AGREEMENT OF MERGER DATED AS OF OCTOBER 24, 2007 among PREMIER FINANCIAL BANCORP, INC. and CITIZENS FIRST BANK, INC. and CFB INTERIM BANK, INC.
Exhibit
10.1
DATED
AS OF OCTOBER 24, 2007
among
PREMIER
FINANCIAL BANCORP, INC.
and
CITIZENS
FIRST BANK, INC.
and
CFB
INTERIM BANK, INC.
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page | ||
Section 1. | Merger | |
1.1
|
General
Effect of Merger; Assets
|
2
|
1.2
|
Liabilities
of Surviving Bank
|
2
|
1.3
|
Name,
Directors and Officers of Surviving Bank
|
2
|
1.4
|
Offices,
Policies of Surviving Bank
|
3
|
1.5
|
Capital
Structure of Surviving Bank
|
3
|
1.6
|
Change
in Method of Effecting Acquisition
|
3
|
Section 2. | Conversion, Exchange and Cancellation of Shares | |
2.1
|
General
|
4
|
2.2
|
Stock
Consideration and Cash Consideration
|
4
|
2.3
|
Manner
of Exchange
|
4
|
2.4
|
Fractional
Shares
|
5
|
2.5
|
Lost
Certificates
|
5
|
Section 3. | Representations, Warrantis and Covenants of Premier | |
3.1
|
Organization,
Standing and Authority
|
6
|
3.2
|
Capital
Structure
|
6
|
3.3
|
Premier
Subsidiaries
|
6
|
3.4
|
Authority
|
7
|
3.5
|
Premier
Financial Statements
|
8
|
3.6
|
Allowance
for Possible Loan Losses
|
8
|
3.7
|
Accuracy
of Annual Reports
|
8
|
3.8
|
Absence
of Undisclosed Liabilities
|
8
|
3.9
|
Tax
Matters
|
9
|
3.10
|
Loans
|
9
|
3.11
|
Properties
|
10
|
3.12
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
10
|
3.13
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
10
|
3.14
|
Commitments
and Contracts
|
11
|
3.15
|
Labor
|
11
|
3.16
|
Material
Contracts Furnished
|
12
|
3.17
|
Material
Contracts
|
12
|
3.18
|
Material
Contract Defaults
|
12
|
3.19
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
12
|
3.20
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
12
|
3.21
|
Reports
|
13
|
3.22
|
Investments
|
13 |
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
3.23
|
Securities
Portfolio
|
13
|
3.24
|
Environmental
Matters
|
13
|
3.25
|
Accuracy
of Proxy Statement
|
13
|
3.26
|
Interim
Bank Formation; Adoption Agreement
|
14
|
3.27
|
Filing
of Application to Merge
|
14
|
3.28
|
Best
Efforts
|
14
|
3.29
|
Conduct
of Business - Acquisitions
|
14
|
3.30
|
Conduct
of Business - Affirmative Covenants of Premier
|
14
|
Section 4. | Representations, Warranties and Covenants of Bank | |
4.1
|
Organization,
Standing and Authority
|
16
|
4.2
|
Capital
Structure
|
16
|
4.3
|
No
Subsidiaries
|
16
|
4.4
|
Authority
|
16
|
4.5
|
Bank
Financial Statements
|
16
|
4.6
|
Accuracy
of Annual Reports
|
17
|
4.7
|
Allowance
for Possible Loan Losses
|
17
|
4.8
|
Absence
of Undisclosed Liabilities
|
17
|
4.9
|
Tax
Matters
|
18
|
4.10
|
Loans
|
18
|
4.11
|
Properties
|
18
|
4.12
|
Compliance
with Laws
|
19
|
4.13
|
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
19
|
4.14
|
Commitments
and Contracts
|
20
|
4.15
|
Labor
|
20
|
4.16
|
Material
Contracts Furnished
|
20
|
4.17
|
Material
Contracts
|
20
|
4.18
|
Material
Contract Defaults
|
21
|
4.19
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
21
|
4.20
|
Absence
of Certain Changes or Events
|
21
|
4.21
|
Reports
|
21
|
4.22
|
Accuracy
of Proxy Statement
|
22
|
4.23
|
Investments
|
22
|
4.24
|
Securities
Portfolio
|
22
|
4.25
|
Environmental
Matters
|
22
|
4.26
|
Best
Efforts
|
22
|
4.27
|
Conduct
of Business – Negative Covenants of Bank
|
22
|
4.28
|
Conduct
of Business – Affirmative Covenants of Bank
|
24
|
Section 5. | Indemnification and Confidentiality | |
5.1
|
Access
and Information
|
26
|
5.2
|
Furnishing
Information and Indemnification
|
26
|
5.3
|
Confidentiality
|
27
|
5.4
|
Updates
to Information
|
27
|
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section 6. | Conditions Precedent | |
(a)
|
Governmental
Approvals
|
28
|
(b)
|
Shareholder
Approval
|
28
|
(c)
|
Registration
Statement
|
28
|
(d)
|
Affiliates
|
28
|
(e)
|
No
Divestiture or Adverse Condition
|
29
|
(f)
|
Accuracy
of Representations and Warranties; Performance of Obligations and
Covenants - Premier
|
29
|
(g)
|
Accuracy
of Representations and Warranties; Performance of Obligations and
Covenants – Bank
|
29
|
(h)
|
Opinion
of Counsel for Bank
|
29
|
(i)
|
Opinion
of Counsel for Premier
|
30
|
(j)
|
Less
than 20% Dissenters
|
32
|
(k)
|
Tax
Ruling or Opinion Letter
|
32
|
(l)
|
Absence
of Material Adverse Changes - Premier
|
32
|
(m)
|
Absence
of Material Adverse Changes – Bank
|
33
|
Section 7. | Closing Date and Effective Time | |
7.1
|
Closing
Date
|
34
|
7.2
|
Effective
Time
|
34
|
Section 8. | Termination of Agreement | |
8.1
|
Grounds
for Termination
|
35
|
8.2
|
Effect
of Termination
|
35
|
8.3
|
Lost
Opportunity Costs
|
35
|
8.4
|
Return
of Information
|
37
|
Section 9. | Waiver and Amendment | 38 |
Section 10. | Meeting of Shareholders of Bank | 39 |
Section 11. | Rights of Dissenting Shareholders | 40 |
Section 12. | Indemnification | |
12.1
|
Indemnification
|
41
|
12.2
|
Insurance
|
41
|
12.3
|
Consolidation
or Merger
|
41
|
12.4
|
Survival
|
41
|
Section 13. | Operations after the Closing Date | |
13.1
|
Employees
of the Bank
|
42
|
13.2
|
Severance
|
42
|
13.3
|
Survival
|
42
|
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section 14. | Miscellaneous | |
14.1
|
Public
Announcements
|
43
|
14.2
|
Brokers
and Finders
|
43
|
14.3
|
Disclosed
In Writing
|
43
|
14.4
|
Entire
Agreement
|
43
|
14.5
|
Counterparts
|
43
|
14.6
|
Invalid
Provisions
|
43
|
14.7
|
Notices
|
43
|
14.8
|
Headings
|
44
|
14.9
|
Expenses
|
44
|
14.10
|
Governing
Law
|
44
|
14.11
|
No
Assignment
|
44
|
14.12
|
Effectiveness
of Agreement
|
44
|
14.13
|
Further
Acts
|
45
|
14.14
|
Representations
and Warranties Not to Survive
|
45
|
14.15
|
Individual
Directors
|
45
|
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
THIS
AGREEMENT OF MERGER (hereinafter
sometimes referred to as the "Agreement"), made and entered into as of the
24th
day of October, 2007, by and between PREMIER FINANCIAL BANCORP INC. ("Premier")
and CITIZENS FIRST BANK, INC. ("Bank"), and its directors, or a majority of
them;
W
I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS,
Premier is a corporation duly
organized and validly existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
and a registered bank holding company, with its principal office and place
of
business located in the City of Huntington, County of Xxxxxx and State of West
Virginia, with authorized capital stock consisting of 10,000,000 common shares,
no par value per share ("Premier Common Stock"), of which 5,236,899 shares
are
currently outstanding and 1,000,000 preferred shares, no par value per share,
none of which are currently outstanding ("Premier Preferred Stock");
and
WHEREAS,
Bank
is a state banking corporation, duly organized and validly existing under the
laws of the State of West Virginia, with its principal office and place of
business located in Ravenswood, County of Xxxxxxx, State of West Virginia,
with
capital accounts as of December 31, 2006 consisting of authorized capital stock
of $750,000 divided into 750,000 authorized shares of common stock, of which
400,000 shares are currently outstanding, having a par value of $1 per share
("Bank Common Stock"), surplus of $3,600,000 and retained earnings of
$1,589,000; and
WHEREAS,
Premier and Bank have agreed
to the merger of Bank with and into a wholly-owned subsidiary of Premier, to
be
organized under the laws of the State of West Virginia, so that upon
consummation of the merger Bank will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Premier;
and
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of
Premier has approved this agreement and has authorized the execution hereof
in
counterparts; and
WHEREAS,
the Board of Directors of Bank
has approved this agreement, authorized the execution hereof in counterparts,
and directed that it be submitted to its shareholders for approval, ratification
and confirmation; and
WHEREAS,
Premier has agreed to cause a
new West Virginia corporation to be organized which shall be named CFB Interim
Bank, Inc. ("Interim Bank"), with its principal office and place of business
to
be located in Ravenswood, County of Xxxxxxx, State of West Virginia, and all
shares of its capital stock to be owned by Premier; and
WHEREAS,
Premier has agreed to cause
Interim Bank to approve this Agreement and authorize the execution of an
Adoption Agreement substantially in the form attached hereto as "Exhibit A"
which is incorporated herein by reference.
1
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the
foregoing premises, which are not mere recitals but an integral part hereof,
and
in consideration of the mutual agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties
hereto agree as follows:
Section
1. Merger
1.1
General Effect of Merger; Assets. At the Effective Time
(hereinafter defined in Section 7.2) and subject to the terms and conditions
hereof and of the attendant Plan of Merger ("Plan of Merger") attached hereto
as
"Exhibit B", Bank shall merge with and into Interim Bank (the "Merger") under
the charter of Interim Bank pursuant to the provisions of and with the effect
provided in the West Virginia Business Corporation Act, Chapter
31D. Interim Bank shall be (and is hereinafter called when reference
is made to it at and after the consummation of the Merger) the Surviving Bank
and shall take the name and title of "Citizens First Bank, Inc.". At
the Effective Time of the Merger, the corporate existence of Bank shall, as
provided in the West Virginia Business Corporation Act, Chapter 31D, Article
11
of the West Virginia Code, be merged with and into Interim Bank and continued
in
the Surviving Bank and the separate existence of Bank shall
cease. The Surviving Bank shall thereupon and thereafter possess all
of the rights, privileges, immunities and franchises, of a public as well as
of
a private nature, of the Interim Bank and Bank; and all property, real, personal
and mixed, and all debts due on whatever account, including subscriptions to
shares, if any, and all other choses in action, and all and every other interest
of or belonging to or due to the Interim Bank and Bank, and each of them, shall
be deemed to be transferred to and vested in the Surviving Bank without further
act or deed; and the title to any real estate, or any interest therein, vested
in the Interim Bank and Bank and each of them, before the Merger, shall not
revert or in any way be impaired by reason of the Merger.
1.2 Liabilities
of Surviving Bank. From and after the Effective Time of the
Merger, the Surviving Bank shall be liable for all liabilities of Bank and
Interim Bank and all deposits, debts, liabilities, obligations and contracts
of
Bank and Interim Bank, respectively, matured or unmatured, whether accrued,
absolute, contingent or otherwise, and whether or not reflected or reserved
against on balance sheets, books of account or records of Bank or Interim Bank,
as the case may be, shall be those of and are hereby expressly assumed by the
Surviving Bank and shall not be released or impaired by the Merger, and all
rights of creditors and other obligees and all liens on property of either
Bank
or Interim Bank shall be preserved unimpaired, and the Surviving Bank shall
have
all rights and shall be liable for all obligations of Bank under all employee
benefit plans and arrangements of Bank and such plans and related trusts shall
continue in effect without any interruption or termination unless and until
changed as therein or by law provided or permitted or as mutually agreed to
by
the parties hereto.
1.3 Name,
Directors and Officers of Surviving Bank. From and after the
Effective Time, the name of the Surviving Bank shall be "Citizens First Bank,
Inc.". The Articles of Incorporation and the By-laws of Interim Bank
in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time (which shall be substantially
the same as the Articles of Incorporation and By-laws of Bank) shall be the
Articles of Incorporation and By-laws of the Surviving Bank until changed as
therein or by law provided. The directors and officers of the
Surviving Bank at the Effective Time shall be those persons who are directors
and officers respectively of Bank immediately before the Effective
Time. The committees of the Board of Directors of the Surviving Bank
at the Effective Time shall be the same as and shall be composed of the same
persons who are serving on committees appointed by the Board of Directors of
Bank as they exist immediately before the Effective Time. The
committees of officers of the Surviving Bank at the Effective Time shall be
the
same as and shall be composed of the same officers who are serving on the
committees of officers of Bank as they exist immediately before the Effective
Time.
