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Exhibit 3
AFFILIATION AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION
AFFILIATION AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION (the "AGREEMENT"), dated
as of December 15, 1997, by and among UST CORP., a Massachusetts corporation
(the "BUYER"), MOSAIC CORP., a Massachusetts corporation and wholly owned
subsidiary of the Buyer ("MERGER SUBSIDIARY") and AFFILIATED COMMUNITY BANCORP,
INC., a Massachusetts corporation (the "SELLER").
WHEREAS, the Boards of Directors of the Buyer, the Merger Subsidiary and
the Seller have determined that it is in the best interests of their respective
stockholders, customers, employees and other constituencies, as well as the
communities they serve, to consummate, and have approved, the business
combination transactions provided for herein, in which the Seller will, subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, merge (the "MERGER") with and into
the Merger Subsidiary, with the Merger Subsidiary as the surviving corporation
of the Merger; and
WHEREAS, as a condition and inducement to the Buyer to enter into, and
after the execution of, this Agreement, the Buyer and the Seller are entering
into the Seller Option Agreement (the "SELLER OPTION AGREEMENT"), attached
hereto as EXHIBIT A, pursuant to which the Seller has granted an option to
purchase shares of its common stock (the "SELLER OPTION") to the Buyer; and
WHEREAS, as a condition to, and after the execution of, this Agreement,
the Buyer and certain of the officers and directors of the Seller, are entering
into the Stockholders Agreements; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to make certain representations, warranties
and agreements in connection with the Merger and to prescribe certain conditions
to the Merger;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants,
representations, warranties and agreements contained herein, and intending to be
legally bound hereby, the parties agree as follows:
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Except as otherwise provided herein or as otherwise clearly required by
the context, the following terms shall have the respective meanings indicated
when used in this Agreement:
"ACQUISITION TRANSACTION" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 5.03 hereof.
"AFFILIATE" shall mean, with respect to any Person, any other Person
controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person. As used in
this definition, "CONTROL" (including, with its correlative meanings,
"CONTROLLED BY" and "UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH") means the possession, directly
or indirectly, of power to direct or cause the direction of the management and
policies of a Person whether through the ownership of voting securities, by
contract or otherwise.
"AGREEMENT" shall mean this Affiliation Agreement and Plan of
Reorganization by and between the Buyer and the Seller.
"AMEX" shall mean the American Stock Exchange.
"ASSOCIATE" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Rule 14a-1 under
the Securities Exchange of 1934, as amended.
"AVERAGE PRICE" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 2.09(f) hereof.
"BHCA" shall mean the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended.
"BUYER" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the preamble hereto.
"BUYER AFFILIATES" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 5.06(b) hereof.
"BUYER AFFILIATES AGREEMENT" shall mean the form of written agreement to
be executed and delivered to the Seller prior to the Effective Time by the Buyer
Affiliates, substantially in the form attached hereto as EXHIBIT C-1.
"BUYER BALANCE SHEET" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 3.06 hereof.
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"BUYER BANK" shall mean USTrust, a Massachusetts bank and trust company
and indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Buyer.
"BUYER BANK COMMON STOCK" shall mean the shares of common stock of the
Buyer Bank, par value $47.50 per share.
"BUYER COMMON STOCK" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 2.06(b) hereof.
"BUYER DISCLOSURE SCHEDULE" shall mean the disclosure schedule related to
the Buyer delivered to the Seller together herewith.
"BUYER PREFERRED STOCK" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 3.03(a) hereof.
"BUYER REPORTS" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.11
hereof.
"BUYER RIGHTS AGREEMENT" shall mean that certain Rights Agreement which
was adopted by the Buyer on September 19, 1995, as amended.
"CLOSING" shall mean the consummation of the Merger.
"CLOSING DATE" shall mean the time and date specified pursuant to
Section 7.01 hereof as the time and date on which the parties hereto shall
consummate the Merger.
"CLOSING PRICE" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 8.01(e) hereof.
"CMPS" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.15 hereof.
"CODE" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
"COMPANIES" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 4.10(a)
hereof.
"CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 5.02(b) hereof.
"CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT" shall mean that certain Mutual Agreement of
Confidentiality between the Buyer and the Seller dated November 26, 1997.
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"CONSENTS" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 6.01(b)
hereof.
"CONVERSION NUMBER" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section
2.06(b) hereof.
"DEPOSIT INSURANCE FUND" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 4.02(b) hereof.
"DETERMINATION PERIOD" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section
8.01(e) hereof.
"DISCLOSURE SCHEDULES" shall mean the Buyer Disclosure Schedule and the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, considered together.
"DOJ" shall mean the United States Department of Justice.
"DPC SHARES" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.13
hereof.
"EFFECTIVE TIME" shall mean the date and time at which the Merger has
become effective pursuant to the applicable laws of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
"EPA" shall mean the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
"EQUITY INVESTMENT" shall have the meaning set forth for such term as of
the date hereof in the FDIC's rules and regulations regarding activities and
investments of insured state banks at 12 C.F.R.ss.362.2(k).
"ERISA" shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended.
"EXCHANGE ACT" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.06
hereof.
"FDIA" shall mean the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended.
"FDIC" shall mean the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
"FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD" shall mean the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System or the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, as applicable.
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"FILED TAX RETURNS" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 4.10(a) hereof.
"FINAL INDEX PRICE" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 8.01(e) hereof.
"GAAP" shall mean generally accepted accounting principles and practices
in effect from time to time within the United States applied consistently
throughout the period involved.
"GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY" shall mean any United States federal, state or
local governmental commission, board or other regulatory authority or agency,
including courts and other judicial bodies.
"HAZARDOUS MATERIAL" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 4.17(i) hereof.
"HOLA" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 4.01(a) hereof.
"INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION" shall mean a stock option which is intended to
be an "incentive stock option" within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
"INDEX COMPANIES" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section
8.01(e) hereof.
"INJUNCTION" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 6.01(d)
hereof.
"INITIAL INDEX PRICE" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section
8.01(e) hereof.
"IRS" shall mean the United States Internal Revenue Service.
"JOINT PROXY STATEMENT" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 5.04(a) hereof.
"LOAN PROPERTY" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 4.17(i) hereof.
"MBBI" shall mean the Massachusetts Board of Bank Incorporation.
"MBCL" shall mean the Massachusetts Business Corporation Law.
"MGL" shall mean the Massachusetts General Laws.
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"MASSACHUSETTS COMMISSIONER" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 3.05 hereof.
"MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT" shall mean, with respect to any Person, a
material adverse effect on the business, results of operations or financial
condition of such Person taken as a whole; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that "Material
Adverse Effect" shall not be deemed to include the impact of (a) changes in laws
and regulations or interpretations thereof by Governmental Authorities generally
applicable to depository institutions and their holding companies (including
changes in insurance deposit assessment rates and special assessments with
respect thereto), (b) changes in GAAP or regulatory accounting principles
generally applicable to financial institutions and their holding companies, (c)
actions and omissions of the Seller taken with the prior written consent of the
Buyer, and (d) the direct effects of compliance with this Agreement on the
operating performance of the parties including expenses incurred by the parties
hereto in consummating the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
"MERGER" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the recitals hereto.
"MERGER SUBSIDIARY" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the
preamble to this Agreement.
"NASD" shall mean the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
"NASDAQ" shall mean the National Market System of the National
Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System.
"NEWCO" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.11 hereof.
"NYSE" shall mean the New York Stock Exchange.
"OTS" shall mean the Office of the Thrift Supervision.
"PARTICIPATION FACILITY" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 4.17(i) hereof.
"PBGC" shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
"PERSON" shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, joint
venture, association, trust, unincorporated organization or other legal entity,
or any governmental agency or political subdivision thereof.
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"PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT" shall mean a written press release, public
announcement or public information disclosure by the Seller or the Buyer or any
of their subsidiaries relating to the Merger or the other transactions
contemplated hereby.
"RECORDS" means all records and original documents in the Seller's
possession which pertain to and are utilized by the Seller or any of its
subsidiaries to administer, reflect, monitor, evidence or record information
respecting its business and operations, including but not limited to all records
and documents relating to (a) corporate, regulatory, supervisory and litigation
matters, (b) tax planning and payment of taxes, (c) personnel and employment
matters, and (d) the business or conduct of the business of the Seller or any of
its subsidiaries.
"REPRESENTATIVE(S)" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 5.02(b) hereof.
"REQUISITE REGULATORY APPROVALS" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto
in Section 6.01(b) hereof.
"SEC" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 3.05 hereof.
"S-4" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 5.03(a) hereof.
"SECURITIES ACT" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"SELLER" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the preamble to this
Agreement.
"SELLER AFFILIATES" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 5.06(a) hereof.
"SELLER AFFILIATES AGREEMENT" shall mean the form of written agreement to
be executed and delivered to the Buyer prior to the Effective Time by the Seller
Affiliates, substantially in the form attached hereto as EXHIBIT C-2.
"SELLER BALANCE SHEET" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 4.05 hereof.
"SELLER BANK & TRUST COMPANY" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 5.18 hereof.
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"SELLER BENEFIT PLANS" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 4.11(a) hereof.
"SELLER COMMON STOCK" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 2.06(b) hereof.
"SELLER DISCLOSURE SCHEDULE" shall mean the disclosure schedule relating
to the Seller delivered to Buyer together herewith.
"SELLER EMPLOYEES" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 5.12 hereto.
"SELLER ESOPS" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 5.25
hereto
"SELLER OPTION" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the recitals
hereto.
"SELLER OPTION AGREEMENT" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in the
recitals hereto.
"SELLER OTHER PLANS" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 4.11(a) hereof.
"SELLER PENSION PLANS" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 4.11(a) hereof.
"SELLER PREFERRED STOCK" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 4.02(a) hereof.
"SELLER REPORTS" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 4.15
hereof.
"SELLER STOCK OPTION PLANS" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 2.10 hereof.
"SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIARY" shall mean, when used with reference to a party,
any "significant subsidiary" of such party as such term is defined in Regulation
S-X of the SEC and, with respect to the Seller, shall mean those subsidiaries of
the Seller which are "insured depository institutions"; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that
with respect to the Seller Bank & Trust Company, all representations and
warranties made by the Seller in Article IV hereof with respect to the Seller
Bank & Trust Company shall relate only to matters and events which have occurred
since May 20, 1997.
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"STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENTS" shall mean those certain Stockholder Agreements
dated as of the date hereof respectively between the Buyer and members of the
Seller's board of directors and executive management and substantially in the
form attached hereto as EXHIBIT B.
"SUBSIDIARIES" shall mean, when used with reference to a party, any
corporation or other organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, of
which such party or any other subsidiary of such party is a general partner
(excluding partnerships the general partnership interests of which held by such
party or any subsidiary of such party do not have a majority of the voting
interests in such partnership), or, with respect to such corporation or other
organization, at least a majority of the securities or other interests having by
their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors
or others performing similar functions is directly or indirectly owned or
controlled by such party or by any one or more of its subsidiaries, or by such
party and one or more of its subsidiaries.
"SURVIVING CORP." shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 2.01
hereof.
"TAX" shall mean any federal, state, local or foreign income, gross
receipts, franchise, estimated, alternative minimum, add-on minimum, sales, use,
transfer, registration, value added, excise, natural resources, severance,
stamp, occupation, premium, windfall profit, environmental, customs, duties,
real property, personal property, capital stock, intangibles, social security,
unemployment, disability, payroll, license, employee or other tax or levy, of
any kind whatsoever, including any interest, penalties or additions to tax in
respect of the foregoing.
"TAX RETURN" shall mean any return, declaration, report, claim for
refund, information return or other document (including any related or
supporting estimates, elections, schedules, statements or information) filed or
required to be filed in connection with the determination, assessment or
collection of any Tax or the administration of any laws, regulations or
administrative requirements relating to any Tax.
"TERMINATION DATE" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section
8.01(b) hereof.
"TRANSACTION DOCUMENTS" shall mean this Agreement, the Confidentiality
Agreement, the Seller Option Agreement and the Stockholders Agreements.
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"TRANSFERRED SELLER EMPLOYEES" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 5.12 hereto.
"TRUST ACCOUNT SHARES" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 3.13 hereof.
"WEIGHTED AVERAGE" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 8.01(e) hereof.
"YEAR 2000 PROBLEM" shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
Section 3.20 hereof.
ARTICLE II
THE MERGER
2.01 THE MERGER. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
in accordance with the MBCL, at the Effective Time, the Seller shall merge with
and into the Merger Subsidiary, and the separate corporate existence of the
Seller shall cease. The Merger Subsidiary shall be the surviving corporation in
the Merger (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "SURVIVING CORP."), shall
continue its corporate existence under the laws of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and remain a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Buyer.
2.02 EFFECT OF THE MERGER.
(a) Upon the Effective Time, all of the estate, property, rights,
privileges, powers and franchises of each of the Seller and the Merger
Subsidiary and all of their property, real, personal and mixed, and all
the debts due on whatever account to any of them, as well as all stock
subscriptions and other choses in action belonging to any of them, shall
be transferred to and vested in the Surviving Corp., without further act
or deed, and all claims, demands, property and other interest shall be
the property of the Surviving Corp., and the title to all real estate
vested in each of the Seller or Merger Subsidiary shall not revert or be
in any way impaired by reason of the Merger, but shall be vested in the
Surviving Corp.
(b) Upon the Effective Time, the rights of creditors of each of
the Seller and the Merger Subsidiary shall not in any manner be impaired,
nor shall any liability or obligation, including taxes due or to become
due, or any claim or demand in any cause existing against such
corporation, or any stockholder, director, or officer thereof, be
released or impaired by the Merger, but the Surviving
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Corp. shall be deemed to have assumed, and shall be liable for, all
liabilities and obligations of each of the Seller and the Merger
Subsidiary in the same manner and to the same extent as if the Surviving
Corp. had itself incurred such liabilities or obligations. The
stockholders, directors, and officers of each of the Seller and the
Merger Subsidiary shall continue to be subject to all liabilities, claims
and demands existing against them as such at or before the Merger. No
action or proceeding then pending before any court or tribunal of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts or otherwise in which either the Seller and
the Merger Subsidiary is a party, or in which any such stockholder,
director, or officer is a party, shall xxxxx or be discontinued by reason
of the Merger, but any such action or proceeding may be prosecuted to
final judgment as though no merger had taken place, or the Surviving
Corp. may be substituted as a party in place of either the Seller and the
Merger Subsidiary by the court in which such action or proceeding is
pending.
2.03 ADDITIONAL ACTIONS. If, at any time after the Effective Time, the
Surviving Corp. shall consider or be advised that any deeds, bills of sale,
assignments, assurances or any other actions or things are necessary or
desirable to vest, perfect or confirm of record or otherwise in the Surviving
Corp. its right, title or interest in, to or under any of the rights, properties
or assets of the Seller acquired or to be acquired by the Surviving Corp. as a
result of, or in connection with, the Merger, the officers and directors of the
Surviving Corp. shall and will be authorized to execute and deliver, in the name
and on behalf of either the Seller or the Merger Subsidiary or otherwise, all
such deeds, bills of sale, assignments and assurances and to take and do, in the
name and on behalf of either the Seller or the Merger Subsidiary or otherwise,
all such other actions and things as may be necessary or desirable to vest,
perfect or confirm any and all right, title and interest in, to and under such
rights, properties or assets in the Surviving Corp. or to otherwise carry out
this Agreement.
2.04 ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION AND BY-LAWS. At the Effective Time, the
Articles of Organization of the Merger Subsidiary shall be the Articles of
Organization of the Surviving Corp. and the By-Laws of the Merger Subsidiary
shall be the By-Laws of the Surviving Corp. and, subject to the rights of the
Buyer as the sole stockholder, shall thereafter continue to be its Articles of
Organization and By-Laws until amended as provided therein or by law.
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2.05 EFFECTIVE TIME; CONDITIONS. The Merger shall become effective as
set forth in the articles of merger which shall be submitted for filing to the
Secretary of the Commonwealth pursuant to Section 78(d) of the MBCL (the
"ARTICLES OF MERGER"). The term "Effective Time" shall be, the date and time
specified in the Articles of Merger.
2.06 EFFECT ON OUTSTANDING SHARES.
(a) MERGER SUBSIDIARY COMMON STOCK. Each of the 100 shares of
common stock of the Merger Subsidiary, par value $1.00 per share ("MERGER
SUBSIDIARY COMMON STOCK") issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time shall remain issued and outstanding after the Merger as
shares of the Surviving Corp., which shall thereafter constitute all of
the issued and outstanding shares of the Surviving Corp.
(b) SELLER COMMON STOCK. (i) By virtue of the Merger,
automatically and without any action on the part of the holder thereof,
each share of common stock of the Seller, par value $0.01 per share (the
"SELLER COMMON STOCK"), issued and outstanding immediately prior to the
Effective Time (other than any such shares held by a Dissenting Holder or
held directly or indirectly by the Buyer, except Trust Account Shares and
DPC Shares, and any such shares held as treasury stock by the Seller)
shall become and be converted into 1.41 shares of Buyer Common Stock
together with that number of Buyer Rights associated therewith; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that in the event that the Buyer has exercised its option to
deliver additional shares of Buyer Common Stock pursuant to the last
paragraph of Section 8.01(e) hereof, the Seller Common Stock shall be
converted into such number of shares of the Buyer Common Stock, as
provided in Section 8.01(e). The number of shares of Buyer Common Stock
into which each share of Seller Common Stock shall be converted is
hereinafter called the "CONVERSION NUMBER;" and
(ii) As of the Effective Time, each share of Seller Common Stock
held either directly or indirectly by the Buyer or the Buyer Bank (other
than Trust Account Shares and DPC Shares) or as treasury stock of the
Seller shall be canceled, retired and cease to exist, and no payment
shall be made with respect thereto. Each certificate which immediately
prior to the Effective Time represented outstanding shares of Seller
Common Stock shall on and after the Effective Time be deemed for all
purposes to represent the number of shares of Buyer Common Stock into
which the shares
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of Seller Common Stock represented by such certificate shall have been
converted pursuant to this Section 2.06(b).
(c) SHARES OF DISSENTING HOLDERS. No conversion under
Section 2.06(b) hereof shall be made with respect to the shares of Seller
Common Stock held by a Dissenting Holder (as such term is defined below);
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that each share of Seller Common Stock outstanding
immediately prior to the Effective Time and held by a Dissenting Holder
who shall, after the Effective Time, withdraw his demand for appraisal or
lose his right of appraisal, in either case pursuant to the applicable
provisions of the MBCL, shall be deemed to be converted, as of the
Effective Time, into shares of Buyer Common Stock as specified in Section
2.06(b) hereof. The term "DISSENTING HOLDER" shall mean a holder of the
Seller Common Stock who has demanded appraisal rights in compliance with
the applicable provisions of the MBCL concerning the right of such holder
to dissent from the Merger and demand appraisal of such holder's shares
of Seller Common Stock.
(d) DISSENTER'S RIGHTS. Any Dissenting Holder (i) who files with
the Seller a written objection to the Merger before the taking of the
vote to approve this Agreement by the shareholders of the Seller and who
states in such objection that he intends to demand payment for his shares
if the Merger is concluded and (ii) whose shares are not voted in favor
of the Merger shall be entitled to demand payment for his shares of
Seller Common Stock and an appraisal of the value thereof, in accordance
with the provisions of Sections 86 through 98 of the MBCL.
2.07 ANTI-DILUTION. In the event that, subsequent to the date of this
Agreement but prior to the Effective Time, the outstanding shares of Buyer
Common Stock or Seller Common Stock shall have been increased, decreased,
changed into or exchanged for a different number of shares or securities through
reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split,
reverse stock split, or other like changes in the Buyer's or the Seller's
capitalization, other than pursuant to this Agreement, as the case may be (a
"RECAPITALIZATION"), then an appropriate and proportionate adjustment shall be
made to the Conversion Number so that each holder of Seller Common Stock shall
receive under Section 2.06(b) hereof the number of shares of Buyer Common Stock
(except for fractional shares) that such holder would have held immediately
following the Recapitalization if the Merger had occurred immediately prior to
the Recapitalization or the record date therefor, as applicable. For purposes of
this Section 2.07, in no event shall the issuance of shares or securities
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by the Buyer in connection with the Buyer acquiring directly or indirectly the
stock or assets of any corporation, bank or other entity be deemed to be a
"Recapitalization".
2.08 EXCHANGE AGENT. Prior to the Effective Time, the Buyer shall
appoint United States Trust Company as exchange agent (the "EXCHANGE AGENT") for
the purpose of exchanging certificates representing shares of Seller Common
Stock for certificates representing shares of Buyer Common Stock, and the Buyer
shall issue and deliver to the Exchange Agent certificates representing shares
of Buyer Common Stock and shall pay to the Exchange Agent such amounts of cash
as shall be required to be delivered to holders of shares of Seller Common Stock
in lieu of fractional shares of Buyer Common Stock, pursuant to Section 2.09(f)
hereof.
2.09 PROCEDURES.
(a) Certificates which represent shares of Seller Common Stock
(including certificates representing shares of predecessor entities to
Seller which have previously been converted into shares of Seller Common
Stock) that are outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (a
"CERTIFICATE") and are converted into shares of Buyer Common Stock
pursuant to Section 2.06 hereof shall, after the Effective Time, be
deemed to represent shares of Buyer Common Stock into which such shares
have been converted and shall be exchangeable by the holders thereof in
the manner provided in the transmittal materials described below for new
certificates representing the shares of Buyer Common Stock into which
such shares have been converted.
(b) Buyer shall use all reasonable efforts to cause the Exchange
Agent to send to each holder of record of shares of Seller Common Stock
outstanding at the Effective Time as promptly as practicable, and in any
event within seven (7) days after the Effective Time, transmittal
materials (which shall be reviewed with and be reasonably acceptable to
Seller) for use in exchanging the certificates for such shares for
certificates for shares of Buyer Common Stock into which such shares of
Seller Common Stock have been converted pursuant to Section 2.06 hereof.
Upon surrender of a Certificate, together with a duly executed letter of
transmittal, and any other required documents, the holder of such
Certificate shall be entitled to receive, in exchange therefor, a
certificate for the number of shares of Buyer Common Stock to which such
holder is entitled pursuant to Section 2.06(b)(i) hereof and such
Certificate as surrendered shall forthwith be canceled. No dividend or
other
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distribution payable after the Effective Time with respect to Buyer
Common Stock shall be paid to the holder of any unsurrendered Certificate
until the holder thereof surrenders such Certificate, at which time such
holder shall receive all dividends and distributions, without interest
thereon, previously payable but withheld from such holder pursuant
hereto. After the Effective Time, there shall be no transfers on the
stock transfer books of the Seller of shares of Seller Common Stock which
were issued and outstanding at the Effective Time and converted pursuant
to the provisions of Section 2.06 hereof. If, after the Effective Time,
Certificates are presented for transfer to the Seller, they shall be
canceled and exchanged for the shares of Buyer Common Stock deliverable
in respect thereof as determined in accordance with the provisions and
procedures set forth in this Article II.
(c) After the Effective Time, holders of certificates of Seller
Common Stock shall cease to be, and shall have no rights as, stockholders
of the Seller, other than (i) to receive shares of Buyer Common Stock
into which such shares have been converted and, if applicable, fractional
share payments pursuant to the provisions hereof, or (ii) the rights
afforded to any Dissenting Holder (as defined in Section 2.06(c)) under
applicable provisions of the MBCL.
(d) Neither the Buyer nor the Seller nor any other person shall be
liable to any former holder of shares of Seller Common Stock for any
shares or any dividends or distributions with respect thereto properly
delivered to a public official pursuant to applicable abandoned property,
escheat or similar laws.
(e) In the event any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or
destroyed, upon receipt of appropriate evidence as to such loss, theft or
destruction and to the ownership of such Certificate by the person
claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed, and the
receipt by the Buyer of appropriate and customary indemnification, the
Buyer will issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed
Certificate shares of Buyer Common Stock and the fractional share
payment, if any, deliverable with respect thereof, as determined in
accordance with this Article II.
