AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER BY AND BETWEEN BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP, INC. AND LEGACY BANCORP, INC. DATED AS OF December 21, 2010
EXECUTION
VERSION
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
BY
AND BETWEEN
BERKSHIRE
HILLS BANCORP, INC.
AND
LEGACY
BANCORP, INC.
DATED
AS OF
December
21, 2010
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE
I CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
|
1
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||
1.1
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Certain
Definitions.
|
1
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|
ARTICLE
II THE MERGER
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8
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2.1
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Merger.
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8
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2.2
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Closing;
Effective Time.
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8
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2.3
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Certificate
of Incorporation and Bylaws.
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8
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2.4
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Directors
of the Surviving Corporation.
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8
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2.5
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Effects
of the Merger.
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8
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2.6
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Tax
Consequences.
|
8
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2.7
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Possible
Alternative Structures.
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9
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2.8
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Additional
Actions.
|
9
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ARTICLE
III CONVERSION OF SHARES
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9
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3.1
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Conversion
of Legacy Common Stock; Merger Consideration.
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9
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3.2
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Procedures
for Exchange of Legacy Common Stock.
|
11
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3.3
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Treatment
of Legacy Stock Options.
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12
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3.4
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Bank
Merger.
|
13
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3.5
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Headquarters.
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13
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3.6
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Reservation
of Shares.
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13
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ARTICLE
IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF LEGACY
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13
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4.1
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Standard.
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13
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4.2
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Organization.
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13
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4.3
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Capitalization.
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14
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4.4
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Authority;
No Violation.
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15
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4.5
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Consents.
|
15
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4.6
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Financial
Statements.
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16
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4.7
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Taxes.
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16
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4.8
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No
Material Adverse Effect.
|
17
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4.9
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Material
Contracts; Leases; Defaults.
|
17
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|
4.10
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Ownership
of Property; Insurance Coverage.
|
18
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|
4.11
|
Legal
Proceedings.
|
18
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|
4.12
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Compliance
with Applicable Law.
|
19
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4.13
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Employee
Benefit Plans.
|
19
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4.14
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Brokers,
Finders and Financial Advisors.
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21
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4.15
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Environmental
Matters.
|
21
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4.16
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Loan
Portfolio.
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22
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4.17
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Related
Party Transactions.
|
23
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4.18
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Deposits.
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23
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4.19
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Board
Approval.
|
23
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|
4.20
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Registration
Obligations.
|
24
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4.21
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Risk
Management Instruments.
|
24
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|
4.22
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Fairness
Opinion.
|
24
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4.23
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Intellectual
Property.
|
24
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4.24
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Duties
as Fiduciary.
|
24
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4.25
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Employees;
Labor Matters.
|
25
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4.26
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Legacy
Information Supplied.
|
25
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4.27
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Securities
Documents.
|
25
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4.28
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Internal
Controls.
|
25
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4.29
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Bank
Owned Life Insurance.
|
26
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4.30
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Stock
Transfer Records.
|
26
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ARTICLE
V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BHLB
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26
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5.1
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Standard.
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26
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5.2
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Organization.
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27
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5.3
|
Capitalization.
|
27
|
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5.4
|
Authority;
No Violation.
|
28
|
i
5.5
|
Consents.
|
28
|
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5.6
|
Financial
Statements.
|
29
|
|
5.7
|
Tax
Matters.
|
30
|
|
5.8
|
No
Material Adverse Effect.
|
30
|
|
5.9
|
Ownership
of Property; Insurance Coverage.
|
30
|
|
5.10
|
Legal
Proceedings.
|
31
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5.11
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Compliance
with Applicable Law.
|
31
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5.12
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Employee
Benefit Plans.
|
32
|
|
5.13
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Brokers,
Finders and Financial Advisors.
|
34
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5.14
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Environmental
Matters.
|
34
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|
5.15
|
BHLB
Information Supplied.
|
35
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5.16
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Securities
Documents.
|
35
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5.17
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Internal
Controls.
|
35
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5.18
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BHLB
Common Stock.
|
36
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5.19
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Available
Funds
|
36
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5.20
|
Berkshire
Insurance Group, Inc.
|
36
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5.21
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Fairness
Opinion.
|
36
|
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5.22
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Board
Approval.
|
36
|
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5.23
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Material
Agreement; Defaults.
|
36
|
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5.24
|
Loan
Portfolio.
|
37
|
|
5.25
|
Related
Party Transactions.
|
37
|
|
5.26
|
Risk
Management Instruments.
|
37
|
|
5.27
|
Duties
as Fiduciary.
|
38
|
|
5.28
|
Employees;
Labor Matters.
|
38
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ARTICLE
VI COVENANTS OF LEGACY
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38
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6.1
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Conduct
of Business.
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38
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6.2
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Subsidiaries.
|
42
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6.3
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Current
Information.
|
42
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6.4
|
Access
to Properties and Records.
|
43
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|
6.5
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Financial
and Other Statements.
|
43
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6.6
|
Maintenance
of Insurance.
|
43
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6.7
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Disclosure
Supplements.
|
43
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6.8
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Consents
and Approvals of Third Parties.
|
44
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6.9
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All
Reasonable Efforts.
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44
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6.10
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Failure
to Fulfill Conditions.
|
44
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6.11
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No
Solicitation.
|
44
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6.12
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Reserves
and Merger-Related Costs.
|
46
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6.13
|
Committee
Meetings.
|
46
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6.14
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ESOP
Loan.
|
46
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6.15
|
Legacy
Banks Foundation
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46
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6.16
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401(k)
Plan Termination.
|
47
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ARTICLE
VII COVENANTS OF BHLB
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47
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7.1
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Conduct
of Business.
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47
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7.2
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Disclosure
Supplements.
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47
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7.3
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Consents
and Approvals of Third Parties.
|
47
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7.4
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Reasonable
Best Efforts.
|
48
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7.5
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Failure
to Fulfill Conditions.
|
48
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7.6
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Employee
Benefits.
|
48
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|
7.7
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Directors
and Officers Indemnification and Insurance.
|
50
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7.8
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Stock
Listing.
|
51
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7.9
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Reservation
of Stock.
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51
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7.10
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Communications
to Legacy Employees; Training
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52
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7.11
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Current
Information.
|
52
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7.12
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Access
to Properties and Records.
|
52
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|
7.13
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Financial
and Other Statements.
|
52
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|
7.14
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Committee
Meetings.
|
53
|
ii
7.15
|
New
Hires.
|
53
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7.16
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New
Members.
|
53
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ARTICLE
VIII REGULATORY AND OTHER MATTERS
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53
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8.1
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Meeting
of Shareholders.
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53
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8.2
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Proxy
Statement-Prospectus; Merger Registration Statement.
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54
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8.3
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Regulatory
Approvals.
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55
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ARTICLE
IX CLOSING CONDITIONS
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55
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9.1
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Conditions
to Each Party’s Obligations under this Agreement.
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55
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9.2
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Conditions
to the Obligations of BHLB under this Agreement.
|
55
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9.3
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Conditions
to the Obligations of Legacy under this Agreement.
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56
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ARTICLE
X
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57
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ARTICLE
XI TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
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57
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11.1
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Termination.
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57
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11.2
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Effect
of Termination.
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60
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11.3
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Amendment,
Extension and Waiver.
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61
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11.4
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Additional
Provisions Regarding Termination:
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62
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ARTICLE
XII MISCELLANEOUS
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62
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12.1
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Confidentiality.
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62
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12.2
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Public
Announcements.
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62
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12.3
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Survival.
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63
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12.4
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Notices.
|
63
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12.5
|
Parties
in Interest.
|
64
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12.6
|
Complete
Agreement.
|
64
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12.7
|
Counterparts.
|
64
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12.8
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Severability.
|
64
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12.9
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Governing
Law.
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64
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12.10
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Interpretation.
|
65
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12.11
|
Specific
Performance.
|
65
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EXHIBITS
A Form
of Voting Agreement
B Settlement
Agreement
iii
AGREEMENT
AND PLAN OF MERGER
This
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this “Agreement”) is dated as of
December 21, 2010 by and between Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (“BHLB”),
and Legacy Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Legacy”).
Recitals
1. The
Board of Directors of each of BHLB and Legacy (i) has determined that this
Agreement and the business combination and related transactions contemplated
hereby are in the best interests of their respective companies and shareholders,
(ii) has determined that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby are consistent with and in furtherance of their respective business
strategies and (iii) has approved this Agreement.
2. In
accordance with the terms of this Agreement, Legacy will merge with and into
BHLB (the “Merger”), and
it is anticipated that Legacy Banks, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Legacy, will be merged with and into Berkshire Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary
of BHLB.
3. As
a condition to the willingness of BHLB to enter into this Agreement, each of the
directors and executive officers of Legacy have entered into a Voting Agreement,
substantially in the form of Exhibit A
hereto, dated as of the date hereof, with BHLB (the “Voting Agreement”), pursuant
to which each such director and executive officer has agreed, among other
things, to vote all shares of Legacy Common Stock (as defined herein) owned by
such Person in favor of the approval of this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in
such Voting Agreement.
4. The
parties intend the Merger to qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and that this
Agreement be and is hereby adopted as a “plan of reorganization” within the
meaning of Sections 354 and 361 of the Code.
5. The
parties desire to make certain representations, warranties and agreements in
connection with the business transactions described in this Agreement and to
prescribe certain conditions thereto.
6. In
consideration of the mutual covenants, representations, warranties and
agreements herein contained, and of other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto
agree as follows:
ARTICLE
I
CERTAIN
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Certain
Definitions.
As used
in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings.
“Acceptable Confidentiality
Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section
6.11.1.
“Acquisition Proposal” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 6.11.
“Affiliate” shall mean any
Person who directly, or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries,
controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person and,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes any executive officer
or director of such Person and any Affiliate of such executive officer or
director.
“Alternative Acquisition
Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11.1.11.
“Agreement” shall mean this
agreement, the exhibits and schedules hereto and any amendment
hereto.
1
“Bank Merger” shall mean the
merger of Legacy Banks with and into Berkshire Bank, with Berkshire Bank as the
surviving institution.
“Bank Regulator” shall mean any
Federal or state banking regulator, including but not limited to the MDOB, OTS
and FDIC, which regulates or has the statutory authority to regulate Berkshire
Bank, Legacy Banks, and their respective holding companies and subsidiaries, as
the case may be, and the Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission,
or any other relevant Federal or state regulator, as it relates to
anticompetitive matters.
“Benefit Plan Determination
Date” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 7.6.1.
“Berkshire Bank” shall mean
Berkshire Bank, a Massachusetts savings bank with its principal offices located
at 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, which is a wholly owned
subsidiary of BHLB.
“Berkshire Insurance” means
Berkshire Insurance Group, Inc., an independent insurance agency which is wholly
owned by BHLB.
“BHLB” shall mean Berkshire
Hills Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware corporation, with its principal offices located
at 00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000.
“BHLB Benefit Plans” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 5.12.1.
“BHLB Common Stock” shall mean
the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BHLB.
“BHLB Disclosure Schedule”
shall mean the collective written disclosure schedules delivered by BHLB to
Legacy pursuant hereto.
“BHLB Financial Statements”
shall mean the (i) the audited consolidated statements of financial
condition (including related notes and schedules) of BHLB as of
December 31, 2009 and 2008 and the consolidated statements of income,
comprehensive income, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows (including
related notes and schedules, if any) of BHLB for each of the three (3) years
ended December 31, 2009, as set forth in BHLB’s annual report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2009, and (ii) the unaudited interim
consolidated financial statements of BHLB as of the end of each calendar quarter
following December 31, 2009, and for the periods then ended, as filed by
BHLB in its Securities Documents.
“BHLB Loan Property” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 5.14.2.
“BHLB Loan Participation” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 5.14.2.
“BHLB Non-qualified Deferred
Compensation Plan” shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 5.12.1.
“BHLB Preferred Stock” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 5.3.1.
“BHLB Regulatory Reports” shall
mean the Call Reports of Berkshire Bank, and accompanying schedules (other than
such schedules as are required to be kept confidential pursuant to applicable
law or regulatory requirements), filed or to be filed with the FDIC with respect
to each calendar quarter beginning with the quarter ended June 30, 2010,
through the Closing Date, and all Annual Reports on Form H-(b)11 and any
Current Report on Form H-(b)11 filed with the OTS by BHLB from
December 31, 2009 through the Closing Date.
“BHLB SEC Reports” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 5.16.
“BHLB Shareholders Meeting”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1.2.
“BHLB Stock” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 5.3.1.
2
“BHLB Subsidiary” shall mean
any corporation, 10% or more of the capital stock of which is owned, either
directly or indirectly, by BHLB or Berkshire Bank, except any corporation the
stock of which is held in the ordinary course of the lending activities of
Berkshire Bank.
“Business Day” shall mean any
day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or day on which banks in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to
close.
“Certificate” shall mean a
certificate or book entry evidencing shares of Legacy Common Stock.
“Claim” shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 7.7.2.
“Closing Date” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
“COBRA” shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 4.13.5.
“Code” shall mean the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Confidentiality Agreements”
shall mean the confidentiality agreement dated as of November 18, 2010 between
BHLB and Legacy.
“CRA” shall have the meaning
set forth in Section 4.12.1.
“Current Legacy Employees”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.6.2.
“DGCL” shall mean the Delaware
General Corporation Law.
“Dissenting Shares” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.6.
“Dissenting Shareholder” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.6.
“Effective Time” shall mean the
date and time specified pursuant to Section 2.2 as the effective time of
the Merger.
“Environmental Laws” shall mean
any applicable federal, state or local law, statute, ordinance, rule,
regulation, code, license, permit, approval, consent, order, judgment, decree,
injunction or agreement with any Governmental Entity as in effect on or prior to
the date of this Agreement relating to (1) the protection, preservation or
restoration of the environment (including, without limitation, air, water vapor,
surface water, groundwater, drinking water supply, surface soil, subsurface
soil, plant and animal life or any other natural resource), and/or (2) the
use, storage, recycling, treatment, generation, transportation, processing,
handling, labeling, production, release or disposal of Materials of
Environmental Concern. The term Environmental Law includes without
limitation (a) the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 9601, et seq; the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 6901, et seq; the Clean Air Act, as
amended, 42 U.S.C. § 7401, et seq; the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as
amended, 33 U.S.C. § 1251, et seq; the Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended,
15 U.S.C. § 2601, et seq; the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Xxxx
Xxx, 00 X.X.X. § 00000, et seq; the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300f,
et seq; and all comparable state and local laws, and (b) any common law
(including without limitation common law that may impose strict liability) that
may impose liability or obligations for injuries or damages due to the presence
of or exposure to any Materials of Environmental Concern as in effect on or
prior to the date of this Agreement.
“ERISA” shall mean the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
“ERISA Affiliate” shall mean,
with respect to any Person, any other Person that, together with such Person,
would be treated as a single employer under Section 414 of the Code or
Section 4001 of ERISA.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
3
“Exchange Agent” shall mean
Registrar and Transfer Company, or such other bank or trust company or other
agent as mutually agreed upon by BHLB and Legacy, which shall act as agent for
BHLB in connection with the exchange procedures for exchanging Certificates for
the Merger Consideration.
“Exchange Fund” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 3.3.1.
“Exchange Ratio” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 3.1.3, subject to adjustment under Section
11.1.9.
“FDIC” shall mean the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation or any successor thereto.
“FHLB” shall mean the Federal
Home Loan Bank of Boston.
“Foundation” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 6.15.
“GAAP” shall mean accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America applied on a
consistent basis.
“Go Shop Period” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 6.11.1.
“Governmental Entity” shall
mean any Federal or state court, department, administrative agency or commission
or other governmental authority or instrumentality.
“HOLA” shall mean the Home
Owners’ Loan Act of 1933, as amended.
“Indemnified Parties” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 7.7.2.
“Insurance Regulator” shall
mean the Massachusetts Division of Insurance and any other Governmental Entity
which has authority to regulate a Massachusetts insurance agency.
“IRS” shall mean the United
States Internal Revenue Service.
“Knowledge” as used with
respect to a Person (including references to such Person being aware of a
particular matter) shall mean those facts that are known or should have been
known by the officers and directors of such Person after reasonable
inquiry.
“Legacy” shall mean Legacy
Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware corporation with its principal office located at 00
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000.
“Legacy Banks” shall mean
Legacy Banks, a Massachusetts savings bank, with its principal office located at
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, and which is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Legacy.
“Legacy Benefit Plans” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 4.13.1.
“Legacy Common Stock” shall
mean the common shares, par value $0.01 per share, of Legacy.
“Legacy Disclosure Schedule”
shall mean the collective written disclosure schedules delivered by Legacy to
BHLB pursuant hereto.
“Legacy ESOP” shall mean the
Employee Stock Ownership Plan of Legacy Banks or any successor
thereto.
4
“Legacy Financial Statements”
shall mean (i) the audited consolidated statements of financial condition
(including related notes and schedules) of Legacy as of December 31, 2009
and 2008 and the related consolidated statements of income, changes in
shareholders’ equity and cash flows (including related notes and schedules, if
any) of Legacy for each of the three (3) years ended December 31, 2009, as
incorporated by reference in Legacy’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2009 from Legacy’s annual report to shareholders for
such year and (ii) the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements
of Legacy as of the end of each calendar quarter following December 31,
2009, and for the periods then ended, as filed by Legacy in its Securities
Documents.
“Legacy Loan Participation”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.15.2.
“Legacy Loan Property” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 4.15.2.
“Legacy Preferred Stock”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.3.
“Legacy Regulatory Reports”
shall mean the Call Reports of Legacy Banks, and accompanying schedules (other
than such schedules as are required to be kept confidential pursuant to
applicable law or regulatory requirements), filed or to be filed with the FDIC
with respect to each calendar quarter beginning with the quarter ended
June 30, 2010, through the Closing Date, and all Annual Reports on
Form H-(b)11 and any Current Report on Form H-(b)11 filed with the OTS
by Legacy from December 31, 2010 through the Closing Date.
“Legacy Restricted Stock”
shall mean the shares of restricted stock of Legacy issued pursuant to
the Legacy Bancorp, Inc. 2006 Equity Incentive Plan.
“Legacy SEC Reports” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 4.27.
“Legacy Shareholder Vote”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.4.1.
“Legacy Shareholders Meeting”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1.1.
“Legacy Stock Option” shall
mean an option to purchase shares of Legacy Common Stock granted pursuant to the
Legacy Stock Option Plan and the outstanding option agreements, and outstanding
as of the date hereof, as set forth in Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 3.4.
“Legacy Stock Option Plan”
shall mean the Legacy Bancorp, Inc. 2006 Equity Incentive Plan.
“Legacy Subsidiary” shall mean
any corporation, 10% or more of the capital stock of which is owned, either
directly or indirectly, by Legacy or Legacy Banks.
“Material Adverse Effect” shall
mean, with respect to BHLB or Legacy, respectively, any effect that (1) is
material and adverse to the financial condition, results of operations or
business of BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or Legacy and the
Legacy Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, respectively, or (2) materially impairs
the ability of either Legacy, on the one hand, or BHLB, on the other hand, to
perform its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise materially impedes the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, that
“Material Adverse Effect” shall not be deemed to include (i) the impact of (x)
changes in laws, rules or regulations affecting banks or thrift institutions or
their holding companies generally, or interpretations thereof by courts or
governmental agencies, (y) changes in GAAP, or (z) changes in regulatory
accounting requirements, in any such case applicable to financial institutions
or their holding companies generally and not specifically relating to Legacy or
any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, or BHLB or any of its Subsidiaries, on
the other hand, (ii) the announcement of this Agreement or any action or
omission of Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary on the one hand, or BHLB or any of
its Subsidiaries, on the other hand, required under this Agreement or taken or
omitted to be taken with the express written permission of BHLB or Legacy,
respectively, (iii) any changes after the date of this Agreement in general
economic or capital market conditions affecting banks or their holding companies
generally, (iv) changes or events, after the date hereof, affecting the
financial services industry generally and not specifically relating to Legacy or
its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, or BHLB or any of its Subsidiaries, on the
other hand, provided that a decrease in the trading or market prices of Legacy
Common Stock or BHLB Common Stock shall not be considered, by itself, to
constitute a “Material Adverse Effect”, (v) changes in the value of the
securities or loan portfolio, or any change in the value of the deposits or
borrowings, of BHLB or Legacy, or any of their Subsidiaries, respectively,
resulting from a change in interest rates generally, (vi) the impact of a
requirement contained in any Regulatory Approval, or as a condition necessary to
obtain any Regulatory Approval, that there be a divesture of not more than $200
million of deposit liabilities, whether from Legacy, BHLB or a combination of
the two, together with related branch premises and such loans as one of more
Bank Regulators may require in connection therewith, or (vii) in the case of
Legacy and its Subsidiaries, the issuance in and of itself of any order or
directive by any Bank Regulator (it being agreed that the underlying facts
giving rise or contributing to the issuance of such orders or directives or the
effects of the issuance of the orders or directives may be a Material Adverse
Effect).
5
“Materials of Environmental
Concern” shall mean pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic or hazardous
substances, petroleum and petroleum products, and any other materials regulated
under Environmental Laws.
“MDOB” shall mean the
Massachusetts Division of Banks.
“Merger” shall mean the merger
of Legacy with and into BHLB pursuant to the terms hereof.
“Merger Consideration” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 3.1.3.
“Merger Registration Statement”
shall mean the registration statement, together with all amendments, filed with
the SEC under the Securities Act for the purpose of registering the offer of
shares of BHLB Common Stock to be offered to holders of Legacy Common Stock in
connection with the Merger.
“New Members” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 2.4.
“No Shop Period Start Date”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.11.2.
“Observer” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 6.13.
“OTS” shall mean the Office of
Thrift Supervision.
“PBGC” shall mean the Pension
Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any successor thereto.
“Person” shall mean any
individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, trust or
“group” (as that term is defined under the Exchange Act).
“Pre-Closing” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
“Proxy Statement-Prospectus”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.2.1.
“Regulatory Agreement” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 4.12.3.
“Regulatory Approval” shall
mean the approval of any Bank Regulator necessary in connection with the
consummation of the Merger, the Bank Merger and the related transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
“Representatives” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 6.11.1.
“Rights” shall mean puts,
calls, warrants, options, conversion, redemption, repurchase or other rights,
convertible securities, stock appreciation rights and other arrangements or
commitments which obligate an entity to issue or dispose of any of its capital
stock or other ownership interests or which provide for compensation based on
the equity appreciation of its capital stock.
“SEC” shall mean the Securities
and Exchange Commission or any successor thereto.
“Securities Act” shall mean the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
6
“Securities Documents” shall
mean all reports, offering circulars, proxy statements, registration statements
and all similar documents filed pursuant to the Securities Laws.
“Securities Laws” shall mean
the Securities Act; the Exchange Act; the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended; the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended; the Trust Indenture
Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated
thereunder.
“Settlement Agreement” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 7.6.7.
“Subsidiary” shall mean any
corporation, 10% or more of the capital stock of which is owned, either directly
or indirectly, except any corporation the stock of which is held in the ordinary
course of the lending activities, of either Berkshire Bank or Legacy Banks, as
applicable.
“Superior Proposal” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 6.11.
“Surviving Corporation” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1.
“Tax” shall mean any federal,
state, local, foreign or provincial income, gross receipts, property, sales,
service, use, license, lease, excise, franchise, employment, payroll,
withholding, employment, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, social
security, alternative or added minimum, ad valorem, value added, stamp, business
license, occupation, premium, environmental, windfall profit, customs, duties,
estimated, transfer or excise tax, or any other tax, custom, duty, premium,
governmental fee or other assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever, together
with any interest, penalty or additional tax imposed by any Governmental
Entity.
“Tax Return” shall mean any
return, declaration, report, claim for refund, or information return or
statement relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto, and
including any amendment thereof.
“Termination Date” shall mean
November 30, 2011.
“Termination Fee” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 11.2.2(C).
“Treasury Stock” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 3.1.2.
“Voting Agreement” shall have
the meaning set forth in the recitals.
“401(k) Plans” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 6.16.
Other
terms used herein are defined in the preamble and elsewhere in this
Agreement.
7
ARTICLE
II
THE
MERGER
2.1 Merger.
Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, at the Effective Time:
(a) Legacy shall merge with and into BHLB, with BHLB as the resulting or
surviving corporation (the “Surviving Corporation”); and
(b) the separate existence of Legacy shall cease and all of the rights,
privileges, powers, franchises, properties, assets, liabilities and obligations
of Legacy shall be vested in and assumed by BHLB. As part of the
Merger, each outstanding share of Legacy Common Stock will be converted into the
right to receive the Merger Consideration pursuant to the terms of
Article III.
2.2 Closing; Effective
Time.
The
closing (“Closing”)
shall occur no later than the close of business on the fifth Business Day
following the satisfaction or (to the extent permitted by applicable law) waiver
of the conditions set forth in Article IX (other than those conditions that by
their terms are to be satisfied at the Closing, but subject to the satisfaction
or (to the extent permitted by applicable law) waiver of those conditions), or
such other date that may be agreed to in writing by the parties. The Merger
shall be effected by the filing of a certificate of merger with the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware on the day of the Closing (the “Closing Date”), in accordance
with the DGCL. The “Effective Time” means the date
and time upon which the certificate of merger is filed with the Secretary of
State of the State of Delaware, or as otherwise stated in the certificate of
merger, in accordance with the DGCL. A pre-closing of the
transactions contemplated hereby (the “Pre-Closing”) shall take place
at the offices of Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, P.C., at 10:00 a.m. on
the day prior to the Closing Date.
2.3 Certificate of Incorporation and
Bylaws.
The
certificate of incorporation and bylaws of BHLB as in effect immediately prior
to the Effective Time shall be the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of
the Surviving Corporation, until thereafter amended as provided therein and by
applicable law.
2.4 Directors of the Surviving
Corporation.
Effective
immediately after the Closing Date, X. Xxxxxxx Dunlaevy and one other person who
is a director of Legacy (as of the date hereof and as of the Effective Time) and
who is designated by BHLB and Berkshire Bank prior to the mailing of the Proxy
Statement-Prospectus pursuant to Section 8.2 (Dunlaevy and such other person,
together, the “New
Members”) shall be appointed and elected to the BHLB and Berkshire Bank
Boards of Directors.
2.5 Effects of the
Merger.
At and
after the Effective Time, the Merger shall have the effects as set forth in the
DGCL.
2.6 Tax
Consequences.
It is
intended that the Merger shall constitute a reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code, and that this Agreement shall constitute a “plan of
reorganization” as that term is used in Sections 354 and 361 of the
Code.
8
2.7 Possible Alternative
Structures.
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement and subject to the
satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Article IX prior to the
Effective Time BHLB may revise the structure for effecting the Merger described
in Section 2.1 or the Bank Merger including, without limitation, by
substituting a wholly owned subsidiary for BHLB or Berkshire Bank, as
applicable, provided that (i) any such subsidiary shall become a party to,
and shall agree to be bound by, the terms of this Agreement; (ii) there are
no adverse Federal or state income tax consequences to BHLB, Berkshire Bank,
Legacy, Legacy Banks or to the BHLB or Legacy shareholders, and nothing would
prevent the rendering of the opinions contemplated in Sections 9.2.6 and 9.3.5,
as a result of the modification; (iii) the consideration to be paid to the
holders of Legacy Common Stock under this Agreement is not thereby changed in
kind, value or reduced in amount; and (iv) such modification will not delay
materially the Closing or jeopardize or delay materially the receipt of any
Regulatory Approvals or other consents and approvals relating to the
consummation of the Merger or otherwise cause any condition to Closing set forth
in Article IX not to be capable of being fulfilled. The parties
hereto agree to appropriately amend this Agreement and any related documents in
order to reflect any such revised structure.
2.8 Additional
Actions.
If, at
any time after the Effective Time, BHLB shall consider or be advised that any
further deeds, documents, assignments or assurances in law or any other acts are
necessary or desirable to (i) vest, perfect or confirm, of record or
otherwise, in BHLB its right, title or interest in, to or under any of the
rights, properties or assets of Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary, or
(ii) otherwise carry out the purposes of this Agreement, Legacy and its
officers and directors shall be deemed to have granted to BHLB an irrevocable
power of attorney to execute and deliver, in such official corporate capacities,
all such deeds, assignments or assurances in law or any other acts as are
necessary or desirable to (a) vest, perfect or confirm, of record or
otherwise, in BHLB its right, title or interest in, to or under any of the
rights, properties or assets of Legacy or (b) otherwise carry out the
purposes of this Agreement, and the officers and directors of the BHLB are
authorized in the name of Legacy or otherwise to take any and all such
action.
ARTICLE
III
CONVERSION
OF SHARES
3.1 Conversion of Legacy Common Stock;
Merger Consideration.