2
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
1.4 Offices,
Policies of Surviving Bank. From and after the Effective Time,
the business and location of the Surviving Bank shall be the same as that of
Bank. Unless contrary to law, all corporate acts, plans, policies,
applications, agreements, loan commitments, orders, registrations, licenses,
approvals and authorizations of Bank and Interim Bank, their respective
shareholders, boards of directors, committees elected or appointed by their
boards of directors, officers and agents, which were valid and effective
immediately before the Effective Time shall be taken for all purposes at and
after the Effective Time as the acts, plans, policies, applications, agreements,
orders, registrations, licenses, approvals, and authorizations of Surviving
Bank
and shall be effective and binding thereon as the same were with respect to
Bank
and Interim Bank immediately before the Effective Time.
1.5 Capital
Structure of Surviving Bank. The capital structure of the
Surviving Bank shall be the same as the capital structure of Interim
Bank.
1.6 Change
in
Method of Effecting Acquisition. Premier may at any time prior to
the Effective Time change the method of effecting the combination with Bank
(including, without limitation, the provisions of this Section 1 if and to
the
extent it deems such change to be necessary, appropriate or desirable; however,
that no such change shall (i) cause the approval of the stockholders of Premier
to be required as a condition to the Merger, (ii) alter or change the amount
or
kind of Merger Consideration (as hereinafter defined), or the relative
proportions of cash and Premier Common Stock included therein, (iii) adversely
affect the tax treatment of Bank's stockholders as a result of receiving the
Merger Consideration or (iv) materially impede or delay consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and provided further, that Premier
shall provide Bank prior written notice of such change and the reasons
therefore.
3
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
2. Conversion, Exchange and Cancellation of
Shares
2.1 General. The
manner of converting and exchanging Bank Common Stock, all of which is
represented by outstanding share certificates, into Premier Common Stock and
cash shall be as hereinafter provided in this Section 2.
2.2 Stock
Consideration and Cash Consideration.
(a) Each
holder of a share of Bank Common Stock (other than those shares of Bank Common
Stock for which appraisal rights have been perfected pursuant to the West
Virginia Business Corporation Act), shall receive in respect thereof, subject
to
the limitations set forth in this Agreement, (i) 1.20 shares of Premier Common
Stock (the "Stock Consideration") and (ii) an amount of cash without interest
to
be determined as follows (the "Cash Consideration"). The Cash
Consideration and the Stock Consideration are sometimes referred to herein
collectively as the "Merger Consideration." The Cash
Consideration is based upon each share of Bank Common Stock being entitled
to
receive up to $29.25 in Merger Consideration per share with the Stock
Consideration being fixed at 1.20 shares of Premier Common Stock. The
actual amount of Cash Consideration will be determined by taking the
volume-weighted average of the closing price of Premier Common Stock for the
five (5) trading days ending with the fifth business day before the Effective
Time multiplied by 1.20 (the “Stock Consideration Amount”) and subtracting that
sum from $29.25. The difference shall be the Cash Consideration; in
no event, however, shall the Cash Consideration exceed $13.25 per
share. Attached hereto as Exhibit “C” is a chart showing the Cash
Consideration relative to various assumed Stock Consideration
Amounts.
(b) Outstanding
Premier Stock. Each share of Premier Common Stock issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall remain issued and
outstanding and unaffected by the Merger.
(c) Treasury
Shares. Each share of Bank Common Stock held as Treasury Stock
immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be canceled and retired at the
Effective Time and no consideration shall be issued in exchange
therefore.
(d) Merger
Sub. Each share of capital stock of Interim Bank issued and
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall remain outstanding
and
unaffected by the Merger, and no consideration shall be issued in exchange
therefor.
2.3 Manner
of Exchange. After the Effective Time of the Merger, except
for persons exercising their rights as dissenting shareholders of Bank, each
holder of a certificate theretofore evidencing outstanding shares of Bank Common
Stock, upon surrender of such certificate, accompanied by a Letter of
Transmittal, to Premier shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefor a
certificate or certificates representing the number of full shares of Premier
Common Stock for which shares of Bank Common Stock theretofore represented
by
the certificate or certificates so surrendered shall have been exchanged as
provided in this Section 2, plus cash as provided in Section 2.2(a), without
interest. Until so surrendered, each outstanding certificate which,
prior to the Effective Time of the Merger, represented Bank Common Stock will
be
deemed to evidence the right to receive the Cash Consideration (without
interest) plus the number of full shares of Premier Common Stock into which
the
shares of Bank Common Stock represented thereby may be converted, and will
be
deemed for all corporate purposes of Premier to evidence ownership of the number
of full shares of Premier Common Stock and Cash Consideration into which the
shares of Bank Common Stock represented thereby were converted. Until
such outstanding certificates formerly representing Bank Common Stock are
surrendered, no dividend payable to holders of record of Premier Common Stock
for any period as of any date subsequent to the Effective Time of the Merger
shall be paid to the holder of such outstanding certificates in respect thereof
and no interest will be paid on the Cash Consideration. After the
Effective Time of the Merger there shall be no further registry of transfers
on
the records of Bank of shares of Bank Common Stock. Upon surrender of
certificates of Bank Common Stock for exchange for Premier Common Stock, there
shall be paid to the record holder of the certificates of Premier Common Stock
issued in exchange therefor (i) the Cash Consideration, (ii) the amount of
dividends theretofore paid with respect to such full shares of Premier Common
Stock as of any date subsequent to the Effective Time of the Merger which have
not yet been paid to a public official pursuant to abandoned property laws
and
(iii) at the appropriate payment date the amount of dividends with a record
date
after the Effective Time of the Merger, but prior to surrender and a payment
date subsequent to surrender. No interest shall be payable with
respect to such dividends or Cash Consideration upon surrender of outstanding
certificates.
4
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
2.4 Fractional
Shares. Premier will not issue fractional shares or fractional
share certificates, but in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares will pay
cash, without interest, to any Bank shareholder otherwise entitled to receive
such fractional shares. The amount of such cash payment will be
determined by multiplying the fractional share interest to which a Bank
shareholder would otherwise be entitled by the volume-weighted average of the
closing price of Premier Common Stock for the five trading days ending with
the
fifth business day before the Effective Time. Payment for fractional
shares will be made with respect to each shareholder at the time such
shareholder's certificates of Bank Common Stock are exchanged.
2.5 Lost
Certificates. If a certificate evidencing outstanding shares of
Bank Common Stock is lost, stolen or destroyed, the registered owner thereof
shall be entitled to receive the Premier certificate and cash,
without interest, to which he would otherwise be entitled on exchange of such
certificate, by notifying Premier in writing of such lost, stolen or destroyed
certificate and giving Premier evidence of loss and a bond sufficient to
indemnify Premier against any claim that may be made against it on account
of
the alleged lost, stolen and destroyed certificate and the issuance of the
certificate and cash.
5
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
3. Representations, Warranties and Covenants of
Premier
Except
as disclosed in writing, Premier
hereby represents and warrants to and covenants with Bank that:
3.1 Organization,
Standing and Authority. Premier is a corporation duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Kentucky, and is a duly registered bank holding company under
the provisions of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as
amended. Premier has the corporate power to execute and deliver this
Agreement, and has taken all action required by law, its Articles of
Incorporation, its By-laws or otherwise, to authorize such execution and
delivery, the Merger and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby, and this Agreement is a valid and binding agreement of Premier in
accordance with its terms. No action of Premier 's shareholders is or
will be required to approve this Agreement or the Merger. At the
Effective Time, Premier will have corporate power to carry on its business
as
then to be conducted and will be qualified to do business in every jurisdiction
in which the character and location of the assets to be owned by it or the
nature of the business to be transacted by it require
qualification.
3.2 Capital
Structure. The authorized capital stock of Premier consists of
10,000,000 shares of Premier Common Stock, of which 5,236,899 shares are
currently issued and outstanding and 1,000,000 shares of Premier Preferred
Stock, none of which are currently issued and outstanding. All of
such shares are fully paid and non-assessable. Premier does not have
any other shares of Premier Common Stock or Premier Preferred Stock or any
other
capital stock issued or outstanding. Premier does not have any
outstanding subscriptions, options or other agreements or commitments obligating
it to issue shares of its capital stock except that Premier has reserved 511,000
shares of Premier Common Stock to be issued upon the exercise of stock options
granted to certain Premier employees. As of June 30, 2007 156,248
option grants were outstanding, of which 85,764 were immediately
exercisable. Neither the holders of Premier Common Stock or Premier
Preferred Stock have any preemptive rights with respect to the issuance of
additional authorized shares of Premier Common Stock. Nothing in this
Agreement shall prohibit or impair the ability and right of Premier to increase
its authorized capital stock, or issue or agree to commit to issue additional
shares of its capital stock, and any increase in authorized capital stock,
or
issuance, or agreement or commitment to issue, additional shares of Premier
Common Stock (other than an issuance, or agreement or commitment to issue,
resulting from a stock dividend, stock split, or reverse stock split) shall
not
alter or affect the Merger Consideration set forth in Section 2.2
hereof.
3.3 Premier
Subsidiaries. At the date of this Agreement, Premier has five (5)
state bank subsidiaries, and one (1) non-banking/non-holding company subsidiary,
as follows:
(a) Premier
State Banks:
Citizens
Deposit Bank and Trust,
Inc.;
Farmers
Deposit Bank, Eminence,
Kentucky;
Ohio
River Bank,
Inc.;
First
Central Bank, Inc.;
and
Xxxxx
County Bank,
Inc.
hereinafter
referred to as "Premier State Banks".
6
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
(b) Premier
has one (1) non-bank/non-bank holding company subsidiary:
Mt.
Xxxxxx Financial Holdings,
Inc.
hereinafter
referred to as the “Premier Non-Bank Subsidiary”.
The
Premier State Banks and Premier
Non-Bank Subsidiary are hereinafter jointly referred to as the “Premier
Subsidiaries”.
Except
for the Premier State Banks and
Premier Non-Bank Subsidiary, Premier has no subsidiaries.
Each
of the Premier State Banks is a
banking corporation, duly organized, validly existing under the laws of either
the State of West Virginia or Ohio, or the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and has
the
corporate power and is duly authorized to own all of its properties and assets
and to carry on its business as is now being conducted. The Premier
Non-Bank Subsidiary is a corporation, validly existing under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Kentucky, and has the corporate power and is duly authorized
to
own all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business as is now
being conducted. Premier owns all of the issued and outstanding
capital stock of each of the Premier Subsidiaries, free and clear of any liens,
claims, security interest, encumbrances, charges or rights of third parties
of
any kind whatsoever, except that (i) all Premier’s 100% interest in Xxxxx County
Bank is pledged as collateral for a $7,000,000 loan from First Guaranty Bank
of
Hammond, Louisiana and (ii) all of Premier’s 100% interest in Farmers Deposit
Bank and Citizens Deposit Bank are pledged as collateral for a $6,500,000 loan
from The Bankers’ Bank of Kentucky, Inc. of Frankfort, Kentucky.
Nothing
in this Agreement shall
prohibit or impair the ability and right of Premier or any Premier Subsidiary
to
create or acquire, or agree to create or acquire, any other subsidiaries or
entities or to acquire, consolidate or merge with any other company,
corporation, bank or banking association, or to acquire or establish any branch
prior to the Effective Time.
3.4 Authority. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement do not, and the consummation of the
Merger and transactions contemplated hereby will not, violate any provision
of
the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws of Premier, or any provision of, or
result in the acceleration of any obligation under, any material mortgage,
deed
of trust, note, lien, lease, franchise, license, permit, agreement, instrument,
order, arbitration award, judgment, injunction or decree, or result in the
termination of any material license, franchise, lease, or permit to which
Premier is a party or by which it is bound, and will not violate or conflict
with any other material restriction of any kind or character to which Premier
is
subject.
7
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
3.5 Premier
Financial Statements. Premier has delivered to Bank prior to the
execution of this Agreement copies of the following financial statements of
Premier (which, together with all future financial statements to be furnished
are collectively referred to herein as the "Premier Financial Statements"):
the
audited Consolidated Balance Sheets of Premier as of December 31, 2006, December
31, 2005 and December 31, 2004, and the related Consolidated Statements of
Income, Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and of Consolidated Statements
of
Changes in Shareholders' Equity for the years then ended, and the notes
thereto. The Premier Financial Statements (as of the dates thereof
and for the periods covered thereby):
(a) are
in accordance with the books and records of Premier, which are complete and
correct in all material respects that are required by generally accepted
accounting principles (except as otherwise required or approved by applicable
regulatory authorities or by applicable law) and which have been maintained
in
accordance with good business practices; and
(b) present fairly, in all material respects, the
financial position and results of operations and cash flows of Premier as of
the
dates and for the periods indicated, in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles (except as otherwise required or approved by applicable
regulatory authorities or by applicable law), applied on a basis consistent
with
prior years, and do not fail to disclose any material extraordinary or
out-of-period items.
