UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 20, 2008

 

 

SAUL CENTERS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Maryland   001-12254   52-1833074

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)  

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

7501 Wisconsin Avenue

Suite 1500

Bethesda, Maryland

  20814
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

(301) 986-6200

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Not applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Item 3.03. Material Modification to Rights of Security Holders.

In connection with the sale by Saul Centers, Inc. (the “Registrant”) of up to 3,450,000 depositary shares (the “Depositary Shares”), each representing 1/100 th of a share of 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock of the Registrant (the “Series B Preferred Stock”), the Registrant issued Series B Preferred Stock on March 27, 2008. Upon the issuance of Series B Preferred Stock, the ability of the Registrant to pay dividends on, make distributions with respect to, or redeem, purchase or acquire, or make a liquidation payment on any other stock of the Registrant ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock, will be subject to certain restrictions in the event that the Registrant does not declare dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock during any dividend period.

The terms of the Series B Preferred Stock are set forth in the Articles Supplementary filed as Exhibit 3.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference. A specimen stock certificate for the Series B Preferred Stock is filed as Exhibit 4.2 hereto and incorporated herein by reference. The terms of the Depositary Shares are set forth in the form of deposit agreement to be entered into by the Registrant, Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as depositary, and the holders of the depositary receipts issued thereunder (the “Deposit Agreement”). The Deposit Agreement is filed as Exhibit 4.1 hereto.

 

Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.

Under the Registrant’s First Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, the Board of Directors of the Registrant is authorized without further stockholder action to provide for the issuance of up to 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock. On March 26, 2008, the Registrant filed with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation Articles Supplementary designating 34,500 shares of the Registrant’s preferred stock as “9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock.”

 

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On March 20, 2008, the Registrant entered into an Underwriting Agreement with Saul Holdings Limited Partnership, a Maryland limited partnership of which the Registrant is general partner, and RBC Capital Markets Corporation, Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated and Raymond James & Associates, Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named therein, for the public offering of up 3,000,000 Depositary Shares of the Registrant. The offering closed on March 27, 2008. The Registrant also granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to 450,000 additional Depositary Shares to cover over-allotments.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

  (d) Exhibits.

The exhibits listed in the following index relate to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-149463) of the Registrant and are filed herewith for incorporation by reference in such Registration Statement.

 

  1.1

   Underwriting Agreement, dated March 20, 2008, among the Registrant, Saul Holdings Limited Partnership, a Maryland Limited partnership of which the Registrant is general partner, and RBC Capital Markets Corporation, Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated and Raymond James & Associates, Inc., as representatives for the several underwriters named therein

  3.1

   Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, dated March 26, 2008

  4.1

   Deposit Agreement, dated March 27, 2008, among the Registrant, Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Depositary, and the holders of depositary receipts

  4.2

   Specimen of certificate representing the 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Registrant (filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on
Form 8-A relating to the depositary shares, each representing  1 / 100 th of a share of 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and incorporated herein by reference).

  4.3

   Specimen receipt representing the Depositary Shares, each representing 1/100 th of a share of 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $.01, per share, of the Registrant (included as part of Exhibit 4.1)

  5.1

   Opinion of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP as to the legality of the securities being issued by the Registrant

  8.1

   Opinion of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP regarding certain material tax issues relating to the Registrant


23.1

   Consent of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP to the filing of Exhibit 5.1 herewith (included in its opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1)

23.2

   Consent of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP to the filing of Exhibit 8.1 herewith (included in its opinion filed as Exhibit 8.1)


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

SAUL CENTERS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Scott V. Schneider

Name:   Scott V. Schneider
Title:   Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

Dated: March 27, 2008


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

  1.1

  Underwriting Agreement, dated March 20, 2008, among the Registrant, Saul Holdings Limited Partnership, a Maryland limited partnership of which the Registrant is the general partner, and RBC Capital Markets Corporation, Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated and Raymond James & Associates, Inc. as representatives for the several underwriters named therein

  3.1

  Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share, dated March 26, 2008

  4.1

  Deposit Agreement, dated March 27, 2008, among the Registrant, Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Depositary, and the holders of depositary receipts

  4.2

  Specimen of certificate representing the 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Registrant (filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A relating to the depositary shares, each representing  1 / 100 th of a share of 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and incorporated herein by reference).

  4.3

  Specimen receipt representing the Depositary Shares, each representing 1/100 th of a share of 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $.01, per share, of the Registrant (included as part of Exhibit 4.1)

  5.1

  Opinion of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP as to the legality of the securities being issued by the Registrant

  8.1

  Opinion of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP regarding certain material tax issues relating to the Registrant

23.1

  Consent of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP to the filing of Exhibit 5.1 herewith (included in its opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1)

23.2

  Consent of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP to the filing of Exhibit 8.1 herewith (included in its opinion filed as Exhibit 8.1)

Exhibit 1.1

SAUL CENTERS, INC.

3,000,000 Depositary Shares

Each Representing 1/100th of a share of 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable

Preferred Stock (Par Value $0.01 Per Share)

(Liquidation Preference Equivalent to $25.00 Per Depositary Share)

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

March 20, 2008

RBC Capital Markets Corporation

One Liberty Plaza, 6 th Floor

New York, NY 10006

Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated

100 Light Street, 8 th Floor

Baltimore, MD 21202

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

880 Carillon Parkway

St. Petersburg, FL 33716

As the Representatives of the

several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Saul Centers, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “ Company ”) and the sole general partner of Saul Holdings Limited Partnership, a Maryland limited partnership (the “ Operating Partnership ”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters (the “ Underwriters ”) named in Schedule I hereto for whom you are acting as Representatives (the “ Representatives ”) 3,000,000 shares (the “ Firm Shares ”) of its depositary shares (the “ Depositary Shares ”), each representing 1/100th of a share of the Company’s 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “ Series B Preferred Stock ”). The Company also proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 450,000 Depositary Shares solely to cover over-allotments (the “ Option Shares ”; the Option Shares, together with the Firm Shares, hereinafter called the “ Shares ”). The respective amounts of the Shares to be so purchased by the several Underwriters are set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto.

The shares of Series B Preferred Stock represented by the Shares (the “ Preferred Shares ”) will, when issued, be deposited by the Company against delivery of depositary receipts (the “ Depositary Receipts ”) to be issued by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Depositary (the “ Depositary ”), under a Deposit Agreement (the “ Deposit Agreement ”) among the Company, the Depositary, and the holders from time to time of the Depositary Receipts issued thereunder. Each Depositary Receipt will represent one or more Depositary Shares.


As the Representatives, you have advised the Company (a) that you are authorized to enter into this underwriting agreement (the “ Agreement ”) on behalf of the several Underwriters, and (b) that the several Underwriters are willing, acting severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Shares set forth opposite their names in Schedule I .

The Company wishes to confirm as follows its agreement with you in connection with the purchase of the Shares by the several Underwriters.

1. Registration Statement and Prospectus . The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “ Act ”), a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (file number 333-149463) under the Act (“ Registration Statement 333-149463 ”), which registration statement included a prospectus dated March 10, 2008 (the “ Basic Prospectus ”), relating to up to $140,000,000 aggregate offering price of the Shares and the Preferred Shares, and has filed with, or transmitted for filing to, or shall promptly hereafter file with or transmit for filing to, the Commission a supplement to the prospectus included in such registration statement (the “ Prospectus Supplement ”) specifically relating to the Shares and the plan of distribution thereof pursuant to Rule 424. Registration Statement 333-149463, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, became effective on March 10, 2008. Except where the context otherwise requires, Registration Statement 333-149463 on each date and time that such registration statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or becomes effective (each, an “ Effective Date ”), including all documents filed as part thereof and including any information contained in a Prospectus (as defined below) subsequently filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement, collectively, are herein called the “ Registration Statement ,” and the Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by the final Prospectus Supplement, in the form first used by the Company in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares, is herein called the “ Prospectus ”; and the term “ Preliminary Prospectus ” means any preliminary form of the Prospectus Supplement. The Basic Prospectus together with the Preliminary Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, immediately prior to the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto (the “ Execution Time ”) is hereafter called the “ Pricing Prospectus ,” and any “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433) relating to the Shares is hereafter called an “ Issuer Free Writing Prospectus .” The Pricing Prospectus, as supplemented by the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, attached and listed in Schedule II hereto or that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package (as defined below), if any, taken together, are hereafter collectively called the “ Disclosure Package .” Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act (the “ Incorporated Documents ”), as of each Effective Date or the Execution Time or the date of the Prospectus, as the case may be (it being understood that the several specific references in this Agreement to documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus are for clarifying purposes only and are not meant to limit the inclusiveness of any other definition herein). For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“ EDGAR ”).

 

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All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included,” “stated” or “described” in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (and all other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder (the “ Exchange Act ”), which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be.

2. Agreement to Sell and Purchase .

(a) The Company hereby agrees, subject to all the terms and conditions set forth herein, to issue and sell to the Underwriters and, upon the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements of the Company herein contained and subject to all the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of $24.2125 per Share, the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule I to this Agreement.

(b) Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to the number of Option Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto at the same purchase price set forth in Section 2(a). Said option may be exercised only to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters. Said option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time on or before the 30th day after the date of the Prospectus upon written or telegraphic notice by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the number of the Option Shares as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the settlement date (each, an “ Option Closing Date ”). Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the Closing Date for the Firm Shares nor later than ten (10) Business Days after the date of such notice. The number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of the total number of the Option Shares to be purchased by the several Underwriters as such Underwriter is purchasing of the Firm Shares.

3. Offering by Underwriters . It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Shares for sale to the public as soon after this Agreement has become effective as in their judgment is advisable and initially to offer the Shares upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, represents and agrees as follows:

Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, represents and agrees that unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, it has not

 

3


made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433, other than the free writing prospectus containing the information contained in the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(t) hereto; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule II hereto and any electronic road show.

4. Delivery of the Shares and Payment Therefor . Delivery of and payment for the Shares shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on March 27, 2008, or at such time on such later date not more than three (3) Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by mutual written agreement of the Representatives and the Company (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Shares being herein called the “ Closing Date ”) or on the applicable Option Closing Date (or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than the third business day thereafter, as the Underwriters and the Company may agree in writing). Delivery of the Shares shall be made against payment by the Representatives of the purchase price thereof, to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company. The Shares will be delivered to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters through the book-entry facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”) and will be made available for inspection by the Underwriters by 1:00 p.m. New York City time at least 24 hours prior to the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be, at such place as the Underwriters and the Company shall agree. The Shares shall be in global form registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC. Certificate(s) for the Preferred Shares shall be delivered to the Depositary and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC and in such denominations as the Representatives shall request prior to 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the second Business Day preceding the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be. Such certificates shall be made available to, or at the direction of, the Representatives in New York City for inspection and packaging not later than 9:30 A.M., New York City time, on the Business Day next preceding the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The certificates evidencing the Shares to be purchased hereunder shall be delivered to, or at the direction of, the Representatives on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, against payment of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the order of the Company.

5. Agreements of the Company . The Company agrees with the Underwriters as follows:

(a) If, at the time this Agreement is executed and delivered, it is necessary for a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement to be declared effective before the offering of the Shares may commence, the Company will use its best efforts to cause such post-effective amendment to become effective as soon as possible and will advise the Representatives promptly and, if requested by the Representatives, will confirm such advice in writing, immediately after such post-effective amendment has become effective.

(b) If, at any time prior to the filing of the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package would (x) include any untrue

 

4


statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading or (y) conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package to correct such statement, omission or conflicting information; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the Representatives in such quantities as may be reasonably requested.

(c) The Company will advise the Representatives promptly and, if requested by the Representatives, will confirm such advice in writing: (i) of any review, issuance of comments, or request by the Commission or its staff on or for an amendment of or a supplement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or for additional information regarding the Company, its affiliates or its filings with the Commission, whether or not such filings are incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of the suspension of qualification of the Shares or the Preferred Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose or any examination pursuant to Section 8(e) of the Act relating to the Registration Statement or Section 8A of the Act in connection with the offering of the Shares; (iii) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Shares or the Preferred Shares for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and (iv) within the period of time referred to in the first sentence in subsection (f) below, of any change in the Company’s condition (financial or other), business, prospects, properties, net worth or results of operations, or of the happening of any event, which results in any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented) being untrue or which requires the making of any additions to or changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented) in order to state a material fact required by the Act to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or of the necessity to amend or supplement the Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented) to comply with the Act or any other law. If at any time the Commission shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, the Company will make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal of such order at the earliest possible time.

(d) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel to the Representatives, without charge: (i) ten (10) signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission and of each amendment thereto, including financial statements and all exhibits to the Registration Statement; (ii) such number of conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, but without exhibits, as the Underwriters may request; (iii) such number of copies of the Incorporated Documents, without exhibits, as the Representatives may request; and (iv) ten copies of the exhibits to the Incorporated Documents. The Company will pay all of the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering.

(e) The Company will not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or make any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or, prior to the end of the period of

 

5


time referred to in the first sentence in subsection (f) below, file any document which upon filing becomes an Incorporated Document, of which the Representatives shall not previously have been advised or to which, after the Representatives shall have received a copy of the document proposed to be filed, the Representatives shall reasonably object; and no such further document, when it is filed, will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading. The Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to make any other filing pursuant to the Exchange Act from the Execution Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing.

(f) As soon after the execution and delivery of this Agreement as possible and thereafter from time to time for such period as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered in connection with sales by the Underwriters or any dealer (including circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), the Company will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the Company will expeditiously deliver to the Underwriters and each dealer, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus (and of any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representatives may request. The Company consents to the use of the Prospectus (and of any amendment or supplement thereto) in accordance with the provisions of the Act and with the securities or blue sky laws of the jurisdictions in which the Shares are offered by the several Underwriters and by all dealers to whom Shares may be sold, both in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares and for such period of time thereafter as the Prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered in connection with sales by any Underwriters or dealers. If during such period of time: (i) any event shall occur as a result of which, in the judgment of the Company, or in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus as supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; or (ii) if it is necessary to supplement the Prospectus or amend the Registration Statement (or to file under the Exchange Act any document which, upon filing, becomes an Incorporated Document) in order to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or any other law, the Company will promptly notify the Representatives of such event and forthwith prepare and, subject to the provisions of paragraph (e) above, file with the Commission an appropriate supplement or amendment thereto (or to such document), and will expeditiously furnish to the Underwriters and dealers a reasonable number of copies thereof. In the event that the Company and the Representatives agree that the Prospectus should be amended or supplemented, the Company, if requested by the Representatives, will promptly issue a press release announcing or disclosing the matters to be covered by the proposed amendment or supplement.

(g) The Company will: (i) cooperate with the Underwriters and with counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the registration or qualification of the Shares and the Preferred Shares for offering and sale by the Underwriters and by dealers under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may designate; (ii) maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Shares; (iii) pay any fee of

 

6


the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, in connection with its review of the offering; and (iv) file such consents to service of process or other documents necessary or appropriate in order to effect such registration or qualification; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action which would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Shares, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

(h) The Company agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written consent of the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433, other than the free writing prospectus containing the information contained in the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(t) hereto; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule II hereto and any electronic road show. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives or the Company is hereinafter referred to as a “ Permitted Free Writing Prospectus .” The Company agrees that (x) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (y) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.

(i) The Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives a consolidated earnings statement, which need not be audited, covering a 12-month period commencing after the effective date of this Agreement and ending not later than 15 months thereafter, as soon as practicable after the end of such period, which consolidated earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 under the Act.

(j) During the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the date occurring three (3) years hereafter, the Company will furnish to the Representatives: (i) as soon as available, if requested, a copy of each report of the Company mailed to stockholders or filed with the Commission; and (ii) from time to time such other information concerning the Company as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(k) If this Agreement shall terminate or shall be terminated after execution pursuant to any provisions hereof, or if this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters because of any inability, failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters) incurred by the Underwriters in connection herewith.

(l) The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares substantially in accordance with the description set forth in the Prospectus.

 

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(m) If Rule 430A, 430B or 430C of the Act is employed, the Company will timely file the Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act and will advise the Underwriters of the time and manner of such filing.

(n) The Company has not taken, nor will it take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

(o) The Company will comply and will use its best efforts to cause its tenants to comply in all material respects with all applicable Environmental Laws (as hereinafter defined).

(p) The Company will use its best efforts to continue to qualify as a real estate investment trust (a “ REIT ”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”), and to continue to have each of its corporate subsidiaries (other than its taxable REIT subsidiaries) comply with all applicable laws and regulations necessary to maintain a status as a “qualified REIT subsidiary” under the Code.

(q) The Company will use all reasonable best efforts to do or perform all things required to be done or performed by the Company prior to the Closing Date to satisfy all conditions precedent to the delivery of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement.

(r) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any class of capital stock (other than the Shares) ranking senior to the Preferred Shares with respect to dividend rights or rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up for a period of sixty (60) days after the Closing Date.

(s) The Company will comply with all applicable securities and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “ Sarbanes-Oxley Act ”), and to use its best efforts to cause the Company’s directors and officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with such laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

(t) Unless requested otherwise by the Representatives, the Company will prepare a final term sheet, containing solely a description of final terms of the Shares and the offering thereof, in the form and substance approved by the Representatives and attached as Exhibit A hereto and will file such final term sheet with the Commission as soon as practical after the Execution Time. The Company will file any other Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act within the time period required by such rule. The Company will retain, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433(g) under the Securities Act.

(u) The Company will use best efforts to complete all required filings with the New York Stock Exchange and other necessary actions in order to cause the Shares to be listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to notice of issuance.

 

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(v) At or prior to the Closing Date, the Company will prepare and file a registration statement on Form 8-A with the Commission covering the Shares.

(w) The Company will prepare and file articles supplementary to the Company’s articles of incorporation, authorizing the Series B Preferred Stock and designating the rights, preferences and restrictions relating thereto (the “ Articles Supplementary ”) with the Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland (“ Maryland DAT ”) prior to the Closing.

6. Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Operating Partnership . As of the date hereof, the Company and the Partnership, jointly and severally, represent, warrant and covenant to each Underwriter as follows:

(a) The Basic Prospectus and each Preliminary Prospectus, if any, included as part of the registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Act, complied when so filed in all material respects with the provisions of the Act.

(b) The Company and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement meet all of the requirements for using Form S-3 under the Act pursuant to the standards for such form in effect currently and immediately prior to October 21, 1992. The Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, was declared effective on March 10, 2008. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Act are pending before or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission. The Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Act in connection with the offering of the Shares. The Registration Statement meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x) under the Act and complies in all other material respects with such Rule. The Registration Statement, in the form in which it was declared effective, and also in such form as it may be when any post-effective amendment thereto shall become effective, and the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and any supplement or amendment thereto, each when filed with the Commission under Rule 424(b) under the Act, complied or will comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Act and the Exchange Act. The Company has not received from the Commission any notice objecting to the use of the shelf registration statement form. On each Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading. On the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representation and warranty contained in this Section 6(b) does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Underwriters furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of the Underwriters expressly for use therein.

 

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(c) (i) The Disclosure Package, and (ii) each electronic road show when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package, did not at the Execution Time, and will not on the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Underwriters furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of the Underwriters expressly for use therein.

(d) (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Shares and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

(e) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(t) hereof does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any Incorporated Document by reference therein and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. The foregoing sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 12 hereof.

(f) The Incorporated Documents heretofore filed, when they were filed (or, if any amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), conformed in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. The Company has given the Representatives notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act within 48 hours prior to the Execution Time. No such document when it was filed (or, if an amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(g) The Shares and the Preferred Shares have been duly and validly authorized and will conform in all material respects to the description of the Shares contained in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, when issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement and, in the case of the Shares, the Deposit Agreement, will be fully paid and non-assessable; the Depositary Receipts will entitle the holders thereof to the benefits provided therein and in the Deposit Agreement. The form of certificate for the Shares will be in valid and sufficient form in compliance with the New York Stock Exchange requirements.