(f) In lieu of the issuance of fractional shares of Buyer Common
Stock pursuant to Section 2.06(b) of this Agreement, cash adjustments,
without interest, will be paid to the holders of Seller Common Stock in
respect of any fractional share that would otherwise be issuable and the
amount of such cash adjustment shall
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be equal to an amount in cash determined by multiplying such holder's
fractional interest by the "Average Price" of a share of Buyer Common
Stock (rounded up to the nearest cent). The "AVERAGE PRICE" of a share of
Buyer Common Stock shall be the average of the last sale prices thereof
as reported on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated
Quotation system over the ten (10) consecutive trading day period
immediately preceding the date on which the last Requisite Regulatory
Approval is received (without regard to any waiting period attached to
the effectiveness thereof). For purposes of determining whether, and in
what amounts, a particular holder of Seller Common Stock would be
entitled to receive cash adjustments under this Section 2.09(f), shares
of record held by such holder and represented by two or more Certificates
shall be aggregated.
(g) If any certificate representing shares of Buyer Common Stock
is to be issued in a name other than that in which the Certificate
surrendered in exchange therefor is registered, it shall be a condition
of the issuance thereof that the Certificate so surrendered shall be
properly endorsed (or accompanied by an appropriate instrument of
transfer) and otherwise in proper form for transfer (including, but not
limited to, that the signature of the transferor shall be properly
guaranteed by a commercial bank, trust company, member firm of the NASD
or other eligible guarantor institution), and that the person requesting
such exchange shall pay to the Exchange Agent in advance any transfer or
other taxes required by reason of the issuance of a certificate
representing shares of Buyer Common Stock in any name other than that of
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.
2.10 CONVERSION OF OPTIONS. Each stock option (other than the Seller
Option) issued by the Seller to a third party pursuant to any stock option plan
of the Seller (the "SELLER STOCK OPTION PLANS"), whether or not currently
exercisable, which entitles such third party to purchase Seller Common Stock,
and which is outstanding and unexercised immediately prior to the Effective
Time, shall be converted into an option to purchase shares of Buyer Common
Stock, and the Buyer shall assume each such option in accordance with the terms
of the Seller Stock Option Plan under which it was granted and the stock option
or other agreement by which it is evidenced, with the following terms:
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(a) The number of shares of Buyer Common Stock shall be equal to
the product of the number of shares of Seller Common Stock previously
subject thereto and the Conversion Number, rounded down to the nearest
whole share; and
(b) The exercise price per share of Buyer Common Stock shall be
equal to the exercise price per share of Seller Common Stock previously
subject thereto divided by the Conversion Number, rounded up to the
nearest cent; and
(c) The duration and other terms of each such stock option shall
be otherwise governed by the terms of the Seller Stock Option Plan under
which such option was granted and shall be unchanged except that all
references to the Seller shall be deemed to be references to the Buyer;
and
(d) The Buyer shall assume the option as contemplated by Section
424(a) of the Code; and
(e) With respect to any stock option on Seller Common Stock which
is an Incentive Stock Option, the Buyer shall take such actions (other
than delaying the date the options on Buyer Common Stock become
exercisable beyond the date on which such options would otherwise become
exercisable pursuant to the relevant Seller Stock Option Plan) as may be
necessary or appropriate to cause such option, upon being converted to an
option on Buyer Common Stock, to remain such an Incentive Stock Option.
2.11 POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE STRUCTURE. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement to the contrary, prior to the Effective Time, the
Buyer shall be entitled to revise the structure of the transaction to provide
(a) that the Merger Subsidiary shall be merged with and into the Seller at the
Effective Time, with the Seller as the surviving corporation of the Merger; (b)
that a newly-formed special purpose subsidiary of the Buyer ("NEWCO") shall be
merged with and into the Seller at the Effective Time, with the Seller as the
surviving corporation of the Merger, or alternatively, that the Seller shall
merge with and into Newco at the Effective Time, with Newco as the surviving
corporation of the Merger, or (c) that the Seller shall be merged directly with
and into the Buyer at the Effective Time with the Buyer as the surviving
corporation of the Merger. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision
of this Agreement to the contrary, the Buyer and the Seller may jointly elect
prior to the Effective Time, to substitute an alternative structure for the
accomplishment of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; it being
understood by the Buyer and the Seller that any change to the structure of the
Merger pursuant to this second
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sentence of Section 2.11 shall not be adopted if such change would materially
delay consummation of the Merger or such change would have an adverse impact on
the financial benefits reasonably expected to be derived by the stockholders of
the Seller from the transactions provided for herein. Buyer and Seller agree
that this Agreement shall be appropriately amended in order to reflect any
alternative structure.
2.12 SUBSIDIARY BANK MERGERS. Subject to Section 5.18 hereof, Buyer and
Seller shall take such actions as Buyer determines to be desirable to effectuate
mergers of the subsidiary banks of the Buyer and the Seller, either immediately
before, concurrently with or following the Effective Time, PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that any such merger of the subsidiary banks of the Buyer and the Seller shall
not prolong the period required to complete the Merger in any material respect.
If requested by the Buyer, the Seller shall cause its subsidiary banks to enter
into one or more agreements and plan of merger with the Buyer Bank providing for
the mergers of such subsidiary banks with the Buyer Bank.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE BUYER
The Buyer hereby represents and warrants to the Seller as follows:
3.01 CORPORATE ORGANIZATION.
(a) The Buyer is a corporation duly organized, validly existing
and in good standing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The Buyer has all requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease
or operate all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business
as it is now being conducted. The Buyer is duly licensed or qualified to
do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business
conducted by it or the character or location of the properties and assets
owned, leased or operated by it makes such licensing or qualification
necessary, except where the failure to be so licensed or qualified would
not result in, with respect to the Buyer, a Material Adverse Effect. The
Buyer is a bank holding company registered with the Federal Reserve Board
under the BHCA.
(b) The Buyer Bank is a bank and trust company duly organized,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of The Commonwealth
of Massachusetts. The Buyer Bank has all requisite power and authority to
own, lease or operate all of its properties and assets and to carry on
its business as it is now being
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conducted. The Buyer Bank is duly licensed or qualified to do business in
each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted by it or
the character or location of the properties and assets owned, leased, or
operated by it makes such licensing or qualification necessary, except
where the failure to be so licensed or qualified would neither
individually nor in the aggregate result in any Material Adverse Effect
on the Buyer.
(c) Except as set forth in Section 3.01(c) of the Buyer Disclosure
Schedule, the Buyer has no subsidiaries and no Equity Investments (other
than investments in such subsidiaries).
3.02 MERGER SUBSIDIARY.
(a) Merger Subsidiary is a corporation duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. The authorized capital stock of the Merger Subsidiary
consists of 100 shares of Merger Subsidiary Common Stock, of which, as of
December 12, 1997, 100 shares were issued and outstanding. All of the 100
shares of Merger Subsidiary Common Stock are owned by the Buyer. All
issued and outstanding shares of Merger Subsidiary Common Stock have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable and
free of preemptive rights, with no personal liability attaching to the
ownership thereof.
(b) Merger Subsidiary has the corporate power to enter into this
Agreement and to carry out its obligations hereunder. The execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby have been duly and validly approved by the Board of
Directors of the Merger Subsidiary. The Buyer, as the sole stockholder of
the Merger Subsidiary, will vote all outstanding shares of Merger
Subsidiary Common Stock in favor of the Merger and will not vote to
modify or rescind, or otherwise permit the modification or recision of
such vote prior to a termination of this Agreement in accordance with
Section 8.01 hereof. This Agreement is a valid and binding obligation of
Merger Subsidiary, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except that
enforcement thereof may be limited by the receivership, conservatorship
and supervisory powers of bank regulatory agencies generally as well as
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
affecting enforcement of creditors' rights generally and except that
enforcement thereof may be subject to general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforcement is
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considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and the availability of
equitable remedies.
3.03 CAPITALIZATION.
(a) The authorized capital stock of the Buyer consists of
45,000,000 shares of Buyer Common Stock and 4,000,000 shares of preferred
stock, par value $1.00 per share ("BUYER PREFERRED STOCK"). As of the
close of business on December 12, 1997, there were 29,719,593 shares of
Buyer Common Stock and no shares of Buyer Preferred Stock issued and
outstanding. In addition, as of the close of business on December 12,
1997, there were 1,396,808 shares of Buyer Common Stock reserved for
issuance upon exercise of outstanding stock options. All issued and
outstanding shares of Buyer Common Stock and Buyer Preferred Stock have
been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid, nonassessable
and free of preemptive rights, with no personal liability attaching to
the ownership thereof. Except (i) for rights issuable to holders of Buyer
Common Stock in accordance with the Buyer Rights Agreement, (ii) as
permitted under this Agreement, (iii) as referred to in this Section 3.03
(which includes director and employee stock options) or (iv) as reflected
in Section 3.03(a) of the Buyer Disclosure Schedule, the Buyer does not
have and is not bound by any outstanding subscriptions, options,
warrants, calls, commitments, rights agreements or agreements of any
character calling for the Buyer to issue, deliver or sell, or cause to be
issued, delivered or sold any shares of Buyer Common Stock or Buyer
Preferred Stock or any other equity security of the Buyer or any
subsidiary of the Buyer or any securities convertible into, exchangeable
for or representing the right to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise
receive any shares of Buyer Common Stock or Buyer Preferred Stock or any
other equity security of the Buyer or any subsidiary of the Buyer or
obligating the Buyer to grant, extend or enter into any such
subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, commitments, rights agreements
or agreements. As of the date hereof there are no outstanding contractual
obligations of the Buyer to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
shares of capital stock of the Buyer or any subsidiary of the Buyer.
(b) Section 3.03(b) of the Buyer Disclosure Schedule lists each of
the Significant Subsidiaries of the Buyer on the date of this Agreement
and indicates for each such subsidiary as of such date: (i) the
percentage and type of equity securities owned or controlled by the
Buyer; (ii) the jurisdiction of incorporation; and (iii) if the
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subsidiary is a depository institution, whether it is a member of the
Federal Reserve System. Each of the subsidiaries of the Buyer that is a
depository institution is an "insured depository institution" as defined
in the FDIA and applicable regulations thereunder, and the deposits of
each such depository institution are insured by the Bank Insurance Fund
and the Savings Association Insurance Fund of the FDIC in accordance with
the FDIA, and each such depository institution has paid all assessments
and filed all reports required by the FDIA. As of the date hereof, no
proceedings for the revocation or termination of such deposit insurance
are pending or, to the knowledge of the Buyer, threatened. No subsidiary
of the Buyer has or is bound by any outstanding subscriptions, options,
warrants, calls, commitments or agreements of any character calling for a
subsidiary of the Buyer to issue deliver or sell, or cause to be issued,
delivered or sold any equity security of the Buyer or of any subsidiary
of the Buyer or any securities convertible into, exchangeable for or
representing the right to subscribe for, purchase or otherwise receive
any such equity security or obligating a subsidiary of the Buyer to
grant, extend or enter into any such subscriptions, options, warrants,
calls, commitments or agreements. As of the date hereof, there are no
outstanding contractual obligations of any subsidiary of the Buyer to
repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of capital stock of
the Buyer or any subsidiary of the Buyer. Except as may be provided under
applicable law in the case of any subsidiary of the Buyer that is a bank,
all of the shares of capital stock of each of the subsidiaries of the
Buyer held by the Buyer are fully paid and nonassessable and, except for
directors' qualifying shares, are owned by the Buyer free and clear of
any claim, lien, encumbrance or agreement with respect thereto.
3.04 AUTHORITY; NO VIOLATION.
(a) The Buyer has all requisite corporate power and authority to
execute and deliver this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
have been duly and validly approved by the Board of Directors of the
Buyer. The Board of Directors of the Buyer has directed that this
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby be submitted to the
stockholders of the Buyer for approval at a meeting of such stockholders
and, except for the adoption of this
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Agreement by the Buyer's stockholders, no other corporate proceedings on
the part of the Buyer are necessary to consummate the Merger. This
Agreement and the other Transaction Documents have been duly and validly
executed and delivered by the Buyer and (assuming due authorization,
execution and delivery by the Seller) constitutes the valid and binding
obligation of the Buyer, enforceable against the Buyer in accordance with
their respective terms, except that enforcement thereof may be limited by
the receivership, conservatorship and supervisory powers of bank
regulatory agencies generally as well as bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting enforcement of
creditors' rights generally and except that enforcement thereof may be
subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether
enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and the
availability of equitable remedies.
(b) Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the
other Transaction Documents by the Buyer nor the consummation by the
Buyer of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; nor compliance
by the Buyer with any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement, will
(i) assuming that the consents and approvals referred to in Section 3.05
hereof are duly obtained, violate in any material respect any statute,
code, ordinance, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ, decree or
injunction applicable to the Buyer, or (ii) 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 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 the Buyer under any of the terms,
conditions or provisions of (A) the Articles of Organization or other
charter document of like nature or By-Laws of the Buyer, or (B) any note,
bond, mortgage, indenture, deed of trust, license, lease, agreement or
other instrument or obligation to which the Buyer is a party as issuer,
guarantor or obligor, or by which they or any of their respective
properties or assets may be bound or affected, except, in the case of
clause (ii)(B) above, for such violations, conflicts, breaches or
defaults which either individually or in the aggregate will not have a
Material Adverse Effect on the Buyer.
3.05 CONSENTS AND APPROVALS. Except for consents, waivers or approvals
of, or filings or registrations with, the Federal Reserve Board, the MBBI, the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), the
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Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, NASDAQ, and the DOJ, no
consents, waivers or approvals of or filings or registrations with any public
body or authority are necessary, and no consents or approvals of any third
parties (which term does not include the Board of Directors or the stockholders
of the Buyer or the Merger Subsidiary) are necessary, in connection with (a) the
execution and delivery by the Buyer of this Agreement, (b) the execution and
delivery by the Merger Subsidiary of this Agreement, or (c) the consummation by
the Buyer or the Merger Subsidiary of the Merger. The affirmative vote of
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Buyer Common Stock is the
only vote of the holders of any shares or series of capital stock or other
securities of the Buyer necessary to approve this Agreement and the Merger. The
Buyer has no knowledge of any fact or circumstance relating to the Buyer or its
subsidiaries that is reasonably likely to materially impede or delay receipt of
any Consents of regulatory or governmental authorities or result in the
imposition of a restriction or condition of the type referenced in Section
6.02(d) herein.
3.06 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. The Buyer has made available to the Seller
copies of (a) the consolidated balance sheets of the Buyer and its subsidiaries
as of December 31 for the fiscal years 1994 through 1996, inclusive, and the
related consolidated statements of income, changes in stockholders' equity and
cash flows for the fiscal years 1994 through 1996, inclusive, as reported in the
Annual Reports of the Buyer on Form 10-K for each of the three (3) fiscal years
ended December 31, 1994 through December 31, 1996 filed with the SEC under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "EXCHANGE ACT"), in each case
accompanied by the audit report of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP, independent public
accountants for the Buyer, and (b) the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of
the Buyer and its subsidiaries as of September 30, 1997, the related unaudited
consolidated statements of income and changes in stockholders' equity for the
nine (9) months ended September 30, 1997 and September 30, 1996 and the related
unaudited consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine (9) months ended
September 30, 1997 and September 30, 1996, all as reported in the Buyer's
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1997 filed
with the SEC under the Exchange Act. The December 31, 1996 consolidated balance
sheet ("BUYER BALANCE SHEET") of the Buyer (including the related notes, where
applicable) and the other financial statements referred to herein (including the
related notes, where applicable) fairly present, and the financial statements to
be included in any reports or statements (including reports on Forms 10-Q and
10-K) to be filed by the Buyer with the SEC after the date hereof will fairly
present, the consolidated financial position and results of the consolidated
operations and cash
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flows and changes in stockholders' equity of the Buyer and its subsidiaries for
the respective fiscal periods or as of the respective dates therein set forth;
and each of such statements (including the related notes, where applicable) has
been and will be prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied during
the periods involved, except as otherwise set forth in the notes thereto
(subject, in the case of unaudited interim statements, to normal year-end
adjustments). The books and records of the Buyer and its subsidiaries have been,
and are being, maintained in accordance with GAAP and applicable legal and
regulatory requirements.
3.07 ABSENCE OF UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES. None of the Buyer or any of its
subsidiaries has any obligation or liability (contingent or otherwise) that is
material on a consolidated basis to the Buyer, or that when combined with all
similar obligations or liabilities would be material on a consolidated basis to
the Buyer or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, except as disclosed or
reflected in the Buyer Balance Sheet or any of the other financial statements of
the Buyer described in Section 3.06 above.
3.08 BROKER'S FEES. Neither the Buyer nor any of its officers, directors,
employees or agents has employed any broker, finder or financial advisor or
incurred any liability for any fees or commissions in connection with any of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for the fees incurred in
connection with the engagement of Xxx-Xxxx, Xxxxxx Inc. and for legal,
accounting and other professional fees payable in connection with the Merger.
The Buyer will be responsible for the payment of all such fees.
3.09 ABSENCE OF CERTAIN CHANGES OR EVENTS. Except as disclosed in the
Buyer's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1997
or in any Current Reports of the Buyer on Form 8-K filed prior to the date of
this Agreement, since December 31, 1996, the Buyer and its subsidiaries have not
incurred any material liability, except in the ordinary course of their business
consistent with their past practices, nor has there been any change in the
business, assets, financial condition or results of operations of the Buyer or
any of its subsidiaries which has had, or is reasonably likely to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Buyer or any
Significant Subsidiary of the Buyer.
3.10 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. There is no suit, action or proceeding pending
or, to the best knowledge of the Buyer, threatened, against the Buyer or any
subsidiary of the Buyer or challenging the validity or propriety of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as to which there is a reasonable
possibility of an adverse determination and which, if
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adversely determined, would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material
Adverse Effect on the Buyer or any Significant Subsidiary of the Buyer or
otherwise materially adversely affect the Buyer's ability to perform its
obligations under this Agreement, nor is there any judgment, decree, injunction,
rule or order of any legal or administrative body or arbitrator outstanding
against the Buyer or any subsidiary of the Buyer having, or which insofar as
reasonably can be foreseen, in the future could have, any such effect.
3.11 REPORTS. Since January 1, 1995, the Buyer and its subsidiaries have
filed, and subsequent to the date hereof will file, all reports, registrations
and statements, together with any amendments required to be made with respect
thereto, that were and are required to be filed with (a) the SEC, including, but
not limited to, Forms 10-K, Forms 10-Q, Forms 8-K and proxy statements (and all
such reports, registrations and statements have been or will be delivered by the
Buyer to the Seller), (b) the Federal Reserve Board, (c) the FDIC, and (d) any
applicable state securities or banking authorities (except, in the case of state
securities authorities, no such representation is made as to filings which are
not material) (all such reports and statements are collectively referred to
herein as the "BUYER REPORTS"). As of their respective dates, the Buyer Reports
complied and, with respect to filings made after the date of this Agreement,
will at the date of filing comply, in all material respects with all of the
statutes, rules and regulations enforced or promulgated by the regulatory
authority with which they were filed and did not contain and, with respect to
filings made after the date of this Agreement, will not at the date of filing
contain, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
3.12 BUYER COMMON STOCK. Buyer Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this
Agreement is duly authorized and, when issued at the Effective Time, will be
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and not subject to preemptive
rights, with no personal liability attaching thereto.
3.13 OWNERSHIP OF SELLER COMMON STOCK. Neither the Buyer nor, to its best
knowledge, any of its affiliates or associates (as such terms are defined under
the Exchange Act) (a) beneficially own, directly or indirectly, or (b) are
parties to any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of
acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of, in each case, shares of capital
stock of the Seller, which in the aggregate represent five percent (5%) or more
of the outstanding shares of
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capital stock of the Seller entitled to vote generally in the election of
directors (other than shares in trust accounts, managed accounts and the like
that are beneficially owned by third parties (any such shares being hereinafter
referred to as, "TRUST ACCOUNT SHARES")) and any other shares held in respect of
a debt previously contracted (any such shares, "DPC SHARES").
3.14 AGREEMENTS WITH BANKING AUTHORITIES. Except as set forth in Section
3.14 of the Buyer Disclosure Schedule, neither the Buyer nor any of its
subsidiaries is a party to any commitment, letter (other than letters addressed
to regulated depository institutions generally), written agreement, memorandum
of understanding, order to cease and desist with, or has been required to adopt
any board resolution by, any federal or state governmental entity charged with
the supervision or regulation of banks or bank holding companies or engaged in
the insurance of bank deposits which restricts materially the conduct of its
business, or in any manner relates to its capital adequacy, credit policies,
management or overall safety and soundness or such entity's ability to perform
its obligations hereunder, and neither the Buyer nor any of its subsidiaries has
received written notification from any such federal or state governmental entity
that any such Person may be requested to enter into, or otherwise be subject to,
any such commitment, letter, written agreement, memorandum of understanding or
cease and desist order.
3.15 COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW. Each of the Buyer and each
Significant Subsidiary thereof holds all licenses, franchises, permits and
authorizations necessary for the lawful conduct of its business, and each of the
Buyer and each Significant Subsidiary thereof has complied with and is not in
violation of or default in any respect under any, applicable law, statute,
order, rule, regulation or policy of, or agreement with, any federal, state or
local governmental agency or authority relating to the Buyer or such Significant
Subsidiary (other than where such default or noncompliance will not result in,
or create the possibility of resulting in, a material limitation on the conduct
of the business of the Buyer, will not cause, or create the possibility of
causing, the Buyer or any Significant Subsidiary thereof to incur any financial
penalty in excess of $20,000 (including but not limited to any civil money
penalty or other monetary sanction under Section 8(i)(2) of the FDIA, 12 U.S.C.
ss.1818(i)(2), or under any applicable state law ("CMPS")), and will not
otherwise result, or create the possibility of resulting in any Material Adverse
Effect on the Buyer or any Significant Subsidiary of the Buyer), and neither the
Buyer nor any Significant Subsidiary of the Buyer has received any notice of any
violation of any such law, statute, order, rule, regulation, policy or
agreement, or commencement of any proceeding in connection with any
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such violation (including but not limited to any hearing or investigation
relating to the imposition or contemplated imposition of CMPs), and does not
know of any violation of, any such law, statute, order, rule, regulation, policy
or agreement which would have such a result.
3.16 POOLING OF INTERESTS TREATMENT. To the Buyer's knowledge, it has
not taken any action that would, or is likely to, cause the Merger to fail to
qualify for "pooling of interests" accounting treatment under Accounting
Principles Board Opinion No. 16.
3.17 TAXES AND TAX RETURNS.
(a) Except where the failure to do so would not have a Material
Adverse Effect, the Buyer and each of its subsidiaries (referred to for
purposes of this Section 3.17, collectively, as the "BUYER COMPANIES")
have, since December 31, 1989, timely filed in correct form all Filed Tax
Returns.
(b) The Buyer Companies have paid all Taxes shown as being due on
the Filed Tax Returns.
(c) No assessment that has not been settled or otherwise resolved
has been made with respect to Taxes not shown on the Filed Tax Returns,
other than such additional Taxes as are being contested in good faith and
which if determined adversely to the Buyer Companies would not have a
Material Adverse Effect. No deficiency in Taxes or other proposed
adjustment that has not been settled or otherwise resolved has been
asserted in writing by any taxing authority against any of the Buyer
Companies, which if determined adversely to the Buyer Companies would
have a Material Adverse Effect. No material Tax Return of any of the
Buyer Companies is now under examination by any applicable taxing
authority. There are no material liens for Taxes (other than current
Taxes not yet due and payable) on any of the assets of any Buyer Company.
(d) Adequate provision has been made on the Buyer Balance Sheet
for all Taxes of the Buyer Companies in respect of all periods through
the date hereof.
(e) Except with respect to intra-Buyer Company agreements made or
required under the federal consolidated tax return regulations, none of
the Buyer Companies is a party to or bound by any Tax indemnification,
Tax allocation or Tax sharing agreement with any person or entity or has
any current or potential
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contractual obligation to indemnify any other person or entity with
respect to Taxes.
(f) None of the Buyer Companies has filed or been included in a
combined, consolidated or unitary income Tax Return (including any
consolidated federal income Tax Return) other than one of which one of
the Buyer Companies was the parent.