Premier’s
unaudited Balance Sheet and
the related unaudited Statement of Income and Statement of Changes in
Stockholders’ Equity, for the calendar quarter ended June 30, 2007, and for each
calendar quarter thereafter until the Effective Time, all of which Premier
shall
deliver to Bank as soon as practicable, will be prepared in accordance with
accounting principals consistently applied and will fairly present Premier’s
financial condition and results of operations as of such date and for such
period, except for footnote disclosures, which generally do not include all
of
the disclosures normally required for annual financial statements.
3.6 Allowance
for Possible Loan Losses. The allowance for possible loan losses
shown on the Consolidated Balance Sheet of Premier as of December 31, 2006,
has
been established and are adequate in all material respects under the
requirements of generally accepted accounting principles to provide for possible
losses, net of recoveries relating to loans previously charged off, on loans
outstanding (including accrued interest receivable) as of December 31,
2006.
3.7 Accuracy
of Annual Reports. The annual report of Premier to its
shareholders for the years 2006, 2005 and 2004 heretofore delivered to Bank
do
not contain as of the dates thereof any untrue statement of material fact or
omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
3.8 Absence
of Undisclosed Liabilities. At December 31, 2006, none of Premier
or the Premier Subsidiaries had any obligation or liability (contingent or
otherwise) which was material, or which when combined with all similar
obligations or liabilities would have been material, to Premier (i) except
as
disclosed in the Premier Financial Statements or as disclosed to Bank in writing
and (ii) except, in the case of any of the Premier Banks, for unfunded loan
commitments made in the ordinary course of their respective businesses and
consistent with generally accepted banking practices; nor does there exist
a set
of circumstances resulting from transactions effected or events occurring on
or
prior to December 31, 2006, or from any action omitted to be taken during such
period that, to the knowledge of Premier, could reasonably be expected to result
in any such material obligation or liability, except as previously disclosed
to
Bank in writing, or as disclosed or provided for in the Premier Financial
Statements. The amounts set up as liabilities for taxes in the
Premier Financial Statements are sufficient for the payment of all respective
taxes (including, without limitation, federal, state, local and foreign excise,
franchise, property, payroll, income, capital stock and sales and use taxes)
accrued in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and unpaid
at December 31, 2006. Since December 31, 2006, none of Premier or the
Premier Subsidiaries has incurred or paid any obligation or liability which
would be material (on a consolidated basis) to Premier, except for obligations
incurred or paid in connection with transactions by it in the ordinary course
of
its business consistent with generally accepted banking practices and except
as
disclosed herein.
8
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
3.9 Tax
Matters.
(a) All
federal, state, local and foreign tax returns, (including, without limitation,
estimated tax returns, withholding tax returns with respect to employees, and
FICA and FUTA returns) required to be filed by or on behalf of any of Premier
or
the Premier Subsidiaries have been timely filed or requests for extensions
have
been timely filed, granted and have not expired and all returns filed are
complete and accurate to the best information and belief of Premier
management. All taxes shown on filed returns have been
paid. As of the date hereof, and as of the Effective Time, there is
no audit examination, deficiency or refund litigation or matter in controversy
with respect to any taxes that might result in a determination adverse to any
of
Premier or the Premier Subsidiaries, except as reserved against in the Premier
Financial Statements, or as previously disclosed to Bank in
writing. Except as disclosed by Premier in writing, all taxes,
interest, additions and penalties due with respect to completed and settled
examinations or concluded litigation have been paid.
(b) None
of Premier or the Premier Subsidiaries has executed an extension or waiver
of
any statute of limitations on the assessment or collection of any tax due that
is currently in effect.
(c) To
the
extent any federal, state, local or foreign taxes are due from any of Premier
or
the Premier Subsidiaries for the period or periods beginning January 1, 2007,
or
thereafter through and including the Effective Time, adequate provision on
an
estimated basis has been or will be made for the payment of such taxes by
establishment of appropriate tax liability accounts on the last monthly
financial statements of Premier or the Premier Subsidiaries prepared before
the
Effective Time.
(d) Deferred
taxes
of Premier or the Premier Subsidiaries have been provided for in accordance
with
generally accepted accounting principles.
3.10 Loans. Except
as previously disclosed to Bank in writing or as disclosed or provided for
in
the Premier Financial Statements, to the best knowledge and belief of its
management, each loan reflected as an asset of any Premier Bank in the Premier
Financial Statements as of December 31, 2006, or acquired since that date,
is
the legal, valid and binding obligation of the obligor named therein,
enforceable in accordance with its terms, was made in the ordinary course of
business, was not known to be uncollectible at the time it was made and was
made
in accordance with the standard loan policies of such lending bank, and no
loan
having an unpaid balance (principal and accrued interest) in excess of
$500,000.00 is subject to any asserted defense, offset or counterclaim known
to
Premier.
9
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
3.11 Properties. Except
as previously disclosed to Bank in writing, or disclosed in the Premier
Financial Statements, Premier and the Premier Subsidiaries have good and
marketable title, free and clear of all material liens, encumbrances, charges,
defaults or equities of whatever character, to all of the respective properties
and assets, tangible or intangible, whether real, personal or mixed, reflected
in the Premier Financial Statements as being owned by them at December 31,
2006
or acquired by them after December 31, 2006. To the best knowledge
and belief of Premier management, all buildings, and all fixtures, equipment
and
other property and assets which in the opinion of management are material to
its
business on a consolidated basis, held under leases or subleases by any of
Premier and the Premier Subsidiaries, as the case may be, are held under valid
instruments enforceable in accordance with their respective terms (except as
previously disclosed in writing to Bank and except as enforceability may be
limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or
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
proceedings may be brought).
3.12 Compliance
with
Laws. Premier and each of the respective Premier Subsidiaries, to
Premier 's best knowledge and belief:
(a) is
in
compliance with all laws, regulations, reporting and licensing requirements
and
orders applicable to its business or any of its employees (because of such
employee's activities on behalf of it), the breach or violation of which could
have a material adverse effect on such business; and
(b) has
received no notification (not previously disclosed to Bank in writing) from
any
agency or department of federal, state or local government or regulatory
authorities or the staff thereof asserting that any such entity is not in
compliance with any of the statutes, regulations, rules or ordinances which
such
governmental authority or regulatory authority enforces, or threatening to
revoke any license, franchise, permit or governmental authorization, and is
subject to no agreement with any regulatory authorities with respect to its
assets or business.
3.13 Employee
Benefit Plans. With respect to any plan or arrangement of Premier
or any Premier Subsidiary which constitutes an employee benefit within the
meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended ("ERISA"):
(a) All
"employee benefit plans", as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, which cover
one
or more employees employed by any of Premier or any Premier Subsidiary (each
individually, a "Plan", and collectively, the "Plans") comply in all material
respects with ERISA and, where applicable for tax-qualified or tax-favored
treatment, with the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. As of December 31,
2006, none of Premier or any Premier Subsidiary had any material liability
under
any Plan that is not reflected on the audited statements of financial condition
of Premier or the unaudited balance sheets of the Premier Subsidiaries, as
of
such date, or in the notes thereto (other than such normally unrecorded
liabilities under the Plans for sick leave, holiday, education, bonus, vacation,
incentive compensation and anniversary awards, provided that such liabilities
are not in any event material). Neither the Plans nor any trustee or
administrator thereof has engaged in a "prohibited transaction" within the
meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or, where applicable, Section 4975 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 for which no exemption is applicable, nor have
there been any "reportable events" within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA
for which the 30-day notice therefor has not been waived.
(b) No
litigation is pending against any Plan or plan fiduciary seeking the payment
of
benefits or alleging a breach of trust or fiduciary duty by any plan
fiduciary.
(c) Neither
Premier nor any Premier Subsidiary is a party to any multiemployer pension
plan
as defined in Section 414(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and Section
3(37) of ERISA.
10
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
3.14 Commitments
and
Contracts. Neither Premier nor any Premier Subsidiary is a party or
subject to any of the following (whether written or oral, express or
implied):
(i) any
employment contract or understanding (including any understandings or
obligations with respect to severance or termination pay liabilities or fringe
benefits) with any present or former officer, director, employee or
consultant;
(ii) any
plan, contract or understanding providing for bonuses, pensions, options,
deferred compensation, retirement payments, profit sharing or similar
understandings with respect to any present or former officer, director or
consultant;
(iii) any
contract or agreement with any labor union;
(iv) any
contract not made in the ordinary course of business containing covenants
limiting the freedom of Premier or any Premier Subsidiary to compete in any
line
of business or with any person or involving any restriction of the area in
which, or method by which, Premier or any Premier Subsidiary will carry on
its
business (other than as may be required by law or applicable regulatory
authorities).
3.15 Labor. No
work stoppage involving Premier or any Premier Subsidiary is pending or, to
the
best Premier 's knowledge, threatened. Neither Premier nor any
Premier Subsidiary is involved in, or threatened with or affected by, any labor
dispute, arbitration, lawsuit or administrative proceeding which could
materially and adversely affect the business of Premier or any Premier
Subsidiary. Employees of Premier or any Premier Subsidiary are not
represented by any labor union nor are any collective bargaining agreements
otherwise in effect with respect to such employees.
11
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
3.16 Material
Contracts Furnished. Premier has made available to Bank true and
complete copies of all material contracts, leases and other agreements to which
Premier or any Premier Subsidiary are parties or by which they are bound and
of
all employment, pension, retirement, stock option, profit sharing and deferred
compensation, consultant, bonus, group insurance or similar plans with respect
to any of the directors, officers, or other employees of Premier or any Premier
Subsidiary.
3.17 Material
Contracts. Except as previously disclosed to Bank in writing and
except as is otherwise provided in this Agreement, none of Premier or the
Premier Subsidiaries, nor any of their respective assets, businesses or
operations is, as of the date hereof, a party to, or is bound or affected by,
or
receives benefits under, (i) any material agreement, arrangement or commitment
not cancellable by it without penalty, other than agreements, arrangements
or
commitments entered into in the ordinary course of its business and negotiated
on an arms-length basis, or (ii) any material agreement, arrangement or
commitment relating to the employment, election or retention in office of any
director or officer other than agreements, arrangements or commitments entered
into in the ordinary course of its business and negotiated on an arms-length
basis.
3.18 Material
Contract Defaults. None of Premier or the Premier Subsidiaries is
in default in any material respect under any material contract, agreement,
commitment, arrangement, lease, insurance policy or other instrument to which
it
is a party or by which its respective assets, business or operations may be
bound or affected or under which it or its respective assets, business or
operations receive benefits, and there has not occurred any event which with
the
lapse of time or the giving of notice or both would constitute such a default,
except as previously disclosed to Bank in writing.
3.19 Legal
Proceedings. Except as previously disclosed by Premier to Bank in
writing, there are no actions, suits or proceedings instituted or pending,
or to
the best knowledge of Premier, threatened (or unasserted but considered probable
of assertion and which if asserted would have at least a reasonable probability
of an unfavorable outcome), including eminent domain proceedings, against or
relating to any of Premier or the Premier Subsidiaries, respectively, or against
any property, asset, interest or right of any of them, that could have a
material and adverse effect on the condition (financial or other, present or
prospective), business, properties, assets, operations, liabilities or prospects
of Premier or any of the Premier Subsidiaries, respectively, or that threaten
or
would impede the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. None of Premier or the Premier Subsidiaries is a party to
any agreement or instrument or is subject to any charter or other corporate
restriction or any judgment, order, writ, injunction, stay, decree, rule,
regulation, code or ordinance that threatens or might impede the consummation
of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
12
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
3.20 Absence
of Certain Changes or Events. Since December 31, 2006, none of
Premier or the Premier Subsidiaries has: (i) incurred any material
liability, except in the ordinary course of its business, and except as
permitted pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) suffered any material adverse change
in its business, operations, assets or condition (financial or other); or (iii)
failed to operate its business consistent with generally acceptable banking
practice.
3.21 Reports. Since
January 1, 2006, each of Premier and the Premier Subsidiaries has filed all
reports and statements, together with any amendments required to be made with
respect thereto, which they were required to file with: (i) the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Forms 10-K,
Forms 10-Q, Forms 8-K and proxy statements; (ii) the Board of Governors of
the
Federal Reserve System; (iii) the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency;
(iv) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; (v) the West Virginia Department
of Banking; (vi) the Kentucky Office of Financial Institutions; (vii) the Ohio
Department of Banking; and (viii) any other governmental agency or regulatory
authority having jurisdiction over its operations. Each of such
reports and documents, including the financial statements, exhibits and
schedules thereto, and each other document delivered to Bank by Premier does
not
contain any statement which, at the time and in the light of the circumstances
under which it was made, is false or misleading with respect to any material
fact or which omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements contained therein not false or misleading.