 

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(h) Each of the Company, the Partnership and their subsidiaries is a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership, as applicable, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its formation, as set forth on Schedule III hereto, with full corporate, limited liability company or partnership power, as applicable, and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and each is duly registered and qualified to conduct its business, and is in good standing, in each jurisdiction or place where the nature of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such registration or qualification, except where the failure so to register or qualify does not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), prospects, earnings, business, properties, net worth or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (“ Material Adverse Effect ”).

(i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries does any business in Cuba.

(j) Other than as set forth on Schedule III hereto, the Company has no subsidiary or subsidiaries, and does not control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, association or other business association. The issued shares of capital stock of each of the Company’s subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, other than as set forth on Schedule III hereto, are owned legally and beneficially by the Company free and clear of any security interests, liens, encumbrances, equities or claims.

(k) There are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries, or to which the Company or the Operating Partnership or any properties of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries is subject, that (A) are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus but are not described as required; (B) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby; or (C) could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto). There are no statutes, regulations, capital expenditures, off-balance sheet transactions, contingencies or agreements, contracts, indentures, leases or other instruments or documents of a character that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or any Incorporated Document that are not described, filed or incorporated as required by the Act or the Exchange Act (and the Pricing Prospectus contains in all material respects the same description of the foregoing matters contained in the Prospectus). The statements in the Prospectus under the heading “Federal Income Tax Considerations” and in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement under the heading Additional Certain Federal Income Tax Considerations” fairly summarize the matters therein described.

(l) None of the Company, the Partnership or their subsidiaries is: (A) in violation of (i) its respective articles of incorporation, partnership agreement, operating agreement or by-laws (or analogous governing instruments), (ii) any law, ordinance,

 

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administrative or governmental rule or regulation applicable to the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries, which violation would have a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) any decree of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or its subsidiaries; or (B) in default in any material respect in the performance of any obligation, agreement, condition or covenant (financial or otherwise) contained in any bond, debenture, note or any other evidence of indebtedness or in any material agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument to which the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries or any of their respective properties may be bound, and no such default is foreseeable.

(m) (A) As of the date of this Agreement, the Company owns either directly or indirectly through its subsidiaries, 54 properties (the “ Properties ”). To the best of the Company’s knowledge, none of Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries is in violation of any municipal, state or federal law, rule or regulation concerning any of their Properties, which violation would have a Material Adverse Effect; (B) to the best of the Company’s knowledge, each of the Properties complies with all applicable zoning laws, ordinances and regulations in all material respects and, if and to the extent there is a failure to comply, such failure does not materially impair the value of any of such Properties and will not result in a forfeiture or reversion of title thereof; (C) none of Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries has received from any governmental authority any written notice of any condemnation of, or zoning change affecting any of, the Properties, and the Company does not know of any such condemnation or zoning change which is threatened and which if consummated would have a material adverse effect on the Company or any of such Properties; (D) the leases under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries leases the Properties as lessor (the “ Leases ”) are in full force and effect and have been entered into in the ordinary course of business of such entity; (E) the Company and each of its subsidiaries has complied with its respective obligations under the Leases in all material respects and the Company does not know of any default by any other party to the Leases which, alone or together with other such defaults, would have a Material Adverse Effect or material adverse effect on any of the properties subject to a Lease; and (F) all liens, charges, encumbrances, claims or restrictions on or affecting the Properties and assets (including the Properties) of the Company and its subsidiaries that are required to be disclosed in the Prospectus are disclosed therein.

(n) Neither the issuance and sale of the Shares, the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement or the Deposit Agreement by the Company or the Operating Partnership, nor the consummation by the Company or the Operating Partnership of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares and the designation, issuance and deposit of the Preferred Shares), nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof or thereof: (A) requires any consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body, agency or official (except (i) such as may be required for the registration of the Shares under the Act and compliance with the securities or blue sky laws of various jurisdictions and (ii) the filing with the Maryland DAT of the Articles Supplementary), or conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute a breach or violation of, or a default under, the articles of incorporation, including the Articles Supplementary, or by-laws (or analogous governing documents) of the Company or the Operating Partnership or any of their

 

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subsidiaries; or (B) conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute a breach of, or a default under, any agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument to which the Company or the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or the Operating Partnership or any properties of the Company or the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries may be bound, or violates or will violate any statute, law, regulation or filing or judgment, injunction, order or decree applicable to the Company or the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries or any properties of the Company or the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries, or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument to which the Company or the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries may be bound, or to which any property or assets of the Company or the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries is subject.

(o) To the Company’s knowledge, Ernst & Young LLP, who has certified or shall certify the financial statements and schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), is and was, as of the date of this Agreement and during the periods covered by the financial statements on which it reported, an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company as required by the Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder and by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

(p) The financial statements, together with related schedules and notes, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto), present fairly in all material respects the financial position, results of operations and changes in financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries on the basis stated in the Registration Statement and the Incorporated Documents at the respective dates or for the respective periods to which they apply. Such statements and related schedules and notes have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein. The other financial and statistical information and data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto) are accurately presented and prepared on a basis consistent with such financial statements and the books and records of the Company and its subsidiaries. The pro forma financial statements and other pro forma financial information included, or incorporated by reference in, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus include assumptions that provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions and events described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect the proper application of those adjustments to the historical financial statement amounts in the pro forma financial statements included in the Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus and the Registration Statement. The pro forma financial statements included in the Prospectus , the Pricing Prospectus and the Registration Statement comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of Regulation S-X under the Act and the pro forma adjustments have been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements. The Company has filed with the Commission all financial statements, together with related schedules and notes, required to be filed pursuant to Regulation S-X under the Act.

 

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(q) The Company has the corporate power to issue, sell and deliver the Shares and the Preferred Shares as provided herein and in the Deposit Agreement; the execution and delivery of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitute the valid and legally binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity and to the extent that rights to indemnity and contribution hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws; the execution and delivery of, and the performance by the Operating Partnership of its obligations under, this Agreement have been duly and validly authorized by the Operating Partnership, and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Operating Partnership and constitutes the valid and legally binding agreement of the Operating Partnership, enforceable against the Operating Partnership in accordance with their terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity and to the extent that rights to indemnity and contribution hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws.

(r) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), subsequent to the respective dates as of which such information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), none of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries has incurred any liability or obligation (financial or other), direct or contingent, or entered into any transaction (including any off-balance sheet activities or transactions), not in the ordinary course of business, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, and there has not been any change in the capital stock, or material increase in the short-term debt or long-term debt (including any off-balance sheet activities or transactions), of any of the Company or the Operating Partnership or their subsidiaries, or any material adverse change, or any development involving or which may reasonably be expected to involve, a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or other), business, prospects, net worth or results of operations of any of the Company or the Operating Partnership or their subsidiaries.

(s) The Company, the Operating Partnership and each of their subsidiaries has good and marketable title to all property (real and personal) described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being owned by each of them (including the Properties), free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests or other encumbrances that would materially and adversely affect the value thereof or materially interfere with the use made or presently contemplated to be made thereof by them as described in the Prospectus, except such as are described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or in any document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and each property described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being held under lease by the Company or any of its subsidiaries is held by it under a valid, subsisting and enforceable lease.

 

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(t) The “significant subsidiaries” of the Company as defined in Section 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X are set forth in Schedule III hereto (the “ Significant Subsidiaries ”).

(u) The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later to occur of (x) the Closing Date and (y) completion of the distribution of the Shares, will not distribute, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares other than the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus. The Company has not, directly or indirectly: (i) taken any action designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares; or (ii) since the filing of the Registration Statement (A) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of, the Shares or (B) paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company.

(v) The Company, the Operating Partnership and each of their subsidiaries possess all certificates, permits, licenses, franchises and authorizations of governmental or regulatory authorities (the “ permits ”) as are necessary to own their respective properties and to conduct their respective businesses in the manner described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, where such failure to possess could have a Material Adverse Effect, subject to such qualifications as may be set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company, the Operating Partnership and each of their subsidiaries has fulfilled and performed all of their respective material obligations with respect to such permits, and no event has occurred which allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or termination thereof or which would result in any other material impairment of the rights of the holder of any such permit, subject in each case to such qualification as may be set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Except as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, exclusive of any supplement thereto, neither the revocation or modification of any permit singly or in the aggregate, nor the announcement of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding with respect to any permit, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

(w) The Company, the Operating Partnership and each of their subsidiaries have established and maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its chief executive officer and chief financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure; and the Company, the Operating Partnership and each of their subsidiaries maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and which includes policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company, the Operating Partnership and each of their subsidiaries, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and that receipts and expenditures of the

 

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Company, the Operating Partnership and each of their subsidiaries are being made only in accordance with the authorization of management, and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisitions, use or dispositions of assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. The Company’s disclosure controls and procedures have been evaluated for effectiveness as of the end of the most recent period required to be evaluated by the Company which precedes the date of the Prospectus and were effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established. Based on the most recent evaluation of its internal control over financial reporting, the Company was not aware of (i) any material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting or (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. There has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has occurred during its most recently completed fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(x) There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including, without limitation, Section 402 related to loans to insiders and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

(y) To the Company’s knowledge, none of Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries nor any employee or agent of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries has made any payment of funds of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation, which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus.

(z) No labor problem or dispute with the employees of the Company and/or any of its subsidiaries or any of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, exists, is threatened or imminent that could result in a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, no labor problem or dispute with the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ tenants exists, is threatened or imminent that could result in a Material Adverse Effect.

(aa) The Company has filed all foreign, federal, state and local tax returns that are required to be filed, which returns are complete and correct, or has requested extensions thereof (except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) and has paid all taxes required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for any such assessment, fine or penalty that is currently being contested in good faith or as would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), prospects, earnings, business or properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

 

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(bb) No holder of any security of the Company or the Operating Partnership has any right to require registration of the Shares or any other security of the Company or the Operating Partnership because of the filing of the Registration Statement or consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, which right has not been waived in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company and the Operating Partnership are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Shares or the Preferred Shares.

(cc) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess all patents, trademarks, trademark registrations, service marks, service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and rights described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being owned by them or necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses. The Company is not aware of any claim to the contrary or any challenge by any other person to the rights of the Company and its subsidiaries with respect to the foregoing.

(dd) The Company is not now, and after sale of the Shares to be sold by the Company hereunder and the application of the net proceeds from such sale as described in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds,” will not be, an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(ee) (i) To the best of the Company’s knowledge, the Company, the Operating Partnership, their subsidiaries, the Properties and the operations conducted thereon comply and heretofore have complied with all applicable Environmental Laws, and no expenditures are required or advisable to maintain or achieve such compliance.

(ii) None of Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries has at any time and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no other party has at any time, handled, buried, stored, retained, refined, transported, processed, manufactured, generated, produced, spilled, allowed to seep, leak, escape or leach, or be pumped, poured, emitted, emptied, discharged, injected, dumped, transferred or otherwise disposed of or dealt with, Hazardous Materials (as defined below) on, to, under or from the Properties, except as disclosed in environmental site assessment reports obtained by the Company on or before the date hereof in connection with the purchase of any of the Properties and directly provided to the Underwriters or their counsel (collectively, the “ Environmental Reports ”) and except for those circumstances that have not had and will not have a material adverse effect on the relevant Property. None of Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries intends to use the Properties or any subsequently acquired properties for the purpose of handling, burying, storing, retaining, refining, transporting, processing, manufacturing, generating, producing, spilling, seeping, leaking, escaping, leaching, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, dumping, transferring or otherwise disposing of or dealing with Hazardous Materials.

(iii) To the best of the Company’s knowledge, no seepage, leak, escape, leach, discharge, injection, release, emission, spill, pumping, pouring, emptying or

 

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dumping of Hazardous Materials into any surface water, groundwater, soil, air or other media on or adjacent to the Properties has occurred, is occurring or is reasonably expected to occur, except as is disclosed in the Environmental Reports and except for those circumstances not likely to have a material adverse effect on the relevant Property.

(iv) None of Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries has received notice from any Governmental Authority or other person of, or has knowledge of, any occurrence or circumstance which, with notice, passage of time, or failure to act, would give rise to any claim under or pursuant to any Environmental Law or under common law pertaining to Hazardous Materials on or originating from the existing Properties or any act or omission of any party with respect to the existing Properties, except as disclosed in the Environmental Reports.

(v) To the best of the Company’s knowledge, none of the Properties is included or proposed for inclusion on any federal, state, or local lists of sites which require or might require environmental cleanup, including, but not limited to, the National Priorities List or CERCLIS List issued pursuant to CERCLA (as defined below) by the United States Environmental Protection Agency or any analogous state list, except as is disclosed in the Environmental Reports and except for those circumstances not likely to have a material adverse effect on the relevant Property.

(vi) In the ordinary course of its business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

As used herein, “ Hazardous Material ” shall include, without limitation, any flammable explosives, radioactive materials, hazardous materials, hazardous wastes, hazardous or toxic substances, or related materials, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (“ PCBs ”), petroleum products and by-products and substances defined or listed as “hazardous substances,” “toxic substances,” “hazardous waste,” or “hazardous materials” in any Federal, state or local Environmental Law.

As used herein, “ Environmental Law ” shall mean all laws, common law duties, regulations or ordinances (including any orders or agreements) of any Federal, state or local governmental authority having or claiming jurisdiction over any of the Properties (a

 

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Governmental Authority ”) that are designed or intended to protect the public health and the environment or to regulate the handling of Hazardous Materials, including, without limitation, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (42 U.S.C. Section 9601 et seq.) (“ CERCLA ”), the Hazardous Material Transportation Act, as amended (49 U.S.C. Section 1801 et seq.), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. Section 6901 et seq.), the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. Section 1251 et seq.), and the Clean Air Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. Section 7401 et seq.), and any and all analogous future federal or present or future state or local laws.

(ff) The Company is organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification as a real estate investment trust under Sections 856 through 860 of the Code and the rules and regulations thereunder. As of the close of every taxable year during the Company’s existence, the Company has had no earnings and profits accumulated in a non-REIT year within the meaning of Section 857(a)(2)(B) of the Code. The Company’s past and proposed method of operation have enabled it, and will enable it, to meet the requirements for taxation as a REIT under the Code.

(gg) Each of the Company’s corporate subsidiaries, is in compliance with all requirements applicable to a REIT or a “qualified REIT subsidiary” within the meaning of Section 856(i) of the Code and all applicable regulations under the Code, and the Company is not aware of any fact that would negatively impact such qualifications. Each of the Company’s non-corporate subsidiaries qualifies as a partnership or a disregarded entity for federal income tax purposes.

(hh) The Company, the Operating Partnership and each of their subsidiaries is insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged and the value of their properties. All policies of insurance and fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries or their respective businesses, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect. The Company, the Operating Partnership and each of their subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects and there are no claims by the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause. None of Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for, and the Company does not have any reason to believe that the Company, the Operating Partnership and each of their subsidiaries will not be able to renew its respective existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue their respective businesses at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(ii) The Company, the Partnership, and their subsidiaries have title insurance on each of the Properties owned in fee simple in amounts at least equal to the cost of acquisition of such property; with respect to an uninsured loss on any of the Properties, the title insurance shortfall would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(jj) No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring and of such subsidiary’s assets or property to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; the Company has not declared, paid or made any dividend or distribution of any kind on any class of its capital stock, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

(kk) There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under Federal law or the laws of any state, or any political subdivision thereof, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance by the Company or sale by the Company of the Shares.

(ll) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has fulfilled its obligations, if any, under the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of the United States Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ ERISA ”) and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to each “plan” (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA and such regulations and published interpretations) in which employees of the Company and its subsidiaries are eligible to participate. Each such plan is in compliance in all material respects with the presently applicable provisions of ERISA and such regulations and published interpretations. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any unpaid liability to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (other than for the payment of premiums in the ordinary course) or to any such plan under Title IV of ERISA.

(mm) To the knowledge of the Company, no stock options awards granted by the Company have been retroactively granted, or the exercise or purchase price of any stock option award determined retroactively.

(nn) The Company’s authorized capitalization is as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; the outstanding shares of common stock and preferred stock of the Company have each been duly and validly authorized and issued in compliance with all Federal and state securities laws, and are fully paid and non-assessable.

(oo) Assuming due authorization, execution and delivery of the Deposit Agreement by the Depositary, each Share will represent an interest in 1/100th of a share of a validly issued, outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable share of Series C Preferred Stock. Assuming due execution and delivery of the Depositary Receipts by the Depositary pursuant to the Deposit Agreement, the Depositary Receipts will entitle the holders thereof to the benefits provided therein and in the Deposit Agreement.

(pp) Application has been made to list the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

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(qq) Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), there are no outstanding (i) securities or obligations of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries convertible into or exchangeable for any equity interests of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries, (ii) warrants, rights or options to subscribe for or purchase from the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries any such equity interests or any such convertible or exchangeable securities or obligations (except for (a) units of partnership interest in the Operating Partnership (“ Partnership Units ”), (b) common stock, par value $0.01, of the Company (“ Common Stock ”) issuable upon the redemption of outstanding Partnership Units, (c) Common Stock issuable in connection with the Company’s dividend reinvestment and share purchase plan, or (d) 131,078 shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the options issued under the Company’s 1993 Stock Option Plan) or (e) 455,675 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the options issues under the Company’s 2004 Stock Option Plan, or (iii) obligations of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their subsidiaries to issue any equity interests, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or obligation, or any such warrants, rights or options. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), there are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities, including securities which are convertible into or exchangeable for equity securities, registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company under the Act. The Company is the sole general partner of each of the Operating Partnership, Saul Subsidiary I Limited Partnership and Saul Subsidiary II Limited Partnership. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Saul QRS, Inc., is the sole general partner of Saul Subsidiary I Limited Partnership.

7. Indemnification and Contribution .

(a) The Company and the Operating Partnership, jointly and severally, agree:

(i) to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter or any such controlling person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in (A) the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or (B) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (iii) any alleged act or failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or relating in any manner to, the Shares, the Preferred Shares or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising out of or based upon matters covered by clause (i) or (ii) above ( provided ,

 

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however , that neither the Company nor the Operating Partnership shall be liable under this clause (iii) to the extent that it is determined in a final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction that such loss, claim, damage, liability or action resulted directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to be taken by such Underwriter through its gross negligence or willful misconduct); provided , however , that neither the Company nor the Operating Partnership will be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus, or such amendment or supplement, or any Company Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives specifically for use in the preparation thereof, such information being listed in Section 12 below.

(ii) to reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person upon demand for any legal or other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage or liability, action or proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or governmental inquiry related to the offering of the Shares, whether or not such Underwriter or controlling person is a party to any action or proceeding provided, however , that neither the Company nor the Operating Partnership will be liable to reimburse such expenses incurred in connection with any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus, or such amendment or supplement, or any Company Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives specifically for use in the preparation thereof, such information being listed in Section 12 below. In the event that it is finally judicially determined that the Underwriters were not entitled to receive payments for legal and other expenses pursuant to this subparagraph, the Underwriters will promptly return all sums that had been advanced pursuant hereto.

(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who have signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject under the Securities Act or

 

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otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made; and will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action or proceeding; provided , however , that each Underwriter will be liable in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives specifically for use in the preparation thereof, such information being listed in Section 15 below.

(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Section, such person (the “ indemnified party ”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “ indemnifying party ”) in writing. No indemnification provided for in Section 7(a) or (b) shall be available to any party who shall fail to give notice as provided in this Subsection if the party to whom notice was not given was unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was materially prejudiced by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to give such notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party or parties from any liability which it or they may have to the indemnified party for contribution or otherwise than on account of the provisions of Section 7(a) or (b). In case any such proceeding shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party and shall pay as incurred the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel at its own expense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party shall pay as incurred (or within 30 days of presentation) the fees and expenses of the counsel retained by the indemnified party in the event (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them or (iii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense and employ counsel acceptable to the indemnified party within a reasonable period of time after notice of commencement of the action.