At the
Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of
BHLB, Legacy or the holders of any of the shares of Legacy Common Stock, the
Merger shall be effected in accordance with the following terms:
3.1.1 Each
share of BHLB Common Stock that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to
the Effective Time shall remain issued and outstanding following the Effective
Time and shall be unchanged by the Merger.
3.1.2 All
shares of Legacy Common Stock held in the treasury of Legacy and each share of
Legacy Common Stock owned by BHLB prior to the Effective Time (other than shares
held in a fiduciary capacity or in connection with debts previously contracted)
(“Treasury Stock”) and
each share of Legacy Common Stock held in a trust under the Legacy Stock Option
Plan but not subject to an award of Legacy Restricted Stock shall, at the
Effective Time, cease to exist, and such shares, including any Certificates
therefor, shall be canceled as promptly as practicable thereafter, and no
payment or distribution shall be made in consideration therefor.
3.1.3 Merger
Consideration.
(A) Subject
to a potential additional payment or adjustment as provided in Section 3.1.3(B)
and 11.1.9, each outstanding share of Legacy Common Stock shall be converted
into the right to receive (i) 0.56385 (the “Exchange Ratio”) shares of
BHLB Common Stock and (ii) $1.30 (the “Merger
Consideration”). Shares of Legacy Restricted Stock subject to
an award shall be treated for all purposes as other outstanding shares of Legacy
Common Stock, whether or not such shares are vested prior to the Effective
Time.
9
(B) In
the event the parties must divest deposit liabilities in order to comply with a
requirement contained in any Regulatory Approval, or a condition necessary to
obtain any Regulatory Approval (such deposit divestures being referred to as
“Required Divestures”),
BHLB shall make a cash payment to Legacy shareholders in the manner and pursuant
to the timing and conditions set forth below to stockholders of Legacy as of the
Effective Time equal to the product of:
(i) (1)
the weighted average deposit premium paid for such divested deposits which
exceeds 350 basis points (the “Excess Amount”), calculating
such Excess Amount without regard to any tax imposed upon BHLB under U.S.
federal, state, or local tax law as a result of such divestiture (the “Divestiture Tax”), less (2) that portion
of the Divestiture Tax allocable to the Excess Amount, and
(ii) 0.50
(the “Aggregate Divestiture
Premium”).
The
Aggregate Divestiture Premium shall be payable within 5 business days after the
completion of all Required Divestitures. Each Legacy stockholder as the
Effective Date shall have the right to receive a cash payment equal to their pro
rata portion of the Aggregate Divestiture Premium based upon the number of
shares of Legacy Common Stock held by such Legacy stockholder as of the
Effective Time in relation to all other shares of outstanding Legacy Common
Stock as of the Effective Time.
3.1.4 Each
outstanding share of Legacy Common Stock, the holder of which has perfected his
right to dissent under applicable law and has not effectively withdrawn or lost
such right as of the Effective Time (the “Dissenting Shares”), shall not
be converted into or represent a right to receive the Merger Consideration
hereunder, and the holder thereof shall be entitled only to such rights as are
granted by applicable law. Legacy shall give BHLB immediate notice
upon receipt by Legacy of any such demands for payment of the fair value of such
shares of Legacy Common Stock and of withdrawals of such notice and any other
related communications (any shareholder duly making such demand being
hereinafter called a “Dissenting Shareholder”), and
BHLB shall have the right to participate in all discussions, negotiations and
proceedings with respect to any such demands. Legacy shall not,
except with the prior written consent of BHLB, voluntarily make any payment with
respect to, or settle or offer to settle, any such demand for payment, or waive
any failure to timely deliver a written demand for appraisal or the taking of
any other action by such Dissenting Shareholder as may be necessary to perfect
appraisal rights under applicable law. Any payments made in respect
of Dissenting Shares shall be made by the Surviving Company.
3.1.5 If
any Dissenting Shareholder withdraws or loses (through failure to perfect or
otherwise) his right to such payment at or prior to the Effective Time, such
holder’s shares of Legacy Common Stock shall be converted into a right to
receive the Merger Consideration in accordance with the applicable provisions of
this Agreement. If such holder withdraws or loses (through failure to
perfect or otherwise) his right to such payment after the Effective Time, each
share of Legacy Common Stock of such holder shall be entitled to receive the
Merger Consideration.
3.1.6 Upon
the Effective Time, outstanding shares of Legacy Common Stock shall no longer be
outstanding and shall automatically be canceled and shall cease to exist, and
shall thereafter by operation of this Section 3.1 represent only the right
to receive the Merger Consideration and any dividends or distributions with
respect thereto or any dividends or distributions with a record date prior to
the Effective Time that were declared or made by Legacy on such shares of Legacy
Common Stock in accordance with the terms of this Agreement on or prior to the
Effective Time and which remain unpaid at the Effective Time.
3.1.7 Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, no certificates or scrip representing
fractional shares of BHLB Common Stock shall be issued upon the surrender for
exchange of Certificates, no dividend or distribution with respect to BHLB
Common Stock shall be payable on or with respect to any fractional share
interests, and such fractional share interests shall not entitle the owner
thereof to vote or to any other rights of a shareholder of BHLB. In
lieu of the issuance of any such fractional share, BHLB shall pay to each former
holder of Legacy Common Stock who otherwise would be entitled to receive a
fractional share of BHLB Common Stock, an amount in cash, rounded to the nearest
cent and without interest, equal to the product of (i) the fraction of a
share to which such holder would otherwise have been entitled and (ii) the
average of the daily closing sales prices of a share of BHLB Common Stock as
reported on the NASDAQ Global Select Market for the five (5) consecutive trading
days immediately preceding the Closing Date. For purposes of
determining any fractional share interest, all shares of Legacy Common Stock
owned by a Legacy shareholder shall be combined so as to calculate the maximum
number of whole shares of BHLB Common Stock issuable to such Legacy
shareholder.
10
3.1.8 If
BHLB changes (or the BHLB Board sets a related record date that will occur
before the Effective Time for a change in) the number or kind of shares of BHLB
Common Stock outstanding by way of a stock split, stock dividend,
recapitalization, reclassification, reorganization or similar transaction, then
the Merger Consideration (and any other dependent items) will be adjusted
proportionately to account for such change. If Legacy changes (or the
Legacy Board sets a related record date that will occur before the Effective
Time for a change in) the number or kind of shares of Legacy Common Stock (or
Rights thereto) outstanding by way of a stock split, stock dividend,
recapitalization, reclassification, reorganization or similar transaction, then
the Merger Consideration (and any other dependent items) will be adjusted
proportionately to account for such change.
3.2 Procedures for Exchange of Legacy
Common Stock.
3.2.1 BHLB to Make Merger Consideration
Available. After the Closing and at or prior to the Effective
Time, BHLB shall deposit, or shall cause to be deposited, with the Exchange
Agent for the benefit of the holders of Legacy Common Stock, for exchange in
accordance with this Section 3.2, an aggregate amount of cash sufficient to
pay the aggregate amount of cash payable pursuant to this Article III and
shall instruct the Exchange Agent to issue such cash and shares of BHLB Common
Stock for exchange in accordance with this Section 3.2 (such cash and
shares of BHLB Common Stock, together with any dividends or distributions with
respect thereto (without any interest thereon) being hereinafter referred to as
the “Exchange
Fund”).
3.2.2 Exchange of
Certificates. BHLB shall take all steps necessary to cause the
Exchange Agent, not later than five (5) Business Days after the Effective
Time, to mail to each holder of a Certificate or Certificates a form letter of
transmittal for return to the Exchange Agent and instructions for use in
effecting the surrender of the Certificates in exchange for the Merger
Consideration and cash in lieu of fractional shares into which the Legacy Common
Stock represented by such Certificates shall have been converted as a result of
the Merger, if any. The letter of transmittal shall specify that
delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall
pass, only upon delivery of the Certificates to the Exchange
Agent. Upon proper surrender of a Certificate for exchange and
cancellation to the Exchange Agent, together with a properly completed letter of
transmittal, duly executed, the holder of such Certificate shall be entitled to
receive in exchange therefor the Merger Consideration and the Certificate so
surrendered shall be cancelled. No interest will be paid or accrued
on any cash payable in lieu of fractional shares or any unpaid dividends and
distributions, if any, payable to holders of Certificates.
3.2.3 Rights of Certificate Holders after
the Effective Time. The holder of a Certificate that prior to
the Merger represented issued and outstanding Legacy Common Stock shall have no
rights, after the Effective Time, with respect to such Legacy Common Stock
except to surrender the Certificate in exchange for the Merger Consideration as
provided in this Agreement. No dividends or other distributions
declared after the Effective Time with respect to BHLB Common Stock shall be
paid to the holder of any unsurrendered Certificate until the holder thereof
shall surrender such Certificate in accordance with this
Section 3.2. After the surrender of a Certificate in accordance
with this Section 3.2, the record holder thereof shall be entitled to
receive any such dividends or other distributions, without any interest thereon,
which theretofore had become payable with respect to shares of BHLB Common Stock
represented by such Certificate.
3.2.4 Surrender by Persons Other than
Record Holders. If the Person surrendering a Certificate and
signing the accompanying letter of transmittal is not the record holder thereof,
then it shall be a condition of the payment of the Merger Consideration that:
(i) such Certificate is properly endorsed to such Person or is accompanied
by appropriate stock powers, in either case signed exactly as the name of the
record holder appears on such Certificate, and is otherwise in proper form for
transfer, or is accompanied by appropriate evidence of the authority of the
Person surrendering such Certificate and signing the letter of transmittal to do
so on behalf of the record holder; and (ii) the Person requesting such
exchange shall pay to the Exchange Agent in advance any transfer or other
similar taxes required by reason of the payment to a Person other than the
registered holder of the Certificate surrendered, or required for any other
reason, or shall establish to the satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such
tax has been paid or is not payable.
11
3.2.5 Closing of Transfer
Books. From and after the Closing Date, there shall be no
transfers on the stock transfer books of Legacy of the Legacy Common Stock that
were outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time. If, after
the Effective Time, Certificates representing such shares are presented for
transfer to the Exchange Agent, they shall be exchanged for the Merger
Consideration and canceled as provided in this Section 3.2.
3.2.6 Return of Exchange
Fund. At any time following the nine (9) month period
after the Effective Time, BHLB shall be entitled to require the Exchange Agent
to deliver to it any portion of the Exchange Fund which had been made available
to the Exchange Agent and not disbursed to holders of Certificates (including,
without limitation, all interest and other income received by the Exchange Agent
in respect of all funds made available to it), and thereafter such holders shall
be entitled to look to BHLB (subject to abandoned property, escheat and other
similar laws) with respect to any Merger Consideration that may be payable upon
due surrender of the Certificates held by them. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, neither BHLB nor the Exchange Agent shall be liable to any holder of
a Certificate for any Merger Consideration delivered in respect of such
Certificate to a public official pursuant to any abandoned property, escheat or
other similar law.
3.2.7 Lost, Stolen or Destroyed
Certificates. In the event any Certificate shall have been
lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the
Person claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed and the posting
by such Person of a bond in such amount as the Exchange Agent may reasonably
direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against it with respect
to such Certificate, the Exchange Agent will issue in exchange for such lost,
stolen or destroyed Certificate the Merger Consideration deliverable in respect
thereof.
3.2.8 Withholding. BHLB
or the Exchange Agent will be entitled to deduct and withhold from the
consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby to any holder of Legacy Common Stock such amounts as BHLB
(or any Affiliate thereof) or the Exchange Agent are required to deduct and
withhold with respect to the making of such payment under the Code, or any
applicable provision of U.S. federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax
law. To the extent that such amounts are properly withheld by BHLB or
the Exchange Agent, such withheld amounts will be treated for all purposes of
this Agreement as having been paid to the holder of the Legacy Common Stock in
respect of whom such deduction and withholding were made by BHLB or the Exchange
Agent.
3.3
Treatment of Legacy
Stock Options.
3.3.1 Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 3.3.1(a) sets forth all of the outstanding Legacy stock
options (each, a “Legacy Stock
Option”) as of the date hereof. Effective as of the date of
this Agreement, the Legacy Stock Option Plan shall be amended to delete Section
11 therein but will otherwise remain effective and be maintained by BHLB as of
the Effective Time, subject to any required BHLB stockholder
approval. As of the Effective Time, all issued and outstanding Legacy
Stock Options set forth on Legacy Disclosure Schedule
3.3.1(b) will cease to represent an option to purchase Legacy Common
Stock and will be converted automatically into an option to purchase a number of
shares of BHLB Common Stock (each, a “BHLB Stock Option”)
equal to the product (rounded down to the nearest whole share) of (A) the
number of shares of Legacy Common Stock subject to such Legacy Stock Option and
(B) 0.6265, at an exercise price per share (rounded up to the nearest whole
cent) equal to (1) the exercise price of such Legacy Stock Option divided by
(2) 0.6265.
3.3.2 As
of the Effective Time, all issued and outstanding Legacy Stock Options set forth
on Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 3.3.2, whether or not then exercisable, will be canceled and the
holder thereof will receive in exchange therefor, $3.00 multiplied by the number
of shares of Legacy Common Stock that the holder could have purchased with said
Legacy Stock Option, less applicable tax withholding.
3.3.3 Notwithstanding
the foregoing, all stock options held by X. Xxxxxxx Dunlaevy, shall be treated
as provided in Section 3.3.1, and for purposes of clarity, shall not receive any
cash payment as set forth in Section 3.3.2 of this Agreement.
3.3.4 The
shares of BHLB Common Stock to be issued to the holders of Legacy Stock Options
shall be registered with the SEC under the Merger Registration
Statement.
12
3.4 Bank Merger.
BHLB
intends to cause the merger of Legacy Banks with and into Berkshire Bank, with
Berkshire Bank as the surviving institution, but retains the right to hold
Legacy Banks as a separate subsidiary. Subject to the foregoing and
in BHLB’s sole determination, following the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, BHLB will cause Berkshire Bank, and Legacy will cause Legacy Banks,
to execute and deliver an agreement and plan of merger in respect of the Bank
Merger. In connection with a merger of Legacy Banks with and into
Berkshire Bank, BHLB will, subject to regulatory approval, include the “Legacy”
name in the name of Berkshire Bank’s branch offices in Berkshire County,
Massachusetts and will continue to do so until the earlier of two (2) years from
the Effective Time and the time at which Berkshire Bank rebrands its banking
offices in Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
3.5 Headquarters.
BHLB will
designate the headquarters of BHLB and Berkshire Bank as 99 Xxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
3.6 Reservation of
Shares.
BHLB
shall reserve for issuance a sufficient number of shares of the BHLB Common
Stock for the purpose of issuing shares of BHLB Common Stock to the Legacy
shareholders in accordance with this Article III.
ARTICLE
IV
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF LEGACY
Legacy
represents and warrants to BHLB that the statements contained in this
Article IV are correct as of the date of this Agreement and will be correct
as of the Closing Date (as though made then and as though the Closing Date were
substituted for the date of this Agreement throughout this Article IV),
subject to the standard set forth in Section 4.1 and except as set forth in
the Legacy Disclosure Schedule delivered by Legacy to BHLB on the date hereof,
and except as to any representation or warranty which specifically relates to an
earlier date, which only need be correct as of such earlier date, provided, however, that disclosure in
any section of such Legacy Disclosure Schedule shall apply only to the indicated
Section of this Agreement except to the extent that it is reasonably apparent
that such disclosure is relevant to another section of this
Agreement. References to the Knowledge of Legacy shall include the
Knowledge of Legacy Banks.
4.1 Standard.
Except as
set forth in the following sentence, no representation or warranty of Legacy
contained in this Article IV shall be deemed untrue or incorrect, and
Legacy shall not be deemed to have breached a representation or warranty, as a
consequence of the existence of any fact, circumstance or event unless such
fact, circumstance or event, individually or taken together with all other
facts, circumstances or events inconsistent with any paragraph of this
Article IV, has had or reasonably would be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect, disregarding for these purposes (x) any qualification or
exception for, or reference to, materiality in any such representation or
warranty and (y) any use of the terms “material,” “materially,” “in all
material respects,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar terms or phrases in any
such representation or warranty. The foregoing standard shall not
apply to representations and warranties contained in Sections 4.2 (other
than Sections 4.2.3, 4.2.4 and 4.2.5 and the last sentence of
Sections 4.2.1 and 4.2.2), Section 4.3 and 4.4 (other than Section
4.4.2(iii)) and Sections 4.2.3, 4.2.4 and 4.2.5 and Sections 4.3 and 4.4 (other
than Section 4.4.2(iii)) shall be true and correct in all material
respects.
4.2 Organization.
4.2.1 Legacy
is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of the State of Delaware, and is duly registered as a savings and loan
holding company under the HOLA. Legacy has full corporate power and
authority to carry on its business as now conducted. Legacy is duly
licensed or qualified to do business in the states of the United States and
foreign jurisdictions where its ownership or leasing of property or the conduct
of its business requires such qualification.
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4.2.2 Legacy
Banks is a Massachusetts chartered savings bank duly organized, validly existing
and in good standing under the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The
deposits in Legacy Banks are insured by the FDIC to the fullest extent permitted
by law, and all premiums and assessments required to be paid in connection
therewith have been paid by Legacy Banks when due. Legacy Banks is a
member in good standing of the FHLB and owns the requisite amount of stock of
each as set forth on Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.2.2.
4.2.3 Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.2.3 sets forth each Legacy Subsidiary and its
jurisdiction of incorporation or organization. Each Legacy Subsidiary
(other than Legacy Banks) is a corporation, limited liability company or other
legal entity as set forth on Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.2.3, duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or
organization. Each Legacy Subsidiary is duly licensed or qualified to
do business in the states of the United States and foreign jurisdictions where
its ownership or leasing of property or conduct of its business requires such
qualification.
4.2.4 The
respective minute books of Legacy, Legacy Banks and each other Legacy Subsidiary
accurately record all corporate actions of their respective shareholders and
boards of directors (including committees).
4.2.5 Prior
to the date of this Agreement, Legacy has made available to BHLB true and
correct copies of the certificate of incorporation or articles of association,
as applicable, and bylaws or other governing documents of Legacy, Legacy Banks
and each other Legacy Subsidiary.
4.3 Capitalization.
4.3.1 The
authorized capital stock of Legacy consists of (i) 40,000,000 shares of
Legacy Common Stock and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value
(“Legacy Preferred
Stock” and collectively with Legacy Common Stock, “Legacy Stock”). As
of December 17, 2010, there were (i) 8,631,732 shares of Legacy Common Stock
validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable and free of
preemptive rights, including 161,470 shares of Legacy Restricted Stock subject
to an award, and (ii) 1,625,094 shares of Legacy Common Stock held by
Legacy as Treasury Stock, but not including 51,774 shares of Legacy Common Stock
held in trust under the Legacy Restricted Stock Plans but not subject to an
award of Legacy Restricted Stock. Legacy does not own, of record or
beneficially, any shares of Legacy Stock which are not Treasury
Stock. Legacy Banks does not own, of record or beneficially, any
shares of Legacy Stock. Neither Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary has
or is bound by any Rights or other arrangements of any character relating to the
purchase, sale or issuance or voting of, or right to receive dividends or other
distributions on, any capital stock of Legacy, or any other security of Legacy
or a Legacy Subsidiary or any securities representing the right to vote,
purchase or otherwise receive any capital stock of Legacy or a Legacy Subsidiary
or any other security of Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary, other than shares of
Legacy Common Stock underlying the Legacy Stock Options and Legacy Restricted
Stock. Legacy has granted options to acquire 735,710 shares of Legacy
Common Stock at a weighted average exercise price of $15.39 per
share. Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.3.1 sets forth: the name of each holder of a Legacy Stock
Option, identifying the number of shares each such individual may acquire
pursuant to the exercise of such options, the plan under which such options were
granted, the grant, vesting and expiration dates, and the exercise price
relating to the options held, and whether the Legacy Stock Option is an
incentive stock option or a nonqualified stock option. Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.3.1 also sets forth the name of each holder of record of
Legacy Restricted Stock, the vesting dates and the number of shares held by such
Person. All shares of Legacy Common Stock issuable pursuant to the
Legacy Stock Option Plan will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable when issued upon the terms and conditions specified in the
instruments pursuant to which they are issuable.
4.3.2 Legacy
owns all of the capital stock of each Legacy Subsidiary, free and clear of any
lien or encumbrance. Except for the Legacy Subsidiaries and as set
forth in Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 4.3.2, Legacy does not possess, directly or
indirectly, any equity interest in any corporate or other legal entity, except
for equity interests held in the investment portfolios of Legacy or any Legacy
Subsidiary (which as to any one issuer, do not exceed five percent (5%) of such
issuer’s outstanding equity securities) and equity interests held in connection
with the lending activities of Legacy Banks, including stock in the
FHLB.
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4.3.3 To
Legacy’s Knowledge, except as set forth on Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.3.3, as of the date hereof no Person is the beneficial
owner (as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) of five percent (5%) or
more of the outstanding shares of Legacy Common Stock.
4.3.4 No
bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness having the right to vote on any
matters on which Legacy’s shareholders may vote have been issued by Legacy and
are outstanding.
4.4 Authority; No
Violation.
4.4.1 Legacy
has full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement
and, subject to the receipt of the Regulatory Approvals and the approval of this
Agreement by Legacy’s shareholders (the “Legacy Shareholder Approval”),
to perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions
contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by
Legacy and the completion by Legacy of the transactions contemplated hereby, up
to and including the Merger, have been duly and validly approved by the Board of
Directors of Legacy. This Agreement has been duly and validly
executed and delivered by Legacy, and subject to Legacy Shareholder Approval and
the approval of the shareholders of BHLB and the receipt of the Regulatory
Approvals and due and valid execution and delivery of this Agreement by BHLB,
constitutes the valid and binding obligation of Legacy, enforceable against
Legacy in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and subject,
as to enforceability, to general principles of equity.
4.4.2 (a) Subject
to compliance by BHLB with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the
execution and delivery of this Agreement by Legacy, subject to receipt of
Regulatory Approvals and Legacy’s and BHLB’s compliance with any conditions
contained therein, and subject to the receipt of the Legacy Shareholder Approval
and the approval of the shareholders of BHLB, the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, and (b) compliance by Legacy with the
terms and provisions hereof will not (i) conflict with or result in a
breach of any provision of the certificate of incorporation or articles of
association, as applicable, and bylaws of Legacy or Legacy Banks;
(ii) violate any statute, code, ordinance, rule, regulation, judgment,
order, writ, decree or injunction applicable to Legacy or Legacy Banks or any of
their respective properties or assets; or (iii) violate, conflict with,
result in a breach of any provisions of, constitute a default (or an event
which, with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under,
result in the termination or amendment of, accelerate the performance required
by, or result in a right of termination or acceleration or the creation of any
lien, security interest, charge or other encumbrance upon any of the properties
or assets of Legacy or Legacy Banks under any of the terms, conditions or
provisions of any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, license,
lease, agreement or other investment or obligation to which Legacy or Legacy
Banks is a party, or by which they or any of their respective properties or
assets may be bound or affected.
4.5 Consents.
Except
for (a) the receipt of the Regulatory Approvals and compliance with any
conditions contained therein, (b) compliance with applicable requirements
of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and state securities or “blue sky” laws,
(c) the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of
the State of Delaware, and (d) the Legacy Shareholder Approval and approval
of the shareholders of BHLB , no consents, waivers or approvals of, or filings
or registrations with, any Governmental Entity or Bank Regulator are necessary,
and, to the Knowledge of Legacy, no consents, waivers or approvals of, or
filings or registrations with, any other third parties are necessary, in
connection with (x) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Legacy,
the completion by Legacy of the Merger and the performance by Legacy of its
obligations hereunder or (y) the execution and delivery of the agreement
and plan of merger in respect of the Bank Merger and the completion of the Bank
Merger. Legacy has no reason to believe that (i) any Regulatory
Approvals or other required consents or approvals will not be received or will
include the imposition of any condition (financial or otherwise) or requirement
that could reasonably be expected by Legacy to result in a Material Adverse
Effect on Legacy and Legacy Banks, taken as a whole, or BHLB and Berkshire Bank,
taken as a whole, or that (ii) any public body or authority having
jurisdiction over the affairs of Legacy or Legacy Banks, the consent or approval
of which is not required or pursuant to the rules of which a filing is not
required, will object to the completion of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
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4.6 Financial
Statements.
4.6.1 The
Legacy Regulatory Reports have been prepared in all material respects in
accordance with applicable regulatory accounting principles and practices
throughout the periods covered by such statements, and fairly present in all
material respects the consolidated financial position, results of operations and
changes in shareholders’ equity of Legacy as of and for the periods ended on the
dates thereof, in accordance with applicable regulatory accounting principles
applied on a consistent basis.
4.6.2 Legacy
has previously made available to BHLB the Legacy Financial
Statements. The Legacy Financial Statements have been prepared in
accordance with GAAP in all material respects, and (including the related notes
where applicable) fairly present in each case in all material respects (subject
in the case of the unaudited interim statements to normal year-end adjustments)
the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows of
Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as of and for the
respective periods ending on the dates thereof, in accordance with GAAP during
the periods involved, except as indicated in the notes thereto, or in the case
of unaudited statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q.
4.6.3 At
the date of the most recent consolidated statement of financial condition
included in the Legacy Financial Statements or in the Legacy Regulatory Reports,
Legacy did not have any liabilities, obligations or loss contingencies of any
nature (whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise) of a type required
to be reflected in such Legacy Financial Statements or in the Legacy Regulatory
Reports or in the footnotes thereto which are not fully reflected or reserved
against therein or fully disclosed in a footnote thereto, except for
liabilities, obligations and loss contingencies which are not material
individually or in the aggregate or which are incurred in the ordinary course of
business, consistent with past practice, and subject, in the case of any
unaudited statements, to normal, recurring audit adjustments and the absence of
footnotes.
4.7 Taxes.
Legacy
and the Legacy Subsidiaries are members of the same affiliated group within the
meaning of Code Section 1504(a). Legacy, on behalf of itself and
its Subsidiaries, has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax Returns
(including, but not limited to, those filed on a consolidated, combined or
unitary basis) required to have been filed by Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries
prior to the date hereof, or requests for extensions to file such returns and
reports have been timely filed. All such Tax Returns are true,
correct, and complete in all material respects. Legacy and the Legacy
Subsidiaries have timely paid or, prior to the Effective Time will pay, all
Taxes, whether or not shown on such returns or reports, due or claimed to be due
to any Governmental Entity prior to the Effective Time other than Taxes which
are being contested in good faith. Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries
have declared on their Tax Returns all positions taken therein that could give
rise to a substantial underpayment of United States Federal Income Tax within
the meaning of Section 6662 of the Code (or any corresponding provision of
state or local laws). The accrued but unpaid Taxes of Legacy and the
Legacy Subsidiaries did not, as of the most recent Legacy Financial Statements,
exceed the reserve for Tax liability (rather than any reserve for deferred Taxes
established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) set forth
on the face of the most recent Legacy balance sheet (rather than in any notes
thereto). Legacy and its Subsidiaries are subject to Tax audits in
the ordinary course of business. Legacy management does not believe that
an adverse resolution to any of such audits of which it has Knowledge would be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on Legacy. Legacy
and the Legacy Subsidiaries have not been notified in writing by any
jurisdiction that the jurisdiction believes that Legacy or any of the Legacy
Subsidiaries were required to file any Tax Return in such jurisdiction that was
not filed. Neither Legacy nor any of the Legacy Subsidiaries (A) has
been a member of a group with which they have filed or been included in a
combined, consolidated or unitary income Tax Return other than a group the
common parent of which was Legacy or (B) has any liability for the Taxes of any
Person (other than Legacy or any of the Legacy Subsidiaries) under Treas. Reg.
§ 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local, or non-U.S. law), as
a transferee or successor, by contract, or otherwise. As of the date
hereof, all deficiencies proposed in writing as a result of any audits have been
paid or settled. There are no written claims or assessments pending
against Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary for any alleged deficiency in any Tax,
and neither Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary has been notified in writing of any
proposed Tax claims or assessments against Legacy or any Legacy
Subsidiary. Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries each have duly and
timely withheld, collected and paid over to the appropriate taxing authority all
amounts required to be so withheld and paid under all applicable laws, and have
duly and timely filed all Tax Returns with respect to such withheld Taxes,
within the time prescribed under any applicable law. Legacy and the
Legacy Subsidiaries have delivered to BHLB true and complete copies of all
Income Tax Returns of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries for taxable periods
ending on or after December 31, 2007. Neither Legacy nor any of the
Legacy Subsidiaries is or has been a party to any “reportable transaction,” as
defined in Code § 6707A(c)(1) and Treas. Reg.