3.22 Investments. Except
as incurred in the ordinary course of business as heretofore conducted or as
previously disclosed to Bank in writing, all securities owned by Premier and
the
Premier Subsidiaries of record and beneficially are free and clear of all
mortgages, liens, pledges and encumbrances. Any securities owned of
record by Premier and the Premier Subsidiaries in an amount equal to 5% or
more
of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the issuer have been
previously disclosed to Bank in writing. There are no voting trusts
or other agreements or undertakings with respect to the voting of such
securities.
3.23 Securities
Portfolio. Since December 31, 2006, there have been no
significant changes in the quality of Premier 's or any of the Premier Banks'
portfolios of securities except as previously disclosed to Bank in
writing.
3.24 Environmental
Matters. To the knowledge of Premier, neither Premier nor any
Premier Subsidiary nor any properties owned or operated by Premier or any
Premier Subsidiary has been or is in violation of or liable under any
Environmental Law (as hereinafter defined). There are no actions,
suits or proceedings, or demands, claims, notices or investigations (including,
without limitation notices, demand letters or requests for information from
any
environmental agency) instituted or pending, or to the best knowledge of Premier
's management, threatened relating to the liability of any properties owned
or
operated by Premier or any Premier Subsidiary under any Environmental
Law. "Environmental Law" means any federal, state, local or foreign
law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, code, license, permit, authorization,
approval, consent, order, judgment, decree, injunction or agreement with any
regulatory authority relating to (i) the protection, preservation or restoration
of the environment (including, without limitation, air, water vapor, surface
water, ground water, drinking water supply, surface soil, sub-surface soil,
plant and animal life or any other natural resource) and/or (ii) the use,
storage, recycling, treatment, generation, transportation, processing, handling,
labeling, production, release or disposal of any substance presently listed,
defined, designated or classified as hazardous, toxic, radioactive or dangerous,
or otherwise regulated, whether by type or by quantity, including any material
containing any such substance as a component.
3.25 Accuracy
of Proxy Statement. The material which refers to Premier and
which will be submitted by Premier for inclusion in the proxy statement referred
to in Section 10 hereof, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, mailed
to
the holders of Bank Common Stock will not contain any untrue statements of
material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements contained therein not
misleading.
13
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
3.26 Interim
Bank Formation; Adoption Agreement. Premier at its sole cost and
expense shall cause to be organized Interim Bank as a West Virginia banking
corporation and shall cause Interim Bank to execute and enter into an Adoption
Agreement in substantially the form attached hereto as "Exhibit A" and a Plan
of
Merger in substantially the form annexed hereto as "Exhibit B" and cause Interim
Bank to take such action as is provided in this Agreement or in said Adoption
Agreement or Plan of Merger upon Interim Bank's part to be
taken. Immediately prior to the Effective Time, Premier will own all
of the issued and outstanding shares of Interim Bank's capital
stock.
3.27 Filing
of Application to Merge. Premier at its sole cost and expense
shall cause to be filed with the Federal Reserve Board, Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation and West Virginia Board of Banking and Financial
Institutions an application to merge Bank and Interim Bank, and shall cause
Interim Bank to take such action as is provided in this Agreement upon Interim
Bank's part to be taken.
3.28 Best
Efforts. On or prior to the Closing Date (hereinafter defined in
Section 7.1 hereof), Premier will, to the extent permitted by applicable laws,
rules and regulations, take such actions, and execute and deliver all such
agreements, documents, certificates or amendments to this Agreement as may
be
necessary or desirable to effectuate the provisions and intent of this
Agreement.
3.29 Conduct
of Business - Acquisitions. Premier and Bank have agreed in
principle that continued growth of Premier through the acquisition of, or
consolidation or merger with, one or more banks or bank holding companies,
and
the payment of cash, the issuance of additional shares of Premier, or both,
as
consideration therefor, all upon proper terms and conditions, will inure to
the
benefit of Premier and to Bank in the event the Merger is
effected. Bank has agreed that in the event the Merger is effected,
such contemplated actions will inure to the benefit of Bank as well as to
Premier, and has generally approved, in principle, such acts. Bank hereby
consents to, and agrees that Premier, without obtaining any further consent
or
approval of Bank, may acquire, consolidate or merge with any other company,
corporation, bank or banking association, or acquire any assets of any other
company, corporation, bank or banking association, and no agreement to issue
Premier Common Stock or issuance thereof in connection with any such act shall
alter or affect the Merger Consideration set forth in Section 2.2
hereof.
3.30 Conduct
of Business - Affirmative Covenants of Premier. Premier covenants
and agrees that:
(a) Subsequent
to
the date of this Agreement and prior to the Effective Time, Premier and the
Premier Subsidiaries will operate their respective businesses only in the normal
course and manner.
(b) Immediately
upon the execution of this Agreement, Premier will direct its accountants to
give Bank access to all information, documents and working papers pertaining
to
Premier;
(c) From
and after the execution of this Agreement, Premier will promptly advise Bank
of
any material adverse change in its or any Premier Subsidiary's respective
financial conditions, assets, business operations or key personnel and of any
material breach of any representation or warranty made by Premier in this
Agreement;
(d) Subsequent
to
the date of this Agreement and prior to the Effective Time Premier shall
maintain in full force and effect adequate fire, casualty, public liability,
employee fidelity and other insurance coverage in effect on the date of this
Agreement in order to protect Premier against losses for which insurance
protection can reasonably be obtained;
(e) Premier
will
use its best efforts in good faith to take or cause to be taken all actions
required under this Agreement on its part to be taken as promptly as practicable
so as to permit the consummation of the Merger and the transactions contemplated
hereby at the earliest possible date and cooperate fully with Bank to that
end.
14
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
4. Representations, Warranties and Covenants of
Bank
Bank
hereby represents and warrants to
and covenants with Premier that:
4.1 Organization,
Standing and Authority. Bank is a state banking corporation duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State
of
West Virginia. Bank has the corporate power to execute and deliver
this Agreement, and has taken all action required by law, its Articles of
Incorporation, its By-laws or otherwise, to authorize such execution and
delivery, the Merger and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby, and this Agreement is a valid and binding agreement of Bank in
accordance with its terms, subject only to the requirement of ratification,
confirmation and approval by Bank's shareholders. At the Effective
Time, Bank will have corporate power to carry on its business as then to be
conducted and will be qualified to do business in every jurisdiction in which
the character and location of the assets to be owned by it or the nature of
the
business to be transacted by it require qualification.
4.2 Capital
Structure. The authorized capital stock of Bank consists of
750,000 shares of Bank Common Stock, par value of $1 per share, of which 400,000
shares are issued and outstanding and are fully paid and
non-assessable. Bank does not have any subscriptions, options,
warrants, calls, or other agreements or commitments, of any kind relating to
or
obligating it to issue any shares of its capital stock. Further,
there are no securities outstanding which are convertible into capital stock
of
Bank. None of the shares of Bank Common Stock has been issued in
violation of any preemptive rights of shareholders.
4.3 No
Subsidiaries. Bank has no subsidiaries and Bank will not organize
or acquire any subsidiaries prior to the Effective Time of the Merger without
the written consent of the President of Premier.
4.4 Authority. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement do not, and the consummation of the
Merger and transactions contemplated hereby will not, violate any provision
of
the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws of Bank, or any provision of, or result
in the acceleration of any obligation under, any material mortgage, deed of
trust, note, lien, lease, franchise, license, permit, agreement, instrument,
order, arbitration award, judgment, injunction or decree, or result in the
termination of any material license, franchise, lease, or permit to which Bank
is a party or by which it is bound, and will not violate or conflict with any
other material restriction of any kind or character to which Bank is
subject.
4.5 Bank
Financial Statements. Bank has delivered to Premier prior to the
execution of this Agreement copies of the following financial statements of
Bank
(which, together with all future financial statements to be furnished are
collectively referred to herein as the "Bank Financial
Statements"): the audited Balance Sheets of Bank as of December 31,
2006, December 31, 2005 and December 31, 2004, and the related Statements of
Income, Statements of Cash Flows and Statements of Changes in Shareholders’
Equity for the years then ended, and the notes thereto. The Bank
Financial Statements (as of the dates thereof and for the periods covered
thereby):
(a) are
in
accordance with the books and records of Bank, which are complete and correct
in
all material respects that are required by generally accepted accounting
principles (except as otherwise required or approved by applicable regulatory
authorities or by applicable law) and which have been maintained in accordance
with good business practice; and
(b) present
fairly
the financial position and results of operations and changes in financial
position of Bank as of the dates and for the periods indicated, in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles (except as otherwise required
or
approved by applicable regulatory authorities or by applicable law), applied
on
a basis consistent with prior years, and do not fail to disclose any material
extraordinary or out-of-period items.
Bank's
unaudited Balance Sheet and the
related unaudited Statement of Income and Statement of Changes in Shareholders’
Equity, as reported in the Bank’s FDIC Quarterly Call Report for the calendar
quarter ending June 30, 2007, and for each calendar quarter thereafter until
the
Effective Time, all of which Bank shall deliver to Premier as soon as
practicable, will be prepared in accordance with accounting principles
consistently applied and will fairly present Bank's financial condition and
results of operations as of such date and for such period.
15
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
4.6 Accuracy
of Annual Reports. Bank's annual reports to its shareholders for
the years 2006 and 2005 heretofore delivered to Premier do not contain as of
the
dates thereof any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
4.7 Allowance
for Possible Loan Losses. The allowances for possible loan losses
shown on the Balance Sheet of Bank as of December 31, 2006, have been
established and are adequate in all material respects under the requirements
of
generally accepted accounting principles to provide for possible losses, net
of
recoveries relating to loans previously charged off, on loans outstanding
(including accrued interest receivable) as of December 31, 2006.
4.8 Absence
of Undisclosed Liabilities. At December 31, 2006, the Bank had no
obligation or liability (contingent or otherwise) which was material, or which
when combined with all similar obligations or liabilities would have been
material, to Bank (i) except as disclosed in the Bank Financial Statements
or as
previously disclosed to Premier in writing; and (ii) except, in the case of
any
unfunded loan commitments made in the ordinary course of its business and
consistent with generally accepted banking practices; nor does there exist
a set
of circumstances resulting from transactions effected or events occurring on
or
prior to December 31, 2006, or from any action omitted to be taken during such
period that, to the knowledge of Bank, could reasonably be expected to result
in
any such material obligation or liability, except as previously disclosed to
Premier in writing, or as disclosed or provided for in the Bank Financial
Statements. The amounts set up as liabilities for taxes in the Bank
Financial Statements are sufficient for the payment of all respective taxes
(including, without limitation, federal, state, local and foreign excise,
franchise, property, payroll, income, capital stock and sales and use taxes)
accrued in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and unpaid
at December 31, 2006. Since December 31, 2006, the Bank has not
incurred or paid any obligation or liability which would be material to Bank,
except for obligations incurred or paid in connection with transactions by
it in
the ordinary course of its business consistent with generally accepted banking
practices and except as disclosed herein.
16
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
4.9 Tax
Matters.
(a) All
federal, state, local and foreign tax returns, (including, without limitation,
estimated tax returns, withholding tax returns with respect to employees, and
FICA and FUTA returns) required to be filed by or on behalf of Bank have been
timely filed or requests for extensions have been timely filed, granted and
have
not expired and all returns filed are complete and accurate to the best
information and belief of Bank management. All taxes shown on filed
returns have been paid. As of the date hereof, and as of the
Effective Time, there is no audit examination, deficiency or refund litigation
or matter in controversy with respect to any taxes that might result in a
determination adverse to Bank, except as reserved against in the Bank Financial
Statements, or as previously disclosed to Premier in writing. All
taxes, interest, additions and penalties due with respect to completed and
settled examinations or concluded litigation have been paid.
(b) Except
as previously disclosed to Premier in writing, the Bank has not executed an
extension or waiver of any statute of limitations on the assessment or
collection of any tax due that is currently in effect.
(c) To
the
extent any federal, state, local or foreign taxes are due from Bank for the
period or periods beginning January 1, 2006, or thereafter through and including
the Effective Time, adequate provision on an estimated basis has been or will
be
made for the payment of such taxes by establishment of appropriate tax liability
accounts on the last monthly financial statements of Bank, prepared before
the
Effective Time.
(d) Deferred
taxes
of the Bank have been provided for in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles.
4.10 Loans. Except
as previously disclosed to Premier in writing or as disclosed or provided for
in
the Bank Financial Statements, to the best knowledge and belief of its
management, each loan reflected as an asset of Bank in the Bank Financial
Statements as of December 31, 2006, or acquired since that date, is the legal,
valid and binding obligation of the obligor named therein, enforceable in
accordance with its terms, was made in the ordinary course of business, was
not
known to be uncollectible at the time it was made and was made in accordance
with the standard loan policies of such lending bank, and no loan having an
unpaid balance (principal and accrued interest) in excess of $50,000.00 is
subject to any asserted defense, offset or counterclaim known to
Bank.