It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm for all such indemnified parties. Such firm shall be designated in writing by you in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(a) and by

 

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the Company in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. In addition, the indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such claim, action or proceeding) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action or proceeding.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 7(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Operating Partnership on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company and the Operating Partnership on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Operating Partnership on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Operating Partnership bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Operating Partnership on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

The Company, the Operating Partnership and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Subsection were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Subsection. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in this Subsection shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Subsection, (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to

 

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the Shares purchased by such Underwriter and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this Subsection to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

(e) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section hereby consents to the jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any other contributing party, agrees that process issuing from such court may be served upon him or it by any other contributing party and consents to the service of such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join him or it as an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing party is a party.

(f) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which an indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this Section shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred. The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section and the representations and warranties of the Company and the Operating Partnership set forth in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter, the Company, the Operating Partnership, their directors or officers or any persons controlling the Company or the Operating Partnership, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and payment therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement. A successor to any Underwriter, or to the Company, the Operating Partnership, their directors or officers, or any person controlling the Company or the Operating Partnership, shall be entitled to the benefits of the indemnity, contribution and reimbursement agreements contained in this Section.

8. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations . The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Shares hereunder are subject to the following conditions:

(a)(i) The Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reference to Rule 424(b)(8)); the final term sheet contemplated by Section 5(b) hereto and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433 and (ii) any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the satisfaction of the Underwriters.

(b) Subsequent to the Execution Time, or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereto), the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment thereof), there shall not have occurred: (i) any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, business, properties, net worth, or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, whether or not arising from

 

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transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto subsequent to the date of this Agreement), the effect of which, in the sole judgment of the Representatives is so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Shares as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendments thereto), the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto); or (ii) any event or development relating to or involving the Company and its subsidiaries or any officer or director of the Company and its subsidiaries which makes any statement made in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus untrue or which, in the opinion of the Company and its counsel or the Representatives and their counsel, requires the making of any addition to or change in the Disclosure Package in order to state a material fact required by the Act or any other law to be stated therein, or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, if amending or supplementing the Disclosure Package to reflect such event or development would, in the opinion of the Representatives, adversely affect the market for the Shares.

(c) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date and, if applicable, each Option Closing Date an opinion of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, counsel for the Company, dated as of such date and addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that:

(i) The Company and each of the Significant Subsidiaries: (x) is a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership or trust duly incorporated and validly existing in good standing under the laws of its state of formation, with full corporate, partnership or trust power, as applicable, and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto); and, (y) based solely on certificates of public officials and officers of the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries, are duly registered and qualified to conduct their business; and (z) based solely on certificates of public officials, are in good standing in each jurisdiction or place where the nature of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such registration or qualification, except where the failure so to register or qualify does not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or other), business, properties, net worth or results of operations of the Company and the Significant Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

(ii) To the knowledge of such counsel, the Company has no subsidiary or subsidiaries and does not control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, association or other business association other than as set forth on Schedule III hereto. To the knowledge of such counsel, the subsidiaries that meet the definition of “Significant Subsidiary,” as such term is defined in Section 210.1-02 of Regulation S-X are set forth on Schedule III hereto. All of the outstanding equity interests of each subsidiary on the Company (including the Operating Partnership) have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are

 

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fully paid and nonassessable, were not issued and are not owned or held in violation of any preemptive rights, and, except as otherwise set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, to such counsel’s knowledge, all outstanding equity interests of the subsidiaries owned of record by the Company either directly or through subsidiaries are free of any security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance;

(iii) The authorized capital stock and depositary shares of the Company conform in all material respects as to legal matters to the description thereof contained under the captions “Description of Preferred Stock,” “Description of Depositary Shares,” “Certain Provisions of Maryland Law and our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws” in the Basic Prospectus and under the caption Description of Series B Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus;

(iv) All the shares of capital stock of the Company outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued, and are fully paid and non-assessable;

(v) The Deposit Agreement (A) has been duly authorized, executed and delivered and (B) constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms (subject, as to enforcement of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and to general principles of equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); when the Depositary Receipts have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and countersigned by the Depositary against a deposit of the Preferred Shares represented by the Depositary Receipts in accordance with the Deposit Agreement and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in the manner contemplated by, and in accordance with, the Registration Statement and this Agreement, the Depositary Receipts will entitle the holders thereof to the benefits provided therein and in the Deposit Agreement;

(vi) The Shares and the Preferred Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered pursuant to the Agreement and the Deposit Agreement and, in the case of the Shares, paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the Agreement, will be fully paid and non-assessable; the Shares and the Series B Preferred Stock conform in all material respects as to legal matters to the description thereof contained under the caption “Description of Preferred Stock” and “Description of the Depositary Shares” in the Basic Prospectus and under the caption Description of Series B Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus; the deposit of the Preferred Shares in accordance with the Deposit Agreement has been duly authorized;

 

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(vii) The holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to statutory preemptive or other statutory rights to subscribe for the Shares or the Preferred Shares; and, except as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue, or rights to convert any obligations into or exchange any securities for, shares of capital stock of or ownership interests in the Company are outstanding;

(viii) To the knowledge of such counsel, no holder of securities of the Company is entitled to have such securities registered under the Registration Statement which right has not been waived in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

(ix) The form of certificate for the Shares and Depositary Receipts conforms to the requirements of the Deposit Agreement, the New York Stock Exchange and Maryland General Corporation Law, if any; the Shares have been duly authorized for listing, subject to official notice of issuance, on the New York Stock Exchange;

(x) The Registration Statement is effective under the Act; any required filing of the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, and any supplements thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b) or any required filing of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) and Rule 433, respectively; to the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued, no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or threatened;

(xi) The Company has the corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the Deposit Agreement and to issue, sell and deliver the Shares to the Underwriters as provided herein and to designate, issue and deliver the Preferred Shares. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(xii) The Operating Partnership has the partnership power and authority to enter into this Agreement and this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Operating Partnership. The Company is the sole general partner of each of the Operating Partnership and Saul Subsidiary II Limited Partnership. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Saul QRS, Inc., is the sole general partner of Saul Subsidiary I Limited Partnership;

(xiii) To the knowledge of such counsel, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is or with the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both, would be: (A) in violation of its respective articles of incorporation, by-laws or other organizational documents; or (B) in default in the

 

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performance of any agreement set forth on Schedule IV hereto (each a “ Material Agreement ”), except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;

(xiv) Neither the issue, offer, sale or delivery of the Shares, the execution, delivery or performance by the Company of this Agreement or the Deposit Agreement, compliance by the Company with the provisions hereof or thereof nor consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares and the designation, issuance and deposit of the Preferred Shares): (A) conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute or result in a breach of, or a default under, (1) the articles of incorporation including the Articles Supplementary, by-laws or other organizational documents of the Company or any of the Significant Subsidiaries or (2) any material agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound (other than any financial covenants contained therein as to which such counsel needs express no opinion) (x) that is a Material Agreement or (y) which is otherwise known to such counsel; or (B) results or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or its subsidiaries, pursuant to any of the Material Agreements; or (C) violates or will violate any statute, law, rule or regulation of the United States of America, the State of Maryland, or the State of New York, or judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties;

(xv) Neither the execution, delivery or performance by the Operating Partnership of this Agreement, compliance by the Operating Partnership with the provisions hereof or thereof nor consummation by the Operating Partnership of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares and the designation, issuance and deposit of the Preferred Shares): (A) conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute or result in a breach of, or a default under, (1) the Agreement of Limited Partnership or other organizational documents of the Operating Partnership or (2) any material agreement, indenture, lease or other instrument to which the Operating Partnership or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Operating Partnership or any properties of the Operating Partnership or any of its subsidiaries is bound (other than any financial covenants contained therein as to which such counsel needs express no opinion) (x) that is a Material Agreement or (y) which is otherwise known to such counsel; or (B) results or will result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Operating Partnership or

 

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its subsidiaries, pursuant to any of the Material Agreements; or (C) violates or will violate any statute, law, rule or regulation of the United States of America, the State of Maryland, or the State of New York, or judgment, order or decree applicable to the Operating Partnership or any of its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Operating Partnership or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties;

(xvi) No consent, approval, authorization or other order of, or registration or filing with, any court, regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body, agency, or official is required on the part of the Company or the Operating Partnership (except (i) as have been obtained under the Act or such as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws governing the purchase and distribution of the Shares and (ii) the filing with the Maryland DAT of the Articles Supplementary) for the valid issuance and sale of the Shares to the Underwriters as contemplated by this Agreement;

(xvii)(A) The Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and any supplements or amendments thereto (except for the financial statements and the notes thereto and the schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein), comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act; and (B) each of the Incorporated Documents (except for the financial statements and the notes thereto and the schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein, as to which counsel need not express any opinion) complies as to form in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder;

(xviii) To the knowledge of such counsel, (A) there is no action, suit or proceeding pending or threatened by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of its or their property of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), and (B) there are no agreements, contracts, indentures, leases or other instruments or documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or to be filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or any Incorporated Document that are not described, filed or incorporated as required, as the case may be;

(xix) Such counsel is not aware of any certificates, authorizations, licenses or permits required by any federal regulatory authority which are necessary for the Company and/or its subsidiaries to conduct their respective businesses other than any such certificates, authorizations,

 

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licenses or permits which have been obtained or where such failure to possess such certificates, authorizations, licenses or permits could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of such counsel, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any certificate, authorization, license or permit issued by any federal, state, municipal or foreign regulatory authority which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(xx) The Company is not subject to registration as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares), will not cause the Company to become an investment company subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

(xxi) The Company was a “real estate investment trust” as defined by Section 856(a) of the Code for its taxable years ended December 31, 1993 through December 31, 2007, and its current and proposed method of operation and ownership will enable it to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code for its taxable year ending December 31, 2008 and for all future taxable years; and the statements in the Basic Prospectus set forth under the caption “Federal Income Tax Considerations” and in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Additional Federal Income Tax Considerations,” insofar as they purport to describe or summarize certain provisions of the agreements, statutes or regulations referred to therein, are accurate descriptions or summaries in all material respects, and the discussion thereunder expresses the opinion of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP insofar as it relates to matters of United States federal income tax law and legal conclusions with regard to those matters.

(xxii) The statements in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, insofar as they are descriptions of contracts or agreements or constitute statements of law or legal conclusions, are accurate and present fairly the information required to be shown in all material respects; and

(xxiii) Although counsel has not undertaken, except as otherwise indicated in its opinion, to determine independently, and does not assume any responsibility for, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements in the Registration Statement, such counsel has participated in the preparation of the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including review and discussion of the contents thereof (including review and discussion of the contents of all Incorporated Documents), and nothing has come to the attention of such counsel that has caused it to believe that the Registration Statement (including the

 

31


Incorporated Documents), at the time the Registration Statement became effective, or the Disclosure Package, at the Execution Time and as of the date of such opinion, or the Prospectus, as of its date and as of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, as of its respective date, and as of the date of such opinion contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it being understood that such counsel need express no opinion with respect to the financial statements and the notes thereto and the schedules and other financial, accounting and statistical data included in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any Incorporated Document).

(d) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date and, if applicable, each Option Closing Date an opinion of Hunton & Williams LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated as of such date and addressed to the Representatives with respect to such matters as the Underwriters may request.

(e) The Representatives shall have received a letter addressed to the Underwriters and dated as of the date hereof, the Closing Date and, if applicable, each Option Closing Date from Ernst & Young, independent registered public accounting firm, substantially in the form heretofore approved by the Underwriters; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date or any applicable Option Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, as the case may be.

(f)(A) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been taken or, to the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated by the Commission at or prior to the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date; (B) there shall not have been any change in the capital stock of the Company nor any material increase in the short-term or long-term debt (including any off-balance sheet activities or transactions) of the Company and its subsidiaries (other than in the ordinary course of business) from that set forth or contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto); (C) there shall not have been, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), except as may otherwise be stated in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any material adverse change in the condition (financial or other), business, prospects, properties, net worth or results of operations of the Company or its subsidiaries; (D) the Company and its subsidiaries shall not have any liabilities or obligations (financial or other), direct or contingent (whether or not in the ordinary course of business), that are material to the Company or its subsidiaries, other than those reflected in the Registration Statement or the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto); and (E) all the representations and warranties of the Company and the Operating Partnership contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct at

 

32


and as of the Execution Time and on and as of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date as if made at and as of such time or on and as of such date, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date and signed by either the chief executive officer or president and the chief financial officer of the Company (or such other officers as are acceptable to the Representatives), confirming the conditions set forth in this Section 8(f) and in Section 8(g) hereof.

(g) The Company shall not have failed at or prior to the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date to have performed or complied with any of its agreements herein contained and required to be performed or complied with by it hereunder or under the Deposit Agreement, at or prior to the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date.

(h) Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

(i) The Company shall have completed all required filings with the New York Stock Exchange and other necessary actions in order to cause the Shares to be listed and admitted and authorized for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to notice of issuance.

(j) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives shall have requested.

All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents will be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and their counsel.

Any certificate or document signed by any officer of the Company or the general partner of the Operating Partnership and delivered to the Underwriters, or to counsel for the Underwriters, shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company or the Operating Partnership, as the case may be, to the Underwriters as to the statements made therein.

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 8 shall not have been fulfilled in all material respects when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be in all material respects reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled by the Representatives at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, with respect to any Option Shares remaining to be purchased. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

With respect to the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, the documents required to be delivered by this Section 8 shall be delivered at the offices of Hunton & Williams LLP, Attn: Andrew A. Gerber, Esq., counsel for the Underwriters, at 101 South Tryon Street, Suite 3500, Charlotte, North Carolina on or prior to such date.

 

33


9. Expenses . The Company agrees to pay the following costs and expenses and all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction, and filing with the Commission of the registration statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, if any, the Prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the registration statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus , the Incorporated Documents, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares; (iii) the preparation, printing, authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Shares and the Preferred Shares, including any stamp or other taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Shares and the Preferred Shares; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, the preliminary and supplemental blue sky memoranda and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Shares; (v) the registration or qualification of the Shares and the Preferred Shares for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states as provided in Section 5(g) hereof (including the reasonable fees, expenses and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters relating to the preparation, printing or reproduction, and delivery of the preliminary and supplemental blue sky memoranda and such registration and qualification); (vi) the filing fees and the fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with any filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority; (vii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of Company representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Shares; and (viii) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants, counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company and the Depositary (including the fees and expenses of its counsel).

10. Default by an Underwriter . If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Shares agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the number of Shares set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the number of Shares set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Shares which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided , however , that in the event that the number of Shares which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate number of Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Shares, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Shares, this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 10, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five (5) Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

 

34


11. Termination of Agreement . This Agreement may be terminated by you at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the following has occurred: (i) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective change, which (A) in the absolute discretion of any group of Underwriters (which may include RBC Capital Markets Corporation) that has agreed to purchase in the aggregate at least 50% of the Firm Securities, as long as RBC Capital Markets Corporation does not affirmatively assert that termination should not occur, or (B) in the absolute discretion of RBC Capital Markets Corporation (whether or not the condition of clause (A) is satisfied) has had or is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) any outbreak, attack, or escalation of hostilities or declaration of war, national emergency, act of terrorism or other national or international calamity or crisis or change in economic, financial or political conditions if the effect of such outbreak, escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or change on the financial markets of the United States would, in (A) the absolute discretion of any group of Underwriters (which may include RBC Capital Markets Corporation) that has agreed to purchase in the aggregate at least 50% of the Firm Securities, as long as RBC Capital Markets Corporation does not affirmatively assert that termination should not occur, or (B) in the absolute discretion of RBC Capital Markets Corporation (whether or not the condition of clause (A) is satisfied), make it impracticable or inadvisable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Shares, or (iii) suspension of trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or limitation on prices (other than limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading) for securities on either such Exchange, (iv) the enactment, publication, decree or other promulgation of any statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or other governmental authority which in your opinion materially and adversely affects or may materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Issuer, (v) declaration of a banking moratorium by United States or New York State authorities, (vi) any downgrading, or placement on any watch list for possible downgrading, in the rating of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Exchange Act); (vii) the suspension of trading of the Company’s common stock by New York Stock Exchange, the Commission, or any other governmental authority or, (viii) the taking of any action by any governmental body or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which in your reasonable opinion has a material adverse effect on the securities markets in the United States; or

(b) as provided in Sections 8 and 10 of this Agreement.

Notice of such termination may be given to the Company by telegram, telecopy or telephone and shall be subsequently confirmed by letter.

12. Information Furnished by the Underwriters . The statements in the fourth, eighth and ninth paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting” in any Preliminary Prospectus and in the Prospectus Supplement, constitute the only information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriters as such information is referred to in the last sentence of Sections 6(b), 7(b) and 7(c) hereof.

 

35


13. Representations and Indemnities to Survive . The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of their officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriters or the Company, the Operating Partnership or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Shares. The provisions of Sections 5(k), 7 and 9 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

14. Absence of Fiduciary Relationship; Research Independence . The Company acknowledges and agrees that:

(a) the Underwriters have been retained solely to act as underwriters in connection with the sale of the Shares and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and the Underwriters has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the process leading thereto, irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is advising the Company on other matters;

(b) the price of the Shares set forth in this Agreement was established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Representatives, and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

(c) it has been advised that the Underwriters and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Underwriters have no obligation to disclose such interests and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and

(d) it waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims they may have against the Underwriters for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty.

(e) In addition, the Company acknowledges that the Underwriters’ research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriters’ research analysts may hold and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the offering that differ from the views of its investment bankers. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Company by such Underwriters’ investment banking divisions. The Company acknowledges that each of the Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short position in debt or equity securities of the companies which may be the subject to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

36


Notices . All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to RBC Capital Markets Corporation, c/o RBC Capital Markets, One Liberty Plaza, 165 Broadway, New York, NY 10006-1404, Attention: Joe Morea, Syndicate Director (facsimile 212 428-6260); Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated, 100 Light Street, 8 th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202, Attention: Samer Tahboub (facsimile 410-659-4652), and Raymond James & Associates, Inc., 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, FL 33716, (facsimile 727-567-8058), Attention: Kevin Lyons; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to the office of the Company at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1500E, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, (fax no.: 301-986-6023), Attention: Thomas H. McCormick, Executive Vice President and General Counsel.

15. Successors . This Agreement has been made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters, the Company, the Operating Partnership, their directors and officers, and the other controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof and their respective successors and assigns, to the extent provided herein. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 7 hereof, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. Neither the term “successor” nor the term “successors and assigns” as used in this Agreement shall include a purchaser from the Underwriters of any of the Shares in his status as such purchaser.

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

17. Applicable Law . This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

18. Waiver of Jury Trial . The Company and the Operating Partnership hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

19. Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

20. Headings . The section headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

21. Definition . The term which follows, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meaning indicated.

Business Day ” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.

 

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Free Writing Prospectus ” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.

Rule 158 ,” “ Rule 163 ,” “ Rule 164 ,” “ Rule 172 ,” “ Rule 401 ,” “ Rule 405 ,” “ Rule 415 ,” “ Rule 424 ,” “ Rule 433 ” and “ Rule 456 ” refer to such rules under the Act.

[Signature page follows.]

 

38


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.

 

Very truly yours,
SAUL CENTERS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Scott Schneider

Name:   Scott Schneider
Title:   Sr. Vice President
SAUL HOLDINGS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
By:  

SAUL CENTERS, INC.

its sole general partner

  By:  

/s/ Scott Schneider

  Name:   Scott Schneider
  Title:   Sr. Vice President

 

Accepted and agreed to as of

the date first above written:

RBC CAPITAL MARKETS CORPORATION
By:  

/s/ Lance Tupper

Title:   Managing Director
FERRIS, BAKER WATTS, INCORPORATED
By:  

/s/ Samer Tahboub

Title:   Vice President
RAYMOND JAMES & ASSOCIATES, INC.
By:  

/s/ Jozsi Popper

Title:   VP, Real Estate Investment Banking

Each for itself and as a Representative of the other

Underwriters named on Schedule I hereto.

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement for Depositary Shares representing Series B Preferred Stock]


SCHEDULE I

SAUL CENTERS, INC.