§ 1.6011-4(b). Neither Legacy nor any of the Legacy Subsidiaries
has distributed stock of another Person, or has had its stock distributed by
another Person, in a transaction that was purported or intended to be governed
in whole or in part by Code § 355 or Code § 361. Neither
Legacy nor any of the Legacy Subsidiaries has been a United States real property
holding corporation within the meaning of Code § 897(c)(2) during the
applicable period specified in Code § 897(c)(1)(A)(ii).
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4.8 No Material Adverse
Effect.
Neither
Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary has suffered any Material Adverse Effect since
December 31, 2009 and, to Legacy’s Knowledge, no event has occurred or
circumstance arisen since that date which, in the aggregate, has had or
reasonably would be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
Legacy.
4.9 Material Contracts; Leases;
Defaults.
4.9.1 Except
as set forth in Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 4.9.1, neither Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary
is a party to or subject to: (i) any employment, consulting or severance
contract or arrangement with any past or present officer, director, employee or
consultant of Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary, except for “at will”
arrangements; (ii) any plan, arrangement or contract providing for bonuses,
pensions, options, deferred compensation, retirement payments, profit sharing or
similar arrangements for or with any past or present officers, directors,
employees or consultants of Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary; (iii) any
collective bargaining agreement with any labor union relating to employees of
Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary; (iv) any agreement which by its terms
limits or affects the payment of dividends by Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary;
(v) any instrument evidencing or related to indebtedness for borrowed money
in excess of $50,000, whether directly or indirectly, by way of purchase money
obligation, conditional sale, lease purchase, guaranty or otherwise, in respect
of which Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary is an obligor to any Person, which
instrument evidences or relates to indebtedness other than deposits, FHLB
advances with a term to maturity not in excess of one (1) year, repurchase
agreements, bankers’ acceptances, and transactions in “federal funds” or which
contains financial covenants or other non-customary restrictions (other than
those relating to the payment of principal and interest when due) which would be
applicable on or after the Closing Date to Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary;
(vi) any other agreement, written or oral, which is not terminable without
cause on sixty (60) days’ notice or less without penalty or payment, or
that obligates Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary for the payment of more than
$30,000 annually or for the payment of more than $50,000 over its remaining
term; or (vii) any agreement (other than this Agreement), contract,
arrangement, commitment or understanding (whether written or oral) that
materially restricts or limits the conduct of business by Legacy or any Legacy
Subsidiary.
4.9.2 Each
real estate lease that will require the consent of the lessor or its agent as a
result of the Merger or the Bank Merger by virtue of the terms of any such
lease, is listed in Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.9.2 identifying the section of the lease that contains
such prohibition or restriction. Subject to any consents that may be
required as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, to its
Knowledge neither Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary is in material default under
any material contract, agreement, commitment, arrangement, lease, insurance
policy or other instrument to which it is a party, by which its assets,
business, or operations may be bound or affected, or under which it or its
assets, business, or operations receive benefits, and there has not occurred any
event that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, would
constitute such a default and all such material contracts, agreements,
commitments, arrangements, leases, insurance policies and other instruments are
listed on Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 4.9.2.
17
4.9.3 True
and correct copies of agreements, contracts, arrangements and instruments
referred to in Section 4.9.1 and 4.9.2 have been made available to BHLB on
or before the date hereof, are listed on Legacy Disclosure Schedules
4.9.1 and 4.9.2 and are in full force and effect without modification on
the date hereof. Except as set forth in Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.9.3, no such agreement, plan, contract, or arrangement
(i) provides for acceleration of the vesting of benefits or payments due
thereunder upon the occurrence of a change in ownership or control of Legacy or
any Legacy Subsidiary or upon the occurrence of a subsequent event;
(ii) requires Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary to provide a benefit in the
form of Legacy Common Stock or determined by reference to the value of Legacy
Common Stock or (iii) contains provisions which permit an employee,
director or independent contractor to terminate such agreement or arrangement
without cause and continue to accrue future benefits thereunder.
4.10 Ownership of Property; Insurance
Coverage.
4.10.1 Legacy
and each Legacy Subsidiary has good and, as to real property, marketable title
to all assets and properties owned by Legacy or such Legacy Subsidiary, as
applicable, in the conduct of its businesses, whether such assets and properties
are real or personal, tangible or intangible, including assets and property
reflected in the most recent consolidated statement of financial condition
contained in the Legacy Financial Statements or acquired subsequent thereto
(except to the extent that such assets and properties have been disposed of in
the ordinary course of business, since the date of such consolidated statement
of financial condition), subject to no encumbrances, liens, mortgages, security
interests or pledges, except (i) those items which secure liabilities for
public or statutory obligations or any discount with, borrowing from or other
obligations to FHLB, inter-bank credit facilities, reverse repurchase agreements
or any transaction by a Legacy Subsidiary acting in a fiduciary capacity, and
(ii) statutory liens for amounts not yet delinquent or which are being
contested in good faith. Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries, as
lessee, have the right under valid and existing leases of real and personal
properties used by Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries in the conduct of their
businesses to occupy or use all such properties as presently occupied and used
by each of them. Such existing leases and commitments to lease
constitute or will constitute operating leases for both tax and financial
accounting purposes and the lease expense and minimum rental commitments with
respect to such leases and lease commitments are as disclosed in all material
respects in the notes to the Legacy Financial Statements.
4.10.2 With
respect to all material agreements pursuant to which Legacy or any Legacy
Subsidiary has purchased securities subject to an agreement to resell, if any,
Legacy or such Legacy Subsidiary, as the case may be, has a lien or security
interest (which to Legacy’s Knowledge is a valid, perfected first lien) in the
securities or other collateral securing the repurchase agreement, and the value
of such collateral equals or exceeds the amount of the debt secured
thereby.
4.10.3 Legacy
and each Legacy Subsidiary currently maintain insurance considered by each of
them to be reasonable for their respective operations. Neither Legacy
nor any Legacy Subsidiary, has received notice from any insurance carrier on or
before the date hereof that (i) such insurance will be canceled or that
coverage thereunder will be reduced or eliminated, or (ii) premium costs
with respect to such policies of insurance will be substantially
increased. Except as listed on Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.10.3, there are presently no claims pending under such
policies of insurance and no notices of claim have been given by Legacy or any
Legacy Subsidiary under such policies. All such insurance is valid
and enforceable and in full force and effect (other than insurance that expires
in accordance with its terms), and within the last three (3) years Legacy and
each Legacy Subsidiary has received each type of insurance coverage for which it
has applied and during such periods has not been denied indemnification for any
claims submitted under any of its insurance policies. Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.10.3 identifies all policies of insurance maintained by
Legacy and each Legacy Subsidiary, including the name of the insurer, the policy
number, the type of policy and any applicable deductibles, as well as the other
matters required to be disclosed under this
Section 4.10.3. Legacy has made available to BHLB copies of all
of the policies listed on Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.10.3.
4.11 Legal
Proceedings.
There
is no suit, action, investigation or proceeding pending or, to its Knowledge,
threatened against or affecting Legacy or any of its Subsidiaries (and it is not
aware of any facts that reasonably could be expected to be the basis for any
such suit, action or proceeding) (1) that involves a Governmental Entity or Bank
Regulator, or (2) that, individually or in the aggregate, is (A) material to it
and its Subsidiaries’ businesses or, after the Effective Time, BHLB’s or any of
its Subsidiaries’ businesses, or (B) reasonably likely to prevent or delay it
from performing its obligations under, or consummating the transactions
contemplated by, this Agreement. There is no injunction, order,
award, judgment, settlement, decree or regulatory restriction imposed upon or
entered into by Legacy, any of its Subsidiaries or the assets of it or any of
its Subsidiaries.
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4.12 Compliance with Applicable
Law.
Except as
set forth on Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 4.12 and in Section 4.15:
4.12.1 To
Legacy’s Knowledge, Legacy and each Legacy Subsidiary is in compliance in all
material respects with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign
statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders or decrees
applicable to it, its properties, assets and deposits, its business, its conduct
of business and its relationship with its employees, including, without
limitation, the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools
Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, the Equal Credit
Opportunity Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures
Act, the Consumer Credit Protection Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair
Debt Collections Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Community Reinvestment Act of
1977 (“CRA”), the Home
Mortgage Disclosure Act, and all other applicable fair lending laws and other
laws relating to discriminatory business practices, and neither Legacy nor any
Legacy Subsidiary has received any written notice to the contrary.
4.12.2 Legacy
and each Legacy Subsidiary has all material permits, licenses, authorizations,
orders and approvals of, and has made all filings, applications and
registrations with, all Governmental Entities and Bank Regulators that are
required in order to permit it to own or lease its properties and to conduct its
business as presently conducted; all such permits, licenses, certificates of
authority, orders and approvals are in full force and effect and, to the
Knowledge of Legacy, no suspension or cancellation of any such permit, license,
certificate, order or approval is threatened or will result from the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, subject to
obtaining the Regulatory Approvals.
4.12.3 For
the period beginning January 1, 2007, neither Legacy nor any Legacy
Subsidiary has received any written notification or any other communication from
any Bank Regulator (i) asserting that Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary is
not in material compliance with any of the statutes, regulations or ordinances
which such Bank Regulator enforces; (ii) threatening to revoke any license,
franchise, permit or governmental authorization; (iii) requiring or threatening
to require Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary, or indicating that Legacy or any
Legacy Subsidiary may be required, to enter into a cease and desist order,
agreement or memorandum of understanding or any other agreement with any federal
or state governmental agency or authority which is charged with the supervision
or regulation of banks, or engages in the insurance of bank deposits,
restricting or limiting, or purporting to restrict or limit the operations of
Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary, including without limitation any restriction on
the payment of dividends; or (iv) directing, restricting or limiting, or
purporting to direct, restrict or limit the operations of Legacy or any Legacy
Subsidiary (any such notice, communication, memorandum, agreement or order
described in this sentence is hereinafter referred to as a “Regulatory
Agreement”). Except as disclosed in Legacy Disclosure Schedule
4.12.3, neither Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary has consented to or entered
into any Regulatory Agreement that is currently in effect. Legacy has
disclosed to BHLB its most recent regulatory ratings.
4.13 Employee Benefit
Plans.
4.13.1 Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.13.1 contains a list of all written and unwritten
pension, retirement, profit-sharing, thrift, savings, deferred compensation,
stock option, employee stock ownership, employee stock purchase, restricted
stock, severance pay, retention, vacation, bonus or other incentive plans, all
employment, change in control, consulting, severance and retention agreements,
all other written employee programs, arrangements or agreements, all medical,
vision, dental, disability, life insurance, workers’ compensation, employee
assistance or other health or welfare plans, and all other employee benefit or
fringe benefit plans, including “employee benefit plans” as that term is defined
in Section 3(3) of ERISA, currently adopted, maintained by, sponsored in
whole or in part by, or contributed to by Legacy or any of its ERISA Affiliates
for the benefit of employees, former employees, retirees (or the dependents,
including spouses, of the foregoing), directors, independent contractors or
other service providers to Legacy and under which employees, former employees,
retirees, dependents, spouses, directors, or other service providers of Legacy
are eligible to participate (collectively, the “Legacy Benefit
Plans”). Legacy has furnished or otherwise made available to
BHLB true and complete copies of (i) the plan documents and summary plan
descriptions for each written Legacy Benefit Plan, (ii) a summary of each
unwritten Legacy Benefit Plan (if applicable), (iii) the annual report
(Form 5500 series) for the three (3) most recent years for each Legacy
Benefit Plan (if applicable), (iv) the actuarial valuation reports with respect
to each tax-qualified Legacy Benefit Plan that is a defined benefit pension plan
for the three (3) most recent years, (v) all related trust agreements,
insurance contracts or other funding agreements which currently implement the
Legacy Benefit Plans (if applicable), (vi) the most recent IRS determination
letter with respect to each tax-qualified Legacy Benefit Plan (or, for a Legacy
Benefit Plan maintained under a pre-approved prototype or volume submitter plan,
the IRS determination letter on such pre-approved plan) and (vii) all
substantive correspondence relating to any liability of or non-compliance
relating to any Legacy Benefit Plan addressed to or received from the IRS, the
Department of Labor or any other Governmental Entity within the past three
(3) years. Each Legacy Benefit Plan that may be subject to
Section 409A of the Code (“Legacy Non-qualified Deferred
Compensation Plan”) has been maintained and operated in compliance with
Section 409A of the Code such that no Taxes under Section 409A of the Code
may be imposed on participants in such plans.
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4.13.2 All
Legacy Benefit Plans are in material compliance with (and have been managed and
administrated in accordance with) the applicable terms of ERISA, the Code and
any other applicable laws. Except as set forth on Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.13.2, each Legacy Benefit Plan governed by ERISA that is
intended to be a qualified retirement plan under Section 401(a) of the Code has
either (i) received a favorable determination letter from the IRS (and
Legacy is not aware of any circumstances likely to result in revocation of any
such favorable determination letter) or timely application has been made
therefore, or (ii) is maintained under a prototype plan which has been
approved by the IRS and is entitled to rely upon the IRS National Office opinion
letter issued to the prototype plan sponsor. To the Knowledge of
Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries, there exists no fact which would adversely
affect the qualification of any of the Legacy Benefit Plans intended to be
qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, or any threatened or pending claim
against any of the Legacy Benefit Plans or their fiduciaries by any participant,
beneficiary or Governmental Entity (other than routine claims for
benefits).
4.13.3 Except
as set forth on Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 4.13.3, no “defined benefit plan” (as defined in
Section 414(j) of the Code) has been maintained at any time by Legacy or any of
its ERISA Affiliates for the benefit of the employees or former employees of
Legacy or its Subsidiaries.
4.13.4 Within
the last six (6) years, neither Legacy nor any of its ERISA Affiliates
maintained or had any obligation to contribute to a Legacy Benefit Plan which is
a “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA, and
within the last six (6) years neither Legacy nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has
incurred any withdrawal liability within the meaning of Section 4201 of
ERISA to any such “multiemployer plan.” Neither Legacy nor any of its
ERISA Affiliates has incurred any unsatisfied liability (other than PBGC
premiums) to the PBGC, the IRS or any other individual or entity under Title IV
of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code, and no event or condition exists that
could reasonably be expected to result in the imposition of any liability on
Legacy or any of its ERISA Affiliates under such provisions or that could
reasonably be expected to have an adverse effect on BHLB or Berkshire
Bank.
4.13.5 Legacy
has complied in all material respects with the notice and continuation
requirements of Parts 6 and 7 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA and
Section 4980B of the Code (“COBRA”), and the regulations
thereunder. All reports, statements, returns and other information
required to be furnished or filed with respect to Legacy Benefit Plans have been
timely furnished, filed or both in accordance with Sections 101 through 105
of ERISA and Sections 6057 through 6059 of the Code, and they are true,
correct and complete. To Legacy’s Knowledge, records with respect to
Legacy Benefit Plans have been maintained in compliance with Section 107 of
ERISA. To Legacy’s Knowledge, neither Legacy nor any other fiduciary
(as that term is defined in Section 3(21) of ERISA) with respect to any of
Legacy Benefit Plans has any liability for any breach of any fiduciary duties
under Sections 404, 405 or 409 of ERISA. No Legacy Benefit Plan fails
to meet the applicable requirements of Section 105(h)(2) of the Code (determined
without regard to whether such Legacy Benefit Plan is
self-insured).
4.13.6 Legacy
has not, with respect to any Legacy Benefit Plan, nor, to Legacy’s Knowledge,
has any administrator of any Legacy Benefit Plan, the related trusts or any
trustee thereof, engaged in any prohibited transaction which would subject
Legacy, any ERISA Affiliate of Legacy, or any Legacy Benefit Plan to a Tax or
penalty on prohibited transactions imposed by ERISA, Section 4975 of the
Code, or to any other liability under ERISA.
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4.13.7 Except
as set forth on Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 4.13.7, Legacy has no liability for retiree
health and life benefits under any Legacy Benefit Plan other than any benefits
required under COBRA or similar state laws.
4.13.8 Except
as set forth on Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 4.13.8, neither the execution and delivery of
this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will
(A) result in any payment (including severance) becoming due to any director or
any employee of Legacy from Legacy under any Legacy Benefit Plan,
(B) increase any benefits otherwise payable under any Legacy Benefit Plan
or (C) result in any acceleration of the time of payment or vesting of any
such benefit. Except as set forth on Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.13.8, no payment which in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement is or may reasonably be expected to
be made by, from or with respect to any Legacy Benefit Plan, either alone or in
conjunction with any other payment will or could properly be characterized as an
“excess parachute payment” under Section 280G of the Code on which an
excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code is payable or will or could, either
individually or collectively, provide for any payment by Legacy or any of its
ERISA Affiliates that would not be deductible under Code
Section 162(m).
4.13.9 The
actuarial present values of all accrued Legacy Non-qualified Deferred
Compensation Plans (including, to the extent applicable, entitlements under any
executive compensation, supplemental retirement, or employment agreement) of
employees and former employees of Legacy and their respective beneficiaries,
other than entitlements accrued pursuant to funded retirement plans subject to
the provisions of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA,
have been fully reflected on the Legacy Financial Statements to the extent
required by and in accordance with GAAP.
4.13.10 There
is not, and has not been, any trust or fund maintained by or contributed to by
Legacy or its employees to fund an employee benefit plan which would constitute
a Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association or a “welfare benefit fund”
within the meaning of Section 419(a) of the Code.
4.13.11 No
claim, lawsuit, arbitration or other action has been asserted or instituted or,
to the Knowledge of Legacy, has been threatened or is anticipated, against any
Legacy Benefit Plan (other than routine claims for benefits and appeals of such
claims), Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary or any director, officer or employee
thereof, or any of the assets of any trust of any Legacy Benefit
Plan.
4.14 Brokers, Finders and Financial
Advisors.
Neither
Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary, nor any of their respective officers,
directors, employees or agents, has employed any broker, finder or financial
advisor in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or
incurred any liability or commitment for any fees or commissions to any such
Person in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement except
for the retention of Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, Inc. by Legacy and the fee
payable pursuant thereto. A true and correct copy of the engagement
agreement with Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, Inc., setting forth the fee payable
to Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, Inc. for its services rendered to Legacy in
connection with the Merger and transactions contemplated by this Agreement, is
attached to Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 4.14.
4.15 Environmental
Matters.
4.15.1 Except
as may be set forth in Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.15, with respect to Legacy and each Legacy
Subsidiary:
(A) To
the Knowledge of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries, each of Legacy and the
Legacy Subsidiaries, and the Legacy Loan Properties (as defined in
Section 4.15.2) are, and have been, in material compliance with any
Environmental Laws;
21
(B) Neither
Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary has received written notice in the last five
(5) years that there is any material suit, claim, action, demand, executive or
administrative order, directive, request for information, investigation or
proceeding pending and, to the Knowledge of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries,
no such action is threatened, before any court, governmental agency or other
forum against them or any Legacy Loan Property (x) for alleged
noncompliance (including by any predecessor) with, or liability under, any
Environmental Law or (y) relating to the presence of or release into the
environment of any Materials of Environmental Concern, whether or not occurring
at or on a site owned, leased or operated by Legacy, or any of the Legacy
Subsidiaries;
(C) To
the Knowledge of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries, the properties currently
owned or operated by Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary (including, without
limitation, soil, groundwater or surface water on, or under the properties, and
buildings thereon) are not contaminated with and do not otherwise contain any
Materials of Environmental Concern other than in amounts permitted under
applicable Environmental Law or which are de minimis in nature and
extent;
(D) There
are no underground storage tanks on, in or under any properties owned or
operated by Legacy or any of the Legacy Subsidiaries or any Legacy Loan
Property, and no underground storage tanks have been closed or removed from any
properties owned or operated by Legacy or any of the Legacy Subsidiaries or any
Legacy Loan Property except as in compliance with Environmental Laws;
and
(E) During
the period of (a) Legacy’s or any of the Legacy Subsidiaries’ ownership or
operation of any of their respective current properties or (b) Legacy’s or
any of the Legacy Subsidiaries’ participation in the management of any Legacy
Loan Property, to the Knowledge of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries, there has
been no material contamination by or material release of Materials of
Environmental Concern in, on, under or affecting such properties. To
the Knowledge of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries, prior to the period of
(x) Legacy’s or any of the Legacy Subsidiaries’ ownership or operation of
any of their respective current properties or (y) Legacy’s or any of the
Legacy Subsidiaries’ participation in the management of any Legacy Loan
Property, there was no material contamination by or release of Materials of
Environmental Concern in, on, under or affecting such properties.
(F) Neither
Legacy nor any other Legacy Subsidiary has conducted any environmental studies
during the past five (5) years (other than Phase I studies or Phase II
studies which did not indicate any contamination of the environment by Materials
of Environmental Concern above reportable levels) with respect to any properties
owned or leased by it or any of its Subsidiaries, or with respect to any Legacy
Loan Property.
4.15.2 For
purposes of this Section 4.15, “Legacy Loan Property” means
any property in which Legacy or a Legacy Subsidiary presently holds a direct or
indirect security interest securing to a loan or other extension of credit made
by them, including through a Legacy Loan Participation, and “Legacy Loan Participation”
means a participation interest in a loan or other extension of credit other than
by Legacy or a Legacy Subsidiary.
4.16 Loan Portfolio.
4.16.1 The
allowances for loan losses reflected in the notes to Legacy’s audited
consolidated statements of financial condition at December 31, 2009 and
2008 were, and the allowance for loan losses shown in the notes to the unaudited
consolidated financial statements for periods ending after December 31,
2009 were, or will be, adequate, as of the dates thereof, under
GAAP.
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4.16.2 Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.16.2 sets forth a listing, as of the most recently
available date (and in no event earlier than June 30, 2010), by account, of:
(A) all loans (including loan participations) of Legacy Banks that have
been accelerated during the past twelve (12) months; (B) with respect to
all commercial loans (including commercial real estate loans), all notification
letters and other written communications from Legacy Banks to any borrowers,
customers or other parties during the past twelve (12) months wherein Legacy
Banks has requested or demanded that actions be taken to correct existing
defaults or facts or circumstances which may become defaults; (C) each
borrower, customer or other party which has notified Legacy Banks during the
past twelve (12) months of, or has asserted against Legacy or Legacy Banks, in
each case in writing, any “lender liability” or similar claim, and, to the
Knowledge of Legacy and Legacy Banks, each borrower, customer or other party
which has given Legacy or Legacy Banks any oral notification of, or orally
asserted to or against Legacy or Legacy Banks, any such claim; and (D) all
loans, (1) that are contractually past due ninety (90) days or more in the
payment of principal and/or interest, (2) that are on non-accrual status,
(3) that as of June 30, 2010 are classified as “Other Loans Specially
Mentioned,” “Special Mention,” “Substandard,” “Doubtful,” “Loss,” “Classified,”
“Criticized,” “Watch list” or words of similar import, together with the
principal amount of and accrued and unpaid interest on each such Loan and the
identity of the obligor thereunder, (4) where a reasonable doubt exists as
to the timely future collectibility of principal and/or interest, whether or not
interest is still accruing or the loans are less than ninety (90) days past
due, (5) where the interest rate terms have been reduced and/or the
maturity dates have been extended subsequent to the agreement under which the
loan was originally created due to concerns regarding the borrower’s ability to
pay in accordance with such initial terms, or (6) where a specific reserve
allocation exists in connection therewith; and (E) all other assets
classified by Legacy or Legacy Banks as real estate acquired through foreclosure
or in lieu of foreclosure, including in-substance foreclosures, and all other
assets currently held that were acquired through foreclosure or in lieu of
foreclosure. Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.16.2 may exclude any individual loan with a principal
outstanding balance of less than $50,000, provided that Legacy Disclosure Schedule
4.16.2 includes, for each category described, the aggregate amount of
individual loans with a principal outstanding balance of less than $50,000 that
has been excluded.
4.16.3 All
loans receivable (including discounts) and accrued interest entered on the books
of Legacy and Legacy Banks arose out of bona fide arm’s-length transactions,
were made for good and valuable consideration in the ordinary course of Legacy’s
and Legacy Banks’ respective businesses, and the notes or other evidences of
indebtedness with respect to such loans (including discounts) are true and
genuine and are what they purport to be. The loans, discounts and the
accrued interest reflected on the books of Legacy and Legacy Banks are subject
to no defenses, set-offs or counterclaims (including, without limitation, those
afforded by usury or truth-in-lending laws), except as may be provided by
bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or
by general principles of equity. All such loans are owned by Legacy
or Legacy Banks free and clear of any liens.
4.16.4 The
notes and other evidences of indebtedness evidencing the loans described above,
and all pledges, mortgages, deeds of trust and other collateral documents or
security instruments relating thereto are valid, true and genuine, and what they
purport to be.
4.17 Related Party
Transactions.
Neither
Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary is a party to any transaction (including any
loan or other credit accommodation) with any Affiliate of Legacy or any Legacy
Subsidiary, except as set forth in Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.17 or as described in Legacy’s proxy statement dated
March 31, 2010 distributed in connection with its annual meeting of shareholders
held on May 12, 2010. Except as described in such proxy statement or
in Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.17, all such transactions (a) were made in the
ordinary course of business, (b) were made on substantially the same terms,
including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for
comparable transactions with other Persons, and (c) did not involve more than
the normal risk of collectibility or present other unfavorable
features. No loan or credit accommodation to any Affiliate of Legacy
or any Legacy Subsidiary is presently in default or, during the three (3)-year
period prior to the date of this Agreement, has been in default or has been
restructured, modified or extended. Neither Legacy nor any Legacy
Subsidiary has been notified that principal or interest with respect to any such
loan or other credit accommodation will not be paid when due or that the loan
grade classification accorded such loan or credit accommodation is
inappropriate.
4.18 Deposits.
Except as
set forth on Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 4.18, none of the deposits of Legacy Banks as of June
30, 2010 are a “brokered deposit” as defined in 12 C.F.R.
Section 337.6(a)(2).
4.19 Board Approval.
The Board
of Directors of Legacy determined that the Merger is fair to, and in the best
interests of, Legacy and its stockholders, approved and declared advisable this
Agreement, the Merger, the Bank Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby, resolved to recommend adoption of this Agreement to the holders of
Legacy Common Stock, and directed that this Agreement be submitted to the
holders of Legacy Common Stock for their adoption. The Board of
Directors of Legacy has taken all action so that BHLB and Berkshire Bank will
not be an “interested stockholder” or prohibited from entering into or
consummating a “business combination” with Legacy (in each case as such term is
used in Section 203 of the DGCL) as a result of the execution of this Agreement
or the consummation of the transactions in the manner contemplated
hereby.
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4.20 Registration
Obligations.
Neither
Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary is under any obligation, contingent or
otherwise, which will survive the Effective Time by reason of any agreement to
register any transaction involving any of its securities under the Securities
Act.
4.21 Risk Management
Instruments.
All
interest rate swaps, caps, floors, option agreements, futures and forward
contracts and other similar risk management arrangements, whether entered into
for Legacy’s own account, or for the account of one or more of Legacy’s
Subsidiaries or their customers, in force and effect as of November 30, 2010
(all of which are set forth in Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.21), were entered into in compliance with all applicable
laws, rules, regulations and regulatory policies, and to the Knowledge of Legacy
and each Legacy Subsidiary, with counterparties believed to be financially
responsible at the time; and to Legacy’s and each Legacy Subsidiary’s Knowledge
each of them constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of Legacy or
such Legacy Subsidiary, enforceable in accordance with its terms (except as
enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and similar laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights or by general equity
principles), and is in full force and effect. Neither Legacy nor any
Legacy Subsidiary, nor any other party thereto, is in breach of any of its
obligations under any such agreement or arrangement.
4.22 Fairness
Opinion.
Legacy
has received an opinion, a copy of which will be provided to BHLB promptly
following the date of this Agreement, from Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx, Inc. to
the effect that, subject to the terms, conditions and qualifications set forth
therein, as of the date hereof, the Merger Consideration to be received by the
shareholders of Legacy pursuant to this Agreement is fair to such shareholders
from a financial point of view. Such opinion has not been amended or
rescinded as of the date of this Agreement.
4.23 Intellectual
Property.
Legacy
and each Legacy Subsidiary owns or, to Legacy’s Knowledge, possesses valid and
binding licenses and other rights (subject to expirations in accordance with
their terms) to use all patents, copyrights, trade secrets, trade names,
computer software, service marks and trademarks used in its respective business,
each without payment, and neither Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary has received
any notice of breach or conflict with respect thereto that asserts the rights of
others. Legacy and each Legacy Subsidiary have performed all the
obligations required to be performed, and are not in default in any respect,
under any contract, agreement, arrangement or commitment relating to any of the
foregoing.
4.24 Duties as
Fiduciary.