4.11 Properties. Except
as previously disclosed to Premier in writing or disclosed in the Bank Financial
Statements, Bank has good and marketable title, free and clear of all material
liens, encumbrances, charges, defaults or equities of whatever character, to
all
of the respective properties and assets, tangible or intangible, whether real,
personal or mixed, reflected in the Bank Financial Statements as being owned
by
it at December 31, 2006 or acquired by it after December 31, 2006. To
the best knowledge and belief of Bank management, all buildings, and all
fixtures, equipment and other property and assets which in the opinion of
management are material to its business, held under leases or subleases by
Bank
are held under valid instruments enforceable in accordance with their respective
terms (except as previously disclosed in writing to Premier and except as
enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or 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 proceedings may be brought).
17
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
4.12 Compliance
with
Laws. Except as previously disclosed in writing to Premier,
the Bank, to its best knowledge and belief:
(a) is
in
compliance with all laws, regulations, reporting and licensing requirements
and
orders applicable to its business or any of its employees (because of such
employee's activities on behalf of it), the breach or violation of which could
have a material adverse effect on such business; and
(b) has
received no notification (not previously disclosed to Premier in writing) from
any agency or department of federal, state or local government or regulatory
authorities or the staff thereof asserting that any such entity is not in
compliance with any of the statutes, regulations, rules or ordinances which
such
governmental authority or regulatory authority enforces, or threatening to
revoke any license, franchise, permit or governmental authorization, and is
subject to no agreement with any regulatory authorities with respect to its
assets or business.
4.13 Employee
Benefit Plans. Except as previously disclosed in writing to
Premier, with respect to any plan or arrangement of Bank which constitutes
an
employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA:
(a) Except for liabilities to the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation pursuant to Section 4007 of ERISA, all of which
have been fully paid, and except for liabilities to the Internal Revenue Service
under Section 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, if any, all of which
have been fully paid, the Bank has no liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation or to the Internal Revenue Service with respect to any pension
plan
qualified under Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
(b) All "employee benefit plans", as defined in
Section 3(3) of ERISA, which cover one or more employees employed by Bank (each
individually, a "Plan", and collectively, the "Plan") comply in all material
respects with ERISA and, where applicable for tax-qualified or tax-favored
treatment, with the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. As of December 31,
2006, no material liability under any Plan that is not reflected in the Bank
Financial Statements (other than such normally unrecorded liabilities under
the
Plans for sick leave, holiday, education, bonus, vacation, incentive
compensation and anniversary awards, provided that such liabilities are not
in
any event material). Neither the Plans nor any trustee or
administrator thereof has engaged in a "prohibited transaction" within the
meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or, where applicable, Section 4975 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 for which no exemption is applicable, nor have
there been any "reportable events" within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA
for which the 30-day notice therefor has not been waived.
(c) No
litigation is pending against any plan or plan fiduciary seeking the payment
of
benefits or alleging a breach of trust or fiduciary duty by any plan
fiduciary.
(d) Bank
is not a party to any multiemployer pension plan as defined in Section 414(f)
of
the Code and Section 3(37) of ERISA.
18
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
4.14 Commitments
and
Contracts. Except as previously disclosed in writing to Premier
the Bank is not a party or subject to any of the following (whether written
or
oral, express or implied):
(i) any
employment contract or understanding (including any understandings or
obligations with respect to severance or termination pay liabilities or fringe
benefits) with any present or former officer, director, employee or consultant
(other than those which are terminable at will by Bank and involve not in excess
of $25,000 per year);
(ii) any
plan, contract or understanding providing for bonuses, pensions, options,
deferred compensation, retirement payments, profit sharing or similar
understandings with respect to any present or former officer, director or
consultant involving in excess of $25,000 per year;
(iii) any
contract or agreement with any labor union;
(iv) any
contract not made in the ordinary course of business containing covenants
limiting the freedom of Bank to compete in any line of business or with any
person or involving any restriction of the area in which, or method by which,
Bank will carry on its business (other than as may be required by law or
applicable regulatory authorities);
(v) any
lease with annual rental payments aggregating $50,000 or more.
4.15 Labor. No
work stoppage involving Bank is pending or, to the best of Bank's knowledge,
threatened. Bank is not involved in, or threatened with or affected
by, any labor dispute, arbitration, lawsuit or administrative proceeding which
could materially and adversely affect the business of Bank. Employees
of Bank are not represented by any labor union nor are any collective bargaining
agreements otherwise in effect with respect to such employees.
4.16 Material
Contracts Furnished. Bank has made available to Premier true and
complete copies of all material contracts, leases and other agreements to which
Bank is a party or by which it is bound and of all employment, pension,
retirement, stock option, profit sharing, deferred compensation, consultant,
bonus, group insurance, or similar plans with respect to any of the directors,
officers, or other employees of Bank.
4.17 Material
Contracts. Except as previously disclosed to Premier in writing
and except as is otherwise provided in this Agreement, neither the Bank or
any
of its respective assets, businesses or operations is, as of the date hereof,
a
party to, or is bound or affected by, or receives benefits under, (i) any
material agreement, arrangement or commitment not cancellable by it without
penalty, other than agreements, arrangements or commitments entered into in
the
ordinary course of its business and negotiated on an arms-length basis, or
(ii)
any material agreement, arrangement or commitment relating to the employment,
election or retention in office of any director or officer other than
agreements, arrangements or commitments entered into in the ordinary course
of
its business and negotiated on an arms-length basis.
19
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
4.18 Material
Contract Defaults. Bank is not in default in any material respect
under any material contract, agreement, commitment, arrangement, lease,
insurance policy or other instrument to which it is a party or by which its
respective assets, business or operations may be bound or affected or under
which it or its respective assets, business or operations receive benefits,
and
there has not occurred any event which with the lapse of time or the giving
of
notice or both would constitute such a default, except as previously disclosed
to Premier in writing.
4.19 Legal
Proceedings. Except as previously disclosed to Premier by Bank in
writing, there are no actions, suits or proceedings instituted or pending,
or to
the best knowledge of Bank threatened (or unasserted but considered probable
of
assertion and which if asserted would have at least a reasonable probability
of
an unfavorable outcome), including eminent domain proceedings, against or
relating to Bank, or against any property, asset, interest or right of Bank,
that could have a material and adverse effect on the condition (financial or
other, present or prospective), business, properties, assets, operations,
liabilities or prospects of Bank, or that threaten or would impede the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The
Bank is not a party to any agreement or instrument or subject to any charter
or
other corporate restriction or any judgment, order, writ, injunction, stay,
decree, rule, regulation, code or ordinance that threatens or might impede
the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
4.20 Absence
of Certain Changes or Events. Since December 31, 2006, the Bank
has not: (i) incurred any material liability, except in the ordinary
course of its business, consistent with generally acceptable banking practice
and except as permitted pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) suffered any material
adverse change in its business, operations, assets or condition (financial
or
other); or (iii) failed to operate its business consistent with generally
acceptable banking practice.
4.21 Reports. Since
January 1, 2006, the Bank has filed all reports and statements, together with
any amendments required to be made with respect thereto, which it was required
to file with: (i) the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System; (ii) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; (iii) the West Virginia
Department of Banking; and (iv) any other governmental agency or regulatory
authority having jurisdiction over its operations. Each of such
reports and documents, including the financial statements, exhibits and
schedules thereto, and each other document delivered to Premier by Bank does
not
contain any statement which, at the time and in the light of the circumstances
under which it was made, is false or misleading with respect to any material
fact or which omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the
statements contained therein not false or misleading.
20
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
4.22 Accuracy
of Proxy Statement. The material which refers to Bank and which
will be submitted by Bank for inclusion in the proxy statement referred to
in
Section 10 hereof, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, mailed to the
holders of Bank Common Stock will not contain any untrue statements of material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading.
4.23 Investments. Except
as incurred in the ordinary course of business as heretofore conducted or as
previously disclosed to Premier in writing, all securities owned by Bank of
record and beneficially are free and clear of all mortgages, liens, pledges
and
encumbrances. Any securities owned of record by Bank in an amount
equal to 5% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the
issuer have been previously disclosed to Premier in writing. There
are no voting trusts or other agreements or undertakings with respect to the
voting of such securities.
4.24 Securities
Portfolio. Since December 31, 2006, there have been no
significant changes in the quality of Bank's portfolio of securities except
as
previously disclosed to Premier in writing.
4.25 Environmental
Matters. To the knowledge of Bank, neither Bank nor any
properties owned or operated by Bank has been or is in violation of or liable
under any Environmental Law (as hereinafter defined). There are no
actions, suits or proceedings, or demands, claims, notices or investigations
(including, without limitation notices, demand letters or requests for
information from any environmental agency) instituted or pending, or the best
knowledge of Bank's management, threatened relating to the liability of any
properties owned or operated by Bank under any Environmental
Law. "Environmental Law" means any federal, state, local or foreign
law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, code, license, permit, authorization,
approval, consent, order, judgment, decree, injunction or agreement with any
regulatory authority relating to (i) the protection, preservation or restoration
of the environment (including, without limitation, air, water vapor, surface
water, ground water, drinking water supply, surface soil, subsurface soil,
plant
and animal life or any other natural resource) and/or (ii) the use, storage,
recycling, treatment, generation, transportation, processing, handling,
labeling, production, release or disposal of any substance presently listed,
defined, designated or classified as hazardous, toxic, radioactive or dangerous,
or otherwise regulated, whether by type or by quantity, including any material
containing any such substance as a component.
4.26 Best
Efforts. On or prior to the Closing Date (hereinafter defined),
Bank will, to the extent permitted by applicable laws, rules and regulations,
take such actions and execute and deliver all such agreements, documents,
certificates or amendments to this Agreement as may be necessary or desirable
to
effectuate the provisions and intent of this Agreement.
4.27 Conduct
of Business - Negative Covenants of Bank. Except as otherwise
contemplated hereby, between the date hereof and the Effective Time, or the
time
when this Agreement terminates as provided herein, the Bank will not, without
the prior written approval of the President of Premier:
21
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
(a) Make
any change in its authorized capital stock.
(b) Issue
any shares of its capital stock, securities convertible into its capital stock,
or any long term debt securities.
(c) Issue
or grant any options, warrants, or other rights to purchase shares of its common
stock.
(d) Declare
or pay
any dividends or other distributions on any shares of common stock.
(e) Purchase
or
otherwise acquire or agree to acquire for a consideration any share of Bank
Common Stock (other than in a fiduciary capacity).
(f) Enter
into or amend any employment, pension, retirement, stock option, profit sharing,
deferred compensation, consultant, bonus, group insurance, or similar plan
in
respect of any of its directors, officers, or other employees, or increase
the
current level of contributions to any such plan now in effect.
(g) Take
any action materially and adversely affecting this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby or the financial condition (present or prospective),
businesses, properties, or operations of Bank.
(h) Acquire,
consolidate or merge with any other company, corporation, bank or banking
association, or acquire, other than in the ordinary course of business, any
assets of any other company, corporation, bank, or banking
association.
(i) Mortgage,
pledge, or subject to a lien or any other encumbrance, any of its assets,
dispose of any of its assets, incur or cancel any debts or claims, or increase
the current level of compensation or benefits payable to its officers, employees
or directors except in the ordinary course of business as heretofore conducted
or take any other action not in the ordinary course of their business as
heretofore conducted or incur any material obligation or enter into any material
contract.
(j) Amend
its Articles of Incorporation or Association, By-laws or Charter.
(k) Take
any action to solicit, initiate, encourage, or authorize any person, including
directors, officers and other employees, to solicit from any third party any
inquiries or proposals relating to the disposition of the business or assets
of
Bank, or the acquisition of their Bank Common Stock, or the merger of Bank
with
any person other than Premier, and Bank shall promptly notify Premier orally
of
all the relevant details relating to all inquiries and proposals which it may
receive relating to any of such matters. Nothing herein shall be
construed to limit or affect the fiduciary obligation of Bank's officers and
directors to Bank shareholders.
22
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
4.28 Conduct
of Business - Affirmative Covenants of Bank. Bank covenants and
agrees that:
(a) It
will promptly advise Premier in writing of the name and address of and number
of
shares of Bank Common Stock held by each shareholder who elects to exercise
his,
her or its rights to appraisal in connection with the Merger pursuant to the
West Virginia Business Corporation Act.
(b) Subsequent
to
the date of this Agreement and prior to the Effective Time it will operate
its
business only in the normal course and manner.
(c) It
will make available to Premier for review prior to Bank’s final loan approval,
any loan documentation, credit memorandums or other related documentation
requested or received by Bank in its decision making process in determining
whether to extend credit to any borrower for:
|
(1)
|
Any
new loan, or renewal of an existing loan, that totals $250,000 or
greater;
or
|
|
(2)
|
Any
new loan, or renewal of an existing loan, which, when included with
all
other loans from Bank to any such borrower and their related interests,
would cause such borrower’s total loans from Bank, including loans from
Bank to their related interests, to exceed
$400,000.
|
(d) From
and after the execution of this Agreement, Bank will promptly advise Premier
of
any material adverse change in the financial condition, assets, business
operations or key personnel of Bank and of any material breach of any
representation or warranty made by Bank in this Agreement.