 

Underwriters

   Number of Firm
Shares to be
Purchased
   Number of Option
Shares to be
Purchased

RBC Capital Markets Corporation

   150,000    22,500

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

   1,575,000    236,250

Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated

   900,000    135,000

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC

   225,000    33,750

BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Scott & Stringfellow, Inc.

   150,000    22,500
         

Total

   3,000,000    450,000
         


SCHEDULE II

FREE WRITING PROSPECTUSES INCLUDED IN THE DISCLOSURE PACKAGE

 

1) Final Term Sheet, in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto


SCHEDULE III

LIST OF SUBSIDIARIES

 

Name of Subsidiary

Saul Holdings Limited Partnership

Saul QRS, Inc.

Avenel VI Inc.

Saul Subsidiary I Limited Partnership

Saul Subsidiary II Limited Partnership

Kentlands Lot I, LLC

Briggs Chaney Plaza, LLC

Saul Monocacy, LLC

Smallwood Village Center, LLC

Westview Village Center, LLC

Significant Subsidiaries

Saul Holdings Limited Partnership

Saul QRS, Inc.

Saul Subsidiary I Limited Partnership

Saul Subsidiary II Limited Partnership


SCHEDULE IV

MATERIAL AGREEMENTS

 

(a) First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Saul Holdings Limited Partnership, as amended

 

(b) First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Saul Subsidiary I Limited Partnership, as amended

 

(c) First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Saul Subsidiary II Limited Partnership, as amended

 

(d) Property Conveyance Agreement

 

(e) Management Functions Conveyance Agreement

 

(f) Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement

 

(g) Exclusivity and Right of First Refusal Agreement

 

(h) Agreement of Assumption dated as of August 26, 1993 executed by Saul Holdings Limited Partnership

 

(i) Loan Agreement dated as of November 7, 1996 by and among Saul Holdings Limited Partnership, Saul Subsidiary II Limited Partnership and PFL Life Insurance Company

 

(j) Promissory Note dated as of January 10, 1997 by and between Saul Subsidiary II Limited Partnership and The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

 

(k) Loan Agreement dated as of October 1, 1997 between Saul Subsidiary I Limited Partnership as Borrower and Nomura Asset Capital Corporation as Lender

 

(l) Amended and Restated Promissory Note dated January 13, 2003 by and between Saul Holdings Limited Partnership as Borrower and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as lender

 

(m) Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2007, by and among Saul Holdings Limited Partnership as Borrower; U.S. Bank National Association, as Administrative Agent and Sole Lead Arranger; Wells Fargo Bank National Association, as Syndication Agent; and U.S. Bank National Association, Wells Fargo Bank National Association, Compass Bank, and Sovereign Bank, as Lenders

 

(n) Guaranty, dated as of December 19, 2007, by and between Saul Centers, Inc., as Guarantor, and U.S. Bank National Association, as Administrative Agent and Sole Lead Arranger for itself and other financial institutions as Lenders


EXHIBIT A

FINAL TERM SHEET

 

Free Writing Prospectus

   Registration Statement No. 333-149463

Dated March 20, 2008

   Filed Pursuant to Rule 433 of the Securities Act of 1933

Saul Centers, Inc.

Depositary Shares Each Representing 1/100th of a share of

9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

 

Issuer:   Saul Centers, Inc.
Security:   Depositary Shares each representing 1/100th of a share of 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Shares Offered:   3,000,000 depositary shares
Over-allotment Shares:   450,000 depositary shares
Public Offering Price:   $25.00 per depositary share; $75,000,000 total (not including over-allotment option)

Underwriting Discounts

and Commissions:

  $0.7875 per depositary share; $2,362,500 total (not including over-allotment option)

Proceeds to the Issuer

(before expenses):

  $24.2125 per depositary share; $72,637,500 total (not including over-allotment option)
Estimated Issuer Expenses:   $500,000, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions
Use of Proceeds:   Issuer intends to use the net proceeds of this offering as follows: (i) approximately $26.3 million to purchase the properties as described in the preliminary prospectus supplement, dated March 17, 2008, (ii) $22.0 million to reduce amounts outstanding under its unsecured revolving credit facility and (iii) approximately $23.8 million to fund the development of the properties as described in such preliminary prospectus supplement.
Bookrunners:  

RBC Capital Markets Corporation

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

Lead Manager:   Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated
Co-Manager:  

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC

BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Scott & Stringfellow, Inc.

Underwriting Allocation:   RBC Capital Markets Corporation    150,000
  Raymond James & Associates, Inc.    1,575,000
  Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated    900,000
  Janney Montgomery Scott LLC.    225,000
  BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Scott & Stringfellow, Inc.    150,000
Redemption:   At the Issuer’s option on or after March 15, 2013 (subject to certain additional optional redemption rights described in prospectus supplement)


Dividend Rights:   9% of the liquidation preference per annum, cumulative from March 27, 2008 (subject to step-up to 10% under certain circumstances as described in the prospectus supplement)
Dividend Payment Dates:   Quarterly on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year, beginning July 15, 2008
Settlement Date:   March 27, 2008   
Selling Concession:   Not to exceed $0.50 per depositary share   
Reallowance to Other Dealers:   Not to exceed $0.50 per depositary share   
CUSIP Number:   804395 408   
ISIN Number:   US8043954085   

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC web site at www.sec.gov . Alternatively, the issuer, any Underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send to you the prospectus if you request it by calling RBC Capital Markets Corporation at 212-428-6670, Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated toll-free at 800-436-2000, or Raymond James & Associates, Inc. toll-free at 800-248-8863.

Any disclaimers or other notices that may appear below are not applicable to this communication and should be disregarded. Such disclaimers or other notices were automatically generated as a result of this communication being sent via Bloomberg or another email system.

Exhibit 3.1

SAUL CENTERS, INC.

ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY

ESTABLISHING AND FIXING THE RIGHTS AND PREFERENCES

OF

9% SERIES B CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE PREFERRED STOCK

 

 

Pursuant to Section 2-208(b) of the

Maryland General Corporation Law

 

 

Saul Centers, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland that, pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors of the Corporation by Article VI, Section 2 of the Corporation’s First Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended to the date hereof and as the same may be amended hereafter from time to time (the “Charter”), and in accordance with Section 2-208(b) of the Maryland General Corporation Law, the Board of Directors and the Pricing Committee thereof, on February 29, 2008 and March 20, 2008, respectively, duly divided and classified unissued shares of Preferred Stock into a series designated as “9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock” of the Corporation. The description of the 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, including the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, and terms or conditions of redemption thereof, as set by the Board of Directors and the Pricing Committee, are as follows:

Section 1 . Number of Shares and Designation .

The shares of such series shall be designated 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock” (the “Series B Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting such series shall be 34,500. The designations, powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, of the Series B Preferred Stock shall be subject in all cases to the provisions of Article VI of the Charter regarding limitations on beneficial ownership of the Corporation’s equity securities.

Section 2 . Definitions .

“AMEX” shall mean the American Stock Exchange or a successor that is a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act.

“Board of Directors” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Corporation or any committee authorized by such Board of Directors to perform any of its responsibilities with respect to the Series B Preferred Stock.

“Beneficiary” shall have the meaning set forth in paragraph A of Article VI, Section 4 of the Charter.


“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which state or federally chartered banking institutions in Bethesda, Maryland or New York, New York are not required to be open.

“Capital Gains” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.

“Charter” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble hereof.

“Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

“Common Stock” shall mean the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Corporation.

“Corporation” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble hereof.

“Deposit Agreement” shall mean the depositary agreement, dated as of March 27, 2008, among the Corporation, the Depositary and the holders from time to time of Depositary Receipts, or a successor deposit agreement.

“Depositary” shall mean Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, or a duly appointed successor depositary.

“Depositary Receipts” shall mean the depositary receipts issued by the Depositary under the Deposit Agreement representing a Depositary Share.

“Depositary Share(s)” shall mean depositary shares, each representing ownership of 1/100th of a share of Series B Preferred Stock at any time that the Series B Preferred Stock is being held by the Depositary under the Deposit Agreement.

“Dividend Payment Date” shall mean, with respect to each Dividend Period, the fifteenth (15 th ) day of the month following the month in which such Dividend Period has ended (January, April, July and October of each year), commencing on July 15, 2008.

“Dividend Payment Record Date” shall mean the date designated by the Board of Directors for the payment of dividends that is not more than 30 nor less than 10 days prior to the applicable Dividend Payment Date.

“Dividend Period” shall mean the respective periods commencing on and including January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 of each year and ending on and including the day preceding the first day of the next succeeding Dividend Period (other than the initial Dividend Period, which shall commence on the Original Issue Date and end on and include June 30, 2008, and other than the Dividend Period during which any shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be redeemed pursuant to Section 5 hereof, which shall end on and include the redemption date with respect to the shares of Series B Preferred Stock being redeemed).

“Event” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6 hereof.

“Excess Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Article VI, Section 1 of the Charter.

 

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“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“Existing Holder” shall have the meaning set forth in paragraph A of Article VI, Section 4 of the Charter.

“Existing Holder Limit” shall have the meaning set forth in paragraph A of Article VI, Section 4 of the Charter.

“NASDAQ” shall mean the NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. or a successor that is a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act.

“NYSE” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. or a successor that is a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act.

“Original Issue Date” shall mean the first date on which the Series B Preferred Stock is issued and sold in the form of Depositary Shares or otherwise.

“Ownership Limit” shall have the meaning set forth in paragraph A of Article VI, Section 4 of the Charter.

“Parity Preferred” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6 hereof.

“Preferred Directors” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6 hereof.

“Preferred Dividend Default” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6 hereof.

“Preferred Stock” shall mean the preferred stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Corporation.

“REIT” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5 hereof.

“SEC” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Series B Preferred Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1 hereof.

“Total Distributions” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.

“Transfer Agent” shall mean Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, or such other agent or agents of the Corporation as may be designated by the Board of Directors or their designee as the transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursing agent for the Series B Preferred Stock.

“Trust” shall mean the trust created pursuant to paragraph A of Article VI, Section 5 of the Charter.

Section 3 . Dividends and Distributions .

(a) Subject to the preferential rights of the holders of any class or series of equity securities of the Corporation ranking senior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to dividends, the

 

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holders of the then outstanding Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, cumulative cash dividends at the rate of 9% per annum of the $2,500.00 liquidation preference per share of the Series B Preferred Stock (equivalent to a fixed amount of $225.00 per share of the Series B Preferred Stock); provided , however , that during any period of time that both (i) the Depositary Shares (or the Series B Preferred Stock if no longer held in depositary form) are not listed on the NYSE, the AMEX or NASDAQ, and (ii) the Corporation is not subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, but any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation will increase the cumulative cash distributions payable on the Series B Preferred Stock to a rate of 10% per year of the $25.00 liquidation preference per Depositary Share (equivalent to a rate of 10% per annum of the $2,500.00 liquidation preference per share of Series B Preferred Stock). Such dividends shall accrue and be cumulative from and including the Original Issue Date and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on each Dividend Payment Date, commencing July 15, 2008; provided , however , that if any Dividend Payment Date is not a Business Day, then the dividend which would otherwise have been payable on such Dividend Payment Date may be paid on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if paid on such Dividend Payment Date, and no interest or additional dividends or other sums shall accrue on the amount so payable from such Dividend Payment Date to such next succeeding Business Day. The initial dividend payable on the Series B Preferred Stock, which will be greater than a full Dividend Period and will cover the period from the Original Issue Date through June 30, 2008, will be paid on July 15, 2008. The amount of any dividend payable on the Series B Preferred Stock for each full Dividend Period shall be computed by dividing $225.00 (or $250.00, if such higher rate is then applicable) by four (4) regardless of the actual number of days in such full Dividend Period. If the rate increases from 9% to 10% during any Dividend Period, the amount of the dividend payable shall be computed based on the number of days elapsed at the applicable rate during the Dividend Period and on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30 day months using the applicable dividend rate. The amount of any dividend payable on the Series B Preferred Stock for any partial Dividend Period including a portion of the initial Dividend Period shall be prorated and computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. Dividends will be payable to holders of record as they appear in the stockholder records of the Corporation at the close of business on the applicable Dividend Payment Record Date. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein, each outstanding share of Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive a dividend with respect to any Dividend Payment Record Date equal to the dividend paid with respect to each other share of Series B Preferred Stock that is outstanding on such date.

(b) No dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock shall be declared by the Board of Directors or paid or set apart for payment by the Corporation at such time as the terms and provisions of any agreement of the Corporation, including any agreement relating to its indebtedness, prohibits such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment or provides that such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if such declaration, or payment or setting apart for payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law.

(c) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock shall accrue whether or not (i) the terms and provisions set forth in Section 3(b) hereof at any time prohibit the current payment of dividends, (ii) the Corporation

 

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has earnings, (iii) there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends, (iv) such dividends are declared and (v) any financial, contractual, legal or other limitation exists or arises that limits or may limit the Corporation’s ability to declare, set aside or pay dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock. Accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock will accumulate as of the Dividend Payment Date on which they first become payable. No interest shall be payable in respect of any accrued but unpaid dividend on the Series B Preferred Stock.

(d) Except as provided in Section 3(e) below, no dividends shall be declared or paid or set apart for payment and no other distribution of cash or other property may be declared or made, directly or indirectly, on or with respect to any shares of Common Stock or shares of any other class or series of equity securities of the Corporation ranking, as to dividends, on a parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock (other than a dividend paid in shares of Common Stock or in shares of any other class or series of equity securities ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation) for any period, nor shall any shares of Common Stock or any other shares of any other class or series of equity securities of the Corporation ranking, as to dividends or upon liquidation, on a parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration and no other distribution of cash or other property may be made, directly or indirectly, on or with respect thereto (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such shares) by the Corporation (except by conversion into or exchange for other shares of any class or series of equity securities of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation and except for the acquisition of shares made pursuant to the provisions of Article VI of the Charter), unless full cumulative dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock for all past dividend periods and the then current dividend period shall have been or contemporaneously are (i) declared and paid in cash or (ii) declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof in cash is irrevocably set apart for such payment.

(e) When dividends are not paid in full (or a sum sufficient for such full payment is not irrevocably so set apart) upon the Series B Preferred Stock and the shares of any other class or series of equity securities ranking, as to dividends, on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock, all dividends declared upon the Series B Preferred Stock and each such other class or series of equity securities ranking, as to dividends, on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of dividends declared per share of Series B Preferred Stock and such other class or series of equity securities shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends per share on the Series B Preferred Stock and such other class or series of equity securities (which shall not include any accrual in respect of unpaid dividends on such other class or series of equity securities for prior dividend periods if such other class or series of equity securities does not have a cumulative dividend) bear to each other. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on the Series B Preferred Stock which may be in arrears.

(f) Holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or shares of stock, in excess of full cumulative dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock as provided herein. Any dividend payment made on the Series B Preferred Stock shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividends due with respect to such shares which remains payable.

 

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(g) If, for any taxable year, the Corporation elects to designate as “capital gain dividends” (as defined in Section 857 of the Code or any successor revenue code or section) any portion (the “Capital Gains Amount”) of the total distributions not in excess of the Corporation’s earnings and profits (as determined for United States federal income tax purposes) paid or made available for such taxable year to holders of all classes and series of capital stock (the “Total Distributions”), then the portion of the Capital Gains Amount that shall be allocable to holders of Series B Preferred Stock shall be in the same proportion that the Total Distributions paid or made available to the holders of Series B Preferred Stock for such taxable year bears to the Total Distributions for such taxable year made with respect to all classes or series of capital stock outstanding.

Section 4 . Liquidation Preference .

Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the affairs of the Corporation, before any distribution or payment shall be made to holders of shares of Common Stock or any other class or series of equity securities of the Corporation ranking, as to liquidation rights, junior to the Series B Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock then outstanding shall be entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Corporation legally available for distribution to its stockholders a liquidation preference of $2,500.00 per share, plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends to the date of payment (whether or not declared). In the event that, upon any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the available assets of the Corporation are insufficient to pay the amount of the liquidating distributions on all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable on all shares of other classes or series of equity securities of the Corporation ranking, as to liquidation rights, on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock in the distribution of assets, then the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock and each such other class or series of shares of equity securities ranking, as to liquidation rights, on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled. Written notice of any such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, stating the payment date or dates when, and the place or places where, the amounts distributable in such circumstances shall be payable, shall be given by first class mail, postage pre-paid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the payment date stated therein, to each record holder of shares of Series B Preferred Stock at the respective addresses of such holders as the same shall appear on the stock transfer records of the Corporation. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the holders of Series B Preferred Stock will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation. The consolidation or merger of the Corporation with or into any other corporation, trust or entity, or the sale, lease, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of the property or business of the Corporation, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the affairs of the Corporation.

Section 5 . Redemption .

(a) Shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable prior to March 15, 2013. However, in order to ensure that the Corporation remains qualified as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for United States federal income tax purposes in accordance with the

 

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Charter, the Series B Preferred Stock, together with all other equity securities of the Corporation, shall be subject to Article VI of the Charter pursuant to which Series B Preferred Stock owned by a stockholder in excess of the Ownership Limit, or by the Existing Holder in excess of the Existing Holder Limit, shall automatically be transferred to a Trust for the exclusive benefit of a Beneficiary, as provided in Article VI, Section 5 of the Charter.

(b) On or after March 15, 2013, the Corporation, at its option upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ written notice, may redeem the Series B Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $2,500.00 per share, plus all accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) thereon to and including the date fixed for redemption, without interest. If fewer than all of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, the shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be redeemed pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares), by lot or by any other equitable method determined by the Corporation that will not result in a violation of the Ownership Limit or, in the case of the Existing Holder, the Existing Holder Limit. If such redemption is to be by lot and, as a result of such redemption, any holder of a number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock would become a holder of a number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock in excess of the Ownership Limit or, in the case of the Existing Holder, the Existing Holder Limit, because such holder’s Series B Preferred Stock was not redeemed, or was only redeemed in part, then, except as otherwise provided in the Charter, the Corporation will redeem the requisite number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock of such holder such that no holder will hold in excess of the Ownership Limit or, in the case of the Existing Holder, the Existing Holder Limit, subsequent to such redemption.

(c) During any period of time that both (i) the Depositary Shares (or the Series B Preferred Stock if no longer held in depositary form) are not listed on the NYSE, the AMEX or NASDAQ, and (ii) the Corporation is not subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, but any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation will have the option to redeem the Series B Preferred Stock, in whole but not in part, within 90 days of the date upon which the Depositary Shares (or the shares of the Series B Preferred Stock) cease to be listed and the Corporation ceases to be subject to such reporting requirements, for a redemption price of $2,500.00 per share of Series B Preferred Stock (or $25.00 per Depositary Share), plus all dividends accrued and unpaid (whether or not declared), if any, to the date such shares are redeemed as provided in this Section 5(c), upon the giving of notice as provided in Section 5(h) hereof.

(d) Holders of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall surrender such Series B Preferred Stock at the place designated in such notice and shall be entitled to the redemption price of $2,500.00 per share and any accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) payable upon such redemption following such surrender. If (i) notice of redemption of any shares of Series B Preferred Stock has been given, (ii) the funds necessary for such redemption have been irrevocably set aside by the Corporation in trust for the benefit of the holders of any shares of Series B Preferred Stock so called for redemption and (iii) irrevocable instructions have been given to pay the redemption price and all accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared), then from and after the redemption date dividends shall cease to accrue on such shares of Series B Preferred Stock, such shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall no longer be deemed outstanding and all rights of the holders of such shares will terminate, except the right to receive

 

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the redemption price plus any accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) payable upon such redemption, without interest. So long as no dividends are in arrears, nothing herein shall prevent or restrict the Corporation’s right or ability to purchase, from time to time either at a public or a private sale, all or any part of the Series B Preferred Stock at such price or prices as the Corporation may determine, subject to the provisions of applicable law, including the repurchase of shares of Series B Preferred Stock in open-market transactions duly authorized by the Board of Directors.

(e) The deposit of funds with a bank or trust corporation for the purpose of redeeming Series B Preferred Stock shall be irrevocable except that:

(i) the Corporation shall be entitled to receive from such bank or trust corporation the interest or other earnings, if any, earned on any money so deposited in trust, and the holders of any shares redeemed shall have no claim to such interest or other earnings; and

(ii) any balance of monies so deposited by the Corporation and unclaimed by the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock entitled thereto at the expiration of two (2) years from the applicable redemption dates shall be repaid, together with any interest or other earnings thereon, to the Corporation, and after any such repayment, the holders of the shares entitled to the funds so repaid to the Corporation shall look only to the Corporation for payment without interest or other earnings.

(f) In the event of any redemption of the Series B Preferred Stock in order to preserve the status of the Corporation as a qualified REIT, such redemption shall be made in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 5 of these Articles Supplementary. If the Corporation calls for redemption any shares of Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to and in accordance with this Section 5(f), then, the redemption price for such shares will be an amount in cash equal to $2,500.00 per share together with all accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) thereon to and including the date fixed for redemption, without interest.

(g) Unless full cumulative dividends on all Series B Preferred Stock shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid in cash or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof in cash irrevocably set apart for payment for all past dividend periods and the then current dividend period, no Series B Preferred Stock shall be redeemed unless all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock are simultaneously redeemed and the Corporation shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any shares of Series B Preferred Stock or any class or series of equity securities of the Corporation ranking, as to dividends or upon liquidation, on a parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock (except by exchange for shares of equity securities of the Corporation ranking, as to dividends and upon liquidation, junior to the Series B Preferred Stock); provided , however , that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase of Series B Preferred Stock by the Corporation in accordance with the terms of Section 5(a) or 5(f) hereof or Article VI of the Charter or otherwise in order to ensure that the Corporation remains qualified as a REIT for United States federal income tax purposes or the purchase or acquisition of Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock.

 

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(h) Notice of redemption shall be mailed by the Corporation, postage prepaid, as of a date set by the Corporation not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, addressed to the respective holders of record of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed at their respective addresses as they appear on the share transfer records of the Transfer Agent. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the sufficiency of notice or validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any Series B Preferred Stock except as to a holder to whom notice was defective or not given. A redemption notice which has been mailed in the manner provided herein shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given on the date mailed whether or not the holder received the redemption notice. In addition to any information required by law or the applicable rules of any exchange upon which Series B Preferred Stock may be listed or admitted to trading, each notice shall state (i) the redemption date; (ii) the redemption price; (iii) the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock and Depositary Receipts to be redeemed; (iv) the place or places where the shares of Series B Preferred Stock and the Depositary Receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and (v) that dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall cease to accrue on such redemption date. If fewer than all of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock held by any holder are to be redeemed, the notice mailed to such holder shall also specify the number of shares of Series B Preferred Stock held by such holder to be redeemed.

(i) If a redemption date falls after a Dividend Payment Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, each holder of Series B Preferred Stock at the close of business of such Dividend Payment Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares on or prior to such Dividend Payment Date, and each holder of Series B Preferred Stock that surrenders its shares on such redemption date will be entitled to the dividends accruing after the end of the Dividend Period to which such Dividend Payment Date relates up to and including the redemption date. Except as provided herein, the Corporation shall make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series B Preferred Stock which are redeemed.

(j) The Series B Preferred Stock is subject to the provisions of Article VI of the Charter, including, without limitation, the provision for the redemption of Excess Stock. In addition to the redemption rights set forth in Article VI of the Charter, Excess Stock issued upon exchange of Series B Preferred Stock pursuant to such Article may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time when outstanding Series B Preferred Stock are being redeemed, for cash at a redemption price of $2,500.00 per share of Series B Preferred Stock, plus all accrued and unpaid dividends (whether or not declared) on the Series B Preferred Stock, which were exchanged for such Excess Stock, through the date of such exchange, without interest. If the Corporation elects to redeem Excess Stock pursuant to the redemption right set forth in the preceding sentence, such Excess Stock shall be redeemed in such proportion and in accordance with such procedures as Series B Preferred Stock are being redeemed.

Section 6 . Voting Rights .

(a) Holders of the Series B Preferred Stock shall not have any voting rights, except as provided by applicable law and as set forth in this Section 6.

 

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(b) Whenever dividends on any shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be in arrears for six (6) or more quarterly periods (whether or not declared or consecutive) (a “Preferred Dividend Default”), the holders of such shares of Series B Preferred Stock (voting separately as a class with all other series of preferred stock ranking on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock as to dividends or upon liquidation and upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable (“Parity Preferred”)) will be entitled to vote for the election of a total of two additional directors of the Corporation (the “Preferred Directors”), and the number of directors on the Board of Directors shall increase by two, at a special meeting called by the holders of record of at least 10% of the Series B Preferred Stock or the holders of any other series of Parity Preferred so in arrears (unless such request is received less than 90 days before the date fixed for the next annual or special meeting of stockholders) or at the next annual meeting of stockholders, and at each subsequent annual meeting until all dividends accumulated on such shares of Series B Preferred Stock for the past dividend periods and the dividend for the then current dividend period shall have been fully paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof irrevocably set aside for payment.

(c) If and when all accumulated dividends and the dividend for the then current dividend period on the Series B Preferred Stock shall have been paid in full or irrevocably set aside for payment in full, the holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall be divested of the voting rights set forth in Section 6(b) hereof (subject to revesting in the event of each subsequent Preferred Dividend Default) and, if all accumulated dividends and the dividend for the current dividend period have been paid in full or irrevocably set aside for payment in full on all other series of Parity Preferred, the term of office of each Preferred Director so elected shall terminate and the number of directors on the Board of Directors shall decrease by two. Any Preferred Director may be removed at any time with or without cause by the vote of, and shall not be removed otherwise than by the vote of, the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Series B Preferred Stock when they have the voting rights set forth in Section 6(b) hereof (voting separately as a class with the Parity Preferred). So long as a Preferred Dividend Default shall continue, any vacancy in the office of a Preferred Director may be filled by written consent of the Preferred Director remaining in office, or, if none remains in office, by a vote of the holders of record of a majority of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock when they have the voting rights set forth in Section 6(b) hereof (voting separately as a class with all other series of Parity Preferred). The Preferred Directors shall each be entitled to one vote per director on any matter.

(d) So long as any shares of Series B Preferred Stock remain outstanding, the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least 66   2 / 3 % of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding at the time, given in person or by proxy, either in writing or at a meeting (voting separately as a single class), will be required to:

(i) authorize, create or issue, or increase the authorized or issued amount of, any class or series of equity securities ranking senior to the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the affairs of the Corporation or reclassify any authorized equity securities of the Corporation into such equity securities, or create, authorize or issue any obligation or security convertible into or evidencing the right to purchase any such senior equity securities; or

 

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(ii) amend, alter or repeal the provisions of the Charter or these Articles Supplementary, whether by merger, consolidation, transfer or conveyance of all or substantially all of its assets or otherwise (an “Event”), so as to materially and adversely affect any right, preference, privilege or voting power of the Series B Preferred Stock or the holders thereof; provided , however , with respect to the occurrence of any Event, so long as the Series B Preferred Stock remains outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged, or in the case in which the Corporation is not the surviving entity, so long as shares into which the Series B Preferred Stock have been converted in any successor entity to the Corporation remain outstanding with the terms thereof materially unchanged, the occurrence of such Event shall not be deemed to materially and adversely affect such rights, preferences, privileges or voting power of holders of Series B Preferred Stock, and in such case such holders shall not have any voting rights with respect to the occurrence of an Event; provided further that holders of the Series B Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to vote with respect to any increase in the amount of the authorized Common Stock or Preferred Stock or the creation or issuance of any other class or series of equity securities, in each case ranking on a parity with or junior to the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.

(e) The foregoing voting provisions of this Section 6 shall not apply if, at or prior to the time when the act with respect to which such vote would otherwise be required shall be effected, all outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall have been redeemed or called for redemption upon proper notice and sufficient funds, in cash, shall have been deposited in trust to effect such redemption.

(f) In any matter in which the Series B Preferred Stock may vote (as expressly provided herein or as may be required by law), each share of Series B Preferred Stock shall be entitled to one vote per $2,500.00 of liquidation preference.

(g) Except as expressly stated herein, the Series B Preferred Stock will not have any relative, participating, optional or other special voting rights and powers and the consent of the holders thereof shall not be required for the taking of any corporate action, including but not limited to, any merger or consolidation of the Corporation or a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, irrespective of the effect that such merger, consolidation or sale may have upon the rights, preferences, privileges or voting power of the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock.

Section 7 . Conversion .

The shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall not be convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Corporation or any other entity, except that the Series B Preferred Stock will automatically be exchanged by the Corporation for Excess Stock in accordance with Article VI of the Charter in the same manner that Common Stock are exchanged for Excess Stock pursuant thereto, in order to ensure that the Corporation remains qualified as a REIT for federal income tax purposes.

 

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Section 8 . Ranking .

In respect of rights to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, the Series B Preferred Stock shall rank (i) senior to all classes or series of the Corporation’s Common Stock and to all other equity securities issued by the Corporation ranking junior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, (ii) on a parity with Series A preferred stock and with all equity securities issued by the Corporation in the future the terms of which specifically provide that such equity securities rank on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, and (iii) junior to all equity securities issued by the Corporation in the future the terms of which specifically provide that such equity securities rank senior to the Series B Preferred Stock as to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation. The term “equity securities” does not include convertible debt securities, which will rank senior to the Series B Preferred Stock prior to conversion. All shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall rank equally with one another and shall be identical in all respects.

Section 9 . Restrictions on Transfer, Acquisition and Redemption of Shares .

The Series B Preferred Stock is governed by and issued subject to all of the limitations, terms and conditions of the Corporation’s Charter, including but not limited to the terms and conditions (including exceptions and exemptions) of Article VI of the Charter. The foregoing sentence shall not be construed to limit to the Series B Preferred Stock the applicability of any other term or provision of the Charter. In addition to the legend contemplated by paragraph M of Article VI, Section 4 of the Charter, each certificate for Series B Preferred Stock shall bear substantially the following legend:

“The Corporation will furnish to any stockholder, on request and without charge, a full statement of the information required by Section 2-211(b) of the Maryland General Corporation Law with respect to the designations and any preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to distributions, qualifications, and terms and conditions of redemptions of the stock of each class which the Corporation has authority to issue and, if the Corporation is authorized to issue any preferred or special class in series or classes, (i) the difference in the relative rights and preferences between the shares of each series and class to the extent set, and (ii) the authority of the Board of Directors to set such rights and preferences of subsequent series and classes. The foregoing summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Charter of the Corporation, a copy of which will be sent without charge to each stockholder who so requests. Such request must be made to the Secretary of the Corporation at its principal office.”

Section 10 . Shares of Stock To Be Retired .

All shares of Series B Preferred Stock which shall have been issued and reacquired in any manner by the Corporation shall be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, without designation as to class or series.

 

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Section 11 . Record Holders .

The Corporation and the Transfer Agent may deem and treat the record holder of any Series B Preferred Stock as the true and lawful owner thereof for all purposes, and neither the Corporation nor the Transfer Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

Section 12 . Information Rights .

During any period of time that both (i) the Depositary Shares (or the Series B Preferred Stock if no longer held in depositary form) are not listed on the NYSE, the AMEX or NASDAQ, and (ii) the Corporation is not subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, but any shares Series B Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation will (a) transmit by mail or other permissible means under the Exchange Act to all holders of Depositary Shares (or the Series B Preferred Stock if no longer held in depositary form) as their names and addresses appear in our record books and without cost to such holders, copies of the annual reports and quarterly reports that the Corporation would have been required to file with the SEC, pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act if the Corporation were subject thereto (other than any exhibits that would have been required), and (ii) within 15 days following written request, supply copies of such reports to any prospective holder of the Depositary Shares (or the Series B Preferred Stock if no longer held in depositary form). The Corporation will mail (or otherwise provide) the reports to the holders of Depositary Shares (or the Series B Preferred Stock if no longer held in depositary form) within 15 days after the respective dates by which the Corporation would have been required to file such reports with the SEC if the Corporation were subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

Section 13 . Sinking Fund .

The Series B Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to the benefits of any retirement or sinking fund.

Section 14 . Exclusion of Other Rights .

The Series B Preferred Stock shall not have any preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption other than expressly set forth in the Charter and these Articles Supplementary.

Section 15 . Headings of Subdivisions .

The headings of the various subdivisions hereof are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of any of the provisions hereof.

Section 16 . Severability of Provisions .

If any preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of the Series B Preferred Stock set forth in the Charter and these Articles Supplementary are invalid, unlawful or incapable of being enforced by reason of any rule of law or public policy, all other preferences or

 

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other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of Series B Preferred Stock set forth in the Charter which can be given effect without the invalid, unlawful or unenforceable provision thereof shall, nevertheless, remain in full force and effect and no preferences or other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of the Series B Preferred Stock herein set forth shall be deemed dependent upon any other provision thereof unless so expressed therein.

Section 17 . No Preemptive Rights .

No holder of shares of Series B Preferred Stock shall have any preemptive or preferential right to subscribe for, or to purchase, any additional shares of stock of the Corporation of any class or series, or any other security of the Corporation which the Corporation may issue or sell.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused these Articles Supplementary to be executed under seal in its name and on its behalf by its President and attested to by its Secretary on this 26th day of March 2008.

 

SAUL CENTERS, INC.

/s/ B. Francis Saul III

B. Francis Saul III
President

 

[SEAL]
ATTEST:

/s/ Scott V. Schneider

Scott V. Schneider
Secretary

THE UNDERSIGNED President of Saul Centers, Inc., who executed on behalf of the Corporation the foregoing Articles Supplementary which this certificate is made a part, hereby acknowledges in the name and on behalf of said Corporation the foregoing Articles Supplementary to be the duly authorized act of said Corporation and hereby certifies to the best of his knowledge, information and belief that the matters and facts set forth herein with respect to the authorization and approval thereof are true in all material respects under the penalties of perjury.

 

/s/ B. Francis Saul III

B. Francis Saul III
President

 

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Exhibit 4.1

DEPOSIT AGREEMENT

This DEPOSIT AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of March 27, 2008 by and among Saul Centers, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Depositary, and all holders from time to time of Receipts (as hereinafter defined) issued hereunder.

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, it is desired to provide, as hereinafter set forth in this Deposit Agreement, for the deposit of shares of the Company’s Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined) with the Depositary for the purposes set forth in this Deposit Agreement and for the issuance hereunder of the Receipts evidencing Depositary Shares representing a fractional interest in the Preferred Stock deposited; and

WHEREAS, the Receipts are to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A annexed to this Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided in this Deposit Agreement;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises contained herein, it is agreed by and among the parties hereto as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions shall apply to the respective terms (in the singular and plural forms of such terms) used in this Deposit Agreement and the Receipts:

SECTION 1.01. “AMEX” shall mean the American Stock Exchange or a successor that is a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act.

SECTION 1.02. “Articles of Incorporation” shall mean the Articles of Incorporation, as amended and supplemented from time to time, of the Company.

SECTION 1.03. “Articles Supplementary” shall mean the Articles Supplementary Classifying 34,500 Shares of Preferred Stock as 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland establishing the Preferred Stock as a series of Preferred Stock of the Company.

SECTION 1.04. “Common Stock” shall mean shares of the Company’s common stock, $.01 par value per share.

SECTION 1.05. “Company” shall mean Saul Centers, Inc., a Maryland corporation, and its successors.


SECTION 1.06. “Corporate Office” shall mean the corporate office of the Depositary at which at any particular time its business in respect of matters governed by this Deposit Agreement shall be administered, which at the date of this Deposit Agreement is located at 17 Battery Place, 8 th Floor, New York, New York.

SECTION 1.07. “Deposit Agreement” shall mean this agreement, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

SECTION 1.08. “Depositary” shall mean Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a company or corporation having its principal office in the United States, and any successor as depositary hereunder.

SECTION 1.09. “Depositary Share” shall mean a 1/100 th fractional interest of a share of Preferred Stock deposited with the Depositary hereunder and the same proportionate interest in any and all other property received by the Depositary in respect of such share of Preferred Stock and held under this Deposit Agreement, all as evidenced by the Receipts issued hereunder. Subject to the terms of this Deposit Agreement, each owner of a Depositary Share is entitled, proportionately, to all the rights, preferences and privileges of the Preferred Stock represented by such Depositary Share, including the dividend and distribution, voting, redemption, conversion and liquidation rights as set forth in the Articles Supplementary.

SECTION 1.10. “Depositary’s Agent” shall mean one or more agents appointed by the Depositary as provided, and for the purposes specified, in Section 7.05 hereof.

SECTION 1.11. “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

SECTION 1.12. “Existing Holder Limit” shall have the meaning set forth in Article VI, Section 4 of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation.

SECTION 1.13. “NASDAQ” shall mean the NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. or a successor that is a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act.

SECTION 1.14. “NYSE” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. or a successor that is a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Exchange Act.

SECTION 1.15. “Ownership Limit” shall have the meaning set forth in Article VI, Section 4 of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation.

SECTION 1.16. “Preferred Stock” shall mean shares of the Company’s 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, $.01 par value per share, heretofore validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

SECTION 1.17. “Receipt” shall mean a Depositary Receipt issued hereunder to evidence one or more Depositary Shares, whether in definitive or temporary form, substantially in the form set forth as Exhibit A hereto.

 

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SECTION 1.18. “record date” shall mean the date fixed pursuant to Section 4.04 hereof.

SECTION 1.19. “record holder” or “holder” as applied to a Receipt shall mean the person in whose name a Receipt is registered on the books maintained by the Depositary for such purpose.

SECTION 1.20. “redemption date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.03 hereof.

SECTION 1.21. “REIT” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.03 hereof.

SECTION 1.22. “Registrar” shall mean Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, or any bank or trust company appointed to register ownership and transfers of Receipts or the deposited Preferred Stock, as the case may be, as herein provided.

SECTION 1.23. “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

SECTION 1.24. “Signature Guarantee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.04 hereof.

SECTION 1.25. “Special Damages” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.08 hereof.

SECTION 1.26. “Transfer Agent” shall mean Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, or any bank or trust company appointed to transfer the Receipts or the deposited Preferred Stock, as the case may be, as herein provided.

ARTICLE II

FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF PREFERRED STOCK, EXECUTION

AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER, SURRENDER AND REDEMPTION OF RECEIPTS

SECTION 2.01. Form and Transferability of Receipts . Definitive Receipts shall be engraved or printed or lithographed with steel-engraved borders and underlying tint and shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A annexed to this Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided. Pending the preparation of definitive Receipts, the Depositary, upon the written order of the Company, delivered in compliance with Section 2.02, shall execute and deliver temporary Receipts which may be printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise substantially of the tenor of the definitive Receipts in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the persons executing such Receipts may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Receipts. If temporary Receipts are issued, the Company and the Depositary will cause definitive Receipts to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Receipts, the temporary Receipts shall be exchangeable for definitive Receipts upon surrender of the temporary Receipts at the Corporate Office or such other offices, if any, as the Depositary may designate, without charge to the holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Receipts, the Depositary

 

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shall execute and deliver in exchange therefor definitive Receipts representing the same number of Depositary Shares as represented by the surrendered temporary Receipt or Receipts. Such exchange shall be made at the Company’s expense and without any charge therefor. Until so exchanged, the temporary Receipts shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Deposit Agreement, and with respect to the Preferred Stock deposited, as definitive Receipts.

Receipts shall be executed by the Depositary by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary, provided that if a Registrar (other than the Depositary) shall have been appointed then such Receipts shall also be countersigned by manual signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Registrar. No Receipt shall be entitled to any benefits under this Deposit Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless it shall have been executed as provided in the preceding sentence. The Depositary shall record on its books each Receipt executed as provided above and delivered as hereinafter provided.

Except as the Depositary may otherwise determine, Receipts shall be in denominations of any number of whole Depositary Shares. All Receipts shall be dated the date of their issuance.

Receipts may be endorsed with or have incorporated in the text thereof such legends or recitals or changes not inconsistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement as may be required by the Company or required to comply with any applicable law or regulation or with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange or interdealer quotation system upon which the Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts may be listed or quoted or to conform with any usage with respect thereto, or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular Receipts are subject, in each case, as directed by the Company.

Title to any Receipt (and to the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt) that is properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement shall be transferable by delivery with the same effect as in the case of a negotiable instrument; provided, however, that until a Receipt shall be transferred on the books of the Depositary as provided in Section 2.04, the Depositary may, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, treat the record holder thereof at such time as the absolute owner thereof for the purpose of determining the person entitled to dividends or other distributions, the exercise of any redemption or voting rights or to any notice provided for in this Deposit Agreement and for all other purposes.

SECTION 2.02. Deposit of Preferred Stock; Execution and Delivery of Receipts in Respect Thereof . Concurrently with the execution of this Deposit Agreement, the Company is delivering to the Depositary a certificate or certificates, registered in the name of the Depository Trust Company, or its designee, and evidencing up to 34,500 shares of Preferred Stock, properly endorsed or accompanied, if required by the Depositary, by a duly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement, in form satisfactory to the Depositary, together with (i) all such certifications as may be required by the Depositary in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement and (ii) a written letter of instruction of the Company directing the Depositary to execute and deliver to, or upon the written order of, the person or persons stated in such order a Receipt or Receipts for the Depositary Shares representing such deposited Preferred Stock. The Depositary acknowledges receipt of the deposited Preferred Stock and related

 

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documentation and agrees to hold such deposited Preferred Stock in an account to be established by the Depositary at the Corporate Office or at such other office as the Depositary shall determine. The Company hereby appoints the Depositary as the Registrar and Transfer Agent for the Preferred Stock deposited hereunder and the Depositary hereby accepts such appointment and, as such, will reflect changes in the number of shares (including any fractional shares) of deposited Preferred Stock held by it by notation, book-entry or other appropriate method.

If required by the Depositary, Preferred Stock presented for deposit by the Company at any time, whether or not the register of stockholders of the Company is closed, shall also be accompanied by an agreement or assignment, or other instrument satisfactory to the Depositary, that will provide for the prompt transfer to the Depositary or its nominee of any distribution or right to subscribe for additional Preferred Stock or to receive other property that any person in whose name the Preferred Stock is or has been registered may thereafter receive upon or in respect of such deposited Preferred Stock, or in lieu thereof such agreement of indemnity or other agreement as shall be satisfactory to the Depositary.

Upon receipt by the Depositary of a certificate or certificates for Preferred Stock deposited hereunder, together with the other documents specified above, and upon registering such Preferred Stock in the name of the Depositary, the Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall execute and deliver to, or upon the order of, the person or persons named in the written order delivered to the Depositary referred to in the first paragraph of this Section 2.02 a Receipt or Receipts for the number of whole Depositary Shares representing the Preferred Stock so deposited and registered in such name or names as may be requested by such person or persons. The Depositary shall execute and deliver such Receipt or Receipts at the Corporate Office, except that, at the request, risk and expense of any person requesting such delivery, such delivery may be made at such other place as may be designated by such person.

Other than in the case of splits, combinations or other reclassifications affecting the Preferred Stock, or in the case of distributions of Preferred Stock, if any, there shall be deposited hereunder not more than the number of shares constituting the Preferred Stock as set forth in the Articles Supplementary, as such may be amended.

The Company shall deliver to the Depositary from time to time such quantities of Receipts as the Depositary may request to enable the Depositary to perform its obligations under this Deposit Agreement.

SECTION 2.03. Optional Redemption of Preferred Stock for Cash . Shares of the Preferred Stock are not redeemable prior to March 15, 2013. However, in order to ensure that the Company remains qualified as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for United States federal income tax purposes in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation, the Preferred Stock, together with all other equity securities of the Company, shall be subject to Article VI of the Articles of Incorporation pursuant to which Preferred Stock owned by a stockholder in excess of the Ownership Limit, or by the Existing Holder in excess of the Existing Holder Limit, shall automatically be transferred to a Trust for the exclusive benefit of a Beneficiary, as provided in Article VI, Section 5 of the Articles of Incorporation. On or after March 15, 2013, if the

 

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Company shall elect to redeem shares of deposited Preferred Stock for cash in accordance with the provisions of the Articles Supplementary, it shall (unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Depositary) give the Depositary not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior written notice of the date of such proposed redemption and of the number of such shares of Preferred Stock held by the Depositary to be redeemed and the applicable redemption price, as set forth in the Articles Supplementary, including the amount, if any, of accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to and including the date fixed for redemption. The Depositary shall mail, first-class postage prepaid, notice of the redemption of Preferred Stock and the proposed simultaneous redemption of the Depositary Shares representing the Preferred Stock to be redeemed, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption of such Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares (the “redemption date”), to the record holders of the Receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares to be so redeemed, at the addresses of such holders as the same appear on the records of the Depositary. No failure to give such notice or any defect thereto or in the mailing thereof shall affect the sufficiency of notice or validity of the proceedings for redemption except as to a holder to whom notice was defective or not given. A redemption notice which has been mailed in the manner provided herein shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given on the date mailed whether or not the holder received the redemption notice. The Company shall provide the Depositary with such notice, and each such notice shall state: the redemption date; the redemption price and accrued and unpaid dividends payable on the redemption date; the number of shares of deposited Preferred Stock and Depositary Shares to be redeemed; if fewer than all the Depositary Shares held by any holder are to be redeemed, the number of such Depositary Shares held by such holder to be so redeemed; the place or places where Receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares to be redeemed are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price and accrued and unpaid dividends payable on the redemption date; and that from and after the redemption date dividends in respect of the Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares to be redeemed will cease to accrue. If fewer than all of the outstanding Depositary Shares are to be redeemed, the Depositary Shares to be redeemed shall be redeemed pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional Depositary Shares) or by any other equitable method determined by the Company that will not result in a violation of the Ownership Limit or the Existing Holder Limit.

During any period of time that both (i) Preferred Stock is not listed on the NYSE, AMEX or NASDAQ (or if the Preferred Stock is at any time held in the form of Depositary Shares, the Depositary Shares representing Preferred Stock are not listed on the NYSE, AMEX or NASDAQ), and (ii) the Company is not subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, but any shares of Series B Preferred Stock are outstanding, the Corporation will have the option to redeem the Series B Preferred Stock, in whole but not in part, within 90 days of the date upon which the shares of the Series B Preferred Stock (or the Depositary Shares) cease to be listed and we cease to be subject to such reporting requirements, for a redemption price of $2,500.00 per share, plus all dividends accrued and unpaid (whether or not declared), if any, to the date such shares are redeemed as provided in Section 5(c) of the Articles Supplementary, upon the giving of notice as provided in Section 5(h) of the Articles Supplementary.

In the event that notice of redemption has been made as described in this Section 2.03 and the Company shall then have paid or caused to be paid in full to the Depositary the redemption price (determined pursuant to the Articles Supplementary) of the Preferred Stock

 

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deposited with the Depositary to be redeemed (including any accrued and unpaid dividends to and including the redemption date), the Depositary shall redeem the number of Depositary Shares representing such Preferred Stock so called for redemption by the Company and from and after the redemption date (unless the Company shall have failed to pay for the shares of Preferred Stock to be redeemed by it as set forth in the Company’s notice provided for in the preceding paragraph), all dividends in respect of the shares of Preferred Stock called for redemption shall cease to accrue, the Depositary Shares called for redemption shall be deemed no longer to be outstanding and all rights of the holders of Receipts evidencing such Depositary Shares (except the right to receive the redemption price plus all accrued and unpaid dividends to and including the redemption date) shall, to the extent of such Depositary Shares, cease and terminate. Upon surrender in accordance with said notice of the Receipts evidencing such Depositary Shares (properly endorsed or assigned for transfer, if the Depositary or applicable law shall so require), such Depositary Shares shall be redeemed at a redemption price of $25.00 per Depositary Share plus all accrued and unpaid dividends to and including the redemption date. The foregoing shall be further subject to the terms and conditions of the Articles Supplementary. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Deposit Agreement and the provisions of the Articles Supplementary, the provisions of the Articles Supplementary will govern and the Company will instruct the Depositary accordingly.

Unless full cumulative dividends on all Preferred Stock shall have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid in cash or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof in cash irrevocably set apart for payment for all past dividend periods and the then current dividend period, no Preferred Stock shall be redeemed unless all outstanding shares of Preferred Stock are simultaneously redeemed and the Company shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any shares of Preferred Stock or any class or series of equity securities of the Company ranking, as to dividends or upon liquidation, on a parity with or junior to the Preferred Stock (except by exchange for shares of equity securities of the Company ranking, as to dividends and upon liquidation, junior to the Preferred Stock); provided , however , that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase of Preferred Stock by the Company in accordance with the terms of Section 5(a) or 5(e) of the Articles Supplementary or Article VI of the Articles of Incorporation or otherwise in order to ensure that the Company remains qualified as a REIT for United States federal income tax purposes or the purchase or acquisition of Preferred Stock pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of Preferred Stock.

If fewer than all of the Depositary Shares evidenced by a Receipt are called for redemption, the Depositary will deliver to the holder of such Receipt upon its surrender to the Depositary, together with payment of the redemption price for and all other amounts payable in respect of the Depositary Shares called for redemption, a new Receipt evidencing such holder’s Depositary Shares evidenced by such prior Receipt that are not called for redemption.

The Company acknowledges that the bank accounts maintained by the Depositary in connection with the performance of the services described herein will be in the name of the Depositary and that the Depositary may receive investment earnings in connection with the investment at the Depositary’s risk and for its benefit of funds held in those accounts from time to time.

 

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SECTION 2.04. Registration of Transfers of Receipts . The Company hereby appoints the Depositary as the Registrar and Transfer Agent for the Receipts and the Depositary hereby accepts such appointment and, as such, shall register on its books from time to time transfers of Receipts upon any surrender thereof by the holder in person or by a duly authorized attorney, agent or representative, properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement and including a guarantee of the signature thereon by a participant in a signature guarantee medallion program approved by the Securities Transfer Association (a “Signature Guarantee”), together with evidence of the payment of any transfer taxes as may be required by applicable law. Upon such surrender, the Depositary shall execute a new Receipt or Receipts and deliver the same to or upon the order of the person entitled thereto evidencing the same aggregate number of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts surrendered.

SECTION 2.05. Combinations and Split-ups of Receipts . Upon surrender of a Receipt or Receipts at the Corporate Office or such other office as the Depositary may designate for the purpose of effecting a split-up or combination of Receipts, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall execute and deliver a new Receipt or Receipts in the authorized denominations requested evidencing the same aggregate number of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts surrendered.

SECTION 2.06. Surrender of Receipts and Withdrawal of Preferred Stock . Any holder of a Receipt or Receipts may withdraw any or all of the deposited Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt or Receipts and all money and other property, if any, represented by such Depositary Shares by surrendering such Receipt or Receipts at the Corporate Office or at such other office as the Depositary may designate for such withdrawals. After such surrender, without unreasonable delay, the Depositary shall deliver to such holder, or to the person or persons designated by such holder as hereinafter provided, the number of whole or fractional shares of such Preferred Stock and all such money and other property, if any, represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipt or Receipts so surrendered for withdrawal, but holders of such whole or fractional shares of Preferred Stock will not thereafter be entitled to deposit such Preferred Stock hereunder or to receive Depositary Shares therefor. If the Receipt or Receipts delivered by the holder to the Depositary in connection with such withdrawal shall evidence a number of Depositary Shares in excess of the number of Depositary Shares representing the number of whole or fractional shares of deposited Preferred Stock to be withdrawn, the Depositary shall at the same time, in addition to such number of whole or fractional shares of Preferred Stock and such money and other property, if any, to be withdrawn, deliver to such holder, or (subject to Section 2.04) upon his order, a new Receipt or Receipts evidencing such excess number of Depositary Shares. Delivery of such Preferred Stock and such money and other property being withdrawn may be made by the delivery of such certificates, documents of title and other instruments as the Depositary may deem appropriate, which, if required by the Depositary, shall be properly endorsed or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement.

If the deposited Preferred Stock and the money and other property being withdrawn are to be delivered to a person or persons other than the record holder of the Receipt or Receipts being surrendered for withdrawal of Preferred Stock, such holder shall execute and deliver to the Depositary a written order so directing the Depositary and the Depositary may require that the

 

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Receipt or Receipts surrendered by such holder for withdrawal of such shares of Preferred Stock be properly endorsed in blank or accompanied by a properly executed instrument of transfer or endorsement in blank with a Signature Guarantee.

The Depositary shall deliver the deposited Preferred Stock and the money and other property, if any, represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by Receipts surrendered for withdrawal at the Corporate Office, except that, at the request, risk and expense of the holder surrendering such Receipt or Receipts and for the account of the holder thereof, such delivery may be made at such other place as may be designated by such holder.

SECTION 2.07. Limitations on Execution and Delivery, Transfer, Split-up, Combination . As a condition precedent to the execution and delivery, transfer, split-up, combination, surrender or exchange of any Receipt, the Depositary, any of the Depositary’s Agents or the Company may require any or all of the following: (i) payment to it of a sum sufficient for the payment (or, in the event that the Depositary or the Company shall have made such payment, the reimbursement to it) of any tax or other governmental charge with respect thereto (including any such tax or charge with respect to the Preferred Stock being deposited or withdrawn); (ii) the production of proof satisfactory to it as to the identity and genuineness of any signature (or the authority of any signature), including a Signature Guarantee; and (iii) compliance with such regulations, if any, as the Depositary or the Company may establish consistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement as may be required by any securities exchange upon which the deposited Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts may be included for quotation or listed.

The deposit of Preferred Stock may be refused, the delivery of Receipts against Preferred Stock may be suspended, the transfer of Receipts may be refused, and the transfer, split-up, combination, surrender, exchange or redemption of outstanding Receipts may be suspended (i) during any period when the register of stockholders of the Company is closed or (ii) if any such action is deemed reasonably necessary or advisable by the Depositary, any of time Depositary’s Agents or the Company at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of applicable law or of any government or governmental body or commission, or under any provision of this Deposit Agreement.

SECTION 2.08. Lost Receipts, etc . In case any Receipt shall be mutilated or destroyed or lost or stolen, the Depositary in its discretion may execute and deliver a Receipt of like form and tenor in exchange and substitution for such mutilated Receipt or in lieu of and in substitution for such destroyed, lost or stolen Receipt, provided that the holder thereof provides the Depositary with (i) evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary of such destruction, loss or theft of such Receipt, of the authenticity thereof and of his ownership thereof and (ii) reasonable indemnification and the provision of an open penalty surety bond, in each case, satisfactory to the Depositary and the Company and holding the Depositary and the Company harmless.

SECTION 2.09. Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts . All Receipts surrendered to the Depositary or any Depositary’s Agent shall be cancelled by the Depositary. Except as prohibited by applicable law or regulation, the Depositary is authorized to destroy such Receipts so cancelled.

 

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ARTICLE III

CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF HOLDERS OF RECEIPTS AND THE COMPANY

SECTION 3.01. Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information . Any person presenting Preferred Stock for deposit or any holder of a Receipt may be required from time to time to file such proof of residence or other information and to execute such certificates as the Depositary or the Company may reasonably deem necessary or proper. The Depositary or the Company may withhold or delay the delivery of any Receipt, the transfer, redemption or exchange of any Receipt, the withdrawal of the deposited Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by any Receipt, the distribution of any distribution or the sale of any rights or of the proceeds thereof, until such proof or other information is filed or such certificates are executed.

SECTION 3.02. Payment of Fees and Expenses . Holders of Receipts shall be obligated to make payments to the Depositary of certain fees and expenses, as provided in Section 5.09, or provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary that such fees and expenses have been paid. Until such payment is made, transfer of any Receipt or any withdrawal of the Preferred Stock or money or other property, if any, represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt may be refused, any distribution may be withheld, and any part or all of the Preferred Stock or other property represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt may be sold for the account of the holder thereof (after attempting by reasonable means to notify such holder a reasonable number of days prior to such sale). Any distribution so withheld and the proceeds of any such sale may be applied to any payment of such fees or expenses, the holder of such Receipt remaining liable for any deficiency.

SECTION 3.03. Representations and Warranties as to Preferred Stock . In the case of the initial deposit of the Preferred Stock hereunder, the Company and, in the case of subsequent deposits thereof, each person so depositing Preferred Stock under this Deposit Agreement, shall be deemed thereby to represent and warrant that such Preferred Stock and each certificate therefor are valid and that the person making such deposit is duly authorized to do so. The Company hereby further represents and warrants that such Preferred Stock, when issued, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. Such representations and warranties shall survive the deposit of the Preferred Stock and the issuance of Receipts.

SECTION 3.04. Representation and Warranty as to Receipts and Depositary Shares . The Company hereby represents and warrants that the Receipts, when issued, will evidence legal and valid interests in the Depositary Shares and each Depositary Share will represent a legal and valid fractional interest in a share of deposited Preferred Stock represented by such Depositary Share. Such representation and warranty shall survive the deposit of the Preferred Stock and the issuance of Receipts evidencing the Depositary Shares.

 

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ARTICLE IV

THE PREFERRED STOCK; NOTICES

SECTION 4.01. Dividends and Other Cash Distributions . Whenever the Depositary shall receive any dividend or other cash distributions on the deposited Preferred Stock, including any cash received upon redemption of any shares of Preferred Stock pursuant to Section 2.03, the Depositary shall, subject to Section 3.02, distribute to record holders of Receipts on the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.04 such amounts of such sum as are, as nearly as practicable, in proportion to the respective numbers of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts held by such holders; provided, however, that, in case the Company or the Depositary shall be required by law to withhold and shall withhold from any cash distribution in respect of the Preferred Stock an amount on account of taxes or as otherwise required by law, regulation or court process, the amount made available for distribution or distributed in respect of Depositary Shares shall be reduced accordingly. The Depositary shall distribute or make available for distribution, as the case may be, only such amount, however, as can be distributed without attributing to any holder of Receipts a fraction of one cent, and any balance not so distributable shall be held by the Depositary (without liability for interest thereon) and shall be added to and be treated as part of the next sum received by the Depositary for distribution to record holders of Receipts then outstanding.

SECTION 4.02. Distributions Other Than Cash . Whenever the Depositary shall receive any distribution other than cash on the deposited Preferred Stock, the Depositary shall, subject to Section 3.02, distribute to record holders of Receipts on the record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.04 such amounts of the securities or property received by it as are, as nearly as practicable, in proportion to the respective numbers of Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts held by such holders, in any manner that the Depositary and the Company may deem equitable and practicable for accomplishing such distribution. If in the opinion of the Depositary after consultation with the Company, such distribution cannot be made proportionately among such record holders, or if for any other reason (including any requirement that the Company or the Depositary withhold an amount on account of taxes), the Depositary deems, after consultation with the Company, such distribution not to be feasible, the Depositary may, with the approval of the Company, adopt such method as it deems equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such distribution, including the sale (at public or private sale) of the securities or property thus received, or any part thereof at such place or places and upon such terms as it may deem proper. The net proceeds of any such sale shall, subject to Section 3.02, be distributed or made available for distribution, as the case may be, by the Depositary to record holders of Receipts as provided by Section 4.01 in the case of a distribution received in cash. The Company shall not make any distribution of such securities or property to the holders of Receipts unless the Company shall have provided to the Depositary an opinion of counsel stating that such securities or property have been registered under the Securities Act or do not need to be registered in order to be freely transferable.

SECTION 4.03. Subscription Rights, Preferences or Privileges . If the Company shall at any time offer or cause to be offered to the persons in whose names deposited Preferred Stock is registered on the books of the Company any rights, preferences or privileges to subscribe for or

 

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to purchase any securities or any rights, preferences or privileges of any other nature, the offering of such rights, preferences or privileges shall in each such instance be communicated to the Depositary and thereafter made available by the Depositary to the record holders of Receipts in such manner as the Company shall instruct (including by the issue to such record holders of warrants representing such rights, preferences or privileges); provided, however, that (a) if at the time of issue or offer of any such rights, preferences or privileges the Company determines upon advice of its legal counsel that it is not lawful or feasible to make such rights, preferences or privileges available to the holders of Receipts (by the issue of warrants or otherwise) or (b) if and to the extent instructed by holders of Receipts who do not desire to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges, the Depositary shall then, if so instructed by the Company, and if applicable laws or the terms of such rights, preferences or privileges so permit, sell such rights, preferences or privileges of such holders at public or private sale, at such place or places and upon such terms as it may deem proper. The net proceeds of any such sale shall, subject to Section 3.01 and Section 3.02, be distributed by the Depositary to the record holders of Receipts entitled thereto as provided by Section 4.01 in the case of a distribution received in cash. The Company shall not make any distribution of such rights, preferences or privileges, unless the Company shall have provided to the Depositary an opinion of counsel stating that such rights, preferences or privileges have been registered under the Securities Act or do not need to be registered in order to be freely transferable.

If registration under the Securities Act of the securities to which any rights, preferences or privileges relate is required in order for holders of Receipts to be offered or sold the securities to which such rights, preferences or privileges relate, the Company agrees that it will promptly file a registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act with respect to such rights, preferences or privileges and securities and use its reasonable best efforts and take all steps available to it to cause such registration statement to become effective sufficiently in advance of the expiration of such rights, preferences or privileges to enable such holders to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges. In no event shall the Depositary make available to the holders of Receipts any right, preference or privilege to subscribe for or to purchase any securities unless and until such a registration statement shall have become effective or unless the offering and sale of such securities to such holders are exempt from registration under the provisions of the Securities Act and the Company shall have provided to the Depositary an opinion of counsel to such effect.

If any other action under the law of any jurisdiction or any governmental or administrative authorization, consent or permit is required in order for such rights, preferences or privileges to be made available to holders of Receipts, the Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to take such action or obtain such authorization, consent or permit sufficiently in advance of the expiration of such rights, preferences or privileges to enable such holders to exercise such rights, preferences or privileges.

SECTION 4.04. Notice of Distributions; Fixing of Record Date for Holders of Receipts . Whenever any dividend or other cash distributions shall become payable, any distribution other than cash shall be made, or any rights, preferences or privileges shall at any time be offered, with respect to the deposited Preferred Stock, or whenever the Depositary shall receive notice of (i) any meeting at which holders of such Preferred Stock are entitled to vote or of which holders of such Preferred Stock are entitled to notice or (ii) any election on the part of the Company to

 

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redeem any shares of such Preferred Stock, the Depositary shall in each such instance fix a record date (which shall be the same date as the record date, if any, fixed by the Company with respect to the Preferred Stock) for the determination of the holders of Receipts (a) who shall be entitled to receive such dividend, distribution, rights, preferences or privileges or the net proceeds of the sale thereof, (b) who shall be entitled to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at any such meeting or to receive notice of such meeting or (c) whose Depositary Shares are to be so redeemed.

SECTION 4.05. Voting Rights . Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of deposited Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, the Depositary shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, mail to the record holders of Receipts a notice, which shall be provided by the Company and which shall contain (i) such information as is contained in such notice of meeting, (ii) a statement that the holders of Receipts at the close of business on a specified record date fixed pursuant to Section 4.04 will be entitled, subject to any applicable provision of law, to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of Preferred Stock represented by their respective Depositary Shares and (iii) a brief statement as to the manner in which such instructions may be given. Upon the written request of a holder of a Receipt on such record date, the Depositary shall vote or cause to be voted the amount of Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt in accordance with the instructions set forth in such request. To the extent any such instructions request the voting of a fractional interest of a share of deposited Preferred Stock, the Depositary shall aggregate such interest with all other fractional interests resulting from requests with the same voting instructions and shall vote the number of whole votes resulting from such aggregation in accordance with the instructions received in such requests. Each share of Preferred Stock is entitled to one vote and, accordingly, each Depositary Share is entitled to 1/100 th of a vote. The Company hereby agrees to take all reasonable action that may be deemed necessary by the Depositary in order to enable the Depositary to vote such Preferred Stock or cause such Preferred Stock to be voted. In the absence of specific instructions from the holder of a Receipt, the Depositary will abstain from voting to the extent of the Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt. The Depositary shall not be required to exercise discretion in voting any Preferred Stock represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Receipt.

SECTION 4.06. Changes Affecting Preferred Stock and Reclassifications, Recapitalizations, etc . Upon any change in par or stated value, split-up, combination or any other reclassification of Preferred Stock, or upon any recapitalization, reorganization, merger, amalgamation or consolidation affecting the Company or to which it is a party or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, the Depositary shall, upon the instructions of the Company, (i) make such adjustments in (a) the fraction of an interest represented by one Depositary Share in one share of Preferred Stock and (b) the ratio of the redemption price per Depositary Share to the redemption price of a share of Preferred Stock, in each case as may be required by or as is consistent with the provisions of the Articles Supplementary to fully reflect the effects of such change in liquidation preference, split-up, combination or other reclassification of stock, or of such recapitalization, reorganization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or sale and (ii) treat any shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) that shall be received by the Depositary in exchange for or upon conversion of or in respect

 

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of the Preferred Stock as new deposited property under this Deposit Agreement, and Receipts then outstanding shall thenceforth represent the proportionate interests of holders thereof in the new deposited property so received in exchange for or upon conversion of or in respect of such Preferred Stock. In any such case the Depositary may, in its discretion, with the approval of the Company, execute and deliver additional Receipts, or may call for the surrender of all outstanding Receipts to be exchanged for new Receipts specifically describing such new deposited property. Anything to the contrary herein notwithstanding, holders of Receipts shall have the right from and after the effective date of any such change in par or stated value, split-up, combination or other reclassification of the Preferred Stock or any such recapitalization, reorganization, merger, amalgamation or consolidation or sale of substantially all the assets of the Company to surrender such Receipts to the Depositary with instructions to convert, exchange or surrender the Preferred Stock represented thereby only into or for, as the case may be, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property and cash into which the deposited Preferred Stock evidenced by such Receipts might have been converted or for which such Preferred Stock might have been exchanged or surrendered immediately prior to the effective date of such transaction, subject to any subsequent change in par or stated value, split-up, combination or other reclassification or any subsequent recapitalization, reorganization, merger, amalgamation or consolidation or sale of substantially all the assets. The Company shall cause effective provision to be made in the charter of the resulting or surviving corporation (if other than the Company) for protection of such rights as may be applicable upon exchange of the deposited Preferred Stock for securities or property or cash of the surviving corporation in connection with the transactions set forth above. The Company shall cause any such surviving corporation (if other than the Company) expressly to assume the obligations of the Company hereunder.

SECTION 4.07. Inspection of Reports . The Depositary shall make available for inspection by holders of Receipts at the Corporate Office and at such other places as it may from time to time deem advisable during normal business hours any reports and communications received from the Company that are both received by the Depositary as the holder of deposited Preferred Stock and made generally available to the holders of the Preferred Stock. In addition, the Depositary shall transmit certain notices and reports to the holders of Receipts as provided in Section 5.05.

SECTION 4.08. Lists of Receipt Holders . Promptly upon request from time to time by the Company, the Depositary shall furnish to the Company a list, as of a recent date specified by the Company, of the names, addresses and holdings of Depositary Shares of all persons in whose names Receipts are registered on the books of the Depositary.

SECTION 4.09. Tax and Regulatory Compliance . The Depositary shall be responsible for (i) preparing and mailing of IRS Forms 1099, 1042 and 1042-S for all open and closed accounts, (ii) all applicable withholding related to payments made with respect to the Receipts, including, without limitation, withholding required pursuant to Sections 1441, 1442, 1445 and 3406 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (iii) mailing Form W-99, or W8-BEN, as appropriate, to new holders of Receipts without a certified taxpayer identification number or to non-US investors, (iv) processing certified Forms W-99 and W8-BEN, (v) preparing and filing of state information returns and (vi) providing escheatment services.

 

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SECTION 4.10. Withholding . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Deposit Agreement to the contrary, in the event that the Depositary determines that any distribution in property is subject to any tax which the Depositary is obligated by applicable law to withhold, the Depositary may dispose of all or a portion of such property in such amounts and in such manner as the Depositary deems necessary and practicable to pay such taxes, by public or private sale, and the Depositary shall distribute the net proceeds of any such sale or the balance of any such property after deduction of such taxes to the holders of Receipts entitled thereto in proportion to the number of Depositary Shares held by them, respectively; provided, however, that in the event the Depositary determines that such distribution of property is subject to withholding tax only with respect to some but not all holders of Receipts, the Depositary will use its best efforts (i) to sell only that portion of such property distributable to such holders that is required to generate sufficient proceeds to pay such withholding tax and (ii) to effect any such sale in such a manner so as to avoid affecting the rights of any other holders of Receipts to receive such distribution in property.

ARTICLE V

THE DEPOSITARY AND THE COMPANY

SECTION 5.01. Maintenance of Offices, Agencies and Transfer Books by the Depositary and the Registrar . The Depositary shall maintain at the Corporate Office facilities for the execution and delivery, transfer, surrender and exchange, split-up, combination and redemption of Receipts and deposit and withdrawal of Preferred Stock and at the offices of the Depositary’s Agents, if any, facilities for the delivery, transfer, surrender and exchange, split-up, combination and redemption of Receipts and deposit and withdrawal of Preferred Stock, all in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement.

The Depositary shall keep books at the Corporate Office for the registration and transfer of Receipts, which books at all reasonable times shall be open for inspection by the record holders of Receipts as provided by applicable law. The Depositary may close such books, at any time or from time to time, when deemed expedient by it in connection with the performance of its duties hereunder. The Depositary may maintain such books in customary electronic form.

If the Receipts or the Depositary Shares evidenced thereby or the Preferred Stock represented by such Depositary Shares shall be listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. or any other stock exchange, or quoted on any interdealer quotation system, the Depositary may, with the approval of the Company, appoint a Registrar (acceptable to the Company) for registration of such Receipts or Depositary Shares in accordance with the requirements of such stock exchange or quotation system. Such Registrar (which may be the Depositary if so permitted by the requirements of such Exchange) may be removed and a substitute registrar appointed by the Depositary upon the request or with the approval of the Company. If the Receipts, such Depositary Shares or such Preferred Stock are listed on one or more other stock exchanges or quotation systems, the Depositary will, at the request and expense of the Company, arrange such facilities for the delivery, transfer, surrender, redemption and exchange of such Receipts, such Depositary Shares or such Preferred Stock as maybe required by applicable law or applicable stock exchange or quotation system regulations.

 

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SECTION 5.02. Prevention or Delay in Performance by the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar or the Company . None of the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Company shall incur any liability to any holder of any Receipt, if by reason of any provision of any present or future law or regulation thereunder of the United States of America or of any other governmental authority or, in the case of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent or the Registrar, by reason of any provision, present or future, of the Articles of Incorporation or the Articles Supplementary or, in the case of the Company, the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agent or the Registrar, by reason of any act of God or war or other circumstance beyond the control of the relevant party, the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, the Registrar or the Company shall be prevented or forbidden from doing or performing any act or thing that the terms of this Deposit Agreement provide shall be done or performed; nor shall the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Company incur any liability to any holder of a Receipt by reason of any nonperformance or delay, caused as aforesaid, in the performance of any act or thing that the terms of this Deposit Agreement provide shall or may be done or performed, or by reason of any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in this Deposit Agreement.

SECTION 5.03. Obligations of the Depositary, the Depositary’s Agents, the Registrar and the Company . Each of the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent and any Registrar shall at all times act in good faith and shall use its best efforts within reasonable time limits to insure the accuracy of all services performed pursuant to this Agreement. None of the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Company assumes any obligation or shall be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement or any Receipt to holders of Receipts other than from acts or omissions arising out of conduct constituting bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of such duties as are specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement.

None of the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Company shall be under any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, suit or other proceeding with respect to the deposited Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares or Receipts that in its reasonable opinion may involve it in expense or liability, unless indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against all expense and liability be furnished as often as may be required.

None of the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar or the Company shall be liable for any action or any failure to act by it in reliance upon the written advice of legal counsel or accountants, or information provided by any person presenting Preferred Stock for deposit, any holder of a Receipt or any other person believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information. The Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent, any Registrar and the Company may each rely and shall each be protected in acting upon any written notice, request, direction or other document believed by it in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or panics.

In the event the Depositary shall receive conflicting claims, requests or instructions from any holders of Receipts, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, the Depositary shall be entitled to act on such claims, requests or instructions received from the Company, and shall be entitled to the full indemnification set forth in Section 5.06 hereof in connection with any action so taken.

 

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The Depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to carry out any instruction to vote any of the deposited Preferred Stock or for the manner or effect of any such vote made, as long as any such action or non-action is in good faith and does not result from negligence or willful misconduct of the Depositary. The Depositary undertakes, and any Registrar shall be required to undertake, to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Depositary or any Registrar.

The Depositary, its parent, affiliate, or subsidiaries, any Depositary’s Agent, and any Registrar may own, buy, sell or deal in any class of securities of the Company and its affiliates and in Receipts or Depositary Shares or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company or its affiliates may be interested or contract with or lend money to or otherwise act as fully or as freely as if it were not the Depositary or the Depositary’s Agent hereunder. The Depositary may also act as transfer agent or registrar of any of the securities of the Company and its affiliates or act in any other capacity for the Company or its affiliates.

It is intended that neither the Depositary nor any Depositary’s Agent shall be deemed to be an “issuer” of the securities under the federal securities laws or applicable state securities laws, it being expressly understood and agreed that the Depositary and any Depositary’s Agent are acting only in a ministerial capacity as Depositary for the deposited Preferred Stock; provided, however, that the Depositary agrees to comply with all information reporting and withholding requirements applicable to it under law or this Deposit Agreement in its capacity as Depositary.

Neither the Depositary (or its officers, directors, employees or agents) nor any Depositary’s Agent makes any representation or has any responsibility as to the validity of the registration statement pursuant to which the Depositary Shares are registered under the Securities Act, the deposited Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares, the Receipts (except its countersignature thereon) or any instruments referred to therein or herein, or as to the correctness of any statement made therein or herein; provided, however, that the Depositary is responsible for its representations in this Deposit Agreement and for the validity of any action taken or required to be taken by the Depositary in connection with this Deposit Agreement.

The Company represents that it has registered the deposited Preferred Stock and the Depositary Shares for sale in accordance with applicable securities laws.

SECTION 5.04. Resignation and Removal of the Depositary; Appointment of Successor Depositary . The Depositary may at any time resign as Depositary hereunder by delivering to the Company notice of its election to do so, such resignation to take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.

 

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The Depositary may at any time be removed by the Company by notice of such removal delivered to the Depositary, such removal to take effect upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of such appointment as hereinafter provided.

In case at any time the Depositary acting hereunder shall resign or be removed, the Company shall, within 60 days after the delivery of the notice of resignation or removal, as the case may be, appoint a successor depositary, which shall be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States of America and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. If a successor depositary shall not have been appointed in 60 days, the resigning Depositary may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to appoint a successor depositary. Every successor depositary shall execute and deliver to its predecessor and to the Company an instrument in writing accepting its appointment hereunder, and thereupon such successor depositary, without any further act or deed, shall become fully vested with all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of its predecessor and for all purposes shall be the Depositary under this Deposit Agreement, and such predecessor, upon payment of all sums due it and on the written request of the Company, shall promptly execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor all rights and powers of such predecessor hereunder, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver all rights, title and interest in the deposited Preferred Stock and any moneys or property held hereunder to such successor and shall deliver to such successor a list of the record holders of all outstanding Receipts. Any successor depositary shall promptly mail notice of its appointment to the record holders of Receipts.

Any corporation into or with which the Depositary may be merged, consolidated or converted shall be the successor of such Depositary without the execution or filing of any document or any further act. Such successor depositary may execute the Receipts either in the name of the predecessor depositary or in the name of the successor depositary.

SECTION 5.05. Notices, Reports and Documents . The Company agrees that it will deliver to the Depositary, and the Depositary will, promptly after receipt thereof transmit to the record holders of Receipts, in each case at the address recorded in the Depositary’s books, copies of all notices and reports (including financial statements) required by law, by the rules of any national securities exchange or interdealer quotation system upon which the Preferred Stock, the Depositary Shares or the Receipts are listed or quoted or by the Articles of Incorporation and the Articles Supplementary to be furnished by the Company to holders of the deposited Preferred Stock and, if requested by the holder of any Receipt, a copy of this Deposit Agreement, the form of Receipt, the Articles Supplementary and the form of Preferred Stock. Such transmission will be at the Company’s expense and the Company will provide the Depositary with such number of copies of such documents as the Depositary may reasonably request. In addition, the Depositary will transmit to the record holders of Receipts at the Company’s expense such other documents as may be requested by the Company.

SECTION 5.06. Indemnification by the Company . The Company agrees to indemnify the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent and any Registrar against, and hold each of them harmless from, any liability, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that may arise out of, or in connection with, its acting as Depositary, Depositary’s Agent or Registrar, respectively, under this Deposit Agreement and the Receipts, except for any liability arising out

 

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of the willful misconduct, gross negligence, or bad faith on the part of any such person or persons. The obligations of the Company set forth in this Section 5.06 shall survive any succession of any Depositary, Registrar or Depositary’s Agent or termination of this Deposit Agreement.

SECTION 5.07. Indemnification by the Depositary . The Depositary agrees to indemnify the Company against, and hold the Company harmless from, any liability, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that may arise out of, or in connection with, the refusal or failure of any of the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent or the Registrar to comply with the terms of this Deposit Agreement, or which arise out of the willful misconduct, gross negligence, or bad faith on the part of any such person or persons; provided, however, that the Depositary’s aggregate liability hereunder with respect to, arising from, or arising in connection with this Deposit Agreement, or from all services provided or omitted to be provided under this Deposit Agreement, whether in contract, or in tort, or otherwise, is limited to, and shall not exceed, the amounts paid hereunder by the Company to the Depositary as fees and charges under this Agreement or otherwise, but not including reimbursable expenses, during the six (6) calendar months immediately preceding the event for which recovery from the Depositary is being sought. The obligations of the Depositary set forth in this Section 5.07 shall survive any succession of the Company or termination of this Deposit Agreement.

SECTION 5.08. Damages . The Depositary shall not be liable for any incidental, indirect, special or consequential damages of any nature whatsoever, including, but not limited to, loss of anticipated profits (collectively, “Special Damages”), occasioned by breach of any provision of this Agreement by the Depositary even if apprised of the possibility of such damages. The Company shall not be liable to the Depositary for Special Damages occasioned by breach of any provision of this Agreement by the Company even if apprised of the possibility of such damages.

SECTION 5.09. Fees, Charges and Expenses . No charges and expenses of the Depositary or any Depositary’s Agent hereunder shall be payable by any person, except as provided in this Section 5.09. The Company shall pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of this Deposit Agreement. The Company shall also pay all fees and expenses of the Depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the Preferred Stock and the initial issuance of the Depositary Shares evidenced by the Receipts, any redemption of the Preferred Stock at the option of the Company and all withdrawals of the Preferred Stock by holders of Receipts. If a holder of Receipts requests the Depositary to perform duties not required under this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall notify the holder of the cost of the performance of such duties prior to the performance thereof. Upon approval of such cost by such holder, such holder will thereafter be liable for the charges and expenses related to such performance. All other fees and expenses of the Depositary and any Depositary’s Agent hereunder and of any Registrar (including, in each case, fees and expenses of counsel) incident to the performance of their respective obligations hereunder will be promptly paid by the Company pursuant to such terms as the Company and the Depositary shall agree in good faith. The Depositary shall present its statement for fees and expenses to the Company every month or at such other intervals as the Company and the Depositary may agree.

 

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ARTICLE VI

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

SECTION 6.01. Amendment . The form of the Receipts and any provision of this Deposit Agreement may at any time and from time to time be amended by agreement between the Company and the Depositary in any respect that they may deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that no such amendment (other than any change in the fees of any Depositary, Registrar or Transfer Agent that are payable by the Company) which (i) shall materially and adversely alter the rights of the holders of Receipts or (ii) would be materially and adversely inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of the Preferred Stock pursuant to the Articles Supplementary shall be effective unless such amendment shall have been approved by the holders of Receipts evidencing at least 66-2/3% of the Depositary Shares then outstanding. In no event shall any amendment impair the right, subject to the provisions of Section 2.06 and Section 2.07 and Article III, of any holder of any Depositary Shares to surrender the Receipt evidencing such Depositary Shares with instructions to the Depositary to deliver to the holder the deposited Preferred Stock and all money and other property if any, represented thereby, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law. Every holder of an outstanding Receipt at the time any such amendment becomes effective shall be deemed, by continuing to hold such Receipt, to consent and agree to such amendment and to be bound by this Deposit Agreement as amended thereby.

SECTION 6.02. Termination . This Deposit Agreement may be terminated by the Company upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice to the Depositary if (i) such termination is necessary to preserve the Company’s status as a real estate investment trust under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor provision), or (ii) the holders of Receipts evidencing at least a majority of the Depositary Shares then outstanding consent to such termination, whereupon the Depositary shall deliver or make available to each holder of a Receipt, upon surrender of the Receipt held by such holder, such number of whole or fractional shares of deposited Preferred Stock as are represented by the Depositary Shares evidenced by such Depositary Receipt, together with any other property held by the Depositary in respect of such Receipt. In the event that this Deposit Agreement is terminated pursuant to clause (i) of the immediately preceding sentence, the Company hereby agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to list or quote the Preferred Stock issued upon surrender of the Receipt evidencing the Depositary Shares represented thereby on a national securities exchange or interdealer quotation system. This Deposit Agreement will automatically terminate if (i) all outstanding Depositary Shares shall have been redeemed pursuant to Section 2.03 or (ii) there shall have been made a final distribution in respect of the deposited Preferred Stock in connection with any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company and such distribution shall have been distributed to the holders of Receipts entitled thereto.

Upon the termination of this Deposit Agreement, (i) the Company shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement except for its obligations to the Depositary, any Depositary’s Agent and any Registrar under Section 5.06 and Section 5.09 and (ii) the Depositary shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement except for its obligations to the Company under Section 5.07.

 

20


ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 7.01. Counterparts . This Deposit Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, and by each of the parties hereto on separate counterparts, each of which counterparts, when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed an original, but all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Deposit Agreement by telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Deposit Agreement. Copies of this Deposit Agreement shall be filed with the Depositary and the Depositary’s Agents and shall be open to inspection during business hours at the Corporate Office and the respective offices of time Depositary’s Agents, if any, by any holder of a Receipt.

SECTION 7.02. Exclusive Benefits of Parties . This Deposit Agreement is for the exclusive benefit of the parties hereto, and their respective successors hereunder, and shall not be deemed to give any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim to any other person whatsoever.

SECTION 7.03. Invalidity of Provisions . In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Deposit Agreement or in the Receipts should be or become invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein or therein shall in no way be affected, prejudiced or disturbed thereby.

SECTION 7.04. Notices . Any and all notices to be given to the Company hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail, or by telegram or facsimile transmission confirmed by letter, addressed to the Company at:

Saul Centers, Inc.

7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1500

Bethesda, Maryland 20814

Attention: Corporate Secretary

Telephone No.: (301) 986-6200

or at any other address of which the Company shall have notified the Depositary in writing.

Any notices to be given to the Depositary hereunder or under the Receipts shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or suit by mail, or by telegram or telex or telecopier confirmed by letter, addressed to the Depositary at the Corporate Office to the attention of the General Counsel.

Any notices given to any record holder of a Receipt hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if personally delivered or sent by mail, or by telegram or telex or telecopier confirmed by letter, addressed to such record holder at the address of such record holder as it appears on the books of the Depositary or, if such holder shall have filed with the Depositary in a timely manner a written request that notices intended for such holder be mailed to some other address, at the address designated in such request.

 

21


Delivery of a notice sent by mail, or by telegram or telex or telecopier shall be deemed to be effected at the time when a duly addressed letter containing the same (or a confirmation thereof in the case of a telegram or telex or telecopier message) is deposited, postage prepaid, in a post office letter box. The Depositary or the Company may, however, act upon any telegram or telex or telecopier message received by it from the other or from any holder of a Receipt, notwithstanding that such telegram or telex or telecopier message shall not subsequently be confirmed by letter as aforesaid.

SECTION 7.05. Depositary’s Agents . The Depositary may from time to time appoint Depositary’s Agents to act in any respect for the Depositary for the purposes of this Deposit Agreement and may at any time appoint additional Depositary’s Agents and vary or terminate the appointment of such Depositary’s Agents. The Depositary will notify the Company of any such action.

SECTION 7.06. Holders of Receipts Are Parties . The holders of Receipts from time to time shall be deemed to be parties to this Deposit Agreement and shall be bound by all of the terms and conditions hereof and of the Receipts by acceptance of delivery thereof.

SECTION 7.07. Governing Law . This Deposit Agreement and the Receipts and all rights hereunder and thereunder and provisions hereof and thereof shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of Maryland applicable to agreements made and to be performed in said State.

SECTION 7.08. Inspection of Deposit Agreement and Articles Supplementary . Copies of this Deposit Agreement and the Articles Supplementary shall be filed with the Depositary and the Depositary’s Agents and shall be open to inspection during business hours at the Corporate Office and the respective offices of the Depositary’s Agents, if any, by any holder of any Receipt.

SECTION 7.09. Headings . The headings of articles and sections in this Deposit Agreement and in the form of the Receipt set forth in Exhibit A hereto have been inserted for convenience only and are not to be regarded as a part of this Deposit Agreement or to have any bearing upon the meaning or interpretation of any provision contained herein or in the Receipts.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

22


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Saul Centers, Inc. and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company have caused this Deposit Agreement to be duly executed on their behalf as of the date set forth above and all holders of Receipts shall become parties hereto by and upon acceptance by them of delivery of Receipts issued in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

SAUL CENTERS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Scott V. Schneider

Name:   Scott V. Schneider
Title:   Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary
CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
By:  

/s/ John W. Comer, Jr.

Name:   John W. Comer, Jr.
Title:   Vice President

 

 

Signature Page

Deposit Agreement


EXHIBIT A

Form of Receipt

DEPOSITARY RECEIPT FOR DEPOSITARY SHARES EACH REPRESENTING

ONE ONE-HUNDREDTH OF A

SHARE OF 9% SERIES B CUMULATIVE REDEEMABLE PREFERRED STOCK

OF

SAUL CENTERS, INC.

INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND

DEPOSITARY SHARES

THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE

IN NEW YORK, NY

SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

CUSIP 804395 40 8

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company , as Depositary (the “Depositary”), hereby certifies that              is the registered owner of              Depositary Shares (“Depositary Shares”), each Depositary Share representing  1 / 100 th of one share of 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the “Stock”), of Saul Centers, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Corporation”), on deposit with the Depositary, subject to the terms and entitled to the benefits of the Deposit Agreement, dated as of March 27, 2008 (the “Deposit Agreement”), among the Corporation, the Depositary and all holders from time to time of Depositary Receipts. By accepting this Depositary Receipt, the holder hereof becomes a party to and agrees to be bound by all the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement. This Depositary Receipt shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose or be entitled to any benefits under the Deposit Agreement unless it shall have been executed by the Depositary by the manual and or facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer.

 

A-1


The Corporation is authorized to issue Common Stock and one or more series of Preferred Stock. The Corporation will furnish without charge to each receipt holder, who so requests in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation at its principal office or to the transfer agent, a copy of the Deposit Agreement. Any such request shall be made to the Corporation at the principal office of the Corporation at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1500, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, Attention: Secretary.

Dated:

 

 

Secretary

 

President

[SEAL]

COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED

CONTINENTAL STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR

By:

 

AUTHORIZED OFFICER

 

A-2


SAUL CENTERS, INC.

The securities represented by this certificate are subject to restrictions on transfer for the purpose of maintenance of the Corporation’s status as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Except as otherwise provided pursuant to the Charter of the Corporation, no Person may (i) Beneficially or Constructively Own shares of Equity Stock in excess of 2.5 percent (or such greater percentage as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation) of the Value of the outstanding shares of Equity Stock of the Corporation (except in such circumstances as the Existing Holder Limit shall apply) or (ii) Beneficially Own Equity Stock which would result in the Corporation being “closely held” under Section 856(h) of the Code or otherwise would cause the Corporation to fail to qualify as a REIT. Any Person who attempts or proposes to Beneficially or Constructively Own shares of Equity Stock in excess of the above limitations must notify the Corporation in writing at least fifteen (15) days prior to the proposed or attempted transfer. If the transfer restrictions referred to herein are violated, the shares of Equity Stock represented hereby automatically will be held in trust by the Corporation, all as provided in the Charter of the Corporation. All capitalized terms in this legend have the meanings identified in the Corporation’s Charter, as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, a copy of which, including the restrictions on transfer, will be sent without charge to each stockholder who so requests.

The Corporation will furnish to any stockholder upon request and without charge a full statement of the information required by Section 2-211(b) of the Maryland General Corporation Law with respect to the designations and any preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to distributions, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption of the stock of each class which the Corporation has authority to issue and, if the Corporation is authorized to issue any preferred or special class in series or classes, (i) the difference in the relative rights and preferences between the shares of each series and class to the extent set, and (ii) the authority of the Board of Directors to set such rights and preferences of subsequent series and classes. The foregoing summary does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Charter of the Corporation, a copy of which will be sent without charge to each stockholder who so requests. Such request must be made to the Secretary of the Corporation at its principal office.

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this Depositary Receipt shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

TEN COM as tenants in common

TEN ENT as tenants by the entireties

JT TEN as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common

 

UNIF GIFT MIN ACT—  

 

  Custodian  

 

  (Cust)     (Minor)

 

A-3


  UNDER Uniform Gifts to Minors
 

 

 
  (State)  
UNIF GIFT MIN ACT—  

 

  Custodian (until age                                    )
  (Cust)  
 

 

  under Uniform Transfers
  (Minor)  
 

 

  to Minors Act
  (State)  

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

For Value Received,                          hereby sell, assign and transfer unto

 

 

 

 

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER

IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE

 

 

 

 

(Please print or typewrite name and address including postal zip code of assignee)

 

 

 

 

Depositary Shares represented by the within Depositary Receipt, and do hereby

irrevocably constitute and appoint

 

 

Attorney to transfer the said Depositary Shares on the books of the within named

Depositary with full power of substitution

 

Dated

 

 

    Signed  

 

NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THIS DEPOSITARY RECEIPT IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ALTERNATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.

 

A-4


Signature(s) Guaranteed:

 

THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM), PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15.

 

 

 

A-5

Exhibit 5.1

March 20, 2007

Saul Centers, Inc.

7501 Wisconsin Avenue

Suite 1500

Bethesda, Maryland

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Saul Centers, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-149463) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”), on February 29, 2007, as amended on March 7, 2008 (the “Registration Statement”). Pursuant to the Registration Statement, the Company proposes to issue and sell up to 3,450,000 depositary shares (the “Depositary Shares”), each representing 1/100 th fractional interest in a share of 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $.01 (the “Preferred Stock”), in accordance with the terms set forth in the prospectus supplement dated March 20, 2008 (the “Prospectus Supplement”) to the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement.

For purposes of giving the opinions hereinafter set forth, our examination of documents has been limited to examination of copies of the following (each, a “Document,” and collectively, the “Documents”):

 

  (i) the First Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, as certified by the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation on March 20, 2008, and as certified to us by the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary of the Company as of the date hereof;

 

  (ii) the Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of 9% Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, in the form to be filed with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation;


Saul Centers, Inc.

March 20, 2008

Page 2

 

 

  (iii) the Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended, of the Company as certified to us by the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary of the Company as of the date hereof;

 

  (iv) resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company adopted by unanimous written consent on February 29, 2008 and resolutions of the Pricing Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company adopted at a duly held meeting on March 20, 2008, each in the form certified to us by the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary of the company as of the date hereof;

 

  (v) the Registration Statement;

 

  (vi) the Prospectus dated March 10, 2008, in the form filed with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement;

 

  (vii) the Prospectus Supplement;

 

  (viii) an executed copy of the Underwriting Agreement dated March 20, 2008, by and among the Company, Saul Holdings Limited Partnership and the several underwriters named therein (the “Underwriting Agreement”);

 

  (ix) the form of Deposit Agreement (the “Deposit Agreement”) to be entered into by and among the Company, Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Depositary”) and all holders from time to time of depositary receipts issued thereunder; and

 

  (x) a certificate of an officer of the Company dated as of the date hereof.

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the assumptions, qualifications, limitations, and exceptions set forth below, we are of the opinion that:

1. The Preferred Stock, when issued and delivered by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and the Deposit Agreement, upon receipt of consideration for the Depositary Shares in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

2. When the depositary receipts have been duly executed and delivered by the Company and countersigned by the Depositary against a deposit of the Preferred Stock represented by the depositary receipts in accordance with the Deposit Agreement and delivered to and paid for by the purchasers of the depositary receipts in the manner contemplated by, and in accordance with, the Registration Statement and the Underwriting Agreement, the depositary receipts will entitle the holders thereof to the benefits provided therein and in the Deposit Agreement.


Saul Centers, Inc.

March 20, 2008

Page 3

 

For purposes of this opinion letter, we have not reviewed any documents other than the Documents. In particular, we have not reviewed any document (other than the Documents) that is referred to in or incorporated by reference into any Document reviewed by us. We have assumed that there exists no provision in any document that we have not reviewed that is inconsistent with the opinions stated herein.

In connection with this opinion letter, we have considered such matters of law and fact as we, in our professional judgment, have deemed necessary or appropriate to render the opinions contained herein. In rendering this opinion letter, we have assumed without independent investigation: (i) that each entity (other than the Company) that is a party to any Document is, and has been at all times relevant to this opinion letter, duly formed or organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which each is formed or organized; (ii) the due authorization, execution and delivery of each Document by each of the parties thereto (other than the Company); (iii) the completeness of all Documents; (iv) the genuineness of all signatures; (v) the legal capacity of all individuals who have executed any of the Documents; (vi) the authenticity of all Documents submitted to us as originals; (vii) the conformity to the original documents of all Documents submitted to us as certified, photostatic, reproduced, facsimile or conformed copies of valid existing agreements; (viii) the authenticity of all such latter Documents; and (ix) that the statements regarding matters of fact in any of the Documents that we have examined are accurate and complete. We have further assumed that there are no oral or written modifications or amendments to any of the Documents, and that the executed versions of the Documents are identical to any unexecuted forms or versions that we may have reviewed.

Our opinions expressed above are limited in all respects and for all purposes to the laws of the State of Maryland (excluding the securities laws and blue sky laws of the State of Maryland), and we express no opinion on the laws of any other jurisdiction, including federal laws and rules and regulations relating thereto. Our opinions are rendered only with respect to Maryland laws and rules, regulations and orders thereunder that are currently in effect. In rendering the opinions set forth herein, we express no opinion concerning (i) the creation, attachment, perfection or priority of any security interest, lien or other encumbrance, or (ii) the nature or validity of title to any property. The opinions set forth in this letter are limited to the matters and the transaction expressly addressed herein and no opinion is to be implied or may be inferred beyond the opinions expressly stated in this letter.

We express no opinion as to the enforceability of any provisions contained in the Underwriting Agreement or Deposit Agreement that constitute waivers that are prohibited by law prior to default.


Saul Centers, Inc.

March 20, 2008

Page 4

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name in the Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Legal Matters.” The giving of this consent, however, does not constitute an admission that we are “experts” within the meaning of Section 11 of the Act, or within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Act.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW PITTMAN LLP

Exhibit 8.1

 

    2300 N Street, N.W.   Tel 202.663.8000
    Washington, D.C. 20037-1128   Fax 202.663.8007
      www.pillsburylaw.com

March 27, 2008

Saul Centers, Inc.

7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1500

Bethesda, Maryland 20814

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Saul Centers, Inc. (the “Company”) has filed a registration statement on Form S-3, as amended (File No. 333-149463) (the “Registration Statement,” which term includes the prospectus and all documents incorporated and deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which was declared effective on March 10, 2008. In connection with the filing of a prospectus supplement (the “Prospectus Supplement”) dated March 20, 2008, you have asked us to render an opinion with respect to the qualification of the Company as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

In rendering the following opinions, we have examined such statutes, regulations, records, certificates and other documents as we have considered necessary or appropriate as a basis for such opinions, including the following: (1) the Registration Statement, (2) the Prospectus Supplement, (3) the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended, restated or supplemented (the “Articles of Incorporation”), (4) certain written representations of the Company contained in a letter to us dated as of the date hereof, (5) representative copies of the leases entered into by the Company as of the date hereof, and (6) such other documents or information as we have deemed necessary to render the opinions set forth in this letter.

In our review, we have assumed, with your consent, that the documents listed above that we reviewed in proposed form will be executed in substantially the same form, all of the representations and statements set forth in such documents as to factual matters (but not legal conclusions) are true, correct and complete, and that all representations that speak in the future, or to the intention, or to the best of belief and knowledge of any person(s) or party(ies) are and will be true, correct and complete as if made without such qualification. Nothing has come to our attention which would cause us to believe that any of such representations are untrue, incorrect or incomplete. We have also assumed that all of the obligations imposed by any such documents on the parties thereto, including obligations imposed under the Articles of Incorporation have been or will be performed or satisfied in accordance with their terms. Further, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the proper execution of all documents, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to originals of documents submitted to us as copies, and the authenticity of the originals from which any copies were made.


Saul Centers, Inc.

March 27, 2008

Page 2

 

Unless facts material to the opinions expressed herein are specifically stated to have been independently established or verified by us, we have relied as to such facts solely upon the representations made by the Company. To the extent that the representations of the Company are with respect to matters set forth in the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Treasury Regulations”), we have reviewed with the individuals making such representations the relevant provisions of the Code, the applicable Treasury Regulations and published administrative interpretations thereof.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing and to the qualifications below, we are of the opinion that:

1. The Company was a REIT under the Code for each of its taxable years ending through December 31, 2007.

2. The Company is organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, and its current method of operation and ownership will enable it to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT for the current taxable year and for future taxable years.

3. The statements in the prospectus set forth under the caption “Federal Income Tax Considerations,” and in the Prospectus Supplement set forth under the caption “Additional Federal Income Tax Considerations,” to the extent that they discuss matters of law or legal conclusions or purport to describe or summarize certain provisions of the agreements, statutes or regulations referred to therein, are accurate descriptions or summaries in all material respects, and the discussion thereunder expresses the opinion of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP insofar as it relates to matters of United States federal income tax law and legal conclusions with regard to those matters.

The opinions set forth in this letter are based on existing law as contained in the Code, Treasury Regulations (including any Temporary and Proposed Regulations), and interpretations of the foregoing by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and by the courts in effect (or, in case of certain Proposed Regulations, proposed) as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, both retroactively or prospectively, and to possibly different interpretations. Moreover, the Company’s ability to achieve and maintain qualification as a REIT depends upon its ability to achieve and maintain certain diversity of stock ownership requirements and, through actual annual operating results, certain requirements under the Code regarding its income, assets and distribution levels. No assurance can be given as to whether, for any given taxable year, the actual ownership of the Company’s stock and its actual operating results and distributions satisfy the tests necessary to achieve and maintain its status as a REIT. We assume no obligation to update the opinions set forth in this letter. We believe that the conclusions expressed herein, if challenged by the IRS, would be sustained in court. Because our positions are not binding upon the IRS or the courts, however, there can be no assurance that contrary positions may not be successfully asserted by the IRS.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP


Saul Centers, Inc.

March 27, 2008

Page 3

 

The foregoing opinions are limited to the specific matters covered thereby and should not be interpreted to imply the undersigned has offered its opinion on any other matter.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. The giving of this consent, however, does not constitute an admission that we are “experts” within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Act.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW PITTMAN LLP

(53471)

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP