock by the Substitute Option Issuer on the same terms and conditions as
provided in Section 7.
(d) The following terms have the meanings indicated:
(i) "Acquiring Corporation" shall mean (i) the continuing or
surviving corporation of a consolidation or merger with Issuer (if
other than Issuer), (ii) Issuer in a merger in which Issuer is the
continuing or surviving person, and (iii) the transferee of all or any
substantial part of the Issuer's assets (or the assets of Issuer
Subsidiaries).
(ii) "Substitute Common Stock" shall mean the common stock
issued by the Substitute Option Issuer upon exercise of the Substitute
Option.
(iii) "Average Price" shall mean the average last sale price
of a share of the Substitute Common Stock (as reported by The Wall
Street Journal or, if not reported therein,
by another authoritative source) for the one year immediately preceding
the consolidation, merger or sale in question, but in no event higher
than the last sale price of the shares of the Substitute Common Stock
on the day preceding such consolidation, merger or sale; provided that
if Issuer is the issuer of the Substitute Option, the Average Price
shall be computed with respect to a share of common stock issued by
Issuer, the person merging into Issuer or by any company which controls
or is controlled by such person, as Grantee may elect.
(e) In no event, pursuant to any of the foregoing paragraphs, shall the
Substitute Option be exercisable for more than 19.9% of the aggregate of the
shares of the Substitute Common Stock outstanding prior to the exercise of the
Substitute Option. In the event that the Substitute Option would be exercisable
for more than 19.9% of the aggregate of the shares of Substitute Common Stock
but for this clause (e), the Substitute Option Issuer shall make a cash payment
to Grantee equal to the excess of (i) the value of the Substitute Option without
giving effect to the limitation in this clause (e) over (ii) the value of the
Substitute Option after giving effect to the limitation in the clause (e). This
difference in value shall be determined by a nationally recognized investment
banking firm selected by Grantee and the Substitute Option Issuer.
SECTION 9. Extension of Time for Regulatory Approvals. Notwithstanding
Sections 2(e), 6, 7 and 11, if Grantee has given the notice referred to in one
or more of such Sections, the exercise of the rights specified in any such
Section shall be extended (a) if the exercise of such rights requires obtaining
regulatory approvals, to the extent necessary to obtain all regulatory approvals
for the exercise of such rights, and (b) to the extent necessary to avoid
liability under Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act by reason of such
exercise; provided that in no event shall any closing date occur more than 18
months after the related Notice Date, and, if the closing date shall not have
occurred within such period due to the failure to obtain any required approval
by the Federal Reserve Board or any other Governmental Authority despite the
reasonable efforts of Issuer or the Substitute Option Issuer, as the case may
be, to obtain such approvals, the exercise of the Option shall be deemed to have
been rescinded as of the related Notice Date. In the event (a) Grantee receives
official notice that an approval of the Federal Reserve Board or any other
Governmental Authority required for the purchase and sale of the Option Shares
will not be issued or granted or (b) a closing date has not occurred within 18
months after the related Notice Date due to the failure to obtain any such
required approval, Grantee shall be entitled to exercise the Option in
connection with the resale of the Option Shares pursuant to a registration
statement as provided in Section 6. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall
restrict Grantee from specifying alternative exercising of rights pursuant to
Sections 2(e), 6, 7 and 11, hereof in the event that the exercising of any such
rights shall not have occurred due to the failure to obtain any required
approval referred to in this Section 9.
SECTION 10. Issuer Warranties. Issuer hereby represents and warrants to
Grantee as follows:
(a) Issuer has the requisite corporate power and authority to execute
and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby have been duly approved by the Board of
Directors of Issuer and no other corporate proceedings on the part of Issuer are
necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate the transactions so
contemplated.
This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by, and constitutes a valid
and binding obligation of, Issuer, enforceable against Issuer in accordance with
its terms, except as enforceability thereof may be limited by applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws
affecting the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and except that the
availability of the equitable remedy of specific performance or injunctive
relief is subject to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding may
be brought.
(b) Issuer has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize and
reserve and to permit it to issue, and at all times from the date hereof through
the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms will have
reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Option, that number of shares of
Common Stock equal to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock at any time
and from time to time issuable hereunder, and all such shares, upon issuance
pursuant hereto, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid,
nonassessable, and will be delivered free and clear of all claims, liens,
encumbrances and security interests and not subject to any preemptive rights.
(c) Upon receipt of the necessary regulatory approvals as contemplated
by this Agreement, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
does not or will not, and the consummation by Issuer of any of the transactions
contemplated hereby will not, constitute or result in (i) a breach or violation
of, or a default under, its certificate of incorporation or by-laws, or the
comparable governing instruments of any of its subsidiaries, or (ii) a breach or
violation of, or a default under, any agreement, lease, contract, note,
mortgage, indenture, arrangement or other obligation of it or any of its
subsidiaries (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both)
or under any law, rule, ordinance or regulation or judgment, decree, order,
award or governmental or non-governmental permit or license to which it or any
of its subsidiaries is subject, that would in any case give any other person the
ability to prevent or enjoin Issuer's performance under this Agreement in any
material respect.
SECTION 11. Assignment of Option by Grantee. (a) Neither of the parties
hereto may assign any of its rights or delegate any of its obligations under
this Agreement or the Option created hereunder to any other person without the
express written consent of the other party, except that Grantee may assign this
Agreement to a wholly owned subsidiary of Grantee and Grantee may assign its
rights hereunder in whole or in part after the occurrence of a Purchase Event;
provided, however, that until the date 15 days following the date at which the
Federal Reserve Board approves an application by Grantee under the BHC Act to
acquire the shares of Common Stock subject to the Option, Grantee may not assign
its rights under the Option except in (i) a widely dispersed public
distribution, (ii) a private placement in which no one party acquires the right
to purchase securities representing in excess of 2% of the aggregate voting
power of Issuer, (iii) an assignment to a single party (e.g., a broker or
investment banker) for the purpose of conducting a widely dispersed public
distribution on Grantee's behalf, or (iv) any other manner approved by the
Federal Reserve Board. Grantee will pay any reasonable out-of-pocket costs and
expenses of Issuer in connection with any such assignment. The term "Grantee" as
used in this Agreement shall also be deemed to refer to Grantee's permitted
assigns.
(b) Any assignment of rights of Grantee to any permitted assignee of
Grantee hereunder shall bear the restrictive legend at the beginning thereof
substantially as follows:
"The transfer of the option represented by this assignment and the
related option agreement is subject to resale restrictions arising
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and to certain provisions
of an agreement between Summit Bancorp. and Collective Bancorp, Inc.
("Issuer") dated as of the 27th day of February, 1997. A copy of such
agreement is on file at the principal office of Issuer and will be
provided to any permitted assignee of the Option without change upon
receipt by Issuer of a written request therefor."
It is understood and agreed that (i) the reference to the resale restrictions of
the Securities Act in the above legend shall be removed by delivery of
substitute assignments without such reference if Grantee shall have delivered to
Issuer a copy of a letter from the staff of the SEC, or an opinion of counsel,
in form and substance satisfactory to Issuer, to the effect that such legend is
not required for purposes of the Securities Act; (ii) the reference to the
provisions of this Agreement in the above legend shall be removed by delivery of
substitute assignments without such reference if the Option has been sold or
transferred in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement and under
circumstances that do not require the retention of such reference; and (iii) the
legend shall be removed in its entirety if the conditions in the preceding
clauses (i) and (ii) are both satisfied. In addition, such assignments shall
bear any other legend as may be required by law.
SECTION 12. Application for Regulatory Approval. If Grantee is entitled
to exercise the Option and has sent a notice to Issuer pursuant to Section 2(e),
each of Grantee and Issuer will use its reasonable efforts to make all filings
with, and to obtain consents of, all third parties and the Federal Reserve Board
and other Governmental Authorities necessary to the consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation,
making application for listing or quotation, as the case may be, of the shares
of Common Stock issuable hereunder on the NASDAQ National Market System and
applying to the Federal Reserve Board under the BHC Act and to state banking
authorities for approval to acquire the shares issuable hereunder.
SECTION 13. Specific Performance. The parties hereto acknowledge that
damages would be an inadequate remedy for a breach of this Agreement by either
party hereto and that the obligations of the parties shall hereto be enforceable
by either party hereto through injunctive or other equitable relief. Both
parties further agree to waive any requirement for the securing or posting of
any bond in connection with the obtaining of any such equitable relief and that
this provision is without prejudice to any other rights that the parties hereto
may have for any failure to perform this Agreement.
SECTION 14. Separability of Provisions. If any term, provision,
covenant or restriction contained in this Agreement is held by a court or a
federal or state regulatory agency of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void
or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions and covenants and
restrictions contained in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect,
and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated. If for any reason such
court or regulatory agency determines that Grantee is not permitted to acquire,
or Issuer is not permitted to repurchase, pursuant to Section 7, the full number
of shares of Common Stock provided in Section 1 (as adjusted pursuant hereto),
it is the express intention of Issuer to allow Grantee to acquire or to require
Issuer to repurchase such lesser number of shares as may be permissible, without
any amendment or
modification hereof.
SECTION 15. Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other
communications hereunder shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered
in person, by cable, telegram, telecopy or telex, or by registered or certified
mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) at the respective addresses of
the parties set forth in the Merger Agreement.
SECTION 16. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey.
SECTION 17. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which
shall constitute one and the same agreement.
SECTION 18. Expenses. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein,
each of the parties hereto shall bear and pay all costs and expenses incurred by
it or on its behalf in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder,
including fees and expenses of its own financial consultants, investment
bankers, accountants and counsel.
SECTION 19. Entire Agreement; No Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except as
otherwise expressly provided herein or in the Merger Agreement, this Agreement
contains the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the
transactions contemplated hereunder and supersedes all prior arrangements or
understandings with respect thereof, written or oral. The terms and conditions
of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties
hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Nothing in this
Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any party, other
than the parties hereto, and their respective successors and assigns, any
rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this
Agreement, except as expressly provided herein.
SECTION 20. Merger Agreement. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall
be deemed to authorize Issuer or Grantee to breach any provision of the Merger
Agreement.
SECTION 21. Majority in Interest. In the event that any selection or
determination is to be made by Grantee or the Owner hereunder and at the time of
such selection or determination there is more than one Grantee or Owner, such
selection shall be made by a majority in interest of such Grantees or Owners.
SECTION 22. Further Assurances. In the event of any exercise of the
Option by Grantee, Issuer and such Grantee shall execute and deliver all other
documents and instruments and take all other action that may be reasonably
necessary in order to consummate the transactions provided for by such exercise.
SECTION 23. No Rights as Shareholder. Except to the extent Grantee
exercises the Option, Grantee shall have no rights to vote or receive dividends
or have any other rights as a shareholder with respect to shares of Common Stock
covered hereby.
SECTION 24. Grantee Representation. The Option and any Option Shares or
other securities acquired by Grantee upon exercise of the Option are not being,
and will not be, as the case may be, acquired with a view to the public
distribution thereof in the United States except as provided for in Sections 6
and 11 hereof and neither the Option nor any Option Shares or other securities
acquired by Grantee upon exercise of the Option will be transferred or otherwise
disposed of by Grantee except in a transaction registered or exempt from
registration under the Securities Act.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Stock Option
Agreement to be executed on its behalf by their officers thereunto duly
authorized, all as of the date first above written.
Summit Bancorp.
By /S/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Vice Chairman
Collective Bancorp, Inc.
By /S/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