(g) None of the Buyer Companies has made any payments, is
obligated to make any payments, or is a party to any agreement that could
obligate it to make any payments that will not be deductible under Code
Section 280G.
3.18 INSURANCE. The Buyer and each of its subsidiaries is presently
insured, and since January 1, 1997 has been insured, for reasonable amounts
against such risks as companies engaged in a similar business in a similar
location would, in accordance with good business practice, customarily be
insured. The Buyer has made available to the Seller copies of policies relating
to insurance maintained by the Buyer or its subsidiaries with respect to their
properties and the conduct of their respective businesses.
3.19 LABOR. No work stoppage involving the Buyer or any of its
subsidiaries is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Buyer's management,
threatened. Neither the Buyer nor any of its subsidiaries is involved in, or, to
the best knowledge of the Buyer's management, threatened with or affected by,
any dispute, arbitration, lawsuit or administrative proceeding relating to labor
or employment matters which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Effect with respect to the Buyer. No employees of the Buyer or any of
its subsidiaries are represented by any labor union, and, to the best knowledge
of the Buyer's management, no labor union is attempting to organize employees of
the Buyer or any of its subsidiaries.
3.20 EMPLOYEES.
(a) Except as set forth in Section 3.20(a) of the Buyer Disclosure
Schedule, neither the Buyer nor any of its subsidiaries maintains or
contributes to any "employee pension benefit plan" (the "BUYER PENSION
PLANS"), as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA or "employee
welfare benefit plan" (the "BUYER BENEFIT PLANS"), as such term is
defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA.
(b) The current value of the assets of each of the Buyer Pension
Plans subject to Title IV of ERISA exceeds that plan's
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"Benefit Liabilities" as that term is defined in Section 4001(a)(16) of
ERISA, when determined under actuarial factors that would apply if that
plan terminated in accordance with all applicable legal requirements.
(c) To the knowledge of the Buyer, each of the Buyer Pension Plans
and each of the Buyer Benefit Plans, which are maintained or contributed
to by the Buyer, has been administered in compliance with its terms in
all material respects and is in compliance in all material respects with
the applicable provisions of ERISA (including, but not limited to, the
funding and prohibited transactions provisions thereof), the Code and
other applicable laws, except to the extent that non-compliance would not
have a Material Adverse Effect on the Buyer, taken as a whole.
(d) To the knowledge of the Buyer, there has been no reportable
event within the meaning of Section 4043(b) of ERISA or any waived
funding deficiency within the meaning of Section 412(d)(3) (or any
predecessor section) of the Code with respect to any Buyer Pension Plan.
(e) To the knowledge of the Buyer, each of the Buyer Pension Plans
which is intended to be a qualified plan within the meaning of Section
401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and the Buyer is not aware of any
fact or circumstance which would adversely affect the qualified status of
any such plan.
3.21 CAPITALIZATION. As of the date hereof, and giving effect to the
transactions contemplated hereby on a PRO FORMA basis, the Buyer and each of the
subsidiaries of the Buyer which are "insured depository institutions" meet all
capital requirements, standards and ratios required by each state or federal
bank regulator with jurisdiction over such Persons. No such regulator has
indicated that it will condition any of the regulatory approvals upon an
increase in any such Person's capital or compliance with any special capital
requirement, standard or ratio.
3.22 CRA RATING. The Buyer Bank was rated "Outstanding" following its
most recent Community Reinvestment Act examination by the FDIC. The Buyer has
not received any notice of, and the Buyer has no knowledge of, any planned or
threatened objection by any community group to the transactions contemplated
hereby.
3.23 YEAR 2000. The Buyer has made available to the Seller a copy of
the report furnished by the Buyer to the regulatory agencies having jurisdiction
over the Buyer and its subsidiaries concerning the
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modifications required to the Buyer's computer systems, if any, in order for
each systems to contain no deficiencies relating generally to formatting for
entering dates (commonly referred to and referred to herein as the "Year 2000
Problem"). The Buyer is not aware of any inability on the part of any customer,
insurance company or service provider with which the Buyer transacts business to
timely remedy their own deficiencies in respect of the Year 2000 Problem, which
inability, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably could be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on the Buyer.
3.24 BUYER INFORMATION. The information relating to the Buyer and its
subsidiaries to be contained in the Joint Proxy Statement and the S-4, as
described in Section 5.04 hereof, and any other documents filed with the SEC or
any regulatory agency in connection herewith, to the extent such information is
provided in writing by the Buyer, will not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make such
information not misleading.
3.25 DISCLOSURE. No representation or warranty contained in this
Agreement, and no statement contained in any certificate, list or other writing,
including but not necessarily limited to the Buyer Disclosure Schedule,
furnished to the Seller pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the best knowledge
of the Buyer, contains or will contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
herein or therein not misleading. To the best knowledge of the Buyer, all
information material to the Merger and the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, or which is necessary to make the representations and warranties
herein contained not misleading, has been disclosed in writing to the Seller.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLER
The Seller hereby represents and warrants to the Buyer as follows:
4.01 CORPORATE ORGANIZATION.
(a) The Seller is a corporation duly organized, validly existing
and in good standing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The Seller has all requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease
or operate all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business
as it is now being conducted. The Seller and each of its Significant
Subsidiaries is duly licensed or qualified to do business in each
jurisdiction in which the nature of the
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business conducted by it or the character of the properties and assets
owned, leased or operated by it makes such qualification or licensing
necessary, except where the failure to be so qualified would not result
in, with respect to the Seller, a Material Adverse Effect. Section
4.01(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule lists each of the jurisdictions
in which the Seller or its subsidiaries possess any such foreign
qualifications or licenses and lists such license held in such
jurisdiction The Seller has previously made available to Buyer for
inspection true and complete copies as amended to date of the Charter and
By-Laws of the Seller and each Significant Subsidiary. The Seller is a
bank holding company registered with the Federal Reserve Board under the
BHCA and as a savings and loan holding company registered and in good
standing with the OTS under the Home Owners' Loan Act ("HOLA").
(b) Except as set forth in Section 4.01(b) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, the Seller has no subsidiaries and no Equity
Investments (other than its investments in such subsidiaries). Section
4.01(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule lists for each subsidiary and
Equity Investment of the Seller, the percentage of Seller's ownership in
such subsidiary or Equity Investment, the activities of such subsidiary
or Equity Investment, including but not limited to, whether or not such
subsidiary or Equity Investment is engaged principally or otherwise,
directly or indirectly through a joint venture, partnership or other
entity, in the sale of mutual funds, insurance or the development of real
estate. No subsidiary or Equity Investment of the Seller engages in any
activity, principally or otherwise, that is not permitted for a national
bank or otherwise authorized under applicable FDIC or OTS regulations.
Each Significant Subsidiary of the Seller is duly organized, validly
existing and in corporate good standing under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation. Each Significant Subsidiary of the
Seller has all requisite corporate power and authority to own, lease or
operate all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business as
it is now being conducted.
(c) The minute books of the Seller and its Significant
Subsidiaries contain complete and accurate records of all meetings and
other corporate actions authorized at such meetings held or taken since
January 1, 1995 to date of its stockholders and Board of Directors.
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4.02 CAPITALIZATION.
(a) The authorized capital stock of the Seller consists of (i)
18,000,000 shares of Seller Common Stock, of which, as of the close of
business on December 12 1997, 6,503,646 shares were issued and
outstanding, and (ii) 2,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value
$0.01 per share (the "SELLER PREFERRED STOCK"), of which, as of the close
of business on December 12, 1997, no shares were issued and outstanding.
In addition, as of the close of business on December 12, 1997, there were
635,444 shares of Seller Common Stock reserved for issuance upon the
exercise of outstanding stock options. All issued and outstanding shares
of Seller Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and
are fully paid, nonassessable and free of preemptive rights, with no
personal liability attaching to the ownership thereof. Except with
respect to the Seller Option and as referred to in this Section 4.02(a),
the Seller does not have and is not bound by any outstanding
subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, commitments or agreements of any
character calling for the Seller to issue, deliver or sell, or cause to
be issued, delivered or sold any shares of Seller Common Stock, or any
other equity security of the Seller or any securities convertible into,
exchangeable for or representing the right to subscribe for, purchase or
otherwise receive any shares of Seller Common Stock or any other equity
security of the Seller or obligating the Seller to grant, extend or enter
into any such subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, commitments or
agreements. As of the date hereof, there are no outstanding contractual
obligations of the Seller to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
shares of capital stock of the Seller. In addition, Section 4.02(a) of
the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth, as of the date hereof, the
number of shares of Seller Common Stock subject to outstanding stock
options, the various dates on which such options were granted, the
various exercise prices for such options, the number of shares for which
such options are presently vested, and the vesting schedule for the
remaining balance of shares for which such options are not presently
vested.
(b) Each of the subsidiaries of the Seller that is a depository
institution is an "insured depository institution" as defined in the FDIA
and applicable regulations thereunder, and the deposits of each such
depository institution are insured by the Bank Insurance Fund and the
Savings Association Insurance Fund of the FDIC in accordance with the
FDIA. Further, the Deposit Insurance Fund of the Mutual Savings Central
Fund, Inc. of Massachusetts
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insures the deposits of Seller Savings Bank in excess of the FDIC's
insurance limits. Each such depository institution has paid all
assessments and filed all reports with the FDIC, the OTS and the Mutual
Savings Central Fund, Inc. of Massachusetts, as applicable and as
required by the FDIA and the Deposit Insurance Fund. As of the date
hereof no proceedings for the revocation or termination of such deposit
insurance are pending or to the knowledge of the Seller, threatened.
(c) No subsidiary of the Seller has or is bound by any outstanding
subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, commitments or agreements of any
character calling for a subsidiary of the Seller to issue deliver or
sell, or cause to be issued, delivered or sold any equity security of the
Seller or of any subsidiary of the Seller or any securities convertible
into, exchangeable for or representing the right to subscribe for,
purchase or otherwise receive any such equity security or obligating a
subsidiary of the Seller to grant, extend or enter into any such
subscriptions, options, warrants, calls, commitments or agreements. As of
the date hereof, there are no outstanding contractual obligations of any
subsidiary of the Seller to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any
shares of capital stock of the Seller or any subsidiary of the Seller.
Except as may be provided under applicable law in the case of any
subsidiary of the Seller that is a depository institution, all of the
shares of capital stock of each of the subsidiaries of the Seller held by
the Seller are fully paid and nonassessable and, except for directors'
qualifying shares, are owned by the Seller free and clear of any claim,
lien, encumbrance or agreement with respect thereto.
4.03 AUTHORITY; NO VIOLATION.
(a) The Seller has all requisite corporate power and authority to
execute and deliver this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and
to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents
and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby
have been duly and validly unanimously approved by the Board of Directors
of the Seller. The Board of Directors of the Seller has directed that
this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby be
submitted to the stockholders of the Seller for approval at a meeting of
such stockholders and, except for the adoption of this Agreement by its
stockholders, no other corporate proceedings on the part of the Seller
are necessary to consummate
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the Merger. This Agreement and the other Transaction Documents have been
duly and validly executed and delivered by the Seller and (assuming due
authorization, execution and delivery by the Buyer and the Merger
Subsidiary) constitute the valid and binding obligations of the Seller,
enforceable against the Seller in accordance with their respective terms,
except that enforcement thereof may be limited by the receivership,
conservatorship and supervisory powers of bank regulatory agencies
generally as well as bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
or other similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors' rights
generally and except that enforcement thereof may be subject to general
principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in
a proceeding in equity or at law) and the availability of equitable
remedies.
(b) Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the
other Transaction Documents by the Seller, nor the consummation by the
Seller of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or the other
Transaction Documents, nor compliance by the Seller, with any of the
terms or provisions thereof, will, assuming that the consents and
approvals referred to in Section 4.04 are duly obtained and except as set
forth in Section 4.03(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, (i) violate
in any material respect any statute, code, ordinance, rule, regulation,
judgment, order, writ, decree or injunction applicable to the Seller or
any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets,
or (ii) 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 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 the Seller or any of its subsidiaries under, any of the terms,
conditions or provisions of (A) the Charter or By-Laws of the Seller or
any of its subsidiaries, or (B) any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, deed
of trust, license, lease, agreement or other instrument or obligation to
which the Seller or any of its subsidiaries is a party as issuer,
guarantor or obligor, or by which it or any of its properties or assets
may be bound or affected, except, in the case of clause (ii)(B) above,
for such violations, conflicts, breaches or defaults which either
individually or in the aggregate will not have a Material Adverse Effect
on the Seller.
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4.04 CONSENTS AND APPROVALS. Except for consents, waivers or approvals
of, or filings or registrations with, the Federal Reserve Board, the MBBI, the
SEC, the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the DOJ,
NASDAQ, certain state "Blue Sky" or securities commissioners or the stockholders
of the Seller, no consents, waivers or approvals of or filings or registrations
with any public body or authority are necessary, and no consents or approvals of
any third parties (which term does not include the Board of Directors and
stockholders of the Seller) are necessary, in connection with (a) the execution
and delivery by the Seller of this Agreement or (b) the consummation by the
Seller, of the Merger. The affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of Seller Common Stock is the only vote of the holders of any
class or series of capital stock or other securities of the Seller necessary to
approve this Agreement and the Merger. The Seller has no knowledge of any fact
or circumstance relating to the Seller or its subsidiaries that is reasonably
likely to materially impede or delay receipt of any Consents of regulatory or
governmental authorities or result in the imposition of a restriction or
condition of the type referenced in Section 6.02(d) herein.
4.05 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. The Seller has made available to the Buyer
copies of (a) the consolidated balance sheets of the Seller and its subsidiaries
as of December 31 for the fiscal years 1995 and 1996, inclusive, and the related
consolidated statements of income, changes in stockholders' equity and cash
flows for the fiscal years 1995 and 1996, inclusive, as reported in the Seller's
Annual Reports on Form 10-K for each of the two (2) fiscal years ended December
31, 1995 and December 31, 1996, which were filed with the SEC under the Exchange
Act, in each case accompanied by the audit report of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP,
independent accountants for the Seller, and, with respect to the Seller's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995, together with
additional reports of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP and Wolf & Company, P.C., and (b)
the unaudited consolidated balance sheets of the Seller and its subsidiaries as
of September 30, 1997 and September 30, 1996, the related unaudited consolidated
statements of income and changes in stockholders' equity for the nine (9) months
ended September 30, 1997 and September 30, 1996 and the related unaudited
consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine (9) months ended September
30, 1997 and September 30, 1996, all as reported in the Seller's Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the nine (9) months ended September 30, 1997 filed with
the SEC under the Exchange Act. The December 31, 1996 consolidated balance sheet
(the "SELLER BALANCE SHEET") of the Seller (including the related notes, where
applicable) and the other financial statements referred to herein (including the
related notes, where applicable) fairly present, and the financial statements to
be included in
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any reports or statements (including reports on Forms 10-Q and 10-K) to be filed
by the Seller with the SEC after the date hereof will fairly present, the
consolidated financial position and results of the consolidated operations and
cash flows and changes in shareholders' equity of the Seller and its
subsidiaries for the respective fiscal periods or as of the respective dates
therein set forth; and each of such statements (including the related notes,
where applicable) has been prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied
during the periods involved, except as otherwise set forth in the notes thereto
(subject, in the case of unaudited interim statements, to normal year-end
adjustments). The books and records of the Seller and its subsidiaries have
been, and are being, maintained in accordance with GAAP and applicable legal and
regulatory requirements.
4.06 ABSENCE OF UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES. None of the Seller or any of its
subsidiaries has any obligation or liability (contingent or otherwise) that is
material on a consolidated basis to the Seller, except as disclosed or reflected
in the Seller Balance Sheet or any of the other financial statements described
in Section 4.05 above or Section 4.06 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule.
4.07 BROKER'S FEES. Neither the Seller nor any of its or its
subsidiaries' officers, directors, employees or agents has employed any broker,
finder or financial advisor or incurred any liability for any fees or
commissions in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, except for the fees incurred in connection with the engagement of
PaineWebber Incorporated and except for legal, accounting and other professional
fees payable in connection with the Merger. The Seller will be responsible for
the payment of such fees.
4.08 ABSENCE OF CERTAIN CHANGES OR EVENTS. Except as disclosed in the
Seller's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1997
or in any Current Reports of the Seller on Form 8-K filed prior to the date of
this Agreement, since December 31, 1996, the Seller and its subsidiaries have
not incurred any material liability, except in the ordinary course of their
business consistent with their past practices, nor has there been any change in
the business, assets, financial condition or results of operations of the Seller
or any of its subsidiaries which has had, or is reasonably likely to have,
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Seller or any
Significant Subsidiary of the Seller.
4.09 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. Except as set forth on Section 4.09 of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, there is no suit, action or other proceeding
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pending or, to the knowledge of the Seller, threatened, against the Seller or
any of its subsidiaries or challenging the validity or propriety of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as to which there is a reasonable
possibility of an adverse determination and which, if adversely determined,
would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the
Seller or otherwise materially adversely affect the Seller's ability to perform
its obligations under this Agreement, nor is there any judgment, decree,
injunction, rule or order of any legal or administrative body or arbitrator
outstanding against the Seller or any of its subsidiaries having, or which
insofar as reasonably can be foreseen, in the future could have, any such
effect.
4.10 TAXES AND TAX RETURNS.
(a) Except where the failure to do so would not have a Material
Adverse Effect, the Seller and each of its subsidiaries (referred to for
purposes of this Section 4.10, collectively, as the "COMPANIES") have,
since December 31, 1989, timely filed in correct form all Tax Returns
that were required to be filed by any of them on or prior to the date
hereof (the "FILED TAX RETURNS").
(b) The Companies have paid all Taxes shown as being due in the
Filed Tax Returns.
(c) No assessment that has not been settled or otherwise resolved
has been made with respect to Taxes not shown on the Filed Tax Returns,
other than such additional taxes as are being contested in good faith and
which if determined adversely to the Companies would not have a Material
Adverse Effect. No deficiency in Taxes or other proposed adjustment that
has not been settled or otherwise resolved has been asserted in writing
by any taxing authority against any of the Companies, which if determined
adversely to the Companies would have a Material Adverse Effect. No
material Tax Return of any of the Companies is now under examination by
any applicable taxing authority. There are no material liens for Taxes
(other than current Taxes not yet due and payable) on any of the assets
of any Company.
(d) Adequate provision has been made on the Seller Balance Sheet
for all Taxes of the Companies in respect of all periods through the date
hereof.
(e) Except with respect to intra-Company agreements made or
required under the federal consolidated tax return regulations, none of
the Companies is a party to or bound by any
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Tax indemnification, Tax allocation or Tax sharing agreement with any
person or entity or has any current or potential contractual obligation
to indemnify any other person or entity with respect to Taxes.
(f) None of the Companies has filed or been included in a
combined, consolidated or unitary income Tax Return (including any
consolidated federal income Tax Return) other than one of which one of
the Companies (including predecessor entities) or the Seller was the
parent.
(g) None of the Companies has made any payments, is obligated to
make any payments, or is a party to any agreement that could obligate it
to make any payments that will not be deductible under Code Section 280G.
4.11 EMPLOYEES.
(a) Except as set forth in Section 4.11(a) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, neither the Seller nor any of its subsidiaries
maintains or contributes to any "employee pension benefit plan" (the
"SELLER PENSION PLANS"), as such term is defined in Section 3 of ERISA,
"employee welfare benefit plan" (the "SELLER BENEFIT PLANS"), as such
term is defined in Section 3 of ERISA, stock option plan, stock purchase
plan, deferred compensation plan, other employee benefit plan for
employees of the Seller or its subsidiaries, or any other plan, program
or arrangement of the same or similar nature that provides benefits to
non-employee directors of the Seller or its subsidiaries (collectively,
the "SELLER OTHER PLANS").
(b) The Seller shall make available upon request by the Buyer a
complete and accurate copy of each of the following with respect to each
of the Seller Pension Plans, the Seller Benefit Plans and the Seller
Other Plans: (i) plan document; (ii) trust agreement or insurance
contract, if any; (iii) most recent IRS determination letter, if any;
(iv) most recent actuarial report, if any; and (v) most recent annual
report on Form 5500, if any.
(c) Except as set forth in Section 4.11(c) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, the current value of the assets of each of the
Seller Pension Plans subject to Title IV of ERISA exceeds that plan's
"Benefit Liabilities" as that term is defined in Section 4001(a)(16) of
ERISA, when determined under actuarial factors that would apply if that
plan terminated in accordance with all applicable legal requirements.
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(d) To the knowledge of the Seller, each of the Seller Pension
Plans and each of the Seller Benefit Plans has been administered in
compliance with its terms in all material respects and is in compliance
in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA
(including, but not limited to, the funding and prohibited transactions
provisions thereof), the Code and other applicable laws, except to the
extent that non-compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect on
the Seller, taken as a whole.
(e) To the knowledge of the Seller, there has been no reportable
event within the meaning of Section 4043(b) of ERISA or any waived
funding deficiency within the meaning of Section 412(d)(3) (or any
predecessor section) of the Code with respect to any Seller Pension Plan.
(f) The Seller and its subsidiaries has made or provided for all
contributions to the Seller Pension Plans required thereunder.
(g) Except as set forth in Section 4.11(g) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, neither Seller nor any of its subsidiaries
contributes or has contributed to any "Multiemployer Plan," as such term
is defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA.
(h) Except as set forth in Section 4.11(h) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, to the knowledge of the Seller, each of the Seller
Pension Plans which is intended to be a qualified plan within the meaning
of Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and the Seller is not
aware of any fact or circumstance which would adversely affect the
qualified status of any such plan.
(i) Except as set forth in Section 4.11(i) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, neither the Seller nor any of its subsidiaries is a
party to or maintains or contributes to any contract or other arrangement
with any employee or group of employees, providing severance payments,
stock or stock-equivalent payments or post-employment benefits of any
kind or providing that any otherwise disclosed plan, program or
arrangement will irrevocably continue, with respect to any or all of its
participants, for any period of time.
4.12 AGREEMENTS WITH BANKING AUTHORITIES. Except as set forth in
Section 4.12 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, neither the Seller nor any of
its subsidiaries is a party to any commitment, letter (other than letters
addressed to regulated depository institutions generally), written agreement,
memorandum of understanding, order to cease and desist
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with, or has been required to adopt any board resolution by, any federal or
state governmental entity charged with the supervision or regulation of banks or
engaged in the insurance of bank deposits which restricts materially the conduct
of its business, or in any manner relates to its capital adequacy, credit
policies, management or overall safety and soundness or such entity's ability to
perform its obligations hereunder, and the Seller has not received written
notification from any such federal or state governmental entity that any such
Person may be requested to enter into, or otherwise be subject to, any such
commitment, letter, written agreement, memorandum of understanding or cease and
desist order.
4.13 MATERIAL AGREEMENTS. Except as set forth in Section 4.13 of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule or the index of exhibits in the Seller's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996, as of the date of this
Agreement, except for this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents,
neither the Seller nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to or is bound by (a)
any agreement, arrangement, or commitment that is material to the financial
condition, results of operations or business of the Seller, except those entered
into in the ordinary course of business; (b) any written (or oral, if material)
agreement, arrangement, or commitment relating to the employment of any person
or the election or retention in office or severance of any present or former
director or officer of the Seller or any of its subsidiaries; (c) any contract,
agreement, or understanding with any labor union; (d) any agreement by and among
the Seller, its subsidiaries and/or any Affiliate thereof; or (e) any contract
or agreement or amendment thereto that would be required to be filed as an
Exhibit to a Form 10-K filed by the Seller as of the date hereof that has not
been filed as an Exhibit to the Form 10-K filed by it for 1996.
4.14 OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY. Section 4.14 of the Seller Disclosure
Schedule sets forth a true and complete list of all real property owned, leased
or operated by the Seller or any of its subsidiaries (including all of the
branches of the Seller and all of the Seller's or any of its subsidiaries'
properties acquired by foreclosure proceedings in the ordinary course of
business) as of the date hereof. The Seller and its subsidiaries have good and
marketable title to all assets and properties, whether real or personal,
tangible or intangible, and all other assets and properties reflected in the
Seller's consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 1997, or acquired
subsequent thereto subject to no encumbrances, liens, mortgages, security
interests or pledges, except (a) those items that secure liabilities that are
reflected in said balance sheet or the notes thereto or incurred in the ordinary
course of business after the date of such balance sheet and not otherwise
prohibited by the terms hereof, (b) dispositions for
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adequate consideration in the ordinary course of business or as expressly
permitted by the terms hereof, (c) statutory liens for amounts not yet
delinquent or which are being contested in good faith, (d) those items that
secure public or statutory obligations or any discount with, borrowing from, or
other obligations to, any Federal Reserve Bank or Federal Home Loan Bank,
inter-bank credit facilities, or any transaction by a subsidiary acting in a
fiduciary capacity, and (e) such encumbrances, liens, mortgages, security
interests, and pledges that are not material in character, amount or extent.
Seller has all licenses and permits necessary to conduct the business of banking
at its branch premises and Seller has made available to the Buyer a copy of all
deeds and leases relating to all real property owned or leased by the Seller or
its subsidiaries. The Seller has not received any notice of violation of any
applicable zoning or environmental regulation, ordinance or other law, order,
regulation, or requirement relating to its properties, except as set forth in
Section 4.14 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule. Each of the Seller and its
subsidiaries as lessee has the right under valid and existing leases to occupy,
use, possess and control all property leased by the Seller and its subsidiaries
as presently occupied, used, possessed and controlled by the Seller. Neither the
Seller nor any of its subsidiaries is in default, and there has not occurred any
event that with the lapse of time or giving of notice or both would constitute a
default, under any leases pursuant to which the Seller or any of its
subsidiaries leases any real property, except for such defaults which,
individually or in the aggregate, would not result in the forfeiture of the use
or occupancy of the property covered by any such lease or would not result in a
material liability to the Seller or any Significant Subsidiary of the Seller
which is not reflected in the consolidated balance sheet of the Seller as of
September 30, 1997. All such leases constitute legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Seller or such subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the
Seller, the other party thereto, enforceable by the Seller or such subsidiary in
accordance with their respective terms, except that enforcement thereof may be
limited by the receivership, conservatorship and supervisory powers of bank
regulatory agencies generally as well as bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium or other similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors' rights
generally and except that enforcement thereof may be subject to general
principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law) and the availability of equitable remedies.
Section 4.14 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule sets forth the expiration date
and renewal terms of each such lease. The Seller has not received notice of, or
made a claim with respect to, any breach or default under any leases pursuant to
which the Seller or any of its subsidiaries leases any real property.
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4.15 REPORTS. Since January 1, 1995, the Seller and its subsidiaries have
filed, and subsequent to the date hereof will file, all reports, together with
any amendments required to be made with respect thereto, that were and are
required to be filed with (a) the SEC, including but not limited to, Forms 10-Q,
10-K, 8-K and proxy statements (and all such reports, registrations and
statements have been or will be delivered by the Seller to the Buyer), (b) the
Federal Reserve Board, (c) the OTS, (d) the FDIC, and (e) any applicable state
securities or banking authorities (except, in the case of state securities
authorities, no such representation is made as to filings which are not
material) (all such reports and statements are collectively referred to herein
as the "SELLER REPORTS"). As of their respective dates, the Seller Reports
complied and, with respect to filings made after the date of this Agreement,
will at the date of filing comply, in all material respects with all of the
statutes, rules and regulations enforced or promulgated by the regulatory
authority with which they were filed and did not contain and, with respect to
filings made after the date of this Agreement, will not at the date of filing
contain, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
4.16 COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW. Each of the Seller and its
subsidiaries holds all licenses, franchises, permits and authorizations
necessary for the lawful conduct of their respective businesses, and, except as
set forth in Section 4.16 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, each of the Seller
and its subsidiaries has complied with and is not in default in any respect
under any, applicable law, statute, order, rule, regulation or policy of, or
agreement with, any federal, state or local governmental agency or authority
relating to the Seller and its subsidiaries (other than where such default or
noncompliance will not result in, or create the possibility of resulting in, a
material limitation on the conduct of the business of the Seller or any of its
subsidiaries, will not cause, or create the possibility of causing, the Seller
or any of its subsidiaries thereof to incur any financial penalty in excess of
$20,000 (including but not limited to CMPS), and will not otherwise result, or
create the possibility of resulting in any Material Adverse Effect on the Seller
or any of its subsidiaries, and the Seller has not received any notice of any
violation of, or commencement of any proceeding in connection with any such
violation (including but not limited to any hearing or investigation relating to
the imposition or contemplated imposition of fines or penalties), and does not
know of any violation of, any such law, statute, order, rule, regulation, policy
or agreement which would have such a result.
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4.17 ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS.
(a) Except as set forth in Section 4.17(a) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, the Seller, each of its subsidiaries and the
Participation Facilities (as such term is hereinafter defined) are and
have been since the longer of (i) January 1, 1992 or (ii) the applicable
statute of limitations, in material compliance with all applicable laws,
rules, regulations, standards and requirements of the EPA and of state
and local agencies with jurisdiction over pollution or protection of the
environment.
(b) Except as set forth in Section 4.17(b) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, there is no suit, claim, action or proceeding now
pending or, to the best knowledge of the Seller, threatened, before any
court, governmental agency or board or other forum in which the Seller,
any of its subsidiaries or any Participation Facility has been or, with
respect to threatened proceedings, may be, named as a defendant (i) for
alleged noncompliance (including by any predecessor), with any
environmental law, rule or regulation or (ii) relating to the release
into the environment of any Hazardous Material (as hereinafter defined)
whether or not occurring at or on a site owned, leased or operated by the
Seller, any of its subsidiaries or any Participation Facility.
(c) Except as set forth in Section 4.17(c) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, to the best knowledge of the Seller, there is no
suit, claim, action or proceeding pending, or threatened, before any
court, governmental agency or board or other forum in which any Loan
Property has been or, with respect to threatened proceedings, may be,
named as a defendant or involved (i) for alleged noncompliance (including
by any predecessor) with any environmental law, rule or regulation or
(ii) relating to the release into the environment of any Hazardous
Material whether or not occurring at or on a site owned, leased, operated
or involving a Loan Property.
(d) Except as set forth in Sections 4.17(a), (b) and (c) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, to the best knowledge of the Seller's
management, there is no reasonable basis for any suit, claim, action or
proceeding as described in subsection (b) or (c) of this Section 4.17.
(e) Except as set forth in Section 4.17(e) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, during and, to the best knowledge of the Seller,
prior to the period of (i) the ownership or operation by the
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Seller or any of its subsidiaries of any of their current properties, or
(ii) the participation by the Seller or any of its subsidiaries in the
management of any Participation Facility, there has been no release of
Hazardous Material in, on, under or affecting such properties, that would
subject the Seller or such subsidiary to any liability which would result
in a Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Seller or any
Significant Subsidiary of Seller. Except as set forth in Section 4.17(e)
of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, to the best knowledge of the Seller,
none of the branch offices of the Seller or any other real property
owned, operated or leased by the Seller was at any time the site of any
gas station, manufacturing plant or industrial business or activity or
was at any time a site on which any material amount of Hazardous
Material, was stored, produced or otherwise located.
(f) The Seller and its subsidiaries have asked for representations
from borrowers and/or have conducted due diligence with respect to each
of the Loan Properties in a manner consistent with industry practice at
the time the loan was granted for secured loan transactions of the size
and type of the loan for which such Loan Property was granted as
security, and in the course thereof, or subsequent thereto, nothing has
come to the attention of the Seller or any of its subsidiaries which
could be reasonably likely to prevent the Seller or such subsidiary from
exercising its right to foreclose on its security interest therein.
(g) None of the disclosures set forth in Section 4.17 of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule is reasonably likely to result in the closure
of any of the branch offices of the Seller or in a Material Adverse
Effect with respect to the Seller or any subsidiary.
(h) The transactions contemplated herein are not subject to the
provisions of any applicable environmental restrictive transfer law.
(i) The following definitions apply for purposes of this Section
4.17: (i) "LOAN PROPERTY" means any property in which the Seller or any
of its subsidiaries holds a security interest, and, where required by the
context, said term means the owner or operator of such property; (ii)
"PARTICIPATION FACILITY" means any facility in which the Seller or any of
its subsidiaries participates in the management and, where required by
the context, said term means the owner or operator of such property;
(iii) "HAZARDOUS MATERIAL" means any pollutant, contaminant, hazardous
material, hazardous
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waste, or hazardous substance as defined under the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C.
ss.9601 ET SEQ., or the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C.
secs.6901 ET SEQ., the Clear Water Act, 33 U.S.C. ss.1321, ET SEQ., or
any other federal, state or local law relating to safety, health, or
environmental protection or any regulations promulgated under any of the
foregoing, and specifically includes oil and any other petroleum derived
products, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) and, with respect
to any residential property, lead paint and radon.
4.18 OWNERSHIP OF BUYER COMMON STOCK. Except as set forth in Section 4.18
of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, as of the date hereof, neither the Seller
nor, to its best knowledge, any of its Affiliates or Associates (a) beneficially
own, directly or indirectly, or (b) are parties to any agreement, arrangement or
understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of, in
each case, shares of capital stock of the Buyer, which in the aggregate
represent five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of capital stock
of the Buyer entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (other than
Trust Account Shares and DPC Shares).
4.19 INSURANCE. The Seller and each of its subsidiaries are presently
insured, and since January 1, 1997 have been insured, for reasonable amounts
against such risks as companies engaged in a similar businesses in a similar
location would, in accordance with good business practice, customarily be
insured. The Seller has made available to the Buyer copies of policies relating
to insurance maintained by the Seller and its subsidiaries with respect to their
properties and the conduct of their businesses.
4.20 LABOR. No work stoppage involving the Seller or any of its
subsidiaries is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Seller's management,
threatened. Neither the Seller nor any of its subsidiaries is involved in, or,
to the best knowledge of the Seller's management, threatened with or affected
by, any dispute, arbitration, lawsuit or administrative proceeding relating to
labor or employment matters which might reasonably be expected to result in a
Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Seller. No employees of the Seller
or its subsidiaries are represented by any labor union, and, to the best
knowledge of the Seller's management, no labor union is attempting to organize
employees of the Seller or its subsidiaries.
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4.21 MATERIAL INTERESTS OF CERTAIN PERSONS. Except as disclosed in
Section 4.21 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, no officer or director of the
Seller, or any Associate of any such officer or director, has any material
interest in any material contract or property (real or personal), tangible or
intangible, used in or pertaining to the business of the Seller.
4.22 ABSENCE OF REGISTRATION OBLIGATIONS. The Seller is not under any
obligation, contingent or otherwise, by reason of any agreement to register any
of its securities under the Securities Act which will survive the Merger.
4.23 LOANS.
(a) All currently outstanding loans of, or current extensions of
credit by, the Seller or any of its Significant Subsidiaries
(individually, a "LOAN," and collectively, the "LOANS") were solicited,
originated and currently exist in material compliance with all applicable
requirements of federal and state law and regulations promulgated
thereunder and applicable loan policies of the Person extending the same
except for such changes to the circumstances of the obligor thereunder or
the collateral occurring subsequent to the origination thereof and over
which the Seller or such subsidiary had no control. The Loans are
adequately documented and each note evidencing a Loan or loan or credit
agreement or security instrument related to the Loans constitutes a
valid, legal and binding obligation of the obligor thereunder,
enforceable in accordance with the terms thereof, except where the
failure thereof, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a
Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Seller or
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any of its Significant Subsidiaries and except that enforcement thereof
may be limited by the receivership, conservatorship and supervisory
powers of bank regulatory agencies generally as well as bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting
enforcement of creditors' rights generally and except that enforcement
thereof may be subject to general principles of equity (regardless of
whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law)
and the availability of equitable remedies. There are no oral
modifications or amendments or additional agreements related to the Loans
that are not reflected in the records of the Seller or such subsidiary
and no claims of defense as to the enforcement of any Loan have been
asserted for which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse
determination to the Seller, except where such would not have, either
individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect with respect
to the Seller or any of its Significant Subsidiaries and the Seller is
aware of no acts or omissions which would give rise to any claim or right
of rescission, set-off, counterclaim or defense for which there is a
reasonable possibility of an adverse determination to the Seller, except
where such would not have, either individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Seller or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries. The Seller and its Significant Subsidiaries
currently maintain, and shall continue to maintain, an allowance for loan
losses allocable to the Loans which is adequate to provide for all known
and reasonably estimable losses, net of any recoveries relating to such
extensions of credit previously charged off, on the Loans, such allowance
for loan losses complying in all material respects with all applicable
loan loss reserve requirements established in accordance with GAAP and by
any governmental authorities having jurisdiction with respect to the
Seller and its Significant Subsidiaries. Except as set forth in Section
4.23 of the Seller Disclosure Schedule, none of the Loans are presently
serviced by third parties and, other than pursuant to obligations in
accordance with sales contracts entered into in the ordinary course of
business and consistent with past practice, there is no obligation which
could result in any Loan becoming subject to any third party servicing.
(b) The Seller has made available to the Buyer a copy of the most
recent report filed by the Seller and its Significant Subsidiaries with
the Commissioner of Banks of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts with
respect to Loans with any director, executive officer or, to the
knowledge of the Seller, five percent stockholder of the Seller or any
Affiliate or Associate of any director, executive officer or five percent
stockholder of the Seller.
4.24 POOLING OF INTERESTS TREATMENT. To the Seller's knowledge, it has
not taken any action that would or is likely to cause the Merger to fail to
qualify for "pooling of interests" accounting treatment under Accounting
Principles Board Opinion No. 16.
4.25 CAPITALIZATION. As of the date hereof, without giving effect to
the transactions contemplated hereby, the Seller and each of the subsidiaries of
the Seller which are "insured depository institutions" met all capital
requirements, standards and ratios required by each state or federal bank
regulator with jurisdiction over such Persons. No such regulator has indicated
that it will condition any of the regulatory approvals upon an increase in such
Person's capital or compliance with any special capital requirement, standard or
ratio.
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4.26 CRA RATING. Each of the subsidiaries of the Seller which are
"insured depository institutions" (other than the Seller Bank & Trust Company,
which has not had a Community Reinvestment Act examination as of the date
hereof) were rated at least "Satisfactory" following their most recent Community
Reinvestment Act examinations by the regulatory agencies responsible for their
supervision. The Seller has not received any notice of and the Seller has no
knowledge of any planned or threatened objection by any community group to the
transactions contemplated hereby.
4.27 YEAR 2000. The Seller has made available to the Buyer a copy of the
report furnished by the Seller to the regulatory agencies having jurisdiction
over the Seller and its subsidiaries concerning the modifications required to
the Seller's computer systems, if any, in order for such systems to contain no
deficiencies relating generally to formatting for entering dates (commonly
referred to and referred to herein as the "Year 2000 Problem"). The Seller is
not aware of any inability on the part of any customer, insurance company or
service provider with which the Seller or its subsidiaries transacts business to
timely remedy their own deficiencies in respect of the Year 2000 Problem, which
inability, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably could be expected to
have a Material Adverse Effect on the Seller.
4.28 SELLER INFORMATION. The information relating to the Seller and its
subsidiaries to be contained in the Joint Proxy Statement as described in
Section 5.04 hereof, to the extent such information is provided in writing by
the Seller, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material fact necessary to make such information not misleading.
4.29 DISCLOSURE. No representation or warranty contained in this
Agreement, and no statement contained in any certificate, list or other writing,
including but not necessarily limited to the Seller Disclosure Schedule,
furnished to the Buyer pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the best knowledge
of the Seller, contains or will contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
herein or therein not misleading.
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS OF THE PARTIES
5.01 CONDUCT OF THE BUSINESS OF THE SELLER. During the period from the
date of this Agreement to the Effective Time, the Seller:
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(a) shall, and shall cause each of its subsidiaries to, conduct
its business and engage in transactions only in the ordinary and usual
course of business consistent with past practices, which shall mean (i)
conducting its banking and other business in the ordinary and usual
course, (ii) refraining from any of the activities described in Section
5.01(b) below, (iii) not entering into any material transactions except
in the ordinary and usual course of business consistent with past
practices and (iv) complying with the following covenants:
(A) maintaining its corporate existence and good standing, except
as set forth in Section 5.01(a) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule and
except where any failure to maintain such good standing does not or would
not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Seller or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries;
(B) using all reasonable efforts to maintain and keep its
properties in as good repair and condition in all material respects as
they presently exist, except for ordinary wear and tear and damage due to
casualty;
(C) using all reasonable efforts to maintain in full force and
effect insurance generally comparable in amount and in scope of coverage
to that now maintained by it;
(D) complying with and performing in all material respects its
obligations and duties (y) under contracts, leases and documents relating
to or affecting its assets, properties and business and (z) imposed upon
it by all federal, state and local laws and all rules, regulations and
orders imposed by federal, state or local governmental authorities,
judicial orders, judgments, decrees and similar determinations; and
(E) using all reasonable efforts to preserve its business
organization intact and the goodwill of those having business
relationships with the Seller or any of the Seller's subsidiaries, to
keep available the services of its officers and employees as a group and
to maintain satisfactory relationships with borrowers, depositors, other
customers and others having business relationships with it;
(b) shall not and shall not permit any of its subsidiaries to,
without the prior written consent of the Buyer:
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(i) except as set forth in Section 5.01(b) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, engage or participate in any material
transaction or incur or sustain any material obligation or
liability except in the ordinary, regular and usual course of its
businesses consistent with past practices;
(ii) offer an interest rate with respect to any deposit
that would constitute such deposit a "brokered deposit" under 12
C.F.R. ss.337.6(a)(l)(ii), other than in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practices;
(iii) except as set forth in Section 5.18 hereof and except
in the ordinary, regular and usual course of business consistent
with past practices, sell, lease, transfer, assign, encumber or
otherwise dispose of or enter into any contract, agreement or
understanding to lease, transfer, assign, encumber or dispose of
any of its assets;
(iv) except as set forth in Section 5.01(b) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, file any application to open, close or
relocate any branch office;
(v) except as set forth in Section 5.01(b) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, open, close, relocate, or give any notice
(written or verbal) to customers or governmental authorities or
agencies to open, close or relocate the operations of any branch
office; or
(vi) waive any material right, whether in equity or at
law, that it has with respect to any asset except in the ordinary,
regular and usual course of business consistent with past
practice;
(c) shall, at the Buyer's request and expense, use all
reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Buyer with respect to
preparation for the combination and integration of the businesses,
systems and operations of the Buyer and the Seller, and shall confer on a
regular and frequent basis with one or more representatives of the Buyer
to report on operational and related matters;
(d) shall, subject to any restrictions under applicable law or
regulation, promptly notify the Buyer of any emergency or other change in
the normal course of its business or in the operation of its properties
and of any governmental complaints, investigations or hearings (or
communications indicating that the same may be
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contemplated) if such emergency, change, complaint, investigation or
hearing would be material to the business, results of operations or
financial condition of the Seller;
(e) shall not make any loan or extend any credit on other than the
terms, conditions and standards offered by Seller in the ordinary course
of business consistent with past practice, other than in connection with
any loan workouts in accordance with applicable law and consistent with
prudent banking practices;
(f) shall not declare or pay any dividends on or make any other
distributions in respect of Seller Common Stock except for regular
quarterly cash dividends on Seller Common Stock at a rate not in excess
of the Seller's current dividend rate and subject to the terms of Section
5.19 hereof;
(g) except as described in Section 5.01(g) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, shall not adopt or amend (other than amendments
required by applicable law or amendments that reduce amounts payable by
it) in any material respect any Seller Pension Plan, any Seller Benefit
Plan or any Seller Other Plan or enter (or permit any of its subsidiaries
to enter) into any employment, severance or similar contract with any
person (including, without limitation, contracts with management which
might require that payments be made upon the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby) or amend any such existing agreements,
plans or contracts to increase any amounts payable thereunder or benefits
provided thereunder, or grant or permit any increase in compensation to
any officer or to its employees as a class or pay any bonus other than
increases and bonuses in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practice;
(h) shall not, except as provided in Section 5.18 hereof, with
respect to itself or any of its subsidiaries, authorize, recommend,
propose or announce an intention to authorize, recommend or propose, or
enter into an agreement with respect to, any merger, consolidation,
purchase and assumption transaction or business combination (other than
the Merger), any acquisition of a material amount of assets or securities
or assumption of liabilities (including deposit liabilities), any
disposition of a material amount of assets or securities, or any release
or relinquishment of any material contract rights not in the ordinary
course of business and consistent with past practices;
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(i) shall not propose or adopt amendments to its, or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries', Charter or By-Laws;
(j) shall not issue, deliver or sell any shares (whether original
issuance or from treasury shares) of its capital stock or securities
convertible into or exercisable for shares of its capital stock (or
permit any of its subsidiaries to issue, deliver or sell any shares of
such subsidiaries' capital stock or securities convertible into or
exercisable for shares of such subsidiaries' capital stock), except upon
the exercise or fulfillment of rights or options issued or existing
pursuant to employee benefit plans or any other equity compensation
programs or arrangements with employees, directors or others, employee
stock ownership plans of the Seller or any subsidiary of the Seller or
the terms of convertible securities, all to the extent outstanding or in
existence on the date hereof, and except upon exercise of the Seller
Option, as applicable, or effect any stock split, reverse stock split,
recapitalization, reclassification or similar transaction or otherwise
change its equity capitalization as it existed on September 30, 1997;
(k) shall not grant, confer or award any options, warrants,
conversion rights or other rights, not existing on the date hereof, to
acquire any shares of its capital stock;
(l) shall not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of
its capital stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable for
any shares of its capital stock, except in a fiduciary capacity;
(m) shall not impose, or suffer the imposition, on any share of
capital stock held by it of any material lien, charge, or encumbrance, or
permit any such lien, charge, or encumbrance to exist;
(n) shall not incur, or permit any of its subsidiaries to incur,
any additional debt obligation or other obligation for borrowed money, or
to guaranty any additional debt obligation or other obligation for
borrowed money, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practices, which shall include but not necessarily be limited to
creation of deposit liabilities, Federal Home Loan Bank advances,
purchases of federal funds, sales of certificates of deposit and entry
into repurchase agreements or other similar arrangements commonly
employed by banks;
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(o) except as set forth in Section 5.01(o) of the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, shall not incur or commit to any capital
expenditures or any obligations or liabilities in connection therewith,
other than capital expenditures and such related obligations or
liabilities incurred or committed to in the ordinary and usual course of
business consistent with past practices, and, in all cases, the Seller
agrees to consult with the Buyer with respect to capital expenditures
that individually exceed $75,000 or cumulatively exceed $300,000;
(p) shall not change its methods of accounting in effect at
December 31, 1996, except as may be required by changes in GAAP as
concurred in by the Seller's independent auditors, and the Seller shall
not change its fiscal year;
(q) shall file all reports, applications and other documents
required to be filed by it with the SEC, the FRB, the OTS, the FDIC or
any other governmental entity between the date of this Agreement and the
Effective Time and shall make available to the Buyer copies of all such
reports promptly after the same are filed;
(r) shall not, except as expressly contemplated hereby, enter into
any contract with any Affiliate;
(s) shall not, except for transactions in the ordinary course of
business consistent with past practice, or as otherwise contemplated or
required by this Agreement or in furtherance of the transactions
contemplated hereby, enter into or terminate any material contract or
agreement, or make any changes in any of its material leases or
contracts, other than renewals of contracts and, subject to the
provisions of Section 5.15 hereof, leases without material adverse change
of terms;
(t) shall not, other than in prior consultation with Buyer,
materially restructure or materially change its investment securities
portfolio or its gap position through purchases, sales or otherwise, or
the manner in which the portfolio is classified or reported; and
(u) shall not agree, in writing or otherwise, to take any of the
foregoing actions or any action which would make any of its
representations or warranties contained herein untrue or incorrect in any
material respect.
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5.02 ACCESS TO PROPERTIES AND RECORDS; CONFIDENTIALITY.