(e) Immediately
upon the execution of this Agreement, it will direct its accountants to give
Premier access to all information, documents and working papers pertaining
to
Bank.
(f) Subsequent
to the date of this Agreement and prior to the Effective Time, Bank shall
maintain in full force and effect adequate fire, casualty, public liability,
employee fidelity and other insurance coverage in effect on the date of this
Agreement in order to protect Bank against losses for which insurance protection
can reasonably be obtained.
(g) Within
ten days from the execution of this Agreement, Bank shall furnish to Premier
a
list, accurate as of the close of business on a date not more than ten (10)
days
prior to the date on which such list is furnished, containing the names and
addresses of all holders of Bank Common Stock as the same appear on the stock
registration books of Bank and the number of shares held by each. At
the Effective Time, Bank shall furnish to Premier a list, true, correct and
complete as of the close of business on the preceding day, containing the names
and addresses of all holders of Bank Common Stock as the same appear on Bank's
stock registration books and the number of shares held by each.
23
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
(h) It
will use its best efforts in good faith to take or cause to be taken all action
required under this Agreement on its part to be taken as promptly as practicable
so as to permit the consummation of the Merger and the transactions contemplated
hereby at the earliest possible date and cooperate fully with Premier to that
end.
24
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
5. Indemnification and
Confidentiality
5.1 Access
and Information. Bank and Premier shall each afford to the other,
and to the other's accountants, counsel and other representatives, full access
during normal business hours throughout the period prior to the Closing Date
to
all of its properties, books, contracts, commitments and records (including
but
not limited to tax returns), and, during such period, each shall furnish
promptly to the other (i) a copy of each report, schedule and other document
filed or received by it pursuant to the requirements of federal or state
securities and banking laws and (ii) all other information concerning its
business, properties and personnel as such other party may reasonably request,
provided that no investigation pursuant to this Section 5.1 shall affect any
representations or warranties or the conditions to the obligations of the
parties to consummate the Merger.
5.2 Furnishing
Information and Indemnification. Premier and the Premier
Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the Bank, on the other hand, have furnished
or will furnish as soon as practicable after the date of this Agreement, to
each
other all the information (including financial statements, information and
schedules) concerning themselves required for inclusion in:
(a) any
applications to be filed by any of Premier or Bank with the Federal Reserve
Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the West Virginia Board
of
Banking and Financial Institutions;
(b) the
registration statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on behalf of under the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with the Merger
and
the proxy statement to solicit the approval of Bank shareholders to the Merger,
and any documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
connection therewith;
(c) any
filings to be made by Premier with state securities authorities in connection
with the transactions contemplated hereunder; and
(d) any
other request, application, statement, report or material to be made or filed
by
any party to or with any regulatory authority or any governmental agency,
department or instrumentality in connection with the transactions contemplated
hereunder.
Premier
represents and warrants to
Bank, and Bank represents and warrants to Premier, that all information so
furnished for such requests, statements, applications, reports and materials
shall be true and correct in all material respects without omission of any
material fact required to be stated to make the information therein not false
or
misleading. Premier will indemnify and hold harmless Bank, and Bank
will indemnify and hold harmless Premier and each of the Premier Subsidiaries,
each of their or the Premier Subsidiaries' and the Bank's respective directors
and officers, and each person, if any, who controls such entities within the
meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, from and against any and all losses,
damages, expenses or liabilities to which such entity, or any such director,
officer or controlling person may become subject under applicable laws
(including the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934)
and rules and regulations thereunder and will reimburse the other, and any
such
director, officer or controlling person, for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any actions,
whether or not resulting in liability, insofar as such losses, damages,
expenses, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any such
request, statement, application, report or material 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 in order to make the statements therein not
misleading, but only insofar as any such statement or omission was made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing in
connection therewith by such indemnifying party for use therein.
25
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
5.3 Confidentiality. It
is hereby agreed that, except (i) as otherwise required in the performance
by
the parties of their respective obligations hereunder or under the Merger and
(ii) as otherwise required by law, any non-public information received from
the
other party during the course of the investigation contemplated pursuant hereto
shall remain and be kept as confidential information by it and all copies
thereof will be returned promptly at the request of the party furnishing such
information in the event of the termination of this Agreement and the
Merger. Each of the parties may disclose such information to its
respective employees, affiliates, counsel, accountants, representatives,
professional advisors and consultants, and shall require each of them to agree
to keep all such information confidential.
5.4 Updates
to Information. At the reasonable request of any party hereto,
any other party will update by amendment or supplement any disclosure made
in
writing by such party to the other party and each party hereby represents and
warrants that such written disclosures, as so amended or supplemented, shall
be
true, correct and complete as of the date or dates thereof.
26
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
6. Conditions Precedent
The
consummation of this Agreement and
the Merger is conditioned upon the following:
(a) Governmental
Approvals. The approval of and consent to the Merger and the
transactions contemplated hereby shall have been given prior to the Effective
Time by the regulatory agencies whose approval or consent is required,
including, without limitation, to the extent provided by applicable laws, rules
and regulations, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Kentucky Office of Financial
Institutions, the West Virginia Board of Banking and Financial Institutions
and
the Securities and Exchange Commission, and all notice periods, waiting periods
delay periods and all periods for review, objection or appeal of or to any
of
the consents, approvals, or permissions required by law with respect to the
consummation of the Merger and this Agreement shall have
expired. Such approvals shall not be conditioned or restricted in a
manner which, in the judgment of the Board of Directors of Premier, materially
adversely affects the economic assumptions of the transactions contemplated
hereby so as to render inadvisable consummation of the Merger.
(b) Shareholder
Approval. The shareholders of Bank and Interim Bank shall have
ratified, confirmed and approved this Agreement and the terms and conditions
herein contained by the affirmative vote of shareholders of each such
corporation, owning at least a majority of its capital stock outstanding, and
final approval of this Agreement shall have taken place as provided in Section
10 hereof, and all provisions of Section 10 shall have been fully complied
with.
(c) Registration
Statement. Premier at its sole cost and expense shall have
prepared and filed an effective registration statement on Form S-4 or on such
other appropriate form as may be prescribed by the Securities and Exchange
Commission and as Premier may reasonably be able to prepare and file, providing
timely registration under the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, of the Premier Common Stock to be exchanged in connection with the
Merger, and a prospectus shall have been delivered to all shareholders of Bank
prior to obtaining the approval of this Agreement by such shareholders as
provided in Section 10, which prospectus may be the same document or part of
the
same document to the extent permitted by the rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission as the proxy statement referred to in Section
10, or in the alternative, Premier shall have received an opinion of its counsel
that registration of such shares under the Securities Act of 1933 is not
required. The Registration Statement shall be effective and all
post-effective amendments filed by Premier with respect to such registration
statement shall have been declared effective or shall have been withdrawn and
no
stop orders suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued and
no
proceedings for that purpose shall, before the Effective Time, have been
initiated nor, to the knowledge of Premier, threatened by the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
(d) Affiliates. Bank
agrees to deliver to Premier a letter identifying all persons whom it believes
to be, at the time the Merger is submitted to a vote of Bank stockholders,
"affiliates" of Bank, for purposes of Rule 145 or Rule 144 (as applicable)
under
the Securities Act of 1933, and shall use its best efforts to cause each person
who is identified as an "affiliate" in such letter to deliver to Premier prior
to the Closing Date a written agreement providing that such person will agree
not to sell, pledge, transfer or otherwise dispose of the shares of Premier
Common Stock to be received by such person in the Merger except in compliance
with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules
and
regulations thereunder.
27
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
(e) No
Divestiture or Adverse Condition. The approvals, consents and
permissions referred to in subparagraphs (a), (b) and (c) hereof shall not
have
required the divestiture or cessation of any significant part of the present
operations conducted by Premier, Bank or any Premier Subsidiary, and shall
not
have imposed any other condition, which divestiture, cessation or condition
Premier deems to be materially disadvantageous or burdensome.
(f) Accuracy
of Representations and Warranties; Performance of Obligations and Covenants
-
Premier. Unless waived by Bank, the representations and
warranties of Premier contained in this Agreement shall be correct on and as
of
the Closing Date and thereafter until the Effective Time in all material
respects with the same effect as though made on and as of such Effective Time
except for changes which are not in the aggregate material and adverse to the
financial condition, businesses, properties, or operations of Premier and
Premier shall have performed in all material respects all of its obligations
and
agreements hereunder theretofore to be performed by it and Bank shall have
received on the Closing Date an appropriate certificate (in affidavit form)
to
the foregoing effect dated as of the Closing Date and executed on behalf of
Premier by one or more appropriate executive officers of Premier.
(g) Accuracy
of
Representations and Warranties; Performance of Obligations and Covenants -
Bank. Unless waived by Premier, the representations and
warranties of Bank contained in this Agreement shall be correct on and as of
the
Closing Date and thereafter until the Effective Time with the same effect as
though made on and as of such Effective Time except for changes which are not
in
the aggregate material and adverse to the financial condition, businesses,
properties or operations of Bank, and Bank shall have performed in all material
respects all of its obligations and agreements hereunder theretofore to be
performed by it and Premier shall have received on the Closing Date an
appropriate certificate (in affidavit form) to the foregoing effect dated as
of
the Closing Date and executed on behalf of Bank by one or more appropriate
executive officers of Bank.
(h) Opinion
of
Counsel for Bank. Premier shall have received an opinion of
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, PLLC, counsel for Bank, dated the Closing Date, with respect
to
such matters as Premier may reasonably request and to the effect
that:
(1) Bank
is a state banking corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the State of West Virginia and is duly authorized
to
own its properties and to conduct its business as then being
conducted.
(2) The
authorized capitalization of Bank is as set forth in such opinion and the shares
of Bank Common Stock issued and outstanding (as of a date specified in such
opinion not more than 5 days prior to the date of such opinion) are as stated
in
such opinion. Such issued and outstanding shares of stock are validly
issued, fully paid and were not issued in violation of any preemptive rights
of
the shareholders of Bank. As of such date, there are, to the best of
such counsel's knowledge, no options, warrants, rights, commitments or
convertible securities outstanding or authorized on behalf of Bank, calling
for
the purchase from it of shares of unissued capital stock or capital stock held
as treasury shares.
28
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
(3) Bank
had the corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its
obligations under this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by Bank and constitutes the legal, valid
and
binding obligation of Bank, enforceable in accordance with its
terms.
(4) All
necessary corporate proceedings of the board of directors and the shareholders
of Bank, to the extent required by law, its Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
or otherwise, to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement by
Bank
and the consummation of the Merger by Bank pursuant to this Agreement have
been
duly and validly taken. The number of shares of stock of Bank voted
for and against the Merger are as stated in such counsel's opinion; and the
number of shares of such stock as to which shareholders have perfected their
rights to dissent and appraisal under the West Virginia Business Corporation
Act
are as stated in such counsel's opinion.
(5) Such
counsel has reviewed the registration statement filed by Premier as described
in
Section 6(c), and with respect to all information relating to Bank contained
therein, such counsel does not know of any respect in which the registration
statement contained any false or misleading statement of any material fact
or
failed to state a material fact which was necessary to be stated to prevent
the
statements made from being false or misleading in any material respect (except
as to the financial statements and related notes and schedules and other
financial data, as to which such counsel need express no opinion).
(6) The
consummation of the Merger will not violate or result in a breach of, or
constitute a default under, the Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws of Bank
or
constitute a breach or termination of, or default under, any agreement or
instrument of which such counsel has knowledge and which would have a material
adverse affect on the business of Bank, and to which Bank is a party or by
which
it or any of its property is bound.
(7) Such
counsel does not know of any breach of any warranty contained in this Agreement
on the part of Bank or any failure on the part of Bank to perform any of the
conditions precedent to the consummation of the Merger imposed upon it
herein.
(i) Opinion
of Counsel for Premier. Bank shall have received the opinion of
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx LLP, counsel for Premier, dated the Closing Date, with respect
to such matters as Bank may reasonably request and to the effect
that:
(1) Premier
is a
corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
laws
of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a bank holding company under the Bank
Holding Company Act of 1956, and is duly authorized to own its properties and
to
conduct its business as then being conducted.
29
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
(2) Each
of the Premier State Banks are banking corporations duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the States of Ohio or West
Virginia or the Commonwealth of Kentucky, as the case may be, and each is duly
authorized to own its properties and to conduct its business as then being
conducted.
(3) The
authorized capitalization of Premier is as set forth in such opinion and the
shares of Premier Common Stock issued and outstanding (as of a date specified
in
such opinion not more than 5 days prior to the date of such opinion) are as
stated in such opinion. Such issued and outstanding shares of stock
are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and were not issued in
violation of any preemptive rights of the shareholders of Premier or any Premier
Subsidiary. As of such date, there are, to the best of such counsel's
knowledge, no options, warrants, rights, commitments or convertible securities
outstanding or authorized on behalf of Premier or any Premier Subsidiary,
calling for the purchase from any of them of shares of unissued capital stock
or
capital stock held as treasury shares, except as otherwise permitted by the
Agreement or for those shares of stock issued pursuant to any employee stock
option plan of Premier. All of the issued and outstanding shares of
each of the Premier Subsidiaries are held of record by Premier.
(4) All
necessary corporate proceedings of the Boards of Directors and the shareholders
of Premier and Interim Bank to the extent required by law, their Articles of
Incorporation or Association or By-Laws or otherwise, to authorize the execution
and delivery of this Agreement or the Adoption Agreement and the consummation
of
the Merger pursuant to this Agreement have been duly and validly
taken. Premier and Interim Bank have the corporate power and
authority to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement or the Adoption
Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by Premier and Interim Bank (by virtue of the Adoption Agreement)
and
constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of Premier and Interim
Bank
in accordance with its terms.
(5) The
consummation of the Merger will not violate or result in a breach of, or
constitute a default under the Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws of Premier
or constitute a breach or termination of, or default under, any agreement or
instrument of which such counsel has knowledge and to which Premier is a party
or by which it or its property is bound.
(6) To
the
best of such counsel's knowledge, all approvals of public authorities, federal,
state or local, the granting of which is necessary for the consummation of
the
Merger by Premier have been obtained.
(7) The
shares of Premier Common Stock into which shares of Bank Common Stock are to
be
converted upon the Effective Time will upon the Effective Time be duly
authorized, and such shares, when transferred to holders of Bank Common Stock
pursuant to the terms of the Merger, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable shares of Premier Common Stock.
(8) Such
counsel has reviewed the registration statement described in Section 6(c),
and
with respect to all information relating to the Merger and to Premier and the
Premier Subsidiaries contained therein, such counsel does not know of any
respect in which the registration statement contained any false or misleading
statement of any material fact or failed to state a material fact which was
necessary to be stated to prevent the statements made from being false or
misleading in any material respect (except as to the financial statements and
related notes and schedules and other financial data, as to which such counsel
need express no opinion).
30
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
(9) The
registration statement has been filed on the proper form under the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, notice of effectiveness
of the registration statement has been received, and, to the best of such
counsel's knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
registration statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has
been instituted.
(j) Less
than 20% Dissenters. Unless waived by Premier, the holders of no
more than 20% of the outstanding shares of Bank Common Stock shall have elected
to exercise their statutory rights to appraisal in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby, pursuant to the West Virginia Business
Corporation Act.
(k) Tax
Ruling or Opinion Letter. Premier and Bank shall have received a
ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, or at their option, Bank shall have
received an opinion of tax counsel acceptable to it and Premier shall have
received an opinion of tax counsel acceptable to it, to the effect
that:
(1) The
Merger will constitute and qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of
Sections 368 of the Internal Revenue Code and Bank, Surviving Bank and Premier
will each qualify as "a party to a reorganization" as that term is defined
in
the Internal Revenue Code;
(2) No
gain or loss will be recognized by the shareholders of Bank who exchange their
Bank Common Stock for Premier Common Stock pursuant to the Merger, except that
gain or loss may be recognized as to cash received as Merger Consideration
and
cash received in lieu of fractional share interests;
(3) No
gain or loss will be recognized by Premier, Bank, or Surviving Bank by reason
of
the Merger; and
(4) The
holding period of Premier Common Stock received by Bank shareholders in exchange
for Bank Common Stock will include the holding period of the shares of Bank
Common Stock so exchanged, provided that the Bank Common Stock is held as a
capital asset at the Effective Time.
(l) Absence
of Material Adverse Changes -Premier. Unless waived by
Bank at or before the Effective Time, there shall have been no material adverse
change in the financial condition, business or assets of Premier since December
31, 2006, and there shall be no suit, action or proceeding pending or threatened
against Premier or any Premier Subsidiary which, if successful, would have
a
material adverse effect on Premier or the Surviving Bank after the consummation
of the Merger.
31
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
(m) Absence
of Material Adverse Changes - Bank. Unless waived by Premier at
or before the Effective Time, there shall have been no material adverse change
in the financial condition, business or assets of Bank since December 31, 2006,
and there shall be no suit, action or proceeding pending or threatened against
Bank which if successful would have a material adverse effect on Bank or the
Surviving Bank after the consummation of the Merger.
32
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
7. Closing Date and Effective Time
7.1 Closing
Date. The closing shall be effected as soon as practicable after
all of the conditions contained herein shall have been satisfied. The
closing shall be held at the offices of Premier in Huntington, West Virginia,
and the closing date ("Closing Date") shall be a mutually agreeable date
following the date of final approval by such regulatory agencies whose approval
is required of the Merger and the transactions contemplated hereby but, in
no
event, later than forty-five (45) days following the date of such final approval
and/or the date when all such conditions are satisfied, whichever date shall
last occur.
7.2 Effective
Time. Subject to the terms and upon satisfaction on or before the
Closing Date of all conditions specified in this Agreement, the Merger shall
be
effective at the time specified in the certificate of merger to be issued by
the
Secretary of State of West Virginia (such time herein called "Effective
Time").
33
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
8. Termination of Agreement
8.1 Grounds
for Termination. This Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing Date, either before
or
after the meeting of the shareholders of Bank:
(a) By
mutual consent in writing of Bank and Premier; or
(b) By
Bank by giving written notice thereof to Premier if (i) a material adverse
change shall have occurred in the financial condition, results of operations
or
business of Premier or any Premier Bank since December 31, 2006, or (ii) Premier
has in any material respect breached any covenant, undertaking, representation
or warranty contained in this Agreement and such breach has not been cured
within thirty (30) days after the giving of such notice; or
(c) By
Premier by giving written notice thereof to Bank if (i) a material adverse
change shall have occurred in the financial condition, results of operations
or
business of Bank since December 31, 2006 or (ii) Bank has in any material
respect breached any covenant, undertaking, representation or warranty contained
in this Agreement and such breach has not been cured within thirty (30) days
after the giving of such notice; or
(d) By
either Bank or Premier upon written notice to the other if any regulatory agency
whose approval of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is required
denies such application for approval by final order or ruling (which order
or
ruling shall not be considered final until expiration or waiver of all periods
for review or appeal); or
(e) By
either Bank or Premier upon written notice to the other if any condition
precedent to either party's performance hereunder is not satisfied or fulfilled;
or
(f) By
either Bank or Premier if the Merger shall violate any non-appealable final
order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body having competent
jurisdiction; or
(g) By
either Bank or Premier upon the bankruptcy, insolvency or assignment for the
benefit of creditors of Bank, Premier or of any of the Premier Banks;
or
(h) By
either Bank or Premier, if the shareholders of Bank shall fail to approve the
Merger by the vote required under the West Virginia Business Corporation Act
and
the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of Bank.
8.2 Effect
of Termination. In the event of termination of this Agreement for
any reason other than a breach thereof, neither party hereto shall have any
liability to the other of any nature whatsoever, including any liability for
loss, damages, or expenses suffered or claimed to be suffered by reason thereof,
except as provided in Section 8.3.
34
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
8.3. Lost
Opportunity Costs.
(a) Bank
shall pay promptly to Premier a cancellation fee of $275,000.00 (the
"Termination Fee") if a Triggering Event (as defined in Section 8.3(b) below)
has occurred; provided that Premier has not breached in any material respect
the
obligations of Premier contained in this Agreement. The Termination
Fee shall be payable in immediately available funds.
(b) For
purposes of this Section 8.3, a "Triggering Event" shall mean:
(i) a
willful breach of this Agreement which would permit Premier to terminate this
Agreement; or
(ii) the
occurrence of both paragraphs (A) and (B):
(A) The
Bank
Board of Directors fails to recommend the Merger to Bank shareholders and to
continue such recommendation until the Bank shareholders meeting duly called
and
held for the purpose of approving the Merger (the "Shareholders Meeting"),
unless the Bank Board of Directors reasonably concludes that one of the
conditions precedent to Bank's obligation to close, other than the required
shareholders' vote, is not likely to be met, or unless a recommendation of
the
Merger would constitute a breach of the Bank Board of Directors fiduciary duty,
and
(B) the
shareholders of Bank fail to approve and adopt the Merger at the Shareholders
Meeting in accordance with the terms hereof; or
(iii) the
occurrence of both paragraphs (A) and (B):
(A) The
shareholders of Bank fail to approve and adopt the Merger at the Shareholders
Meeting in accordance with the terms hereof and,
(B) pursuant
to
an offer or negotiations initiated or commenced while this Agreement is in
effect, either: (a) within 12 months following the date hereof, Bank
announces or enters into a contract for a transaction with any person or group
of persons relating to a merger or other business combination involving Bank
or
the sale or other disposition of a majority of the assets of, or equity interest
in, Bank other than a transaction pursuant to which Bank is the surviving
corporation and the shareholders of Bank are the owners of a majority of the
stock of the surviving corporation subsequent to the transaction (an
"Acquisition Transaction") and such transaction is consummated within 18 months
following the date hereof; (b) within 12 months following the date hereof,
a
tender or exchange offer is commenced by any person or group of persons to
acquire equity securities of Bank if, after giving effect to such offer, such
person or group would own or have the right to acquire a majority equity
interest in Bank (a "Tender Offer"), and such equity interest is acquired
pursuant to such Tender Offer within 18 months following the date
hereof.
As
used in this Section 8.3, the terms
"person" and "group of persons" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
35
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
8.4 Return
of Information. In the event of the termination of this Agreement
for any reason, each party shall deliver to the other party, and shall require
each of its officers, agents, employees and independent advisers (including
legal, financial and accounting advisers) to deliver to the other party all
documents, work papers, and other material obtained from such other party
relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, whether obtained before or
after the execution hereof, including information obtained pursuant to Section
5
hereof. Each party agrees that notwithstanding any other provision
contained in this Agreement, the undertakings and covenants regarding
confidentiality contained in Section 5 shall survive termination of this
Agreement.
36
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
9. Waiver and Amendment
Except
with respect to required
approvals of the applicable governmental authorities and shareholders, Premier
or Bank by written instrument signed by its President at any time (whether
before or after approval of the Agreement or the Merger by the shareholders
of
Bank), may extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or
other acts of the other and may waive, with respect to the other: (i)
any inaccuracies in the representations or warranties contained in this
Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant hereto, (ii) compliance with
any
of the covenants, undertakings or agreements, or satisfaction of any of the
conditions to its obligations, contained in this Agreement, and/or (iii) the
performance (including performance to the satisfaction of a party or its
counsel) of any obligations set out herein. This Agreement may be
amended or supplemented at any time by mutual agreement of the parties (except
that they may not be amended in any material respect after approval by the
shareholders of the parties without further approval by such
shareholders). Any waiver, amendment or supplement hereof shall be in
writing. Any waiver by Premier or Bank of a condition to its
obligation to perform this Agreement and the subsequent Closing hereunder shall
be without prejudice to the rights or remedies it may have arising out of any
breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or other agreement
hereunder.
37
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
10. Meeting of Shareholders of
Bank
Bank
shall take all steps necessary to
call and hold a meeting of its shareholders in accordance with applicable law
and the Articles of Incorporation and By-laws of Bank as soon as practicable
for
the purpose of submitting this Agreement to its shareholders for their
ratification, approval and confirmation, and Bank will send to its shareholders
for purposes of such meeting a proxy statement which will not contain any untrue
statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained therein not
misleading and which will otherwise comply with all applicable laws, rules
and
regulations. Premier agrees to assist Bank in the preparation of such
proxy statement which will adequately disclose all information relevant and
material to the Merger and which will comply with all such laws, rules and
regulations. Premier agrees that the material submitted by it to Bank
for inclusion in the proxy statement which refers to the Merger and to Premier
and the Premier Subsidiaries will not contain any untrue statement of material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading and which
will
otherwise comply with all applicable laws, rules and
regulations. Bank will cause such proxy statement to be mailed by
First Class mail postage prepaid to all of its shareholders at the last known
address of each such shareholder contained in Bank's records and in the proxy
statement and at such meeting of its shareholders Bank will recommend that
all
shareholders vote in favor of this Agreement and the
Merger. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Bank may disclose to any or
all of its shareholders any facts with respect to Premier which Bank reasonably
deems to be material to such shareholders' consideration of this Agreement
and
the Merger.
38
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
11. Rights of Dissenting
Shareholders
Any
shareholder of Bank who properly
exercises his right to dissent and perfects his appraisal rights under West
Virginia law shall be entitled, with respect to any shares as to which he or
she
shall so dissent, to the fair value of such shares as of the day prior to the
date on which the shareholders of Bank voted to approve the Merger, excluding
any appreciation or depreciation in anticipation of the Merger. The
procedures to be followed and the rights of such dissenting shareholders shall
be those set forth in the West Virginia Business Corporation Act, Sections
31D-13-1301 et seq.
39
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
12. Indemnification.
12.1 Indemnification.
Following the Closing Date and for a period of three (3) years thereafter,
Premier shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the present directors,
officers, and employees of the Bank (an “Indemnified Party”) against all costs
and expenses (including reasonably attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (collectively, “Costs”) incurred in connection
with any claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative by any third party, arising out of
actions or omissions occurring at or prior to the Closing Date (including,
but
not limited to, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) to the fullest
extent that Premier if permitted or required to indemnify (and advance expenses
to) its directors and officers by federal law or under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Kentucky, Premier’s articles of incorporation, Premier’s bylaws,
and any agreement as in effect as of the date hereof.
12.2 Insurance.
For a period of three (3) years from the Closing Date, Premier shall use its
reasonable best efforts to provide director’s and officer’s liability insurance
for the present and former officers and directors of the Bank with respect
to
claims against such directors and officers arising from facts or events which
occurred before the Closing Date, which insurance shall contain at least the
same coverage and amounts, and contain terms and conditions no less
advantageous, as coverage currently being provided by Premier.
12.3 Consolidation
or
Merger. If Premier or any of its successors or assigns
shall consolidate with or merger into any other entity and shall not be the
continuing or surviving entity of such consolidation or merger or shall transfer
all or substantially all of its assets to any entity, then and in each case,
proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of Premier
shall assume the obligations set forth in this Section 12.
12.4 Survival.
Provisions of this Section 12 shall survive the Closing Date and are intended
to
be for the benefit of, and shall be enforceable by, each Indemnified Party
and
his or her heirs and representatives.
40
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
13. Operations after the Closing Date.
13.1 Employees
of the
Bank. Premier shall consider the current employees of the Bank
for employment after the Closing Date. Premier agrees that those
employees of the Bank who become employees of Premier or its subsidiaries on
the
Closing Date (Bank employees), while they remain employees of Premier or its
subsidiaries after the Closing Date, will be provided with benefits under
employee benefit plans during their period of employment which are no less
favorable in the aggregate than those provided by Premier to similarly situated
employees of Premier and its subsidiaries, except as provided
herein. Except as hereinafter provided, as of the Closing Date, in
the event of termination or amendment of any employee benefit and welfare plan
in which Bank employees are eligible to participate, (i) such plans will take
into account for purposes of eligibility, participation, vesting and benefit
accrual (except that there shall not be any benefit accrual for past service
under any qualified defined benefit pension plans), the service of such
employees with the Bank as if such service were with Premier and its
subsidiaries; (ii) provided Bank employee is currently covered under Bank’s
medical and/or health plan at Closing Date, Bank employees will not be subject
to any waiting periods or preexisting condition limitations under any medical,
dental or health plans of Premier or its subsidiaries in which they are eligible
to participate and may participate, except that Bank employees hired within
90
days prior to the Closing Date will be subject to the waiting periods,
preexisting condition limitations, and/or eligibility requirements of
Premier’s benefit plans calculated using the Bank’s date of hire; (iii) Bank
employees will retain credit for unused sick leave and vacation play which
has
been accrued as of the Closing Date; and (iv) for purposes of determining the
entitlement of Bank employees to sick leave and vacation pay following the
Closing Date, the service of such employees with the Bank shall be treated
as if
such service were with Premier and its subsidiaries.
13.2 Severance. Premier
agrees that each Bank employee who is involuntarily terminated (other than
for
cause for actions arising after the Closing Date) within twelve (12) months
of
the Closing Date, shall receive a severance payment equal to one (1) week of
base pay (at the rate in effect on the termination date) for each year of
service at the Bank (with credit for partial years of service), with a minimum
payment equal to four (4) weeks of base pay and a maximum payment equal to
eight
(8) weeks of base pay.
13.3 Survival. The
provisions of this Section 13 shall survive the Closing Date.
41
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
Section
14. Miscellaneous
14.1 Public
Announcements. Prior to the Closing Date, each party shall use
its best efforts to consult with the other party with respect to any prepared
public announcement, statement or release to the press, or statement to a
competitor, customer or other third party (except to its consultants or to
the
regulatory authorities in connection with applications for governmental
approvals or filings) with respect to this Agreement or the Merger or the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, except as may be necessary, in
the
opinion of counsel, to comply with any law, governmental order or
regulation.
14.2 Brokers
and Finders. Bank and Premier represent each to the other that
this Agreement and the Merger contemplated hereby are the result of direct
negotiations between them and that neither Bank nor Premier has incurred any
liability for any broker's, finder's or similar fees in connection with this
Agreement or the Merger.
14.3 Disclosed
In
Writing. As used in this Agreement, the phrase "disclosed in
writing" shall mean disclosed or delivered prior to or within 20 days after,
the
date of this Agreement by means of a writing describing in reasonable detail
the
matters contained therein and delivered in accordance with Section 12.7
hereof. For purposes of this Agreement, anything appearing,
contained, disclosed or described (i) in any Premier Financial Statement or
Bank
Financial Statement (including the notes thereto), (ii) in any call report
or
similar periodic report furnished to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation,
the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board or
the
West Virginia Department of Banking, or (iii) in any periodic report or other
document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including, but
not
limited to, Forms 8-K, Forms 10-K, Forms 10-Q, Annual Reports, and proxy
statements) by either of Premier or Bank, shall be deemed to be previously
disclosed.
14.4 Entire
Agreement. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement among the
parties and there have been no agreements, representations, or warranties among
the parties other than those set forth herein or those provided for
herein.
14.5 Counterparts. This
Agreement has been executed in a number of identical counterparts, and each
such
counterpart shall be deemed to be an original instrument, but in making proof
of
this Agreement, it shall not be necessary to produce or account for more than
one such counterpart.
14.6 Invalid
Provisions. The invalidity or unenforceability of any particular
provision of this Agreement shall not affect the other provisions hereof, and
this Agreement shall be construed in all respects as if such invalid or
unenforceable provision were omitted.
14.7 Notices. Any
notices or other communication required or permitted hereunder shall be
sufficiently given if sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid,
addressed as follows:
42
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
TO
BANK: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxxx, President
Citizens
First Bank, Inc.
000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
00000
with
a copy
to: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx, Esquire
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx PLLC
1600
Laidley Tower (Zip
25301)
X.X.
Xxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
00000
TO
PREMIER: Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, President and Chief Executive Officer
Premier
Financial Bancorp,
Inc.
0000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
00000
with
a copy
to: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx, Esquire
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx, Esquire
Xxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx LLP
P.
O. Xxx 0000
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx 00000
or
such other addresses as shall be furnished in writing by either party to the
other party. Any such notice or communication shall be deemed to have
been given as of the date so mailed.
14.8 Headings. The
captions contained in this Agreement are inserted solely for convenience of
reference and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
14.9 Expenses. Each
of the parties hereto will pay its own fees and expenses incurred in connection
with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except as otherwise
specifically provided herein.
14.10 Governing
Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of West Virginia and the United States
of
America.
14.11 No
Assignment. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure
to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and
assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement may not be assigned by either
party without the written consent of the other party.
14.12 Effectiveness
of
Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective and binding as
to Premier and Bank when one or more counterparts shall have been signed and
delivered by Premier and Bank, and shall become effective and binding as to
Interim Bank when Interim Bank has executed an Adoption Agreement in
substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit "A".
43
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
14.13 Further
Acts. Premier and Bank each agree to execute and deliver on or
before the Closing Date such other documents, certificates, agreements, or
other
writings and to take such other actions as may be necessary or desirable in
order to consummate or implement expeditiously the transactions contemplated
by
this Agreement.
14.14 Representations
and
Warranties Not to Survive. Except for the representations and
warranties contained in Sections 5, 8.3, 14.9 and 14.15, the representations
and
warranties included or provided in this Agreement shall not survive the
Effective Time.
14.15 Individual
Directors. The several Directors of Bank who are signatories to
this Agreement have joined into this Agreement to evidence their assent hereto,
and for the express purpose of binding themselves, and each of them, to the
fulfillment of each of the terms and conditions hereof by the respective parties
and to the diligent, expeditious and good faith pursuit, and timely
consummation, of the transactions herein contemplated. Each of the
Directors hereby agrees to cooperate fully with the parties, their assistants
and agents, in consummating the Merger, to vote appropriately upon all corporate
resolutions of the board of directors toward that end, and to take no action
inconsistent with the purposes of this Agreement or the consummation of the
Merger. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to limit or
affect the fiduciary obligation of Bank's officers and directors to Bank
shareholders or the ability of any director to vote his or her shares of common
stock of the Bank.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, Premier and Bank
have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized officers
and
their corporate seals to be hereunto affixed as of the date first above written,
pursuant to resolutions adopted by the boards of directors of Premier and Bank,
acting by a majority thereof, and WITNESS also the signatures hereto of a
majority of the board of directors of Bank.
PREMIER
FINANCIAL BANCORP,
INC.
By _/s/
Xxxxxx X.
Walker____________________
Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, President and Chief
Executive Officer
ATTEST:
_/s/
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx _____________
_Toney
K. Adkins___________,
Assistant
Secretary
CITIZENS
FIRST BANK, INC.
By
_/s/
Xxxxxx X.
Lookabaugh_______________
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxxxx, President
and
Chief
Executive Officer
ATTEST:
_/s/
X. Xxxxx Miller_______________
_Scott
Miller__________, Secretary
44
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
The
following Directors of Citizens
First
Bank, Inc. do hereby joint in the
foregoing
Agreement to evidence their consent
and
agreement thereto:
_/s/
Xxxx Myers_______________________
_John
Myers_______________, Director
_/s/
X. Xxxxx Miller_____________________
_Scott
Miller________________, Director
_/s/
Xxxxx Xxxx Cope__________________
_Norma
Xxxx Cope__________, Director
_/s/
Xxxxxx X. Facemeyer________________
_Leslie
R. Facemeyer________, Director
_/s/
Xxxxxx X. Lookabaugh_____________
_Thomas
M. Lookabaugh_____, Director
___________________________________
_________________________,
Director
___________________________________
_________________________,
Director
___________________________________
_________________________,
Director
___________________________________
_________________________,
Director
45
Exhibit
10.1 - continued
EXHIBIT
C
Purchase
price fixed at 1.20 shares plus cash required to make purchase price up to
$29.25 per shares but not more than $13.25 per share.
Weighted
Average
Premier
Stock Price
|
Stock
Consideration
|
Cash
per Citizens
First
Share
|
Total
Value per
Citizens
First Share
|
$16.50
|
1.20
|
9.450
|
$29.250
|
$16.40
|
1.20
|
9.570
|
$29.250
|
$16.30
|
1.20
|
9.690
|
$29.250
|
$16.20
|
1.20
|
9.810
|
$29.250
|
$16.10
|
1.20
|
9.930
|
$29.250
|
$16.00
|
1.20
|
10.050
|
$29.250
|
$15.90
|
1.20
|
10.170
|
$29.250
|
$15.80
|
1.20
|
10.290
|
$29.250
|
$15.70
|
1.20
|
10.410
|
$29.250
|
$15.60
|
1.20
|
10.530
|
$29.250
|
$15.50
|
1.20
|
10.650
|
$29.250
|
$15.40
|
1.20
|
10.770
|
$29.250
|
$15.30
|
1.20
|
10.890
|
$29.250
|
$15.20
|
1.20
|
11.010
|
$29.250
|
$15.10
|
1.20
|
11.130
|
$29.250
|
$15.00
|
1.20
|
11.250
|
$29.250
|
$14.90
|
1.20
|
11.370
|
$29.250
|
$14.80
|
1.20
|
11.490
|
$29.250
|
$14.70
|
1.20
|
11.610
|
$29.250
|
$14.60
|
1.20
|
11.730
|
$29.250
|
$14.50
|
1.20
|
11.850
|
$29.250
|
$14.40
|
1.20
|
11.970
|
$29.250
|
$14.30
|
1.20
|
12.090
|
$29.250
|
$14.20
|
1.20
|
12.210
|
$29.250
|
$14.10
|
1.20
|
12.330
|
$29.250
|
$13.90
|
1.20
|
12.570
|
$29.250
|
$13.80
|
1.20
|
12.690
|
$29.250
|
$13.70
|
1.20
|
12.810
|
$29.250
|
$13.60
|
1.20
|
12.930
|
$29.250
|
$13.50
|
1.20
|
13.050
|
$29.250
|
$13.40
|
1.20
|
13.170
|
$29.250
|
$13.33
|
1.20
|
13.250
|
$29.250
|
$13.30
|
1.20
|
13.250
|
$29.214
|
$13.20
|
1.20
|
13.250
|
$29.094
|
$13.10
|
1.20
|
13.250
|
$28.974
|
$13.00
|
1.20
|
13.250
|
$28.854
|
$12.90
|
1.20
|
13.250
|
$28.734
|
$12.80
|
1.20
|
13.250
|
$28.614
|
$12.70
|
1.20
|
13.250
|
$28.494
|
46