Except as
set forth on Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 4.24, Legacy Banks has, if required by virtue of
any line of business in which it is or previously was engaged in a “fiduciary
capacity,” to its Knowledge performed all of its duties in a fashion that
complied with all applicable laws, regulations, orders, agreements, xxxxx,
instruments, and common law standards in effect at that time. Legacy
Banks has not received notice of any claim, allegation, or complaint from any
Person that Legacy Banks failed to perform these duties in a manner that
complied with all applicable laws, regulations, orders, agreements, xxxxx,
instruments, and common law standards, except for notices involving matters that
have been resolved and any cost of such resolution is reflected in Legacy’s
Financial Statements. For purposes of this Section 4.24, the
term “fiduciary capacity” (i) shall mean (a) acting as trustee,
executor, administrator, registrar of stocks and bonds, transfer agent,
guardian, assignee, receiver, or custodian under a uniform gifts to minors act
and (b) possessing investment discretion on behalf of another, and
(ii) shall exclude Legacy Banks’ capacity with respect to individual
retirement accounts or the Legacy Benefit Plans.
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4.25 Employees; Labor
Matters.
4.25.1 Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.25.1 sets forth the following information with respect to
each employee of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries as of September 30, 2010:
job location, job title, current annual base salary, and years of service, and
the amount of incentive compensation or bonus paid for the prior three (3)
years.
4.25.2 There
are no labor or collective bargaining agreements to which Legacy or any Legacy
Subsidiary is a party. There is no union organizing effort pending
or, to the Knowledge of Legacy, threatened against Legacy or any Legacy
Subsidiary. There is no labor strike, labor dispute (other than
routine employee grievances that are not related to union employees), work
slowdown, stoppage or lockout pending or, to the Knowledge of Legacy, threatened
against Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary. There is no unfair labor
practice or labor arbitration proceeding pending or, to the Knowledge of Legacy,
threatened against Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary (other than routine employee
grievances that are not related to union employees). Legacy and each
Legacy Subsidiary is in compliance with all applicable laws respecting
employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and
wages and hours, and are not engaged in any unfair labor
practice. Neither Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary is a party to, or
bound by, any agreement for the leasing of employees.
4.25.3 To
Legacy’s Knowledge, all Persons who have been treated as independent contractors
by Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary for Tax purposes have met the criteria to be
so treated under all applicable federal, state and local Tax laws, rules and
regulations.
4.26 Legacy Information
Supplied.
The
information relating to Legacy and any Legacy Subsidiary to be contained in the
Merger Registration Statement, or in any other document filed with any Bank
Regulator or other Governmental Entity in connection herewith, will not contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which
they are made, not misleading.
4.27 Securities
Documents.
Since
January 1, 2007, Legacy has filed with the SEC all forms, reports,
schedules, registration statements, definitive proxy statements and information
statements or other filings (“Legacy SEC Reports”) required
to be filed by it with the SEC. As of their respective dates, the
Legacy SEC Reports complied as to form with the requirements of the Exchange Act
or the Securities Act, as applicable, and the applicable rules and regulations
of the SEC promulgated thereunder in all material respects. As of
their respective dates and as of the date any information from the Legacy SEC
Reports has been incorporated by reference, the Legacy SEC Reports did not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein made,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. Legacy has filed all material contracts, agreements and
other documents or instruments required to be filed as exhibits to the Legacy
SEC Reports.
4.28 Internal
Controls.
4.28.1 The
records, systems, controls, data and information of Legacy and its Subsidiaries
are recorded, stored, maintained and operated under means (including any
electronic, mechanical or photographic process, whether computerized or not)
that are under the exclusive ownership and direct control of Legacy or its
Subsidiaries or accountants (including all means of access thereto and
therefrom), except for any non-exclusive ownership and non-direct control that
would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the system
of internal accounting controls described in the following
sentence. Legacy and its Subsidiaries have devised and maintain a
system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable
assurances regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation
of financial statements in accordance with GAAP. Legacy has designed
and implemented disclosure controls and procedures (within the meaning of Rules
13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) to ensure that material information
relating to it and its Subsidiaries is made known to its management by others
within those entities as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding
required disclosure and to make the certifications required by the Exchange Act
and Sections 302 and 906 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.
25
4.28.2 Legacy’s
management has completed an assessment of the effectiveness of its internal
control over financial reporting in compliance with the requirements of Section
404 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act for the year ended December 31, 2009, and such
assessment concluded that such controls were effective. It has
previously disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation prior to the date
hereof, to its auditors and the audit committee of the Legacy
board: (A) any significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in
the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting and (B)
any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees
who have a significant role in its internal controls over financial
reporting.
4.28.3 Since
December 31, 2007, (A) neither Legacy nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to its
knowledge, any director, officer, employee, auditor, accountant or
representative of Legacy or any of its Subsidiaries has received or otherwise
had or obtained knowledge of any material complaint, allegation, assertion or
claim, whether written or oral, regarding the accounting or auditing practices,
procedures, methodologies or methods (including with respect to loan loss
reserves, write-downs, charge-offs and accruals) of it or any of its
subsidiaries or their respective internal accounting controls, including any
material complaint, allegation, assertion or claim that it or nay of its
subsidiaries has engaged in questionable accounting or auditing practices, and
(B) no attorney representing Legacy or any of its Subsidiaries, whether or not
employed by it or any of its Subsidiaries, has reported evidence of a material
violation of securities laws, breach of fiduciary to duty or similar violation
by Legacy or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents to its board of
directors or any committee thereof or to any of its directors
officers.
4.29 Bank Owned Life
Insurance.
Legacy
and each Legacy Subsidiary has obtained the written consent of each employee on
whose behalf bank owned life insurance (“BOLI”) has been
purchased. Legacy Banks has taken all actions necessary to comply
with applicable law in connection with its purchase of BOLI. Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.29 sets forth all BOLI owned by Legacy or any Legacy
Subsidiary, a breakdown of the cash surrender values on each policy, the purpose
for which each policy was purchased, the beneficiaries of such policy and a list
of the lives insured thereunder.
4.30 Stock Transfer
Records.
The Stock
transfer books and records of Legacy are materially complete and
accurate.
ARTICLE
V
REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF BHLB
BHLB
represents and warrants to Legacy that the statements contained in this
Article V are correct as of the date of this Agreement and will be correct
as of the Closing Date (as though made then and as though the Closing Date were
substituted for the date of this Agreement throughout this Article V),
subject to the standard set forth in Section 5.1 and except as set forth in
the BHLB Disclosure Schedule delivered by BHLB to Legacy on the date hereof, and
except as to any representation or warranty which specifically relates to an
earlier date, which only need be so correct as of such earlier date, provided, however, that disclosure in
any section of such BHLB Disclosure Schedule shall apply only to the indicated
Section of this Agreement except to the extent that it is reasonably apparent
that such disclosure is relevant to another section of this
Agreement. References to the Knowledge of BHLB shall include the
Knowledge of Berkshire Bank.
5.1 Standard.
Except as
set forth in the following sentence, no representation or warranty of BHLB
contained in this Article V shall be deemed untrue or incorrect, and BHLB
shall not be deemed to have breached a representation or warranty, as a
consequence of the existence of any fact, circumstance or event unless such
fact, circumstance or event, individually or taken together with all other
facts, circumstances or events inconsistent with any paragraph of this
Article V, has had or reasonably could be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect, disregarding for these purposes (x) any qualification or
exception for, or reference to, materiality in any such representation or
warranty and (y) any use of the terms “material,” “materially,” “in all
material respects,” “Material Adverse Effect” or similar terms or phrases in any
such representation or warranty. The foregoing standard shall not
apply to representations and warranties contained in Sections 5.2 (other
than Sections 5.2.3, 5.2.4, and 5.2.5 and the last sentence of
Sections 5.2.1 and 5.2.2), Section 5.3 and 5.4 (other than Section
5.4.2(iii)) and Sections 5.2.3, 5.2.4, and 5.2.5 and Sections 5.3 and 5.4 (other
than Section 5.4.2(iii)) shall be true and correct in all material
respects.
26
5.2 Organization.
5.2.1 BHLB
is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of the State of Delaware, and is duly registered as a savings and loan
holding company under the HOLA. BHLB has full corporate power and
authority to carry on its business as now conducted and is duly licensed or
qualified to do business in the states of the United States and foreign
jurisdictions where its ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of its
business requires such qualification.
5.2.2 Berkshire
Bank is a Massachusetts savings bank duly organized, validly existing and in
good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. The deposits in Berkshire Bank are insured by the FDIC
to the fullest extent permitted by law, and all premiums and assessments
required to be paid in connection therewith have been paid when
due. Berkshire Bank is a member in good standing of the FHLB and owns
the requisite amount of stock of each as set forth on BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.2.2.
5.2.3 BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.2.3 sets forth each BHLB Subsidiary and its jurisdiction
of incorporation or organization. Each BHLB Subsidiary (other than
Berkshire Bank) is a corporation, limited liability company or other legal
entity as set forth on BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.2.3, duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or
organization. Each BHLB Subsidiary is duly licensed or qualified to
do business in the states of the United States and foreign jurisdictions where
its ownership or leasing of property or conduct of its business requires such
qualification.
5.2.4 The
respective minute books of BHLB and Berkshire Bank accurately record all
corporate actions of their respective shareholders and Boards of Directors
(including committees).
5.2.5 Prior
to the date of this Agreement, BHLB has made available to Legacy true and
correct copies of the certificate of incorporation or articles of association,
as applicable, and bylaws or other governing documents of BHLB and Berkshire
Bank and each other BHLB Subsidiary.
5.3 Capitalization.
5.3.1 The
authorized capital stock of BHLB consists of (i) 26,000,000 shares of BHLB
Common Stock and (ii) 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.01 par value
per share (“BHLB Preferred
Stock” and collectively with the BHLB Common Stock, the “BHLB Stock”). As of
December 17, 2010, there are (i) 14,038,711 shares of BHLB Common Stock
validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable and free of
preemptive rights, (ii) 1,801,810 shares of BHLB Common Stock held by BHLB
as treasury stock, and (iii) no shares of BHLB Preferred Stock
outstanding. Berkshire Bank does not own, of record or beneficially,
any shares of BHLB Stock, other than shares held as treasury
stock. Neither BHLB nor any BHLB Subsidiary has or is bound by any
Rights or other arrangements of any character relating to the purchase, sale or
issuance or voting of, or right to receive dividends or other distributions on,
any capital stock of BHLB, or any other security of BHLB or an BHLB Subsidiary
or any securities representing the right to vote, purchase or otherwise receive
any capital stock of BHLB or an BHLB Subsidiary or any other security of BHLB or
any BHLB Subsidiary, other than shares of BHLB Common Stock underlying the
options and restricted stock granted pursuant to benefit plans maintained by
BHLB. BHLB has granted options to acquire 190,000 shares of BHLB
Common Stock at a weighted average exercise price of $22.97 per
share. All shares of BHLB Common Stock issuable pursuant to option
plans maintained by BHLB will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable when issued upon the terms and conditions specified in the
instruments pursuant to which they are issuable.
27
5.3.2 BHLB
owns all of the capital stock of each BHLB Subsidiary free and clear of all
liens, security interests, pledges, charges, encumbrances, agreements and
restrictions of any kind or nature. Except for the BHLB Subsidiaries
and as set forth in BHLB Disclosure Schedule
5.3.2, BHLB as of the date of this Agreement does not possess,
directly or indirectly, any equity interest in any corporate or other legal
entity, except for equity interests held in the investment portfolios of BHLB or
any BHLB Subsidiary (which as to any one issuer, do not exceed five percent (5%)
of such issuer’s outstanding equity securities) and equity interests held in
connection with the lending activities of Berkshire Bank, including stock in the
FHLB.
5.3.3 To
BHLB’s Knowledge, except as set forth on BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.3.3, as of the date hereof, no Person is the beneficial
owner (as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) of five percent (5%) or
more of the outstanding shares of BHLB Common Stock.
5.3.4 No
bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness having the right to vote on any
matters on which BHLB’s shareholders may vote have been issued by BHLB and are
outstanding.
5.4 Authority; No
Violation.
5.4.1 BHLB
has full corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement
and, subject to receipt of the Regulatory Approvals and the approval of this
Agreement by BHLB’s shareholders, to perform its obligations hereunder and to
consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and
delivery of this Agreement by BHLB and the completion by BHLB of the
transactions contemplated hereby, up to and including the Merger, have been duly
and validly approved by the Board of Directors of BHLB. This
Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by BHLB, and subject
to the receipt of the Regulatory Approvals, Legacy Shareholder Approval and the
shareholders of BHLB, and due and valid execution and delivery of this Agreement
by Legacy, constitutes the valid and binding obligations of BHLB, enforceable
against BHLB in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, and subject,
as to enforceability, to general principles of equity.
5.4.2 (a) Subject
to compliance of Legacy with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the
execution and delivery of this Agreement by BHLB, subject to receipt of the
Regulatory Approvals, and compliance by Legacy and BHLB with any conditions
contained therein, and subject to the receipt of the Legacy Shareholder Approval
and the approval of the shareholders of BHLB, the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, and (b) compliance by BHLB with the terms
and provisions hereof will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach of
any provision of the certificate of incorporation or articles of association, as
applicable, and bylaws of BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary; (ii) violate any
statute, code, ordinance, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ, decree or
injunction applicable to BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary or any of their respective
properties or assets; or (iii) violate, conflict with, result in a breach
of any provisions of, constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or
lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) under, result in the
termination or amendment of, accelerate the performance required by, or result
in a right of termination or acceleration or the creation of any lien, security
interest, charge or other encumbrance upon any of the properties or assets of
BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary under any of the terms, conditions or provisions of
any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, license, lease, agreement or
other investment or obligation to which BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary is a party,
or by which they or any of their respective properties or assets may be bound or
affected.
5.5 Consents.
Except
for (a) the receipt of the Regulatory Approvals and compliance with any
conditions contained therein, (b) compliance with applicable requirements
of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and state securities or “blue sky” laws,
(c) the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of
the State of Delaware, (d) the filing with the SEC of (i) the Merger
Registration Statement and (ii) such reports under Sections 13(a),
13(d), 13(g) and 16(a) of the Exchange Act as may be required in connection with
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and the obtaining from
the SEC of such orders as may be required in connection therewith,
(e) notification of the listing of BHLB Common Stock to be issued in the
Merger on the NASDAQ Global Select Market and (f) the approval of this
Agreement by the Legacy Shareholder Approval and the approval of the
shareholders of BHLB, no consents, waivers or approvals of, or filings or
registrations with, any Governmental Entity or Bank Regulator are necessary,
and, to the Knowledge of BHLB, no consents, waivers or approvals of, or filings
or registrations with, any other third parties are necessary, in connection with
(x) the execution and delivery of this Agreement by BHLB, the completion by
BHLB of the Merger and the performance by BHLB of its obligations hereunder or
(y) the execution and delivery of the agreement and plan of merger in
respect of the Bank Merger and the completion of the Bank
Merger. BHLB has no reason to believe that (i) any Regulatory
Approvals or other required consents or approvals will not be received or will
include the imposition of any condition (financial or otherwise) or requirement
that could reasonably be expected by BHLB to result in a Material Adverse Effect
on BHLB and Berkshire Bank, taken as a whole, or Legacy and Legacy Banks, taken
as a whole, or that (ii) any public body or authority having jurisdiction
over the affairs of BHLB and Berkshire Bank, the consent or approval of which is
not required or pursuant to the rules of which a filing is not required, will
object to the completion of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
28
5.6 Financial
Statements.
5.6.1 The
BHLB Regulatory Reports have been prepared in all material respects in
accordance with applicable regulatory accounting principles and practices
throughout the periods covered by such statements, and fairly present in all
material respects the consolidated financial position, results of operations and
changes in shareholders’ equity of BHLB as of and for the periods ended on the
dates thereof, in accordance with applicable regulatory accounting principles
applied on a consistent basis.
5.6.2 BHLB
has previously made available to Legacy the BHLB Financial Statements covering
periods ended prior to the date hereof. The BHLB Financial Statements
have been prepared in accordance with GAAP in all material respects, and
(including the related notes where applicable) fairly present in each case in
all material respects (subject in the case of the unaudited interim statements
to normal year-end adjustments) the consolidated financial position, results of
operations and cash flows of BHLB and the Berkshire Bank on a consolidated basis
as of and for the respective periods ending on the dates thereof, in accordance
with GAAP during the periods involved, except as indicated in the notes thereto,
or in the case of unaudited statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q.
5.6.3 At
the date of the most recent consolidated statement of financial condition
included in the BHLB Financial Statements or in the BHLB Regulatory Reports,
BHLB did not have any liabilities, obligations or loss contingencies of any
nature (whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise) of a type required
to be reflected in such BHLB Financial Statements or in the footnotes thereto
which are not fully reflected or reserved against therein or fully disclosed in
a footnote thereto, except for liabilities, obligations and loss contingencies
which are not material individually or in the aggregate or which are incurred in
the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practice, and subject, in
the case of any unaudited statements, to normal, recurring audit adjustments and
the absence of footnotes.
29
5.7 Tax Matters.
5.7.1 Except
as provided in this Agreement, neither BHLB nor any of its Subsidiaries or
Affiliates has taken or agreed to take any action, has failed to take any action
or knows of any fact, agreement, plan or other circumstance that could
reasonably be expected to prevent the Merger from qualifying as a
“reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the
Code. BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries are members of the same
affiliated group within the meaning of Code
Section 1504(a). BHLB, on behalf of itself and its Subsidiaries,
has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax Returns (including, but not
limited to, those filed on a consolidated, combined or unitary basis) required
to have been filed by BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries prior to the date hereof,
or requests for extensions to file such returns and reports have been timely
filed. All such Tax Returns are true, correct, and complete in all
material respects. BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries have timely paid
or, prior to the Effective Time will pay, all Taxes, whether or not shown on
such returns or reports, due or claimed to be due to any Governmental Entity
prior to the Effective Time other than Taxes which are being contested in good
faith. BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries have declared on their Tax
Returns all positions taken therein that could give rise to a substantial
underpayment of United States Federal Income Tax within the meaning of
Section 6662 of the Code (or any corresponding provision of state or local
laws). The unpaid accrued but unpaid Taxes of BHLB and the BHLB
Subsidiaries did not, as of the most recent BHLB Financial Statements, exceed
the reserve for Tax liability (rather than any reserve for deferred Taxes
established to reflect timing differences between book and Tax income) set forth
on the face of the most recent BHLB balance sheet (rather than in any notes
thereto). BHLB and its Subsidiaries are subject to Tax audits in the
ordinary course of business. BHLB management does not believe that an
adverse resolution to any of such audits of which it has Knowledge would be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on BHLB. BHLB and
the BHLB Subsidiaries have not been notified in writing by any jurisdiction that
the jurisdiction believes that BHLB or any of the BHLB Subsidiaries were
required to file any Tax Return in such jurisdiction that was not
filed. Neither BHLB nor any of the BHLB Subsidiaries (A) has been a
member of a group with which they have filed or been included in a combined,
consolidated or unitary income Tax Return other than a group the common parent
of which was BHLB or (B) has any liability for the Taxes of any Person (other
than BHLB or any of the BHLB Subsidiaries) under Treas. Reg. § 1.1502-6 (or
any similar provision of state, local, or non-U.S. law), as a transferee or
successor, by contract, or otherwise. As of the date hereof, all
deficiencies proposed in writing as a result of any audits have been paid or
settled. There are no written claims or assessments pending against
BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary for any alleged deficiency in any Tax, and neither
BHLB nor any BHLB Subsidiary has been notified in writing of any proposed Tax
claims or assessments against BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary. BHLB and
the BHLB Subsidiaries each have duly and timely withheld, collected and paid
over to the appropriate taxing authority all amounts required to be so withheld
and paid under all applicable laws, and have duly and timely filed all Tax
Returns with respect to such withheld Taxes, within the time prescribed under
any applicable law. BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries have delivered to
Legacy true and complete copies of all Tax Returns of BHLB and the BHLB
Subsidiaries for taxable periods ending on or after December 31,
2005. Neither BHLB nor any of the BHLB Subsidiaries is or has been a
party to any “reportable transaction,” as defined in Code § 6707A(c)(1) and
Treas. Reg. § 1.6011-4(b). Neither BHLB nor any of the BHLB
Subsidiaries has distributed stock of another Person, or has had its stock
distributed by another Person, in a transaction that was purported or intended
to be governed in whole or in part by Code § 355 or Code
§ 361. Neither BHLB nor any of the BHLB Subsidiaries has been a
United States real property holding corporation within the meaning of Code
§ 897(c)(2) during the applicable period specified in Code
§ 897(c)(1)(A)(ii).
5.8 No Material Adverse
Effect.
Neither
BHLB nor any BHLB Subsidiary has suffered any Material Adverse Effect since
December 31, 2009 and, to BHLB’s Knowledge, no event has occurred or
circumstance arisen since that date which, in the aggregate, has had or is
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on BHLB.
5.9 Ownership of Property; Insurance
Coverage.
5.9.1 Except
as set forth on BHLB
Disclosure Schedule 5.9.1, BHLB and each BHLB Subsidiary has good and, as
to real property, marketable title to all assets and properties owned by BHLB or
such BHLB Subsidiary, as applicable, in the conduct of its businesses, whether
such assets and properties are real or personal, tangible or intangible,
including assets and property reflected in the most recent consolidated
statement of financial condition contained in the BHLB Financial Statements or
acquired subsequent thereto (except to the extent that such assets and
properties have been disposed of in the ordinary course of business, since the
date of such consolidated statement of financial condition), subject to no
encumbrances, liens, mortgages, security interests or pledges, except
(i) those items which secure liabilities for public or statutory
obligations or any discount with, borrowing from or other obligations to FHLB,
inter-bank credit facilities, reverse repurchase agreements or any transaction
by an BHLB Subsidiary acting in a fiduciary capacity, and (ii) statutory
liens for amounts not yet delinquent or which are being contested in good
faith. BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries, as lessee, have the right
under valid and existing leases of real and personal properties used by BHLB and
the BHLB Subsidiaries in the conduct of their businesses to occupy or use all
such properties as presently occupied and used by each of them. Such
existing leases and commitments to lease constitute or will constitute operating
leases for both tax and financial accounting purposes and the lease expense and
minimum rental commitments with respect to such leases and lease commitments are
as disclosed in all material respects in the notes to the BHLB Financial
Statements.
5.9.2 With
respect to all material agreements pursuant to which BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary
has purchased securities subject to an agreement to resell, if any, BHLB or such
BHLB Subsidiary, as the case may be, has a lien or security interest (which to
BHLB’s Knowledge is a valid, perfected first lien) in the securities or other
collateral securing the repurchase agreement, and the value of such collateral
equals or exceeds the amount of the debt secured thereby.
30
5.9.3 BHLB
and each BHLB Subsidiary currently maintain insurance considered by each of them
to be reasonable for their respective operations. Neither BHLB nor
any BHLB Subsidiary, has received notice from any insurance carrier on or before
the date hereof that (i) such insurance will be canceled or that coverage
thereunder will be reduced or eliminated, or (ii) premium costs with
respect to such policies of insurance will be substantially
increased. Except as listed on BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.9.3, there are presently no claims pending under such
policies of insurance and no notices of claim have been given by BHLB or any
BHLB Subsidiary under such policies. All such insurance is valid and
enforceable and in full force and effect (other than insurance that expires in
accordance with its terms), and within the last three (3) years BHLB and each
BHLB Subsidiary has received each type of insurance coverage for which it has
applied and during such periods has not been denied indemnification for any
claims submitted under any of its insurance policies. BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.9.3 identifies all policies of insurance maintained by
BHLB and each BHLB Subsidiary, including the name of the insurer, the policy
number, the type of policy and any applicable deductibles, as well as the other
matters required to be disclosed under this Section 5.9.3. BHLB
has made available to Legacy copies of all of the policies listed on BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.9.3.
5.10 Legal
Proceedings.
Except
as set forth on BHLB
Disclosure Schedule 5.10, there is no suit, action, investigation or
proceeding pending or, to its knowledge, threatened against or affecting BHLB or
any of its Subsidiaries (and it is not aware of any facts that reasonably could
be expected to form the basis for any such suit, action or proceeding) (1) that
involves a Governmental Entity or Bank Regulator, or (2) that, individually or
in the aggregate , is (A) material to it and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole,
or reasonably likely to result in a restriction on its or any of its
Subsidiaries’ businesses or, or after the Effective Time, BHLB’s or any of its
Subsidiaries’ businesses, or (B) reasonably likely to prevent or delay it from
performing its obligations under, or consummating the transactions contemplated
by, this Agreement. There is no injunction, order, award, judgment,
settlement, decree or regulatory restriction imposed upon or entered into by
BHLB, any of its Subsidiaries or the assets of it or any of its
Subsidiaries.
5.11 Compliance with Applicable
Law.
Except as
set forth on BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.11:
5.11.1 To
BHLB’s Knowledge, BHLB and each BHLB Subsidiary is in compliance in all material
respects with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign statutes, laws,
regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders or decrees applicable to it,
its properties, assets and deposits, its business, its conduct of business and
its relationship with its employees, including, without limitation, the Uniting
and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept
and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Truth
in Lending Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Consumer Credit
Protection Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Debt Collections Act,
the Fair Housing Act, the CRA, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, and all other
applicable fair lending laws and other laws relating to discriminatory business
practices, and neither BHLB nor any BHLB Subsidiary has received any written
notice to the contrary.
5.11.2 BHLB
and each BHLB Subsidiary has all material permits, licenses, authorizations,
orders and approvals of, and has made all filings, applications and
registrations with, all Governmental Entities and Bank Regulators that are
required in order to permit it to own or lease its properties and to conduct its
business as presently conducted; all such permits, licenses, certificates of
authority, orders and approvals are in full force and effect and, to the
Knowledge of BHLB, no suspension or cancellation of any such permit, license,
certificate, order or approval is threatened or will result from the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, subject to
obtaining the approvals set forth in Section 8.3.
5.11.3 For
the period beginning January 1, 2007, neither BHLB nor any BHLB Subsidiary
has received any written notification or any other communication from any Bank
Regulator or Insurance Regulator (i) asserting that BHLB or any BHLB
Subsidiary is not in material compliance with any of the statutes, regulations
or ordinances which such Bank Regulator or Insurance Regulator enforces;
(ii) threatening to revoke any license, franchise, permit or governmental
authorization; (iii) requiring or threatening to require BHLB or any BHLB
Subsidiary, or indicating that BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary may be required, to
enter into a cease and desist order, agreement or memorandum of understanding or
any other agreement with any federal or state governmental agency or authority
which is charged with the supervision or regulation of banks, savings and loan
holding companies or insurance agencies, or engages in the insurance of bank
deposits, restricting or limiting, or purporting to restrict or limit the
operations of BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary, including without limitation any
restriction on the payment of dividends; or (iv) directing, restricting or
limiting, or purporting to direct, restrict or limit the operations of BHLB or
any BHLB Subsidiary. Neither BHLB nor any BHLB Subsidiary has
consented to or entered into any Regulatory Agreement that is currently in
effect. The most recent regulatory rating given to Berkshire Bank as
to compliance with the CRA is “Satisfactory” or better.
31
5.12 Employee Benefit
Plans.
5.12.1
BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.12.1 contains a list of all written and unwritten
pension, retirement, profit-sharing, thrift, savings, deferred compensation,
stock option, employee stock ownership, employee stock purchase, restricted
stock, severance pay, retention, vacation, bonus or other incentive plans, all
employment, change in control, consulting, severance and retention agreements,
all other written employee programs, arrangements or agreements, all medical,
vision, dental, disability, life insurance, workers’ compensation, employee
assistance or other health or welfare plans, and all other employee benefit or
fringe benefit plans, including “employee benefit plans” as that term is defined
in Section 3(3) of ERISA, currently adopted, maintained by, sponsored in
whole or in part by, or contributed to by BHLB or any of its ERISA Affiliates
for the benefit of employees, former employees, retirees (or the dependents,
including spouses, of the foregoing), directors, independent contractors or
other service providers to BHLB and under which employees, former employees,
retirees, dependents, spouses, directors, or other service providers of BHLB are
eligible to participate (collectively, the “BHLB Benefit
Plans”). BHLB has furnished or otherwise made available to
Legacy true and complete copies of (i) the plan documents and summary plan
descriptions for each written BHLB Benefit Plan, (ii) a summary of each
unwritten BHLB Benefit Plan (if applicable), (iii) the actuarial valuation
reports with respect to each tax-qualified BHLB Benefit Plan that is a defined
benefit pension plan for the three (3) most recent years, (iv) all related
trust agreements, insurance contracts or other funding agreements which
currently implement the BHLB Benefit Plans (if applicable), (v) the most recent
IRS determination letter with respect to each tax-qualified BHLB Benefit Plan
(or, for a BHLB Benefit Plan maintained under a pre-approved prototype or volume
submitter plan, the IRS determination letter on such pre-approved plan) and
(vi) all substantive correspondence relating to any liability of or
non-compliance relating to any BHLB Benefit Plan addressed to or received from
the IRS, the Department of Labor or any other Governmental Entity within the
past three (3) years. Each BHLB Benefit Plan that may be subject
to Section 409A of the Code (“BHLB Non-qualified Deferred
Compensation Plan”) has been maintained and operated in compliance with
Section 409A of the Code such that no Taxes under Section 409A of the Code
may be imposed on participants in such plans.
5.12.2
All BHLB Benefit Plans are in material compliance with (and have been managed
and administrated in accordance with) the applicable terms of ERISA, the Code
and any other applicable laws. Except as set forth on BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.12.2, each BHLB Benefit Plan governed by ERISA that is
intended to be a qualified retirement plan under Section 401(a) of the Code has
either (i) received a favorable determination letter from the IRS (and BHLB
is not aware of any circumstances likely to result in revocation of any such
favorable determination letter) or timely application has been made therefore,
or (ii) is maintained under a prototype plan which has been approved by the
IRS and is entitled to rely upon the IRS National Office opinion letter issued
to the prototype plan sponsor. To the Knowledge of BHLB and the BHLB
Subsidiaries, there exists no fact which would adversely affect the
qualification of any of the BHLB Benefit Plans intended to be qualified under
Section 401(a) of the Code, or any threatened or pending claim against any of
the BHLB Benefit Plans or their fiduciaries by any participant, beneficiary or
Governmental Entity (other than routine claims for benefits).
5.12.3
Except as set forth on BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.12.3, no “defined benefit plan” (as defined in Section
414(j) of the Code) has been maintained at any time by BHLB or any of its ERISA
Affiliates for the benefit of the employees or former employees of BHLB or its
Subsidiaries.
5.12.4
Within the last six (6) years, neither BHLB nor any of its ERISA Affiliates
maintained or had any obligation to contribute to a BHLB Benefit Plan which is a
“multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 3(37) of ERISA, and
within the last six (6) years neither BHLB nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has
incurred any withdrawal liability within the meaning of Section 4201 of
ERISA to any such “multiemployer plan.” Neither BHLB nor any of its
ERISA Affiliates has incurred any unsatisfied liability (other than PBGC
premiums) to the PBGC, the IRS or any other individual or entity under Title IV
of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code, and no event or condition exists that
could reasonably be expected to result in the imposition of any liability on
BHLB or any of its ERISA Affiliates under such provisions or that could
reasonably be expected to have an adverse effect on BHLB or Berkshire
Bank.
32
5.12.5 BHLB
has complied in all material respects with the notice and continuation
requirements of Parts 6 and 7 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA and
Section 4980B of the Code (“COBRA”), and the regulations
thereunder. All reports, statements, returns and other information
required to be furnished or filed with respect to BHLB Benefit Plans have been
timely furnished, filed or both in accordance with Sections 101 through 105
of ERISA and Sections 6057 through 6059 of the Code, and they are true,
correct and complete. To BHLB’s Knowledge, records with respect to
BHLB Benefit Plans have been maintained in compliance with Section 107 of
ERISA. To BHLB’s Knowledge, neither BHLB nor any other fiduciary (as
that term is defined in Section 3(21) of ERISA) with respect to any of BHLB
Benefit Plans has any liability for any breach of any fiduciary duties under
Sections 404, 405 or 409 of ERISA. No BHLB Benefit Plan fails to meet
the applicable requirements of Section 105(h)(2) of the Code (determined without
regard to whether such BHLB Benefit Plan is self-insured).
5.12.6 BHLB
has not, with respect to any BHLB Benefit Plan, nor, to BHLB’s Knowledge, has
any administrator of any BHLB Benefit Plan, the related trusts or any trustee
thereof, engaged in any prohibited transaction which would subject BHLB, any
ERISA Affiliate of BHLB, or any BHLB Benefit Plan to a Tax or penalty on
prohibited transactions imposed by ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code, or to
any other liability under ERISA.
5.12.7 Except
as set forth on BHLB
Disclosure Schedule 5.12.7, BHLB has no liability for retiree health
and life benefits under any BHLB Benefit Plan other than any benefits required
under COBRA or similar state laws.
5.12.8 Except
as set forth on BHLB
Disclosure Schedule 5.12.8, neither the execution and delivery of
this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will
(A) result in any payment (including severance) becoming due to any director or
any employee of BHLB from BHLB under any BHLB Benefit Plan, (B) increase
any benefits otherwise payable under any BHLB Benefit Plan or (C) result in
any acceleration of the time of payment or vesting of any such
benefit. Except as set forth on BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.12.8, no payment which in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement is or may reasonably be expected to
be made by, from or with respect to any BHLB Benefit Plan, either alone or in
conjunction with any other payment will or could properly be characterized as an
“excess parachute payment” under Section 280G of the Code on which an
excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code is payable or will or could, either
individually or collectively, provide for any payment by BHLB or any of its
ERISA Affiliates that would not be deductible under Code
Section 162(m).
5.12.9 The
actuarial present values of all accrued BHLB Non-qualified Deferred Compensation
Plans (including, to the extent applicable, entitlements under any executive
compensation, supplemental retirement, or employment agreement) of employees and
former employees of BHLB and their respective beneficiaries, other than
entitlements accrued pursuant to funded retirement plans subject to the
provisions of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, have
been fully reflected on the BHLB Financial Statements to the extent required by
and in accordance with GAAP.
5.12.10 There
is not, and has not been, any trust or fund maintained by or contributed to by
BHLB or its employees to fund an employee benefit plan which would constitute a
Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association or a “welfare benefit fund” within
the meaning of Section 419(a) of the Code.
5.12.11 No
claim, lawsuit, arbitration or other action has been asserted or instituted or,
to the Knowledge of BHLB, has been threatened or is anticipated, against any
BHLB Benefit Plan (other than routine claims for benefits and appeals of such
claims), BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary or any director, officer or employee
thereof, or any of the assets of any trust of any BHLB Benefit
Plan.
33
5.13 Brokers, Finders and Financial
Advisors.
Neither
BHLB nor any BHLB Subsidiary, nor any of their respective officers, directors,
employees or agents, has employed any broker, finder or financial advisor in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or incurred any
liability or commitment for any fees or commissions to any such Person in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for the
retention of Sandler X’Xxxxx & Partners, L.P. by BHLB and the fee payable
thereto. A true and correct copy of the engagement agreement with
Sandler X’Xxxxx & Partners, L.P., setting forth the fee payable to Sandler
X’Xxxxx & Partners, L.P. for its services rendered to BHLB in connection
with the Merger and transactions contemplated by this Agreement is attached to
BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.13.
5.14 Environmental
Matters.
5.14.1 Except
as may be set forth in BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.14, with respect to BHLB and each BHLB
Subsidiary:
(A) To
the Knowledge of BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries, each of BHLB and the BHLB
Subsidiaries, and the BHLB Loan Properties (as defined in Section 5.14.2)
are, and have been, in material compliance with any Environmental
Laws;
(B) Neither
BHLB nor any BHLB Subsidiary has received written notice in the last five (5)
years that there is any material suit, claim, action, demand, executive or
administrative order, directive, request for information, investigation or
proceeding pending and, to the Knowledge of BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries, no
such action is threatened, before any court, governmental agency or other forum
against them or any BHLB Loan Property (x) for alleged noncompliance
(including by any predecessor) with, or liability under, any Environmental Law
or (y) relating to the presence of or release into the environment of any
Materials of Environmental Concern, whether or not occurring at or on a site
owned, leased or operated by BHLB, or any of the BHLB Subsidiaries;
(C) To
the Knowledge of BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries, the properties currently owned
or operated by BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary (including, without limitation, soil,
groundwater or surface water on, or under the properties, and buildings thereon)
are not contaminated with and do not otherwise contain any Materials of
Environmental Concern other than in amounts permitted under applicable
Environmental Law or which are de minimis in nature and extent;
(D) There
are no underground storage tanks on, in or under any properties owned or
operated by BHLB or any of the BHLB Subsidiaries or any BHLB Loan Property, and
no underground storage tanks have been closed or removed from any properties
owned or operated by BHLB or any of the BHLB Subsidiaries or any BHLB Loan
Property except as in compliance with Environmental Laws; and
(E) During
the period of (a) BHLB’s or any of the BHLB Subsidiaries’ ownership or
operation of any of their respective current properties or (b) BHLB’s or
any of the BHLB Subsidiaries’ participation in the management of any BHLB Loan
Property, to the Knowledge of BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries, there has been no
material contamination by or material release of Materials of Environmental
Concern in, on, under or affecting such properties. To the Knowledge
of BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries, prior to the period of (x) BHLB’s or any
of the BHLB Subsidiaries’ ownership or operation of any of their respective
current properties or (y) BHLB’s or any of the BHLB Subsidiaries’
participation in the management of any BHLB Loan Property, there was no material
contamination by or release of Materials of Environmental Concern in, on, under
or affecting such properties.
(F) Neither
BHLB nor any other BHLB Subsidiary has conducted any environmental studies
during the past five (5) years (other than Phase I studies or Phase II
studies which did not indicate any contamination of the environment by Materials
of Environmental Concern above reportable levels) with respect to any properties
owned or leased by it or any of its Subsidiaries, or with respect to any BHLB
Loan Property.
34
5.14.2 For
purposes of this Section 5.14, “BHLB Loan Property” means any
property in which BHLB or an BHLB Subsidiary presently holds a direct or
indirect security interest securing to a loan or other extension of credit made
by them, including through an BHLB Loan Participation, and “BHLB Loan Participation” means
a participation interest in a loan or other extension of credit other than by
BHLB or an BHLB Subsidiary.
5.15 BHLB Information
Supplied.
The
information relating to BHLB and any BHLB Subsidiary to be contained in the
Merger Registration Statement, or in any other document filed with any Bank
Regulator or other Governmental Entity in connection herewith, will not contain
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which
they are made, not misleading.
5.16 Securities
Documents.
Since
January 1, 2007, BHLB has filed with the SEC all forms, reports, schedules,
registration statements, definitive proxy statements and information statements
or other filings (“BHLB SEC
Reports”) required to be filed by it with the SEC. As of their
respective dates, the BHLB SEC Reports complied as to form with the requirements
of the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as applicable, and the applicable
rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder in all material
respects. As of their respective dates and as of the date any
information from the BHLB SEC Reports has been incorporated by reference, the
BHLB SEC Reports did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein made, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. BHLB has filed all material contracts,
agreements and other documents or instruments required to be filed as exhibits
to the BHLB SEC Reports (the “BHLB Material
Agreements”).
5.17 Internal
Controls.
5.17.1 The
records, systems, controls, data and information of BHLB and its Subsidiaries
are recorded, stored, maintained and operated under means (including any
electronic, mechanical or photographic process, whether computerized or not)
that are under the exclusive ownership and direct control of BHLB or its
Subsidiaries or accountants (including all means of access thereto and
therefrom), except for any non-exclusive ownership and non-direct control that
would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the system
of internal accounting controls described in the following
sentence. BHLB and its Subsidiaries have devised and maintain a
system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable
assurances regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation
of financial statements in accordance with GAAP. BHLB has designed
and implemented disclosure controls and procedures (within the meaning of Rules
13a-15(e) and 15D-15(e) of the Exchange Act) to ensure that material information
relating to it and its Subsidiaries is made known to its management by others
within those entities as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding
required disclosure and to make the certifications required by the Exchange Act
and Section 302 and 906 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act.
5.17.2 BHLB’s
management has completed an assessment of the effectiveness of its internal
control over financial reporting in compliance with the requirements of Section
404 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act for the year ended December 31, 2009, and such
assessment concluded that such controls were effective. It has
previously disclosed, based on its most recent evaluation prior to the date
hereof, to its auditors and the audit committee of the Legacy Board; (A) any
significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of
internal controls over financial reporting and (B) any fraud, whether or not
material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant
role in its internal controls over financial reporting.
5.17.3 Since
December 31, 2007, (A) neither BHLB nor any of its Subsidiaries nor, to its
knowledge, any director, officer, employee, auditor, accountant or
representative of BHLB or any of its Subsidiaries has received or otherwise had
or obtained knowledge of any material complaint, allegation, assertion or claim,
whether written or oral, regarding the accounting or auditing practices,
procedures, methodologies or methods (including with respect to loan loss
reserves, write-downs, charge-offs and accruals) of it or any of its
subsidiaries or their respective internal accounting controls, including any
material complaint, allegation, assertion or claim that it or any of its
subsidiaries has engaged in questionable accounting or auditing practices, and
(B) no attorney representing BHLB or any of its Subsidiaries, whether or not
employed by it or any of its Subsidiaries, has reported evidence of a material
violation of securities laws, breach of fiduciary duty or similar violation by
BHLB or any of its officers, directors, employees or agents to its board of
directors or any committee thereof or to any of its directors or
officers.
35
5.18 BHLB Common
Stock.
The
shares of BHLB Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement, when issued
in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be duly authorized, validly
issued, fully paid and non-assessable and subject to no preemptive
rights.
5.19 Available Funds
Immediately
prior to the Effective Time, BHLB will have cash sufficient to pay or cause to
be deposited into the Exchange Fund as required by
Section 3.3.
5.20 Berkshire Insurance Group,
Inc.
Berkshire
Insurance, a Massachusetts insurance agency, and its Affiliates are in
compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations applicable to Persons engaged
in the insurance agency business. Neither Berkshire Insurance nor any
of its Affiliates has been a party, directly or indirectly, to the placement of
insurance which is unlawful. To the Knowledge of BHLB and Berkshire
Insurance, no binder of insurance has been issued or sent to any Person by or on
behalf of Berkshire Insurance unless and until the relevant risk was properly
bound and all binders of insurance on the part of Berkshire Insurance are
complete and accurate.
5.21 Fairness
Opinion.
BHLB has
received an opinion, a copy of which will be provided to Legacy promptly
following the date of this Agreement, from Sandler X’Xxxxx & Partners, L.P.,
to the effect that, subject to the terms, conditions and qualifications set
forth therein, as of the date hereof, the Merger Consideration to be received by
the shareholders of Legacy pursuant to this Agreement is fair to BHLB and its
shareholders from a financial point of view. Such opinion has not
been amended or rescinded as of the date of this Agreement.
5.22 Board Approval.
The Board
of Directors of BHLB determined that the Merger is fair to, and in the best
interests of, BHLB and its stockholders, approved and declared advisable this
Agreement, the Merger, the Bank Merger and the other transactions contemplated
hereby, resolved to recommend adoption of this Agreement to the holders of BHLB
Common Stock, and directed that this Agreement be submitted to the holders of
BHLB Common Stock for their adoption. The Board of Directors of BHLB
has taken all action so that Legacy and Legacy Banks will not be an “interested
stockholder” or prohibited from entering into or consummating a “business
combination” with BHLB (in each case as such term is used in Section 203 of the
DGCL) as a result of the execution of this Agreement or the consummation of the
transactions in the manner contemplated hereby.
5.23 Material Agreement;
Defaults.
5.23.1 Subject
to any consents that may be required as a result of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, to its Knowledge neither BHLB nor any BHLB
Subsidiary is in material default under any BHLB Material Agreement by which its
assets, business, or operations may be bound or affected, or under which it or
its assets, business, or operations receive benefits, and there has not occurred
any event that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice or both, would
constitute such a default.
5.23.2 Except
as set forth in BHLB
Disclosure Schedule 5.23.2, no BHLB Material Agreement
(i) provides for acceleration of the vesting of benefits or payments due
thereunder upon the occurrence of a change in ownership or control of BHLB or
any BHLB Subsidiary or upon the occurrence of a subsequent event;
(ii) requires BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary to provide a benefit in the form
of BHLB Common Stock or determined by reference to the value of BHLB Common
Stock or (iii) contains provisions which permit an employee, director or
independent contractor to terminate such agreement or arrangement without cause
and continue to accrue future benefits thereunder.
36
5.24 Loan Portfolio.
5.24.1 The
allowances for loan losses reflected in the notes to BHLB’s audited consolidated
statements of financial condition at December 31, 2009 and 2008 were, and
the allowance for loan losses shown in the notes to the unaudited consolidated
financial statements for periods ending after December 31, 2009 were, or
will be, adequate, as of the dates thereof, under GAAP.
5.24.2 BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.24.2 sets forth a listing that as of June 30, 2010
are classified as “Other Loans Specially Mentioned,” “Special Mention,”
“Substandard,” “Doubtful,” “Loss,” “Classified,” “Criticized,” “Watch list” or
words of similar import, together with the principal amount of and accrued and
unpaid interest on each such Loan and the identity of the obligor
thereunder.
5.24.3 All
loans receivable (including discounts) and accrued interest entered on the books
of BHLB and Berkshire Bank arose out of bona fide arm’s-length transactions,
were made for good and valuable consideration in the ordinary course of BHLB’s
and Berkshire Bank’s respective businesses, and the notes or other evidences of
indebtedness with respect to such loans (including discounts) are true and
genuine and are what they purport to be. The loans, discounts and the
accrued interest reflected on the books of BHLB and Berkshire Bank are subject
to no defenses, set-offs or counterclaims (including, without limitation, those
afforded by usury or truth-in-lending laws), except as may be provided by
bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or
by general principles of equity. All such loans are owned by BHLB or
Berkshire Bank free and clear of any liens.
5.24.4 The
notes and other evidences of indebtedness evidencing the loans described above,
and all pledges, mortgages, deeds of trust and other collateral documents or
security instruments relating thereto are valid, true and genuine, and what they
purport to be.
5.25 Related Party
Transactions.
5.25.1 Neither
BHLB nor any BHLB Subsidiary is a party to any transaction (including any loan
or other credit accommodation) with any Affiliate of BHLB or any BHLB
Subsidiary, except as set forth in BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.25 or as described in BHLB’s proxy statement dated March
26, 2010 distributed in connection with its annual meeting of shareholders held
on May 6, 2010. Except as described in such proxy statement or in
BHLB Disclosure
Schedule 5.25, all such transactions (a) were made in the
ordinary course of business, (b) were made on substantially the same terms,
including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for
comparable transactions with other Persons, and (c) did not involve more than
the normal risk of collectibility or present other unfavorable
features. No loan or credit accommodation to any Affiliate of BHLB or
any BHLB Subsidiary is presently in default or, during the three (3)-year period
prior to the date of this Agreement, has been in default or has been
restructured, modified or extended. Neither BHLB nor any BHLB
Subsidiary has been notified that principal or interest with respect to any such
loan or other credit accommodation will not be paid when due or that the loan
grade classification accorded such loan or credit accommodation is
inappropriate.
5.26 Risk Management
Instruments.
All
interest rate swaps, caps, floors, option agreements, futures and forward
contracts and other similar risk management arrangements, whether entered into
for BHLB’s own account, or for the account of one or more of BHLB’s Subsidiaries
or their customers, in force and effect as of November 30, 2010 (all of which
are set forth in BHLB
Disclosure Schedule 5.26), were entered into in compliance with all
applicable laws, rules, regulations and regulatory policies, and to the
Knowledge of BHLB and each BHLB Subsidiary, with counterparties believed to be
financially responsible at the time; and to BHLB’s and each BHLB Subsidiary’s
Knowledge each of them constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of
BHLB or such BHLB Subsidiary, enforceable in accordance with its terms (except
as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer and similar laws of general
applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights or by general equity
principles), and is in full force and effect. Neither BHLB nor any
BHLB Subsidiary, nor any other party thereto, is in breach of any of its
obligations under any such agreement or arrangement.
37
5.27 Duties as
Fiduciary.
Other
than as set forth on BHLB Disclosure Schedule
5.27, Berkshire Bank has, if required by virtue of any line of
business in which it is or previously was engaged in a “fiduciary capacity,” to
its Knowledge has performed all of its duties in a fashion that complied with
all applicable laws, regulations, orders, agreements, xxxxx, instruments, and
common law standards in effect at that time. Berkshire Bank has not
received notice of any claim, allegation, or complaint from any Person that
Berkshire Bank failed to perform these duties in a manner that complied with all
applicable laws, regulations, orders, agreements, xxxxx, instruments, and common
law standards, except for notices involving matters that have been resolved and
any cost of such resolution is reflected in the BHLB Financial
Statements. For purposes of this Section 5.27, the term
“fiduciary capacity” (i) shall mean (a) acting as trustee, executor,
administrator, registrar of stocks and bonds, transfer agent, guardian,
assignee, receiver, or custodian under a uniform gifts to minors act and
(b) possessing investment discretion on behalf of another, and
(ii) shall exclude Berkshire Bank’s capacity with respect to individual
retirement accounts or the BHLB Benefit Plans.
5.28 Employees; Labor
Matters.
5.28.1 There
are no labor or collective bargaining agreements to which BHLB or any BHLB
Subsidiary is a party. There is no union organizing effort pending
or, to the Knowledge of BHLB, threatened against BHLB or any BHLB
Subsidiary. There is no labor strike, labor dispute (other than
routine employee grievances that are not related to union employees), work
slowdown, stoppage or lockout pending or, to the Knowledge of BHLB, threatened
against BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary. There is no unfair labor
practice or labor arbitration proceeding pending or, to the Knowledge of BHLB,
threatened against BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary (other than routine employee
grievances that are not related to union employees). BHLB and each
BHLB Subsidiary is in compliance with all applicable laws respecting employment
and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and
hours, and are not engaged in any unfair labor practice. Neither BHLB
nor any BHLB Subsidiary is a party to, or bound by, any agreement for the
leasing of employees.
5.28.2 To
BHLB’s Knowledge, all Persons who have been treated as independent contractors
by BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary for Tax purposes have met the criteria to be so
treated under all applicable federal, state and local Tax laws, rules and
regulations.
ARTICLE
VI
COVENANTS
OF LEGACY
6.1 Conduct of
Business.
6.1.1 Affirmative Covenants. During
the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time, except with
the written consent of BHLB, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or delayed, Legacy will, and it will cause each Legacy Subsidiary
to: operate its business only in the usual, regular and ordinary course of
business; use commercially reasonable efforts to preserve intact its business
organization and assets and maintain its rights and franchises; and voluntarily
take no action which would: (i) materially adversely affect the ability of
the parties to obtain the Regulatory Approvals or materially increase the period
of time necessary to obtain the Regulatory Approvals, (ii) materially
adversely affect its ability to perform its covenants and agreements under this
Agreement or (iii) result in the representations and warranties contained in
Article IV of this Agreement not being true and correct on the date of this
Agreement or at any future date on or prior to the Closing Date or in any of the
conditions set forth in Article IX hereof not being satisfied.
6.1.2 Negative
Covenants. Legacy agrees that from the date of this Agreement
to the Effective Time, except as otherwise specifically permitted or required by
this Agreement or consented to by BHLB in writing, it will not, and it will
cause each of the Legacy Subsidiaries not to:
38
(A) take
any action that would, or is reasonably likely to, prevent or impede the Merger
from qualifying as a reorganization within the meaning of
Section 368(a) of the Code;
(B) change
or waive any provision of its certificate of incorporation (or articles of
association in the case of Legacy Banks) or bylaws, except as required by
law;
(C) change
the number of authorized or issued shares of its capital stock, issue any shares
of Legacy Common Stock that are held as Treasury Stock as of the date of this
Agreement, or issue or grant any Right or agreement of any character relating to
its authorized or issued capital stock or any securities convertible into shares
of such stock, make any grant or award under the Legacy Stock Option Plan or the
Legacy Restricted Stock Plan, or split, combine or reclassify any shares of
capital stock, or declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution
in respect of capital stock, or redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of
capital stock, except that Legacy (i) may issue shares of Legacy Common
Stock upon the valid exercise, in accordance with the information set forth in
Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.3.1, of presently outstanding Legacy Stock Options issued
under the Legacy Stock Option Plan, (ii) may permit the vesting of awards
previously made under the Legacy Restricted Stock Plans, (iii) shall
continue to declare and pay regular quarterly cash dividends of no more than
$0.05 per share with payment and record dates consistent with past practice
(provided that the declaration of the last quarterly dividend by Legacy prior to
the Effective Time and the payment thereof shall be coordinated with BHLB so
that holders of Legacy Common Stock do not receive dividends on both Legacy
Common Stock and BHLB Common Stock received in the Merger in respect of such
quarter or fail to receive a dividend on at least one of the Legacy Common Stock
or BHLB Common Stock received in the Merger in respect of such quarter) and
(iv) any Legacy Subsidiary may pay dividends to its parent company (as
permitted under applicable law or regulations).
(D) enter
into, amend in any material respect or terminate any material contract or
agreement (including without limitation any settlement agreement with respect to
litigation) in excess of $100,000, except as contemplated by this
Agreement;
(E) make
application for the opening or closing of any, or open or close any, branch or
automated banking facility;
(F) grant
or agree to pay any bonus (discretionary or otherwise), severance or termination
to, or enter into, renew or amend any employment agreement, severance agreement
and/or supplemental executive agreement with, or increase in any manner the
compensation or fringe benefits of, any of its directors, officers, employees or
consultants, except (i) as may be required pursuant to commitments existing
on the date hereof and set forth on Legacy Disclosure Schedules
4.9.1 and 4.13.1 or as required pursuant to Section 7.6 of this
Agreement, (ii) for salary adjustments in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice provided that any increases to such amounts shall
not exceed four percent (4%) in the aggregate or (iii) as otherwise
contemplated by this Agreement. Neither Legacy nor any Legacy
Subsidiary shall hire or promote any employee to a rank having a title of vice
president or other more senior rank or hire any new employee at an annual rate
of compensation in excess of $75,000; provided, however, that a Legacy
Subsidiary may hire at-will, non-officer employees at an annual compensation
rate not to exceed $75,000 to fill vacancies that may from time to time arise in
the ordinary course of business; provided, further, that that neither
Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary shall hire any new employee without first
seeking to fill any position internally. Neither Legacy nor or any
Legacy Subsidiary shall pay expenses of any employee or director for attending
conventions held after the date hereof;
(G) except
as set forth on Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 6.1.2(G), enter into or, except as may be required by
law or any such plan or agreement or by the terms of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated herein, modify any pension, retirement, stock option,
stock purchase, stock appreciation right, stock grant, savings, profit sharing,
deferred compensation, supplemental retirement, consulting, bonus, group
insurance or other employee benefit, incentive or welfare contract, plan or
arrangement, or any trust agreement related thereto, in respect of any of its
directors, officers or employees, or make any contributions to any defined
contribution or defined benefit plan not in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice;
39
(H) merge
or consolidate Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary with any other Person; sell or
lease all or any substantial portion of the assets or business of Legacy or any
Legacy Subsidiary; make any acquisition of all or any substantial portion of the
business or assets of any other Person other than in connection with
foreclosures, settlements in lieu of foreclosure, troubled loan or debt
restructuring, or the collection of any loan or credit arrangement between
Legacy or Legacy Banks and any other Person; enter into a purchase and
assumption transaction with respect to deposits and liabilities; incur deposit
liabilities, other than liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice and in keeping with prevailing competitive rates;
permit the revocation or surrender by Legacy Banks of its certificate of
authority to maintain, or file an application for the relocation of, any
existing branch office, or file an application for a certificate of authority to
establish a new branch office;
(I) except
as set forth on Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 6.1.2(I), sell or otherwise dispose of any asset of
Legacy or of any Legacy Subsidiary other than in the ordinary course of business
consistent with past practice; except for transactions with the FHLB, subject
any asset of Legacy or of any Legacy Subsidiary to a lien, pledge, security
interest or other encumbrance (other than in connection with deposits,
repurchase agreements, bankers acceptances, pledges in connection with
acceptance of governmental deposits, and transactions in “federal funds” and the
satisfaction of legal requirements in the exercise of trust powers) other than
in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; incur any
indebtedness for borrowed money (or guarantee any indebtedness for borrowed
money), except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past
practice;
(J) change
its method, practice or principle of accounting, except as may be required from
time to time by GAAP (without regard to any optional early adoption date) or
regulatory accounting principles or by any Bank Regulator responsible for
regulating Legacy or Legacy Banks;
(K) waive,
release, grant or transfer any rights of value or modify or change any existing
agreement or indebtedness to which Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary is a
party;
(L) purchase
any securities except securities (i) rated “A” or higher by either Standard
& Poor’s Ratings Services or Xxxxx’x Investors Service, (ii) having a
face amount in the aggregate of not more than $1,100,000, (iii) with a
duration of not more than five (5) years and (iv) otherwise in the ordinary
course of business consistent with past practice;
(M) except
as specifically provided below, and except for commitments issued prior to the
date of this Agreement which have not yet expired and which have been disclosed
on Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 6.1.2(M) (which schedule need not include any individual
commitment which is less than $100,000 in amount provided that such schedule
includes the aggregate amount of individual commitments which are less than
$100,000 that have been excluded from the schedule), and except for the renewal
of existing lines of credit, (i) make or acquire any new loan or other
credit facility commitment (including without limitation, loan participations,
lines of credit and letters of credit) other than in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice or (ii) make or acquire any new loan
or issue any commitment for any new loan with a principal amount of $1,000,000
or more without the prior consent of BHLB; provided that such consent shall be
deemed to have been granted if BHLB does not object within three
(3) Business Days of receipt of written notice from Legacy of its intent to
make such loan;
(N) enter
into, renew, extend or modify any other transaction (other than a deposit
transaction) with any Affiliate;
(O) enter
into any futures contracts, options, interest rate caps, interest rate floors,
interest rate exchange agreements or other agreements or take any other action
for purposes of hedging the exposure of its interest-earning assets and
interest-bearing liabilities to changes in market rates of
interest;
(P) except
for the execution of this Agreement, and actions taken or which will be taken in
accordance with this Agreement and performance hereunder, take any action that
would give rise to a right of payment to any individual under any employment
agreement;
(Q) make
any change in policies in existence on the date of this Agreement with regard
to: the extension of credit, or the establishment of reserves with respect to
the possible loss thereon or the charge off of losses incurred thereon;
investments; asset/liability management; or other banking policies except as may
be required by changes in applicable law or regulations, GAAP or regulatory
accounting principles or by a Bank Regulator;
40
(R)
except for the execution of this Agreement, and the transactions contemplated
herein and any terminations of employment, take any action that would give rise
to an acceleration of the right to payment to any individual under any Legacy
Benefit Plan;
(S) make
any capital expenditures in excess of $25,000 individually or $50,000 in the
aggregate, other than pursuant to binding commitments existing on the date
hereof which are set forth on Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 6.1.2(S) which includes the budget for each such
pre-existing commitment.
(T) except
as set forth on Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 6.1.2(T), purchase or otherwise acquire, or sell or
otherwise dispose of, any assets or incur any liabilities other than in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practices and
policies;
(U) except
for existing commitments to sell any participation interest in any loan, sell
any participation interest in any loan (other than sales of loans secured by
one- to four-family real estate that are consistent with past practice) unless
BHLB has been given the first opportunity and a reasonable time to purchase any
loan participation being sold, or purchase any participation interest in any
loan other than purchases of participation interests from BHLB;
(V) undertake
or enter into any lease, contract or other commitment for its account, other
than in the ordinary course of providing credit to customers as part of its
banking business, involving a payment by Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary of more
than $25,000 annually, or containing any financial commitment extending beyond
twelve (12) months from the date hereof;
(W) pay,
discharge, settle or compromise any claim, action, litigation, arbitration or
proceeding, other than any such payment, discharge, settlement or compromise in
the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice that involves
solely money damages in the amount not in excess of $25,000 individually or
$50,000 in the aggregate, and that does not create negative precedent for other
pending or potential claims, actions, litigation, arbitration or
proceedings;
(X) foreclose
upon or take a deed or title to any commercial real estate without having a
Phase I environmental assessment of the property conducted as of a reasonably
current date and, in the event such Phase I environmental assessment of the
property indicates the presence of Materials of Environmental Concern, providing
notice to BHLB thereof prior to final sale;
(Y) purchase
or sell any mortgage loan servicing rights other than in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice;
(Z) issue
any broadly distributed communication of a general nature to employees
(including general communications relating to benefits and compensation) without
prior consultation with BHLB and, to the extent relating to post-Closing
employment, benefit or compensation information without the prior consent of
BHLB (which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) or issue
any broadly distributed communication of a general nature to customers without
the prior approval of BHLB (which shall not be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or delayed), except as required by law or for communications in the
ordinary course of business consistent with past practice that do not relate to
the Merger or other transactions contemplated hereby;
(AA)
make, change or rescind any material election concerning Taxes or Tax Returns,
file any amended Tax Return, enter into any closing agreement with respect to
Taxes, settle or compromise any material Tax claim or assessment or surrender
any right to claim a refund of Taxes or obtain any Tax ruling; or
(BB) enter
into any contract with respect to, or otherwise agree or commit to do, any of
the foregoing.
41
6.2 Subsidiaries.
Legacy shall cause the proper and
lawful dissolution of any of its Subsidiaries that are inactive as of the date
of this Agreement.
6.3 Current
Information.
6.3.1 During
the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time, Legacy will
cause one or more of its representatives to confer with representatives of BHLB
to inform BHLB regarding Legacy’s operations at such times as BHLB may
reasonably request. Legacy will promptly notify BHLB of any change in
the ordinary course of its business or in the operation of its properties and,
to the extent permitted by applicable law, of any governmental complaints,
investigations or hearings (or communications indicating that the same may be
contemplated), or the institution or the threat of material litigation involving
Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary. Without limiting the foregoing,
senior officers of BHLB and Legacy shall meet monthly to review, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, the financial and operational affairs of Legacy and
the Legacy Subsidiaries, and Legacy shall give due consideration to BHLB’s input
on such matters, with the understanding that, notwithstanding any other
provision contained in this Agreement, neither BHLB nor Berkshire Bank shall
under any circumstance be permitted to exercise control of Legacy or any Legacy
Subsidiary prior to the Effective Time.
6.3.2 Legacy
and BHLB shall cooperate regarding a plan for the conversion of data processing
and related electronic informational systems of Legacy to those used by BHLB,
which planning shall include, but not be limited to, discussion of the possible
termination by Legacy of third-party service provider arrangements effective at
the Effective Time or at a date thereafter, non-renewal of personal property
leases and software licenses used by Legacy in connection with its systems
operations, retention of outside consultants and additional employees to assist
with the conversion, and outsourcing, as appropriate, of proprietary or
self-provided system services, it being understood that Legacy shall not be
obligated to take any such action prior to the Effective Time and, unless Legacy
otherwise agrees and provided it is permitted by applicable law, no conversion
shall take place prior to the Effective Time. BHLB and Berkshire Bank
shall indemnify Legacy for any reasonable out-of-pocket fees, expenses, or
charges that Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary may incur as a result of taking, at
the request of BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary, any action to facilitate the
conversion.
6.3.3 Legacy
shall provide BHLB, within fifteen (15) Business Days of the end of each
calendar month, a written list of nonperforming assets (the term “nonperforming
assets,” for purposes of this subsection, means (i) loans that are
“troubled debt restructuring” as defined in Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 15, “Accounting by Debtors and Creditors for Troubled
Debt Restructuring,” (ii) loans on nonaccrual, (iii) real estate
owned, (iv) all loans ninety (90) days or more past due as of the end
of such month and (v) and impaired loans. On a monthly basis,
Legacy shall provide BHLB with a schedule of all (x) loan grading changes
and (y) loan approvals, which schedule shall indicate the loan amount, loan
type and other material features of the loan. Legacy will promptly
prepare and provide BHLB with the minutes of all Legacy and Legacy Banks officer
and director loan committee meetings.
6.3.4 Legacy
shall promptly inform BHLB, to the extent permitted by applicable law, upon
receiving notice of any legal, administrative, arbitration or other proceedings,
demands, notices, audits or investigations (by any federal, state or local
commission, agency or board) relating to the alleged liability of Legacy or any
Legacy Subsidiary under any labor or employment law.
42
6.4 Access to Properties and
Records.
Subject
to Section 12.1, Legacy shall permit BHLB access upon reasonable notice and
at reasonable times to its properties and those of the Legacy Subsidiaries, and
shall disclose and make available to BHLB during normal business hours all of
its books and records relating to the assets, properties, operations,
obligations and liabilities, including, but not limited to, all books of account
(including the general ledger), tax records, minute books of directors’ and
shareholders’ meetings (other than minutes that discuss any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or any other subject matter that Legacy
reasonably determines should be kept confidential), organizational documents,
bylaws, material contracts and agreements, filings with any regulatory
authority, litigation files, plans affecting employees, and any other business
activities or prospects in which BHLB may have a reasonable interest; provided, however, that
Legacy shall not be required to take any action that would provide access to or
to disclose information where such access or disclosure, in Legacy’s reasonable
judgment, would interfere with the normal conduct of Legacy’s business or would
violate or prejudice the rights or business interests or confidences of any
customer or other Person or entity or would result in the waiver by it of the
privilege protecting communications between it and any of its counsel or
contravene any applicable law. Legacy shall provide and shall request
its auditors to provide BHLB with such historical financial information
regarding it (and related audit reports and consents) as BHLB may reasonably
request for Securities Law disclosure purposes. BHLB shall use
commercially reasonable efforts to minimize any interference with Legacy’s
regular business operations during any such access to Legacy’s property, books
and records. Legacy and each Legacy Subsidiary shall permit BHLB, at
BHLB’s expense, to (i) cause a Phase I environmental assessment to be performed
at any physical location owned or occupied by Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary
and (ii) cause an appraisal to be performed in respect of any real property
owned by Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary.
6.5 Financial and Other
Statements.
6.5.1 Promptly
upon receipt thereof, Legacy will furnish to BHLB copies of each annual, interim
or special audit of the books of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries made by its
independent registered public accountants and copies of all internal control
reports submitted to Legacy by such accountants, or by any other accounting firm
rendering internal audit services, in connection with each annual, interim or
special audit of the books of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries made by such
accountants.
6.5.2 As
soon as reasonably available, but in no event later than the date such documents
are filed with the MDOB, OTS or FDIC, Legacy will deliver to BHLB the Legacy
Regulatory Report filed by Legacy or Legacy Banks. Within twenty-five
(25) days after the end of each month, Legacy Banks will deliver to BHLB a
consolidating balance sheet and a consolidating statement of operations, without
related notes, for such month prepared in accordance with current financial
reporting practices, as well as a month-end and year to date comparison to
budget.
6.5.3 Legacy
shall permit BHLB to review substantially final drafts of its quarterly and
annual reports on Forms 10-Q and 10-K, respectively, at least two
(2) Business Days prior to the date such documents are filed with the
SEC. Legacy promptly will advise upon receipt and permit review by
BHLB of any inquiry or examination report of any Bank Regulator with respect to
the condition or activities of Legacy or Legacy Banks.
6.5.4 With
reasonable promptness, Legacy will furnish to BHLB such additional financial
data that Legacy possesses and as BHLB may reasonably request, including without
limitation, detailed monthly financial statements and loan reports and detailed
deposit reports.
6.6 Maintenance of
Insurance.
Legacy
shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain, and to cause the Legacy
Subsidiaries to maintain, insurance in such amounts as are reasonable to cover
such risks as are customary in relation to the character and location of its
properties and the nature of its business, with such coverage and in such
amounts not less than that maintained by Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries as
of the date of this Agreement and set forth in Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.10.3. Legacy will promptly inform BHLB if
Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary receives notice from an insurance carrier that
(i) an insurance policy will be canceled or that coverage thereunder will
be reduced or eliminated, or (ii) premium costs with respect to any policy
of insurance will be substantially increased.
6.7 Disclosure
Supplements.
From time
to time prior to the Effective Time, Legacy will promptly supplement or amend
the Legacy Disclosure Schedule delivered in connection herewith with respect to
any matter hereafter arising which, if existing, occurring or known at the date
of this Agreement, would have been required to be set forth or described in such
Legacy Disclosure Schedule or which is necessary to correct any information in
such Legacy Disclosure Schedule which has been rendered materially inaccurate
thereby. No supplement or amendment to such Legacy Disclosure
Schedule shall have any effect for the purpose of determining satisfaction of
the conditions set forth in Article IX.
43
6.8 Consents and Approvals of Third
Parties.
Legacy
shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, and shall cause each Legacy
Subsidiary to use its commercially reasonable efforts, to obtain as soon as
practicable all consents and approvals of any other Persons or entities
necessary for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
6.9 All Reasonable
Efforts.
Subject
to the terms and conditions herein provided, Legacy agrees to use, and agrees to
cause each Legacy Subsidiary to use, all commercially reasonable efforts to
take, or cause to be taken, all action and to do, or cause to be done, all
things necessary under applicable laws and regulations to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
6.10 Failure to Fulfill
Conditions.
In the
event that Legacy determines that a condition to its obligation to complete the
Merger cannot be fulfilled and that it will not waive that condition, it will
promptly notify BHLB.
6.11 No Solicitation.
6.11.1 Except
as to the Non-Restricted Period as set forth in Section 6.11.2, from and after
the date hereof until the termination of this Agreement, neither Legacy, nor any
Legacy Subsidiary, nor any of their respective officers, directors, employees,
representatives, agents and affiliates (including, without limitation, any
investment banker, attorney or accountant retained by Legacy or any of the
Legacy Subsidiaries), will, directly or indirectly, initiate, solicit or
knowingly encourage (including by way of furnishing non-public information or
assistance) any inquiries or the making of any proposal that constitutes, or may
reasonably be expected to lead to, any Acquisition Proposal (as defined by
Section 6.11.4), or enter into or maintain or continue discussions or negotiate
with any Person in furtherance of such inquiries or to obtain an Acquisition
Proposal or agree to or endorse any Acquisition Proposal, or authorize or permit
any of its officers, directors, or employees or any of its Subsidiaries or any
investment banker, financial advisor, attorney, accountant or other
representative retained by any of its Subsidiaries to take any such action, and
Legacy shall notify BHLB orally and in writing (as promptly as practicable but
no later than one business day of receipt of such inquiry or proposal) of all of
the relevant details relating to all inquiries and proposals which Legacy or any
of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors or employees,
or, to Legacy’s Knowledge, investment bankers, financial advisors, attorneys,
accountants or other representatives of Legacy may receive relating to any of
such matters; provided,
however, that nothing
contained in this Section 6.11 shall prohibit the Board of Directors of
Legacy from (i) complying with its disclosure obligations under federal or
state law; or (ii) prior to the time that the Legacy Shareholder Vote,
furnishing information to, or entering into discussions or negotiations with,
any Person or entity that makes an unsolicited Acquisition Proposal, if, and
only to the extent that (A) such Acquisition Proposal did not result from a
breach of this Section 6.11 by Legacy, (B) the Board of Directors of Legacy
or any appropriate committee thereof has determined in its good faith judgment,
after consultation with Legacy’s financial advisor and outside counsel, that
such Acquisition Proposal is reasonably likely to be consummated in accordance
with its terms, taking into account all legal, financial (including the
financing terms thereof) and regulatory aspects (including any divesture of
deposit liabilities by BHLB or Legacy in order to comply with a requirement
contained in any Regulatory Approval, or a condition necessary to obtain any
Regulatory Approval) of the proposal and the Person making the proposal, and (C)
such Acquisition Proposal is reasonably likely to result in a transaction more
favorable to Legacy shareholders from a financial point of view than the Merger
(taking into account all relevant factors, including, without limitation, the
timing of consummation as compared to the Merger and after giving effect to all
of the adjustments, if any, which may be offered by BHLB pursuant to Section
11.1.8) (such proposal that satisfies clauses (A), (B) and (C) being referred to
herein as a “Superior
Proposal”); provided, however, that a Superior
Proposal may consist of multiple Acquisition Proposals that, taken together,
satisfy all of the requirements set forth in this definition; provided, further, that the Board of
Directors of Legacy or any appropriate committee thereof may determine in its
good faith judgment, after consultation with Legacy’s financial advisor and
outside counsel, that an Acquisition Proposal made during the Restricted Period,
which the Board of Directors of Legacy determines in good faith is financially
equivalent to Legacy shareholders from a financial point of view to the Merger,
is nonetheless a Superior Proposal for purposes of this Agreement because such
Acquisition Proposal would reasonably be expected to involve materially less
risk than any Regulatory Approval or any condition necessary to obtain any
Regulatory Approval would require a material divestiture of deposit liabilities;
provided, further, nothing contained in
this Agreement shall prohibit Legacy and, if applicable, any of its
Representatives from (i) informing any Person of the existence of the provisions
of this Section 6.11, (ii) contacting any Person solely to clarify the terms and
conditions of an Acquisition Proposal, (iii) issuing a “stop-look-and-listen
communication” pursuant to Rule 14d-9(f) or taking and disclosing to its
shareholders a position as required by Rule 14d-9 or Rule 14e-2 promulgated
under the Exchange Act or (iv) otherwise disclosing any information to its
shareholders that the Legacy Board of Directors determines in good faith (after
consultation with its outside legal counsel) that it is required to disclose in
order to not breach its fiduciary duties to Legacy’s shareholders under
applicable law, subject to compliance with the requirements of this Section 6.11
and Section 6.13. Legacy shall promptly, but in no event later than
one (1) calendar day, notify BHLB of such inquiries, proposals or offers
received by, any such information requested from, or any such discussions or
negotiations sought to be initiated or continued with Legacy or any of its
representatives indicating, in connection with such notice, the name of such
Person and the material terms and conditions of any inquiries, proposals or
offers, and receives from such Person an executed confidentiality agreement in
form and substance identical in all material respects to the Confidentiality
Agreements.
44
6.11.2 Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, during the period
beginning on the date of this Agreement and continuing until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern
time) on January 31, 2011 (the “Non-Restricted Period”),
Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers,
employees, investment bankers, attorneys, accountants and other advisors or
representatives (collectively, “Representatives”) shall have
the right to: (i) initiate, solicit and encourage any inquiry or the making of
any proposal or offer that could constitute an Acquisition Proposal, including
by way of providing access to non-public information which was not provided by
or derived from any non-public information provided by BHLB or in any way
related to or reflecting any negotiations with BHLB regarding the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement to any Person pursuant to (but only pursuant to)
a confidentiality agreement on customary terms not materially more favorable to
such Person than those contained in the Confidentiality Agreements (an “Acceptable Confidentiality
Agreement”), except that Legacy may enter into a confidentiality
agreement without a standstill provision or with a standstill provision less
favorable to Legacy if and only if it first waives or similarly modifies the
standstill provision in the Confidentiality Agreements. Legacy shall
promptly make available to BHLB any material non-public information concerning
Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary that Legacy provides to any Person given such
access that was not previously made available to BHLB, and may engage or enter
into, continue or otherwise participate in any discussions or negotiations with
any Persons or groups of Persons with respect to any Acquisition Proposal or
otherwise cooperate with or assist or participate in, or facilitate any inquiry,
proposal, discussion or negotiation or any effort or attempt to make any
Acquisition Proposal, including through the waiver or release by Legacy, at its
sole discretion, of any preexisting standstill or similar agreements with any
Person solely to the extent necessary to permit such Person to make or amend an
Acquisition Proposal or otherwise engage with Legacy in discussions regarding an
Acquisition Proposal or a proposal that could reasonably be expected to lead to
an Acquisition Proposal.
6.11.3 Except
as expressly permitted by Section 6.11.1, Legacy and its respective officers and
directors shall, and Legacy shall use its reasonable best efforts to instruct
and cause all other Representatives of Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary, (i) to,
at 12:00 a.m. on the February 1, 2011 (the “Restricted Period Start
Date”), immediately cease any discussions or negotiations with any
Persons that may be ongoing with respect to an Acquisition Proposal and, (ii)
after the Restricted Period Start Date, not to: (A) initiate, solicit or
knowingly encourage any inquiry or the making of any proposal or offer that
constitutes or could reasonably be expected to lead to an Acquisition Proposal,
(B) engage in, continue or otherwise participate in any discussions or
negotiations regarding, or provide any non-public information or data concerning
Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary to any Person relating to, or that could
reasonably be expected to lead to any Acquisition Proposal, (C) otherwise
knowingly facilitate any effort or attempt to make an Acquisition
Proposal.
6.11.4 “Acquisition Proposal” shall
mean any proposal or offer as to any of the following (other than the
transactions contemplated hereunder) involving Legacy or any of its
Subsidiaries: (i) any merger, consolidation, share exchange, business
combination, or other similar transactions; (ii) any sale, lease,
exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition of 25% or more of the
assets of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in a single
transaction or series of transactions; (iii) any tender offer or exchange
offer for 25% or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Legacy or
the filing of a registration statement under the Securities Act in connection
therewith; or (iv) any public announcement of a proposal, plan or
intention to do any of the foregoing or any agreement to engage in any of the
foregoing.
45
6.12 Reserves and Merger-Related
Costs.
Prior to
the Effective Time, each of Legacy and its Subsidiaries shall, consistent with
GAAP, the rules and regulations of the SEC and applicable U.S. banking laws and
regulations, modify or change its loan, OREO, accrual, reserve, tax, litigation
and real estate valuation policies and practices (including loan classifications
and levels of reserves) so as to be applied on a basis that is consistent with
that of BHLB, provided, however, that no such modifications or changes need be
made prior to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in
Sections 9.1.1 and 9.1.3; provided
further, that in any event, no accrual or reserve made by
Legacy or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to this Section 6.12 shall
constitute or be deemed to be a breach, violation of or failure to satisfy any
representation, warranty, covenant, agreement, condition or other provision of
this Agreement or otherwise be considered in determining whether any such
breach, violation or failure to satisfy shall have occurred. The
recording of any such adjustments shall not be deemed to imply any misstatement
of previously furnished financial statements or information and shall not be
construed as concurrence of Legacy or its management with any such
adjustments.
6.13 Committee
Meetings.
Legacy
and the Legacy Subsidiaries shall permit two (2) representatives of BHLB to
attend any meeting of their Board of Directors, loan (or credit) committee and
asset liability committee as observers (together, the “BHLB Observers”), provided
that neither Legacy nor any Legacy Subsidiary shall be required to permit the
BHLB Observers to remain present during any confidential discussion of this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby or any Acquisition Proposal
or during any other matter that the respective Board of Directors has been
advised of by counsel that such attendance by the BHLB Observers may violate or
be inconsistent with a confidentiality obligation or fiduciary duty or any
legal, regulatory or NASDAQ requirement.
6.14 ESOP Loan.
As soon
as practicable after the date of this Agreement, but in no event later than five
(5) Business Days prior to the Effective Time, Legacy shall cause the Legacy
ESOP trustee to repay in full the outstanding indebtedness of the Legacy ESOP,
subject to the terms of the Legacy ESOP, by delivering a sufficient number of
unallocated shares of Legacy Common Stock to Legacy, subject to and in
accordance with applicable law. No later than the occurrence of the
Effective Time, all remaining shares of Legacy Common Stock held by the Legacy
ESOP shall be converted into the right to receive the Merger
Consideration. The Legacy ESOP account balances shall be distributed
to Legacy ESOP participants after the receipt of a favorable determination
letter from the IRS. Legacy and, following the Effective Time, BHLB,
will adopt such amendments to the Legacy ESOP to effect the provisions of this
Section 6.14.
6.15 Legacy Banks
Foundation
Legacy
agrees to recommend to the Board of Directors of the Legacy Banks Foundation
(“Legacy Foundation”)
that the majority of the current Board of Directors of the Legacy Foundation
resign as of the Closing and that a majority of the Legacy Foundation Board
consist of BHLB representatives (“BHLB Foundation
Representatives”) as of Closing. Such BHLB Foundation
Representatives shall be selected by X. Xxxxxxx Dunlaevy and agreed to by
BHLB. In addition Legacy agrees to recommend to the Legacy Foundation
that X. Xxxxxxx Dunlaevy be appointed the chairman of the Legacy Foundation and
that Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx be appointed an officer of the Legacy Foundation.
46
6.16 401(k) Plan
Termination.
If requested by BHLB in writing prior
to the Effective Time, and subject to the occurrence of the Effective Time,
Legacy shall cause to be adopted prior to the Closing Date resolutions of the
Board of Directors of Legacy and any necessary amendments to cease all
contributions to any and all 401(k) plans maintained or sponsored by Legacy or
any of its Subsidiaries (collectively, the “401(k) Plans”), and to
prohibit the entry of new participants to the 401(k) Plans as of the day
preceding the Closing Date. In the sole discretion of BHLB, the 401(k) Plans may
be merged into the BHLB 401(k) Plan. The form and substance of such
resolutions and any necessary amendments shall be subject to the review and
approval of BHLB, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. Legacy shall deliver
to BHLB an executed copy of such resolutions and any necessary amendments as
soon as practicable following their adoption by the Board of Directors of Legacy
and shall fully comply with such resolutions and any necessary
amendments. If, in accordance with this Section 6.16, BHLB requests
in writing that Legacy freeze entry of new participants into the 401(k) Plans,
Legacy shall take such actions as BHLB may reasonably require in furtherance of
the assumption of the 401(k) Plans by BHLB, including, but not limited to,
adopting such amendments to the 401(k) Plans as may be necessary to effect such
assumption.
ARTICLE
VII
COVENANTS
OF BHLB
7.1 Conduct of
Business.
7.1.1 Affirmative
Covenants.
(A) During
the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time, except with
the written consent of Legacy, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld,
conditioned or delayed, BHLB will, and it will cause each BHLB Subsidiary to:
operate its business only in the usual, regular and ordinary course of business;
use reasonable best efforts to preserve intact its business organization and
assets and maintain its rights and franchises; and voluntarily take no action
which would (i) change or waive any provision of its certificate of
incorporation (or articles or organization in the case of Berkshire Bank) or
bylaws in any way adverse to the rights of the Legacy shareholders, except as
required by law, except as set forth on BHLB Disclosure Schedule
7.1.1(A)(i); (ii) materially adversely affect the ability of the parties
to obtain the Regulatory Approvals or materially increase the period of time
necessary to obtain such approvals; (iii) materially adversely affect its
ability to perform its covenants and agreements under this Agreement;
(iv) result in the representations and warranties contained in
Article V of this Agreement not being true and correct on the date of this
Agreement or at any future date on or prior to the Closing Date or in any of the
conditions set forth in Article IX hereof not being satisfied; (v) prevent
or impede, or be reasonably likely to prevent or impede, the Merger from
qualifying as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the
Code.
(B) Promptly
after the Closing and prior to the Effective Time, BHLB shall deposit, or shall
cause to be deposited, with the Exchange Agent the Exchange Fund.
7.2 Disclosure
Supplements.
From time
to time prior to the Effective Time, BHLB will promptly supplement or amend the
BHLB Disclosure Schedule delivered in connection herewith with respect to any
matter hereafter arising which, if existing, occurring or known at the date of
this Agreement, would have been required to be set forth or described in such
BHLB Disclosure Schedule or which is necessary to correct any information in
such BHLB Disclosure Schedule which has been rendered materially inaccurate
thereby. No supplement or amendment to such BHLB Disclosure Schedule
shall have any effect for the purpose of determining satisfaction of the
conditions set forth in Article IX.
7.3 Consents and Approvals of Third
Parties.
BHLB
shall use its commercially reasonable efforts, and shall cause each BHLB
Subsidiary to use its commercially reasonable efforts, to obtain as soon as
practicable all consents and approvals of any other Persons necessary for the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
47
7.4 Reasonable Best
Efforts.
Subject
to the terms and conditions herein provided, BHLB agrees to use and agrees to
cause each BHLB Subsidiary to use reasonable best efforts in good faith to take,
or cause to be taken, all action and to do, or cause to be done, all things
necessary under applicable laws and regulations to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement as promptly as practicable.
7.5 Failure to Fulfill
Conditions.
In the
event that BHLB determines that a condition to its obligation to complete the
Merger cannot be fulfilled and that it will not waive that condition, it will
promptly notify Legacy.
7.6 Employee
Benefits.
7.6.1 Definition. “Benefit Plan Determination
Date” for purposes of this Section shall mean that date selected by BHLB
and consented to by Legacy, which consent shall not be withheld unreasonably,
with respect to each Legacy Benefit Plan to be maintained, frozen, terminated or
replaced with a similar plan or program provided by BHLB or Berkshire Bank (as
used in this Section, BHLB and Berkshire Bank are collectively referred to as
“BHLB”) to other employees similarly situated; provided, that, the definition of
“Benefit Plan Determination Date” shall be consistent with the premise that the
compensation, employee benefits and terms and conditions of employment that are
provided by BHLB after the Closing Date to Current Legacy Employees shall be no
less favorable than those provided by BHLB to similarly situated employees of
BHLB.
7.6.2 General Rule: Parity in Benefits; No
Gaps; Credit for Service with Legacy. Within a reasonable
period after the Closing Date, but not before the applicable Benefit Plan
Determination Date, BHLB shall provide (or shall cause to be provided by a
Subsidiary of BHLB) to all individuals who are employees of Legacy or any Legacy
Subsidiary at the Closing Date and who remain so employed immediately following
the Effective Time (the “Current Legacy Employees”),
compensation, employee benefits and terms and conditions of employment that are
substantially similar to those provided by BHLB to similarly situated employees
of BHLB. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing to the contrary, none
of the provisions contained herein shall (i) operate to duplicate any
benefit provided to any Current Legacy Employees or the funding of any such
benefit, (ii) be construed to limit the ability of BHLB to review employee
benefit plans, programs and arrangements from time to time, to make such changes
as BHLB deems appropriate in its sole and absolute discretion or to terminate
such employee benefit plans, programs and arrangements provided that no such
action not otherwise required by this Agreement shall discriminate against
Current Legacy Employees relative to similarly situated employees of BHLB,
(iii) create third party rights against BHLB. BHLB will cause
its insurance providers to waive all pre-existing condition limitations and
proof of insurability provisions (to the extent such limitations and provisions
did not apply to a pre-existing condition under Legacy’s equivalent plan) and
eligibility waiting periods under such plans that would otherwise be applicable
to newly-hired employees for all Current Legacy Employees; provided that nothing
in this sentence shall limit the ability of BHLB to amend or enter into new or
different employee benefit plans or arrangements provided such plans or
arrangements treat the Current Legacy Employees in a substantially similar
manner as employees of BHLB are treated. BHLB will cause its
insurance providers to honor under such plans any deductible, co-payment and
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Current Legacy Employees and their
covered dependents during the portion of the plan year prior to the relevant
Benefit Plan Determination Date. Under all BHLB Benefit Plans,
service with Legacy or a Legacy Subsidiary shall be deemed to be service with
BHLB for eligibility and vesting purposes only, but not for purposes of benefit
accrual.
7.6.3 BHLB 401(k) Plan
Participation. Each Current Legacy Employee shall be eligible
to participate in BHLB’s 401(k) plan on the day after the Benefit Plan
Determination Date for the Legacy 401(k) Plans. All rights to
participate in BHLB’s 401(k) Plan are subject to BHLB’s right to amend or
terminate BHLB’s 401(k) plan in its sole and absolute discretion and are subject
to the terms of BHLB’s 401(k) plan including, but not limited to, the
eligibility and vesting provisions of such plan.
7.6.4 Employee Stock Ownership
Plan. BHLB agrees to take all such actions related to the
Legacy ESOP as stated in Section 6.14 of this Agreement.
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7.6.5 Welfare
Benefits. Each Current Legacy Employee who remains employed on
the Benefit Plan Determination Date shall be eligible to participate in group
hospitalization, medical, dental, life, disability and other welfare benefit
plans and programs available to similarly-situated employees of BHLB, subject to
the terms of such plans and programs, and subject to complying with eligibility
requirements of the respective plans and programs. With respect to
any welfare benefit plan or program of Legacy that BHLB determines, in its sole
and absolute discretion, provides benefits of the same type or class as a
corresponding plan or program maintained by BHLB, BHLB shall, unless materially
financially burdensome or resulting in an excise tax payable by BHLB under Code
Section 4980D, continue such Legacy plan or program in effect for the benefit of
the Current Legacy Employees until the later of the open enrollment period with
respect to the year following the year in which the Merger occurs or each
Current Legacy Employee becomes eligible to become participants in the
corresponding benefit plan or program maintained by BHLB (and, with respect to
any such plan or program, subject to complying with eligibility requirements and
subject to the right of BHLB to terminate or amend such plan or program) so that
each Current Legacy Employee employed by BHLB has no gap in coverage under any
hospitalization, medical, dental, life, disability or other welfare plan or
program. For purposes of all employee welfare benefit plans, programs
and agreements maintained by or contributed to by BHLB, BHLB shall treat, and in
the case of an insured plan, shall cause the providers of each such plan,
program or arrangement to treat the service with Legacy prior to the Closing
Date of any Current Legacy Employee (to the same extent such service is
recognized under analogous plans, programs or arrangements of Legacy prior to
the Closing) as service rendered to BHLB for all purposes; provided, however,
that such crediting of service shall not operate to duplicate any benefit or the
funding of such benefit available to any Current Legacy
Employee. Persons who were employed by Legacy or any Affiliate and
who were entitled to continue health coverage under COBRA or any similar state
law shall continue to be entitled to COBRA coverage and coverage under similar
state law under the Legacy Benefit Plans that are health plans and, in the event
of a termination of such plans, BHLB shall continue to provide COBRA
coverage.
7.6.6 Paid Time Off
Programs. BHLB will give each Current Legacy Employee credit,
for purposes of BHLB’s vacation and/or other paid leave benefit programs, for
such Current Legacy Employees’ accrued and unpaid vacation and/or paid leave
balance with Legacy as of the Closing Date.
7.6.7 BHLB to Honor
Agreements. Subject to any required regulatory approval or
satisfaction of a condition in any Regulatory Approval, BHLB agrees to honor all
employment agreements, change in control agreements, severance agreements,
deferred compensation agreements and consulting agreements that Legacy has with
its current and former employees and which have been identified in Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 4.9.1, except to the extent any such agreements shall be
superseded or terminated at the Closing Date or following the Closing Date with
the written consent of the affected parties. BHLB agrees that in the
event a Bank Regulator prohibits Legacy from making any payments or providing
any benefits under any agreement referenced in Legacy Disclosure Schedule
4.9.1 in effect as of the Closing Date, BHLB shall make such payments or
provide such benefits due under such agreements unless prohibited from doing so
by any Bank Regulator. Legacy shall, prior to the Effective Time, use
its reasonable best efforts to obtain from each of the individuals named in
Legacy Disclosure
Schedule 7.6.7 an agreement, in the form of Exhibit B hereto,
setting forth the method in which his or her rights under the specified programs
will be settled (the amount of each such payment to be limited to the amounts
specified in Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 7.6.7) in the event such individuals are
entitled to payment or benefits (each, a “Settlement
Agreement”). Notwithstanding anything contained in the
agreements set forth on Legacy Disclosure Schedules
4.9.1 or 7.6.7 or in this
Agreement, no payment shall be made under any employment, deferred compensation,
change of control, severance contract, stock option plan or plan that would
constitute a “parachute payment” (as such term is defined in Section 280G of the
Code), and to the extent any such payment would constitute a “parachute
payment,” the payment will be reduced to $1.00 less than the amount that would
be considered a “parachute payment.” In addition, the Settlement
Agreement shall provide (i) that an individual shall receive cash in lieu of
continued insurance benefits in the event providing such insurance benefits
would result in BHLB incurring taxes or penalties under The Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act or similar legislation, laws or regulations, as in
effect at the time that such benefit becomes due or as may be amended from time
to time, and (ii) an individual shall not receive a retirement bonus as provided
in Legacy’s employee handbook. Such cash payment shall be delivered
in a manner consistent with the requirements of Code Section 409A and shall be
in an amount reasonably estimated to be equivalent to the present value, using
the applicable federal rate (100% of the mid-term) published by the IRS for
December 2010 and determined as the date of this Agreement, of the premium
payments required to obtain the continued insurance benefits referenced in the
preceding sentence on a self-pay basis that would otherwise be provided to the
individual. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement or in any
Legacy employment agreement, change in control agreement, severance agreement,
deferred compensation agreement or consulting agreement, if at any time after
the Effective Time, BHLB or any of its Subsidiaries is precluded by applicable
law or regulations from making any payment under any such agreement, BHLB shall
use its reasonable best efforts to obtain regulatory approval to make such
payment and BHLB or a Subsidiary shall make such payment promptly after it is
permitted to do so under applicable law and regulations.
49
Except for the agreements described in
the preceding sentences of this Section 7.6.7 and except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement, subject to and following the occurrence of the
Effective Time, the Legacy Benefit Plans shall, in the sole and absolute
discretion of BHLB, be frozen, terminated or merged into comparable plans of
BHLB, effective at such time as BHLB shall determine in its sole and absolute
discretion.
7.6.8 No Guarantee of
Employment. Except to the extent of commitments herein or
other contractual commitments, if any, specifically made or assumed by BHLB
hereunder or by operation of law, BHLB shall have no obligation arising from and
after the Closing Date to continue in its employ or in any specific job or to
provide to any specified level of compensation or any incentive payments,
benefits or perquisites to any Person who is an employee of Legacy as of the
Closing Date. Each Person who is an employee of Legacy as of the
Closing Date and who is terminated by BHLB for a reason other than cause within
twelve (12) months subsequent to the Closing Date or is not offered
employment with BHLB as of the Effective Time or resigns for good reason,
excluding those employees who are entitled to benefits under change of control
arrangements, shall be entitled to severance benefits pursuant to BHLB’s current
severance plan or policy, if such payments would be more favorable to such
Person; provided, however, if such benefits
pursuant to Legacy’s plan or policy will result in an excise tax under Code
Section 4980D, such plan or policy shall be modified to the extent necessary so
as to avoid the imposition of such excise tax and the affected participant under
such plan or policy shall be paid an additional amount such that his or her
benefit, net applicable taxes, equals the value of the benefit reduced or
eliminated by such action.
7.6.9 SERP and Directors’
Plans. Immediately on or prior to the Effective Time, Legacy
shall, in cooperation with BHLB, subject to the occurrence of the Effective
Time, terminate each of the Supplemental Executive Retirement Agreement and the
Directors’ Fee Continuation Plans of Legacy Bancorp, Inc. and the amounts due
thereunder shall be paid in a lump sum to the participants therein, on or prior
to the Effective Time in accordance with Section 409A of the Code.
7.6.10 Retiree Medical, Dental and Life
Insurance. Prior to the Effective Time, Legacy shall, subject
to the occurrence of the Effective Time, terminate, modify or freeze, as
directed by BHLB, all retiree medical, dental and retiree life insurance plans
in accordance with ERISA and the Code in such manner as BHLB may reasonable
request.
7.6.11 Change in Control Agreement and
Consulting Agreement. BHLB will offer Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx an
executive level position with BHLB and Berkshire Bank and will also enter into
an agreement with Xx. Xxxxxxxx reflecting the terms of employment. In
addition, BHLB agrees to enter into a consulting agreement with J. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx. The forms of such agreements are set forth in BHLB Disclosure Schedule
7.6.11.
7.6.12 Discretionary
Compensation. BHLB shall permit Legacy to pay discretionary
compensation of up to an aggregate of $700,000 to such persons under
specifically identified compensation plans or programs and in such amounts as
set forth in Legacy
Disclosure Schedule 7.6.12.
7.7 Directors and Officers
Indemnification and Insurance.
7.7.1 Prior
to the Effective Time, BHLB shall obtain and fully pay the premium for the
extension of (i) the Side A coverage part (directors’ and officers’ liability)
of Legacy’s existing directors’ and officers’ insurance policies, and (ii)
Legacy’s existing fiduciary liability insurance policies, in each case for a
claims reporting or discovery period of at least six (6) years from and after
the Effective Time, from an insurance carrier with the same or better credit
rating as Legacy’s current insurance carrier with respect to directors’ and
officers’ liability insurance and fiduciary liability insurance (collectively,
“D&O Insurance” and
such insurance carrier, the “Insurance Carrier”) with
terms, conditions, retentions and limits of liability that are at least as
favorable as Legacy’s existing policies with respect to any actual or alleged
error, misstatement, misleading statement, act, omission, neglect, breach of
duty or any matter claimed against any Person covered thereby that arose,
existed, or occurred at or prior to the Effective Time (including in connection
with this Agreement or the transactions or actions contemplated hereby); provided, however, that in no event
shall BHLB be required to expend for such “tail” policy a premium amount in
excess of an amount equal to 200% of the annual premiums paid by Legacy for
D&O Insurance in effect as of the date of this Agreement. In
connection with the foregoing, Legacy agrees, in order for BHLB to fulfill its
agreement, to provide the Insurance Carrier with such representations as such
insurer may request with respect to the reporting of any prior
claims.
50
7.7.2 In
addition to Section 7.7.1, BHLB shall, from and after the Effective Date,
to the fullest extent that would have been permitted to Legacy under DGCL and
the Legacy Certificate of Incorporation (to the extent not prohibited by federal
law), indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Person who is now, or who has
been at any time before the date hereof or who becomes before the Effective
Time, an officer or director of Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary (the “Indemnified Parties”) against
all losses, claims, damages, costs, expenses (including attorneys’ fees),
liabilities or judgments or amounts that are paid in settlement (which
settlement shall require the prior written consent of BHLB, which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) of or in connection with
any claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal,
or administrative (each, a “Claim”) in which an
Indemnified Party is or is threatened to be made a party or witness in whole or
in part or arising in whole or in part out of the fact that such Person is or
was an Indemnified Party if such Claim pertains to any matter of fact arising,
existing, or occurring before the Effective Time (including, without limitation,
the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby), regardless of
whether such Claim is asserted or claimed before, or after, the Effective
Time. Any Indemnified Party wishing to claim indemnification under
this Section 7.7.2 upon learning of any Claim, shall notify BHLB (but the
failure so to notify BHLB shall not relieve it from any liability which it may
have under this Section 7.7.2, except to the extent such failure materially
prejudices BHLB). In the event of any such Claim (whether arising
before or after the Effective Time) (1) BHLB shall have the right to assume
the defense thereof (in which event the Indemnified Parties will cooperate in
the defense of any such matter) and upon such assumption BHLB shall not be
liable to any Indemnified Party for any legal expenses of other counsel or any
other expenses subsequently incurred by any Indemnified Party in connection with
the defense thereof, except that if BHLB elects not to assume such defense, or
counsel for the Indemnified Parties reasonably advises the Indemnified Parties
that there are or may be (whether or not any have yet actually arisen) issues
which raise conflicts of interest between BHLB and the Indemnified Parties, the
Indemnified Parties may retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to them, and BHLB
shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel for the Indemnified
Parties, (2) except to the extent otherwise required due to conflicts of
interest, BHLB shall be obligated pursuant to this paragraph to pay for only one
(1) firm of counsel for all Indemnified Parties unless there is a conflict of
interest that necessitates more than one law firm, and (3) BHLB shall not
be liable for any settlement effected without its prior written consent (which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or
delayed).
7.7.3 In
the event that either BHLB or any of its successors or assigns
(i) consolidates with or merges into any other Person and shall not be the
continuing or surviving company or entity of such consolidation or merger or
(ii) transfers all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any
Person, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that the
successors and assigns of BHLB shall assume the obligations set forth in this
Section 7.7.
7.7.4 The
obligations of BHLB provided under this Section 7.7 are intended to be
enforceable against BHLB directly by the Indemnified Parties and shall be
binding on all respective successors and permitted assigns of BHLB.
7.8 Stock Listing.
BHLB
agrees to file a notification form for the listing on the NASDAQ Stock Market
(or such other national securities exchange on which the shares of BHLB Common
Stock shall be listed as of the Closing Date) of the shares of BHLB Common Stock
to be issued in the Merger.
7.9 Reservation of
Stock.
BHLB
agrees at all times from the date of this Agreement until the Merger
Consideration has been paid in full to reserve a sufficient number of shares of
BHLB Common Stock to fulfill its obligations under this
Agreement.
51
7.10 Communications to Legacy Employees;
Training
BHLB and
Legacy agree that as promptly as practicable following the execution of this
Agreement, meetings with employees of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries shall
be held at such locations as BHLB and Legacy shall mutually agree, provided that
representatives of Legacy shall be permitted to attend such
meetings. BHLB and Legacy shall mutually agree in advance as to the
scope and content of all communications to the employees of Legacy and the
Legacy Subsidiaries. At mutually agreed upon times following
execution of this Agreement, representatives of BHLB shall be permitted to meet
with the employees of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries to discuss employment
opportunities with BHLB, provided that representatives of Legacy shall be
permitted to attend any such meeting. From and after the first date
on which all Regulatory Approvals (and waivers, if applicable) and the Legacy
Shareholder Approval and the shareholders of BHLB necessary for the consummation
of the Merger and Bank Merger (disregarding any waiting period) have been
obtained, BHLB shall also be permitted to conduct training sessions outside of
normal business hours or at other times as Legacy may agree, with the employees
of Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries and may conduct such training seminars at
any branch location of Legacy Banks; provided that BHLB will in good faith
attempt to schedule such training sessions in a manner which does not
unreasonably interfere with Legacy Banks’ normal business
operations.
7.11 Current
Information.
During
the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time, BHLB will
cause one or more of its representatives to confer with representatives of
Legacy to inform Legacy regarding BHLB’s operations at such times as Legacy may
reasonably request. BHLB will promptly notify Legacy of any change in
the ordinary course of its business or in the operation of its properties and,
to the extent permitted by applicable law, of any governmental complaints,
investigations or hearings (or communications indicating that the same may be
contemplated), or the institution or the threat of material litigation involving
BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary.
7.12 Access to Properties and
Records.
Subject
to Section 12.1, BHLB shall permit Legacy access upon reasonable notice and
at reasonable times to its properties and those of the BHLB Subsidiaries, and
shall disclose and make available to Legacy during normal business hours all of
its books and records relating to the assets, properties, operations,
obligations and liabilities, including, but not limited to, all books of account
(including the general ledger), tax records, minute books of directors’ and
shareholders’ meetings (other than minutes that discuss any of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or any other subject matter that BHLB reasonably
determines should be kept confidential), organizational documents, bylaws,
material contracts and agreements, filings with any regulatory authority,
litigation files, plans affecting employees, and any other business activities
or prospects in which Legacy may have a reasonable interest; provided, however, that BHLB
shall not be required to take any action that would provide access to or to
disclose information where such access or disclosure, in BHLB’s reasonable
judgment, would interfere with the normal conduct of BHLB’s business or would
violate or prejudice the rights or business interests or confidences of any
customer or other Person or entity or would result in the waiver by it of the
privilege protecting communications between it and any of its counsel or
contravene any applicable law. BHLB shall provide and shall request
its auditors to provide Legacy with such historical financial information
regarding it (and related audit reports and consents) as Legacy may reasonably
request for Securities Law disclosure purposes. Legacy shall use
commercially reasonable efforts to minimize any interference with BHLB’s regular
business operations during any such access to BHLB’s property, books and
records. BHLB and each BHLB Subsidiary shall permit Legacy, at
Legacy’s expense, to (i) cause a Phase I environmental assessment to be
performed at any physical location owned or occupied by BHLB or any BHLB
Subsidiary and (ii) cause an appraisal to be performed in respect of any real
property owned by BHLB or any BHLB Subsidiary.
7.13 Financial and Other
Statements.
7.13.1 Promptly
upon receipt thereof, BHLB will furnish to Legacy copies of each annual, interim
or special audit of the books of BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries made by its
independent registered public accountants and copies of all internal control
reports submitted to BHLB by such accountants, or by any other accounting firm
rendering internal audit services, in connection with each annual, interim or
special audit of the books of BHLB and the BHLB Subsidiaries made by such
accountants.
52
7.13.2 As
soon as reasonably available, but in no event later than the date such documents
are filed with the MDOB, OTS or FDIC, BHLB will deliver to Legacy the BHLB
Regulatory Report filed by BHLB or Berkshire Bank. Within twenty-five
(25) days after the end of each month, Berkshire Bank will deliver to Legacy a
consolidating balance sheet and a consolidating statement of operations, without
related notes, for such month prepared in accordance with current financial
reporting practices, as well as a month-end and year to date comparison to
budget.
7.13.3 BHLB
promptly will advise upon receipt and permit review by Legacy of any inquiry or
examination report of any Bank Regulator with respect to the condition or
activities of BHLB or Berkshire Bank.
7.14 Committee
Meetings.
BHLB and
Berkshire Bank shall permit Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx to attend any meeting of the
Berkshire Bank Loan Review Committee as an observer (the “Legacy Observer”), provided
that neither BHLB nor Berkshire Bank shall be required to permit the Legacy
Observer to remain present during any confidential discussion of this Agreement
and the transactions contemplated hereby or any Acquisition Proposal or during
any other matter that the Board of Directors of Berkshire Bank has been advised
of by counsel that such attendance by the Legacy Observer may violate or be
inconsistent with a confidentiality obligation or fiduciary duty or any legal,
regulatory or NASDAQ requirement.
7.15 New Hires.
From the
date of this Agreement through the Effective Time, BHLB shall consult with and
advise Legacy prior to the hiring by BHLB of any officer for a position of
employment to be located in Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
7.16 New Members.
Prior to
the Closing, each of BHLB and Berkshire Bank shall increase by the sufficient
number of directors constituting the entire Boards of Directors of BHLB and
Berkshire Bank, respectively, effective as of and contingent upon the occurrence
of the Effective Time, and by a vote of a majority of the directors then in
office of each of BHLB and Berkshire Bank, BHLB and Berkshire Bank shall duly
elect the New Members to fill such vacancies and thereby become a director of
BHLB and Berkshire Bank, effective as of and contingent upon the occurrence of
the Effective Time. Subject to the requirements of BHLB’s Certificate of
Incorporation and Bylaws relating to the relative number of directors in each
class, one New Member shall become a member of the class of BHLB’s and Berkshire
Bank’s Boards of Directors that has the longest time remaining until its
directors’ terms expire and the other New Member shall become a member of the
class of BHLB’s and Berkshire Bank’s Boards of Directors that has the second
longest time remaining until its directors’ terms expire.
ARTICLE
VIII
REGULATORY
AND OTHER MATTERS
8.1 Meeting of
Shareholders.
8.1.1 Legacy
will (i) take all steps necessary to duly call, give notice of, convene and
hold a special meeting of its shareholders as promptly as practicable after the
Merger Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC, for the purpose
of considering this Agreement and the Merger (the “Legacy Shareholders Meeting”),
except as otherwise provided in this section, (ii) in connection with the
solicitation of proxies with respect to the Legacy Shareholders Meeting, have
its Board of Directors recommend approval of this Agreement to the Legacy
shareholders; and (iii) cooperate and consult with BHLB with respect to
each of the foregoing matters. The Board of Directors of Legacy may fail
to make such a recommendation referred to in clause (ii) above, or
withdraw, modify or change any such recommendation only if such Board of
Directors, after having consulted with and considered the advice of its
financial and legal advisors, has determined that the making of such
recommendation, or the failure to withdraw, modify or change its recommendation,
would constitute a breach of the fiduciary duties of such directors under
applicable law.
53
8.1.2 BHLB
will (i) take all steps necessary to duly call, give notice of, convene and
hold a special meeting of its shareholders as promptly as practicable after the
Merger Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC, for the purpose
of considering this Agreement and the Merger (the “BHLB Shareholders Meeting” ),
(ii) in connection with the solicitation of proxies with respect to the
BHLB Shareholders Meeting, have its Board of Directors recommend approval of
this Agreement to the BHLB shareholders; and (iii) cooperate and consult
with Legacy with respect to each of the foregoing matters. The Board
of Directors of BHLB may fail to make such a recommendation referred to in
clause (ii) above, or withdraw, modify or change any such recommendation
only if such Board of Directors, after having consulted with and considered the
advice of its financial and legal advisors, has determined that the making of
such recommendation, or the failure to withdraw, modify or change its
recommendation, would constitute a breach of the fiduciary duties of such
directors under applicable law..
8.2 Proxy Statement-Prospectus; Merger
Registration Statement.
8.2.1 For
the purposes (i) of registering BHLB Common Stock to be offered to holders of
Legacy Common Stock in connection with the Merger with the SEC under the
Securities Act, (ii) of holding the Legacy Shareholders Meeting and
(iii) of holding the BHLB Shareholders Meeting , BHLB shall draft and
prepare, and Legacy shall cooperate in the preparation of, the Merger
Registration Statement, including a joint proxy statement and prospectus
satisfying all applicable requirements of applicable state securities and
banking laws, and of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and the rules and
regulations thereunder (such joint proxy statement/prospectus in the form mailed
by Legacy to the Legacy shareholders and by BHLB to the BHLB shareholders,
together with any and all amendments or supplements thereto, being herein
referred to as the “Proxy
Statement-Prospectus”). BHLB shall provide Legacy and its
counsel with appropriate opportunity to review and comment on the Proxy
Statement-Prospectus, and shall incorporate all appropriate comments thereto,
prior to the time it is initially filed with the SEC or any amendments are filed
with the SEC. BHLB shall file the Merger Registration Statement,
including the Proxy Statement-Prospectus, with the SEC. Each of BHLB
and Legacy shall use its reasonable best efforts to have the Merger Registration
Statement declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as practicable
after such filing, and Legacy and BHLB shall each thereafter promptly mail the
Proxy Statement-Prospectus to their respective shareholders. BHLB
shall also use its reasonable best efforts to obtain all necessary state
securities law or “blue sky” permits and approvals required to carry out the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and Legacy shall furnish all
information concerning Legacy and the holders of Legacy Common Stock as may be
reasonably requested in connection with any such action.
8.2.2 BHLB
shall, as soon as practicable but in no event later than January 31, 2011, file
the Merger Registration Statement with the SEC under the Securities Act in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. BHLB
will advise Legacy promptly after BHLB receives notice of the time when the
Merger Registration Statement has become effective or any supplement or
amendment has been filed, of the issuance of any stop order or the suspension of
the registration of the shares of BHLB Common Stock issuable pursuant to the
Merger Registration Statement, or the initiation or threat of any proceeding for
any such purpose, or of any request by the SEC for the amendment or supplement
of the Merger Registration Statement, or for additional information, and BHLB
will provide Legacy with as many copies of such Merger Registration Statement
and all amendments thereto promptly upon the filing thereof as Legacy may
reasonably request.
8.2.3 Legacy
and BHLB shall promptly notify the other party if at any time it becomes aware
that the Proxy Statement-Prospectus or the Merger Registration Statement
contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. In such event, Legacy shall cooperate with BHLB in the
preparation of a supplement or amendment to such Proxy Statement-Prospectus that
corrects such misstatement or omission, and BHLB shall file an amended Merger
Registration Statement with the SEC, and each of Legacy and BHLB shall mail an
amended Proxy Statement-Prospectus to their respective
shareholders.
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8.3 Regulatory
Approvals.
Each of
Legacy and BHLB will cooperate with the other and use reasonable efforts to
promptly prepare and as soon as practicable following the date hereof but in no
event later than January 31, 2011, file all necessary documentation to obtain
all necessary permits, consents, waivers, approvals and authorizations of the
MDOB, the FDIC, the OTS, the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission
and any other third parties and Governmental Entities or Bank Regulators
necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement. Legacy and BHLB will furnish each other and each other’s
counsel with all information concerning themselves, their Subsidiaries,
directors, officers and shareholders and such other matters as may be necessary
or advisable in connection with any application, petition or other statement
made by or on behalf of Legacy or BHLB to any Bank Regulator or Governmental
Entity in connection with the Merger, Bank Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Legacy shall have the right to review and
approve in advance all characterizations of the information relating to Legacy
and any Legacy Subsidiary which appear in any filing made in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement with any Governmental
Entity. In addition, Legacy and BHLB shall each furnish to the other
for review a copy of each such filing made in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement with any Governmental Entity prior to its
filing. Each of Legacy and BHLB will cooperate with each other and
use their reasonable best efforts to address any conditions in any regulatory
approval to allow for the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement; provided however, BHLB shall be solely
responsible for its and Legacy’s reasonable expenses arising out of required
divestitures of deposit liabilities in connection therewith; provided, further, however, BHLB shall not be
required to comply with any such condition that would result in a Material
Adverse Effect on BHLB or Legacy.
ARTICLE
IX
CLOSING
CONDITIONS
9.1 Conditions to Each Party’s
Obligations under this Agreement.
The
respective obligations of each party under this Agreement shall be subject to
the fulfillment at or prior to the Closing Date of the following conditions,
none of which may be waived:
9.1.1 Shareholder
Approval. This Agreement and each transaction contemplated
hereby requiring stockholder approval shall have been approved and adopted by
the requisite votes of the shareholders of Legacy and the shareholders of
BHLB.
9.1.2 Injunctions. None
of the parties hereto shall be subject to any order, decree or injunction of a
court or agency of competent jurisdiction, and no statute, rule or regulation
shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated, interpreted, applied or enforced
by any Governmental Entity or Bank Regulator, that enjoins or prohibits the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
9.1.3 Regulatory
Approvals. All Regulatory Approvals required to complete the
Merger and the Bank Merger shall have been obtained and shall remain in full
force and effect and all waiting periods relating thereto shall have
expired.
9.1.4 Effectiveness of Merger Registration
Statement. The Merger Registration Statement shall have become
effective under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Merger Registration Statement shall have been issued, and
no proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the
SEC and, if the offer and sale of BHLB Common Stock in the Merger is subject to
the state securities or “blue sky” laws of any state, shall not be subject to a
stop order of any state securities commissioner.
9.1.5 NASDAQ
Listing. BHLB shall have filed a notification form for the
listing of the BHLB Common Stock to be issued in the Merger.
9.2 Conditions to the Obligations of
BHLB under this Agreement.
The
obligations of BHLB under this Agreement shall be further subject to the
satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Sections 9.2.1 through 9.2.6 at
or prior to the Closing Date:
55
9.2.1 Representations and
Warranties. Each of the representations and warranties of
Legacy set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct as of the date of
this Agreement and upon the Effective Time with the same effect as though all
such representations and warranties had been made at the Effective Time (except
to the extent such representations and warranties speak as of an earlier date,
which only need be true and correct as of such earlier date), in any case
subject to the standard set forth in Section 4.1; and Legacy shall have
delivered to BHLB a certificate to such effect signed by the Chief Executive
Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of Legacy as of the Effective
Time.
9.2.2 Agreements and
Covenants. Legacy and each Legacy Subsidiary shall have
performed in all material respects all obligations and complied in all material
respects with all agreements or covenants to be performed or complied with by
each of them at or prior to the Effective Time, and BHLB shall have received a
certificate signed on behalf of Legacy by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer of Legacy to such effect dated as of the Effective
Time.
9.2.3 Permits, Authorizations,
Etc. Legacy and the Legacy Subsidiaries shall have obtained
any and all permits, authorizations, consents, waivers, clearances or approvals
required for the lawful consummation of the Merger and the Bank Merger, the
failure of which to obtain would have a Material Adverse Effect on either Legacy
or BHLB.
9.2.4 No Material Adverse
Effect. There shall have been no changes, other than changes
contemplated by this Agreement, in the business, operations, condition
(financial or otherwise), assets or liabilities of Legacy and the Legacy
Subsidiaries (regardless of whether or not such events or changes are
inconsistent with the representations and warranties given herein) that
individually or in the aggregate has had or reasonably would be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect on Legacy.
9.2.5 Tax Opinion. BHLB
shall have received an opinion of Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, P.C.,
counsel to BHLB, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the Merger
constitutes a reorganization under Section 368(a) of the
IRC. In rendering its opinion, such counsel may require and rely upon
customary representations contained in certificates of officers of BHLB, Legacy
and their respective Subsidiaries, reasonably satisfactory in form and substance
to such counsel.
9.2.6 Regulatory
Conditions. No Regulatory Approval required for consummation
the Merger and Bank Merger shall include any condition or requirement that would
result in a Material Adverse Effect on BHLB or Legacy, and their
Subsidiaries.
9.3 Conditions to the Obligations of
Legacy under this Agreement.
The
obligations of Legacy under this Agreement shall be further subject to the
satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Sections 9.3.1 through 9.3.6 at
or prior to the Closing Date:
9.3.1 Representations and
Warranties. Each of the representations and warranties of BHLB
set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct as of the date of this
Agreement and upon the Effective Time with the same effect as though all such
representations and warranties had been made at the Effective Time (except to
the extent such representations and warranties speak as of an earlier date,
which only need be true and correct as of such earlier date), in any case
subject to the standard set forth in Section 5.1; and BHLB shall have
delivered to Legacy a certificate to such effect signed by the Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Financial Officer of BHLB as of the Effective
Time.
9.3.2 Agreements and
Covenants. BHLB and Berkshire Bank shall have performed in all
material respects all obligations and complied in all material respects with all
agreements or covenants to be performed or complied with by each of them at or
prior to the Effective Time, and Legacy shall have received a certificate signed
on behalf of BHLB by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of
BHLB to such effect dated as of the Effective Time.
56
9.3.3 Permits, Authorizations,
Etc. BHLB and Berkshire Bank shall have obtained any and all
permits, authorizations, consents, waivers, clearances or approvals required for
the lawful consummation of the Merger and the Bank Merger, the failure of which
to obtain would have a Material Adverse Effect on BHLB and Berkshire Bank, taken
as a whole.
9.3.4 No Material Adverse
Effect. There shall have been no changes, other than changes
contemplated by this Agreement, in the business, operations, condition
(financial or otherwise), assets or liabilities of BHLB and the BHLB
Subsidiaries (regardless of whether or not such events or changes are
inconsistent with the representations and warranties given herein) that
individually or in the aggregate has had or reasonably would be expected to have
a Material Adverse Effect on BHLB.
9.3.5 Tax
Opinion. Legacy shall have received an opinion of Xxxxxx
XxXxxxxxx & Fish LLP, special counsel to Legacy, dated the Closing Date, to
the effect that the Merger constitutes a reorganization under
Section 368(a) of the IRC. In rendering its opinion, such
counsel may require and rely upon customary representations contained in
certificates of officers of BHLB, Legacy and their respective Subsidiaries,
reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to such counsel.
ARTICLE
X
[RESERVED]
ARTICLE
XI
TERMINATION,
AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
11.1 Termination.
This
Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing Date, whether
before or after approval of the Merger by the shareholders of BHLB and Legacy
(except as otherwise indicated below):
11.1.1 At
any time by the mutual written agreement of BHLB and Legacy;
11.1.2 By
either party (provided, that the terminating party is not then in breach of any
representation, warranty, covenant or other agreement contained herein) if there
shall have been a breach of any of the representations or warranties set forth
in this Agreement on the part of the other party, which breach by its nature
cannot be cured prior to the Closing Date or shall not have been cured within
thirty (30) days after written notice of such breach by the terminating
party to the other party, conditioned upon the defaulting party promptly
commencing to cure the default and thereafter continuing to cure the default;
provided, however, that neither party shall have the right to terminate this
Agreement pursuant to this Section 11.1.2 unless the breach of
representation or warranty, together with all other such breaches, would entitle
the terminating party not to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby
under Section 9.2.1 (in the case of a breach of a representation or warranty by
Legacy) or Section 9.3.1 (in the case of a breach of a representation or
warranty by BHLB);
11.1.3 By
either party (provided, that the terminating party is not then in breach of any
representation, warranty, covenant or other agreement contained herein) if there
shall have been a failure to perform or comply with any of the covenants or
agreements set forth in this Agreement on the part of the other party or its
Subsidiaries, which failure by its nature cannot be cured prior to the Closing
Date or shall not have been cured within thirty (30) days after written
notice of such failure by the terminating party to the other party, conditioned
upon the defaulting party promptly commencing to cure the default and thereafter
continuing to cure; provided, however, that neither party shall have the right
to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11.1.3 unless the
breach of covenant or agreement, together with all other such breaches, would
entitle the terminating party not to consummate the transactions contemplated
hereby under Section 9.2.2 (in the case of a breach of covenant by Legacy)
or Section 9.3.2 (in the case of a breach of covenant by
BHLB);
11.1.4 At
the election of either party, if the Closing shall not have occurred by the
Termination Date, or such later date as shall have been agreed to in writing by
BHLB and Legacy; provided, that no party may terminate this Agreement pursuant
to this Section 11.1.4 if the failure of the Closing to have occurred on or
before said date was due to such party’s material breach of any representation,
warranty, covenant or other agreement contained in this
Agreement;
57
11.1.5 By
either party, if (i) the shareholders of Legacy shall have voted at the
Legacy Shareholders Meeting on the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
and such vote shall not have been sufficient to approve and adopt such
transactions or (ii) the shareholders of BHLB shall have voted on the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and such vote shall not have been
sufficient to approve and adopt such transactions.
11.1.6 By
either party if (i) final action has been taken by a Bank Regulator whose
approval is required in order to satisfy the conditions to the parties’
obligations to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby as set forth in
Article IX, which final action (x) has become unappealable and
(y) does not approve this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby, (ii) any court of competent jurisdiction or other Governmental Entity
shall have issued an order, decree, ruling or taken any other action
restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the Merger and such order,
decree, ruling or other action shall have become final and
unappealable;
11.1.7
(A) By
the Board of Directors of BHLB if each of the following conditions are
satisfied: (i) Legacy has received a Superior Proposal and the Board
of Directors of Legacy has entered into an acquisition agreement with respect to
the Superior Proposal, withdrawn its recommendation of this Agreement, has
failed to make such recommendation, or has modified or qualified its
recommendation in a manner adverse to BHLB, (ii) either (x) the Board of
Directors of Legacy submits this Agreement to its stockholders without a
recommendation for approval or (y) the Board of Directors of Legacy withdraws,
qualifies or adversely modifies (or publicly proposes or resolves to withdraw,
qualify or adversely modify) its recommendation of this Agreement to the Legacy
stockholders, and (iii) the Legacy
stockholders do not approve this Agreement.
(B) By
the Board of Directors of Legacy if each of the following conditions are
satisfied: (i) either (x) the Board of Directors of BHLB submits this
Agreement to its stockholders without a recommendation for approval or (y) Board
of Directors of BHLB withdraws, qualifies or adversely modifies (or publicly
proposes or resolves to withdraw, qualify or adversely modify) its
recommendation of this Agreement to the BHLB stockholders and (ii) the BHLB
stockholders do not approve this Agreement.
11.1.8 By
the Board of Directors of Legacy if Legacy has received a Superior Proposal and
the Board of Directors of Legacy has made a determination to accept such
Superior Proposal; provided that Legacy shall not terminate this Agreement
pursuant to this Section 11.1.8 and enter into a definitive agreement with
respect to the Superior Proposal until the expiration of three (3) Business
Days following BHLB’s receipt of written notice advising BHLB that Legacy has
received a Superior Proposal, specifying the material terms and conditions of
such Superior Proposal (and including a copy thereof with all accompanying
documentation, if in writing) identifying the Person making the Superior
Proposal and stating whether Legacy intends to enter into a definitive agreement
with respect to the Superior Proposal (a “Notice of Superior
Proposal”). After providing such Notice of Superior Proposal,
Legacy shall provide a reasonable opportunity to BHLB during the three (3)-day
period to make such adjustments in the terms and conditions of this Agreement as
would enable Legacy to proceed with the Merger on such adjusted
terms. Any material amendment of such Superior Proposal shall require
a new Notice of Superior Proposal and Legacy shall be required to comply again
with the requirements of this Section 11.1.8; provided, however, that references to
the three (3) Business Day period above shall be deemed to be references to a
two (2) Business Day period.
11.1.9 By
Legacy, if the Board of Directors of Legacy so determines by a majority vote of
the members of the entire Board of Directors of Legacy, at any time during the
five-day period commencing on the Determination Date, such termination to be
effective on the 30th day
following such Determination Date, if and only if both of the following
conditions are satisfied:
(1) The
BHLB Market Value on the Determination Date is less than $16.70;
and
(2) the
number obtained by dividing the BHLB Market Value on the Determination Date by
the Initial BHLB Market Value shall be less than the number obtained by dividing
(x) the Final Index Price by (y) the Initial Index Price minus
0.20;
58
subject, however, to the
following three sentences.
If Legacy
elects to exercise its termination right pursuant to this Section 11.1.9,
it shall give prompt written notice thereof to BHLB. During the five Business
Day period commencing with its receipt of such notice, BHLB shall have the
option of paying additional Merger Consideration by increasing the Exchange
Ratio to equal the number obtained by dividing (1) $13.00 by the greater
of (i) the product of 0.80 and the Initial BHLB Market Value or
(ii) the product obtained by multiplying the Index Ratio by the Initial
BHLB Market Value. If within such five Business Day period, BHLB delivers
written notice to Legacy that it intends to proceed with the Merger by paying
such additional consideration as contemplated by the preceding sentence, then no
termination shall have occurred pursuant to this Section 11.1.9, and this
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with its terms
(except that the Exchange Ratio shall have been so modified and, thereafter, any
reference in this Agreement to “Stock Consideration” shall be deemed to refer to
the Stock Consideration reflecting the Exchange Ratio as modified pursuant to
this Section 11.1.9).
For
purposes of this Section 11.1.9, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated below:
“Acquisition Transaction”
means (i) a merger or consolidation, or any similar transaction, involving
the relevant companies, (ii) a purchase, lease or other acquisition of all
or substantially all of the assets of the relevant companies, (iii) a
purchase or other acquisition (including by way of merger, consolidation, share
exchange or otherwise) of securities representing 10% or more of the voting
power of the relevant companies; or (iv) agree or commit to take any action
referenced above.
“Determination Date” means the
first date on which all Requisite Regulatory Approvals (and waivers, if
applicable) necessary for consummation of the Merger and the Bank Merger have
been received (disregarding any waiting period).
“Index” means the following
companies and the weights attributed to them as follows:
Name
|
Ticker
|
Index
Weighting (%)
|
||||
Oritani
Financial Corp.
|
ORIT
|
9.78 | ||||
Brookline
Bancorp Inc.
|
BRKL
|
9.11 | ||||
S&T
Bancorp Inc.
|
STBA
|
8.84 | ||||
Independent
Bank Corp.
|
INDB
|
8.24 | ||||
Dime
Community Bancshares Inc.
|
DCOM
|
7.37 | ||||
TrustCo
Bank Corp NY
|
TRST
|
6.84 | ||||
Flushing
Financial Corp.
|
FFIC
|
6.31 | ||||
Xxxxxx
Valley Holding Corp.
|
HUVL
|
5.79 | ||||
Provident
New York Bancorp
|
PBNY
|
5.67 | ||||
Danvers
Bancorp Inc.
|
DNBK
|
4.97 | ||||
Lakeland
Bancorp
|
LBAI
|
3.94 | ||||
Sterling
Xxxxxxx
|
XXX
|
0.00 | ||||
Xxxxxxxxx
Financial Inc.
|
WFD
|
3.63 | ||||
OceanFirst
Financial Corp.
|
OCFC
|
3.52 | ||||
United
Financial Bancorp
|
UBNK
|
3.48 | ||||
Abington
Bancorp Inc
|
ABBC
|
3.45 | ||||
Sun
Bancorp Inc.
|
SNBC
|
3.24 | ||||
Metro
Bancorp Inc.
|
METR
|
2.03 |
“Index Ratio” means the Final
Index Price divided by the Initial Index Price.
59
“Initial BHLB Market Value”
means $20.88, adjusted as indicated in the last sentence of this
Section 11.1.9.
“Initial Index Price” means
the sum of the per share closing sales price of the common stock of each company
comprising the Index.
“Final Index Price” means the
sum of the Final Prices of each company comprising the Index.
“Final Price” with respect to
any company belonging to the Index, means the average of the daily closing sales
prices of a share of common stock of such company (and if there is no closing
sales price on any such day, then the mean between the closing bid and the
closing asked prices on that day), as reported on the consolidated transaction
reporting system for the market or exchange on which such common stock is
principally traded, for the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding
the Determination Date.
“BHLB Market Value” means, as
of any specified date, the average of the daily closing sales prices of a share
of BHLB Common Stock as reported on the NASDAQ for the ten consecutive trading
days immediately preceding such specified date.
If any
company belonging to the Index declares or effects a stock dividend,
reclassification, recapitalization, split-up, combination, exchange of shares or
similar transaction between the date of this Agreement and the Determination
Date, the prices for the common stock of such company shall be appropriately
adjusted for the purposes of applying this Section 11.1.9. If a
company belonging to the Index announces a sale between the date of this
Agreement and the Determination Date, such company shall be removed from the
Index and the relative weighting of the companies remaining in the Index shall
be appropriately adjusted.
11.1.10 By
the Board of Directors of Legacy if the Board of Directors of Legacy has
determined in good faith that it is in the best interests of Legacy to enter
into an agreement with a third party with respect to a Superior Proposal (such
transaction being defined to be an “Alternative Acquisition
Agreement”) and provides written notice of such determination to BHLB and
terminates this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11.1.10 in each case on or
before January 31, 2011, provided that Legacy has abided by terms and conditions
set forth in Sections 6.11.1, 6.11.2 and 6.11.3, and provided, further, that if
Legacy provides BHLB with a Notice of Superior Proposal pursuant to Section
11.1.8 by January 31, 2011, such deadline, but only with respect to an
Alternative Acquisition Agreement with the Person making the Acquisition
Proposal described in that Notice of Superior Proposal, shall be 11:59 pm
(Eastern Time) on the later of (i) January 31, 2001, or (ii) the first Business
Day following the expiration of the last of the negotiating periods in Section
11.1.8.
11.2 Effect of
Termination.
11.2.1 In
the event of termination of this Agreement pursuant to any provision of Section
11.1, this Agreement shall forthwith become void and have no further force,
except that (i) the provisions of Sections 11.2, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3,
12.4, 12.5, 12.6, 12.8, 12.9, 12.10, 12.11, and any other section which, by its
terms, relates to post-termination rights or obligations, shall survive such
termination of this Agreement and remain in full force and effect.
11.2.2 If
this Agreement is terminated, expenses and damages of the parties hereto shall
be determined as follows:
(A) Except
as provided below, whether or not the Merger is consummated, all costs and
expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement shall be paid by the party incurring such
expenses.
(B) In
the event of a termination of this Agreement because of a breach of any
representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement, the
breaching party shall remain liable for any and all damages, costs and expenses,
including all reasonable attorneys’ fees, sustained or incurred by the
non-breaching party as a result thereof or in connection therewith or with
respect to the enforcement of its rights hereunder.
60
(C) As
used in this Agreement, “Termination Fee” shall mean (A) $2,160,000 in
connection with the Merger and this Agreement through the termination hereof if
the Termination Fee becomes payable in connection with Legacy entering into an
Alternative Acquisition Agreement and (B) an amount equal to $4,320,000 in all
other circumstances. As a condition of BHLB’s willingness, and in order to
induce BHLB to enter into this Agreement, and to reimburse BHLB for incurring
the costs and expenses related to entering into this Agreement and consummating
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, Legacy hereby agrees to pay
BHLB, and BHLB shall be entitled to payment of, the Termination Fee by wire
transfer of same day funds on the earlier of (x) the date of termination
or, if such date is not a Business Day, on the next following Business Day or
(y) within three (3) Business Days after written demand for payment is
made by BHLB, as applicable, following the occurrence of any of the events set
forth below:
(i) Legacy
terminates this Agreement pursuant to Section 11.1.8 or BHLB terminates
this Agreement pursuant to Section 11.1.7(A); or
(ii) The
entering into a definitive agreement by Legacy relating to an Acquisition
Proposal or the consummation of an Acquisition Proposal involving Legacy within
one (1) year after the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the
termination of this Agreement by BHLB pursuant to Section 11.1.2 or 11.1.3
because of a breach by Legacy or any Legacy Subsidiary after the occurrence of a
bona fide Acquisition Proposal has been publicly announced or otherwise made
known to the senior management or board of directors of Legacy; or (ii) the
termination of this Agreement by BHLB or Legacy pursuant to Section 11.1.5
because of the failure of the shareholders of Legacy to approve this Agreement
at the Legacy Shareholders Meeting after the occurrence of an Acquisition
Proposal has been publicly announced or otherwise made known to the shareholders
of Legacy provided, however, that for the purpose of this clause (ii), all
references in the definition of Acquisition Proposal to “25% or more” shall
instead refer to “40% or more.”
(D) In
the event that Legacy shall terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section
11.1.7(B), BHLB shall pay to Legacy the Termination Fee by wire transfer of same
day funds no later than the second Business Day following such
termination.
(E) Legacy
and BHLB acknowledge that the agreements contained in this Section 11.2.2 are an
integral part of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that,
without these agreements, neither party would enter into this Agreement. The
amounts payable by Legacy and BHLB pursuant to this Section 11.2.2 constitute
liquidated damages and not a penalty and shall be the sole and exclusive
monetary remedy of such party in the event of termination of this Agreement on
the bases specified in such section.
11.3 Amendment, Extension and
Waiver.
Subject
to applicable law, at any time prior to the Effective Time (whether before or
after approval thereof by the shareholders of Legacy or BHLB), the parties
hereto by action of their respective Boards of Directors, may (a) amend
this Agreement, (b) extend the time for the performance of any of the
obligations or other acts of any other party hereto, (c) waive any
inaccuracies in the representations and warranties contained herein or in any
document delivered pursuant hereto, or (d) waive compliance with any of the
agreements or conditions contained herein; provided, however, that after any
approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby by the
shareholders of Legacy or BHLB (as applicable), there may not be, without
further approval of such shareholders, any amendment of this Agreement which
decreases or increases the amount or value, or changes the form of, the Merger
Consideration to be delivered to Legacy’s shareholders pursuant to this
Agreement. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument
in writing signed on behalf of each of the parties hereto. Any
agreement on the part of a party hereto to any extension or waiver shall be
valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed on behalf of such
party, but such waiver or failure to insist on strict compliance with such
obligation, covenant, agreement or condition shall not operate as a waiver of,
or estoppel with respect to, any subsequent or other failure. Any
termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Article XI may only be
effected upon a vote of a majority of the entire Board of Directors of the
terminating party.
61
11.4 Additional Provisions Regarding
Termination:
Notwithstanding
any other provision in this Agreement;
|
(A)
|
BHLB
may not terminate this Agreement on account of the failure of a Regulatory
Approval closing condition due to a requirement, whether contained in any
Regulatory Approval or as a condition necessary to obtain any Regulatory
Approval, to divest liabilities and assets that would constitute a
Material Adverse Effect, unless (i) BHLB gives Legacy thirty (30) days
written notice of its intention to do so (“Notice of Divestiture
MAE”), (ii) BHLB provides Legacy with BHLB’s written analysis
of the economic impact of the required divestiture on the benefits of the
proposed Transaction to BHLB, taken as a whole together with such
divestiture and the reasonably anticipated proceeds thereof, (iii) BHLB
proposes in the Notice of Divestiture MAE such adjustments, modifications
or amendments to the terms and conditions of this Agreement as would
enable BHLB to proceed with the Merger, and (iv) BHLB negotiates in good
faith with Legacy to make such adjustments, modifications or amendments to
the terms and conditions of this Agreement as would enable the BHLB to
proceed with the Merger.
|
|
(B)
|
The
limitations on solicitation by Legacy as set forth in Section 6.11, as
well as Legacy’s obligation under Section 8.1.1 to hold a Special Meeting
of Stockholders to vote upon the transaction contemplated in this
Agreement, will be suspended upon BHLB’s delivery of the Notice of
Divestiture MAE, regardless, in the case of Section 6.11, whether or not
the Legacy Shareholder Vote shall have been
obtained.
|
|
(C)
|
If,
within twenty-five (25) days after Legacy’s receipt of a Notice of
Divestiture MAE, BHLB and Legacy do not amend to this Agreement, Legacy
may (i) xxx BHLB to enforce its rights under this Agreement or (ii)
terminate this Agreement at no cost to
Legacy.
|
|
(D)
|
In
any dispute regarding the existence of a Material Adverse Effect, the
existence of the amount specified in clause (vi) of the definition of
Material Adverse Effect will not prejudice Legacy’s ability to assert that
a greater divestiture does not constitute a Material Adverse
Effect.
|
ARTICLE
XII
MISCELLANEOUS
12.1 Confidentiality.
Except as
specifically set forth herein, BHLB and Legacy mutually agree to be bound by the
terms of the Confidentiality Agreements, which are hereby incorporated herein by
reference, and all information furnished by either party to the other party or
its representatives pursuant hereto (including pursuant to Sections 6.2 and
6.3) shall be subject to, and the parties shall hold such information in
confidence in accordance with, the provisions of the Confidentiality
Agreements. The parties hereto agree that the Confidentiality
Agreements shall continue in accordance with its terms, notwithstanding the
termination of this Agreement.
12.2 Public
Announcements.
Legacy
and BHLB shall cooperate with each other in the development and distribution of
all news releases and other public disclosures with respect to this Agreement,
and except as may be otherwise required by law, neither Legacy nor BHLB shall
issue any news release, or other public announcement or communication with
respect to this Agreement unless such news release or other public announcement
or communication has been mutually agreed upon by the parties
hereto.
62
12.3 Survival.
All
representations, warranties and covenants in this Agreement or in any instrument
delivered pursuant hereto shall expire and be terminated and extinguished at the
Effective Time, except for those covenants and agreements contained herein which
by their terms apply in whole or in part after the Effective Time.
12.4 Notices.
All
notices or other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed given if delivered by (i) receipted hand delivery,
(ii) facsimile with confirmation of transmission, (iii) mailed by prepaid
registered or certified mail (return receipt requested), or (iv) by
recognized overnight courier addressed as follows:
If
to Legacy, to:
|
X.
Xxxxxxx Dunlaevy
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board
|
||
Legacy
Bancorp, Inc.
|
||
00
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
|
||
With
required copies to:
|
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx
|
|
President
|
||
Legacy
Bancorp, Inc.
|
||
00
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
|
||
Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx
|
||
Senior
Vice President and General Counsel
|
||
Legacy
Bancorp, Inc.
|
||
00
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
|
||
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx, Esq.
|
||
Xxxxxx
XxXxxxxxx & Fish LLP
|
||
Seaport
West
|
||
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
|
||
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
|
||
If
to BHLB, to:
|
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxx
|
|
President
and Chief Executive Officer
|
||
Berkshire
Hills Bancorp, Inc.
|
||
00
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
|
||
With
required copies to:
|
Wm.
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
|
|
Vice
President and General Counsel
|
||
Berkshire
Hills Bancorp, Inc.
|
||
00
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
|
||
Xxxxxxxx
Spaccassi, Esq.
|
||
Xxxx
Xxxx, Esq.
|
||
Xxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx, P.C.
|
||
0000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX
|
||
Xxxxx
000
|
||
Xxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
|
63
or such
other address as shall be furnished in writing by any party, and any such notice
or communication shall be deemed to have been given, as applicable: (i) as
of the date delivered by hand, (ii) upon confirmation of transmission,
(iii) three (3) Business Days after being delivered to the U.S. mail,
postage prepaid, or (iv) one (1) Business Day after being delivered to
the overnight courier.
12.5 Parties in
Interest.
This
Agreement and the Voting Agreements shall be binding upon and shall inure to the
benefit of the parties hereto or thereto and their respective successors and
assigns; provided, however, that neither this Agreement and the Voting
Agreements nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder or
thereunder shall be assigned by any party hereto without the prior written
consent of the other party. Except for Section 7.6.7, 7.6.8,
7.6.9 and 7.7 hereof nothing in this Agreement is intended to confer upon any
Person or entity other than the parties hereto any rights or remedies under or
by reason of this Agreement.
12.6 Complete
Agreement.
This
Agreement, including the Exhibits and Disclosure Schedules hereto and the
documents and other writings referred to herein or therein or delivered pursuant
hereto, and the Confidentiality Agreements, contains the entire agreement and
understanding of the parties with respect to its subject
matter. There are no restrictions, agreements, promises, warranties,
covenants or undertakings between the parties other than those expressly set
forth herein or therein. This Agreement supersedes all prior
agreements and understandings (other than the Confidentiality Agreements)
between the parties, both written and oral, with respect to its subject
matter.
12.7 Counterparts.
This
Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts all of which shall be
considered one and the same agreement and each of which shall be deemed an
original. A facsimile or other electronic copy of a signature page
shall be deemed to be an original signature page.
12.8 Severability.
In the
event that any one or more provisions of this Agreement shall for any reason be
held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, by any court of competent
jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect
any other provisions of this Agreement and the parties shall use their
reasonable efforts to substitute a valid, legal and enforceable provision which,
insofar as practical, implements the purposes and intents of this
Agreement.
12.9 Governing Law.
This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the
State of Delaware, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of
law.
64
12.10 Interpretation.
When a
reference is made in this Agreement to Articles, Sections or Exhibits, such
reference shall be to an Article or Section of or Exhibit to this Agreement
unless otherwise indicated. The recitals hereto constitute an
integral part of this Agreement. References to sections include
subsections, which are part of the related Section (e.g., a section numbered
“Section 5.5.1” would be part of “Section 5.5” and references to
“Section 5.5” would also refer to material contained in the subsection
described as “Section 5.5.1”). The table of contents, index and
headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall
not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including”
are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words
“without limitation”. The phrases “the date of this Agreement”, “the
date hereof” and terms of similar import, unless the context otherwise requires,
shall be deemed to refer to the date set forth in the Preamble to this
Agreement. The parties have participated jointly in the negotiation
and drafting of this Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question
of intent or interpretation arises, this Agreement shall be construed as if
drafted jointly by the parties and no presumption or burden of proof shall arise
favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the
provisions of this Agreement.
12.11 Specific
Performance.
The
parties hereto agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that the
provisions contained in this Agreement were not performed in accordance with its
specific terms or was otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed
that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions, without the
posting of bond or other security, to prevent breaches of this Agreement and to
enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof in any court of the United
States or any state having jurisdiction, this being in addition to any other
remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity. Each party
agrees that it will not seek and will agree to waive any requirement for the
securing or posting of a bond in connection with the other party’s seeking or
obtaining such relief.
[Signature
Page Follows]
65
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed
under seal by their duly authorized officers as of the date first set forth
above.
BERKSHIRE
HILLS BANCORP, INC.
|
||
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx
|
||
Name:
|
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxx
|
|
Title:
|
President
and Chief Executive Officer
|
|
LEGACY
BANCORP, INC.
|
||
/s/ X.
Xxxxxxx Dunlaevy
|
||
Name:
|
X.
Xxxxxxx Dunlaevy
|
|
Title:
|
Chairman
and Chief Executive
Officer
|