(a) The Seller shall permit the Buyer reasonable access to its and
its subsidiaries' properties, and shall disclose and make available to
the Buyer all Records, including all books, papers and records relating
to the assets, stock ownership, properties, operations, obligations and
liabilities of the Seller, including, but not limited to, all books of
account (including the general ledger), tax records, minute books of
directors and stockholders meetings, organizational documents, By-Laws,
material contracts and agreements, filings with any regulatory authority,
accountants' work papers, litigation files, plans affecting employees,
and any other business activities or prospects in which the Buyer may
reasonably have an interest in light of the transactions contemplated
hereby. The Seller shall make arrangements with each third party provider
of services to the Seller and its subsidiaries to permit the Buyer
reasonable access to all of the Seller's or such subsidiary's Records
held by each such third party. The Buyer shall permit the Seller
reasonable access to such properties and records of the Buyer and/or its
subsidiaries in which the Seller may reasonably have an interest in light
of the transactions contemplated hereby. Neither the Buyer nor the Seller
nor any of their respective subsidiaries shall be required to provide
access to or to disclose information where such access or disclosure
would violate or prejudice the rights of any customer, would jeopardize
the attorney-client privilege of the institution in possession or control
of such information, or would contravene any law, rule, regulation,
order, judgment, decree or binding agreement. The parties will use all
reasonable efforts to make appropriate substitute disclosure arrangements
under circumstances in which the restrictions of the preceding sentence
apply.
(b) All Confidential Information furnished by each party hereto to
the other, or to any of its affiliates, directors, officers, employees,
representatives or agents (such persons being collectively referred to
herein as "REPRESENTATIVES"), shall be treated as the sole property of
the party furnishing the information until consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby, and, if such transactions shall not
occur, the party receiving the information, or any of its affiliates or
Representatives, as the case may be, shall return to the party which
furnished such information all documents or other materials containing,
reflecting or referring to such information, shall keep confidential all
such information for the period hereinafter referred to, and shall not
directly or indirectly at
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any time use such information for any competitive or other commercial
purpose; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Buyer and its affiliates shall be
permitted to retain and share with their regulators, examiners and
auditors (who need to know such information and are informed of the
confidential nature thereof and directed to treat such information
confidentially) such materials, files and information relating to or
constituting the Buyer's or any of its affiliate's or Representatives'
work product, presentations or evaluation materials as the Buyer deems
reasonably necessary or advisable in connection with auditing or
examination purposes. The obligation to keep such information
confidential shall continue for two (2) years from the date this
Agreement is terminated. In the event that either party or its affiliates
or Representatives are requested or required in the context of a
litigation, governmental, judicial or regulatory investigation or other
similar proceeding (by oral questions, interrogatories, requests for
information or documents, subpoenas, civil investigative demands or
similar process) to disclose any Confidential Information, the party or
its affiliate or its Representative so requested or required will
directly or through the party of such affiliate or Representative, if
practicable and legally permitted, prior to providing such information,
and as promptly as practicable after receiving such request, provide the
other party with notice of each such request or requirement so that the
other party may seek an appropriate protective order or other remedy or,
if appropriate, waive compliance with the provisions of this Agreement.
If, in the absence of a protective order or the receipt of a waiver
hereunder, the party or affiliate or Representative so requested or
required is, in the written opinion of its counsel, legally required to
disclose Confidential Information to any tribunal, governmental or
regulatory authority, or similar body, the party or affiliate or
Representative so required may disclose that portion of the Confidential
Information which it is advised in writing by such counsel it is legally
required to so disclose to such tribunal or authority or similar body
without liability to the other party hereto for such disclosure. The
parties and their affiliates and Representatives will exercise reasonable
efforts to obtain assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded
the information so disclosed.
As used in this Section 5.02(b), "CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION" means all
data, reports, interpretations, forecasts and records (whether in written form,
electronically stored or otherwise) containing or otherwise reflecting
information concerning the disclosing party or its affiliates
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which is not available to the general public and which the disclosing party or
any affiliate or any of their respective Representatives provides or has
previously provided to the receiving party or to the receiving party's
affiliates or Representatives at any time in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including but not limited to any information
obtained by meeting with Representatives of the disclosing party or its
affiliates, together with summaries, analyses, extracts, compilations, studies,
personal notes or other documents or records, whether prepared by the receiving
party or others, which contain or otherwise reflect such information.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following information will not constitute
"CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION": (i) information that is or becomes generally
available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by the receiving
party or any affiliate or Representative of the receiving party, (ii)
information that was previously known to the receiving party or its affiliates
or Representatives on a nonconfidential basis prior to its disclosure by the
disclosing party, its affiliates or Representatives, (iii) information that
became or becomes available to the receiving party or any affiliate or
Representative thereof on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the
disclosing party or any affiliate or Representatives of the disclosing party,
provided that such source is not known by the disclosing party or its affiliates
or Representatives to be subject to any confidentiality agreement or other legal
restriction on disclosing such information and (iv) information that has been
independently acquired or developed by the receiving party or its affiliates or
Representatives without violating the obligation's of this Section 5.02(b).
5.03 NO SOLICITATION. Unless and until this Agreement shall have been
properly terminated by either party pursuant to Section 8.01 hereof, neither the
Seller nor any of its subsidiaries or Affiliates shall (and the Seller shall use
all reasonable efforts to cause its Representatives, including, but not limited
to, investment bankers, attorneys and accountants, not to), directly or
indirectly, encourage, solicit, initiate or participate in any discussions or
negotiations with, or, subject to the fiduciary obligations of the Seller's
Board of Directors (as determined in good faith and as advised in writing by
outside counsel), provide any information to, any corporation, partnership,
person or other entity or group (other than the Buyer and its affiliates or
Representatives) concerning any merger, tender offer, sale of substantial
assets, sale of shares of capital stock or debt securities or similar
transaction involving the Seller (an "ACQUISITION TRANSACTION"); PROVIDED, that
in accordance with the fiduciary obligations of the Seller's Board of Directors
as determined in good faith and as advised in writing by outside counsel, the
Seller may participate in discussions in the event that the Seller, its
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Affiliates or its Representatives did not solicit, encourage or initiate such
discussions with respect to Acquisition Transactions. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, nothing contained in this Section 5.03 shall prohibit the Seller or
its Board of Directors from taking and disclosing to the Seller's stockholders a
position with respect to a tender offer by a third party pursuant to Rules 14d-9
and 14e-2(a) promulgated under the Exchange Act or from making such disclosure
to the Seller's stockholders which, in the judgment of the Board of Directors as
determined in good faith and as advised in writing by outside counsel, may be
required under applicable law. The Seller will immediately communicate to the
Buyer the terms of any proposal, discussion, negotiation or inquiry relating to
an Acquisition Transaction and the identity of the party making such proposal or
inquiry which it may receive in respect of any such transaction (which shall
mean that any such communication shall be delivered no less promptly than by
telephone within 24 hours of the Seller's receipt of any such proposal or
inquiry) or its receipt of any request for information from the Federal Reserve
Board, the DOJ, or any other governmental agency or authority with respect to a
proposed Acquisition Transaction.
5.04 REGULATORY MATTERS; CONSENTS.
(a) The Buyer and the Seller shall promptly prepare and file with
the SEC a joint proxy statement in definitive form relating to the
meetings of the Buyer's and the Seller's stockholders to be held in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby
(the "JOINT PROXY STATEMENT") and the Buyer shall promptly prepare and
file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 (the "S-4") in
which the Joint Proxy Statement will be included as a prospectus and/or
such other form as may be necessary or appropriate relating to the
registration of the shares of Buyer Common Stock to be issued in the
Merger. Each of the Buyer and the Seller shall use all reasonable efforts
to have the S-4 and any other applicable registration statement declared
effective under the Securities Act as promptly as practicable after such
filing, and the Buyer and the Seller shall thereafter mail the Joint
Proxy Statement to their respective stockholders. The Buyer shall also
use all reasonable 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 the Seller shall furnish
all information concerning the Seller and the holders of the Seller
Common Stock as may be reasonably requested in connection with any such
action.
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(b) The Seller and the Buyer shall have the right to review in
advance, and to the extent practicable each will consult the other on, in
each case subject to applicable laws relating to the exchange of
information, all the information relating to the Seller or the Buyer, as
the case may be, and any of their respective subsidiaries, which appear
in the Joint Proxy Statement, any filing made with, or written materials
submitted to, any third party or any government regulatory body,
department, agency or authority in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. In exercising the foregoing right, each
of the parties hereto shall act reasonably and as promptly as
practicable. The parties hereto agree that they will consult with each
other with respect to the obtaining of all permits, consents, approvals
and authorizations of all third parties and government regulatory bodies,
departments, agencies or authorities necessary or advisable to consummate
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and each party will keep
the other apprised of the status of matters relating to completion of the
transactions contemplated herein and therein.
(c) The Buyer and the Seller shall, upon request, furnish each
other with all information concerning themselves, their subsidiaries,
directors, officers and stockholders and such other matters as may be
reasonably necessary or advisable in connection with the Joint Proxy
Statement or any other statement, filing, notice or application made by
or on behalf of the Buyer, the Seller or any of their respective
subsidiaries to any governmental regulatory body, department, agency or
authority in connection with the Merger and the other transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
(d) Each of the Seller and the Buyer will cooperate with the other
and use all reasonable efforts to prepare all necessary documentation, to
obtain all necessary permits, consents, approvals and authorizations of
all third parties and governmental bodies necessary to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(e) The Seller and the Buyer shall promptly advise each other upon
receiving any communication from any government regulatory body,
department, agency or authority whose consent or approval is required for
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement which
causes such party to believe that there is a reasonable likelihood that
such requisite approval
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will not be obtained or that the receipt of such approval will be
materially delayed.
(f) The Buyer shall prepare and file as soon as practicable and
the Seller shall cooperate in the preparation and, where appropriate,
filing of, applications requesting the Consents (as contemplated by
Section 6.01(b) herein), from all required governmental or regulatory
authorities or agencies. The Buyer shall provide the Seller and its
counsel with copies of such applications for comment prior to the filing
thereof. The parties shall immediately upon receipt deliver to each other
copies of all filings, correspondence and orders to and from such
governmental or regulatory authorities or agencies transmitted or
received in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.
5.05 APPROVAL OF STOCKHOLDERS. Each party hereto will (a) as promptly
as practicable, take all steps necessary to duly call, give notice of, convene
and hold a meeting of its stockholders for the purpose of approving this
Agreement and the Merger, and for such other purposes as may be necessary or
desirable, (b) recommend to its stockholders the approval of the aforementioned
matters to be submitted by it to its stockholders, except as required by the
fiduciary duties of the such party's Board of Directors (as determined in good
faith and in consultation with such party's outside counsel), and (c) cooperate
and consult with the other with respect to each of the foregoing matters.
5.06 AGREEMENTS OF AFFILIATES; PUBLICATION OF COMBINED FINANCIAL
RESULTS.
(a) The Seller shall identify in a letter to the Buyer, after
consultation with counsel, all persons who, at the time of the meeting of
its stockholders referred to in Section 5.05 hereof, it believes may be
deemed to be "affiliates" of the Seller, as that term is defined for
purposes of paragraphs (c) and (d) of Rule 145 under the Securities Act
(the "SELLER AFFILIATES"). The Seller shall use all reasonable efforts to
cause each person who is identified as a Seller Affiliate in the letter
referred to above to deliver to the Buyer at least forty (40) days prior
to the Effective Time an executed copy of the Seller Affiliates
Agreement. Prior to the Effective Time, the Seller shall amend and
supplement such letter and use all reasonable efforts to cause each
additional person who is identified as a Seller Affiliate to execute a
copy of the Seller Affiliates Agreement. Within thirty (30) days after
the
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end of the first fiscal quarter of the Buyer ending at least thirty (30)
days after the Effective Time, the Buyer will publish results including
at least thirty (30) days of combined operations of the Buyer and the
Seller as referred to in the Seller Affiliates Letter as contemplated by
and in accordance with SEC Accounting Release No. 135.
(b) The Buyer shall identify in a letter to the Seller, after
consultation with counsel, all Persons who, at the time of the meeting of
the stockholders referred to in Section 5.05 hereof, it believes may be
deemed to be "affiliates" of the Buyer, as that term is defined for
purposes of SEC accounting Rules 130 and 135 (the "BUYER AFFILIATES").
The Buyer shall use all reasonable efforts to cause each Person who is
identified as a Buyer Affiliate in the letter referred to above to
deliver to the Seller at least forty (40) days prior to the Effective
Time an executed copy of the Buyer Affiliates Agreement. Prior to the
Effective Time, the Buyer shall amend and supplement such letter and use
all reasonable efforts to cause each additional person who is identified
as a Buyer Affiliate to execute a copy of the Buyer Affiliates Agreement.
5.07 FURTHER ASSURANCES. Subject to the terms and conditions herein
provided, each of the parties hereto agrees to use all reasonable efforts to, as
promptly as practicable, take, or cause to be taken, all actions and to do, or
cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable
laws and regulations to consummate and make effective the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement or to vest the Surviving Corp. with full title to
all properties, assets, rights, approvals, immunities and franchises of the
Seller. In case at any time after the Effective Time any further action is
necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this Agreement or to vest
the Surviving Corp. with full title to all properties, assets, rights,
approvals, immunities and franchises of the Seller, the proper officers and
directors of each party to this Agreement shall take all such necessary action.
5.08 PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS. From the date of this Agreement to the
Closing Date, neither of the parties hereto shall make or send a Public
Announcement unless the other party shall have first been afforded reasonable
opportunity to review and comment on the text of such Public Announcement prior
to the delivery of the same; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that nothing in this Section
shall prohibit any party hereto from making any Public Announcement which its
legal counsel deems necessary under law, if it makes a good faith effort to
obtain the other party's comment on the text of the Public Announcement before
making it public.
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5.09 TAX-FREE REORGANIZATION TREATMENT; ACCOUNTING TREATMENT.
(a) Neither the Buyer nor the Seller shall intentionally take or
cause to be taken any action, whether before or after the Effective Time,
which would disqualify the Merger as a "reorganization" within the
meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that nothing
herein shall limit the ability of the Buyer to exercise its rights under
the Seller Option Agreement.
(b) Neither the Buyer nor the Seller shall intentionally take or
cause to be taken any action, whether before or after the Effective Time,
which would prevent the Merger from qualifying for pooling of interests
accounting treatment.
5.10 POST-CLOSING GOVERNANCE. At the first meeting of the Board of
Directors of the Buyer after the Effective Time, the Board of Directors of the
Buyer shall be expanded by five (5) members and Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx and four
additional individuals selected by the Seller and approved by the Buyer in its
reasonable judgment prior to the Effective Time shall be appointed as directors
of the Buyer. To the extent practicable, such five individuals shall be
appointed as equally as possible among the three classes of the Buyer's
directors and Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx shall be appointed to the class of directors
whose term comes up for reelection in the year 2001. One of the individuals
selected by the Seller and approved by the Buyer to be appointed as a director
of the Buyer shall also be appointed to the Executive Committee of the Buyer's
Board of Directors and a second individual shall be appointed to the Audit
Committee of the Buyer. At the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the
Buyer Bank, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx shall become a director of the Buyer Bank.
After the Effective Time, Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx shall serve as Chief Executive
Officer of the Buyer and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Buyer Bank
and Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx shall serve as Vice Chairman and Chief Operating
Officer of the Buyer and President and Chief Operating Officer of the Buyer
Bank. After the Effective Time, Xxxx X. Xxxxxx shall serve as an Executive Vice
President of the Buyer and Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx shall serve as Senior Vice
President & Associate General Counsel of the Buyer Bank. The Buyer or the Buyer
Bank, as applicable, shall offer to execute and deliver an executive employment
agreement with each such officer on the Closing Date. At the Effective Time,
subject to Section 5.18 hereof, the Board of Directors of the subsidiaries of
the Seller which are depository institutions shall consist of those directors of
such subsidiaries which the Buyer has selected to serve as directors of such
subsidiaries and such additional persons as shall be designated by the Buyer
prior to the Effective Time. At the Effective
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Time, subject to this Section 5.10, the officers of the Surviving Corp. shall
consist of those persons who were officers of the Buyer immediately prior to the
Effective Time each to hold office in accordance with the Articles of
Organization and By-Laws of the Surviving Corp. The parties agree that the Buyer
Bank shall use its best efforts to create a regional community banking
organization within the Buyer Bank. Such regional organization, which shall be
implemented as soon after the Effective Time as is reasonably practicable, shall
include the establishment of geographic regions headed by regional presidents
who will have line responsibility for both small business and consumer business
lines within their assigned geographic region and who shall report to Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxxxx as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Buyer Bank.
5.11 STOCK EXCHANGE LISTING. Buyer shall use all reasonable efforts to
cause the shares of Buyer Common Stock to be issued in connection with the
Merger to be approved for listing on the NASDAQ, subject to official notice of
issuance, as of or prior to the Effective Time.
5.12 EMPLOYMENT AND BENEFIT MATTERS.
(a) From and after the Effective Time and through the last day of
the calendar quarter in which the Effective Time occurs, and subject to
applicable law, the Buyer shall continue the plans of Seller and its
subsidiaries as set forth in Section 4.11 of the Seller Disclosure
Schedule and in effect at the Effective Time. From and after such date,
the Buyer agrees to provide the employees of the Seller and its
subsidiaries (the "SELLER EMPLOYEES") who remain employed after the
Effective Time (collectively, the "TRANSFERRED SELLER EMPLOYEES") with
the types and levels of employee benefits maintained by the Buyer for
similarly situated employees of the Buyer and its Affiliates. The Buyer
will treat, and cause its applicable benefit plans to treat, the service
of Seller Employees with Seller or any subsidiary of Seller as service
rendered to Buyer or any Affiliate of Buyer for purposes of eligibility
to participate, vesting and for other appropriate benefits including, but
not limited to, applicability of minimum waiting periods for
participation, but not for benefit accrual (including minimum pension
amount) attributable to any period before the Effective Time. Without
limiting the foregoing, Buyer and its Affiliates shall not treat any
employee of the Seller or any of its subsidiaries as a "new" employee for
purposes of any exclusions under any health or similar plan of Buyer or
any of its Affiliates for a pre-existing medical condition, and will make
appropriate arrangements with its insurance carrier(s) to ensure such
result.
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(b) COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS. Following the Effective Time, the
Buyer shall honor and shall cause its subsidiaries to honor in accordance
with their terms all individual employment, termination, severance,
change in control, post-employment and other compensation agreements and
plans existing prior to the execution of this Agreement, which are
between the Seller or any subsidiary of the Seller and any director,
officer or employee thereof and which have been disclosed in the Seller
Disclosure Schedule, and the Buyer will not, and will not cause any of
its subsidiaries to, challenge the validity of any obligation of the
Seller or any subsidiary of the Seller under, any employment, consulting,
supplemental retirement or other compensation, contract or arrangement
with any current or former director, officer or employee of the Seller,
provided such contract or arrangement was set forth in the Seller
Disclosure Schedule.
(c) CONTINUATION OF PLANS. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained herein, the Buyer shall have sole discretion with
respect to the determination as to whether to terminate, merge or
continue any employee benefit plans and programs of the Seller; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that the Buyer shall continue to maintain the Seller plans
(other than stock based or incentive plans) until the Seller Employees
are permitted to participate in the Buyer's plans. Nothing in this
Agreement shall alter or limit the Buyer's obligations, if any, under
ERISA, as amended by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
of 1985 and/or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of
1996 with respect to the rights of Seller Employees and their qualified
beneficiaries in connection with the group health plan maintained by the
Seller as of the Effective Time.
(d) SEVERANCE OBLIGATIONS. For a period of one (1) year after the
Closing Date, the Buyer will provide all Seller Employees who are not
otherwise covered by a specific termination, severance or change in
control agreement with a severance plan with provisions which are at
least as favorable in the aggregate to any Seller Employee whose
employment is terminated after the Effective Time as the severance plan
or policy currently maintained by the Seller or any Seller subsidiary for
such employee as disclosed in Section 4.11(a) of the Seller Disclosure
Schedule (it being understood by the parties hereto that the continuation
of employer-paid medical/dental benefits contained in Seller's current
severance policy as set forth in paragraph 5 of Section 4.11(a) of the
Seller Disclosure Schedule, also applies to individuals covered by those
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specific special termination, severance or change in control agreements
set forth in Section 5.12(b) of the Seller Disclosure Schedule unless
such specific agreements expressly provide otherwise) . Any Seller
Employee whose position is terminated on or prior to the Effective Time
shall be entitled to severance benefits in accordance with the severance
plan or policy currently maintained by the Seller or any subsidiary for
such employee.
(e) The provisions of this Section 5.12 respecting the Buyer's
agreement (i) to grant service credits as provided in Section 5.12(a) and
(ii) to honor the contracts, arrangements, commitments and understandings
referred to in Section 5.12(b) are intended to be for the benefit of and
enforceable by the persons referred to therein or the parties to these
agreements, respectively, and their heirs and representatives.
5.13 ACCOUNTANTS' LETTERS. Each of the Seller and the Buyer shall use
all reasonable efforts to cause to be delivered to the other letters from its
respective independent public accountants dated the date of the Closing,
relating to the financial condition of the Seller or the Buyer, as the case may
be, and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and addressed to the
other party, in form and substance which is reasonably satisfactory to the party
receiving such letter and customary in transactions of the nature contemplated
hereby.
5.14. MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS. Through the Effective Time, the Seller
will maintain the Records in the same manner and with the same care that the
Records have been maintained prior to the execution of this Agreement. The Buyer
may, at its own expense, make such copies of and excerpts from the Records as it
may deem desirable. All Records, whether held by the Buyer or the Seller, shall
be maintained for such periods as are required by law, unless the parties shall,
applicable law permitting, agree in writing to a different period.
5.15 LEASES. The Seller shall consult with the Buyer before renewing or
extending any material lease of the Seller or any subsidiary of the Seller of
real property or material lease relating to furniture, fixtures or equipment
that is currently in effect but that would otherwise expire on or prior to the
Effective Time. The Seller or such subsidiary of the Seller shall not cancel,
terminate or take other action that is likely to result in any cancellation or
termination of any such lease without prior written notice to the Buyer.
5.16 ADVICE OF CHANGES. The Seller and Buyer shall, subject to any
restrictions under applicable law or regulations, promptly advise the other
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of any change or event having a Material Adverse Effect on it or which it
believes would or would be reasonably likely to cause or constitute a material
breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants contained herein.
From time to time prior to the Effective Time, each party will promptly
supplement or amend the Disclosure Schedules delivered in connection with the
execution of this Agreement to reflect any matter which, if existing, occurring
or known at the date of this Agreement, would have been required to be set forth
or described in such Disclosure Schedules or which is necessary to correct any
information in such Disclosure Schedules which has been rendered inaccurate
thereby. No supplement or amendment to such Disclosure Schedules shall have any
effect for the purpose of determining satisfaction of the conditions set forth
in Sections 6.02(a) or 6.03(a) hereof, as the case may be, or the compliance by
the Seller, with the covenants set forth in Sections 5.01.
5.17 CONVERSION OF SELLER STOCK OPTIONS. At the Effective Time, all
rights with respect to Seller Common Stock pursuant to stock options granted by
the Seller under any currently existing Seller Stock Option Plans shall be
converted into corresponding rights to purchase shares of Buyer Common Stock in
accordance with the applicable provisions of Article II hereof.
5.18 MIDDLESEX BANK & TRUST COMPANY. From and after the date hereof until
the date which is thirty (30) days prior to the Effective Time, the Seller shall
have the right, but not the obligation, to sell all, but not less than all, of
the shares of Middlesex Bank & Trust Company held by the Seller on the date
hereof, or acquired thereafter, at a purchase price in an amount no less than
$8,000,000 in the aggregate; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Seller shall not sell
such shares if the sale would prevent the Merger from qualifying for pooling of
interests accounting treatment.
5.19 DIVIDENDS. After the date of this Agreement, each of the Seller and
the Buyer shall coordinate with the other the declaration of any dividends in
respect of the Seller Common Stock and the Buyer Common Stock and the record
dates and payment dates relating thereto, it being the intention of the parties
hereto that holders of Seller Common Stock or Buyer Common Stock shall not
receive two dividends, or fail to receive one dividend, for any single calendar
quarter with respect to their shares of Seller Common Stock and/or Buyer Common
Stock and any share of Buyer Common Stock any such holder received in exchange
therefor in the Merger.
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5.20 DIRECTORS' AND OFFICERS' INDEMNIFICATION AND INSURANCE.
(a) After the Effective Time, the Buyer shall honor the
indemnification provisions for officers and directors currently set forth
in the Articles of Organization (or charter or other organizational
documents) and By-Laws of the Seller and its subsidiaries with respect to
acts and omissions taken prior to the Effective Time by such officers and
directors, but only to the extent permitted by federal and Massachusetts
law and regulations.
(b) The Buyer shall maintain the Seller's (including its
subsidiaries') existing directors' and officers' liability insurance (the
"D&O INSURANCE") covering persons who are currently covered by the
Seller's D&O Insurance for a period of six (6) years after the Effective
Time on terms no less favorable than those in effect on the date hereof
and shall at the Effective Time provide evidence of such extension of
coverage to the Seller; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Buyer may substitute
therefor policies providing at least comparable coverage and containing
terms and conditions no less favorable than those in effect on the date
hereof.
5.21 REGISTRATION OF SHARES. As soon as practicable after the Effective
Time, but in any event no later than thirty (30) days after the Effective Time,
the Buyer shall file a registration statement on Form S-3 or Form S-8, as the
case may be (or any successor or other appropriate form), with respect to the
shares of Buyer Common Stock subject to the stock options of the Seller to be
assumed by the Buyer pursuant to Section 2.10 hereof and the Buyer shall use all
reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement
(and maintain the current status of the prospectus or prospectuses contained
therein) for so long as such options remain outstanding.
5.22 NEWCO. In the event that the Buyer changes the structure of the
Merger pursuant to Section 2.11(b) hereof, the Buyer will, prior to the
Effective Time, cause Newco to be organized under the laws of The Commonwealth
of Massachusetts. The authorized capital stock of Newco will consist of one
hundred (100) shares of common stock, $1.00 par value per share, all of which
shares shall be directly owned by the Buyer. The Buyer, as the sole stockholder
of Newco, will vote all outstanding shares of capital stock of Newco in favor of
the Merger and will not vote to modify or rescind, or otherwise permit the
modification or recision of, such vote prior to a termination of this Agreement
in accordance with Section 8.01 hereof. In such case, the Buyer shall cause
Newco to execute and deliver one or more counterparts or other appropriate
joinder to this Agreement,
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whereupon Newco shall become a party to and be bound by this Agreement. On and
as of such date that Newco so becomes a party to this Agreement, Buyer shall be
deemed to have provided, with respect to Newco, the representations and
warranties set forth in Section 3.02 hereof with respect to Merger Subsidiary
for all purposes of this Agreement.
5.23 COVENANTS OF BUYER.
(a) From the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the
Effective Time or the date of termination of this Agreement under Section
8.01 hereof, the Buyer covenants and agrees that it shall take no action
which would (i) materially adversely affect the ability of any party to
obtain any Consents required for consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby without the imposition of a condition or restriction
of the type referred to in Section 6.02(g) of this Agreement or (ii)
materially adversely affect the ability of any party to perform its
covenants and agreements under this Agreement.
(b) From the date hereof until the earlier of the Effective Time
or the date of termination of this Agreement under Section 8.01 hereof,
Buyer shall advise Seller of any proposed material transaction involving
Buyer's acquisition of, or by, or merger with, another banking or
financial services organization. Such advice shall be communicated to
Seller's chief executive officer, and Seller shall be required to keep
all such information confidential, unless and until it otherwise becomes
generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure
by Seller in breach of its obligation hereunder.
5.24 BANK MERGERS. At the request of the Buyer, subject to
Sections 2.12 and 5.18 hereof, the Seller shall take and shall cause its bank
subsidiaries to take all necessary actions to effectuate mergers of each of the
subsidiary banks with the Buyer Bank in accordance with the requirements of all
applicable laws and regulations.
5.25 SELLER ESOPS. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that they
shall use all reasonable efforts to ensure, subject to the requirements of
Section 5.09(b) and all applicable laws, including without limitation the
requirements of ERISA, that any net benefits that may be payable or otherwise
distributed to employees after the Effective Time from or by either of the
Employee Stock Ownership Plans maintained as of the date hereof by Lexington
Savings Bank and The Federal Savings Bank ("SELLER ESOPS"), upon termination of
the Seller ESOPs as permitted by Section 5.12(b) hereof, whether realized in the
form of shares
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of Buyer Common Stock or any other form of compensation, shall be paid or
otherwise distributed only to persons who are employees of either such
subsidiary of Seller on January 1, 1998 and on the Closing Date.
ARTICLE VI
CLOSING CONDITIONS
6.01 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 Effective Time of the following conditions,
none of which may be waived:
(a) STOCKHOLDER'S APPROVAL. This Agreement and the transactions
contemplated hereby shall have been approved by the affirmative vote of
the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Seller
Common Stock and Buyer Common Stock present and voting at meetings of
such stockholders, in each case in accordance with applicable law.
(b) GOVERNMENTAL CONSENTS. All authorizations, consents, orders or
approvals of, or declarations or filings with, and all expirations of
waiting periods imposed by, any governmental or regulatory authority or
agency (all of the foregoing being referred to as "CONSENTS") which are
necessary for the consummation of the Merger shall have been filed,
occurred or been obtained (all such authorizations, orders, declarations,
approvals, filings and consents and the lapse of all such waiting periods
being referred to as the "REQUISITE REGULATORY APPROVALS") and all such
Requisite Regulatory Approvals shall be in full force and effect.
(c) S-4. The S-4 shall have become effective under the Securities
Act and shall not be subject to a stop order or a threatened stop order.
(d) NO INJUNCTIONS OR RESTRAINTS. No temporary restraining order,
preliminary or permanent injunction or other order issued by any court of
competent jurisdiction or other legal restraint or prohibition (an
"INJUNCTION") preventing the consummation of the Merger shall be in
effect.
(e) ACCOUNTING TREATMENT. Each of the parties shall have received
a letter from Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP, each dated the date of the Closing,
substantially to the effect that, on the basis of a review of the
Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, in such
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accountants' opinion, Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 16 provides
that the Merger may be accounted for as a pooling of interests.
6.02 CONDITIONS TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE BUYER UNDER THIS AGREEMENT.
The obligations of the Buyer under this Agreement shall be further subject to
the satisfaction or waiver by the Buyer, at or prior to the Effective Time, of
the following conditions:
(a) ABSENCE OF MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGES. There shall not have
occurred any change in the business, assets, financial condition or
results of operations of the Seller or any of its subsidiaries which has
had, or is reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect on the Seller taken as a whole.
(b) REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; PERFORMANCE OF OBLIGATIONS.
The obligations of the Seller required to be performed by it at or prior
to the Closing pursuant to the terms of this Agreement shall have been
duly performed and complied with in all material respects and the
representations and warranties of the Seller contained in this Agreement
shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date of this
Agreement and as of the Effective Time as though made at and as of the
Effective Time (except as otherwise specifically contemplated by this
Agreement and except as to any representation or warranty which
specifically relates to an earlier date). The Buyer shall have received a
certificate to the foregoing effect signed by the chairman or president
and the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the
Seller.
(c) THIRD-PARTY APPROVALS. Any and all permits, consents, waivers,
clearances, approvals and authorizations of all non-governmental and
non-regulatory third parties which are necessary in connection with the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and are
required to be received or obtained by the Seller, shall have been
obtained by the Seller, other than permits, consents, waivers,
clearances, approvals and authorizations the failure of which to obtain
would neither make it impossible to consummate the Merger nor result in
any Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Buyer (on a consolidated
basis with the Seller).
(d) BURDENSOME CONDITION. There shall not be any action taken by
any federal or state governmental agency or authority
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which, in connection with the granting of any Consent or Requisite
Regulatory Approval necessary to consummate the Merger, imposes any
condition or restriction upon the Buyer, any subsidiary of the Buyer or
the Seller after the Merger (including, without limitation, requirements
relating to the disposition of assets or limitations on interest rates),
which would so materially adversely impact the economic or business
benefits of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as to render
inadvisable in the reasonable judgment of the Buyer the consummation of
the Merger.
(e) TAX OPINION. The Buyer shall have received an opinion, dated
the date of the Closing from its counsel, Xxxxxxx Xxxx LLP or other
counsel acceptable to the Buyer and the Seller, substantially to the
effect that, on the basis of facts and representations set forth therein,
or set forth in writing elsewhere and referred to therein, for federal
income tax purposes the Merger constitutes a reorganization as described
in Section 368(a) of the Code and addressing such other substantial
federal income tax effects of the Merger as the Buyer may reasonably
require and which are customary in transactions of a like character. In
rendering any such opinion, such counsel may rely, to the extent they
deem necessary or appropriate, upon opinions of other counsel and upon
representations of an officer or officers of the Seller and the Buyer or
any of their affiliates.
(f) SELLER AFFILIATES AGREEMENTS. The Seller shall have delivered
to the Buyer the letter pertaining to the Seller Affiliates, as
contemplated under Section 5.06 above, and each of the executed Seller
Affiliates Agreements that have been received by the Seller as of the
Effective Time.
6.03 CONDITIONS TO THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE SELLER UNDER THIS AGREEMENT.
The obligations of the Seller under this Agreement shall be further subject to
the satisfaction or waiver by the Seller, at or prior to the Effective Time, of
the following conditions:
(a) ABSENCE OF MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGES. There shall not have
occurred any change in the business, assets, financial condition or
results of operations of the Buyer or any of its subsidiaries which has
had, or is reasonably likely to have, individually or in the aggregate, a
Material Adverse Effect on the Buyer taken as a whole.
(b) REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES; PERFORMANCE OF OBLIGATIONS.
The obligations of the Buyer required to be performed
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by it at or prior to the Closing pursuant to the terms of this Agreement
shall have been duly performed and complied with in all material respects
and the representations and warranties of the Buyer contained in this
Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the
date of this Agreement and as of the Effective Time as though made at and
as of the Effective Time (except as otherwise specifically contemplated
by this Agreement and except as to any representation or warranty which
specifically relates to an earlier date) and the Seller shall have
received a certificate to that effect signed by the chairman or president
and the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Buyer.
(c) THIRD-PARTY APPROVALS. Any and all permits, consents, waivers,
clearances, approvals and authorizations of all non-governmental and
non-regulatory third parties which are necessary in connection with the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and are
required to be received or obtained by the Buyer, shall have been
obtained by the Buyer, other than permits, consents, waivers, clearances,
approvals and authorizations the failure of which to obtain would neither
make it impossible to consummate the Merger nor result in a Material
Adverse Effect on the Buyer (on a consolidated basis with the Seller)
after the Merger.
(d) TAX OPINION. The Seller shall have received an opinion, dated
the dates of the Joint Proxy Statement and the Closing from Xxxxxxxx &
Worcester LLP or other tax advisor acceptable to the Buyer and the
Seller, substantially to the effect that, on the basis of facts and
representations set forth therein, or set forth in writing elsewhere and
referred to therein, for federal income tax purposes the Merger
constitutes a reorganization as described in Section 368(a) of the Code
and that no gain or loss will be recognized by the stockholders of the
Seller upon the receipt, pursuant to this Agreement, of Buyer Common
Stock solely in exchange for Seller Common Stock (it being understood
that such opinion will not extend to cash received in lieu of fractional
share interests or cash received by dissenters, if any) and in respect of
such other substantial federal income tax effects of the Merger as the
Seller may reasonably require and which are customary in transactions of
a like character. In rendering any such opinion, such advisor may rely,
to the extent they deem necessary or appropriate, upon opinions of other
advisors and upon representations of an officer or officers of the Seller
and the Buyer or any of their affiliates.
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(e) BUYER AFFILIATES AGREEMENTS. The Buyer shall have delivered to
the Seller the letter pertaining to the Buyer Affiliates as contemplated
under Section 5.06 above, and each of the executed Buyer Affiliates
Agreements that have been received by the Buyer as of the Effective Time.
(f) NASDAQ LISTING. The shares of Buyer Common Stock issuable to
Seller's stockholders pursuant to this Agreement shall have been
authorized for listing on NASDAQ upon official notice of issuance.
(g) EXCHANGE AGENT CERTIFICATION. The Exchange Agent shall have
delivered to the Seller a certificate, dated as of the Effective Time, to
the effect that the Exchange Agent has received from the Buyer
appropriate instructions and authorization for the Exchange Agent to
issue a sufficient number of shares of Buyer Common Stock in exchange for
all outstanding shares of Seller Common Stock and has deposited with the
Exchange Agent sufficient funds to pay a reasonable estimate of the cash
payments necessary to pay for fractional share interest.
ARTICLE VII
CLOSING
7.01 TIME AND PLACE. Subject to the provisions of Articles VI and VIII
hereof, the Closing of the transactions contemplated hereby shall take place at
the Boston, Massachusetts offices of Xxxxxxx Xxxx LLP at 10:00 A.M., local time,
on the first business day after the date on which all of the conditions
contained in Article VI are satisfied or waived; or at such other place, at such
other time, or on such other date as the Seller and the Buyer may mutually agree
upon for the Closing to take place.
7.02 DELIVERIES AT THE CLOSING. Subject to the provisions of
Articles VI and VIII hereof, at the Closing there shall be delivered to the
Seller and the Buyer, the opinions, certificates, and other documents and
instruments required to be delivered under Article VI hereof.
ARTICLE VIII
TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
8.01 TERMINATION. This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to
the Effective Time, whether before or after approval of this
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Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby by the parties respective
stockholders:
(a) by mutual written consent of the Seller and the Buyer
authorized by their respective Boards of Directors;
(b) by the Seller or the Buyer if the Effective Time shall not
have occurred on or prior to August 31, 1998 (the "TERMINATION DATE") or
such later date as shall have been agreed to in writing by the Buyer and
the Seller;
(c) by the Buyer or the Seller if any governmental or regulatory
authority or agency, or court of competent jurisdiction, shall have
issued a final permanent order or Injunction enjoining, denying approval
of, or otherwise prohibiting the consummation of the Merger and the time
for appeal or petition for reconsideration of such order or Injunction
shall have expired without such appeal or petition being granted;
(d) by the Buyer or the Seller (provided that the terminating
party is not then in material breach of any representation, warranty or
covenant or other agreement contained herein or in the Seller Option
Agreement) if the approval of either party's stockholders specified in
Section 5.05 shall not have been obtained by reason of the failure to
obtain the required vote at a duly held meeting of such party's
stockholders or at any adjournment thereof;
(e) by the Seller, by action of its Board of Directors, whether
before or after approval of the Merger by the stockholders of the Seller,
by giving written notice of such election to the Buyer in the event that
both of the following conditions are satisfied:
(i) the average per share last sale prices of Buyer Common
Stock as reported on NASDAQ over the ten (10) consecutive trading
day period immediately preceding the date of the last Requisite
Regulatory Approval to be received, in this case without regard to
any waiting period attached to the effectiveness thereof (such
period being hereinafter referred to as the "DETERMINATION
PERIOD", and the price so obtained being referred to as, the
"CLOSING PRICE") is less than $24.06 and
(ii) the number obtained by dividing the Closing Price by
28.31 is less than the number obtained by
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subtracting (A) 0.15 from (B) the quotient obtained by dividing
the Final Index Price (as defined below) by the Initial Index
Price (as defined below).
For the purposes hereof the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
"FINAL INDEX PRICE" shall mean the Weighted Average of the average
of the closing prices of the Index Companies as reported on the NYSE,
NASDAQ or AMEX for the Determination Period.
"INDEX COMPANIES" shall mean the companies listed on
SCHEDULE 8.01(e) hereto.
"INITIAL INDEX PRICE" shall mean the Weighted Average of the
closing prices of the Index Companies as reported on the NYSE, NASDAQ or
AMEX on the trading day immediately preceding execution of this
Agreement.
"WEIGHTED AVERAGE" shall mean the average determined by giving the
average of the closing prices for each of the Index Companies the
corresponding weight listed on SCHEDULE 8.01(e) hereto.
If the Buyer or any company listed on SCHEDULE 8.01(e) declares a stock
dividend or effects a reclassification, recapitalization, split-up,
combination, or subdivision of its common stock between the trading day
immediately preceding execution of this Agreement and the date of the
last Requisite Regulatory Approval to be received (without regard to any
waiting period attached to the effectiveness thereof), the closing prices
for such common stock shall be appropriately adjusted for the purposes of
the definitions above so as to be comparable to the price on the date
immediately preceding execution of this Agreement. There shall be
excluded from the list of companies on SCHEDULE 8.01(e) any company as to
which there is pending at any time during the Determination Period any
publicly announced proposal for such company to be acquired by another
company in exchange for its stock. Upon such exclusion, the weight of
each remaining company in Schedule 8.01(e) will be adjusted accordingly
so that sum of all the weights of the remaining companies equals 100%.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, during the ten (10) business day period
commencing with the Buyer's receipt of the Seller's notice of termination
pursuant to this Section 8.01(e), the Buyer shall have the
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option to increase the consideration to be received by the holders of Seller
Common Stock pursuant to Article II hereof by adjusting the Conversion Number to
equal a number (calculated to the nearest one-thousandth) obtained by dividing
(x) $33.92 by (y) the Closing Price. If the Buyer so elects within such ten-day
period, it shall give prompt written notice to the Seller of such election and
the revised Conversion Number, whereupon no termination shall have occurred
pursuant to this Section 8.01(e) and the Agreement shall remain in effect in
accordance with its terms (except as the Conversion Number shall have been so
modified);
(f) by the Board of Directors of the Buyer or the Board of
Directors of the Seller (provided that the terminating party is not then
in material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or other
agreement contained herein or in the Seller Option Agreement), in the
event of a material breach by the other party of any representation,
warranty, covenant or other agreement contained herein or in the Seller
Option Agreement which breach is not cured after thirty (30) days written
notice thereof is given to the party committing such breach; or
(g) By the Board of Directors of either party (provided that the
terminating party is not then in breach of any representation or
warranty, covenant or other agreement contained in this Agreement or in
the Seller Option Agreement) in the event that any of the conditions
precedent to the obligations of such party to consummate the Merger
cannot be satisfied or fulfilled by the date specified in Section 8.01(b)
of this Agreement.
8.02 EFFECT OF TERMINATION. In the event of termination of this
Agreement by either the Seller or the Buyer as provided above, this Agreement
shall forthwith become null and void (other than Sections 5.02(b) and 9.01
hereof, which shall remain in full force and effect) and there shall be no
further liability on the part of the Seller or the Buyer or their respective
officers or directors to the other, except (i) any liability of the Seller and
the Buyer under said Sections 5.02(b) and 9.01, (ii) that the Seller Option
Agreement shall be governed by its own terms as to termination, (iii) the
Confidentiality Agreement shall survive, and (iv) in the event of a willful
breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained in this
Agreement, in which case, 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 the enforcement of its rights hereunder.
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8.03 AMENDMENT, EXTENSION AND WAIVER. Subject to applicable law and as
may be authorized by their respective Boards of Directors, at any time prior to
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or
termination of this Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Section 8.01
hereof, whether before or after approval thereof by the stockholders of either
party, the Buyer and the Seller 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 in Articles V and
VI (other than Section 6.01) hereof; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that after any approval
of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement by the Seller's or the
Buyer's stockholders, there may not be, without further approval of such
stockholders, any amendment, extension or waiver of this Agreement which reduces
the amount or changes the form of the consideration to be delivered to the
stockholders of the Seller hereunder other than as expressly provided by 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.
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
9.01 EXPENSES. Except as may otherwise be agreed to hereunder or in other
writing by the parties, all legal and other costs and expenses incurred in
connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be
paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that all
such costs and expenses incurred in connection with the printing and mailing of
the S-4 and the Joint Proxy Statement shall be borne equally by the Buyer and
the Seller.
9.02 SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS. None of the
representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Seller or the Buyer
shall survive after the Effective Time, except for the agreements and covenants
contained or referred to in Article II, Section 5.02(b), the last sentence of
Section 5.07, and Sections 5.09, 5.10, 5,12, 5.20, 5.21 and 5.25 hereof, and the
agreements of the "affiliates" of the
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Seller delivered pursuant to Section 5.06, which agreements and covenants shall
survive the Effective Time.
9.03 NOTICES. All notices or other communications hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be deemed given if delivered personally or mailed by prepaid
registered or certified mail (return receipt requested) or by telecopy, cable,
telegram or telex addressed as follows:
(a) If to the Seller, to:
Affiliated Community Bancorp, Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
President and Chief Executive
Officer
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
with a required copy to:
Xxxxxxxx & Worcester LLP
Xxx Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
(b) If to the Buyer, to:
UST Corp.
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
President and Chief Executive
Officer
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
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with a required copy to:
UST Corp.
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and
Clerk
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
and
Xxxxxxx Xxxx LLP
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
and
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Esq.
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
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 of the date
so mailed.
9.04 PARTIES IN INTEREST. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall
inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and
assigns; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that neither this Agreement nor any of the rights,
interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned by any party hereto without
the prior written consent of the other parties, and that nothing in this
Agreement is intended to confer, expressly or by implication, upon any other
person any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement, except as
reflected in Sections 5.10, 5.12(e), 5.20 and 5.21.
9.05 COMPLETE AGREEMENT. This Agreement, including the documents and
other writings referred to herein or delivered pursuant hereto, including the
Confidentiality Agreement, this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents,
contains the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to
its subject matter. Except as set forth in this Agreement, the other Transaction
Documents, or in the Disclosure Schedules, 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
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prior agreements other than the Confidentiality Agreement, and understandings
between the parties, both written and oral, with respect to its subject matter.
9.06 COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of
which shall be considered one and the same agreement and each of which shall be
deemed to be an original and shall become effective when a counterpart has been
signed by each of the parties and delivered to each of the other parties.
9.07 GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without giving effect to the principles of
conflicts of laws thereof.
9.08 CAPTIONS. The Article and Section headings contained in this
Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the
meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
9.09 EFFECT OF INVESTIGATIONS. No investigation by the parties hereto
made heretofore or hereafter, whether pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise
shall affect the representations and warranties of the parties which are
contained herein and each such representation and warranty shall survive such
investigation.
9.10 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 all reasonable efforts to substitute a valid, legal and
enforceable provision which, insofar as practicable, implements the purposes and
intents of this Agreement.
9.11 SPECIFIC ENFORCEABILITY. The parties recognize and hereby
acknowledge that it is impossible to measure in money the damages that would
result to a party by reason of the failure of either of the parties to perform
any of the obligations imposed on it by this Agreement. Accordingly, if any
party should institute an action or proceeding seeking specific enforcement of
the provisions hereof, each party against which such action or proceeding is
brought hereby waives the claim or defense that the party instituting such
action or proceeding has an adequate remedy at law and hereby agrees not to
assert in any such action or proceeding the claim or defense that such a remedy
at law exists.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Buyer and the Seller have caused this Agreement
to be executed as a sealed instrument by their duly authorized officers as of
the day and year first above written.
UST CORP.
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: President and Chief Executive
Officer
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxx
Title: Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
MOSAIC CORP.
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: President and Chief Executive
Officer
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxx
Title: Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
AFFILIATED COMMUNITY BANCORP, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Title: President and Chief Executive
Officer
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
-----------------------------------------
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
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EXHIBIT B
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT, dated as of December 15, 1997, between
AFFILIATED COMMUNITY BANCORP, INC., a Massachusetts corporation (the "ISSUER")
and UST CORP., a Massachusetts corporation (the "GRANTEE").
WHEREAS, the Grantee and the Issuer have entered into an Affiliation
Agreement and Plan of Reorganization of even date herewith (as may be amended
and in effect from time to time, the "ACQUISITION AGREEMENT"), which agreement
is being executed by the parties thereto prior to the execution of this
Agreement; and
WHEREAS, as a condition to the Grantee's entry into the Acquisition
Agreement and in consideration for such entry, the Issuer has agreed to grant
the Grantee the Option (as hereinafter defined);
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual
covenants and agreements set forth herein and in the Acquisition Agreement, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
1. (a) The Issuer hereby grants to the Grantee an unconditional,
irrevocable option (the "OPTION") to purchase, subject to the terms hereof, up
to 1,300,078 fully paid and nonassessable shares (the "OPTION SHARES") of common
stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Issuer ("COMMON STOCK") at a price of
$32.937 per share (the "OPTION PRICE"). The number of shares of Common Stock
that may be received upon the exercise of the Option and the Option Price are
subject to adjustment as herein set forth provided that in no event shall the
number of shares for which this Option is exercisable exceed 19.9% of the
Issuer's issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock (without giving effect to
any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Option) less the number of
shares previously issued pursuant to exercise of the Option.
(b) In the event that any additional shares of Common Stock are
issued or otherwise become outstanding after the date of this Agreement (other
than pursuant to exercise of the Option pursuant to this Agreement or as
contemplated by Section 5(a) of this Agreement), including, without limitation,
pursuant to stock option or other employee plans or as a result of the exercise
of conversion rights, the number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Option
shall be increased so that, after such issuance, it equals 19.9% of the number
of shares of Common Stock then issued and outstanding without giving effect to
any shares subject or issued pursuant
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to the Option. Nothing contained in this Section 1(b) or elsewhere in this
Agreement shall be deemed to authorize the Issuer or the Grantee to breach any
provision of the Acquisition Agreement.
2. (a) The Holder (as such term is defined in paragraph (c) below)
may exercise the Option, in whole or in part, if, but only if, both an Initial
Triggering Event (as defined in paragraph (e) below) and a Subsequent Triggering
Event (as defined in paragraph (f) below) shall have occurred prior to the
occurrence of an Exercise Termination Event (as defined in paragraph (b) below),
PROVIDED that the Holder shall have sent the written notice of such exercise (as
provided in paragraph (h) of this Section 2) within thirty (30) days following
such Subsequent Triggering Event and prior to the Exercise Termination Event.
(b) The term "EXERCISE TERMINATION EVENT" shall mean the earliest of
(i) the Effective Time, (ii) any termination of the Acquisition Agreement in
accordance with the provisions thereof if such termination occurs prior to the
occurrence of an Initial Triggering Event, and (iii) in the event of any
termination of the Acquisition Agreement in accordance with the provisions
thereof after the occurrence of an Initial Triggering Event, the passage of
twelve (12) months after such termination. Notwithstanding the termination of
the Option, the Grantee shall be entitled to purchase those Option Shares with
respect to which it has exercised the Option in whole or in part prior to the
termination of the Option.
(c) The term "HOLDER" shall mean the holder or holders of the
Option.
(d) The term "SCHEDULE 13G INVESTOR" shall mean any person holding
voting securities of the Issuer eligible to report the beneficial ownership of
such securities on Schedule 13G pursuant to the provisions of Rule 13d-1 under
the Exchange Act.
(e) The term "INITIAL TRIGGERING EVENT" shall mean any of the
following events or transactions occurring after the date hereof:
(i) The Issuer or any subsidiary of the Issuer, without
having received the Grantee's prior written consent, shall have entered
into an agreement to engage in an Acquisition Transaction with any
Person (the term "PERSON" for purposes of this Agreement having the
meaning assigned thereto in Sections 3(a)(9) and 13(d)(3) of the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder), other than the
Grantee or any subsidiary of the Grantee, or, without the consent of the
Grantee, the Board of
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Directors of the Issuer shall have approved an Acquisition Transaction
or recommended that the shareholders of the Issuer approve or accept any
Acquisition Transaction other than as contemplated by the Acquisition
Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "ACQUISITION
TRANSACTION" shall mean (A) a merger or consolidation, or any similar
transaction, with the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary of the
Issuer, or any subsidiary of the Issuer which, after such transaction,
would be a Significant Subsidiary of the Issuer, (B) a purchase, lease
or other acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary of the Issuer or (C) a purchase or
other acquisition (including by way of merger, consolidation, share
exchange or otherwise) of securities representing ten percent (10%) or
more of the voting power of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary of
the Issuer;
(ii) Any Person, other than the Grantee or any subsidiary of
the Grantee or the Issuer in a fiduciary capacity, and other than a
Schedule 13G Investor, shall have acquired beneficial ownership (as
hereinafter defined) or the right to acquire beneficial ownership of ten
percent (10%) or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock if such
Person owned beneficially less than ten percent (10%) of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock on the date of this Agreement, or any Person
shall have acquired beneficial ownership of an additional three percent
(3%) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock if such Person owned
beneficially ten percent (10%) or more of the outstanding shares of
Common Stock on the date of this Agreement (the term "BENEFICIAL
OWNERSHIP" for purposes of this Agreement having the meaning assigned
thereto in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, and in the rules and
regulations thereunder);
(iii) The stockholders of the Issuer shall not have approved
the Acquisition Agreement at the meeting of such stockholders held for
the purpose of voting on the Acquisition Agreement, such meeting shall
not have been held or shall have been canceled prior to the termination
of the Acquisition Agreement, or the Issuer's Board of Directors shall
have withdrawn or modified in a manner adverse to the Grantee the
recommendation of the Issuer's Board of Directors with respect to the
Acquisition Agreement, in each case after: (A) any Person, other than
the Grantee or any subsidiary of the Grantee, shall have made a
bona-fide proposal to the Issuer or its shareholders to engage in an
Acquisition Transaction by public announcement or written communication
that shall be or become the subject of public disclosure; or (B) any
Person other than the
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Grantee or any subsidiary of the Grantee, other than in connection with
a transaction to which the Grantee has given its prior written consent,
shall have filed an application or notice with the Federal Reserve Board
or other federal or state bank regulatory authority, which application
or notice has been accepted for processing, for approval to engage in an
Acquisition Transaction;
(iv) After any Person other than the Grantee or any
subsidiary of the Grantee has made a proposal to the Issuer or its
shareholders to engage in an Acquisition Transaction, the Issuer shall
have breached any covenant or obligation contained in the Acquisition
Agreement and such breach (A) would entitle the Grantee to terminate the
Acquisition Agreement and (B) shall not have been remedied prior to the
Notice Date (as defined in paragraph (h) below); or
(v) Any person (other than Grantee or any subsidiary of
Grantee) shall have commenced (as such term is defined in Rule 14d-2
under the Exchange Act) or shall have filed a registration statement
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"),
with respect to, a tender offer or exchange offer to purchase any shares
of Issuer Common Stock such that, upon consummation of such offer, such
person would own or control 50% or more of the then outstanding shares
of Issuer Common Stock (such an offer being referred to herein as a
"Tender Offer" or an "Exchange Offer," respectively).
(f) The term "SUBSEQUENT TRIGGERING EVENT" shall mean either of the
following events or transactions occurring after the date hereof:
(i) The acquisition by any Person (other than a Schedule 13G
Investor) of beneficial ownership of twenty percent (20%) or more of the
then outstanding Common Stock; or
(ii) The occurrence of the Initial Triggering Event described
in subparagraph (i) of paragraph (e) of this Section 2, except that the
percentage referenced in clause (C) thereof shall be twenty percent
(20%) in lieu of ten percent (10%).
(g) The Issuer shall notify the Grantee promptly in writing of the
occurrence of any Initial Triggering Event or Subsequent Triggering Event
(together, a "TRIGGERING EVENT"), it being understood that the giving of such
notice by the Issuer shall not be a condition to the right of the Holder to
exercise the Option.
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(h) In the event the Holder is entitled to and wishes to exercise
the Option, it shall send to the Issuer a written notice (the date of which
being herein referred to as the "NOTICE DATE") specifying (i) the total number
of shares of Common Stock it will purchase pursuant to such exercise, and (ii) a
place and date not earlier than three (3) business days nor later than
forty-five (45) business days from the Notice Date for the closing of such
purchase (the "CLOSING"); PROVIDED that if prior notification to or approval of
the Federal Reserve Board or any other regulatory agency is required in
connection with such purchase, the Holder shall promptly file the required
notice or application for approval and shall expeditiously process the same and
the period of time that otherwise would run pursuant to this sentence shall run
instead from the date on which any required notification periods have expired or
been terminated or such approvals have been obtained and any requisite waiting
period or periods shall have passed. The term "business day" for purposes of
this Agreement means any day, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and any other day
that is a legal holiday in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts or a day on which
banking institutions in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts are authorized by law
or executive order to close.
(i) At the Closing, the Holder shall pay to the Issuer the aggregate
purchase price for the shares of Common Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise
of the Option in immediately available funds by a wire transfer to a bank
account designated by the Issuer, PROVIDED that failure or refusal of the Issuer
to designate such a bank account shall not preclude the Holder from exercising
the Option.
(j) At such Closing, simultaneously with the delivery of immediately
available funds as provided in paragraph (i) above, the Issuer shall deliver to
the Holder a certificate or certificates representing the number of shares of
Common Stock purchased by the Holder and, if the Option should be exercised in
part only, a new Option evidencing the rights of the Holder thereof to purchase
the balance of the shares purchasable hereunder, and the Holder shall deliver to
the Issuer a copy of this Agreement and a letter agreeing that the Holder will
not offer to sell or otherwise dispose of such shares in violation of applicable
law or the provisions of this Agreement.
(k) Certificates for the Common Stock delivered at a Closing
hereunder may (in the sole discretion of the Issuer) be endorsed with a
restrictive legend that shall read substantially as follows:
"THE TRANSFER OF THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE IS SUBJECT
TO RESTRICTION PURSUANT TO
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THE TERMS OF A STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT DATED AS OF DECEMBER 15, 1997, A
COPY OF WHICH AGREEMENT WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE HOLDER HEREOF WITHOUT
CHARGE UPON RECEIPT BY THE ISSUER OF A WRITTEN REQUEST THEREFOR."
It is understood and agreed that the above legend shall be removed by delivery
of substitute certificate(s) without such legend if the shares have been sold or
transferred in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement and under
circumstances that do not require the retention of such legend. In addition,
such certificates shall bear any other legend as may be required by law.
(l) Upon the giving by the Holder to the Issuer of the written
notice of exercise of the Option provided for under paragraph (h) above, the
tender of the applicable purchase price in immediately available funds and the
tender of a copy of this Agreement to the Issuer, such Holder shall be deemed to
be the holder of record of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon such
exercise, notwithstanding that the stock transfer books of the Issuer shall then
be closed or that certificates representing such shares of Common Stock shall
not then be actually delivered to the Holder. The Issuer shall pay all expenses,
and any and all United States federal, state and local taxes and other charges
that may be payable in connection with the preparation, issue and delivery of
stock certificates under this Section 2 in the name of the Holder or its
assignee, transferee or designee.
3. The Issuer agrees (a) that it shall at all times maintain, free
from preemptive rights, sufficient authorized but unissued or treasury shares of
Common Stock so that the Option may be exercised without requiring the Issuer's
stockholders to approve an increase in the number of authorized shares of Common
Stock after giving effect to all other options, warrants, convertible securities
and other rights to purchase Common Stock, (b) that it will not, by charter
amendment or through reorganization, consolidation, merger, dissolution or sale
of assets, or by any other voluntary act, avoid or seek to avoid the observance
or performance of any of the covenants, stipulations or conditions to be
observed or performed hereunder by the Issuer, (c) promptly to take all action
as may from time to time be required (including without limitation cooperating
fully with any Holders in preparing any applications or notices required under
the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, or the Change in Bank Control
Act of 1978, as amended, or any state banking law), in order to permit such
Holders to exercise the Option and the Issuer duly and effectively to issue
shares of Common Stock
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pursuant hereto, and (d) promptly to take all action provided herein to protect
the rights of any Holders against dilution.
4. This Agreement (and the Option granted hereby) is exchangeable,
without expense, at the option of each Holder, upon presentation and surrender
of this Agreement at the principal office of the Issuer, for other Agreements
providing for Options of different denominations entitling the Holder thereof to
purchase, on the same terms and subject to the same conditions as are set forth
herein, in the aggregate the same number of shares of Common Stock purchasable
hereunder. The terms "AGREEMENT" and "OPTION" as used herein include any Stock
Option Agreements and related Options for which this Agreement (and the Option
granted hereby) may be exchanged. Upon receipt by the Issuer of evidence
reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of
this Agreement, and (in the case of loss, theft or destruction) of reasonably
satisfactory indemnification, and upon surrender and cancellation of this
Agreement, if mutilated, the Issuer will execute and deliver a new Agreement of
like tenor and date. Any such new Agreement executed and delivered shall
constitute for all purposes and under all circumstances an additional
contractual obligation on the part of the Issuer, whether or not this Agreement
so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated shall at any time be enforceable by
anyone.
5. In addition to the adjustment in the number of Option Shares
pursuant to Section 1 of this Agreement, the number of Option Shares shall be
subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in this Section 5.
(a) (i) In the event of any change in the shares of Common Stock by
reason of stock dividend, split up, merger, recapitalization,
subdivision, conversion, combination, exchange of shares or similar
transaction, the type and number of Option Shares, and the Option Price
therefor, shall be adjusted appropriately, and proper provision shall be
made in the agreements governing such transaction, so that the Grantee
shall receive upon exercise of the Option the number and class of shares
or other securities or property that the Grantee would have held
immediately after such event if the Option had been exercised
immediately prior to such event, or the record date therefor, as
applicable.
(ii) The Issuer may make such increases in the number of
Option Shares, in addition to those required under subparagraph (a)(i)
above, as shall be determined by its Board of Directors to be advisable
in order to avoid taxation, so far as practicable, of any
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dividend of stock or stock rights or any event treated as such for
federal income tax purposes to the recipients.
(b) Whenever the number of Option Shares (or other securities)
purchasable upon exercise hereof is adjusted as provided in this Section 5, the
Option Price shall be adjusted by multiplying the Option Price by a fraction,
the numerator of which is equal to the number of Option Shares prior to the
adjustment and the denominator of which is equal to the number of Option Shares
(or other securities) purchasable after the adjustment.
6. Upon the occurrence of a Subsequent Triggering Event that occurs
prior to an Exercise Termination Event, Issuer shall, at the request of Grantee
delivered within thirty (30) days of such Subsequent Triggering Event (whether
on the Grantor's own behalf or on the behalf of any subsequent Holder of this
Option (or part thereof) or any of the shares of Common Stock issued pursuant
hereto), promptly prepare, file and keep current, with respect to the Option and
the Option Shares, a "shelf" registration statement under Rule 415 of the
Securities Act or any successor provision, and Issuer shall use all reasonable
efforts to qualify such shares under any applicable state securities laws.
Issuer will use all reasonable efforts to cause such registration statement
first to become effective and then to remain effective for such period not in
excess of 180 days from the day such registration statement first becomes
effective or such shorter time as may be reasonably necessary to effect sales or
other dispositions of Option Shares. Grantee shall have the right to demand two
such registrations. Any registration statement prepared and filed under this
Section 6, and any sales covered thereby, shall be at Issuer's expense, except
for underwriting discounts or commissions, broker's fees and expenses and the
fees and disbursements of Grantee's counsel related thereto. The foregoing
notwithstanding, if, at the time of any request by Grantee for registration of
the Option or Option Shares as provided above, (i) Issuer is in registration
with respect to an underwritten public offering of shares of Common Stock, and
(ii) in the good faith judgment of the managing underwriter or managing
underwriters, or, if none, the sole underwriter or underwriters, of such
offering, the inclusion of the Option or Option Shares would interfere with the
successful marketing of the shares represented by the Option, the number of
Option Shares otherwise to be covered in the registration statement contemplated
hereby may be reduced; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if such reduction occurs, the
Issuer shall file a registration statement for the balance as promptly as
practical and no reduction shall thereafter occur. Each such Holder shall
provide all information reasonably requested by Issuer for inclusion in any
registration statement to be filed hereunder. If requested by any such
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Holder in connection with such registration, Issuer shall become a party to any
underwriting agreement relating to the sale of such shares, but only to the
extent of obligating itself in respect of representations, warranties,
indemnities and other agreements customarily included in such underwriting
agreements for the Issuer.
7. (a) Upon the occurrence of a Subsequent Triggering Event that
occurs prior to an Exercise Termination Event, (i) at the request of any Holder,
delivered within thirty (30) days following such occurrence (or such later
period as provided in Section 10), the Issuer shall repurchase the Option from
the Holder at a price (the "OPTION REPURCHASE PRICE") equal to the amount by
which (A) the market/offer price (as defined below) exceeds (B) the Option
Price, multiplied by the number of shares for which this Option may then be
exercised, and (ii) at the request of any owner of Option Shares from time to
time (the "OWNER"), delivered within thirty (30) days following such occurrence
(or such later period as provided in Section 10), the Issuer shall repurchase
such number of the Option Shares from such Owner as the Owner shall designate at
a price per share ("OPTION SHARE REPURCHASE PRICE") equal to the greater of (A)
the market/offer price and (B) the average exercise price per share paid by the
Owner for the Option Shares so designated. The term "MARKET/OFFER PRICE" shall
mean the highest of (w) the price per share of the Common Stock at which a
tender offer or exchange offer therefor has been made, (x) the price per share
of the Common Stock to be paid by any Person, other than the Grantee or a
subsidiary of the Grantee, pursuant to an agreement with the Issuer, (y) the
highest sale price for shares of Common Stock within the six (6) month period
immediately preceding the required repurchase of Options or Option Shares, as
the case may be, or (z) in the event of a sale of all or substantially all of
the Issuer's assets, the sum of the price paid in such sale for such assets and
the current market value of the remaining assets of the Issuer as determined by
a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by a majority in the
interest of the Holders or the Owners, as the case may be, and reasonably
acceptable to the Issuer, divided by the number of shares of Common Stock of the
Issuer outstanding at the time of such sale. In determining the market/offer
price, the value of consideration other than cash shall be determined by a
nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by a majority in interest
of the Holders or the Owners, as the case may be, and reasonably acceptable to
the Issuer.
(b) Each Holder and Owner, as the case may be, may exercise its
right to require the Issuer to repurchase the Option and any Option Shares
pursuant to this Section 7 by surrendering for such purpose to the Issuer, at
its principal office, a copy of this Agreement or certificates for
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Option Shares, as applicable, accompanied by a written notice or notices stating
that such Holder or Owner elects to require the Issuer to repurchase this Option
and/or Option Shares in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7. As
promptly as practicable, and in any event within ten (10) business days (the
"PAYMENT DATE") after the surrender of the Option and/or certificates
representing Option Shares and the receipt of such notice or notices relating
thereto (the "SURRENDER DATE"), the Issuer shall deliver or cause to be
delivered to each Holder the Option Repurchase Price and/or to each Owner the
Option Share Repurchase Price therefor or the portion thereof that the Issuer is
not then prohibited under applicable law and regulation from so delivering.
(c) To the extent that the Issuer is prohibited under applicable law
or regulation, or as a consequence of administrative policy, or as a result of a
written agreement or other binding obligation with a governmental or regulatory
body or agency, from repurchasing the Option and/or the Option Shares in full,
the Issuer shall immediately so notify each Holder and/or each Owner and
thereafter deliver or cause to be delivered, from time to time, to such Holder
and/or Owner, as appropriate, the portion of the Option Repurchase Price and the
Option Share Repurchase Price, respectively, that it is no longer prohibited
from delivering, within ten (10) business days after the date on which the
Issuer is no longer so prohibited; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the Issuer at any
time after delivery of a notice of repurchase pursuant to paragraph (b) of this
Section 7 is prohibited under applicable law or regulation, or as a consequence
of administrative policy, from delivering to any Holder and/or Owner, as
appropriate, the Option Repurchase Price and the Option Share Repurchase Price,
respectively, in part or in full (and the Issuer hereby undertakes to use all
reasonable efforts to obtain all required regulatory and legal approvals and to
file any required notices as promptly as practicable in order to accomplish such
repurchase), such Holder or Owner may revoke its notice of repurchase of the
Option or the Option Shares either in whole or to the extent of the prohibition,
whereupon the Issuer shall promptly (i) deliver to such Holder and/or Owner, as
appropriate, that portion of the Option Purchase Price or the Option Share
Repurchase Price that the Issuer is not prohibited from delivering; and (ii)
deliver, as appropriate, either (A) to such Holder, a new Stock Option Agreement
evidencing the right of such Holder to purchase that number of shares of Common
Stock obtained by multiplying the number of shares of Common Stock for which the
surrendered Stock Option Agreement was exercisable at the time of delivery of
the notice of repurchase by a fraction, the numerator of which is the Option
Repurchase Price less the portion thereof theretofore delivered to the Holder
and the denominator of which
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is the Option Repurchase Price, or (B) to such Owner, a certificate for the
Option Shares it is then so prohibited from repurchasing.
8. (a) In the event that prior to an Exercise Termination Event,
the Issuer shall enter into an agreement (i) to consolidate with or merge into
any Person, other than the Grantee or one of the Grantee's subsidiaries, and the
Issuer shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation of such
consolidation or merger, (ii) to permit any Person, other than the Grantee or
one of its subsidiaries, to merge into the Issuer and the Issuer shall be the
continuing or surviving corporation, but, in connection with such merger, the
then outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for
stock or other securities of any other Person or cash or any other property, or
the then outstanding shares of Common Stock shall, after such merger, represent
less than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding shares and share equivalents of
the merged company, or (iii) to sell or otherwise transfer all or substantially
all of its assets to any Person, other than the Grantee or one of the Grantee's
subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, the agreement governing such
transaction shall make proper provision so that the Option shall upon the
consummation of any such transaction and upon the terms and conditions set forth
herein, be converted into, or exchanged for, an option (the "SUBSTITUTE
OPTION"), at the election of the Holder, of either (A) the Acquiring Corporation
(as defined in paragraph (b) below) or (B) any Person that controls the
Acquiring Corporation.
(b) The following terms have the meanings indicated:
(i) The term "ACQUIRING CORPORATION" shall mean (A) the
continuing or surviving corporation of a consolidation or merger with
the Issuer (if other than the Issuer), (B) the Issuer in a merger in
which the Issuer is the continuing or surviving Person, and (C) the
transferee of all or substantially all of the Issuer's assets.
(ii) The term "SUBSTITUTE COMMON STOCK" shall mean the common
stock issued by the issuer of the Substitute Option upon exercise of the
Substitute Option.
(iii) The term "ASSIGNED VALUE" shall mean the "market/offer
price", as defined in paragraph (a) of Section 7 hereof.
(iv) The term "AVERAGE PRICE" shall mean the average closing
price of a share of the Substitute Common Stock for the one (1) year
period immediately preceding the consolidation, merger or sale in
question, but in no event higher than the closing price of the shares of
the Substitute Common Stock on the day preceding such
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consolidation, merger or sale, PROVIDED that if the Issuer is the issuer
of the Substitute Option, the Average Price shall be computed with
respect to a share of common stock issued by the Person merging into the
Issuer or by any company which controls such Person, as the Holder may
elect.
(c) The Substitute Option shall have the same terms as the Option,
PROVIDED that if the terms of the Substitute Option cannot, for legal reasons,
be the same as the Option, such terms shall, to the extent legally permissible,
be as similar as possible to, and in no event less advantageous to the Holder
than, the terms of the Option. The issuer of the Substitute Option shall also
enter into an agreement with the then Holder or Holders of the Substitute Option
in substantially the same form as this Agreement, which shall be applicable to
the Substitute Option.
(d) The Substitute Option shall be exercisable for such number of
shares of the Substitute Common Stock as is equal to (i) the product of (A) the
Assigned Value and (B) the number of shares of Common Stock for which the Option
is then exercisable, divided by (ii) the Average Price. The exercise price of
the Substitute Option per share of the Substitute Common Stock shall then be
equal to the Option Price multiplied by a fraction in which the numerator is the
number of Option Shares and the denominator is the number of shares of the
Substitute Common Stock for which the Substitute Option is exercisable.
(e) In no event, pursuant to any of the foregoing paragraphs, shall
the Substitute Option be exercisable for more than 19.9% of the aggregate of the
shares of the Substitute Common Stock outstanding prior to exercise of the
Substitute Option (without giving effect to any shares of Substitute Common
Stock issued pursuant to the Substitute Option) less the number of shares
previously issued pursuant to the Substitute Option. In the event that the
Substitute Option would be exercisable for more than 19.9% of the shares of
Substitute Common Stock outstanding prior to exercise but for this paragraph
(e), the issuer of the Substitute Option (the "SUBSTITUTE OPTION ISSUER") shall
make a cash payment to the Holder equal to the excess of (i) the value of the
Substitute Option without giving effect to the limitation in this paragraph (e)
over (ii) the value of the Substitute Option after giving effect to the
limitation in this paragraph (e). The difference in value shall be determined by
a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by a majority in
interest of the Holders or the Owners, as the case may be.
(f) The Issuer shall not enter into any transaction described in
paragraph (a) of this Section 8 unless the Acquiring Corporation and any
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Person that controls the Acquiring Corporation shall have assumed in writing all
the obligations of the Issuer hereunder.
9. (a) At the written request of the holder of the Substitute
Option (the "SUBSTITUTE OPTION HOLDER"), the issuer of the Substitute Option
(the "SUBSTITUTE OPTION ISSUER") shall repurchase the Substitute Option from the
Substitute Option Holder at a price (the "SUBSTITUTE OPTION REPURCHASE PRICE")
equal to the amount by which (i) the Highest Closing Price (as hereinafter
defined) exceeds (ii) the exercise price of the Substitute Option, multiplied by
the number of shares of the Substitute Common Stock for which the Substitute
Option may then be exercised, and at the request of each owner (the "SUBSTITUTE
SHARE OWNER") of shares of the Substitute Common Stock (the "SUBSTITUTE
SHARES"), the Substitute Option Issuer shall repurchase the Substitute Shares at
a price per share (the "SUBSTITUTE SHARE REPURCHASE PRICE") equal to the greater
of (A) the Highest Closing Price and (B) the average exercise price per share
paid by the Substitute Share Owner for the Substitute Shares so designated. The
term "HIGHEST CLOSING PRICE" shall mean the highest closing price for shares of
the Substitute Common Stock within the six (6) month period immediately
preceding the date the Substitute Option Holder gives notice of the required
repurchase of the Substitute Option or the Substitute Share Owner gives notice
of the required repurchase of the Substitute Shares, as applicable.
(b) Each Substitute Option Holder and the Substitute Share Owner, as
the case may be, may exercise its respective right to require the Substitute
Option Issuer to repurchase the Substitute Option and the Substitute Shares
pursuant to this Section 9 by surrendering for such purpose to the Substitute
Option Issuer, at its principal office, the agreement for such Substitute Option
(or, in the absence of such an agreement, a copy of this Agreement) and
certificates for Substitute Shares accompanied by a written notice or notices
stating that such Substitute Option Holder or Substitute Share Owner elects to
require the Substitute Option Issuer to repurchase the Substitute Option and/or
the Substitute Shares in accordance with the provisions of this Section 9. As
promptly as practicable, and in any event within five (5) business days after
the surrender of the Substitute Option and/or the certificates representing
Substitute Shares and the receipt of such notice or notices relating thereto,
the Substitute Option Issuer shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the
Substitute Option Holder the Substitute Option Repurchase Price and/or to the
Substitute Share Owner the Substitute Share Repurchase Price therefor, or the
portion(s) thereof which the Substitute Option Issuer is not then prohibited
under applicable law and regulation from so delivering.
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(c) To the extent that the Substitute Option Issuer is prohibited
under applicable law or regulation, or as a consequence of administrative
policy, or as a result of a written agreement or other binding obligation with a
governmental or regulatory body or agency, from repurchasing the Substitute
Option and/or the Substitute Shares in full, the Substitute Option Issuer shall
immediately so notify each Substitute Option Holder and/or the Substitute Share
Owner and thereafter deliver or cause to be delivered, from time to time, to the
Substitute Option Holder and/or Substitute Share Owner, as appropriate, that
portion of the Substitute Option Repurchase Price and the Substitute Share
Repurchase Price, respectively, which it is no longer prohibited from
delivering, within five (5) business days after the date on which the Substitute
Option Issuer is no longer so prohibited, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the
Substitute Option Issuer is, at any time after delivery of a notice of
repurchase pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 9 prohibited under
applicable law or regulation, or as a consequence of administrative policy, or
as a result of a written agreement or other binding obligation with a
governmental or regulatory body or agency, from delivering to the Substitute
Option Holder and/or the Substitute Share Owner, as appropriate, the Substitute
Option Repurchase Price and the Substitute Share Repurchase Price, respectively,
in part or in full (and the Substitute Option Issuer shall use its best efforts
to receive all required regulatory and legal approvals as promptly as
practicable in order to accomplish such repurchase), the Substitute Option
Holder or Substitute Share Owner may revoke its notice of repurchase of the
Substitute Option or the Substitute Shares either in whole or to the extent of
the prohibition, whereupon the Substitute Option Issuer shall promptly (i)
deliver to the Substitute Option Holder or Substitute Share Owner, as
appropriate, that portion of the Substitute Option Repurchase Price or the
Substitute Share Repurchase Price that the Substitute Option Issuer is not
prohibited from delivering; and (ii) deliver, as appropriate, either (A) to the
Substitute Option Holder, a new Substitute Option evidencing the right of the
Substitute Option Holder to purchase that number of shares of the Substitute
Common Stock obtained by multiplying the number of shares of the Substitute
Common Stock for which the surrendered Substitute Option was exercisable at the
time of delivery of the notice of repurchase by a fraction, the numerator of
which is the Substitute Option Repurchase Price LESS the portion thereof
theretofore delivered to the Substitute Option Holder and the denominator of
which is the Substitute Option Repurchase Price, or (B) to the Substitute Share
Owner, a certificate for the Substitute Option Shares it is then so prohibited
from repurchasing.
10. The thirty (30) day period for exercise of certain rights under
Sections 2, 6, 7 and 12 hereof shall be extended in each such case: (i) to
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the extent necessary to obtain all regulatory approvals for the exercise of such
rights and for the expiration of all statutory waiting periods; and (ii) to the
extent necessary to avoid liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act by
reason of such exercise, PROVIDED that notice of intent to exercise such rights
shall be given to the Issuer within the requisite thirty (30) day period and the
Grantee and the Holders shall use their best efforts to promptly obtain all
requisite approvals and cause the expiration of all requisite waiting periods.
11. The Issuer hereby represents and warrants to the Grantee as
follows:
(a) The Issuer has full corporate power and authority to execute and
deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby.
The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by the
Board of Directors of the Issuer and no other corporate proceedings on the part
of the Issuer are necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate the
transactions so contemplated. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed
and delivered by the Issuer. This Agreement is the valid and legally binding
obligation of the Issuer, enforceable against the Issuer in accordance with its
respective terms, except that enforcement thereof may be limited by the
receivership, conservatorship and supervisory powers of bank regulatory agencies
generally as well as bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other
similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors rights generally and except that
enforcement thereof may be subject to general principles of equity (regardless
of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and
the availability of equitable remedies.
(b) The Issuer has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize
and reserve and to permit it to issue, and at all times from the date hereof
through the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms will have
reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Option, that number of shares of
Common Stock equal to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock at any time
and from time to time issuable hereunder, and all such shares, upon issuance
pursuant hereto, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid,
nonassessable, and will be delivered free and clear of all claims, liens,
encumbrances and security interests and not subject to any preemptive rights.
12. Neither of the parties hereto may assign any of its rights or
obligations under this Option Agreement or the Option created hereunder
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to any other Person, whether by operation of law or otherwise, without the
express written consent of the other party, except that (a) the Grantee shall,
at any time, be permitted to assign its rights under this Option Agreement or
the Option created hereunder to any Affiliate (as defined in the Acquisition
Agreement) of the Grantee and (b) in the event a Subsequent Triggering Event
shall have occurred prior to an Exercise Termination Event, the Grantee may,
subject to the right of first refusal set forth in Section 13, assign, transfer
or sell in whole or in part its rights and obligations hereunder within thirty
(30) days following such Subsequent Triggering Event (or such later period as
provided in Section 10); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in the event the Grantee sells,
assigns or transfers all or a portion of the Option to other Holders as
permitted by this Agreement, the Grantee may exercise its rights hereunder on
behalf of itself and such Holders.
13. If at any time after the occurrence of a Subsequent Triggering
Event and, with respect to shares of Common Stock or other securities acquired
by the Grantee pursuant to an exercise of the Option, prior to the expiration of
twenty-four (24) months after the expiration of the Option pursuant to Section
2(b), the Grantee shall desire to sell, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of
the Option, in whole or in part, or all or any of the shares of Common Stock or
other securities acquired by the Grantee pursuant to the Option, the Grantee
shall give the Issuer written notice of the proposed transaction (an "OFFEROR'S
NOTICE"), identifying the proposed transferee, accompanied by a copy of a
binding offer to purchase the Option or such shares or other securities signed
by such transferee and setting forth the terms of the proposed transaction. An
Offeror's Notice shall be deemed an offer by the Grantee to the Issuer, which
may be accepted within ten (10) business days of the receipt of such Offeror's
Notice, on the same terms and conditions and at the same price at which the
Grantee is proposing to transfer the Option or such shares or other securities
to such transferee. The purchase of the Option or such shares or other
securities by the Issuer shall be settled within five (5) business days of the
date of the acceptance of the offer and the purchase price shall be paid to the
Grantee in immediately available funds, PROVIDED that, if prior notification to
or approval, consent or waiver of the Federal Reserve Board or any other
regulatory authority is required in connection with such purchase, the Issuer
shall promptly file the required notice or application for approval, consent or
waiver and shall expeditiously process the same (and the Grantee shall cooperate
with the Issuer in the filing of any such notice or application and the
obtaining of any such approval) and the period of time that otherwise would run
pursuant to this sentence shall run instead from the date on which, as the case
may be, (a) the required notification period has expired or been terminated or
(b) such
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approval has been obtained and, in either event, any requisite waiting period
shall have passed. In the event of the failure or refusal of the Issuer to
purchase the Option or the shares or other securities, as the case may be,
covered by an Offeror's Notice or if the Federal Reserve Board or any other
regulatory authority disapproves the Issuer's proposed purchase of the Option or
such shares or other securities, the Grantee may, within sixty (60) days
following the date of the Offeror's Notice (subject to any necessary extension
for regulatory notification, approval, or waiting periods), sell all, but not
less than all, of the portion of the Option (which may be one hundred percent
(100%)) or such shares or other securities, as the case may be, proposed to be
transferred to the proposed transferee identified in the Offeror's Notice at no
less than the price specified and on terms no more favorable to the proposed
transferee than those set forth in the Offeror's Notice. The requirements of
this Section 13 shall not apply to (i) any disposition of the Option or any
shares of Common Stock or other securities by a Person to whom the Grantee has
assigned its rights under the Option with the prior written consent of the
Issuer, (ii) any sale by means of a public offering in which steps are taken to
reasonably ensure that no purchaser will acquire securities representing more
than five percent (5%) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Issuer
or (iii) any transfer to a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Grantee which agrees in writing to be bound by the terms hereof.
14. Each of the Grantee and the Issuer will use all reasonable
efforts to make all filings with, and to obtain consents of, all third parties
and governmental authorities necessary to the consummation of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, including without limitation applying to the
Federal Reserve Board under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended,
for approval to acquire the shares issuable hereunder.
15. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in the event
that the Holder or the Owner or any Related Person thereof (as hereinafter
defined) is a Person making an offer or proposal to engage in an Acquisition
Transaction (other than the transaction contemplated by the Acquisition
Agreement), then (a) in the case of a Holder or any Related Person thereof, the
Option held by it shall immediately terminate and be of no further force or
effect, and (b) in the case of an Owner or any Related Person thereof, the
Option Shares held by it shall be immediately repurchasable by the Issuer at the
Option Price. For purposes of this Agreement, a "RELATED PERSON" of a Holder or
Owner means any Affiliate (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the rules and regulations
under the Exchange Act) of the Holder or the Owner and any Person that is
required to file a
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Schedule 13D with the Holder or the Owner with respect to shares of Common Stock
or options to acquire the Common Stock.
16. The parties hereto acknowledge that damages would be an
inadequate remedy for a breach of this Agreement by either party hereto and that
the obligations of the parties hereto shall be enforceable by either party
hereto through injunctive or other equitable relief.
17. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in
this Agreement is held by a court or a federal or state regulatory agency of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of
the terms, provisions and covenants and restrictions contained in this Agreement
shall remain in full force and effect, and shall in no way be affected, impaired
or invalidated. If for any reason such court or regulatory agency determines
that the Holder is not permitted to acquire, or the Issuer is not permitted to
repurchase pursuant to Section 7, the full number of shares of Common Stock
provided in Section 1(a) hereof (as adjusted pursuant to Sections 1(b) or 5(a)
hereof), it is the express intention of the Issuer to allow the Holder to
acquire or to require the Issuer to repurchase such lesser number of shares as
may be permissible, without any amendment or modification hereof.
18. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications
hereunder shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered in Person, by
cable, telegram, telecopy or telex, or by registered or certified mail (postage
prepaid, return receipt requested) at the respective addresses of the parties
set forth in the Acquisition Agreement.
19. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, regardless of the laws that
might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws thereof.
20. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall constitute
one and the same agreement.
21. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, each of the
parties hereto shall bear and pay all costs and expenses incurred by it or on
its behalf in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder, including
fees and expenses of its own financial consultants, investment bankers,
accountants and counsel.
22. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, this Agreement
contains the entire agreement between the parties with
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respect to the transactions contemplated hereunder and supersedes all prior
arrangements or understandings with respect thereof, written or oral. The terms
and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer upon any
party, other than the parties hereto, and their respective successors and
permitted assigns, any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by
reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided herein.
23. Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not defined herein
shall have the meanings assigned thereto in the Acquisition Agreement.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Stock Option
Agreement to be executed as a sealed instrument on its behalf by its officers
thereunder duly authorized, all as of the day and year first above written.
AFFILIATED COMMUNITY BANCORP, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
---------------------------------------------
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
UST CORP.
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
---------------------------------------------
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
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101
December 15, 1997
UST Corp.
00 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
President and Chief Executive Officer
Ladies & Gentlemen
The undersigned (the "STOCKHOLDER") owns and has sole voting power with
respect to the number of shares of the common stock, par value $0.01 per share
(the "SHARES"), of Affiliated Community Bancorp, Inc., a Massachusetts
corporation (the "SELLER"), indicated opposite the Stockholder's name on
SCHEDULE 1 attached hereto.
Immediately after the execution of this letter agreement, UST Corp. (the
"BUYER") and the Seller are entering into an Affiliation Agreement and Plan of
Reorganization (as amended and in effect from time to time, the "ACQUISITION
AGREEMENT") providing, among other things, for the indirect acquisition of the
Seller by the Buyer (the "ACQUISITION").
In consideration of, and as a condition to, the Buyer's entering into
the Acquisition Agreement the Stockholder and the Buyer agree as follows:
1. The Stockholder, while this letter agreement is in effect, shall
vote or cause to be voted all of the Shares, as well as any other shares of
common stock of Seller of which the Stockholder acquires beneficial ownership
and sole voting power, whether pursuant to the exercise of stock options or
otherwise, as long as such shares are owned by the Stockholder as of the record
date for the special meeting of the Seller's stockholders to be called and held
following the date hereof, for the approval of the Acquisition Agreement and the
Acquisition and shall vote or cause to be voted all such shares, at such special
meeting or any other meeting of the Seller's stockholders following the date
hereof, against the approval of any other agreement providing for a merger,
acquisition, consolidation, sale of a material amount of assets or other
business
102
UST Corp.
December 15, 1997
Page 2
combination of the Seller or any of its subsidiaries with any person or entity
other than the Buyer, or any subsidiary of the Buyer.
2. The agreements contained herein are intended to relate to
restrictions on voting and to continue only for such time as may reasonably be
necessary to obtain all necessary approvals, including shareholder approval and
all necessary governmental approvals, of the Acquisition and all other
transactions contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement.
3. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the agreements
contained herein shall remain in full force and effect until the earlier of (a)
the consummation of the Acquisition or (b) the termination of the Acquisition
Agreement in accordance with Article VIII thereof.
4. The Stockholder has signed this letter agreement intending to be
bound thereby. The Stockholder expressly agrees that this letter agreement shall
be specifically enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction in accordance
with its terms against the Stockholder. All of the covenants and agreements
contained in this letter agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the
benefit of, the respective parties and their permitted successors, assigns,
heirs, executors, administrators and other legal representatives, as the case
may be.
5. This letter agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original but all of which together
shall constitute one and the same instrument.
6. This letter agreement is deemed to be signed as a sealed
instrument and is to be governed by the laws of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws
thereof. If any provision hereof is deemed unenforceable, the enforceability of
the other provisions hereof shall not be affected.
103
UST Corp.
December 15, 1997
Page 3
If the foregoing accurately reflects your understanding of the subject matter
intended to be contained herein, please confirm our agreement by signing this
letter where indicated below.
Very truly yours,
---------------------------------
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED AS
OF THE DATE FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN
UST CORP.
By:
-----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
104
SCHEDULE 1
Number of Shares
Name of Stockholder Owned with Sole Voting Power
------------------- ----------------------------
105
EXHIBIT C-1
FORM OF BUYER AFFILIATE LETTER ADDRESSED TO SELLER
[Date]
SELLER HOLDING COMPANY
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I have been advised that as of the date hereof I may be deemed to be an
"affiliate" of [BUYER HOLDING COMPANY], a Massachusetts corporation ("Buyer"),
as the term "affiliate" is used in and for purposes of Accounting Series
Releases 130 and 135, as amended, of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission"). I have been further advised that pursuant to the terms of the
Affiliation Agreement and Plan of Reorganization, dated as of December __, 1997
(the "Merger Agreement"), between Buyer, BUYER CORP., a wholly owned subsidiary
of Buyer and a Massachusetts corporation ("Merger Subsidiary"), and [SELLER
HOLDING COMPANY], a Massachusetts corporation (the "Seller"), Seller will be
merged with and into Merger Subsidiary.
I represent to and covenant with Buyer that from the date that is thirty
(30) days prior to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement) I
will not sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, or reduce the risk of ownership
with respect to, shares of Buyer Common Stock (as defined in the Merger
Agreement) held by me until after such time as results covering at least thirty
(30) days of combined operations of Buyer and Seller have been published by
Buyer, in the form of a quarterly earnings report, an effective registration
statement filed with the Commission, a report to the Commission on Form 10-K,
10-Q, or 8-K, or any other public filing or announcement which includes the
results of at least 30 days of combined operations.
Very truly yours,
By:
------------------------------------
Name:
106
-2-
Accepted this ____ day of
_____________, 1997, by
SELLER HOLDING COMPANY
By:
------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
107
EXHIBIT C-2
FORM OF SELLER AFFILIATE LETTER ADDRESSED TO BUYER
[Date]
BUYER HOLDING COMPANY
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I have been advised that as of the date hereof I may be deemed to be an
"affiliate" of [SELLER HOLDING COMPANY], a Massachusetts corporation ("SELLER"),
as the term "affiliate" is (i) defined for purposes of paragraphs (c) and (d) of
Rule 145 of the Rules and Regulations (the "RULES and REGULATIONS") of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "COMMISSION") under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended (the "ACT"), and/or (ii) used in and for purposes of
Accounting Series Releases 130 and 135, as amended, of the Commission. I have
been further advised that pursuant to the terms of the Affiliation Agreement and
Plan of Reorganization, dated as of December __, 1997 (the "Merger Agreement"),
between [BUYER HOLDING COMPANY], a Massachusetts corporation ("Buyer"), [BUYER
CORP.], a wholly owned subsidiary of Buyer and a Massachusetts corporation
("Merger Subsidiary"), and Seller, Seller will be merged with and into Merger
Subsidiary, and that as a result of the Merger, I may receive shares of Buyer
Common Stock (as defined in the Merger Agreement) in exchange for shares of
Seller Common Stock (as defined in the Merger Agreement), owned by me.
I represent, warrant and covenant to Buyer that in the event I receive
any Buyer Common Stock pursuant to the Merger:
A. I shall not make any sale, transfer or other disposition
of the Buyer Common Stock in violation of the Act or the Rules and
Regulations.
B. I have carefully read this letter and the Agreement and
discussed its requirements and other applicable limitations upon my
ability to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of Buyer Common Stock to
the extent I believed necessary, with my counsel or counsel for Seller.
C. I have been advised that the issuance of Buyer Common
Stock to me pursuant to the Merger has been or will be registered with
the Commission under the Act on a Registration Statement on Form S-4.
108
-2-
However, I have also been advised that, because, at the time the Merger
is or was submitted for a vote of the stockholders of Buyer, I may be
deemed to be or to have been an affiliate of Seller and the distribution
by me of the Buyer Common Stock will not have been registered under the
Act. I agree that I will not sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of
Buyer Common Stock issued to me in the Merger unless (i) such sale,
transfer or other disposition has been registered under the Act, (ii)
such sale, transfer or other disposition is made in conformity with the
volume and other limitations of Rule 145 promulgated by the Commission
under the Act, or (iii) in the opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable
to Buyer, such sale, transfer or other disposition is otherwise exempt
from registration under the Act.
D. I understand that Buyer is under no obligation to
register the sale, transfer or other disposition of the Buyer Common
Stock by me or on my behalf under the Act or to take any other action
necessary in order to make compliance with an exemption from such
registration available.
E. I also understand that stop transfer instructions will
be given to Buyer's transfer agents with respect to the Buyer Common
Stock and that there will be placed on the certificates for the Buyer
Common Stock issued to me, or any substitutions therefor, a legend
stating in substance:
"The securities represented by this
certificate have been issued in a
transaction to which Rule 145 promulgated
under the Securities Act of 1933 applies and
may be sold or otherwise transferred only in
compliance with the requirements of Rule 145
or pursuant to a registration statement
under said act or an exemption from such
registration."
F. I also understand that unless the transfer by me of my
Buyer Common Stock has been registered under the Act or is a sale made
in conformity with the provisions of Rule 145, Buyer reserves the right
to put the following legend on the certificates issued to my transferee:
"The shares represented by this
certificate have not been registered under
the Securities Act of 1933 and were acquired
from a person who received such shares in a
transaction to which Rule 145 promulgated
under the Securities Act of 1933 applies.
The shares have been acquired by the holder
not with a view to, or for resale in
connection with, any distribution thereof
within the meaning of Securities Act of 1933
and may not be sold, pledged or otherwise
transferred except in accordance with
109
-3-
an exemption from the registration requirements of the
Securities Act of 1933."
It is understood and agreed that this letter agreement shall terminate
and be of no further force and effect and the legends set forth in E or F, as
the case may be, above shall be removed by delivery of substitute certificates
without such legend, and the related stop transfer of restrictions shall be
lifted forthwith, if (i) any such shares of Buyer Common Stock shall have been
registered under the Securities Act for sale, transfer or other disposition by
me or on my behalf and are sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of, or (ii)
any such shares of Buyer Common Stock are sold in accordance with the provisions
of paragraphs (c), (e), (f) and (g) of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities
Act, or (iii) I am not at the time an affiliate of Buyer and have been the
beneficial owner of the Buyer Common Stock for at least one year (or such other
period as may be prescribed by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder), and Buyer has filed with the Commission all of the
reports it is required to file under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, during the preceding twelve months, or (iv) I am not and have not been
for at least three months an affiliate of Buyer and have been the beneficial
owner of the Buyer Common Stock for at least two years (or such period as may be
prescribed by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder), or (v) Buyer shall have received a letter from the staff of the
Commission, or an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to Buyer, to the
effect that the stock transfer restrictions and the legend are not required.
I further represent to and covenant with Buyer that from the date that
is thirty (30) days prior to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger
Agreement) I will not sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, or reduce the risk
of ownership with respect to, shares of Seller Common Stock held by me and that
I will not sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, or reduce the risk of
ownership with respect to, any shares of Buyer Common Stock received by me in
the Merger or other shares of Buyer Common Stock until after such time as
results covering at least thirty (30) days of combined operations of Buyer and
Seller have been published by Buyer, in the form of a quarterly earnings report,
an effective registration statement filed with the Commission, a report to the
Commission on Form 10-K, 10-Q, or 8-K, or any other public filing or
announcement which includes the results of at least 30 days of combined
operations.
Very truly yours,
By:
-------------------------------
Name:
110
-4-
Accepted this ____ day of
_____________, 1997, by
BUYER HOLDING COMPANY
By:
--------------------------------
Name:
Title:
